quivered the shadow of some terrible head.  At my friend’s command, the boy (also a spectator) put out the light, when the awful and grinning face of a black woman became visible.  While we were admiring this striking production, thus mysteriously revealed, Signor Urbani came in, and seeing no hope of any more spectators, went behind the curtain and startled our sensitive nerves with six or seven skeleton and devil apparitions, winding up the wonderful entertainment with the same black head.  We signified our entire approbation by due applause and then went out to seek further novelties.

The centre of the square was occupied by swings, where some eight or ten boat-loads of persons were flying topsy-turvy into the air, making one giddy to look at them, and constant fearful shrieks arose from the lady swingers, at finding themselves in a horizontal or inverted position, high above the ground.  One of the machines was like a great wheel, with four cars attached, which mounted and descended with their motley freight.  We got into the boat by way of experiment.  The starting motion was pleasant, but very soon it flew with a swiftness and to a height rather alarming.  I began to repent having chosen such a mode of amusement, but held on as well as I could, in my uneasy place.  Presently we mounted till the long beam of our boat was horizontal; at one instant, I saw three young ladies below me, with their heads downward, like a shadow in the water—­the next I was turned heels up, looking at thorn as a shadow does at its original.  I was fast becoming sea-sick, when, after a few minutes of such giddy soaring, the ropes were slackened and we all got out, looking somewhat pale, and feeling nervous, if nothing else.

There were also many great tents, hung with boughs and lighted with innumerable colored lamps, where the people danced their country dances in a choking cloud of dry saw-dust.  Conjurors and gymnastic performers were showing off on conspicuous platforms, and a continual sound of drums, cymbals and shrill trumpets called the attention of the crowd to some “Wonderful Exhibition”—­some infant phenomenon, giant, or three-headed pig.  A great part of the crowd belonged evidently to the very worst part of society, but the watchfulness of the police prevented any open disorder.  We came away early and in a quarter of an hour were in busy London, leaving far behind us the revel and debauch, which was prolonged through the whole night.

London has the advantage of one of the most gloomy atmospheres in the world.  During this opening spring weather, no light and scarcely any warmth can penetrate the dull, yellowish-gray mist, which incessantly hangs over the city.  Sometimes at noon we have for an hour or two a sickly gleam of sunshine, but it is soon swallowed up by the smoke and drizzling fog.  The people carry umbrellas at all times, for the rain seems to drop spontaneously out of the very air, without wailing for the usual preparation of a gathering cloud.  Professor Espy’s rules would be of little avail here.