J----- and I, quitting the hotel, walked towards Shinley along the
water-side, leaving the rest of the family to follow in a fly. There are
many traces, along the shore, of the fortifications by which Southampton
was formerly defended towards the water, and very probably their
foundations may be as ancient as Roman times. Our hotel was no doubt
connected with this chain of defences, which seems to have consisted of a
succession of round towers, with a wall extending from one to another.
We saw two or three of these towers still standing, and likely to stand,
though ivy-grown and ruinous at the summit, and intermixed and even
amalgamated with pot-houses and mean dwellings; and often, through an
antique arch, there was a narrow doorway, giving access to the house of
some sailor or laborer or artisan, and his wife gossiping at it with her
neighbor, or his children playing about it.
After getting beyond the precincts of Southampton our walk was not very
interesting, except to J-----, who kept running down to the verge of the
water, looking for shells and sea-insects.
June 29th.--Yesterday, 28th, I left Liverpool from the Lime Street
station; an exceedingly hot day for England, insomuch that the rail
carriages were really uncomfortable. I have now passed over the London
and Northwestern Railway so often that the northern part of it is very
wearisome, especially as it has few features of interest even to a new
observer.
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