Or，inthecolonelofthatregimentwriting，’Wewantsixmoreboys；theyareexcellentlads’？Or，inoneoftheboyshavingrisentobeband-corporalinthesameregiment？Or，inemployersofallkindschorusing，’Giveusdrilledboys，fortheyareprompt，obedient，andpunctual’？OtherproofsIhavemyselfbeheldwiththeseUncommercialeyes，thoughIdonotregardmyselfashavingarighttorelateinwhatsocialpositionstheyhaveseenrespectedmenandwomenwhowereoncepauperchildrenoftheStepneyUnion。
Intowhatadmirablesoldiersothersoftheseboyshavethecapabilitiesforbeingturned，Ineednotpointout。Manyofthemarealwaysambitiousofmilitaryservice；andonceuponatimewhenanoldboycamebacktoseetheoldplace，acavalrysoldierallcomplete，WITHHISSPURSON，suchayearningbrokeouttogetintocavalryregimentsandwearthosesublimeappendages，thatitwasoneofthegreatestexcitementseverknownintheschool。Thegirlsmakeexcellentdomesticservants，andatcertainperiodscomeback，ascoreortwoatatime，toseetheoldbuilding，andtotaketeawiththeoldteachers，andtoheartheoldband，andtoseetheoldshipwithhermaststoweringupabovetheneighbouringroofsandchimneys。Astothephysicalhealthoftheseschools，itissoexceptionallyremarkablesimplybecausethesanitaryregulationsareasgoodastheothereducationalarrangements，thatwhenMr。TUFNELL，theInspector，firststateditinareport，hewassupposed，inspiteofhishighcharacter，tohavebeenbetrayedintosomeextraordinarymistakeorexaggeration。Inthemoralhealthoftheseschools-wherecorporalpunishmentisunknown-Truthfulnessstandshigh。Whentheshipwasfirsterected，theboyswereforbiddentogoaloft，untilthenets，whicharenowalwaysthere，werestretchedasaprecautionagainstaccidents。Certainboys，intheireagerness，disobeyedtheinjunction，gotoutofwindowintheearlydaylight，andclimbedtothemasthead。Oneboyunfortunatelyfell，andwaskilled。Therewasnocluetotheothers；butalltheboyswereassembled，andthechairmanoftheBoardaddressedthem。’Ipromisenothing；youseewhatadreadfulthinghashappened；youknowwhatagraveoffenceitisthathasledtosuchaconsequence；Icannotsaywhatwillbedonewiththeoffenders；but，boys，youhavebeentrainedhere，aboveallthings，torespectthetruth。Iwantthetruth。Whoarethedelinquents？’Instantly，thewholenumberofboysconcerned，separatedfromtherest，andstoodout。
Now，theheadandheartofthatgentlemanitisneedlesstosay，agoodheadandagoodhearthavebeendeeplyinterestedintheseschoolsformanyyears，andaresostill；andtheestablishmentisveryfortunateinamostadmirablemaster，andmoreovertheschoolsoftheStepneyUnioncannothavegottobewhattheyare，withouttheStepneyBoardofGuardianshavingbeenearnestandhumanemenstronglyimbuedwithasenseoftheirresponsibility。Butwhatonesetofmencandointhiswise，anothersetofmencando；andthisisanobleexampletoallotherBodiesandUnions，andanobleexampletotheState。Followed，andenlargeduponbyitsenforcementonbadparents，itwouldclearLondonstreetsofthemostterribleobjectstheysmitethesightwith-myriadsoflittlechildrenwhoawfullyreverseOurSaviour’swords，andarenotoftheKingdomofHeaven，butoftheKingdomofHell。
Clearthepublicstreetsofsuchshame，andthepublicconscienceofsuchreproach？Ah！Almostprophetic，surely，thechild’sjingle:
Whenwillthatbe，SaythebellsofStep-ney！
BeholdmeonmywaytoanEmigrantShip，onahotmorningearlyinJune。MyroadliesthroughthatpartofLondongenerallyknowntotheinitiatedas’DownbytheDocks。’DownbytheDocks，ishometoagoodmanypeople-totoomany，ifImayjudgefromtheoverflowoflocalpopulationinthestreets-butmynoseinsinuatesthatthenumbertowhomitisSweetHomemightbeeasilycounted。DownbytheDocks，isaregionIwouldchooseasmypointofembarkationaboardshipifIwereanemigrant。Itwouldpresentmyintentiontomeinsuchasensiblelight；itwouldshowmesomanythingstoberunawayfrom。
DownbytheDocks，theyeatthelargestoystersandscattertheroughestoyster-shells，knowntothedescendantsofSaintGeorgeandtheDragon。DownbytheDocks，theyconsumetheslimiestofshell-fish，whichseemtohavebeenscrapedoffthecopperbottomsofships。DownbytheDocks，thevegetablesatgreen-grocers’
doorsacquireasalineandascalylook，asiftheyhadbeencrossedwithfishandseaweed。DownbytheDocks，they’boardseamen’attheeating-houses，thepublic-houses，theslop-shops，thecoffee-shops，thetally-shops，allkindsofshopsmentionableandunmentionable-boardthem，asitwere，inthepiraticalsense，makingthembleedterribly，andgivingnoquarter。DownbytheDocks，theseamenroaminmid-streetandmid-day，theirpocketsinsideout，andtheirheadsnobetter。DownbytheDocks，thedaughtersofwave-rulingBritanniaalsorove，cladinsilkenattire，withuncoveredtressesstreaminginthebreeze，bandannakerchiefsfloatingfromtheirshoulders，andcrinolinenotwanting。
DownbytheDocks，youmayheartheIncomparableJoeJacksonsingtheStandardofEngland，withahornpipe，anynight；oranydaymayseeatthewaxwork，forapennyandnowaiting，himaskilledthepolicemanatActonandsufferedforit。DownbytheDocks，youmaybuypolonies，saveloys，andsausagepreparationsvarious，ifyouarenotparticularwhattheyaremadeofbesidesseasoning。DownbytheDocks，thechildrenofIsraelcreepintoanygloomycribsandentriestheycanhire，andhangslopsthere-pewterwatches，sou’-westerhats，waterproofoveralls-’firthtratearticleth，Thjack。’DownbytheDocks，suchdealersexhibitingonaframeacompletenauticalsuitwithouttherefinementofawaxenvisageinthehat，presenttheimaginarywearerasdroopingattheyard-arm，withhisseafaringandearthfaringtroublesover。DownbytheDocks，theplacardsintheshopsapostrophisethecustomer，knowinghimfamiliarlybeforehand，as，’Lookhere，Jack！’’Here’syoursort，mylad！’’Tryoursea-goingmixed，attwoandnine！’’TherightkitfortheBritishtar！’’Shipahoy！’’Splicethemain-
brace，brother！’’Come，cheerup，mylads。We’vethebestliquorshere，Andyou’llfindsomethingnewInourwonderfulBeer！’DownbytheDocks，thepawnbrokerlendsmoneyonUnion-Jackpocket-
handkerchiefs，onwatcheswithlittleshipspitchingforeandaftonthedial，ontelescopes，nauticalinstrumentsincases，andsuch-like。DownbytheDocks，theapothecarysetsupinbusinessonthewretchedestscale-chieflyonlintandplasterforthestrappingofwounds-andwithnobrightbottles，andwithnolittledrawers。DownbytheDocks，theshabbyundertaker’sshopwillburyyoufornexttonothing，aftertheMalayorChinamanhasstabbedyoufornothingatall:soyoucanhardlyhopetomakeacheaperend。DownbytheDocks，anybodydrunkwillquarrelwithanybodydrunkorsober，andeverybodyelsewillhaveahandinit，andontheshortestnoticeyoumayrevolveinawhirlpoolofredshirts，shaggybeards，wildheadsofhair，baretattooedarms，Britannia’sdaughters，malice，mud，maundering，andmadness。DownbytheDocks，scrapingfiddlesgointhepublic-housesalldaylong，and，shrillabovetheirdinandallthedin，risesthescreechingofinnumerableparrotsbroughtfromforeignparts，whoappeartobeverymuchastonishedbywhattheyfindonthesenativeshoresofours。Possiblytheparrotsdon’tknow，possiblytheydo，thatDownbytheDocksistheroadtothePacificOcean，withitslovelyislands，wherethesavagegirlsplaitflowers，andthesavageboyscarvecocoa-nutshells，andthegrimblindidolsmuseintheirshadygrovestoexactlythesamepurposeasthepriestsandchiefs。Andpossiblytheparrotsdon’tknow，possiblytheydo，thatthenoblesavageisawearisomeimpostorwhereverheis，andhasfivehundredthousandvolumesofindifferentrhyme，andnoreason，toanswerfor。
Shadwellchurch！PleasantwhispersoftherebeingafresherairdowntheriverthandownbytheDocks，gopursuingoneanother，playfully，inandoutoftheopeningsinitsspire。Giganticinthebasinjustbeyondthechurch，loomsmyEmigrantShip:hername，theAmazon。Herfigure-headisnotdisfiguredasthosebeauteousfoundersoftheraceofstrong-mindedwomenarefabledtohavebeen，fortheconvenienceofdrawingthebow；butIsympathisewiththecarver:
AflatteringcarverwhomadeithiscareTocarvebustsastheyoughttobe-notastheywere。
MyEmigrantShipliesbroadside-ontothewharf。Twogreatgangwaysmadeofsparsandplanksconnectherwiththewharf；andupanddownthesegangways，perpetuallycrowdingtoandfroandinandout，likeants，aretheEmigrantswhoaregoingtosailinmyEmigrantShip。Somewithcabbages，somewithloavesofbread，somewithcheeseandbutter，somewithmilkandbeer，somewithboxes，beds，andbundles，somewithbabies-nearlyallwithchildren-
nearlyallwithbran-newtincansfortheirdailyallowanceofwater，uncomfortablysuggestiveofatinflavourinthedrink。Toandfro，upanddown，aboardandashore，swarminghereandthereandeverywhere，myEmigrants。AndstillastheDock-Gateswingsuponitshinges，cabsappear，andcartsappear，andvansappear，bringingmoreofmyEmigrants，withmorecabbages，moreloaves，morecheeseandbutter，moremilkandbeer，moreboxes，beds，andbundles，moretincans，andonthoseshippinginvestmentsaccumulatedcompoundinterestofchildren。
IgoaboardmyEmigrantShip。Igofirsttothegreatcabin，andfinditintheusualconditionofaCabinatthatpass。Perspiringlandsmen，withloosepapers，andwithpensandinkstands，pervadeit；andthegeneralappearanceofthingsisasifthelateMr。
Amazon’sfuneralhadjustcomehomefromthecemetery，andthedisconsolateMrs。Amazon’strusteesfoundtheaffairsingreatdisorder，andwerelookinghighandlowforthewill。Igooutonthepoop-deck，forair，andsurveyingtheemigrantsonthedeckbelowindeedtheyarecrowdedallaboutme，uptheretoo，findmorepensandinkstandsinaction，andmorepapers，andinterminablecomplicationrespectingaccountswithindividualsfortincansandwhatnot。Butnobodyisinanill-temper，nobodyistheworsefordrink，nobodyswearsanoathorusesacoarseword，nobodyappearsdepressed，nobodyisweeping，anddownuponthedeckineverycornerwhereitispossibletofindafewsquarefeettokneel，crouch，orliein，people，ineveryunsuitableattitudeforwriting，arewritingletters。
Now，IhaveseenemigrantshipsbeforethisdayinJune。AndthesepeoplearesostrikinglydifferentfromallotherpeopleinlikecircumstanceswhomIhaveeverseen，thatIwonderaloud，’WhatWOULDastrangersupposetheseemigrantstobe！’
Thevigilant，brightfaceoftheweather-brownedcaptainoftheAmazonisatmyshoulder，andhesays，’What，indeed！Themostofthesecameaboardyesterdayevening。TheycamefromvariouspartsofEnglandinsmallpartiesthathadneverseenoneanotherbefore。
Yettheyhadnotbeenacoupleofhoursonboard，whentheyestablishedtheirownpolice，madetheirownregulations，andsettheirownwatchesatallthehatchways。Beforenineo’clock，theshipwasasorderlyandasquietasaman-of-war。’