Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-24
AROUND THE ISLE or WIGHT.
The Portsandites Enjoy Trip 10 that Beaut.
full Island.

AROUND tIle Isle OF Nlgnl,
June 18th, 1897
omit seeing everything in England
| If need be, save the Isle of Wight" adj
| Vised one enthusiastic friend. 1t is
| most satisfactory and delightful to fol-
low advice when il is exactly what one
| wants to do. as it certainly was in this
| instance. SO We made an early start
| the Friday morning after the mem
| cradle Jubilee for the British Bower.
| 1t did not seem possible While in
| crowded London. that a ride of three
| hours by railway to Southampton
| would take us by banks and fields
| ahame with gorgeous scarlet peoples,
past green meadows dotted thick with
| the gay blossoms, while still farther on
| we saw what looked like whole carpets
of this same radiant hued flower. 1t
| was a sight we had often dreamed of,
| but the realization was so far beyond
| our dreams that it seemed as if in this
| our first visit to the mother country
| Nature meant To show us that all our
| hopes and faneies concerning her could
and would be fulfilled to the very Ut
most. our excursion to Nettey Abbey
gave us our first glimpse of an English
ruin. though it were almost sacrilege TO
call anything so beautiful a ruin which
naturally suggests decay and desola =
ton. The walls and cloister arches are
lill standing. but all worn and erumb-
| ling stone is thickly overgrown with
| living green: we walked through what
is called the church, four y-ulantlt 4
| walls with no roof but the blue sky
we were the only congregation and our
| choir--singng birds that flew in ana
! out warbling their hymns of praise.
| The delicious GOODNESS of the sail across
| Southampton waters to Cowes wildly
recalled the invigorating breezes OF
| Casco bay. We could not linger at
| Cowes, as we must push un to Newport
for the. night if we intended to be at
| Ryde for the grand naval review and
| illumination.
| Our Newport inn, plain but comfort
| able, was close beside the parish church
| Of St Thomas. Our landlady gave us
| careful directions as to the locality of
Carisbrook Castle, the principal show
place of Newport. We hurried through
! the chambers Of King Charles and the
unhappy princess, anxious to give every
nlqpRlt Fof oar time possible to the
Sanl. Around the outer wall of the
Castle. Erhere may be loyelier views OF
| English meadows, divided by hedges OF
darker green. and more graceful Gins
shading numberless little villages. with
| the II ivy-covered churches but we have
not yet seen them. Whichever way we
turned, a more charming picture than
the last met our eye. We made friends
| With 'Neddy" and Jacob two most
amiable donkeys, obedient, faithful
| drawers of water Here Neldy.
| Neddy." called the keeper Of the We'll:
instantly up trotted Neddy and waited
| patiently about. to far more purpose
than Mary's lamb. until the windlass
| was unwound ana the bucket dropped
$50 feet into the water. and then with
out sign or word from his master took
his place in the wooden wheel and then
trudge, trudge went those willing feet.
until he brought up the sparkling cold
water for our refreshment.
For is years This has been his task
and never has here refused to do his
duty. "Donkeys are the most ntelii-
gent and tractable of animals and at
the same time the most abused" ex-
planned Neddy's friend waxing elo-
! quent; they should never be struck. a
lump of sugar now and then works
wonders, they win follow one about all
day and can easily be taught to do al
most any task
Ryda did not know herself Satur-
day afternoon; innumerable visitors
thronged her charming Esplanade.
| The place itself was deserted viii
| lage." every inhabitant being where a
sight of the great naval review could
be gained. All eyes We're turned to-
ward the waters where rode England s
mighty ships and whittier the nations
of the earth had sent worthy represen-
tatives. The loud boom, boom. of the
cannon told us Of the arrival of the
| Prince and we looked eagerly for the
| white flag of the royal yacht. We
swallowed a huge lump in our throat.
as I'VE saw a large star spangled ban
/ ner' floating from the Brooklyn" 1t
was our first naval review and it GER
tainly was a magnificent sight. our
sail on the Lorna Doone" took us
| around the fleet and gave us a fine sight
! Of Japanese, Norwegian and other for
| eign visitors When we crossed the line
| and saw before us those mighty battle
| ships extending for miles in one I'M
I
| sight of a life time" How can we give
even a faint idea of the beauty Of the
Examinations? Think of seven miles Of
electric lights, the masts and spars Of
| each ship outlined with the dazzling
| globes. so close, it was one continuous
| line of fire We stood at the end of the
| pier. and on both sides Were ropes of
| red. white and blue lights. towers of
| blazing glory, ard over all bringing
them out in bold relief against the dark
background of the sky, swept those
| powerful search-lights; it was a scene
which beggared those produced by the
| cenii of the lamp in the Arabian
| Nights. At II o'clock-with many
backward glances-we left for Shank
lin. Our railway carriage was crowded.
three deep. the upper layer being en-
tirely early English The remnant
| of a heavy shower which we had al
Ryde. between the review and llumna-