24 THE vessel's history. 



the fourtli mate, comprising half the foremast hands 

 and two boatsteerers, had the first turn in. On being 

 ushered into the steerage or forecastle, those who 

 had been in the habit of having soft beds and com- 

 fortable bedding provided for them by the hands of 

 affectionate mothers, although somewhat prepared 

 for a difference, were surprised at their sleeping 

 accommodations — rude boxes, or rather berths, built 

 to the sides of the ship, about five feet long, and two 

 and a half in width, furnished with a pair of blankets, 

 a quilt, and a bed, which, according to the amount 

 of attention paid to the outfit of the occupant, varied 

 from a hair mattress in one case, to the common corn 

 husk or straw tick. However, this was no time to 

 soliloquize over past comforts, so all bundled in 

 without ceremony ; and in a short time, from tlie 

 unusual exercise of the day, to judge from the nasal 

 organism floating through the air, profound slumber 

 reigned throughout the between-decks of the ship. 

 And now, that one half the ship's company are 

 enclosed in the embraces of Morpheus, we will glance 

 round and take a peep at our vessel and crew. The 

 vessel, as I before mentioned, is an old fashioned 

 barque, built to ply as a packet between New York 

 and Liverpool, which duty she performed with faith- 

 fulness and satisfaction to her ow^ners ; and in her 

 palmiest daj's bore the reputation of being the fastest 

 ship out of Kew York ; but the improvements in ship- 

 building necessitated her owners to dispose of an old 

 and faithful servant, and replace her with a modern 

 modelled craft — safer could not be. She was bought 

 by a New Bedford merchant, who, after altering her 

 for the purpose, put her into the whaling trade, where 



