The Life, Adventures, and Political Opinions of Frederick Gustavus Burnaby (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1882 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II. SPAIN. About the middle of December, 1868, our Knight Errant crossed the Channel; then on to Paris; from thence to Pau, where he made a stay of three or four days; the place proving dreary and monotonous, went forward to Bayonne. From Paris to Pau he travelled in company with a genuine son of Yankeedom, and on entering the compartment where he was seated, was accosted by him in a freeand-easy style: 'Wall, I rather think you are a Britisher V The nationality was duly acknowledged by a brief affirmative. 'I reckoned as much when I seed you a making tracks for this here division, where there air seven of us already. Why did you not locate yourself in another car? I marked you as a Britisher, too, cos you did not say " Pardonnez moa," and raise your cover (inplain English, take off your hat) to everybody, but squatted down just as free and as content with yourself as I should have been myself.' To this observation the Yankee received a right down English answer. 'I had Hobson's choice or none, either this compartment or none in this train, and I had no mind to wait for the next.' 'Wall, could you not chaw' (Anglice, 'tip') 'the guard, and get him to put on another carriage, as I don't care if I don't lay my blessed limbs up 'twixt here and Bordeaux.' 'It is quite out of the question in France, ' was the reply, and Burnaby in turn asked how long he had been in Europe. 'Not very long; I fust took up in your diggings for a month or so, as I wanted to see a 'lection, but you can't chalk water with us. Why, you hain't no rows; you all went and voted just for all the world as if you were going to meeting. I had hopes to have seen a few hats broken, jist in a friendly sort of way, you know; but you were all as soothin as sheep.' This opinion was followed b...