back; after a sharp climb over steep rocks I got on to a slope of snow that filled the gorge. In about an hour and a half I reached a col that I had aimed at all through. I could see the boat, a speck below, so I jodeled at the top of my voice, and soon heard a faint answer. The place I had come up was very steep, and the thought of descending it again not very pleasant. I took the precaution, however, of fixing bits of white paper on the rocks and bushes where I had met with difficulty, to serve as guides in my descent. There was a glorious view from where I stood, and the day was perfection. After another hour of steep climbing I reached a cornice of snow, but was able to turn off to the right and cross a level plateau of snow, from the other side of which rose up my peak. I now encountered very steep snowslopes and rocks, and just before the snow rounded off into the dom, forming a summit, it became so hard that my feet could get no hold. I had to resort to step-cutting; about a dozen steps sufficed to land me on the dom; an easy incline then led to the summit, on which I stood at 4-30 P.M. I wished for an aneroid; but from the time I took to ascend, and from other circumstances, I should think the height to be over 4,000, and possibly 5,000 feet. Now for the view. I have yet to see the Alpine view that surpasses this in its extreme beauty: the mountain chain of the mainland was in sight for, I suppose, a hundred miles; then came the Vest Fjord, studded with islands. The mountains around me were of the wildest and most fantastic form, not drawn out in a long chain, but grouped together, and embosoming lovely little tarns and lakes. The inner arm of the Stover Fjord, over which I seemed to hang, was of a deep dark blue, except where it became shallow, where it was of a bright pea-green. This latter colour may be accounted for by the fact that the rocks below low-water-mark are white, with pure white nullipore and balani; there is no laminaria or sea-weed of any sort in these narrow fjords, except Fucus vesiculosus, and this grows only between tide-marks. Looking away to the north came Ulvöe, with its fringe of islets; then Langoe, with its sea of peaks: these do not appear, however, to be so high or rugged as the peaks of Hindöe, that come next to the sight. Here Mosadlen stands up with his lovely crest of snow; far away, in an opposite direction, lies Vest Vaagoe, where I remarked another peak • Himmeltinder, probably.— E. W. G. that seemed to be of a respectable height. The view was perfection: one drop of bitterness was in my cup, and that was that a neighbouring peak was evidently higher than the one I had climbed. It was connected with my peak by a very sharp rock arête, just below which was a flattish plateau of crevassed névé; it was too far to think of trying it, and it looked very difficult; an attempt upon it would be more likely to succeed if made from the south-east. Having made a sketch and built a cairn of stones, I looked about for the easiest way to descend, and found that a long slope of snow led into a valley connected with the north arm of the Fjord; this I determined to try. I climbed down the steps I had cut, with my face to the snow; then sitting down and steering with my alpen-stock, I made the finest glissade I ever enjoyed. As I neared the bottom it was necessary to go lightly, as a torrent was roaring along under the snow. I soon had to take to the moraine, which was of a most trying character. I now got down to a charming little lake, in which islands of snow floated, and in which the peaks were mirrored to their summits. Skirting along this, and descending by the edge of a stream that led out of it, I came to another lovely tarn, on which were a couple of water-fowl. From this I clambered down through bushes at the side of a waterfall, and arrived on the strand of the fjord all safe. At 6.30 P.M. I was sitting in the boat, and in two hours arrived in Melbo." The superior peak that dashed Mr. Green's happiness was Blaamanden, which must now be considered the highest point out of Hindoe. Vaagekallen is certainly lower even than Higraven. 66 Of the northern islands of the Lofoden group space fails me to speak much; they are but little known. Langoe was skirted by the German expedition whose story is erzählt von Carl Vogt," but his notes on this part of the tour are unfortunately very scanty. The northern peninsula would seem to be the finest part of Langöe. I hear of a splendid mountain, Klotind, which fills this tongue of land with its spurs. Andöe, the most northerly of the archipelago, is the tamest of all: the interior of it has been surveyed with such minute care, that it is impossible to suppose its mountains can be very rugged. For the sake of anyone desirous of visiting Andöe, I may remark that a little steamer has been started this year in connection with the large boat, which meets the latter at Harstadhavn in Hindoe, It had been a cloudless day of excessive heat, and the comparative coolness of night was refreshing; the light, too, ceased to skirts the north of that island, calls at Dvergberg and Andenæs in Andöe, and after a visit to the north of Senjen, returns the same way to Harstad. The same be garish, but flooded all the air with steamer calls off the coast of Grytö, a mountainous Lofoden, whose vast central peak of Fussen one admires in the distance from the Vaags Fjord. In ordinary years the snow disappears from the low ground in these islands before May, and the rapid summer brings their scanty harvest soon to perfection. A few years ago, however, the snow lay on the cultivated lands till June, and a famine ensued. These poor people live a precarious life, exposed to the attacks of a singularly peevish climate. A whim of the codfish, a hurricane in the April sky, or a cold spring, is sufficient to plunge them into distress and poverty. Yet for all this they are an honest and well-to-do population; for, being thrifty and laborious, they guard with much foresight against the severities of nature. In winter the aurora scintillates over their solemn mountains, and illuminates the snow and wan gray sea; they sit at their cotttage-doors and spin by the gleam of it; in summer the sun never sets, and they have the advantage of endless light to husband their hardly-won crops. Remote as they are, too, they can all read and write: it is strange to find how much intelligent interest they take in the struggles of great peoples who never heard of Lofoden. It is a fact, too, not over-flattering to our boasted civilization, that the education of children in the hamlets of this remote cluster of islands in the Polar Sea is higher than that of towns within a small distance of our capital-city; ay, higher even proportionally, than that of London itself. I would fain linger over the delicious memories that the name of these wild islands brings with it; would fain take the reader to the pine-covered slopes of Santorv, the brilliant meadow of little Kjöen, so refreshing in this savage land; to the Tjeldæsund, as I saw it on a certain midnight, when the lustrous sun-light lay in irregular golden bars across the blue spectral mountains, and tinged the snow peaks daintily with rose-red. But space is wanting; and being forced to choose, I will wind up with a faint description of the last sight I had of the islands, on a calm sunny night in summer. All day we had been winding among the tortuous tributaries of the Ofoten Fjord, and as evening drew on slipped down to Tranö, a station on the mainland side of the Vest Fjord, near the head of that gulf. mellow lustres. From Trano we saw the Lofodens, rising all along the northern sky, a gigantic wall of irregular jagged peaks, pale blue on an horizon of gold fire. The surface of the fjord was slightly broken into little tossing waves, that, murmuring faintly, were the only audible things that broke the sweet silence; the edge of the ripple shone with the colour of burnished bronze, relieved by the cool neutral gray of the sea-hollows. From Tranö we slip across the fjord almost due west to the mouth of the Raftsund. The sun lay like a great harvest-moon, shedding its cold yellow light down on us from over Hindöe, till, as we glided gradually more under the shadow of the islands, he disappeared behind the mountains: at 11.30 P.M. we lost him thus, but a long while after a ravine in Hindoe of more than common depth again revealed him, and a portion of his disk shone for a minute like a luminous point or burning star on the side of a peak. About midnight we came abreast of Aarstenen, and before us rose the double peak of Lille Molla, of a black-blue colour, very solemn and grand; Skraaven was behind, and both were swathed lightly in wreaths and fox-tails of rose-tinged mist. There was no lustre on the waters here; the entrance to the sound was unbroken by any wave or ripple, unillumined by any light of sunset or sunrise, but a sombre reflex of the unstained blue heaven above. As we glided, in the same strange utter noiselessness of the hour when evening and morning meet, up the Raftsund itself, inclosed by the vast slopes of Hindoe and the keen aiguilles of Vaagöe, the glory and beauty of the scene rose to a pitch so high that the spirit was oppressed and over-awed by it, and the eyes could scarcely fulfil their function. Ahead of the vessel the narrow vista of glassy water was a blaze of purple and golden colour, arranged in a faultless harmony of tone that was like music or lyrical verse in its direct appeal to the emotions. At each side of the fjord reflected each elbow, each ledge, each cataract, and even the flowers and herbs of the base, with a precision so absolute that it was hard to tell where mountain ended and sea began. The centre of the sund, where it spreads into several small arms, was the climax of loveliness; for here the harmonious vista was broadened and deepened, and here rose listind towering into the unclouded heavens, and showing by the rays of golden splendour that lit up its topmost snows that it could see the sun, whose magical fingers, working unseen of us, had woven for the world this tissue of variegated beauty. When I remember the Lofodens, I recall this moment, and think, O wonderful white sun, who dost bathe our bodies in healing waves of light, filling our eyes with the loveliness of the colour of life and our ears with the subtle melodies of dumb things that grow and ripen in thy sight, how little men consider the greatness of thy work for us, and what a beautiful and mystical creation thou art thyself! THE proposal to connect the Caspian Sea with A CONSCIENTIOUS QUAKER. — In the Beerenthe Sea of Azoff by means of a canal was dis-straat (Bear Street), at Amsterdam, is a very cussed at a recent sitting of the Russian Geo- | neat building, occupied as an infant school. graphical Society. A plan of the canal, accord- The premises comprise several school-rooms, an ing to which it is to pass between the Kuma and the Manytch, was laid before the society by the Grand Duke Constantine, and Prince Krapotkin read a report on the subject. The first accurate survey of the country, he said, was made by Von Baer, who visited the Manytch valley in 1855; and in the spring of 1858 Herr Bergsträsser endeavoured, when the water was high, to pass from the Caspian to the Sea of Azoff in a boat. In 1860 the expedition of Colonel Kostenkoff, who was accompanied by MM. de Marny and Kryshin, surveyed the valley of the Manytch from the great ManytchLiman to the mouth of the river Chulebe. Finally, in the years 1863 and 1864, Captain E. Blum, of the military topographic corps, made a trigonometrical survey of the whole of the eastern valley of the Manytch to the Caspian, and bored through the earth to the depth of four fathoms at six different places to the east of the mouth of the Kalan. The result of these investigations was the project of a canal, though the data are still very incomplete, as the western Manytch has not yet been explored for a distance of 350 versts. Three different modifications of the plan give the quantity of earth to be excavated as 65, 131, and 78 millions of cubic fathoms respectively. In estimating the cost of the excavations Herr Blum takes as his standard the expense of the works on the Suez Canal, where the quantity of earth excavated was 28,000,000 cubic metres. On this basis the cost of the first of the above projects would be 422,000,000 roubles (£53,000,000), of the second 841,000,000 (£106,000,000), and of the third 507,000,000 (£64,000,000). These figures, thought the Prince Krapotkin, render it impossible for the Geographical Society to entertain the project. After a long debate, in which M. Romanoffsky endeavoured to prove that the cost of such excavations has now become much less than formerly, and will continue to diminish, the society passed to the order of the day, on the ground that Captain Blum's project does not furnish any positive data for a thorough consideration of the subject. Pall MallBudget. open play-yard, a covered play-room for wet weather, and a residence for the superintendent. One hundred and twenty little boys and girls are here carefully educated at an almost nominal charge. The history of this school possesses a special interest for Englishmen. During one of the wars of the last century, when Holland was allied with the enemies of Great Britain, an English privateer captured a Dutch merchant vessel and cargo of considerable value. Amongst the owners of the privateer was a Quaker, named John Warder, who objected to the use of the ship for privateering purposes, but whose objections were overruled by the other partners, who did not share in his scruples against war. When the spoils were divided, Mr. Warder duly received his share; but feeling conscientiously precluded from appropriating it to his own profit, he retained the money till the end of the war, when he caused different inquiries to be made in Holland for the owners, or the surviving representatives, of the captured vessel and cargo. So far as the inquiry was successful the losses were paid. But there still remained a considerable sum of money in hand, which was allowed to accumulate, at interest, with the intention of its being appropriated in some manner to the welfare of the Dutch people. At length, a merchant of Amsterdam, the late Mr. John S. Mollett, the last survivor of the Society of Friends in Holland, undertook to superintend its expenditure for the purposes of an infant school for the poor of that city, which was commenced in 1830. After an interval of about thirty years, it was considered desirable to extend the school and erect better premises. Accordingly, some friends in England, at the invitation of the late Peter Bedford, "the Spitalfields Philanthropist," raised a further sum of money, and sent out an English architect, under whose direction the present neat and convenient building was erected in 1864. This effort was the closing exertion of Mr. Bedford's life, and his portrait, together with those of Mr. Fry, Mr. Gurney, and other worthies, now hangs upon the school walls. Leisure Hours, From Blackwood's Magazine. CHAPTER XXIII. INTO GOOD SOCIETY. any poor houses, as well as to happen to be swinging an empty basket conspicuously. It was a provident thought of mine, and turned out as well as its foresight deserved. In spite of all that poor landsmen say They passed a very pleasant day at about equinoctial gales and so on, we Sker (as I was told that evening), pushing often have the loveliest weather of all the about among rocks and stones, and routyear in September. If this sets in, it lasts ing out this, that, and the other, of shells sometimes for three weeks or a month to- and sea-weed and star-fish, and all the gether. Then the sky is bright and fair, rest of the rubbish, such as amuses great with a firm and tranquil blue, not so deep gentry, because they have nothing to do of tint or gentle as the blue of springtide, for their living. And though money is but more truly staid and placid, and far nothing to them, they always seem to more trustworthy. The sun, both when reckon what they find by money-value. he rises over the rounded hills behind the Not Colonel Lougher, of course, I mean, cliffs, and when he sinks into the level of and even less Lady Bluett. I only speak the width of waters, shines with ripe and of some grand people who come raking quiet lustre, to complete a year of labour. along our beach. And of all of these there As the eastern in the morning, so at sun- was nobody with the greediness Anthony set the western heaven glows with an Stew had. A crab that had died in changeven flush of light through the entire ing his shell would hardly come amiss to depth pervading, and unbroken by any him. Let that pass-who cares about cloud. Then at dusk the dew fog wavers him? I wish to speak of better people. in white stripes over the meadow-land, or The Colonel, though he could not keep in winding combes benighted pillows ill-will against any one on earth, did not down, and leaves its impress a sparkling choose to be indebted to Sker-grange for path for the sun's return. To my mind no other part of the year is pleasanter than this end of harvest, with golden stubble, and orchards gleaming, and the hedgerows turning red. Then fish are in season, and fruit is wholesome, and the smell of sweet brewing is rich on the air. even so much as a bite of hay for his pony. Partly, perhaps, that he might not appear to play false to his own tenantry; for the Nottage farmers, who held of the Colonel, were always at feud with Evan Thomas. Therefore he baited the pony himself, after easing off some of the tackle, and moored him to an ancient post in a little left in the car, for even if any one did come by, none would ever think of touching this good magistrate's property. This beautiful weather it was that sheltered hollow. Their rations also he tempted Colonel Lougher and Lady Bluett | to take a trip for the day to Sker. The distance from Candleston Court must be at least two good leagues of sandy road, Quite early in the afternoon, their apor rather of sand without any road, for a petites grew very brisk by reason of the great part of the journey. Therefore, in- crisp sea-breeze and sparkling freshness stead of their heavy coach, they took a of the waves. Accordingly, after consullight two-wheeled car, and a steady-going tation, they agreed that the time was pony which was very much wiser of them. | come to see what Crumpy, their honest Also, which was wiser still, they had a good old butler, had put into the basket. The basket of provisions, intending to make a Colonel held his sister's hand to help her long sea-side day, and expecting a lively up rough places, and breasting a little appetite. I saw them pass through New- crest of rushes, they broke npon a pretty ton, as I chanced to be mending my nets sight, which made them both say "hush," by the well; and I touched my hat to the and wonder. Colonel of course, and took it off to the lady. The Colonel was driving himself, so as not to be cumbered with any servant; and happening to see such a basket of food, I felt pretty sure there would be some over, for the quality never eat like us. Then it came into my memory that they could not bear Evan Thomas, and it struck me all of a sudden that it might be well worth my while to happen to meet them upon their return, before they passed " In a hollow place of sand, spread with dry white bones, skates' pouches, blades of cuttle-fish, sea-snail shells, and all the other things that storm and sea drive into and out of the sands, a very tiny maid was sitting, holding audience all alone. She seemed to have no sense at all of loneliness or of earthly trouble in the importance of the moment and the gravity of play. Before her sat three little dolls, arranged according to their rank, cleverly "Eleanor, can you not see that the child does not wish for your interference? Her brothers and sisters are sure to be here from Kenfig most likely, or at any rate some of her relations, and busy perhaps with our basket." posted in chairs of sand. The one in the | been compelled to endeavour to put a stop middle was "Patty Green," the other two to it. Therefore (as the best man in the strange imitations fashioned by young world cannot in reason be expected to be Watkin's knife. Each was urging her in a moment abreast with the sallies of claim to shells, which the mistress was even the best womankind, but likes to see dispensing fairly, and with good ad- to the bottom of it) the Colonel came up vice to each, then laughing at herself and crustily. them, and trying to teach them a nurserysong, which broke down from forgetfulness. And all the while her quick bright face, and the crisp grain of her attitudes, and the jerk of her thick short curls, were enough to make any one say, What a queer little soul!" Therefore it is not to be surprised at that Colonel Lougher could not make her out, or that while he was feeling about for his eyeglass of best crystal, his sister was (as behoves a female) rasher to express opinion. For she had lost a little girl, and sometimes grieved about it still. 66 "What a queer little, dear little thing, Henry! I never saw such a child. Where can she have dropped from? Did you see any carriage come after us? It is useless to tell me that she can belong to any of the people about here. Look at her forehead, and look at her manners, and how she touches everything! Now did you see that? What a wonderful child! Every movement is grace and delicacy. Oh, you pretty darling!" Her ladyship could wait no longer for the Colonel's opinion (which he was inclined to think of ere he should come out with it), and she ran down the sand-hill almost faster than became her dignity. But if she had been surprised before, how was she astonished now at Bardie's reception of her? "Don'e tush. Knee tushy paw, see voo pay. All 'e dollies is yae good; just going to dinny, and 'e mustn't 'poil their appetites." And the little atom arose and moved Lady Bluett's skirt out of her magic circle. And then, having saved her children, she stood scarcely up to the lady's knee, and looked at her as much as to ask, "Are you of the quality?" And being well satisfied on that point, she made what the lady declared to be the most elegant curtsy she ever had seen. Meanwhile the Colonel was coming up, in a dignified manner, and leisurely, perceiving no cause to rush through rushes, and knowing that his sister was often too quick. This had happened several times in the matter of beggars and people on crutches, and skin-collectors, and suchlike, who cannot always be kept out of the way of ladies; and his worship the Colonel had ! "No," said the child, looking up at him, "I'se got no 'lations now; all gone ayae; but all come back de-morrow day." "Why, Henry, what are you thinking of? This must be the poor little girl that was wrecked. And I wanted you so to come down and see her; but you refused on account of her being under the care of Farmer Thomas." "No, my dear, not exactly that, but on account of the trouble in the house I did not like to appear to meddle." "Whatever your reason was," answered the lady, no doubt you were quite right; but now I must know more of this poor little thing. Come and have some dinner with us, my darling; I am sure you must be hungry. Don't be afraid of the Colonel. He loves little children when they are good." But poor Bardie hung down her head and was shy, which never happened to her with me or any of the common people; she seemed to know, as if by instinct, that she was now in the company of her equals. Lady Bluett, however, was used to children, and very soon set her quite at case by inviting her dolls, and coaxing them, and listening to their histories, and all the other little turns that unlock the hearts of innocence. So it came to pass that the castaway dined in good society for the first time since her great misfortune. Here she behaved so prettily, and I might say elegantly, that Colonel Lougher (who was of all men the most thoroughly just and upright) felt himself bound to confess his error in taking her for a Kenfig nobody. Now, as it happened to be his birthday, the lady had ordered Mr. Crumpy, the butler, to get a bottle of the choicest wine, and put it into the hamper without saying anything to the Colonel, so that she might drink his health, and persuade him to do himself the like good turn. Having done this, she gave the child a drop in the bottom of her own wine-glass, which the little one tossed off most fluently, and with a sigh of contentment said |