THE PORTUGUESE AFLOAT. 41 



irksome service they join whalers, as after an absence 

 on the part of one, during whicli he has acquired the 

 Engiisli language, he is exempted from military duty. 

 Whether the government does this to encouras^-e the 

 development of knowledge, or that, after a tarry on 

 his part amongst the republican Americans, they 

 think him too liberal in sentiment to mingle with 

 other servants of their despotic rule, I cannot say. 

 "When these people first come aboard the ship they 

 are indifferently dressed, and invariably barefooted ; 

 when those we shipped were supplied with an outfit 

 of sea clothes, they were greatly astonished and de- 

 lighted. They are a very economical people, and by 

 dint of washing for others, patching, at wdiich in a 

 short time they become adepts, and other little jobs, 

 they soon become possessed of a large amount of 

 clothing, which they hoard up and gloat over as a 

 miser would his gold. They are shipped for little or 

 nothing as regards remuneration, scarcely anything 

 being said about a lay on either side ; but the captain, 

 if generous, will always make them a liberal allow- 

 ance on the ship's arriving at New Bedford. They 

 are generally strong and able-bodied, and make good 

 working-hands to pull and haul, but, except in rare 

 instances, do not rise in position above steering a 

 boat; although there are several ships at present 

 sailing out of iTew Bedford w4iose masters are Portu- 

 guese by birth, j^et in each instance, 1 am informed 

 by good authority, they were taken from the islands 

 at a very early age, and sent to school in America 

 between voyages. When they first come aboard they 

 look thin and cadaverous, probably from their almost 

 entire diet being vegetable; but in a short time, 

 4* 



