Rollo in Holland Part 20

"The old n.o.bility of those Russian countries are called boyars," said Mr. George; "but I don't know why. Most of the common people are slaves to them."

"Well, at any rate," said Rollo, "he made a law that every one of them, or at least all that were rich enough, should build or buy him a ship; but they did not know how to build ships themselves, and so they were obliged to send to Holland for ship builders. They built more and better ships in Holland in those days than in any country in the world."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Mr. George.

"The boyars did not like it very well to be obliged to build these ships," continued Rollo. "And there was another thing that they disliked still more."

"What was that?" asked Mr. George.

"Why, the emperor made them send off their sons to be educated in different foreign countries," replied Rollo. "You see, in those days Russia was very little civilized, and Peter concluded that it would help to introduce civilization into the country, if the sons of the princ.i.p.al men went to other great cities for some years, to study sciences and arts. So he sent some of them to Paris, and some to Berlin, and some to Amsterdam, and some to Rome. But most of them did not like to go."

"That's strange," said Mr. George. "I should have thought they would have liked to go very much."

"At least their fathers did not like to send them," said Rollo; "perhaps on account of the expense; and some of the young men did not like to go. There was one that was sent to Venice, in order that he might see and learn every thing that he could there, that would be of advantage to his own country; but he was so cross about it that when he got to Venice he shut himself up in his house, and declared that he would not see or learn any thing at all."

"He was a very foolish fellow, I think," said Mr. George.

"Yes," said Rollo, "I think he was. But I've seen boys in school act just so. They get put out with the teacher for something or other, and then they won't try to understand the lesson."

"That is punishing themselves, and not the teacher," said Mr. George.

"But go on about Peter."

"After a while," continued Rollo, "Peter concluded to make a journey himself. His plan was to go to all the most civilized countries, and into all the finest cities in Europe, and see what he could learn that would be of use in his own dominions. So he fitted out a grand expedition. He took a number of amba.s.sadors, and generals, and great potentates of all kinds with him. These men were dressed in splendid uniforms, and travelled in great state, and had grand receptions in all the great towns that they came to. But Peter himself did nothing of the kind. He dressed plainly, like a common man, so that wherever he went he could ramble about at liberty, and see what he wanted to see in peace and quietness, while all the people were running after the procession of amba.s.sadors and grandees."

"That was a good plan," said Mr. George.

"An excellent plan," rejoined Rollo. "In some of the seaports that he visited, he used to put on a sort of a pea jacket, such as the Dutch skippers wore, and go about in that, along the wharves and docks, and look at all the shipping.

"But he was most interested in going to Holland," continued Rollo, "for that was the country where they built the best ships. Besides, the first vessel that he ever saw happened to be a Dutch vessel. I forgot to tell you about that."

"Yes," replied Mr. George, "tell me now."

"Why, it was some years before this time," said Rollo,--"two or three I believe,--that he first saw a vessel. There was a country place with a handsome house and pleasure grounds, belonging to the royal family. I forget what the name of it was. But that is no matter. One time, after Peter came to the throne, he went out to this country place to spend a few days. He found on the grounds a sort of artificial winding ca.n.a.l or pond, with pretty trees on the banks of it. On this ca.n.a.l was a yacht, which had been built in Holland and brought there, for the people to sail in when they came to that palace. The yacht had not been used much, and was lying neglected at the wharf. But Peter immediately had it put in order, and took a sail in it, and he liked it very much indeed."

"Was it the first vessel that he ever saw?" asked Mr. George.

"Yes," said Rollo, "I believe it was; or at least it was the first that he ever particularly noticed. He liked sailing in it, and then, besides, there was one of his officers there, who had travelled in other countries in Europe where people had ships and navies, and he told Peter what great advantages they gained from them, not only in carrying goods from place to place, but in transporting armies, and fighting their enemies at sea.

"Peter thought a great deal about this, and when he went back to Moscow, which was then the capital, he inquired and found that there were some people from Holland there. He asked them if they knew how to build ships. Some of them said they did. Then he asked them if they could not build him some small vessels, just like the Dutch ships of war. They said they could. So he made a bargain with them, and they built him several.

"Do you know how many?" asked Mr. George.

"Not exactly," replied Rollo. "There were several small vessels, and I remember that there were four frigates, and each frigate had four guns.

I don't suppose the guns were very large."

"Four guns is a very small armament for a frigate," said Mr. George.

"Yes," replied Rollo, "very small indeed. But you see, Peter did not want them for real service, but only for models, as it were."

"And what did he do with them, when they were done?" asked Mr. George.

"They were launched into a lake there was in that part of the country,"

said Rollo, "and there the emperor used to sail about in them, and have sham fights.

"But all this, you must understand," continued Rollo, "took place two or three years before Peter drove the Turks off from the southern part of his empire, so as to get to the sea. And it was not till then that he began to have real ships built of large size. And now, when he was going to Holland, he of course remembered the old Dutch yacht which he had on his pleasure grounds, and the small frigates which they had built him, and the large ones too, which they had built for the boyars, and he felt a great interest in going to see the ship yards. He determined that while he was in Holland he would spend as much time as he could in learning all about ship building.

"It is very curious about the emperor and his company's entering Amsterdam," continued Rollo. "When the government there heard that he was coming, they made grand preparations to receive him. They got the cannon all ready on the ramparts to fire salutes, and drew out the soldiers, and all the doors and windows were crowded with spectators.

They prepared a great number of illuminations, too, and fireworks, for the night. But just before the party arrived at Amsterdam, the emperor slipped away in a plain dress, and left the amba.s.sadors, and generals, and grandees to go in by themselves. The people of Amsterdam did not know this. They supposed that some one or other of the people dressed so splendidly, in the procession, was Peter; and so they shouted, and waved their flags and their handkerchiefs, and fired the cannon, and made a great parade generally."

"And Peter himself was not there at all?" said Mr. George.

"No," said Rollo. "He slipped away, and came in privately with a few merchants to accompany him. And instead of going to the great palace which the government of Amsterdam had provided and fitted up for him, he left that to his amba.s.sadors, and went himself to a small house, by a ship yard, where he could be at liberty, and go and come when he pleased."

"And afterwards, I suppose he went to Saandam," said Mr. George.

"Yes, sir," replied Rollo. "Saandam was a great place for building ships in those days. They say that while he was there, he went to work regularly, like a ship carpenter, as if he wished to learn the trade himself. But I don't believe he worked a great deal."

"No," said Mr. George. "I presume he did not. He probably took the character and dress of a workman chiefly for the purpose of making himself more at home in the ship yards and about the wharves. Indeed, I can't see what useful end could be gained by his learning to do work himself. He could not expect to build ships himself when he should return to Russia."

"No," said Rollo. "I expect he wanted to see exactly how the ships were built, and how the yards were managed, and he thought he could do this better if he went among the workmen as one of their number."

"I presume so," said Mr. George. "I am very glad you found the book, and I am much obliged to you for all this information."

Soon after this Mr. George and Rollo arrived safely at Amsterdam.

Rollo and Mr. George remained, after this, some days in Amsterdam; and they were very much entertained with what they saw there in the streets, and with the curious manners and customs of the people.

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