_Two Years Before the Mast_, by Richard Henry Dana, is a narrative of the American merchant service, as well known in its way as Captain Marryat's stories of the Navy. Young Dana was at Harvard University when, on account of his eyesight, he became unable to study. He had had a wish to be a sailor previously, but his father had not approved. Young Dana felt now that a long voyage would re-establish his health. He shipped as a sailor before the mast, and sailed from the port of Boston in the year 1834 on the brig _Pilgrim_. He returned two years later in the _Alert_, having kept a full and careful log of his voyages. Re-entering Harvard University he found time during his studies to prepare the manuscript of his book which was published in New York, 1840. The year following, an English edition appeared, and was bought up by the naval authorities for {74} distribution on the Queen's ships. _Before the Mast_ is a plain, simple narrative of the daily life of a sailor on a merchant ship. It tells of many hardships, some of which have been remedied since the publication of the book. It has been called "A voice from the forecastle". Dana's accounts of rounding Cape Horn are wonderfully vivid, and all the descriptions of California in its early days are enthralling. _Before the Mast_ is a remarkably interesting and realistic narrative; it is, however, a book of travel rather than a story of adventure. The incidents are plainly in no case imaginary. A book about Canada of a wholly different character is a well-known historical romance, _The Golden Dog_, written by William Kirby. This is a tale of early days in the beautiful, romantic city of Quebec when some of the colour and glory of the French court was reproduced on western soil. _The Golden Dog_ has not a little romantic charm. Many readers have been puzzled and attracted by the rhyme which in all likelihood first gave Kirby the idea for his story. I am a dog that gnaws his bone, I couch and gnaw it all alone-- A time will come, which is not yet, When I'll bite him by whom I'm bit. The lines have been translated from the French. Here are the words of the original. Je suis un chien qui ronge l'os, En le rongeant je prends mon repos. Un temps viendra qui n'est pas venu Que je mordrai qui m' aura mordu. {75} A rude carving of the dog and his bone, with the lines cut above and underneath, is to be seen still on a building in Quebec City. {76} CHAPTER XII LAVENGRO--THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS--TOM SAWYER--HUCKLEBERRY FINN--KIM--SARD HARKER--THE LIVING FOREST We occasionally meet an odd person, someone out of the common, who is not like other people. Books can be odd too, not like other books, but strikingly individual, and interesting for the very reason that they are odd. _Lavengro_, written by a man with out-of-the-way knowledge of many things, whose name was George Borrow, is a book of this description.