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surprise)。  Your husband quite blind; Mrs。 Dibble?



MRS。 DIBBLE。  Yes; sir; he be stone…blind。



MR。 DIBBLE (addressing the mast)。  Yes; sir; I be stone…blind。



INSPECTOR。  That's a bad job。  Take your ticket; Mrs。 Dibble; and

don't lose it; and pass on。



Doctor taps Mr。 Dibble on the eyebrow with his forefinger; and away

they go。



INSPECTOR (taking ticket again)。  Anastatia Weedle。



ANASTATIA (a pretty girl; in a bright Garibaldi; this morning

elected by universal suffrage the Beauty of the Ship)。  That is me;

sir。



INSPECTOR。  Going alone; Anastatia?



ANASTATIA (shaking her curls)。  I am with Mrs。 Jobson; sir; but

I've got separated for the moment。



INSPECTOR。  Oh!  You are with the Jobsons?  Quite right。  That'll

do; Miss Weedle。  Don't lose your ticket。



Away she goes; and joins the Jobsons who are waiting for her; and

stoops and kisses Brigham Jobson … who appears to be considered too

young for the purpose; by several Mormons rising twenty; who are

looking on。  Before her extensive skirts have departed from the

casks; a decent widow stands there with four children; and so the

roll goes。



The faces of some of the Welsh people; among whom there were many

old persons; were certainly the least intelligent。  Some of these

emigrants would have bungled sorely; but for the directing hand

that was always ready。  The intelligence here was unquestionably of

a low order; and the heads were of a poor type。  Generally the case

was the reverse。  There were many worn faces bearing traces of

patient poverty and hard work; and there was great steadiness of

purpose and much undemonstrative self…respect among this class。  A

few young men were going singly。  Several girls were going; two or

three together。  These latter I found it very difficult to refer

back; in my mind; to their relinquished homes and pursuits。

Perhaps they were more like country milliners; and pupil teachers

rather tawdrily dressed; than any other classes of young women。  I

noticed; among many little ornaments worn; more than one

photograph…brooch of the Princess of Wales; and also of the late

Prince Consort。  Some single women of from thirty to forty; whom

one might suppose to be embroiderers; or straw…bonnet…makers; were

obviously going out in quest of husbands; as finer ladies go to

India。  That they had any distinct notions of a plurality of

husbands or wives; I do not believe。  To suppose the family groups

of whom the majority of emigrants were composed; polygamically

possessed; would be to suppose an absurdity; manifest to any one

who saw the fathers and mothers。



I should say (I had no means of ascertaining the fact) that most

familiar kinds of handicraft trades were represented here。  Farm…

labourers; shepherds; and the like; had their full share of

representation; but I doubt if they preponderated。  It was

interesting to see how the leading spirit in the family circle

never failed to show itself; even in the simple process of

answering to the names as they were called; and checking off the

owners of the names。  Sometimes it was the father; much oftener the

mother; sometimes a quick little girl second or third in order of

seniority。  It seemed to occur for the first time to some heavy

fathers; what large families they had; and their eyes rolled about;

during the calling of the list; as if they half misdoubted some

other family to have been smuggled into their own。  Among all the

fine handsome children; I observed but two with marks upon their

necks that were probably scrofulous。  Out of the whole number of

emigrants; but one old woman was temporarily set aside by the

doctor; on suspicion of fever; but even she afterwards obtained a

clean bill of health。



When all had 'passed;' and the afternoon began to wear on; a black

box became visible on deck; which box was in charge of certain

personages also in black; of whom only one had the conventional air

of an itinerant preacher。  This box contained a supply of hymn…

books; neatly printed and got up; published at Liverpool; and also

in London at the 'Latter…Day Saints' Book Depot; 30; Florence…

street。'  Some copies were handsomely bound; the plainer were the

more in request; and many were bought。  The title ran:  'Sacred

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Church of Jesus Church of Latter…

Day Saints。'  The Preface; dated Manchester; 1840; ran thus:… 'The

Saints in this country have been very desirous for a Hymn Book

adapted to their faith and worship; that they might sing the truth

with an understanding heart; and express their praise; joy; and

gratitude in songs adapted to the New and Everlasting Covenant。  In

accordance with their wishes; we have selected the following

volume; which we hope will prove acceptable until a greater variety

can be added。  With sentiments of high consideration and esteem; we

subscribe ourselves your brethren in the New and Everlasting

Covenant; BRIGHAM YOUNG; PARLEY P。 PRATT; JOHN TAYLOR。'  From this

book … by no means explanatory to myself of the New and Everlasting

Covenant; and not at all making my heart an understanding one on

the subject of that mystery … a hymn was sung; which did not

attract any great amount of attention; and was supported by a

rather select circle。  But the choir in the boat was very popular

and pleasant; and there was to have been a Band; only the Cornet

was late in coming on board。  In the course of the afternoon; a

mother appeared from shore; in search of her daughter; 'who had run

away with the Mormons。'  She received every assistance from the

Inspector; but her daughter was not found to be on board。  The

saints did not seem to me; particularly interested in finding her。



Towards five o'clock; the galley became full of tea…kettles; and an

agreeable fragrance of tea pervaded the ship。  There was no

scrambling or jostling for the hot water; no ill humour; no

quarrelling。  As the Amazon was to sail with the next tide; and as

it would not be high water before two o'clock in the morning; I

left her with her tea in full action; and her idle Steam Tug lying

by; deputing steam and smoke for the time being to the Tea…kettles。



I afterwards learned that a Despatch was sent home by the captain

before he struck out into the wide Atlantic; highly extolling the

behaviour of these Emigrants; and the perfect order and propriety

of all their social arrangements。  What is in store for the poor

people on the shores of the Great Salt Lake; what happy delusions

they are labouring under now; on what miserable blindness their

eyes may be opened then; I do not pretend to say。  But I went on

board their ship to bear testimony against them if they deserved

it; as I fully believed they would; to my great astonishment they

did not deserve it; and my predispositions and tendencies must not

affect me as an honest witness。  I went over the Amazon's side;

feeling it impossible to deny that; so far; some remarkable

influence had produced a remarkable result; which better known

influences have often missed。 *



* After this Uncommercial Journey was printed; I happened to

mention the experience it describes to Lord Houghton。  That

gentleman then showed me an article of his writing; in THE

EDINBURGH REVIEW for January; 1862; which is highly remarkable for

its philosophical and literary research concerning these Latter…Day

Saints。  I find in it the following sentences:… 'The Select

Committee of the House of Commons on emigrant ships for 1854

summoned the Mormon agent and passenger…broker before it; and came

to the conclusion that no ships under the provisions of the

〃Passengers Act〃 could be depended upon for comfort and security in

the same degree as those under his administration。 The Mormon ship

is a Family under strong and accepted discipline; with every

provision for comfort; decorum and internal peace。'







CHAPTER XXIII … THE CITY OF THE ABSENT







When I think I deserve particularly well of myself; and have earned

the right to enjoy a little treat; I stroll from Covent…garden into

the City of London; after business…hours there; on a Saturday; or …

better yet … on a Sunday; and roam about its deserted nooks and

corners。  It is necessary to the full enjoyment of these journeys

that they should be made in summer…time; for then the retired spots

that I love to haunt; are at their idlest and dullest。  A gentle

fall of rain is not objectionable; and a warm mist sets off my

favourite retreats to decided advantage。



Among these; City Churchyards hold a high place。  Such strange

churchyards hide in the City of London; churchyards sometimes so

entirely detached from churches; always so pressed upon by houses;

so small; so rank; so silent; so forgotten; except by the few

people who ever look down into them from their smoky windows。  As I

stand peeping in through the iron gates and rails; I can peel the

rusty metal off; like bar

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