I once took a party (while I was an A.B.) from Wells-street Home
to the South Kensington Museum. There were six of them--a
Frenchman, a Dane, a Russian Finn, two Englishmen, and an
Irishman. Though continually sailing from London for years, this
was the first occasion they had ever been west of Aldgate. The
only mistake I made was in going too deep at one step. The
journey from Shadwell to South Kensington, under the guidance of
one familiar, through the hardest personal experiences, with
every corner of the vast network, was quite enough for one day.
So that by the time we entered the Museum they were surfeited
temporarily with sight-seeing, and not able to take in the
wonders of the mighty place. Seeing this, I did not persist,
but, after some rest and refreshment, led them across the road
among the naval models. Ah! it was a rare treat to see them
there. For if there is one thing more than another which
interests a sailor, it is a well-made model of a ship. Sailors
are model-makers almost by nature, turning out with the most
meagre outfit of tools some wonderfully-finished replicas of the
vessels is which they have sailed. And the collection of naval
models at South Kensington is, I suppose, unsurpassed in the
world for the number and finish of the miniature vessels there
shown.
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