ficent fellows, the Deal boatmen,
who are probably the most daring seamen and skilful pilots of any along
the coast of England.

Deal has a thoroughly salt-water smack about it. "Boys and even girls
seemed to be born seamen," as Dick observed; taking their part, if not
in navigating the boats, in launching or hauling them up on the beach,
and attending to them; while the older part of the community are resting
from their labours. We were amused at a scene we witnessed on the
beach. Two old men, aided by a big girl and a boy, were engaged in
hauling up a lugger by means of a windlass, which they worked round and
round with wonderful energy, putting to shame a young fellow who sat on
a coil of rope idly smoking his pipe.

We were satisfied with a few hours spent at Deal. When once more under
weigh, we passed the South Foreland, towering up high above our heads;
then rounding the cliffs on which Dover Castle stands, three hundred and
twenty feet above the sea, we stood into the harbour.

To the south of us, sheer out of the water, rose the Shakespeare Cliff,
where samphire was wont to grow; while between it and the castle
appeared the old town on either side of a steep valley, the heights, as
far as we could see them, covered with modern houses, churches, and
other public buildings.

On landing we went over the castle, which resembles, in some respects,
that of Gibraltar, as the fortifications are of an irregular form, to
suit the nature of the ground. Excavated far below in the chalk rock
are numerous galleries, from which heavy guns would thunder forth an
unmistakeable warning to any foes attempting to enter the harbour, or to
flaunt their flags within range. Until a few years ago both the inner
and outer harbours were dry at low water but now a fine new harbour has
been formed.

Dover, papa reminded us, is one of the original Cinque Ports, so called
from their number--five. They consisted, in the time of William the
Conqueror, of Dover, Sandwich, Hythe, Romney, and Hastings. To these
were afterwards added Winchelsea and Rye. These ports had peculiar
privileges given to them, on condition that they should furnish the
shipping required for the purposes of state. When ships were wanted,
the king issued to each of the ports a summons to provide its quota. In
Edward the First's time, the number they were bound to supply was
fifty-seven fully equipped ships. The period of gratuitous service was
fifteen days,