138 THE JOURNEYMAN. 



' Upon the earthen mound where the good people of 

 Edinburgh see shoAVS and sights of all descriptions, from 

 the smoking baboon to the giant of seven feet and a half, 

 stands a circular wooden building which in size and ap- 

 pearance reminds the reader of Gulliver's Travels of the 

 washing tubs of Brobdignag. In this building all the 

 panoramic scenery which is painted in or brought to 

 Edinburgh is exhibited. The battle of Trafalgar, to- 

 gether with a series of scenes representing the Emperor 

 of France from the skirmish of Genappe till his death in 

 the solitary island of St Helena was, when I came here, 

 the subject of exhibition. Of this species of entertain- 

 ment I had formed no idea, and willing to fill up the 

 blank which a name unaccompanied with an idea leaves 

 in the mind, and perhaps not a little urged by a natural 

 fondness for sights of the amusing description, I left my 

 work one evening about an hour sooner than usual, 

 called upon my friend Will Ross as I passed his way, 

 and accompanied by him made directly for the panorama. 

 We were ushered into a darkened gallery, the sides and 

 ceiling of which were covered with green cloth. Our 

 eyes were immediately turned towards an opening about 

 thirty feet in width, through which, by a striking illusion, 

 we perceived the ocean stretching out for many leagues 

 before us, and upon it the British fleet commanded by 

 Nelson and Collingwood, bearing down, a double line, 

 upon the enemy, who at a little distance in the form of a 

 crescent seemed to await their coming. Not even in a 

 camera obscura have I seen anything so natural. The 

 sun seemed beaming upon the water ; the British pendant 

 was unfolding to the wind ; the vessels appeared as if 

 gently heaving to the swell, while upon their decks all 

 was bustle and activity. The marines were loading 

 their muskets ; the seamen were employed about the 



