twelvehundreddingers，clashers，dongers，rattlers，clinkers，bangersbangersbangers！YetallthisstupendousuproararoundtherisingAchillesisasnothingtothereverberationswithwhichtheperfectedAchillesshallresounduponthedreadfuldaywhenthefullworkisinhandforwhichthisisbutnoteofpreparation-
thedaywhenthescuppersthatarenowfittinglikegreat，dry，thirstyconduit-pipes，shallrunred。Allthesebusyfiguresbetweendecks，dimlyseenbendingattheirworkinsmokeandfire，areasnothingtothefiguresthatshalldoworkhereofanotherkindinsmokeandfire，thatday。Thesesteam-workedenginesalongside，helpingtheshipbytravellingtoandfro，andwaftingtonsofironplatesabout，asthoughtheyweresomanyleavesoftrees，wouldberentlimbfromlimbiftheystoodbyherforaminutethen。TothinkthatthisAchilles，monstrouscompoundofirontankandoakenchest，caneverswimorroll！Tothinkthatanyforceofwindandwavecouldeverbreakher！TothinkthatwhereverIseeaglowingred-hotironpointthrustoutofhersidefromwithin-asIdonow，there，andthere，andthere！-andtwowatchingmenonastagewithout，withbaredarmsandsledge-
hammers，strikeatitfiercely，andrepeattheirblowsuntilitisblackandflat，Iseearivetbeingdrivenhome，ofwhichtherearemanyineveryironplate，andthousandsuponthousandsintheship！
TothinkthatthedifficultyIexperienceinappreciatingtheship’ssizewhenIamonboard，arisesfromherbeingaseriesofirontanksandoakenchests，sothatinternallysheiseverfinishingandeverbeginning，andhalfofhermightbesmashed，andyettheremaininghalfsufficeandbesound。Then，togooverthesideagainanddownamongtheoozeandwettothebottomofthedock，inthedepthsofthesubterraneanforestofdog-shoresandstaysthatholdherup，andtoseetheimmensemassbulgingoutagainsttheupperlight，andtaperingdowntowardsme，is，withgreatpainsandmuchclambering，toarriveatanimpossibilityofrealisingthatthisisashipatall，andtobecomepossessedbythefancythatitisanenormousimmovableedificesetupinanancientamphitheatresay，thatatVerona，andalmostfillingit！
Yetwhatwouldeventhesethingsbe，withoutthetributaryworkshopsandthemechanicalpowersforpiercingtheironplates-
fourinchesandahalfthick-forrivets，shapingthemunderhydraulicpressuretothefinesttaperingturnsoftheship’slines，andparingthemaway，withknivesshapedlikethebeaksofstrongandcruelbirds，tothenicestrequirementsofthedesign！
Thesemachinesoftremendousforce，soeasilydirectedbyoneattentivefaceandpresidinghand，seemtometohaveinthemsomethingoftheretiringcharacteroftheYard。’Obedientmonster，pleasetobitethismassofironthroughandthrough，atequaldistances，wheretheseregularchalk-marksare，allround。’
Monsterlooksatitswork，andliftingitsponderoushead，replies，’Idon’tparticularlywanttodoit；butifitmustbedone-！’
Thesolidmetalwrigglesout，hotfromthemonster’scrunchingtooth，anditISdone。’Dutifulmonster，observethisothermassofiron。Itisrequiredtobeparedaway，accordingtothisdelicatelylesseningandarbitraryline，whichpleasetolookat。’
Monsterwhohasbeeninareveriebringsdownitsblunthead，and，muchinthemannerofDoctorJohnson，closelylooksalongtheline-veryclosely，beingsomewhatnear-sighted。’Idon’tparticularlywanttodoit；butifitmustbedone-！’Monstertakesanothernear-sightedlook，takesaim，andthetorturedpiecewrithesoff，andfalls，ahot，tight-twistedsnake，amongtheashes。Themakingoftherivetsismerelyaprettyroundgame，playedbyamanandaboy，whoputred-hotbarleysugarinaPopeJoanboard，andimmediatelyrivetsfalloutofwindow；butthetoneofthegreatmachinesisthetoneofthegreatYardandthegreatcountry:’Wedon’tparticularlywanttodoit；butifitmustbedone-！’
HowsuchaprodigiousmassastheAchillescaneverbeheldbysuchcomparativelylittleanchorsasthoseintendedforherandlyingnearherhere，isamysteryofseamanshipwhichIwillrefertothewiseboy。Formyownpart，Ishouldassoonhavethoughtoftetheringanelephanttoatent-peg，orthelargerhippopotamusintheZoologicalGardenstomyshirt-pin。Yonderintheriver，alongsideahulk，lietwoofthisship’shollowironmasts。THEY
arelargeenoughfortheeye，Ifind，andsoareallherotherappliances。Iwonderwhyonlyheranchorslooksmall。
Ihavenopresenttimetothinkaboutit，forIamgoingtoseetheworkshopswheretheymakealltheoarsusedintheBritishNavy。A
prettylargepileofbuilding，Iopine，andaprettylongjob！Astothebuilding，Iamsoondisappointed，becausetheworkisalldoneinoneloft。Andastoalongjob-whatisthis？Tworatherlargemangleswithaswarmofbutterflieshoveringoverthem？Whatcantherebeinthemanglesthatattractsbutterflies？
Drawingnearer，Idiscernthatthesearenotmangles，butintricatemachines，setwithknivesandsawsandplanes，whichcutsmoothandstraighthere，andslantwisethere，andnowcutsuchadepth，andnowmisscuttingaltogether，accordingtothepredestinedrequirementsofthepiecesofwoodthatarepushedonbelowthem:
eachofwhichpiecesistobeanoar，andisroughlyadaptedtothatpurposebeforeittakesitsfinalleaveoffar-offforests，andsailsforEngland。LikewiseIdiscernthatthebutterfliesarenottruebutterflies，butwoodenshavings，which，beingspirtedupfromthewoodbytheviolenceofthemachinery，andkeptinrapidandnotequalmovementbytheimpulseofitsrotationontheair，flutterandplay，andriseandfall，andconductthemselvesaslikebutterfliesasheartcouldwish。Suddenlythenoiseandmotioncease，andthebutterfliesdropdead。AnoarhasbeenmadesinceI
camein，wantingtheshapedhandle。AsquicklyasIcanfollowitwithmyeyeandthought，thesameoariscarriedtoaturninglathe。AwhirlandaNick！Handlemade。Oarfinished。
Theexquisitebeautyandefficiencyofthismachineryneednoillustration，buthappentohaveapointedillustrationto-day。A
pairofoarsofunusualsizechancetobewantedforaspecialpurpose，andtheyhavetobemadebyhand。Sidebysidewiththesubtleandfacilemachine，andsidebysidewiththefast-growingpileofoarsonthefloor，amanshapesoutthesespecialoarswithanaxe。Attendedbynobutterflies，andchippinganddinting，bycomparisonasleisurelyasifhewerealabouringPagangettingthemreadyagainsthisdeceaseatthreescoreandten，totakewithhimasapresenttoCharonforhisboat，themanagedaboutthirtyplieshistask。Themachinewouldmakearegulationoarwhilethemanwipeshisforehead。Themanmightbeburiedinamoundmadeofthestripsofthin，broad，woodenribbontornfromthewoodwhirledintooarsastheminutesfallfromtheclock，beforehehaddoneaforenoon’sworkwithhisaxe。
PassingfromthiswonderfulsighttotheShipsagain-formyheart，astotheYard，iswheretheshipsare-Inoticecertainunfinishedwoodenwallsleftseasoningonthestocks，pendingthesolutionofthemeritsofthewoodandironquestion，andhavinganairofbidingtheirtimewithsurlyconfidence。Thenamesoftheseworthiesaresetupbesidethem，togetherwiththeircapacityinguns-acustomhighlyconducivetoeaseandsatisfactioninsocialintercourse，ifitcouldbeadaptedtomankind。Byaplankmoregracefullypendulousthansubstantial，Imakeboldtogoaboardatransportshipironscrewjustsentinfromthecontractor’syardtobeinspectedandpassed。Sheisaverygratifyingexperience，inthesimplicityandhumanityofherarrangementsfortroops，inherprovisionforlightandairandcleanliness，andinhercareforwomenandchildren。Itoccurstome，asIexploreher，thatI
wouldrequireahandsomesumofmoneytogoaboardher，atmidnightbytheDockyardbell，andstayaboardalonetillmorning；forsurelyshemustbehauntedbyacrowdofghostsofobstinateoldmartinets，mournfullyflappingtheircherubicepaulettesoverthechangedtimes。ThoughstillwemaylearnfromtheastoundingwaysandmeansinourYardsnow，morehighlythanevertorespecttheforefatherswhogottosea，andfoughtthesea，andheldthesea，withoutthem。Thisremembranceputtingmeinthebestoftemperswithanoldhulk，verygreenastohercopper，andgenerallydimandpatched，Ipulloffmyhattoher。Whichsalutationacallowanddowny-facedyoungofficerofEngineers，goingbyatthemoment，perceiving，appropriates-andtowhichheismostheartilywelcome，Iamsure。
Havingbeentorntopiecesinimaginationbythesteamcircularsaws，perpendicularsaws，horizontalsaws，andsawsofeccentricaction，Icometothesaunteringpartofmyexpedition，andconsequentlytothecoreofmyUncommercialpursuits。
Everywhere，asIsaunterupanddowntheYard，Imeetwithtokensofitsquietandretiringcharacter。Thereisagravityuponitsredbrickofficesandhouses，astaidpretenceofhavingnothingworthmentioningtodo，anavoidanceofdisplay，whichIneversawoutofEngland。ThewhitestonesofthepavementpresentnoothertraceofAchillesandhistwelvehundredbangingmennotoneofwhomstrikesanattitudethanafewoccasionalechoes。Butforawhisperintheairsuggestiveofsawdustandshavings，theoar-
makingandthesawsofmanymovementsmightbemilesaway。Downbelowhere，isthegreatreservoirofwaterwheretimberissteepedinvarioustemperatures，asapartofitsseasoningprocess。Aboveit，onatramroadsupportedbypillars，isaChineseEnchanter’sCar，whichfishesthelogsup，whensufficientlysteeped，androllssmoothlyawaywiththemtostackthem。WhenIwasachildtheYardbeingthenfamiliartomeIusedtothinkthatIshouldliketoplayatChineseEnchanter，andtohavethatapparatusplacedatmydisposalforthepurposebyabeneficentcountry。IstillthinkthatIshouldratherliketotrytheeffectofwritingabookinit。Itsretirementiscomplete，andtogoglidingtoandfroamongthestacksoftimberwouldbeaconvenientkindoftravellinginforeigncountries-amongtheforestsofNorthAmerica，thesoddenHondurasswamps，thedarkpinewoods，theNorwegianfrosts，andthetropicalheats，rainyseasons，andthunderstorms。Thecostlystoreoftimberisstackedandstowedawayinsequesteredplaces，withthepervadingavoidanceofflourishoreffect。Itmakesaslittleofitselfaspossible，andcallstonoone’Comeandlookatme！’
Andyetitispickedoutfromthetreesoftheworld；pickedoutforlength，pickedoutforbreadth，pickedoutforstraightness，pickedoutforcrookedness，chosenwithaneyetoeveryneedofshipandboat。Strangelytwistedpieceslieabout，preciousinthesightofshipwrights。Saunteringthroughthesegroves，Icomeuponanopengladewhereworkmenareexaminingsometimberrecentlydelivered。Quiteapastoralscene，withabackgroundofriverandwindmill！andnomorelikeWarthantheAmericanStatesareatpresentlikeanUnion。
Saunteringamongtheropemaking，Iamspunintoastateofblissfulindolence，whereinmyropeoflifeseemstobesountwistedbytheprocessasthatIcanseebacktoveryearlydaysindeed，whenmybaddreams-theywerefrightful，thoughmymorematureunderstandinghasnevermadeoutwhy-wereofaninterminablesortofropemaking，withlongminutefilamentsforstrands，which，whentheywerespunhometogetherclosetomyeyes，occasionedscreaming。Next，Iwalkamongthequietloftsofstores-ofsails，spars，rigging，ships’boats-determinedtobelievethatsomebodyinauthoritywearsagirdleandbendsbeneaththeweightofamassivebunchofkeys，andthat，whensuchathingiswanted，hecomestellinghiskeyslikeBlueBeard，andopenssuchadoor。