the uncommercial traveller-第47章

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Into　what　admirable　soldiers　others　of　these　boys　have　the

capabilities　for　being　turned；　I　need　not　point　out。　　Many　of　them

are　always　ambitious　of　military　service；　and　once　upon　a　time　when

an　old　boy　came　back　to　see　the　old　place；　a　cavalry　soldier　all

complete；　WITH　HIS　SPURS　ON；　such　a　yearning　broke　out　to　get　into

cavalry　regiments　and　wear　those　sublime　appendages；　that　it　was

one　of　the　greatest　excitements　ever　known　in　the　school。　　The

girls　make　excellent　domestic　servants；　and　at　certain　periods　come

back；　a　score　or　two　at　a　time；　to　see　the　old　building；　and　to

take　tea　with　the　old　teachers；　and　to　hear　the　old　band；　and　to

see　the　old　ship　with　her　masts　towering　up　above　the　neighbouring

roofs　and　chimneys。　　As　to　the　physical　health　of　these　schools；　it

is　so　exceptionally　remarkable　（simply　because　the　sanitary

regulations　are　as　good　as　the　other　educational　arrangements）；

that　when　Mr。　TUFNELL；　the　Inspector；　first　stated　it　in　a　report；

he　was　supposed；　in　spite　of　his　high　character；　to　have　been

betrayed　into　some　extraordinary　mistake　or　exaggeration。　　In　the

moral　health　of　these　schools　…　where　corporal　punishment　is

unknown　…　Truthfulness　stands　high。　　When　the　ship　was　first

erected；　the　boys　were　forbidden　to　go　aloft；　until　the　nets；　which

are　now　always　there；　were　stretched　as　a　precaution　against

accidents。　　Certain　boys；　in　their　eagerness；　disobeyed　the

injunction；　got　out　of　window　in　the　early　daylight；　and　climbed　to

the　masthead。　　One　boy　unfortunately　fell；　and　was　killed。　　There

was　no　clue　to　the　others；　but　all　the　boys　were　assembled；　and　the

chairman　of　the　Board　addressed　them。　　'I　promise　nothing；　you　see

what　a　dreadful　thing　has　happened；　you　know　what　a　grave　offence

it　is　that　has　led　to　such　a　consequence；　I　cannot　say　what　will　be

done　with　the　offenders；　but；　boys；　you　have　been　trained　here；

above　all　things；　to　respect　the　truth。　　I　want　the　truth。　　Who　are

the　delinquents？'　　Instantly；　the　whole　number　of　boys　concerned；

separated　from　the　rest；　and　stood　out。



Now；　the　head　and　heart　of　that　gentleman　（it　is　needless　to　say；　a

good　head　and　a　good　heart）　have　been　deeply　interested　in　these

schools　for　many　years；　and　are　so　still；　and　the　establishment　is

very　fortunate　in　a　most　admirable　master；　and　moreover　the　schools

of　the　Stepney　Union　cannot　have　got　to　be　what　they　are；　without

the　Stepney　Board　of　Guardians　having　been　earnest　and　humane　men

strongly　imbued　with　a　sense　of　their　responsibility。　　But　what　one

set　of　men　can　do　in　this　wise；　another　set　of　men　can　do；　and　this

is　a　noble　example　to　all　other　Bodies　and　Unions；　and　a　noble

example　to　the　State。　　Followed；　and　enlarged　upon　by　its

enforcement　on　bad　parents；　it　would　clear　London　streets　of　the

most　terrible　objects　they　smite　the　sight　with　…　myriads　of　little

children　who　awfully　reverse　Our　Saviour's　words；　and　are　not　of

the　Kingdom　of　Heaven；　but　of　the　Kingdom　of　Hell。



Clear　the　public　streets　of　such　shame；　and　the　public　conscience

of　such　reproach？　　Ah！　　Almost　prophetic；　surely；　the　child's

jingle：





When　will　that　be；

Say　the　bells　of　Step…ney！







CHAPTER　XXII　…　BOUND　FOR　THE　GREAT　SALT　LAKE







Behold　me　on　my　way　to　an　Emigrant　Ship；　on　a　hot　morning　early　in

June。　　My　road　lies　through　that　part　of　London　generally　known　to

the　initiated　as　'Down　by　the　Docks。'　　Down　by　the　Docks；　is　home

to　a　good　many　people　…　to　too　many；　if　I　may　judge　from　the

overflow　of　local　population　in　the　streets　…　but　my　nose

insinuates　that　the　number　to　whom　it　is　Sweet　Home　might　be　easily

counted。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　is　a　region　I　would　choose　as　my　point

of　embarkation　aboard　ship　if　I　were　an　emigrant。　　It　would　present

my　intention　to　me　in　such　a　sensible　light；　it　would　show　me　so

many　things　to　be　run　away　from。



Down　by　the　Docks；　they　eat　the　largest　oysters　and　scatter　the

roughest　oyster…shells；　known　to　the　descendants　of　Saint　George

and　the　Dragon。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　they　consume　the　slimiest　of

shell…fish；　which　seem　to　have　been　scraped　off　the　copper　bottoms

of　ships。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　vegetables　at　green…grocers'

doors　acquire　a　saline　and　a　scaly　look；　as　if　they　had　been

crossed　with　fish　and　seaweed。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　they　'board

seamen'　at　the　eating…houses；　the　public…houses；　the　slop…shops；

the　coffee…shops；　the　tally…shops；　all　kinds　of　shops　mentionable

and　unmentionable　…　board　them；　as　it　were；　in　the　piratical　sense；

making　them　bleed　terribly；　and　giving　no　quarter。　　Down　by　the

Docks；　the　seamen　roam　in　mid…street　and　mid…day；　their　pockets

inside　out；　and　their　heads　no　better。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the

daughters　of　wave…ruling　Britannia　also　rove；　clad　in　silken

attire；　with　uncovered　tresses　streaming　in　the　breeze；　bandanna

kerchiefs　floating　from　their　shoulders；　and　crinoline　not　wanting。

Down　by　the　Docks；　you　may　hear　the　Incomparable　Joe　Jackson　sing

the　Standard　of　England；　with　a　hornpipe；　any　night；　or　any　day　may

see　at　the　waxwork；　for　a　penny　and　no　waiting；　him　as　killed　the

policeman　at　Acton　and　suffered　for　it。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　you　may

buy　polonies；　saveloys；　and　sausage　preparations　various；　if　you

are　not　particular　what　they　are　made　of　besides　seasoning。　　Down

by　the　Docks；　the　children　of　Israel　creep　into　any　gloomy　cribs

and　entries　they　can　hire；　and　hang　slops　there　…　pewter　watches；

sou'…wester　hats；　waterproof　overalls　…　'firtht　rate　articleth；

Thjack。'　　Down　by　the　Docks；　such　dealers　exhibiting　on　a　frame　a

complete　nautical　suit　without　the　refinement　of　a　waxen　visage　in

the　hat；　present　the　imaginary　wearer　as　drooping　at　the　yard…arm；

with　his　seafaring　and　earthfaring　troubles　over。　　Down　by　the

Docks；　the　placards　in　the　shops　apostrophise　the　customer；　knowing

him　familiarly　beforehand；　as；　'Look　here；　Jack！'　　'Here's　your

sort；　my　lad！'　　'Try　our　sea…going　mixed；　at　two　and　nine！'　　'The

right　kit　for　the　British　tar！'　　'Ship　ahoy！'　　'Splice　the　main…

brace；　brother！'　　'Come；　cheer　up；　my　lads。　　We've　the　best　liquors

here；　And　you'll　find　something　new　In　our　wonderful　Beer！'　　Down

by　the　Docks；　the　pawnbroker　lends　money　on　Union…Jack　pocket…

handkerchiefs；　on　watches　with　little　ships　pitching　fore　and　aft

on　the　dial；　on　telescopes；　nautical　instruments　in　cases；　and

such…like。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　apothecary　sets　up　in　business

on　the　wretchedest　scale　…　chiefly　on　lint　and　plaster　for　the

strapping　of　wounds　…　and　with　no　bright　bottles；　and　with　no

little　drawers。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　shabby　undertaker's　shop

will　bury　you　for　next　to　nothing；　after　the　Malay　or　Chinaman　has

stabbed　you　for　nothing　at　all：　　so　you　can　hardly　hope　to　make　a

cheaper　end。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　anybody　drunk　will　quarrel　with

anybody　drunk　or　sober；　and　everybody　else　will　have　a　hand　in　it；

and　on　the　shortest　notice　you　may　revolve　in　a　whirlpool　of　red

shirts；　shaggy　beards；　wild　heads　of　hair；　bare　tattooed　arms；

Britannia's　daughters；　malice；　mud；　maundering；　and　madness。　　Down

by　the　Docks；　scraping　fiddles　go　in　the　public…houses　all　day

long；　and；　shrill　above　their　din　and　all　the　din；　rises　the

screeching　of　innumerable　parrots　brought　from　foreign　parts；　who

appear　to　be　very　much　astonished　by　what　they　find　on　these　native

shores　of　ours。　　Possibly　the　parrots　don't　know；　possibly　they　do；

that　Down　by　the　Docks　is　the　road　to　the　Pacific　Ocean；　with　its

lovely　islands；　where　the　savage　girls　plait　flowers；　and　the

savage　boys　carve　cocoa…nut　shells；　and　the　grim　blind　idols　muse

in　their　shady　groves　to　exactly　the　same　purpose　as　the　priests

and　chiefs。　　And　possibly　the　parrots　don't　know；　possibly　they　do；

that　the　noble　savage　is　a　wearisome　impostor　wherever　he　is；　and

has　five　hundred　thousand　volumes　of　indifferent　rhyme；　and　no

reason；　to　answer　for。



Shadwell　church！　　Pleasant　whispers　of　there　being　a　fresher　air

down　the　river　than　down　by　the　Docks；　go　pursuing　one　another；

playfully；　in　and　out　of　the　openings　in　its　spire。　　Gigantic　in

the　basin　just　beyond　the　church；　looms　my　Emigrant　Ship：　　her

name；　the　Amazon。　　Her　figure…head　is　not　disfigured　as　those

beauteous　founders　of　the　race　of　strong…minded　women　are　fabled　to

have　been；　for　the　convenience　of　drawing　the　bow；　but　I　sympathise

with　the　carver：





A　flattering　carver　who　made　it　his　care

To　carve　busts　as　they　ought　to　be　…　not　as　they　were。





My　Emigrant　Ship　lies　broadside…on　to　the　wharf。　　Two　great

gangways　made　of　spars　and　planks　connect　her　with　the　wharf；　and

up　and　down　these　gangways；　perpetually　crowding　to　and　fro　and　in

and　out；　like　ants；　are　the　Emigrants　who　are　going　to　sail　in　my

Emigrant　Ship。　　Some　with　cabbages；　some　with　loaves　of　bread；　some

with　cheese　and　butter；　some　with　milk　and　beer；　some　with　boxes；

beds；　and　bundles；　some　with　babies　…　nearly　all　with　children　…

nearly　all　with　bran…new　tin　cans　for　their　daily　allowance　of

water；　uncomfortably　suggestive　of　a　tin　flavour　in　the　drink。　　To

and　fro；　up　and　down；　aboard　and　ashore；　swarming　here　and　there

and　everywhere；　my　Emigrants。　　And　still　as　the　Dock…Gate　swings

upon　its　hinges；　cabs　appear；　and　carts　appear；　and　vans　appear；

bringing　more　of　my　Emigrants；　with　more　cabbages；　more　loaves；

more　cheese　and　butter；　more　milk　and　beer；　more　boxes；　beds；　and

bundles；　more　tin　cans；　and　on　those　shipping　investments

accumulated　compound　interest　of　children。



I　go　aboard　my　Emigrant　Ship。　　I　go　first　to　the　great　cabin；　and

find　it　in　the　usual　condition　of　a　Cabin　at　that　pass。　　Perspiring

landsmen；　with　loose　papers；　and　with　pens　and　inkstands；　pervade

it；　and　the　general　appearance　of　things　is　as　if　the　late　Mr。

Amazon's　funeral　had　just　come　home　from　the　cemetery；　and　the

disconsolate　Mrs。　Amazon's　trustees　found　the　affairs　in　great

disorder；　and　were　looking　high　and　low　for　the　will。　　I　go　out　on

the　poop…deck；　for　air；　and　surveying　the　emigrants　on　the　deck

below　（indeed　they　are　crowded　all　about　me；　up　there　too）；　find

more　pens　and　inkstands　in　action；　and　more　papers；　and

interminable　complication　respecting　accounts　with　individuals　for

tin　cans　and　what　not。　　But　nobody　is　in　an　ill…temper；　nobody　is

the　worse　for　drink；　nobody　swears　an　oath　or　uses　a　coarse　word；

nobody　appears　depressed；　nobody　is　weeping；　and　down　upon　the　deck

in　every　corner　where　it　is　possible　to　find　a　few　square　feet　to

kneel；　crouch；　or　lie　in；　people；　in　every　unsuitable　attitude　for

writing；　are　writing　letters。



Now；　I　have　seen　emigrant　ships　before　this　day　in　June。　　And　these

people　are　so　strikingly　different　from　all　other　people　in　like

circumstances　whom　I　have　ever　seen；　that　I　wonder　aloud；　'What

WOULD　a　stranger　suppose　these　emigrants　to　be！'



The　vigilant；　bright　face　of　the　weather…browned　captain　of