The Argosy — page 145: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

130 Under Northern Skies. This good woman was wise in her generation. She had not crossed the sea and dwelt in the tents of the stranger for nothing. Her experiences in the new world were brought to bear upon the old: and she charged E.—who could not see water without a longing to plunge into his native element—for his one bath the price of half a dozen, with the most innocent air possible. For presently, whilst I waited and looked about, and revelled in the lapping water and all the signs ofa primitive and quiet life, up came a bevy of fair and quite fashionable girls, who paid collectively the exact amount that E. had given for his solitary plunge. Noj;the woman was wiser than she looked ; we were disappointed. But this is anticipating, for our first devotions were paid not to the beach but to the hotel. Following the guide and turning up a street, pebbly paved and grass grown, we dived under a great gateway into an old-fashioned courtyard. It might have come into exist- ence centuries ago. A low building with slanting roofs and latticed windows and overhanging verandahs, beautiful from very age, where creepers trailed and twined and hung in wild and graceful profusion. Once within the house, all beauty and picturesqueness disappeared. ‘The rooms were dark and uncomfortable, and not even particularly clean. But behind the house again, was a garden: a wilderness of roses and other flowers; a cultivated desert, full of brilliant blossoms and tantalising fruit trees—for the currants were all picked and the cherries were not ripe. The people of the inn were not more satisfactory than their fruit trees. They were uncivil and disobliging in manner, unreasonable in their charges; the only instance we met with on all the island. Everywhere else the people were moderate, civil and hospitable, would put themselves out to point your way, and often refused any return for a service rendered. Happily we had not many hours to devote to Ronne, though the inn people tried their best to detain us. First they declared no car- riage was to be had. This excuse disposed of, the porter, who seemed head waiter, boots, and general factotum all rolled into one, disap- peared: to return presently with a driver and an extraordinary vehicle that was half hay-cart and half a running platform on wheels : a sort of French cameon. In such an arrangement the hardiest traveller would soon have been reduced toa jelly. Then Jehu, seeing that his way was not to be our way, rattled off with his shandaradan, for which he substituted a very decent landau: and we departed in comfort if not in state. Thus commenced our three days’ drive through Bornholm; one of the most charming drives imaginable, three of the pleasantest days anyone could possibly desire. ‘The weather was worthy of Paradise. Unclouded sunshine and blue skies enlivened our way and gilded the laughing hours. Everything favoured us. Jehu, finding he was not to have things his own way, quietly gave in to ours, and became (>) (COUN eDOOKSHEO =} ——— eee — =