ospitality--all that the house afforded was
quickly spread on the whitest linen. Remember, I had just left the
vessel, where, without being fastidious, I had continually been
disgusted. Fish, milk, butter, and cheese, and, I am sorry to add,
brandy, the bane of this country, were spread on the board. After we had
dined hospitality made them, with some degree of mystery, bring us some
excellent coffee. I did not then know that it was prohibited.

The good man of the house apologised for coming in continually, but
declared that he was so glad to speak English he could not stay out. He
need not have apologised; I was equally glad of his company. With the
wife I could only exchange smiles, and she was employed observing the
make of our clothes. My hands, I found, had first led her to discover
that I was the lady. I had, of course, my quantum of reverences; for the
politeness of the north seems to partake of the coldness of the climate
and the rigidity of its iron-sinewed rocks. Amongst the peasantry there
is, however, so much of the simplicity of the golden age in this land of
flint--so much overflowing of heart and fellow-feeling, that only
benevolence and the honest sympathy of nature diffused smiles over my
countenance when they kept me standing, regardless of my fatigue, whilst
they dropped courtesy after courtesy.

The situation of this house was beautiful, though chosen for convenience.
The master being the officer who commanded all the pilots on the coast,
and the person appointed to guard wrecks, it was necessary for him to fix
on a spot that would overlook the whole bay. As he had seen some
service, he wore, not without a pride I thought becoming, a badge to
prove that he had merited well of his country. It was happy, I thought,
that he had been paid in honour, for the stipend he received was little
more than twelve pounds a year. I do not trouble myself or you with the
calculation of Swedish ducats. Thus, my friend, you perceive the
necessity of perquisites. This same narrow policy runs through
everything. I shall have occasion further to animadvert on it.

Though my host amused me with an account of himself, which gave me aim
idea of the manners of the people I was about to visit, I was eager to
climb the rocks to view the country, and see whether the honest tars had
regained their ship. With the help of the lieutenant's telescope, I saw
the vessel under way with a fair though gentle gale. The s