Excursion to the Orkney Islands
| Language | en |
|---|---|
| First published | 2025-11-17 |
| Rights | Public domain in the USA. |
| Gutenberg ID | #77259 |
Description
"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely blends architectural description with anecdote and legend to trace the origins, traditions, and notable figures of Oxford’s colleges, aiming to capture their atmosphere and cultural significance. The opening of this work follows Mrs. Morelle, her children Florence and John, and their capable cousin Grimkie as they prepare to travel from America to England to meet the children’s father, whose letter arrives from Singapore proposing a summer reunion in London. They book Cunard passages (ultimately via Boston), select adjacent staterooms, and ready practical gear—including a shared “night valise”—while learning how a letter of credit works and purchasing English sovereigns. The narrative then details embarkation, early seasickness, the cautious fog-bound stop at Halifax, the bleak passage over the Banks of Newfoundland, and the return of fair weather, with landfall at Ireland and arrival in Liverpool. Settled at the Waterloo Hotel, the children explore Liverpool’s docks and floating landing-stage, and the family adapts to English hotel customs. Finally, over breakfast, they discuss travel plans; prompted by maps and guidebooks, Grimkie proposes an adventurous journey to the Orkney Islands via Inverness and Wick, explaining the routes by rail, coach, and steamer that would take them north. (This is an automatically generated summary.)