CHAPTER XIX 



ENGLAND 



1872-1873 



His health again failing him, Mr. Shaler embarked on the 

 Siberia for England, and reached Liverpool December 4, 1872. 

 The passage was exceedingly stormy. The ship, heavily laden 

 with grain, listed, and at times when she went over on her 

 beam-ends, it seemed as if she would never again right herself. 

 The lifeboats, the captain's bridge, and the bulwarks were all 

 swept away ; everything in fact that could be rent asunder by 

 the huge waves parted company from the stanch hull. A num- 

 ber of the crew were washed overboard and others seriously 

 injured. Mr. Shaler, whose nature always moved him to give 

 aid and comfort to others at trying times, was lying prostrate, 

 so ill that he could take for nourishment only a few table- 

 spoonfuls of champagne. Dr. Maurice Richardson of Boston, 

 then a young man whose laurels were still in the bud, happily 

 was a fellow passenger, and in the forlorn state of affairs helped 

 to take care of the baby ; while the captain, a surly old sea-dog 

 in fair weather, came often during the day and night to give 

 courage by his presence and also to make the dreary travellers 

 laugh at his marvellous feats of ventriloquism; but when the 

 sky cleared, he withdrew into his crusty shell and once more 

 became the brusque disciplinarian. 



At Malvern Mr. Shaler soon got well enough to enjoy geolo- 

 gical tramps, and to study, particularly, the black shales and 

 holly-bush sandstones of that region. Dr. Grindrod's geological 

 collection and his personal guidance were of great service to 

 him. There are letters which show that he was also at his old 

 business of instructing boys, taking the sons of friends to see the 



