38 THE SEA. 



worked at it every day till it was finished, when he christened it the Amsterdam. His 

 numerous investigations into science included surgery, and he carried his instruments about 

 with him, ever ready to pull a tooth, or bleed, or even tap a patient for the dropsy. 

 In short, his desire for practical knowledge was insatiable. Ten times a day, while 

 accompanying his friend Calf and others about the ships, and yards, and factories, and 

 mills, he would ask, " Wat is dat ? " and being told, would answer, " Dat wil ik zien," 

 " I shall see that." His companions were not half so earnest as their master, and 

 after awhile they hired a large house, kept a professed cook, and enjoyed themselves 

 in idleness. 



While in Holland, the news arrived of a Russian victory over the Turks and Tartars, 

 and the imperial workman received the congratulations of the Emperor of Germany, the Kings 

 of Sweden, Denmark, and other countries. He celebrated the event by giving a grand enter- 

 tainment to the principal officials and merchants of Amsterdam, their wives and daughters. 

 " The sumptuous dinner was accompanied and followed by a band of music, and in the 

 evening were plays, dancing, masquerades, illuminations, and fireworks. His respectable 

 friend, Witsen, told him that he had entertained his countrymen like an emperor." And 

 now, after nine months' hard work at Zardam, he had an interview with King William at 

 the Hague, who arranged to transport him and his suite in one of the royal yachts, 

 accompanied by two men-of-war. 



No secret was made of the Czar's rank in London, although he tried to live as privately 

 as possible. He was placed under the special charge of the Marquis of Carmarthen, and 

 a great intimacy sprang up between them. A large house was hired for him and his suite 

 at the bottom of York Buildings, where the marquis and he used to spend their evenings 

 together frequently in drinking " hot pepper and brandy." But then a pint of brandy 

 and a bottle of sherry was nothing uncommon as a morning draught for the Czar. After 

 seeing all the sights of London, he paid visits to Chatham, Portsmouth, and elsewhere, 

 but the larger part of his time was spent at Deptford, where he repaired to investigate 

 and learn the higher branches of naval architecture and navigation. There is little or no 

 evidence, popular tradition to the contrary notwithstanding, that he ever worked as a 

 shipwright there,* or engaged in more laborious employment than rowing, or in sailing 

 yachts and boats about the Thames. The writer has before him now one of the conventional 

 pictures of " Peter at Deptford." It represents a smooth-faced youth of feminine appearance, 

 and about sixteen years old at most, vigorously engaged, apparently, in doing damage to 

 a ship's bulwarks with a gigantic hammer and formidable spike. The fact is that Peter 

 was in his twenty-sixth year, had been the ruler of a great empire for several years, 

 and was beyond his years in acquirements and earnestness ; a man of strong passions, and 

 sadly given to drink. Peter was glad to get out of town. Crowds gave him an amount 

 of annoyance that was inexplicable to a Londoner ; and he avoided, as much as he could, 

 balls and assemblies and public gatherings for the same reason. Nor could he have 

 desired a more pleasant and suitable place than that which was provided for him, the 



* One account says, indeed, that he worked with his own hands as hard as any man in the yard. "If so," 

 says Barrow, < ' it could only have been for a very short time, and probably for no other purpose than to show 

 the builders that he knew how to handle the adze as well as themselves." 



