“Ay,” said Charles; “but we have said nothing of Denmark yet, and, to get into the Baltic Sea, we must sail for many miles along the shores of that curious country.  It consists of the peninsula of Jutland, formerly called Cimbria, and several islands in the Baltic.  The boundaries of Denmark are, the Skagerac Sea on the North; the kingdom of Hanover on the South; the Baltic, with part of Sweden, to the East, and the North Sea on the West.  I here wish to know if the North Sea and the German Ocean are names used to designate all that portion of the ocean which lies to the east of the British Isles, for I have seen the different names placed in different maps to signify the same waters, and have been a little puzzled to ascertain their boundaries?”

“I am glad you have asked that question, Charles,” said Mr. Wilton; “because I now remember that for the convenience of our illustrations we made a division, but in reality the North Sea and the German Ocean are the same, and ought perhaps to have been mentioned thus—­German Ocean or North Sea.”

CHARLES.  “Jutland, including Holstein, is about 280 miles long and 80 miles broad; the islands, of various dimensions, are Zealand, Funen, Langland, Laland, Falster, Mona, Femeren, Alsen, &c.  Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is a large, rich, and well-fortified town, situated on the island of Zealand; the population about 100,000.”

MR. BARRAUD.  “Near Copenhagen stands the little isle of Hawen, now belonging to Sweden, where Tycho Brahe took most of his astronomical observations.  There are many academies and public schools in Denmark, which reflect great honor on the Danish government.  There are fine woods and forests in Denmark; indeed the whole country may be regarded as a forest, which supplies England with masts and other large timber.  It is for the most part a flat country.”

MR. WILTON.  “The islands west of Jutland which you observe, viz.:  Nordstrand, Fera, Sylt, Rom, Fanoe, and others, suffer greatly from the fury of the ocean.  Towards the north of Jutland is an extensive creek of the sea, Lymfiord, which penetrates from the Cattegat, within two or three miles of the German Ocean; it is navigable, full of fish, and contains many islands.”

MRS. WILTON.  “To get into the Baltic, we must go through the Sleeve or Skagerac; through the Cattegat, passing on our way the little isles of Hertzholm, Lassoe, Anholt, and Haselov; then, taking care to keep Kullen’s Lighthouse in view, enter the sound near Elsinore, sail on past Rugen Isle, and anchor at Carlscrona, in the Baltic.”

GEORGE.  “The Baltic! the Baltic!  I am so anxious to hear all about that sea.  All I know is that there are three very large gulfs connected with it, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the Gulf of Riga.”