ASSAILED .BY FRESH WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 17 June 1887, Page 31

ASSAILED .BY FRESH WATER.

• ■. CRABS. . i „!,'• ',_ . Marvellous Echoes— ln the Bowels of ;the. Earth— A Weird, Uncanny Sketch' by the . Author of "She 1 ." _ a. „••--k - : , , a " ' ■ Our river was •no longer underground, but was running on its darksome' way, iriot now through' " caverns measureless -to- man," but. between two frightful cliffs which cannot | have, been 1 les^ than 2000f fc'high". i So high.j were'the'y, indeed,' that though sky was above { us; 'where we were was dense; 'gloom — not, darkness, 'indeed, but the"gloom of ■ a room, closely shuttered in the' daytime;- Up, on either side 'rose the great' straight cliff 4 grim, and forbidding, till the eye grew dizzy with tryitig' to measure- their sheer height, i • The, I 'little space of sky that 'marked 'were -they ended lay like a thread- of blue upon .their soaring blackness, which '-was 'unrelieved by any tree or creeper. Here and' there, however, grew ghostly patches of a' long, grey lichen, hanging motionless to the rock as the white beard to the chin of a dead man. It seemed* as though only the dregs or, heavier part of the light had ■ sunk 'to the; bottom of this awful place. No bright-, winged sunbeam could fall so lovr|— jthey; died far, far above' our Heads. ' ■ , By .the river's edge" was a little ; shore formed of round fragments of rock washed, into this shape by the constant action, of the, water, and giving the place the appearance of being strewn with thousands of fossil cannon balls. Evidently when the water of the underground river is high there; is no beach at all, or very little, between. ; the border of the stream and the precipitous cliffs ; but now there was a space of seven or eight yards. And here on thisj beach We determined to land, in order io rest ourselves a little after all we had gone through and to stretch our limbs. 'It was a djreadfuL place, but it would give an Hour's (respite from the terrors of the river,,and, "also, allow of our repacking and arranging, 'thej canoe. Accordingly we selected' what 1 looked like, a favourable spot, and with some little difficulty managed to beach the canoe, and scramble out on to the round, inhospitable pebbles. ' ' "My word, ' called out Good; who was on the shore first, "what, an awful' place 1 it's, enough, to give one a fit." And he laughed] Instantly a thundering voice took up his words, magnifying them a hundred; times. "Give one a fit— Ho! ho! ho!"— ,"A fit, Ho!, ho! ho!" answered another voice in wild accents far up the cliff— '" a fit,* a fit, a fit," chimed in voice after voice — each flingr ing the words to and fro with shouts <Jf awful laughter to the invisible lips of the' other till the whole place echoed with the words and with shrieks of fiendish merriment,, which at last ceased 'as suddenly as they had begun. ' \ "Oh, inon Bieu /" yelled Alphonse, startled quite, out of such self-command; as he possessed. ' ' "Mon Bieu! Won Bieu! Monßieic!" the jTitantic echoes thundered, shrieked, and wailed in every conceivable tone. \ j "Ah," said Um^lopogaas calmly, "I clearly perceive that devils live herej Well, the place looks like it." , „' ( ' ■ , I tiled to 1 explain to him' that the qause of all th^hubbub was a very remarkable and interesting echo, but he would not believe it. \ "Ah, he said, "I know ah echo !when I hear one. There was one lived opposite my kraal in Zululand, and the Jntombis (maidens) / used to talk with it. But if what we hear is a full grown echo, mine at home could' have only been a baby.' No, no— they are devils up there. But I' don't think much of them, though," he added, taking a pinch of snuff. ",They can copy what one says, but they don't seem to be able to talk oh their own account; and they dare not show their faces," and he relapsed into silence, and apparently paid no further attention to such contemptible fiends. After this we found it necessary to keep our conversation down to : a whisper— for it was really unbearable to have every word one uttered tossed to arid fro like ' a tennis ball, as precipice called to precipice. ' • But even our whispers ran up ths rocks in • mysterious muruurs till at last they died away in long drawn sighs of sound. I Echoes are delightful and romantic things, but we had more than enough of them -in that dreadful gulf. ' ; ' , As soon as we had settled ourselves a little on the round stories, we proceeded to wash ourselves and. dress our burns as well as we could. As we had but a little oil for the lantern, we could- not spare any for this purpose, so we skinned one of the' swans and used the fat off its breasfc, which proved an excellent substitute. Then we repacked the canoe, and finally proceeded' to take -some food, of which I need scarcely say we we're ■ in ' need, for our insensibility had lendured for many hours, and it was,' ; as 'our l watches showed, midday. . Accordingly we seated f ourselves in a circle, and were soon engaged in discussing our cold meat with such an appetite as we could muster, which, in my case' at any rate, was riot so" much, as I felt sick 'and faint' after my suffering of the previous night, , and had besides, a racking headache. It was a curious meal. The gloom was so intense that we could , scarcely see the way to cut our food and convey it to our mouths. Still we got on pretty well, although the meat was tainted by the heat through which it had passed, till I happened to look behind me — my attention being at-| tracted by a noise of something crawling

'We^the^n^aifd'pmeiv^d'ritting tipon a rock in my^immVdiate jrear a huge apecies of • black ijfreshiw&ter crab/ only, it, was five times .the size of ; any, crab, I ever saw. The hideous-, .anil loathsome-looking, animal had projecting jeyesjthat seemed to' glare; at . one, ,very long > and flexible,antennaß or ( , feelers; and gigantic olaws. , Nor was, ,,l ; especially. .favoured withits company. .From, every, quarter dozens of 'these horfid ; brutes,were creeping ; up, drawn, I suppose, .by., the, smell, .oft ttie/food, from /between the round stone and out of the hole's in the precipice.,. Some, were. already, quite -closejto us. r • I stared : quite fascinated by the, Bight, and as I* did. so I saw. one of' (the; beasts Wretch, out its- plaw and H give the .unsuspecting Goodsuch.a nip behind that he •jumped; up with a howl, and set ( the "wild. jeohqes[|flying.". in 4 spber earnests,, Just then, {too, • another, ayery, large, one, got , hold of t Alphonse's leg, and declined to part with it,>andj.;as,;may be imagined, , a considerable ■ scene, ensued. Umslppogaas took his axe and , cracked .the.shell of one with the -flat of. it, whereupon it set up a horrid sort, of screaming which the,echoes,multiplieda,thousandfold, and began to foam at the mouth, 'a pro>ceedingjthatdrewhundredsmore of its friends out; of unsuspected holes and corners. Those on. the spot preceiving tihat the animal was hurt fell upon it like creditors on a bankrupt,and literally rent it limb from limb with their huge .pincers and devoured it, using their claws jbo convey ,the, fragments to their imouths. Seizing whatever- weapons were handy, such, as. stones ,or .paddles, we commenced, a war.uppn the, monsters — whose numbers were increasing * by, leaps . and j bounds, and whose stench, was overpowering. So fast. as we oracked their armour others seized the injured .one, and, devoured them, foaming at the mouth, and screaming as they ,did'so; Nor did the brutes*. stop at that. When they could they nipped hold of . vs — and awful nips .they, were— or, tried ;;to steal the .meat. One enormous fellow got liold of a-swan we had skinned.and began to, drag it ofi.>,. Instantly a score of others flung, themselves , upon, the prey, and then ..began a ghastly and disgusting scene. How the monsters foamed and screamed, and rent the flesh; and each other ! It was a sickening .and unnatural sight, and one that will haunt all who saw it till their dying day — enacted ,as it, was in the deep, .oppressive gloom, and set to the .unceasing music, of the manytoned nervershaking echoes. Strange as it may seem to say so, there was some thing so shockingly human about these fiendish creatures — it was, as though iall, the most evil passions and desires of man had got into the shell of a magnified crab and gone mad. They were so dreadfully courageous and, intelligent, and they> looked as, if they iundefstood.- The whole scene might have furnished material for another canto of Dante's 41 Inferno," as Curtis said. „, ' " I say, you fellows, let's get out of j this or we shall all go off our heads," sung oui Good ; ■ and we- were mot- slow to take the hint. Pushing the canoe, around which the animals were now crawling by hundreds and making vain attempts, to climb, off the rocks, we bundled into it and got out into mid-stream, leaving behind us the, fragments, of our meal and the- screaming, foaming, stinking mass' of monsters in full possession of the grounds. '• "'Those' ate* the devils of the place," said Umslopogaas' with the air of one who has solved a 1 problem, and- upon my 'word I felt almost inclined to agree with him. — H. Rider Haggard, in Longman's Magazine for, April. HOW IADIES GO TO COURT. The ' Necessity f f or a Presentation-How Pre'V seritations are ■ Secured— The Dress and the i Ceremony— The Struggle for Early Presentation— Presentations in Ireland-

1 Every- lady •of ' high' \ Social standing is .expecteclto attend,' twice at' least, the Queen's Drawing Room.' As "a I 'girl' she appears in the Rojral presence before "making her first entrance into s'dciefcy. Oh her'marriage she' passes ' again before the Sovereign when taking her settled social standing as a British matron. Ladies connected with embassies, •andHhel wives of political -men, as : well as , peeresses, and wives of the.Queeu's servants, whether , .civil, military, or naval, are often called upon to show, their respect for their Royal mistress on other occasions than the two important ones previously mentidned.

A presentation at Buckingham. Palace is th.c guinea-stamp of rank.. It secures presentation at foreign" courts, and the consideration of what is known as " Society " at home. The process of attending a drawing room ism. costly, troublesome, > and not at all enjoyable. It is the after .consequences which bring the chief reward ; besides the excitement of fine dress. The fascination of being in the presence of so many of our Royal Family is sometimes pleasing. It is, however,, in. the case of ,a fiist presentation generally marred by 1 nervousness. If a girl wants to be presented, and her mother has not previously been to Court, she must find some lady who has, and is, therefore, eligible, to make a presentation. This lady forwards the name and address of- the intending defrmtante to the Lord Chamberlain, .intimating her intention of herself presenting her at such-and-such a forthcoming drawing, room. The Lord Chamberlaiifis then to make inquiry if she be a fit and proper person for, presentation at Court. If this turn out satisfactorily a card -is forwarded to the lady who has been, to Court, and another for her charge, ■ for 'the drawing room which they desire to attend*- The cards are of different colour, those for the first presentation being pale pink. „-, '

If a, married lady, who by 1 marriage has acquired high social position, wishes to go to Court, she has to have the same introduction. ■ ■If a foreigner, . living in London, desires Koyal presentation, she must secure it through the wife of the ambassador for her country. Those ladies who have the right to introduce others to the Royal presence are obliged to be very particular how they do so. The Queen herself ;is most: exacting in this respect. Anyone whose character does not bear strict investigation the Queen earnestly desires to exclude from the privilege of a presentation. Should any lady, however high her rank, succeed in passing such a one through the Throne room she may feel sure that her own name will find its way off the

list of < those privileged to . make, present** 'tions. 1:. < ■:. ', . t . „.'',, -, ;v v f Those Who haye. been, in any. wayf brought •prominently, before ,the . public • are, s made to know that <their .presence;, at Court jis not desirable, In one vcase only hasher^Majesty swerved from this ;rule, -and (then she t " com- ■ raanded " a cruelly«used . and ■ high T bbrn lady to her drawing room soon , after, the issue of a i public! -trial . in which this; lady wag concerned;- ' • . _.;• ; i ,(, , ni The, -Queen is a « strict disciplinariap aboufc the ! dress worn on these, .^occasions. The ■bodice ,mustjbe cut low,, the' sleeves , must be short, , the gloves must -be whit&Jthe train must be. three' yards 'long. .Tfcreq -nhit* ostrich plumes, must i, be worn-in ,jthe hair, withta long tulle i veil' hanging! down .behind, The .slightest, departure, from apy u of these rules is at once, observed by the Queen. A duchess has-been obliged tQ. send, \ out for white ' gloves,, having overlooked itljs Royal rule and worn those of the. fashionable tancolour. A lady,; who ; had thad hef,hair cut short, and oould not see her way to.sticMng her Court plumes on satisfactorily, .ventured to appear without- them. She met i with so cool a .reception that she .probably, did not go back to Cour,t until her hair grew, ,or unti^ she had solved the problem ,6f. Rearing plumes with short hair. ' „; „ ,. The Throne room is an .imposing chamber. It is' longer than. , it is broads and has four separate entrances. , It is entirely hung witb deep-red brocade, and to each window there is a deep gilded cornice. , . At . the tqp of the ■room there is a • dais,' very slightly raised froih the general floor. At the back of thia stands the throne under a canopy of red silk, on which the Royal, arms, pf, England are blazoned; ; The Royal ;party- enter the throne rroom through a door,opening,on the left side of this dias. They take, their places a few moments before the first presentation. The Queen stands in the. centre of the dias, some distance in front pf,,the throne.. A silken cord is drawn across, separating the Royal group from the rest,of,tlie room', and slightly back from this the Queen takes her position, The other members of the' Royal Family are grouped as court etiquette demands. Her Majesty is also in this respect very particular, each member of her family taking up the position accorded ,to them by a strict order of precedence. The Prince and Princess of Wales stand at her Majesty's right hand, and slightly back. The other members of the family are all ranged round, the Princess Beatrice always being near the Queen. ' .

The Queen wears the same style of dress which she orders the ladies attending Court to wear. Her jewels are always magnificent. The miniature .crown is almost ' hidden beneath folds of white tulle, and the row of orders on her Majesty's br ( eastis'an imposing one. .Surrounded,' as she is, by the ladies of , her family, in beautiful Court dresses, and by her son's and sons-in-law, in magnificent uniforms, the group looks truly regal and most imposing. , ' ' ' ' Below the dias at the left side the Lord Chamberlain stands, with h'is'white wand in one hand. At his feet there is a gilded basket, into which he throws the cards as he .reads 'the name of each person J;o be received bylthe Queen. This , he-, does loudly and distinctly, as' each , lady. , makes her appearance at a 'door, opposite,,' below.. the dias, and at.the, right, side of it. ■If the Prime Minister attends, he stands below the dias, to the right side, near the r door at which the | ipeople to be " received " enter. ' • • 1 All the time that the 1 Royal party are assembling in the Throne room, the crush in the ante-room is getting denser .and denser I as each carriage in its turn > drives, up and " sets down " its load of w eager Court goers. Here there is no precedence observable. The first comers are the first into the Royal presence. The string of carriages begins to draw up as early as ,12 o!clock. .Their occupants submit to wait,' and in the cold, sitting in a cramped and uncomfortable position for more than two hours in order to" be amongsfe ■ the first to pass the barriers. - Some of the ladies bring novels to read, and a party in a carriage, all in Court dress, has ,been known ■to sit playing cards during- the, w.eary wait. Little newsvendors often ,do thriving busij ness; selling papers. to, these waiting courtiers, who, having started eagerly, find that time can chill even their loyal ardour if allowed to hang too heavily on hand.

1 Once- inside the Palace the excitement; begins. A barrier is placed, at the end of a short corridor leading, to the .Throne room. Through this each lady must pass singly. The thing is done as quickly as possible, so many presentations going to each hour. As soon as one lady has passed the Queen and begun her exit, .another approaches. Her Majesty is known not to remain much over .an hour and a half in tl\e Throne room leaving the Princess of Wales to receive the presentations made later. There is an intense desire to 1 be., received by ; the Queeherself amongst the loyal ladies. The coi - sequence is a crush for the barrier such s :■ no one would believe unless they were in i . It resembles nothing so much as thestruggi for the turnstile of the pit entrance of son popular theatre when there is a new piece oi Each lady,, as she enters, gathers her thrryards of train up, and disposes it as careful; • as may be over her arm.. Then she pul - her tulle lappets or veil round, and puts tl • ends carefully, over, the same arm. Thy . equipped, she enters the fray where, as in a • -. ordinary crowd, if she is. strong she win . It needs strength' , mentally as well : : physically, for her efforts are stared at ai,.; commented on by others who .have ther - selves done exactly the same thing, but wii •• indifferent success. The, more a lady h; > been to Court, the more she, pushes for tl • barrier. " -Her directions and, precautio- . having been previously, made plain to I .- charges, .they gird their trains and lappr ; closely, to them, and bravely following i her wake, observing, as far as iheir the. and sinews will allow, her repeated injur • tions to follow her closely.

The barrier once gained and passed i'w battle is over, and nerves take possession < t the successful one, especially if of tend' : years. In the corridor one of the Gentlem- < of the Household kindly unfolds the tn and pulls back ,the tulle veil, and if he ikind man, says a reassuring word abou debutante appearance,, The chaperone usur... .

passes thef 1 Queen first.* 'She enters 'by the door previously mentioned, to the. right of the dais, her name' being read as she appears. She goes straight up before her Majesty 'and' makes a 1 curtsey to the' ground Erectly in ■ front of her. She half rises and extends her right : hand,' over which the Queen places her le'ftharid." The lady presented then curtsies again, bending low over the Eoyal hand. The Queen then withdraws her hand, which Borne of the ladies touch with their lips, although this is ' unnecessary, and the lady begins her exit from' the presence. The door at which she must- go out is the whole length' of the room from her, being opposite to the dais and at the lady's left, as she backs towards it.' • She must curtsey as she goes, endeavouring to measure her distance 'so that it may allow of a separate curtsey for' each Koy&l person present. It isgenerally the right' thing to do a series of curtseys right to the ! door. This is by no ineahs an easy matter to accomplish. The three yards of train are very unmanageable in the backward* evolutions, and betray an awkward desire to curl round the feet of the wearer and'make her retreat an ignominious one. The manoeuvre,' however, is well practised in private, and a mistake seldom occurs. ' ■ i _ Occasionally a debuimite faints when' she emerges from the Throne room, and sometimes a presentation has had to be postponed through the girl about to be presented getting literally sick from fright. ■ Such very nervous subjects are fortunately rare, although a sigh of relief is a very frequent expression of feeling when it is all over, even from those who afterwards declare that- they quite enjoyed it. The Queen kisses a duchess on the cheek as she passes before her. Extreme formality is, however, always observed, even to those who are frequently about the Eoyal person when the Occasion' is a drawing room. In Ireland the drawing rooms held by the Royal' deputies take place in the evening. They do not count as presentations to the Queen, either in a social way in England or to procure entrance to foreign courts. ' When the Princess of Wales was last over, presentations made to her were, by order of her Majesty, put on the same footing as those made at, the ' Court here in London, iltis a curious thing in vice-regal' etiquette that the Irish Viceroy kisses each lady presented on the cheek, having to bestow from 80 to 100 of these courtly kisses at each drawing room. The cost of attending the Queen's drawing room is a great deal.' The dress itself averages in price from £50 to £500. Ladies who can indulge a taste for fine furs and costly laces may even double the latter amount in buying a court dress. Then the bouquet is costly, and bouquets must also be provided for coachman and footman. Altogether,' the guinea-stamp of rank, a "Presentation to the Queen,' is not, to be attained without time and trouble being expended— and' money, too ; but the latter expenditure 1 is always good for, trade. , . ' '