by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VII.
UP THE CHRISTIANIA FJORD.
"I should like to know where this place is," said Ryder, the secondmaster, as he appeared upon the quarter-deck of the ship, with one ofthe forty bound volumes of Harper's Magazine, which were contained inthe library.
"What place?" asked Lincoln, the third lieutenant, as he glanced atthe volume.
"That's more than I know; but here is a picture of a steamer betweentwo high bluffs of rock, and under it, she is said to be entering thefjord."
"We are just at the mouth of the fjord now, and if there are any suchrocks as those here, I should like to see them. Why, you see they riseabove the steamer's main-topmast."
Lincoln took the book, and read the description; but he was none thewiser for his labor, for the narrow strait through which the steamerin the picture was passing was not particularly described. The bookwas shown to the pilot, who did not know just where the place was; butafter he had been told that the steamer came from Gottenburg, and wason her way to Christiania, he thought that the bold rocks must be inthe vicinity of Frederiksvaern. He offered to take the ship throughthe pass, as the wind was fair, and Mr. Lowington consented that heshould do so, for in order to enable the students to see the finescenery on the fjord, the studies were to be laid aside for the day.
"I don't see where there can be anything like this," said Ryder, as hesurveyed the shores.
"There are plenty of islands here, but certainly none of them rise toany such heights as those in the picture," replied Lincoln. "They arebare rocks out at sea, but some of them are a little green farther in.It don't begin to be so wild as I supposed it was in these parts. Why,I have read and heard so much about the Christiania Fjord, that Isupposed it was the grandest scenery in the world."
"It don't look much like the picture--does it?" laughed Ryder.
In a short time the ship was approaching the narrow pass. The cliffson each side were very bold and rugged, and if the students had notbeen feasting themselves with grand anticipations, they would haveappreciated the scenery much better. Ryder and Lincoln laughed whenthey compared the reality with the pictures they had. The scenerycould not be called grand, though it was certainly very fine. Thestrait was very narrow, and on each side of it rings were fastened inthe rocks, which were painted white around them, for the convenienceof vessels warping out in a calm or against the wind. On the highrock,--it could not have been a hundred feet high,--at the right, wasa small fort, which looked grim and terrible in its way, but which anywell-ordered man of war, with modern ordnance, could have battereddown in half an hour.
Passing through the strait, the ship came in sight of the smallvillage of Frederiksvaern, which is a naval station, where a number ofgunboats are housed in a series of uniform buildings. The town itselfis only a hamlet, but as the vessels proceeded, those on board sawLaurvig at the head of the bay, which is a place of considerableimportance.
"Little Foerder," said the pilot, an hour later, as he pointed to atall, red light-house, at the entrance of the fjord.
"Then the land we see beyond must be Sweden," added Ryder.
"_Sverige_," nodded the pilot.
"I suppose that is Sweden, but I don't see the use of having half adozen names to a country."
"And this is _Norge_," added the second master, pointing to the otherside.
"Yes, _Norge_," answered the pilot, pleased to hear the young officerapply the Norwegian name.
On the port hand of the ship was a vast sea of rocky islands, of allshapes and sizes. Those farthest from the mainland were entirelydestitute of soil or verdure; but in the distance a few pines, and thefresh tints of the early grass, could be seen.
"Keep her north-north-east," said the pilot.
"Man the weather and stand by the lee braces!" shouted the firstlieutenant.
Clyde Blacklock took out his station card, and looked to see whetherthe order applied to him.
"You are on the main brace," said Scott, a good-natured young tar,who happened to be near the new student. "There you are, on theweather side."
"Who spoke to you?" demanded Clyde, dropping his card, and lookingScott in the face.
"I haven't been introduced to you, I know; but I thought you wanted toknow your duty," laughed Scott.
"You take care of yourself, and I'll mind my own duty," growled Clyde.
"All right, my lad," replied the good-natured student, whose stationwas at the weather fore brace.
Clyde walked aft, and placed himself in the line of those who were tohaul on the weather main brace.
"Slack the lee, and haul on the weather braces," said the firstlieutenant, and the other officers repeated the order.
"Walk away with it!" shouted the fourth lieutenant to those at themain brace.
Clyde took hold, and tugged with all his might; but the brace wouldnot come away. To tell the exact truth, there was a disposition amongthe students to haze the new comer, and the main brace men had agreedamong themselves to let him do the whole of the work. They pretendedto haul, but not one of them bore a pound upon the brace.
"Pull!" shouted Clyde, at the top of his lungs, as he strained at therope. "Why don't you pull, boys?"
"Silence on the quarter-deck!" cried the executive officer--for allwork was required to be performed in silence. "Walk away with the mainbrace."
"Come, boys, why don't you pull?" roared Clyde, who was blest with apair of hearty lungs.
"Silence, Blacklock! You mustn't hollo like that when you are onduty," interposed De Forrest.
"Who says I mustn't?" demanded Clyde, dropping his hold upon thebrace, and walking up to the officer who had dared to give him thesewords of counsel, which were uttered in a mild and pleading tone,rather than in those of authority.
"Starboard the helm," said the executive officer.
"Starboard, sir," repeated the quartermaster at the wheel.
"Walk away with that main brace!" added the first lieutenant.
The main brace men, finding that Clyde was at issue with the fourthlieutenant, applied themselves to their work, and the main yard swunground.
"Steady!" said the executive officer.
"Steady, sir."
"Avast hauling! Belay, all."
By these manoeuvres the ship had been kept away, and was now headeddirectly up the fjord.
"I don't allow any fellow to speak to me like that," blustered Clyde."I want you to understand that I am a gentleman."
"Go forward, Blacklock, and don't make a row on the quarter-deck,"replied De Forrest, mildly.
"I'll not go forward!"
"Then I must report you to the first lieutenant."
"I'm willing to do my work, but I won't be fagged by any nob in goldlace."
"You are making a mistake, Blacklock," said De Forrest, in a lowtone, as he walked towards the angry Briton, with the intention ofreasoning with him upon the absurdity of his conduct.
Mr. Lowington had cautioned him and other officers to be very prudentin dealing with the new student till he had become accustomed to hisduty, and certainly De Forrest was prudent in the extreme. PerhapsClyde misunderstood the purpose of this officer when approaching him,and suspected that he intended to use violence, for, drawing back, hemade a pass at De Forrest with his fist. But the latter detected thenature of the demonstration in season to ward off the blow, and, stillin the exercise of the extreme prudence which had before characterizedhis conduct, retreated to the other side of the quarter-deck.
"Enough of that," said Judson, the first lieutenant, as he steppedbetween Clyde and De Forrest.
Clyde was very angry. Though he had made up his mind to perform hisduty in the beginning, he fancied that no one had the right to commandhim to be silent. In his wrath he pulled off his blue jacket, tossedit upon the deck with a flourish, and intimated that if the firstlieutenant wanted to fight, he was ready for him. Happily the firstlieutenant did not wish to fight, though he was fully prepared todefend himself. At this crisis, the principal observed the hostileat
titude of the young Briton, and quietly ordered Peaks to interfere.
"Go forward, Blacklock," said Judson, calmly.
"I won't go forward! I have been insulted, and I'll break the sconceof the fellow that did it," added Clyde, glancing at the fourthlieutenant.
"Come, my hearty, let us go forward, as we are ordered," interposedPeaks, as he picked up Clyde in his arms, and in spite of hisstruggles, carried him into the waist.
It was useless to resist the big boatswain, and the pressure ofPeaks's arms soon crushed out Clyde's anger, and like a little child,he was set down upon the deck, amid the laughter of his companions. Hefelt that he was not getting ahead at all; and though he reserved theexpression of his anger, he determined at the first convenientopportunity to thrash both Judson and De Forrest. He had also decidedto run away at the first chance, even if he had to camp on a desolateisland in doing so. He regarded Peaks as a horrible ogre, whose onlymission in the ship was to persecute and circumvent him.
"I'll have it out with those nobs yet," said Clyde, as Peaks left him,restored to his senses, so far as outward appearances were concerned.
"Have it out! Have what out?" asked Scott, the good-natured.
"I'll whip that nob who told me to be silent."
"Don't you do it, my jolly Briton," laughed Scott.
"I can do it."
"Do you mean the first lieutenant?"
"Yes, that I do; and I'll teach him better manners."
"I wouldn't hurt him; Judson's a good fellow."
"I don't care if he is; he'll catch it; and De Forrest, too. Theyinsulted me."
"I dare say they didn't mean to."
"If they didn't, I'll give them a chance to apologize," added Clyde,a little mollified by the mild words of his companion.
"That's very kind of you; but officers don't often apologize to seamenfor telling them of it when they disobey the rules of the ship."
"Rules or not, I'll hammer them both if they don't apologize."
"Don't be cruel with them," laughed Scott.
"And that big boatswain--I'll be even with him yet," blustered Clyde,as he shook his head menacingly.
"Are you going to thrash him too?" asked Scott, opening his eyes.
"I'll take care of him. He don't toss me round in that way withoutsuffering for it."
"Well, don't hurt him," suggested the good-natured seaman.
"He'll get a broken head before he grows much older," added Clyde,drawing out a belaying-pin from the fife-rail. "I shall not be in thisship a great while longer; but I mean to stay long enough to settle myaccounts with the big boatswain and the two nobs on the quarter-deck."
"How are you going to do it, my dear Albion?"
"Leave that to me. No man can insult me without suffering for it."
"Perhaps the officers will apologize, but I don't believe Peaks will.He's an obstinate fellow, and would do just what the principal toldhim to do, even if it was to swallow you and me, and half a dozenother fellows. You don't mean to lick the principal too--do you?"
"I haven't had any trouble with him."
"But he is at the bottom of it all. He told Peaks to persecute you.I'm not sure that the principal isn't more to blame than all theothers put together."
"No matter for him; he has done very well."
"Then you mean to let him off?"
"I say I've nothing against the head master."
"Don't be too hard on Peaks," added Scott, as he climbed upon the railto see the scenery of the fjord.
"I suppose all these islands, points, bays, and channels have names,just as they do on the other side of the ocean," said Laybold, atwhose side the good-natured tar seated himself.
"Of course," nodded Scott.
"I wonder what they are."
"Don't you know?"
"Certainly not--how should I?"
"I didn't know but you might have seen the chart," added Scott,gravely.
"There's a town!" exclaimed the enthusiastic Laybold, as the progressof the ship opened a channel, at the head of which was a village, witha church.
"I see; that's Bossenboggenberg," said Scott.
"O, is it? Is that a river?"
"Not at all. That's only a channel, called the Hoppenboggen, whichextends around the Island of Toppenboggen. That channel is navigablefor small vessels."
"Where did you learn all those names?" demanded Laybold, amazed at theastonishing words which his companion rolled off so glibly.
"My father had to send me to sea to keep me from learning too much.My hair all fell off, and the schoolmasters were afraid of me."
"There's another town ahead on the port hand," said Laybold, a littlelater.
"That is Aggerhousenboggen, I think. Let me see; here's CapeTingumboggen, and that must be the opening to the Stoppenboggen Fjord.Yes, that must be Aggerhousenboggen."
"Where did you learn to pronounce Norwegian so well, Scott?"
"O, I learned Norwegian when I was an infant. I could speak it firstrate before I learned to utter my mother tongue."
"Go 'way!" protested Laybold. "Do you know what island that is on thestarboard hand."
"To be sure I do. Do you think my education has been neglected to thatextent? That's Steppenfetchenboggen. A very fine island it is, too,"continued Scott, rattling off the long names so that they had adecidedly foreign ring.
"I don't see how you can pronounce those words," added Laybold. "Theywould choke me to death."
"I don't believe they would," laughed Scott.
The squadron passed through several narrow passages, and then came toa broad expanse of water at the mouth of the Drammen River. Thestudents were perched on the rail and in the rigging of the variousvessels, observing with great interest the development of thepanorama, which seemed to be unrolled before them.
"It is rather fine scenery," said Lincoln, who still carried the bookin his hand, and occasionally glanced at the pictures; "but I thinkthe artist here must have multiplied the height of the cliffs by two,and divided the height of houses, men, and masts by the same number."
"It certainly looks like an exaggeration," replied Ryder.
"Look at this," added Lincoln, pointing to a scene on the coast ofNorway. "There's a large steamer carrying a top-gallant yard on theforemast. That mast is probably a hundred and fifty feet high, andthere are hills and bluffs beyond it--which would lose by theperspective--five times as high."
"Still it is very fine scenery."
"So it is; but no finer than we have on the coast of Maine. Youremember last summer we went through the Reach, down by Machias? Thatwas something like this, and quite as pleasant."
"We mustn't be too critical, Lincoln," laughed Ryder.
"I don't intend to be critical; but I had an idea, from the picturesI have seen, that Christiania Fjord was something like the SaguenayRiver, where the cliffs rise perpendicularly four or five hundred feethigh. These pictures would certainly lead one to expect such sights."
"Horton," said the pilot, pointing to a town which now came into view,as the vessel passed beyond a point of land.
It was a small place, in appearance not unlike a New England village.At the wharf were a couple of small steamers, one of which had comedown the Drammen, and the entire population of the town seemed tohave turned out on the occasion, for the shore was covered withpeople. They were all neatly dressed. On the opposite side of thefjord was the town of Moss, where the convention by which Norway andSweden were united was drawn up and agreed upon.
The fleet sailed rapidly before the fresh breeze across the broadexpanse, and then entered a narrow passage. There was a gentledeclivity on each side of the fjord, which was covered, as far as theeye could see, with pines. Droebak, on the right, is a village of onestreet, on the side of the hill. The houses are mostly of one story,painted yellow, with roofs covered with red tile. Before noon thepassage began to widen, and the fleet entered another broad expanse ofwater, filled with rocky islands, at the head of which stood the cityof Christiania. Some of
the islets were pretty and picturesque, insome instances having a single cottage upon them, with a littlegarden. The rocks were often of curious formation, and the shore ofone island was as regular and smooth as though it had been a piece ofmasonry. After rounding a point of rocks, the fleet came into fullview of Christiania. The city and its environs are spread out onthe southern slope of a series of hills, and presents a beautifullandscape to the eye. On the left the country was covered with villas,prominent among which was Oscarshal, a summer palace of the late king.On the right was the castle of Agershuus, rising abruptly from thewater. At a little distance from the town was a kind of hotel, builton a picturesque island, with its pretty landing-place, not unlikesome similar establishments near the head of Narragansett Bay. At thewharf in front of the city, and lying in the bay, was a considerablenumber of steamers, some of them quite large. The fleet ran up to thefront of the city and anchored.
"This is the end of my voyage," said Clyde Blacklock, when everythinghad been put in order on board of the ship.
"You are not going yet--are you?" laughed Scott.
"Very soon."
"I thought you were going to stop, and whip Peaks and the twolieutenants."
"Time enough for that. I suppose the ship will stay here two or threedays--won't she?"
"Perhaps a week. I suppose we shall go on shore this afternoon, andsee the sights."
"I say, Scott, if you tell those officers what I've been saying toyou, I'll serve you in the same way," added Clyde, as for the firsttime it occurred to him that he had been imprudent in developing hisplans to another.
"No! You won't lick me, too--will you?"
"Not if you behave like a man, and don't peach," answered Clyde, in apatronizing tone.
"I will try to be a good boy, then," laughed Scott.
"I only want to catch them on shore, where I can have fair play. I'mnot to be fagged by any fellow that ever was born."
Clyde walked uneasily about the deck till the crew were piped todinner, evidently thinking how he should carry his big intentions intoexecution. To one less moved by fancied insults and indignities thecase would have looked hopeless. He devoured his dinner in a muchshorter period than is usually allotted by well-bred Englishmen tothat pleasing diversion, and hastened on deck again. Peaks was there,acting as ship-keeper, while the carpenter was painting the secondcutter, the repairs upon which had been completed. The big boatswainwas seated on one of the cat-heads, where he could see the entire deckof the ship, and observe every craft that approached her. The newstudent observed his position, and thought he was seated in a verycareless manner. A very wicked thought took possession of the Briton'smind, and he ascended to the top-gallant forecastle. The boatswain satvery composedly on the cat-head, with his feet hanging over the water,and was just then studying the beauties of the landscape. A veryslight exercise of force would displace him, and drop him into thewater.
"Well, my hearty, you stowed your grub in a hurry," said Peaks, whenhe discovered the new pupil.
"I was not very hungry, and thought I would take another look at thetown," replied Clyde. "What's that big building off there, near thehills?"
"That may be the county jail, the court-house, or the lunatic asylum.I haven't the least idea what it is," answered Peaks, indifferently."The professors can tell you all about those things."
"I wonder where that ship came from?" added Clyde, pointing to avessel which was standing in ahead of the Young America.
"That isn't a ship," replied Peaks, as he turned partly round, so thathe could see the craft. "That's a 'mofferdite brig; or, as bookishpeople would say, an hermaphrodite brig--half brig and half schooner.You must call things, especially vessels, by their right names, or youwill fall in the opinion of--"
At that instant the big boatswain dropped into the deep waters of thefjord.
"And you will fall, in my opinion," said Clyde, as, taking advantageof his antagonist's attention to the brig, he gave him a smart push,which displaced him from the cat-head.
But Peaks, who was half man and half fish, was as much at home in thewater as on the deck, and struck out for the cable, by which the shipwas anchored, as the nearest point of support. Clyde walked along therail till he came to the swinging-boom, where the boats which had beenlowered for use after dinner were fastened. Climbing out on the boom,he dropped down by the painter into the third cutter, one of thefour-oar boats. Bitts, the carpenter, who had been the only person onboard except the boatswain, was in the waist busily at work upon theboat, and did not observe that anything unusual had transpired. Clydehad practised gymnastics a great deal, and was an active, agilefellow. Casting off the painter of the third cutter, he worked herastern, so as to avoid Peaks. Then, shipping a pair of oars, he pulledfor the shore.
In the mean time, the boatswain, disdaining to call for assistance,and not having observed the movements of Clyde, climbed up the cableto the hawse-hole, and then, by the bowsprit guys, made his way to thetop-gallant forecastle, where he discovered the Briton in the cutter,pulling with all his might for the shore. Shaking the water from hisclothes, he hastened to the main cabin, and informed the principalthat the new scholar had left the ship.
"Left the ship!" exclaimed Mr. Lowington. "Were you not on deck whilethe students were at dinner?"
"Yes, sir, most of the time; but just at the moment when the youngsculpin left the ship, I happened to be in the water," answered Peaks,shrugging his shoulders like a Frenchman, and glancing at his wetgarments.
"How came you in the water?"
"The little Britisher pushed me overboard, when I was sitting on thecat-head."
"I see," added the principal. "We must get him back before his motherarrives."
By this time most of the students had come up from the steerage, andthe order was given to pipe away the first cutter. Peaks was directedto change his clothes, and go in her. He was ready by the time thecrew were in their seats, for, as he was not a fashionable man, histoilet was soon made. The boats from the other vessels of the fleet,including those of the yachts, were already on their way to the town.The first cutter pulled to the shore; but Clyde had already landed,and disappeared in the city.
As at Christiansand, Paul Kendall and lady decided to remain on shoreduring the stay of the fleet. They had several pieces of baggage, andthe custom-house officers on the wharf were obliged to examine them,after which they followed a porter to the Victoria Hotel, which wassaid to be the best in the place. Peaks found a man who could speakEnglish, and immediately applied himself to the business of findingthe runaway. Clyde had been seen going up one of the streets, but noone knew anything about him.
The fugitive felt that he had achieved a victory. He had "paid off"the big boatswain, and no fellow on board of the ship could believethat he had not kept his word. He walked up the street till he came toDronningensgaden. People looked at him as though he were a stranger,and he became aware that his uniform was exciting attention. In theKirkegade he found a clothing store, in which the shop-keeper spokeEnglish. In changing his dress on board of the ship, he had retainedthe contents of his pockets, including a well-filled purse. Heselected a suit of clothes which pleased him, and immediately put iton. At another store he bought a hat, and then he appeared like a newbeing. With the bundle containing his uniform, he walked till he founda carriage, in which he seated himself, and ordered the driver toleave him at the Victoria Hotel. He thought it would only be necessaryfor him to keep out of sight till evening, when his mother wouldprobably arrive in the Foldin, and he was confident he could induceher to withdraw him from the Academy. He would stay in his room therest of the day, and by that time the search for him, if any was made,would be ended.
"I want a nice room for myself, another for my mother and sister, whowill arrive this evening, and a place for the man," said Clyde, as theporter of the hotel touched his cap, and helped him out of thecarriage.
The young man was evidently a person of some importance. The porter,the clerk, and the head waiter, who came ou
t to receive him, bowedlow. A man took his bundle, and he was ushered to a room on the groundfloor. As he crossed the court, he discovered several of the Orlando'spassengers in the reading-room. He had not entered his chamber beforethere was another arrival,--Paul Kendall and lady,--who were assignedto the next room.