We Rounded
The Scaw In A Thick Mist, Saw The Remains Of Four Ships
That Had Run Aground Upon It, And Were Nearly Run Into
Ourselves By A Clumsy Merchantman, Whom We Had The Relief
Of Being Able To Abuse In Our Native Vernacular, And The
Most Racy Sea-Slang.
Those five last days were certainly the only tedious
period of the whole cruise.
I suppose there is something
magnetic in the soil of one's own country, which may
account for that impatient desire to see it again, which
always grows, as the distance from it diminishes; if so,
London clay, - and its superstratum of foul, greasy,
gas-discoloured mud - began about this time to exercise
a tender influence upon me, which has been increasing
every hour since: it is just possible that the thoughts
of seeing you again may have some share in the matter.
Somebody (I think Fuller) says somewhere, that "every
one with whom you converse, and every place wherein you
tarry awhile, giveth somewhat to you, and taketh somewhat
away, either for evil or for good;" a startling
consideration for circumnavigators, and such like restless
spirits, but a comfortable thought, in some respects,
for voyagers to Polar regions, as (except seals and bears)
few things could suffer evil from us there; though for
our own parts, there were solemn and wholesome influences
enough "to be taken away" from those icy solitudes, if
one were but ready and willing to "stow" them.
To-morrow I leave Copenhagen, and my good Sigurdr, whose
companionship has been a constant source of enjoyment,
both to Fitz and myself, during the whole voyage; I trust
that I leave with him a friendly remembrance of our too
short connexion, and pleasant thoughts of the strange
places and things we have seen together; as I take away
with me a most affectionate memory of his frank and kindly
nature, his ready sympathy, and his imperturbable good
humour. From the day on which I shipped him - an entire
stranger - until this eve of our separation - as friends,
through scenes of occasional discomfort, and circumstances
which might sometimes have tried both temper and
spirits - shut up as we were for four months in the
necessarily close communion of life on board a vessel of
eighty tons, - there has never been the shadow of a cloud
between us; henceforth, the words "an Icelander" can
convey no cold or ungenial associations to my ears, and
however much my imagination has hitherto delighted in
the past history of that singular island, its Present
will always claim a deeper and warmer interest from me,
for Sigurdr's sake.
To-morrow Fitz and I start for Hamburg, and very soon
after - at least as soon as railroad and steamer can bring
me - I look for the joy of seeing your face again.
By the time this reaches Portsmouth, the "Foam" will have
perfomed a voyage of six thousand miles.
I have had a most happy time of it, but I fear my amusement
will have cost you many a weary hour of anxiety and suspense.
End of Letters From High Latitudes, by Lord Dufferin
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