come public edifices of unknown function on the uplands; a country-seat
of aristocratic aspect showed itself on one of the heights; on another
the tower of a country church peered over the tree-tops; there were lines
of fortifications, as peaceful, at their distance, as the stone walls
dividing the green fields. The very iron-clads in the harbor close at
hand contributed to the amiable gayety of the scene under the pale blue
English sky, already broken with clouds from which the flush of the
sunrise had not quite faded. The breath of the land came freshly out over
the water; one could almost smell the grass and the leaves. Gulls wheeled
and darted over the crisp water; the tones of the English voices on the
tender were pleasant to the ear, as it fussed and scuffled to the ship's
side. A few score of the passengers left her; with their baggage they
formed picturesque groups on the tender's deck, and they set out for the
shore waving their hands and their handkerchiefs to the friends they left
clustering along the rail of the Norumbia. Mr. and Mrs. Leffers bade
March farewell, in the final fondness inspired by his having coffee with
them before they left the ship; they said they hated to leave.

The stop had roused everybody, and the breakfast tables were promptly
filled, except such as the passengers landing at Plymouth had vacated;
these were stripped of their cloths, and the remaining commensals placed
at others. The seats of the Lefferses were given to March's old Ohio
friend and his wife. He tried to engage them in the tally which began to
be general in the excitement of having touched land; but they shyly held
aloof.

Some English newspapers had come aboard from the tug, and there was the
usual good-natured adjustment of the American self-satisfaction, among
those who had seen them, to the ever-surprising fact that our continent
is apparently of no interest to Europe. There were some meagre New York