DESCRIPTION OF A DANCE. 195 



it was only on one occasion, (the eve of our sailing,) 

 that any encouragement was extended to induce 

 them to prolong their visit aboard our ship. On 

 that evening — fancying that we had some stray shil- 

 lings in the corners of our pockets, and wishing to 

 relieve us of an article that would be of no use to us 

 when at sea — they came off to the number of a 

 score ; and as their blandishments could produce no 

 ill effect, (for none of us wanted to go ashore again 

 at Hobartown,) our accordeon -player was pressed 

 into service, the quarter-deck cleared away, and all 

 hands indulged in dancing — officers, men, and visi- 

 tors taking a part. The presence of the officers, and 

 respect for the old ship, restrained those whose 

 buoyancy of spirit would otherwise have led them 

 to run riot. 



After being tired out with dancing, singing was 

 substituted ; and, take it all in all, it was about as 

 merry an evening as could well be passed. All par- 

 ties, before entering into these gayeties, had been 

 pledged to decorum ; and, as there were no intoxi- 

 cating liquors, by an indulgence in which any one 

 niiglit be led to forget his or her sense of propriety, 

 nothing was said or done that could have called a 

 blush to the most modest cheek: a circumstance, the 

 more remarkable, when the motley character of the 

 assemblage is remembered. 



There are several establishments in the city, pro- 

 fessedly theaters, but really houses of questionable 

 character, where dancing, in which all the audience 

 indulge, is by far the greatest part of the performance. 



One of these houses my curiosity led me to enter. 

 Having paid over my shilling to the door-tender, I 



