(tf= TO RICHMOND. 421 



in his dry, droll way, " Try back, Wilson/' Wilson, however, could 

 not remember the second line. " Then," said Smith, " I'll sing it for 

 you ;" and he struck up 



" When forced from thee to pooh pooh pooh part/' 



We laughed for an hour, and Wilson would not sing another note. 

 " A Muggins to the rescue !" Tomlins volunteered a song, and all 

 was silence, as he struck up " Love's Young Dream." 



" But there's nothing half so sweet in life 



As Love's young dream ; 

 Oh, there's nothing half so sweet in life." 



" As lump sugar !" chimed in that provoking fellow, Smith, with a 

 vociferous jollity of voice that put all the sentiment of the song to imme- 

 diate flight. Our laughter must have been heard along both shores. 

 Wilson, being one [of the Grocer's Company, thought the joke a little 

 too personal ; but who can take a lasting offence at the frolics of Smith ? 

 Throughout this memorable day he shewed himself a wag of the first 

 water. We all, except Jones, who was rather jealous of his success, 

 allowed him to carry away the palm of preference ; the ladies eyes, too, 



" Rain'd influence, and adjudged the prize." ''.'' 



By this time we neared Battersea Bridge it is the Scylla and 

 Charybis of amateur aquarians; if you escape S. you come bump 

 against C., and vice versa. The station of steersman is therefore one 

 of serious responsibility, and requires the steadiest skill, an eye like a 

 mathematician's, a hand like a watch-maker's, and the most undaunted 

 courage. We were shooting cleanly and cleverly, and in the most 

 seaman-like manner, through the centre arch, when Jones, perhaps 

 over anxious for the success of this fine evolution, dipped his oar in, 

 and giving a pull, drove our nose plump between the starlings. All 

 was immediate confusion ! the ladies shrieked in the most piercing 

 manner Wilson turned as white as his waistcoat Jones trembled 

 Tomlins was terrified Smith looked as if all the joke were taken out 

 of him and I in some measure gave up all for lost. The tide rose 

 like a rampant beast at the stern, and our boat pitched deeper and 

 deeper still at the head. To add to the agonies of such a moment, a 

 savage in human form, who was coolly hanging over the balustrades, 

 bawled out in a jeering manner, " Say your prayers, you tailors, while 

 I run for the drags!" *' Tailors, again ! d n it!" said Jones, indig- 

 nantly ; all his mettle was in arms he became desperate ; and, seizing 

 an oar, with a superhuman push he set us clear again, but broke the 

 oar short off; this, however, was of no consequence, as we had had the 

 precaution to take an extra pair, and this accident brought them into 

 play. Jones was blamed by all, but it was of little use, for he was so 

 proud of his powers in getting us out of the scrape, that getting us into 

 it seemed quite a merit in his eyes ! 



Some close observer of nature has remarked, that a after a storm 

 comes a calm/' We were soon restored to that complacency which 

 men feel who have done their duty in trying circumstances, and Smith, 

 who had recovered his good humour, told us a capital story about 

 Battersea Church, and how the Emperor of Russia wished to purchase 

 it for Petersburg ; but as the parishioners would not part with their 



