DREDGING. 93 



him more than a month can properly examine. It is 

 true that he may also know that he will be sick ; but, 

 as Schiller says, — 



"Es wachst der Mensch mit seinen grossem Zwecken ; " 

 (Our stature heightens with our heightening aims), — 



and the hope of Molluscs makes man's stomach equal 

 to the occasion. Our boatmen told us of one well- 

 known Anatomist, who went out every day during his 

 stay at Tenby, dredging as if dredging were his daily 

 bread, always sick, no matter how calm the sea ; 

 always suffering, but never daunted by wind or storm. 

 Very amusing it was to notice the puzzlement of these 

 honest boatmen at what they evidently considered a 

 sort of inexplicable eccentricity in our thus throwing 

 away our days, our money — and our breakfasts — in 

 the pursuit of worms, oyster-shells, and weeds. Had 

 we gone fishing, they could have entered into our 

 hopes and enthusiasm ; had we sought for pearls in 

 the oyster- shells, their sympathy would have been 

 ready ; but that any sane man should be anxious for 

 the rubbish which they nightly threw away when their 

 nets were hauled in, and this not to eat the worms, 

 not to sell them, but to put them in vases, and finally 

 cut them open, that was inexplicable. 



As we sailed through the sparkling waters, wafted 

 by a pleasant breeze, we talked to the men, and tried 

 to make them understand the kind of things which 

 they might always bring us, and be certain of pur- 

 chasers ; but although willing to oblige, and not at 

 all indisposed to accept silver for a little trouble, 



