Sketches and Travels in London Read online

  This etext was prepared from the 1911 John Murray edition.

  Notes on a Journey from Cornhill to Grand Cairo

  by William Makepeace Thackeray

  DEDICATION

  TO

  CAPTAIN SAMUEL LEWIS,

  OF THE

  PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S

  SERVICE.

  My Dear Lewis,

  After a voyage, during which the captain of the ship has displayed

  uncommon courage, seamanship, affability, or other good qualities,

  grateful passengers often present him with a token of their esteem,

  in the shape of teapots, tankards, trays, &c. of precious metal.

  Among authors, however, bullion is a much rarer commodity than

  paper, whereof I beg you to accept a little in the shape of this

  small volume. It contains a few notes of a voyage which your skill

  and kindness rendered doubly pleasant; and of which I don't think

  there is any recollection more agreeable than that it was the

  occasion of making your friendship.

  If the noble Company in whose service you command (and whose fleet

  alone makes them a third-rate maritime power in Europe) should

  appoint a few admirals in their navy, I hope to hear that your flag

  is hoisted on board one of the grandest of their steamers. But, I

  trust, even there you will not forget the "Iberia," and the

  delightful Mediterranean cruise we had in her in the Autumn of

  1844.

  Most faithfully yours,

  My dear Lewis,

  W. M. THACKERAY.

  LONDON: December 24, 1845.

  PREFACE

  On the 20th of August, 1844, the writer of this little book went to

  dine at the--Club, quite unconscious of the wonderful events which

  Fate had in store for him.

  Mr. William was there, giving a farewell dinner to his friend Mr.

  James (now Sir James). These two asked Mr. Titmarsh to join

  company with them, and the conversation naturally fell upon the

  tour Mr. James was about to take. The Peninsular and Oriental

  Company had arranged an excursion in the Mediterranean, by which,

  in the space of a couple of months, as many men and cities were to

  be seen as Ulysses surveyed and noted in ten years. Malta, Athens,

  Smyrna, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Cairo were to be visited, and

  everybody was to be back in London by Lord Mayor's Day.

  The idea of beholding these famous places inflamed Mr. Titmarsh's

  mind; and the charms of such a journey were eloquently impressed

  upon him by Mr. James. "Come," said that kind and hospitable

  gentleman, "and make one of my family party; in all your life you

  will never probably have a chance again to see so much in so short

  a time. Consider--it is as easy as a journey to Paris or to

  Baden." Mr. Titmarsh considered all these things; but also the

  difficulties of the situation: he had but six-and-thirty hours to

  get ready for so portentous a journey--he had engagements at home--

  finally, could he afford it? In spite of these objections,

  however, with every glass of claret the enthusiasm somehow rose,

  and the difficulties vanished.

  But when Mr. James, to crown all, said he had no doubt that his

  friends, the Directors of the Peninsular and Oriental Company,

  would make Mr. Titmarsh the present of a berth for the voyage, all

  objections ceased on his part: to break his outstanding

  engagements--to write letters to his amazed family, stating that

  they were not to expect him at dinner on Saturday fortnight, as he

  would be at Jerusalem on that day--to purchase eighteen shirts and

  lay in a sea stock of Russia ducks,--was the work of four-and-

  twenty hours; and on the 22nd of August, the "Lady Mary Wood" was

  sailing from Southampton with the "subject of the present memoir,"

  quite astonished to find himself one of the passengers on board.

  These important statements are made partly to convince some

  incredulous friends--who insist still that the writer never went

  abroad at all, and wrote the following pages, out of pure fancy, in

  retirement at Putney; but mainly, to give him an opportunity of

  thanking the Directors of the Company in question for a delightful

  excursion.

  It was one so easy, so charming, and I think profitable--it leaves

  such a store of pleasant recollections for after days--and creates

  so many new sources of interest (a newspaper letter from Beyrout,

  or Malta, or Algiers, has twice the interest now that it had

  formerly),--that I can't but recommend all persons who have time

  and means to make a similar journey--vacation idlers to extend

  their travels and pursue it: above all, young well-educated men

  entering life, to take this course, we will say, after that at

  college; and, having their book-learning fresh in their minds, see

  the living people and their cities, and the actual aspect of

  Nature, along the famous shores of the Mediterranean.

  CHAPTER I: VIGO

  The sun brought all the sick people out of their berths this

  morning, and the indescribable moans and noises which had been

  issuing from behind the fine painted doors on each side of the

  cabin happily ceased. Long before sunrise, I had the good fortune

  to discover that it was no longer necessary to maintain the

  horizontal posture, and, the very instant this truth was apparent,

  came on deck, at two o'clock in the morning, to see a noble full

  moon sinking westward, and millions of the most brilliant stars

  shining overhead. The night was so serenely pure, that you saw

  them in magnificent airy perspective; the blue sky around and over

  them, and other more distant orbs sparkling above, till they

  glittered away faintly into the immeasurable distance. The ship

  went rolling over a heavy, sweltering, calm sea. The breeze was a

  warm and soft one; quite different to the rigid air we had left

  behind us, two days since, off the Isle of Wight. The bell kept

  tolling its half-hours, and the mate explained the mystery of watch

  and dog-watch.

  The sight of that noble scene cured all the woes and discomfitures

  of sea-sickness at once, and if there were any need to communicate

  such secrets to the public, one might tell of much more good that

  the pleasant morning-watch effected; but there are a set of

  emotions about which a man had best be shy of talking lightly,--and

  the feelings excited by contemplating this vast, magnificent,

  harmonious Nature are among these. The view of it inspires a

  delight and ecstasy which is not only hard to describe, but which

  has something secret in it that a man should not utter loudly.

  Hope, memory, humility, tender yearnings towards dear friends, and

  inexpressible love and reverence towards the Power which created

  the infinite universe blazing above eternally, and the vast ocean

  shining and rolling around--fill
the heart with a solemn humble

  happiness, that a person dwelling in a city has rarely occasion to

  enjoy. They are coming away from London parties at this time: the

  dear little eyes are closed in sleep under mother's wing. How far

  off city cares and pleasures appear to be! how small and mean they

  seem, dwindling out of sight before this magnificent brightness of

  Nature! But the best thoughts only grow and strengthen under it.

  Heaven shines above, and the humble spirit looks up reverently

  towards that boundless aspect of wisdom and beauty. You are at

  home, and with all at rest there, however far away they may be; and

  through the distance the heart broods over them, bright and wakeful

  like yonder peaceful stars overhead.

  The day was as fine and calm as the night; at seven bells, suddenly

  a bell began to toll very much like that of a country church, and

  on going on deck we found an awning raised, a desk with a flag

  flung over it close to the compass, and the ship's company and

  passengers assembled there to hear the Captain read the Service in

  a manly respectful voice. This, too, was a novel and touching

  sight to me. Peaked ridges of purple mountains rose to the left of

  the ship,--Finisterre and the coast of Galicia. The sky above was

  cloudless and shining; the vast dark ocean smiled peacefully round

  about, and the ship went rolling over it, as the people within were

  praising the Maker of all.

  In honour of the day, it was announced that the passengers would be

  regaled with champagne at dinner; and accordingly that exhilarating

  liquor was served out in decent profusion, the company drinking the

  Captain's health with the customary orations of compliment and

  acknowledgment. This feast was scarcely ended, when we found

  ourselves rounding the headland into Vigo Bay, passing a grim and

  tall island of rocky mountains which lies in the centre of the bay.

  Whether it is that the sight of land is always welcome to weary

  mariners, after the perils and annoyances of a voyage of three

  days, or whether the place is in itself extraordinarily beautiful,

  need not be argued; but I have seldom seen anything more charming

  than the amphitheatre of noble hills into which the ship now came--

  all the features of the landscape being lighted up with a wonderful

  clearness of air, which rarely adorns a view in our country. The

  sun had not yet set, but over the town and lofty rocky castle of

  Vigo a great ghost of a moon was faintly visible, which blazed out

  brighter and brighter as the superior luminary retired behind the

  purple mountains of the headland to rest. Before the general

  background of waving heights which encompassed the bay, rose a

  second semicircle of undulating hills, as cheerful and green as the

  mountains behind them were grey and solemn. Farms and gardens,

  convent towers, white villages and churches, and buildings that no

  doubt were hermitages once, upon the sharp peaks of the hills,

  shone brightly in the sun. The sight was delightfully cheerful,

  animated, and pleasing.

  Presently the Captain roared out the magic words, "Stop her!" and

  the obedient vessel came to a stand-still, at some three hundred

  yards from the little town, with its white houses clambering up a

  rock, defended by the superior mountain whereon the castle stands.

  Numbers of people, arrayed in various brilliant colours of red,

  were standing on the sand close by the tumbling, shining, purple

  waves: and there we beheld, for the first time, the Royal red and

  yellow standard of Spain floating on its own ground, under the

  guardianship of a light blue sentinel, whose musket glittered in

  the sun. Numerous boats were seen, incontinently, to put off from

  the little shore.

  And now our attention was withdrawn from the land to a sight of

  great splendour on board. This was Lieutenant Bundy, the guardian

  of Her Majesty's mails, who issued from his cabin in his long

  swallow-tailed coat with anchor buttons; his sabre clattering

  between his legs; a magnificent shirt-collar, of several inches in

  height, rising round his good-humoured sallow face; and above it a

  cocked hat, that shone so, I thought it was made of polished tin

  (it may have been that or oilskin), handsomely laced with black

  worsted, and ornamented with a shining gold cord. A little squat

  boat, rowed by three ragged gallegos, came bouncing up to the ship.

  Into this Mr. Bundy and Her Majesty's Royal mail embarked with much

  majesty; and in the twinkling of an eye, the Royal standard of

  England, about the size of a pocket-handkerchief,--and at the bows

  of the boat, the man-of-war's pennant, being a strip of bunting

  considerably under the value of a farthing,--streamed out.

  "They know that flag, sir," said the good-natured old tar, quite

  solemnly, in the evening afterwards: "they respect it, sir." The

  authority of Her Majesty's lieutenant on board the steamer is

  stated to be so tremendous, that he may order it to stop, to move,

  to go larboard, starboard, or what you will; and the captain dare

  only disobey him suo periculo.

  It was agreed that a party of us should land for half-an-hour, and

  taste real Spanish chocolate on Spanish ground. We followed

  Lieutenant Bundy, but humbly in the providor's boat; that officer

  going on shore to purchase fresh eggs, milk for tea (in place of

  the slimy substitute of whipped yolk of egg which we had been using

  for our morning and evening meals), and, if possible, oysters, for

  which it is said the rocks of Vigo are famous.

  It was low tide, and the boat could not get up to the dry shore.

  Hence it was necessary to take advantage of the offers of sundry

  gallegos, who rushed barelegged into the water, to land on their

  shoulders. The approved method seems to be, to sit upon one

  shoulder only, holding on by the porter's whiskers; and though some

  of our party were of the tallest and fattest men whereof our race

  is composed, and their living sedans exceedingly meagre and small,

  yet all were landed without accident upon the juicy sand, and

  forthwith surrounded by a host of mendicants, screaming, "I say,

  sir! penny, sir! I say, English! tam your ays! penny!" in all

  voices, from extreme youth to the most lousy and venerable old age.

  When it is said that these beggars were as ragged as those of

  Ireland, and still more voluble, the Irish traveller will be able

  to form an opinion of their capabilities.

  Through this crowd we passed up some steep rocky steps, through a

  little low gate, where, in a little guard-house and barrack, a few

  dirty little sentinels were keeping a dirty little guard; and by

  low-roofed whitewashed houses, with balconies, and women in them,--

  the very same women, with the very same head-clothes, and yellow

  fans and eyes, at once sly and solemn, which Murillo painted,--by a

  neat church into which we took a peep, and, finally, into the Plaza

  del Constitucion, or grand place of the town, which may be about as

  big as that pleasing square, Pump Court, Temp
le. We were taken to

  an inn, of which I forget the name, and were shown from one chamber

  and storey to another, till we arrived at that apartment where the

  real Spanish chocolate was finally to be served out. All these

  rooms were as clean as scrubbing and whitewash could make them;

  with simple French prints (with Spanish titles) on the walls; a few

  rickety half-finished articles of furniture; and, finally, an air

  of extremely respectable poverty. A jolly, black-eyed, yellow-

  shawled Dulcinea conducted us through the apartment, and provided

  us with the desired refreshment.

  Sounds of clarions drew our eyes to the Place of the Constitution;

  and, indeed, I had forgotten to say, that that majestic square was

  filled with military, with exceedingly small firelocks, the men

  ludicrously young and diminutive for the most part, in a uniform at

  once cheap and tawdry,--like those supplied to the warriors at

  Astley's, or from still humbler theatrical wardrobes: indeed, the

  whole scene was just like that of a little theatre; the houses

  curiously small, with arcades and balconies, out of which looked

  women apparently a great deal too big for the chambers they

  inhabited; the warriors were in ginghams, cottons, and tinsel; the

  officers had huge epaulets of sham silver lace drooping over their

  bosoms, and looked as if they were attired at a very small expense.

  Only the general--the captain-general (Pooch, they told us, was his

  name: I know not how 'tis written in Spanish)--was well got up,

  with a smart hat, a real feather, huge stars glittering on his

  portly chest, and tights and boots of the first order. Presently,

  after a good deal of trumpeting, the little men marched off the

  place, Pooch and his staff coming into the very inn in which we

  were awaiting our chocolate.

  Then we had an opportunity of seeing some of the civilians of the

  town. Three or four ladies passed, with fan and mantle; to them

  came three or four dandies, dressed smartly in the French fashion,

  with strong Jewish physiognomies. There was one, a solemn lean

  fellow in black, with his collars extremely turned over, and

  holding before him a long ivory-tipped ebony cane, who tripped

  along the little place with a solemn smirk, which gave one an

  indescribable feeling of the truth of "Gil Blas," and of those

  delightful bachelors and licentiates who have appeared to us all in

  our dreams.

  In fact we were but half-an-hour in this little queer Spanish town;

  and it appeared like a dream, too, or a little show got up to amuse

  us. Boom! the gun fired at the end of the funny little

  entertainment. The women and the balconies, the beggars and the

  walking Murillos, Pooch and the little soldiers in tinsel,

  disappeared, and were shut up in their box again. Once more we

  were carried on the beggars' shoulders out off the shore, and we

  found ourselves again in the great stalwart roast-beef world; the

  stout British steamer bearing out of the bay, whose purple waters

  had grown more purple. The sun had set by this time, and the moon

  above was twice as big and bright as our degenerate moons are.

  The providor had already returned with his fresh stores, and

  Bundy's tin hat was popped into its case, and he walking the deck

  of the packet denuded of tails. As we went out of the bay,

  occurred a little incident with which the great incidents of the

  day may be said to wind up. We saw before us a little vessel,

  tumbling and plunging about in the dark waters of the bay, with a

  bright light beaming from the mast. It made for us at about a

  couple of miles from the town, and came close up, flouncing and

  bobbing in the very jaws of the paddle, which looked as if it would

  have seized and twirled round that little boat and its light, and

  destroyed them for ever and ever. All the passengers, of course,

  came crowding to the ship's side to look at the bold little boat.