Welsh Journals

ten o'clock at night. For the first hour or two I was made too uncomfortable by the dirt, mules, etc., to think of anything besides trying to procure for myself the least dirty or uncomfortable corner on that squalid deck: after two or three abortive attempts I succeeded at last in getting under the corner of a big tarpaulin and made myself snug for the night. Tobacco was procured, the pipe lit, and I calmed down into a mood somewhat philosophic, all things considered. The fumes of the tobacco attracted the attention of two young men who with- out any unnecessary formality, lifted the tarpaulin and shared my corner. I was not left long in ignor- ance of their destination. By Gosh," said one in a very decided Welsh accent, do tell me, now, Biggins, are they so very hard on freshmen ? You were joking just now, wer ntch you ? I would not like to go home again to-morrow night in this dirty old tub of a boat-no indeed. "Faugh, Evans, ye're nobbut a gaby, big as ye are: why need you be afeart o yon," said a Cumbrian voice in reply It's nowt but play mon. I thought you Welsh people had mear pluck." Hearing this discourse I introduced myself as a candidate for St. Bees and was soon on familiar terms with my new acquaintance. Biggins pulled out a good sized flask of whiskey and we pledged success to our new venture. I like to see a man who can blow a cloud and do justice to usquebaugh," said Biggins "not like yon little Methodist of the hills who is shivering away at the other end of ship." Why you are a Cumberland man, are you not ? Yes, I'm a Cumberland tyke do you know the dialect? A little a friend of mine whom I knew in Liverpool used to amuse himself by mystifying me with it now and then I picked up a little from him. I think you are mystifying us a bit are you not ? Well," said he, laughing, you see I have been on a visit to an aunt of mine down south, and I have been amusing myself a bit by talking broad Cumber- land. I've astonished some of the genteel south- erners, I can tell you they look upon me as a savage, while behold your servant is an alumnus of St. Bees School, and now a second term man o't College." "St. Bees is a first class school is it not ? I have heard of some famous St. Bees' men-Archbishop Grindal and others. I thought you generally went to Oxford from there." "So we do when we can afford it. But my father is what we call a statesman, not too well off, and there are two brothers of us on the road to the pulpit. My brother Joe could always beat me at school though he is the youngest, and it was but fair to let him have the choice so he is at Queen's, and I had to rest satisfied with over t'way as we call our Began affair, and even that I could not get without a couple of years' drudging as usher in a school. Indeed I should most likely have been there yet- for the governor is but scantily supplied with cash- but the old Aunt that I have just been visiting has been gracious and helped me on. I have wielded the ferule too. Are there many of the craft at St. Bees ? Yes, plenty. National Schoolmasters, clever fellows many of them, but conceited usher drudges like myself, and all sorts." "National Schoolmasters are conceited eh?" Why, yes, as a rule I guess they are not so bad as the Scripture Readers though that's about the cockiest lot going. Bitter Calvinists and other heterodox-ists too and they are an ignorant lot besides mostly down about the fourth class along with the university ploughed mob." Many Oxford and Cambridge men? Four or five come up every term, ploughed, rusticated, or what not. Very gentlemanlike fellows many of them, but the ploughed ones have no brains, and the rusticated ones are too fast I don't mix with them much. You see I am a plain man like Jacob. I like tobacco better than cigars, and beer or whiskey suit my taste better than wine, and as I have little money, it's a mercy my tastes correspond with my means." Any of my countrymen there ? "What, Welsh? You are Welsh! I did not know. Yes, there are some half-a-dozen or so. Jolly fellows generally, much given to beer and talking Welsh some of them as clever fellows as ever I saw, but they are mostly kept back by want of English like our acquaintance yonder (who had left us by this time grievously sick). I met him last night at the inn in Liverpool, and amused myself by mystifying him with a bit of Cumberland as you observed by Jove, he thought my English was classical. But for natural cleverness, I think the Welsh are far ahead of us English folk. There was Dan Evans last term, librarian and first class man a wild, harum skarum, drunken body it was, but what readiness the fellow had. He would sit smoking and drinking with any one till twelve o'clock every night or later if possible, but no one knew his lectures like Dan. On a Friday night he would refuse to sit later than twelve, because he had a sermon to write for next day." The deuce I wonder what the sermon was like?"