8. THE NORTH SEA.

[Map, p. 6.

1. The seas around our shores are inlets of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Irish Sea.

2. The North Sea is our eastern boundary; it separates our island from the continent of Europe. It is about six hundred miles from north to south, and varies in width from one hundred to four hundred miles.

3. Across this sea sailed in olden times the various tribes that landed on the coasts of Britain, settled there, and founded the English nation.

4. The North Sea is very shallow, and the English coast on its shores is generally low and flat, little broken by headlands, bays, or inlets. The chief openings are the mouths of the rivers which flow into it.

5. The mouth of the Humber, at the south of Spurn Head, extends inland a distance of about forty-two miles. Its flat shores are covered by the sand and stones brought by the tide from other parts of the coast.

6. The Wash is the largest opening on the east. It has been formed by the sea spreading over the low shore where the mouths of several rivers meet. It is of little use for ships, being full of shoals and sand-banks. Its shores, which are called the Fens, are low and marshy. There, in 1216, King John, who had gone to oppose the landing of a French army, saw his money, the crown jewels, and the baggage of his army swept away by the rising tide.

7. Yarmouth Roads lie between the coast and a dangerous sand-bank, which does not rise to the level of the water. Its position is pointed out to sailors by buoys and floating lights. The "Roads" are protected from the waves by the sand-bank, which forms a natural break-water, and affords a safe anchorage for ships.

8. The Thames Mouth, between Essex and Kent, is the most important harbour in England, if not in the whole world. In our lesson on the Thames we shall give a full description of this noble estuary.

9. South of the Thames we find the most famous roadstead on the English coast, called the Downs, between the coast of Kent and the Goodwin Sands.

This sand-bank is about ten miles long and three miles broad. At high water it is covered by the sea.

10. It is often the scene of terrible shipwrecks, and of heroic deeds of life-boat men, who live on the coast. Once, during a fearful storm, thirteen men-of-war were here dashed to pieces and their crews drowned.

11. At one time these sands were part of the county of Kent, and the property of Earl Godwin, the father of King Harold the Second. William the Conqueror gave the lands to the Abbot of Canterbury, who neglected to keep the sea-wall in repair, and in 1100 the waves rushed in and overwhelmed the whole. Three light-ships, with many beacons and buoys, warn sailors not to approach too near this dangerous bank.

12. The Downs, like Yarmouth Roads, forms a natural harbour. Hundreds of ships often take shelter in the Downs at one time.

Ab-bot, chief of the abbey.

Bag-gage, luggage.

Buoys, floating marks.

Es-tu-a-ry, river mouth.
Har-bour, port for ships.
In-land, into the land.

Añ-chor-age, ground for anchoring in. Crown jew-els, crown, sceptre, etc.

Bea-cons, lights.

[of waves.

Break-wa-ter, mound to break force

SUMMARY.-The North Sea separates Great Britain from Europe on the east. The chief inlets on the east coast are the Humber, the Wash, and Thames Mouth. The Humber and the Wash have low shores. Yarmouth Roads and the Downs are two roadsteads protected by sand-banks. The Goodwin Sands were at one time a part of Kent..

EXERCISE.-Draw the Map on page 20.

9. A RESCUE ON THE GOODWIN SANDS.

1. We are at Ramsgate. The wind has been high all day, and as the afternoon wears on, it grows into a regular gale. Yonder, out at sea, is the Gull light-ship, anchored there as a warning to vessels of the dangerous sands hard by.

2. With this weather there is every prospect of work enough for us to do before very long. The steamtug Aid, which is to take us out to the wreck, and to lie near us to receive those we rescue, is quite ready.

3. We do not wait long. A telegram has come to say the boat is wanted some miles away, and off we start. The sea is getting rougher. The night has set in, and the darkness is broken only here and there by a light from some light-ship glimmering faintly through the mist of spray. last the spot is reached, and now we must find the ship in the darkness as best we can.

At

4. There is too much noise from the wind and the water for any gun-signals to be heard, and no sign of a light is to be seen but that of the lightship. Up and down, backwards and forwards, round all the dangerous parts,--still no sign; and all the while, perhaps, if there were but light enough to see, we may be close to the poor creatures, who must be able to see our steamer by its light.

5. Half an hour passes-an hour-still no sign. Ah! there she is; they have run aground on the sands. The Aid is as near as she can go, so now we must leave her for a time; the tow-rope is unfastened, and at once we are swung round by the

force of the wind and waves, and are dashing on towards the wreck.

6. We can see the people crowding her deck; we can almost mark the eager faces turned towards us as we approach. Throw over the anchor! we are near enough now. That's it. Steady now! We are alongside and fastened to the ship. She is the Fusilier. "More than one hundred on boardsixty women and children!" shouts the captain. We must take them in two or three boat-loads, women and children first, of course.

7. Two of our men clamber on the deck; and as well as may be we keep the boat steady to receive the rescued ones. But steady in such a sea is impossible at one moment we are nearly level with the deck, the next a retiring wave has left a deep dark well of water between the ship and us, and it would take a long jump to reach the boat.

8. Two sailors in the rigging get ready to hand down the women. They have to watch their chance, when the wave takes us near them. Here comes the first passenger! Now is the time! As we rise with the water they let go. No! she is frightened, and clings. Quick! spring up and seize her, or she will be lost!" Just in time she is caught by the feet, and pulled into the boat!

9. Another and another follows. Some men throw blankets down, for the women are but half dressed. A passenger rushes franticly to the side, and cries, "Here! here!" and thrusts a big bundle into the hands of a sailor. What is it? a blanket for his wife?