e prepared for dinner.
On the queen being helped, Sir Harry, who had forgotten when green peas
were in season, observed to Her Majesty, "These peas have been in bottle
a whole year."

"So I did think," answered the queen, pressing one of them with her
fork, and sending it flying out of her plate and hitting His Majesty on
the nose. They were almost as hard as swan-shot. In those days the way
of preserving vegetables was not so well understood as at present.

The king was often sadly ill-treated, according to his own account, by
those in authority, and would complain amusingly about trifles. One
grievance was that he never had the satisfaction of wearing soft linen,
for that as soon as his shirts had worn smooth they were taken away, and
their places supplied with new harsh ones. So that, after all,
sovereigns are not more free from the discomforts of life than are other
people!

We heard these anecdotes as we were standing towards Portland Harbour,
formed by a magnificent breakwater of granite, which runs out from the
shore to the east, and then circles round with an opening about the
centre. It was built to form a harbour of refuge, as no other exists
along the coast which can be entered at all times between the Needles
and Plymouth.

We were struck by the enormous blocks of stone of which it is
constructed. They were all quarried from the Isle of Portland, which
forms one side of the harbour, by convicts who are confined in a large
stone prison at the top of the hill. Both on the breakwater and on
shore are strong stone forts for the defence of the harbour, in which,
in time of war, would also be stationed some heavy ironclads; so that a
large squadron alone would venture to annoy the shipping within.

The yachts brought-up, and we went on shore to walk along the breakwater
and to inspect some of the fortifications. Near us were two enormous
ironclads; and as we pulled by them we could not help remarking what
magnificent-looking craft they appeared, though Uncle Tom said that he
would just as soon go round the world in the Dolphin as he would in one
of those huge monsters.

A railway is laid along the top of the breakwater to carry stones and
guns to the further end. Papa told us that some years ago, while it was
in the course of construction, he came to see it; that as he was looking
towards the end he perceived an engine coming along. He stepped on one
side to avoid it, when, as it drew near, he obs