ion to both shores, where there lay immense
forests of shipping, three or four tiers deep on each side, and
extending down the river as far as the eye could penetrate into the
thick and murky atmosphere. Besides the tiers of shipping which lay thus
along the shores of the river, there were two other ranges, each three
or four tiers wide, out in the stream, leaving a broad, open passage
between them, in the middle, and two narrower passages, one on each
side, between them and the shore.

"It is a city of ships," said Rollo, "with streets of open water."

"Yes," said Mr. George, "it is indeed."

The streets, as Rollo called them, of open water, were full of boats,
going and coming, and of lighters and wherries, with a steamer now and
then shooting along among them, or a large vessel slowly coming up or
going down by means of its sails.

"This is the way _down_ the river," repeated Mr. George. "The ships have
come up as far as here; but they cannot go any farther, on account of
the bridge. Look above the bridge, and you will see that there are no
ships." So Rollo and Mr. George turned round to look up the river. They
could only catch an occasional glimpse of the river through casual
openings in the stream of carts, carriages, vans, cabs, wagons, and
omnibuses that were incessantly rolling on in opposite streams along the
roadway of the bridge. Although the view was thus obstructed, they could
easily see there were no ships above the bridge that they were standing
on. There were, however, several other bridges farther up, with a great
many boats passing to and fro among them; and, here and there, there
appeared a long and sharp-built little steamer, gliding swiftly through
the water. These steamers were painted black, and they poured forth
volumes of smoke so dark and dense from their funnels as quite to fill
the air, and make the whole prospect in that direction exceedingly murky
and obscure.

"Let us go over to the other side of the bridge," said Rollo.

"Not yet," said Mr. George; "but you see that there is no shipping above
the bridge. Vessels _could not_ go up above the bridge, in fact. They
could not go up, for the masts are too long to pass under the arches."

"They might have a draw in the middle of the bridge," said Rollo.

"No," said Mr. George. "A draw will not answer, except in cases where
there is only a moderate degree of passing over a bridge, so as to allow
of an interruption for a little time withou