by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XVIII.
UP THE BALTIC.
The excursionists of the squadron slept soundly after their trip toElsinore, and Clyde Blacklock, true to the promise he had made tohimself, kept awake to watch his chances to escape. Not a sound was tobe heard in the ship, and the intense silence was even more trying tothe prisoner in the brig than the noise and bustle of the whole crewwhen awake. Ryder, the fourth lieutenant, and two seamen had theanchor watch on deck. Each officer served two hours, and was requiredat the stroke of the bell, every half hour, to walk through thesteerage, where no light was permitted after nine o'clock.
Clyde took the saw from its hiding-place under the stairs, andcommenced work on one of the slats. The instrument was very sharp, butthe noise it made promised to betray him, and he was obliged to use itwith extreme caution. Bracing the slat with one shoulder, he workedthe saw very slowly, so that the wood should not vibrate. The processwas very slow, and twice he was obliged to conceal his saw and liedown on the bed at the approach of the officer of the watch. Afterworking more than an hour, he succeeded in cutting off one of theslats, just far enough above the deck to avoid the nails with whichit was secured. But it was fastened at the top as well as at thebottom, and when he pulled it in to wrench it from its position, itcreaked horribly, and he was obliged to labor with it another halfhour, before he could pull it in far enough to permit his exit. In themiddle of the operation he was obliged to restore it partly to itsposition, and lie down again, to escape the observation of the officerof the anchor watch.
His care and patience were finally successful, though, if the sleepersaround him had not been very tired, some of them must have beendisturbed even by the little noise he made. The removal of the singleslat gave him an opening of about nine inches, which was narrow evenfor him; but he contrived to work himself through it. Putting the slatback into its original position, and wedging it down with a copper, sothat the means of his escape might not readily be seen, he creptcarefully forward to the ladder under the forecastle, where he pausedto consider the means by which he should escape from the vessel. Hebegan to realize that this was a more difficult matter than gettingout of the brig. He knew that the anchor watch consisted of an officerand two seamen.
While he was thinking of the matter, eight bells struck; and he wasaware that the watch was changed at this hour. Retiring to the kitchento wait for a more favorable moment, he heard the two seamen come downthe ladder to call the relief. As they entered one of the mess-rooms,he ran up the ladder, and concealed himself under the top-gallantforecastle. In a few moments he heard the relief on deck, and fromhis hiding-place saw the officer on the quarter-deck with a lantern inhis hand. The two seamen took their places on the top-gallantforecastle, where they could see the entire deck, and any boat orvessel that approached the ship.
Clyde did not regard the situation as very hopeful. The night waschilly, and he did not feel at all inclined to swim ashore, which hehad intended to do, as a last resort. The boats were all hoisted upat the davits, as if to provide for just such cases as his own. Helistened with interest to the conversation of the watch above him;but he could not identify their voices, and was unable to determinewhether it was safe for him to address them. In fact he was unable todetermine upon anything, and bell after bell struck without findinghim any better prepared to make a move. At four bells, or two o'clockin the morning, the watch was relieved again, and Clyde remained inthe same unsettled state of mind. But when the two seamen went belowto call the relief, he changed his position, crawling into the waist,where he disposed himself under the lee of the rail. Over his head wasthe fourth cutter, one of the smallest of the boats.
Clyde could see the dark form of the officer walking to and fro on thequarter-deck, and his presence was not favorable to any movement. Hefound the cleats where the falls of the boat were made fast, and hewas considering the practicability of casting them off, letting thecutter drop into the water, and then sliding down on a rope. Theofficer of the anchor watch seemed to be the only obstacle in his way.He began to experiment with the falls. Casting off one of them, hecarefully let the rope slip over the cleat till he had lowered the bowof the cutter about two feet. He repeated the operation upon the sternfall. He let off the rope so gradually that the noise did not attractthe attention of any of the watch.
Five bells struck, and the officer descended to the steerage. While hewas absent, Clyde dropped each end of the boat about four feet more,and then coiled himself away until the officer had returned to hisstation. But it was nearly daylight, and he was compelled to hurry onwith his work. Little by little he let out the falls, till the fourthcutter floated in the water. When the officer went below, at sixbells, he climbed upon the rail, and slid down on the bow fall intothe boat. Casting off the falls, he pushed the cutter astern of theship, and for the first time began to feel as though he were free. Hewas afraid to use an oar, lest the noise should attract the attentionof the watch on deck. He felt that he had managed his escape withexceeding cleverness, and was unwilling to risk anything now in themoment of success. The wind carried the boat clear of the ship, andhe lay down in the stern sheets, so that if the officer on thequarter-deck discovered the cutter, he might suppose no one was inher.
He had occupied this position but a moment before he heard a rushingnoise near him, and, raising his head, discovered a small schooner,under full sail, headed directly upon him. He had hardly time to standup before the bow of the vessel was within his reach.
"Hallo!" shouted he, in terror, for the thought of being carried underthe keel of the schooner was appalling.
But the cutter was crowded aside by the vessel, and Clyde sprang uponher deck, while his boat went astern of her.
Too late, the schooner luffed up, and Clyde seated himself on the railto catch his breath. Two men came to him, and spoke in Norwegian.
"I speak English," replied Clyde.
"You are English?" said the captain.
"Yes; I don't speak anything else."
"I speak English," replied the skipper, as he went back to the helm,and Clyde followed him.
"Where are you bound?" asked the runaway.
"To Stockholm."
"You are Danish, I suppose."
"No, Norwegian."
"All the same."
"What shall I do with you?"
"I will go to Stockholm with you, and pay my passage, if you like,"added Clyde, who wished to get as far as possible from the ship.
"You shall, if you like; or you shall work, if you please. I lose ayoung sailor, and I want another, to work in his place."
"No; I will go as a passenger, or not at all," replied Clyde, verydecidedly.
"What you do in a boat so late in the night?" asked the skipper.
"I was going on shore to find a steamer for Stockholm. I will pay youtwenty species for my passage," added the runaway.
"You are very kind to pay so much. You shall have my berth; but itwill be long time to Stockholm in my vessel."
"No matter; I am satisfied."
"I shall pick up the boat you lose?"
"No; never mind the boat," answered Clyde, impatiently, as he glancedat the ship.
The captain questioned him about the boat more particularly; but thefugitive gave such answers as he pleased. Though the skipper was veryrough and savage to the two men who formed his crew, he treated hispassenger at first with much consideration. The little cabin of theschooner was a nasty hole, and if Clyde had not been very sleepy, hecould hardly have closed his eyes there; but before the vessel was outof sight of Copenhagen, his slumber was deep and heavy.
The shout of the fugitive when he was in danger of being run down hadbeen heard by the officer on the quarter-deck of the Young America. Hesaw the collision, and discovered the cutter when it went astern ofthe vessel; but he did not suspect that it belonged to the ship. Theschooner filled away on her course again, after she had luffed up, andthe boat was adrift. He deemed it his duty to secure it before it wasstove by some early steam
er from Malmoe, or elsewhere, and calling thetwo seamen, he directed them to lower the fourth cutter. But thefourth cutter was already lowered, and the officer began to think thatthe boat adrift was the missing one. The third cutter, therefore, wasused, and when the two seamen had pulled off in her, the officer wentbelow and called Peaks.
The boatswain took his lantern, and went to the brig, as soon as hewas told that the fourth cutter was adrift. The bird had flown. Thedoor was secure, and all the slats were apparently in their place;but the appearance of a small quantity of saw-dust indicated where thebreach had been made. A little pressure forced in the sawn slat, andPeaks understood why the prisoner had only desired to be left alone.
"Were you all asleep on deck?" asked Peaks of the officer.
"No, sir; I have not been asleep on duty," replied Beckwith, theofficer.
"Didn't you see him lower the boat?"
"Of course I did not."
"I don't see how it was done, then," added Peaks. "But where is theprisoner?"
"I don't know. I suppose he went on board that small schooner that rundown the cutter."
"Where is she?"
Beckwith pointed to a sail headed to the south-east, which was justvisible in the faint light of the early morning.
"He is out of our reach for the present," said Peaks, in utterdisgust, as he descended the steps to the main cabin.
Mr. Lowington was informed of the escape of Clyde, but no steamercould be obtained at that early hour to chase the schooner, and thematter was permitted to rest as it was. When all hands turned out inthe morning, a strict investigation was made; but no one who hadserved on the anchor watch was able to give any information. No onehad seen the boat lowered, and no one had heard the saw. Peaks went onshore, and ascertained that the Norwegian schooner Rensdyr had sailedat an early hour. She had cleared for Stockholm, and was doubtless onher way there. The principal was so much interested in the fate ofClyde, or rather in his reformation, that he determined to follow upthe fugitive. The English steamer Newsky, from London to Stockholm,was then in port, and when she sailed that day, Peaks was sent in herto intercept the runaway on his arrival at Stockholm.
After breakfast, Mr. Andersen came on board, inspected the ship, andwitnessed some of the evolutions in seamanship, which included themanning of the yards in honor of his visit. At the invitation of PaulKendall he went on board of the Grace, and took a sail up the Sound,dining on board, and returning in the afternoon. The students againwent on shore, and visited the Rosenberg Palace, an irregularstructure of red brick, with a high peaked roof and four towers.Connected with it is an extensive and beautiful garden, adorned withstatues. The palace was built for Christian IV., in 1604, but is nolonger a royal residence, being filled with various nationalcollections of arms, medals, and antiquities, including manyhistorical mementos of kings and other great men of Denmark. Amongthem are the saddle, bridle, and caparisons, the sword and pistols,presented by King Christian IV. to his eldest son at his marriage.They are adorned with diamonds, pearls, and gold, and cost a millionfrancs in Paris.
In the afternoon the students marched to the Palace of Frederiksberg,whose park is a favorite resort of the people of the city. Thebuilding contains nothing worth seeing; indeed, portions of it havebeen rented for the use of private families; but the garden isbeautifully laid out with kiosks, bridges over the winding canal,on which float a great number of white swans, with little islands,studded with groves and pleasant grassy slopes. The palace stands onthe only eminence near Copenhagen. On pleasant days, especially onSundays, this park is filled with family picnics, little partiesbringing their own lunch, and spending the day in these delightfulgroves.
During the remainder of the day the students wandered over the city,each seeking what pleased him most. When they went on board thevessels, they were entirely satisfied with what they had seen ofCopenhagen, and were ready to visit some other city. Very early thenext morning, Mr. Blaine, with all but three of the absentees, came onboard. The head steward told his story, and Scott and Laybold toldtheir story; the former, as usual, being the spokesman. The wag toldthe whole truth, exactly as it was; that they were ashamed to come onboard while so tipsy, and had missed the train at the junction.
"Have you drank any finkel since?" asked the principal.
"No, sir; not a drop. One glass was enough for me," replied Scott.
"And you, Laybold?"
"No, sir."
"You may both return to your duty," added the principal.
Both were astonished at being let off so easily; but Mr. Lowington wassatisfied that they spoke the truth, and had not intended to run away.The others were also ordered to attend to their duty, but with theintimation that their conduct would be investigated at the return ofSanford and Stockwell, who, with Ole, had left the party atKatherineholm.
The signal for sailing was flying on board of the Young America, andat seven o'clock the squadron was under way, continuing the voyage "upthe Baltic." No notice seemed to be taken of the absence of Sanfordand Stockwell, but everybody believed that the principal knew what hewas about. The wind was tolerably fresh from the west-south-west, andthe squadron made rapid progress through the water, logging ten knotsall day. The students watched with interest the villages on the coastof Denmark, with their sharp, red roofs, and the swarms offishing-boats moored in front of them. The shores of Sweden were insight all the time, and at three o'clock in the afternoon land wasalso seen on the starboard bow. But the masters, who were constantlywatching the chart, were not at all astonished, though the seamenwere.
"What land is that, Scott?" asked Laybold.
"That? Why, don't you know?"
"I'm sure I don't. I know Germany is over there somewhere, but Ididn't expect to run into it so near Sweden."
"That's Gabogginholm."
"Is it in Germany?"
"No; it's an island, at least a hundred and fifty miles from Germany.The Baltic is rather a big thing out here."
"How do you remember those long names, Scott?"
"What long names?"
"Such as the name of that island. I couldn't recollect such a word tenminutes."
"Nor I either. I know them by instinct."
"What did you say the name of the island is?"
"Gastringumboggin."
"That isn't what you said before."
"I've forgotten what I did say it was. You musn't ask me twice about aname, for I say I can't remember," laughed Scott.
"You are selling me."
"Of course I am; and you go off cheaper than any fellow I ever sawbefore. I haven't the least idea what the land is, except that it mustbe an island not less than a hundred and fifty miles from Prussia."
"That's Bornholm," said Walker, a seamen, who had heard the name fromthe officers. "It's an island twenty-six miles long and fifteen wide,belongs to Denmark, and has thirty-two thousand inhabitants, and a lotof round churches on it. That's what the fellows on the quarter-decksay."
"Precisely so," replied Scott. "You have learned your lesson well.What is the principal town on that island?"
"I don't know," answered Walker.
"Stubbenboggin," said Scott.
"Who told you so?"
"My grandmother," laughed the wag, as he turned on his heel, andwalked away.
Towards night the wind subsided, and the squadron was almost becalmed;but a light breeze sprang up after dark, and in the morning the shipwas off the southern point of Oland, an island ninety miles long byten wide, and well covered with forests. On the narrow strait whichseparates it from the main land is Calmar, a town of historicinterest, in Sweden. At noon the southern point of Gottland was seen,and Scott insisted upon calling it "Gabungenboggin," though the realname was soon circulated. It is eighty miles long by thirty-threewide, and contains fifty-four thousand inhabitants. Wisby is the onlytown. The island is noted for its beautiful climate, which makes it apleasant resort for summer tourists.
At sunrise on the following morning, the ship leading the squa
dron wasapproaching the islands which cover the entrance to the harbor ofStockholm. Pilots were taken by the several vessels, and the fleetentered the archipelago, through which it was to sail for thirtymiles. At first the openings were very wide, and not much of the shorecould be seen; but soon the distances grew less, and the shores werestudded with villages and fine residences. The little steamers--someof them not so large as the ship's first cutter--began to appear; andat eight o'clock the Young America let go her anchor between Stadenand Skeppsholm, off the quay near the palace, which was crowded withsteamers.
"Here we are, Laybold," said Scott, when the sails had been furled,and every rope coiled away in its place.
"That's so. What's that big building on the shore?"
"That's the Slottenboggin," laughed Scott.
"No, you don't! You can't sell me again with your boggins."
"I'll bet half a pint of salt water it is the king's palace."
"Very likely it is; and here is a fine building on the other side."
"That must be the Wobbleboggin."
"No, it isn't."
"Perhaps it isn't; but twig these little steamers," added Scott,pointing to one of the snorting miniature boats that plied across thearm of the sea opposite the quay. "The pilot and engineer, and a boyto take the fares, seem to be the officers, crew, and all hands."
"And in some of them all hands are boys."
The boats seemed to contain nothing but the engine and boiler, whichwere in a compact mass, without covering. All around them were seats.Forward of the engine was a little steering-wheel, hardly more than afoot in diameter, at which the pilot--often a boy--was seated.
"I want a complete view of the city," said Captain Lincoln, at thismoment coming into the waist with the surgeon and Norwood. "I think Ican get it from the main cross-trees."
"I am too stiff to go aloft," replied Dr. Winstock; "but I commendyour plan."
"I'm with you," added Norwood, as he followed the captain up the mainrigging.
From this lofty position on the cross-trees the two officers obtaineda good idea of the situation of the city. The three islands which formthe central portion of the city lay in the strait leading to the MaelerLake. The north and south suburbs were on each side of it. Skeppsholm,Castellholm, and the Djurg[)a]rden--Deer Garden--were other islands,lying nearer the Baltic. The finest portion of the city seemed to bethe northern suburbs. While they were studying the panorama of theplace, all hands were called to lecture, and they hastened to theirplaces in the steerage. Professor Mapps was at his post, with the mapon the foremast.
"Sweden is called _Sverige_ by the natives; La_ Suede_ by the French;_Schweden_ by the Germans; _La Svezia_ by the Italians; and _Suecia_by the Spaniards. It contains one hundred and sixty-eight thousandsquare miles--a territory equal in extent to the six New EnglandStates, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware united. Itspopulation is a little over four millions--about the same as that ofthe State of New York. It is nearly a thousand miles long from northto south, with an average breadth of two hundred miles. By far thegreater portion of it is very sparsely settled, for it extends fromfifty-five degrees of north latitude up to the arctic regions. Itcontains no important rivers, though its large lakes and arms of thesea are valuable as avenues of navigation. Over eighty lakes arementioned."
The instructer described the Wenern and Wettern Lakes, and the GoetaCanal, which passes through them.
"Sweden is an agricultural country, and its principal manufactures arelumber and iron. It has six hundred and thirty-eight miles of railway,and the steamers which you see at the quay, mostly of iron, and builtin Sweden, ply to all parts of the country.
"The average of the temperature in Stockholm is forty-two degrees, ortwenty-five degrees for winter, and sixty-two degrees for summer. Fromwhat you have already seen of Sweden, I think you will consider itvery like New England. The interior has about the same physicalfeatures, and you will see there similar houses, barns, and fences.
"The government is a limited monarchy, based on the constitution of1809, and since amended. The king must be a Lutheran. He has anabsolute veto on the acts of the legislature. The Diet, or Parliament,consists of two houses, the upper of which is composed of one hundredand twenty-seven members, or one for every thirty thousandinhabitants. The lower house consists of one hundred and eighty-eightmembers, fifty-five of whom are elected by the towns, and the rest bythe rural districts, at the rate of one for every forty thousandpeople. Property qualifications are required for either house, and allmembers must be Protestants. They are paid a salary of three hundredand thirty-five dollars of our money, and their travelling expenses,for the session of four months.
"I have incidentally spoken of the history of Sweden in connectionwith that of Norway and Denmark. The kingdom was founded by Odin, andfor a long period the history of the country is a record of the warswith Norway and Denmark, and it was finally conquered by Margaret, andby the Union of Calmar the three kingdoms were consolidated in 1397.It became a Christian nation early in the eleventh century. Sweden wasdoubtless the first anti-slavery power; for, during the reign ofBirger II., about 1300, a law against the sale of slaves was enacted,with the declaration that it was 'in the highest degree criminal forChristians to sell men whom Christ had redeemed by his blood.'
"In 1520 Gustavus Ericsson excited a rebellion against Christian II.,of Denmark, who had murdered his father and many other Swedes. Thisrevolution was successful three years later, and its leader made king,under the title of Gustaf I., often called Gustavus Vasa, or Wasa. Hewas succeeded by his son, and the throne continued in his family; butthe next notable sovereign was Gustaf II., or Gustavus Adolphus. Hisgrandfather, Gustavus Vasa, had established the Protestant religionin Sweden; but his nephew, Sigismond, who had been elected king ofPoland, and had become a Catholic, succeeded to the throne.Endeavoring to change the established religion, he was deposed, andthe succession changed. This caused a war between Sweden, and Russia,and Poland. Gustavus was only eighteen when he came to the throne,with this war bequeathed to him. He was full of energy, and defeatedhis enemies on all sides. Austria was the leader of the Catholic partyin Europe, which was striving to restore the papal supremacy. GustavusAdolphus held a similar relation to the Protestant party. He wasengaged in the Thirty Years' War, and won many decisive victories. Hecaptured Munich, and overran Bavaria, but was finally killed in thebattle of Luetzen, in 1632. By his prowess and skill he raised Swedento the rank of one of the first kingdoms of Europe.
"He was succeeded by his daughter, Christina, then only six years old.She reigned but seven years after she became of age, abdicating infavor of her cousin Charles X. She died in Rome, after a dissoluteand shameful life, and was interred in St. Peter's Church. Charles wasat war with the Danes during his brief reign, and achieved the daringmilitary feat of crossing the Great and Little Belts on the ice, whichenabled him to dictate his own terms of peace with the Danes. TheSwedes consider him one of their greatest kings. His son, Charles XI.,followed him, and ruled for thirty-seven years. After a brief periodof peace, another war with Denmark ensued, which resulted to theultimate advantage of Sweden. This king contrived to obtain from theDiet the gift of absolute power, which, in the hands of his son andsuccessor, Charles XII., nearly ruined the nation. Russia, Poland, andDenmark combined to rob him of a considerable portion of his kingdom,and Charles XII., at the age of sixteen, displayed an energy and askill far beyond his years. He conquered a peace with Denmark first,and then turned his attention to the rest of his enemies, whom heoverwhelmed and subdued. With nine thousand men he defeated a Russianarmy of forty thousand, under Peter the Great, at Narva. He vanquishedthe armies of Poland and Saxony, and attempted the conquest of Russia,but was utterly defeated in the battle of Pultowa, and escaped intoTurkish territory, where he remained for five years. Here he broughtabout a war between Turkey and Russia, and the army of the former shutup that of Peter the Great in the Crimea. The lady who was afterwardsCatharine I. bribed the grand vizier wi
th all her jewels to allow theRussians to escape, and this event utterly ruined the hopes of themonarch of Sweden. Finally the Turks drove him from their country,and, after various vicissitudes, he arrived in his own, and waskilled, in 1718, at Frederikhald, in Norway. While he was away, hisenemies had been appropriating his territory, and Sweden was reducedto a second-class power.
"The Diet elected Ulrica Eleonora, sister of Charles, queen, whoresigned in favor of her husband, Fredrik I. Another war with Russiafollowed, and Sweden lost more of her territory. Adolf Fredriksucceeded to the throne in 1751, who was elected by the Diet. Stillanother war with Russia was carried on during his reign. His son,Gustaf III., with the aid of his soldiers, increased the powers of thecrown; but he was assassinated at a ball, in 1792, and his son, GustafAdolf IV., came to the throne. His policy involved the nation in awar with the allies, and he lost Finland and Pomerania. He was sounpopular that he was compelled to abdicate, and his uncle, CharlesXIII., was raised to the throne in 1809. He had no children, and thePrince of Holstein-Augustenburg was elected as his successor; but hewas assassinated, and one of Napoleon's generals, Bernadotte, waschosen crown prince, and in 1818 he succeeded to the throne as CharlesXIV. His reign was a successful one, and his efforts to secure Norwayto his adopted country made him popular even before he was king. Heespoused the cause of the allies against Napoleon, and was well caredfor by them when the affairs of Europe were finally settled.
"His son Oscar was his heir, and came to the throne at the death ofhis father in 1844. He was followed by his son, Charles XV., thepresent king, in 1859.
"The army organization is similar to that of Denmark, and about onehundred and fifty thousand men are available for service. The navycontains four monitors on the American plan, which were invented byJohn Ericsson, a Swede, two iron-clad gunboats, twenty-one steamers,and sixteen sailing vessels, besides a great number of floatingbatteries, and other stationary craft. Although only about sixthousand sailors are actually in the navy, nearly thirty thousand canbe had in case of war."
The professor finished his lecture, and the students hastened on deck,to see more of the sights which surrounded them.