Agnes did not ask any explanation of this; for she remembered that the goitres are swellings in the throat, to which the inhabitants of Switzerland, and other mountainous countries, are particularly liable: and her father then informed her that kelp is now little used since the duty has been taken off salt; as that and other forms of soda, and some other alkalies, which now pay but little duty, have been found to be more efficacious, in making both soap and glass, than kelp. “The Sea-wrack, however,” he continued, “is still collected, chiefly for manuring the land; though it is still used as a winter food for cattle, and sometimes for human beings.” When Agnes heard this, she put a little bit into her mouth; but she found, though it had a salt taste, it was too tough to be eaten without difficulty, and she therefore amused herself with clapping the air-vessels in the fronds between her hands, as she went along, for she liked to hear them crack. The party now returned home to their dinner, after which Mr. Merton lay down on the sofa, and Mrs. Merton and Agnes walked out again on the beach, to enjoy the roaring of the waves and the delightful breezes from the sea. It was now nearly dark, and nothing could be grander than the manner in which the waves rose up, and foamed, and curled as they beat against the beach, looking, as Agnes said, like Neptune’s horses. Mrs. Merton and her daughter stood for some time watching the gradual advance of the waves, when they were startled by a large Newfoundland dog which brushed past them, and almost knocked Agnes into the sea. Mrs. Merton was very much alarmed, and instantly went farther back to a safer place; and then they saw a young man in a shooting-jacket, with a gun in his hand, advance and take their former position. The young man was evidently the master of the dog, which he was urging as much as possible to go into the sea; but the dog, in spite of all his efforts, stood still, wagging his tail and looking up in his master’s face, but without making any effort to jump into the water; though the gentleman threw several stones in, one after another, crying “Hoy, Neptune, fetch it out my boy! fetch it out!” “What can be the reason that the dog will not take the water?” said Mrs. Merton, addressing an old fisherman who stood by her. “I thought Newfoundland dogs had been particularly fond of the sea. Is it possible that the dog being brought up in a town can make any difference?” “The dog,” said the old sailor, “knows it’s no use going into the sea when the tide is coming in, with a wind in shore. He would be dashed all to pieces against the rocks in no time. Those dumb creatures have more sense than a Cockney any day.” The young man, apparently tired of his fruitless exertions, now whistled his dog off, and climbing up the bank went off over the cliffs. “What is he going to shoot?” said Mrs. Merton.