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I believe you are a little deaf in one eye, Raymond, or else you
can't hear in the other.
[Illustration: THE TRAVELLING JOURNEYMEN.--Page 217.]
[Illustration:
Young America Abroad
Down the Rhine
By Oliver Optic.
Boston
Lee & Shepard.]
DOWN THE RHINE;
OR,
YOUNG AMERICA IN GERMANY.
A Story of Travel and Adventure.
BY
OLIVER OPTIC.
BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD.
1870.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by
WILLIAM T. ADAMS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the
District of Massachusetts.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE
_Boston Stereotype Foundry_,
No. 19 Spring Lane.
TO MY YOUNG FRIEND
_RALPH OAKLEY_,
This Volume
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.
A Library of Travel and Adventure in Foreign Lands. First and Second
Series; six volumes in each Series. 16mo. Illustrated.
_First Series._
I. _OUTWARD BOUND_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA AFLOAT.
II. _SHAMROCK AND THISTLE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.
III. _RED CROSS_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ENGLAND AND WALES.
IV. _DIKES AND DITCHES_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM.
V. _PALACE AND COTTAGE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND.
VI. _DOWN THE RHINE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN GERMANY.
_Second Series._
I. _UP THE BALTIC_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN DENMARK AND SWEDEN.
II. _NORTHERN LANDS_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA.
III. _VINE AND OLIVE_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.
IV. _SUNNY SHORES_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN ITALY AND AUSTRIA.
V. _CROSS AND CRESCENT_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA IN GREECE AND TURKEY.
VI. _ISLES OF THE SEA_; OR, YOUNG AMERICA HOMEWARD BOUND.
PREFACE.
DOWN THE RHINE, the sixth and last volume of the first series of "YOUNG
AMERICA ABROAD," is the conclusion of the history of the Academy Squadron
on its first voyage to Europe, with the excursion of the students and
their friends into Germany, and down its most beautiful river. As in the
preceding volumes of the series, brief geographical descriptions of the
country visited are given, with a sketch of its history, and of whatever
may be peculiar or interesting in its manners and customs. The travellers
enter Germany by the way of Strasburg, and visit Freiburg, Schaffhausen,
Constance, Friedrichshafen, Ulm, Stuttgart, Carlsruhe, Darmstadt,
Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Mayence, Bingen, Bonn, Coblenz,
Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Aix-la-Chapelle; but only the most interesting
features of these places are noticed.
The story part of the volume relates mostly to a trip of the squadron
from Havre to Brest, and the cruise of the Josephine up the Mediterranean,
in which the writer has endeavored to show that even injustice is not to
be redressed by resorting to evil deeds; and he is quite sure that the
sympathies of his readers will always be with the members of the "Order
of the Faithful."
As the author has before had occasion gratefully to acknowledge, the
success of this series has far exceeded his anticipations; and in bringing
the first series to a close, he again returns his thanks to his friends,
young and old, who have so often and so earnestly encouraged him in his
agreeable labors,--all the more agreeable because they are so generously
appreciated. He intends, during the coming year, to make another trip to
Europe, for the purpose of visiting all the countries mentioned in the
titles of the second series; for he is not inclined to write about any
country until he has seen it. If no unforeseen event intervenes to defeat
his plans, the remaining volumes of YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD will soon follow.
HARRISON SQUARE, MASS.,
October 28, 1869.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. CONFUSION IN THE SHIP. 11
II. CLOSE QUARTERS. 27
III. A GATHERING STORM. 42
IV. THE YOUNG AMERICAN MUTINY. 57
V. THE ORDER OF THE FAITHFUL. 73
VI. IN THE STEERAGE. 89
VII. THE VISIT TO THE HOLD. 106
VIII. SHORT OF WATER. 123
IX. THE LAST OF THE MUTINEERS. 140
X. WHAT THE RUNAWAYS WERE GOING TO DO. 158
XI. A SHORT LECTURE ON GERMANY. 174
XII. A MYSTERIOUS MOVEMENT. 191
XIII. FROM STRASBURG TO CONSTANCE. 207
XIV. THE STORM ON LAKE CONSTANCE. 224
XV. LADY FEODORA AND SIR WILLIAM. 241
XVI. UP THE MEDITERRANEAN. 260
XVII. HEIDELBERG AND HOMBURG. 279
XVIII. CASTLES, VINEYARDS, AND MOUNTAINS. 296
XIX. COBLENZ AND COLOGNE. 309
XX. HOMEWARD BOUND. 332
DOWN THE RHINE;
OR,
YOUNG AMERICA IN GERMANY.
CHAPTER I.
CONFUSION IN THE SHIP.
"All hands pipe to muster, ahoy!" screamed the new boatswain of the
Young America, as he walked towards the forecastle of the ship,
occasionally sounding a shrill blast upon his whistle.
At the same time the corresponding officer in the Josephine performed
a similar service; and in a moment every officer and seaman in both
vessels had taken his station. The squadron lay at anchor off the
harbor of Havre. The students had returned the day before from a
delightful tour through France and Switzerland--all except the
thirty-one who had preferred to take a cruise on their own account in
the Josephine; and these had been performing ship's duty, and making up
back lessons, while the vessel lay at anchor in the port of Brest.
Perhaps it was not strictly true that these malcontents were sick of
the game of running away, but it is strictly true that they were
disgusted with the penalty which had been imposed upon them by the
authorities of the Academy. It is to be regretted that they were not
moved to penitence by their punishment, and that they were ripe for any
new rebellion which promised to be even a partial success. They had
been deprived of seeing Paris,--which is France,--and the beautiful
scenery of Switzerland, by their folly; and they had taste enough to
realize that they had sacrificed the best part of a tour in Europe.
Those who had participated in the excursion were enthusiastic in their
belief that they had had a good time; and the frequent discussion of
the pleasures of the trip did not tend to diminish the discontent of
the runaways. It was absolutely intolerable to think they had been
compensating for past deficiencies in their studies, while their
shipmates were gazing upon the magnificent palaces of Paris, the
picturesque cottages, and the sublime mountain scenery of Switzerland.
Perhaps their temper was not improved by the reflection that others had
been permitted to enjoy what they were not allowed to see, for envy is
one of the ugliest and most uncomfortable of human passions. Boys, like
men and women, fret because they cannot have what others possess,
either as the gift of partial Fortune, or as the reward of their own
superior skill and perseverance.
If the runaways had not learned wisdom from their failure, they had
acquired discretion. The leaders in the mad scheme could now see just
why and wherefore they had failed; and they believed--if they were to
have the opportunity to do the deed over again--they could make a
success of it. The machinery of the secret organization was now
disgusting to them, though it had enabled them to make the capture of
the vessel. They were disposed to cast it all aside, and resort to new
methods for future occasions. As a general rule, they were wise enough
to keep still, and only among themselves did they express their chagrin
and disappointment, or suggest that they were not entirely cured of
their tendency to run away. The strict discipline of the squadron could
not be evaded, and they were compelled to perform all their duties.
It was the beginning of a new term in the school. New officers had
succeeded the old ones, or the position of the latter had been
materially changed. The members of the order of the Knights of the
Golden Fleece found themselves scattered by the new arrangement. Not
less than a dozen of them had been transferred to the consort, while
Tom Perth, the leading spirit of the runaways, had attained to the
dignity of second master of the ship, more by his natural abilities
than by any efforts he had made to win a high place. As yet he had
found no opportunity to arrange a plan for further operations with his
confederates, for Mr. Fluxion, the vice-principal, was in the charge of
the schooner, and his eyes and ears were always open. The return of the
tourists from their excursion restored the routine on board of the
vessels.
Everything was changed, and at first hardly an officer knew where he
belonged, or what his duty was. Confusion reigned on board the ship and
her consort, while the students were finding and preparing their new
berths. Happily, the changes were all made before dinner time, and
everything settled down into its wonted order and regularity. After the
midday meal was served, all hands were piped to muster, in order that
the officers and seamen might be exercised in their new situations. The
details of sea duty were well understood by all. Those alone who had
been promoted from the steerage to the after cabin were in the dark in
regard to their duty, though in these instances the parties had a
general idea of what was required of them. But it was necessary to have
the crew ready to work together, for the seaman who had hauled on the
weather-brace in tacking was now an officer, and the stations of many
were new and strange to them.
Shuffles in the ship, and Terrill in the consort, proceeded to execute
all the manoeuvres required in handling the vessel, from getting under
way to coming to anchor again. Nearly all the officers and crew were
zealous to perform their several parts correctly; but there were enough
of the discontented ones, who shirked as much as possible, to create
considerable confusion. The captain of the Young America was not
satisfied with the manner in which the various evolutions were
performed; so he began at the beginning, and went over all the ground
again, to the great disgust of the runaways in his crew, who had been
doing this sort of thing for four weeks, while the others were enjoying
the beauties of the mountain scenery.
"What's the matter, Captain Shuffles?" asked Commodore Kendall, when
the commander finished the routine a second time, and was still
dissatisfied with the result.
"It doesn't work well," replied Shuffles, biting his lip.
"A new broom sweeps clean, they say," laughed the flag officer.
"Perhaps you are more particular than your predecessors were."
"I think not. The ship would have miss-stayed under such handling as we
have to-day, to say nothing of the clumsy look of it," continued the
new captain. "I shouldn't wish to be out in a gale with a crew as slack
as ours is just now."
"What's the trouble?" asked the commodore, rather anxiously. "I saw
that things did not work well."
"There is trouble somewhere, and I think I can see where it is."
"What is it?"
"Certain parties in this ship don't like me very well, just now."
"You mean the runaways," suggested Paul.
"Of course."
"They are making a mistake if they are slack in their duty," added the
commodore, rather indignantly. "They wish to go with us on our next
excursion: but I don't think they can win the privilege in this
manner."
"Wilton and Howe are doing all they can to make things go wrong," said
Captain Shuffles, who was more in sorrow than in anger at the conduct
of these worthies. "If they are doing it to spite me, they are only
spiting themselves. I am going through these manoeuvres until they are
a little more ship-shape, at least."
The new captain ordered all hands to take their stations for getting
under way, and Commodore Kendall went aft, though he still carefully
observed the conduct of the seamen. The clumsiness, and the intentional
blunders of certain of the crew seemed to indicate that there was a
conspiracy to defeat the purposes of the commander. First, Howe tumbled
down while the hands were walking round the capstan; Spencer stumbled
over him, and a dozen boys were thrown in a pile upon them. Then
Richmond and Merrick dropped their handspikes overboard, through an
open port, when the order was given to restore these articles to their
proper places.
Little snarled himself up in the gasket on the fore-topsail yard, and
dropped off, as though he had fallen, though he clung to the rope, and
was brought up with a jerk ten or twelve feet below the spar. Some of
his gang, believing he had really fallen, screamed, and the attention
of the whole crew was drawn off from their duty. When the fore-topmast
staysail and jib were to be set, somebody had fouled the down-hauls, so
that they could not be hoisted. There was a kink in the halyards of the
main-top gallant-sail, so that it would not run through the block.
Clewlines, clew-garnets, leachlines, and buntlines were in a snarl. The
zeal of those who were striving to do their duty faithfully seemed to
make the matter worse, and the officers found it difficult to determine
who really made the mischief; for the malcontents pretended to be as
enthusiastic as their shipmates. Strong expressions and hard words were
freely used by the vexed seamen, and certainly such a scene of
confusion had never before been observed on board of the ship, even
when a large proportion of the crew were green hands.
Captain Shuffles was deeply grieved by the misconduct of the crew; for,
standing on the quarter-deck, he could not distinguish between the
intentional and the unintentional blunders of the crew, and therefore
believed that the disaffection was much more extensive than was really
the case. The zealous efforts of one portion of the crew to rectify the
mistakes of another portion only increased the confusion, and some of
those who were actually doing their best appeared to be the real
authors of the difficulty. The captain was drilling his crew in
simultaneous movements, and it was difficult, if not impossible, to
ascertain exactly the source of the unwonted confusion.
While the routine of evolutions was thus bunglingly performed, the
principal and the professors, who had been discussing an interesting
question of discipline in the main cabin, came on deck. Perhaps the
fact that Mr. Lowington was not on deck had encouraged the conspirators
in creating the confusion which pervaded the decks and rigging. As he
was the last to ascend the companion-way, he paused on the steps, with
his head on a level with the deck, to note the precision of the drill.
He was not noticed by the conspirators, and, unfortunately for them,
they continued in their career of insubordination. The quick eye of the
principal readily detected the nature of the mischief, though it was as
impossible for him as for the officers immediately to indicate the
authors of the confusion which prevailed throughout the ship.
"This does not look much like going down the Rhine this week," said Mr.
Lowington to Commodore Kendall, as he stepped upon the quarter-deck.
"I don't think it does, sir," replied Paul, grieved and indignant at
the miserable exhibition of seamanship which the crew then presented.
"This is a strange sight on board of this ship," added the principal,
biting his lips with vexation, for, as usual, when the young tars
displayed their seamanship, there were plenty of spectators on shore,
and on board of other vessels in the roadstead.
"I certainly never saw anything like it since we first began to learn
ship's duty in Brockway harbor."
"The crew appear to be hazing the new officers," continued Mr.
Lowington, who could not fail to perceive that a large portion of the
apparent blundering was intentional.
"Of course there isn't a seaman on board who does not know his duty."
"They are not familiar yet with their new stations, and a little
confusion is unavoidable," said Mr. Lowington, willing to make all
reasonable allowances.
"But they have already been through the routine two or three times,"
suggested Paul.
"Are the crew dissatisfied with the election?" asked the principal.
"I have not heard any dissatisfaction expressed; but I suppose some of
them don't like Shuffles, especially those who went off in the
Josephine."
"There are not twenty of them left in the ship; and it seems as though
the whole crew were engaged in this frolic."
At this moment a gang of the waist men, who were walking away with the
main-topsail sheets, were suddenly piled up in a pyramid on deck. The
second fellow in the line had fallen down; the next had tripped over
him, and those that followed tumbled into the heap. It is more than
probable that some, whose estimate of the value of good order was not
very high, though they were tolerably good boys in the main, were
tempted by their love of fun to take part in what appeared to them only
a frolic. A scene of violent confusion ensued in this particular part
of the deck. Some, who were near the bottom of the pile, were hurt by
those who fell upon them, and the tempers of others were not improved
by the mishap. Hard words followed, those at the bottom blaming those
at the top, and those at the top growling at those at the bottom. Some
were rubbing their elbows, others their shins, and all appeared to be
anxious to ascertain who had produced the mischief.
"Pipe to muster, Captain Shuffles," said the principal, stepping up to
the bewildered commander. "We have had about enough of this."
Shuffles gave the order to the first lieutenant, and it was duly
transmitted to the boatswain, whose shrill pipe soon assembled the
whole ship's company in the waist.
"We shall catch it now," said Spencer, one of the runaways, to Howe, as
they met near the rail, a little outside of the crowd.
"No matter; he is only going to preach to us," replied Howe through the
corner of his mouth, while he tried to look as innocent as one of the
chaplain's lambs.
"We shall not have a chance to go down the Rhine if we do things in
this way."
"I don't want to go down the Rhine; at least, not till I have been
through Paris and Switzerland."
"But we want to go ashore with the other fellows, or we shall have no
chance to go anywhere."
"Shut up! Don't talk about that here. If we don't go, no one will go.
This is bully! We shall get things mixed so that the officers won't
know a lamb from a goat."
"Bob Shuffles hasn't made much yet as captain," laughed Spencer.
"We'll get even with him yet," added Howe, still talking through the
corner of his mouth, and looking all the time at the principal, who had
taken his place on the hatch.
Mr. Lowington, as the rogue had suggested, only intended to "preach."
He had observed the insubordination of the crew, and he regretted it
exceedingly, for he was as careful of the reputation of the ship as of
his own. There was an evident intention on the part of a large portion
of the ship's company to haze the new officers. Such a purpose was
unworthy of the character of young gentlemen, and he hoped that such
conduct as he had just witnessed would be discontinued. In a day or two
he purposed to start for Germany, but he could not leave the ship
unless he was satisfied that every one on board knew his duty; for on
their return they might be compelled, by some unforeseen event, to go
to sea at once, and the crew did not appear to know how to set and furl
a sail. The officers, from the captain to the lowest rank, appeared to
have performed their duty faithfully; and all the trouble was in the
execution of their orders. In conclusion, he announced that the drill
would be resumed in half an hour, and directed the commander to pipe
down.
"That didn't hurt anybody," said Howe, as he walked forward with
Spencer. "Let us keep it up."
"We may get caught at it."
"No need of that. Accidents will happen."
"Yes; but they don't happen all over the ship at the same time."
"Well, they may, you know," laughed Howe. "In fact, I don't see how
accidents are to be avoided while we have such a fellow as Shuffles for
captain. If there is any one in the ship that I despise, it is
Shuffles."
"So say we all of us!"
"The snivelling, canting, whining puppy! Have you any idea that his
merit-marks made him captain of the ship?" continued Howe.
"I suppose they did."
"Tell that to the marines! Wasn't he acknowledged to be the worst
fellow in the ship when we crossed the Atlantic? Wasn't he the
ringleader in all mischief and scrapes?"
"But he has reformed."
"Reformed!" sneered Howe. "He has turned hypocrite, if that is what you
mean by reformed. I don't believe in that sort of bosh."
"He's the pet of the principal and the instructors."
"Yes; and they have given him marks enough to make him captain, just to
show good fellows, like you and me, what a saint can do. It is all
humbug! Why, he got more marks than Kendall, Gordon, Haven, and the
rest of those cabin nobs, who are fit to enter the senior class in a
college. I am satisfied that his merit-roll was doctored so as to make
it come out as it did."
"I don't believe Lowington would do any such thing as that," suggested
Spencer, shaking his head.
"Don't you? Well, I do. What's the use of talking! Didn't Shuffles jump
from the steerage into the captain's state-room?"
"Any other fellow may do the same thing. Look at Tom Perth, who lost a
heap of marks for running off in the Josephine, as the rest of us did.
He is second master. If it hadn't been for our scrape, very likely he
would have been captain."
"Don't you believe it."
"If Lowington had not been fair, and let every fellow go just where his
marks carried him, Perth would not have had a place in the cabin."
"O, the principal only wanted to break us up by taking our best fellow
away from us. He couldn't drive Tom Perth, and now he's going to lead
him--bait him with sugar and offices."
"Some of the fellows say Shuffles can't handle the ship without the
help of the principal," said Spencer.
"Of course he can't!" exclaimed Howe. "Hasn't he proved that already?
If Paul Kendall had been captain, he would have spotted every fellow
that made any trouble. Let us keep it up, Spencer, and we shall soon
prove that Shuffles can't handle the ship. That will be enough to
satisfy me."
The approach of an officer interrupted the conversation; but Howe
passed from one to another of the malcontents, and instructed them what
to do in the next drill. They were to create all the confusion they
could in the discharge of their duty. They were to misunderstand the
orders, and to blunder in the execution of them, in such a manner as to
conceal their own agency in the mischief, and divide the responsibility
of it among their companions. The runaway crew of the Josephine,
mortified at their failure, were still fretting because they had not
visited Paris and Switzerland. They were ready to listen to evil
counsels, and regarding Howe as their leader since the promotion of
Perth, they promised to follow his instructions to the letter.
"What are we going to make by it?" demanded Sheffield, who doubted the
policy of the proceeding.
"We are going to prove, in the first place, that Shuffles can't handle
the ship," replied Howe.
"Perhaps you may prove it, even if you don't believe what you prove."
"But I do believe he can't handle the ship."
"I don't. I hate Shuffles as bad as any fellow, but I believe he is as
good a sailor as any person on board, man or boy."
"That's all in your eye!" retorted Howe, contemptuously. "He may be
able to get along while we are lying in port, but I should like to see
him work the ship in a gale of wind."
"He can do it," answered Sheffield, confidently. "But he is a flunky,
and spoiled all our fun in the Josephine. I am willing to throw him
over for being a hypocrite, and selling us out as he did. What else are
we to gain?"
"We shall help along our chances of going down the Rhine, and,"
whispered Howe, "of seeing Paris and Switzerland."
"I don't see it."
"Well, I do. If we cave in and pretend to be lambs when we are lions,
we shall have to do duty while the rest of the fellows are having a
good time on shore. If we show that we are still wide awake, Lowington
will take us with him, because he will not dare to leave us on board."
"He will leave Fluxion with us."
"Not much! I heard some of the fellows say that Fluxion was going to
Italy to see his mother, or his sister, or somebody that is sick
there."
"I heard that."
"If it is true, Lowington will not leave us behind, especially if he
finds we are not as gentle as lambs."
"Perhaps not; but as the matter stands, we are already condemned to
stay on board during the rest of the season."
"I know that; but Lowington will let us off."
"He will be more likely to do so if we behave well."
"Not he! Don't you believe it."
"They say Shuffles is teasing him to remit the rest of the penalty."
"Shuffles!"
"That's so; and Lowington promised to consider the matter. Tom Perth
told me this; and he heard Shuffles talking to the principal about it."
"Humph! I don't want to go on those terms," replied Howe, in disgust.
"That's some more of Shuffles's cant! One of his sensations! He
thinks he whipped us out on board of the Josephine, and now he wants to
be magnanimous with his victims. If we go with the crowd, it will be
because Lowington is afraid to leave us behind. We are not a set of
babies, Sheffield, to be whipped and sent to bed when we are naughty.
Neither are we sailors before the mast, to be kicked here and there, at
the pleasure of our masters. What do you suppose the fellows came to
Europe for, if it was not to see the country? Are we to be left on
board just because we went on a little lark? Not much!"
"That's all very good, but it won't go down," laughed Sheffield.
"I'm not going to eat humble pie for any one. Do you mean to tell me I
am not as good a fellow as Bob Shuffles?"
"I didn't say you were not."
"Am I not his equal?" demanded Howe.
"I suppose you are, if you behave as well."
"Behave as well!" sneered the orator. "I behave well enough, and I'm
not going to be put down, nor beg my rights of Bob Shuffles. If I am
left on board, for one, when the fellows go down the Rhine, I intend to
break things."
"Don't break your own head."
"Let me alone for that. If our fellows have any spirit at all, they
will not be left behind. In the next drill, things will be mixed, and
no one can tell who makes the mischief. Our fellows are not the only
ones that don't like Shuffles, and you will find that about half the
crew will help snarl things up. Now, keep your weather eye open,
Sheffield. Take my advice, and don't whimper. Our fellows have a little
business in Paris and Switzerland, and we shall attend to it in a week
or two. There goes the pipe. Mind your eye, Sheffield."
The boatswain's call sounded through the ship, and officers and crew
hastened to their stations.