VOYAGE OF THE GEBMANIA AND HANSA. 33 



learnt all the qualities of our vessel. The captain was 

 delighted to find that she not only tacked well and 

 easily, but that she worked well off the wind. 



The Hansa in this respect was far behind us, and 

 we were often obliged to stand before the wind, that she 

 might come up with us. 



The sailors on both ships soon showed their good 

 qualities, and between them and the learned part of the 

 ship's company there was very soon a good under- 

 standing. 



The 26th of June formed a salutary pause in this 

 stormy week ; the wind, which had been fitful since the 

 afternoon before, died quite away in the night, and the 

 ship on the following morning was gently rolling with 

 the now diminished breeze. This morning, in 57° N.L. and 

 2° 43' E.L., we came up with a small vessel, which our 

 sailors had already recognized as a fishing- smack. On 

 approaching nearer this was confirmed by the fish hung 

 up to dry in the rigging ; and immediately a lively longing 

 awoke within us to have some cheap and fresh-caught 

 members of the " scaly tribe " for our table. With this 

 aim in view, one of our company hailed the northmen with 

 a loud cry of, " Ship ahoy! have you any fish on board ?" 

 "Yes." "Fresh fish?" "Yes." "Come on board!" 

 The small vessel was at once full of life; a boat was 

 lowered, and in a short time was alongside of us, and two 

 young sailors, looking like Dutchmen, came up with a 

 basket of the finest kinds of large turbo t and soles. In 

 the jargon which all seafaring frequenters of the North 

 Sea soon learn, be their native language Low Dutch, 

 Flemish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, or English, we 

 managed to negotiate with them, and with bright faces 



D 



