AN OLD SHIPMATE. IS 



of verdancy, from that of the farmer boy, to that 

 no less evident, of the "counter -jumper ' 



{i In fact," remarked the shipper to ne, "it 

 would never do for us to bring sailors to a whaling 

 port, for the owners will not take them in their 

 ships. You old salts are an unquiet set, and 

 never make good whalemen." 



"With a smile at his opinion of sailors, I took 

 my leave of the shipper. His account of New 

 Bedford, which was his chief scene of operations, 

 had aroused my curiosity to see somewhat of a 

 whaling port, and I began to think seriously of 

 taking a trip thither in some little coaster, and 

 spending some weeks there. I had still money 

 enough why not indulge this whim? 



As I walked along, ruminating upon my plan, 

 an old acquaintance, a captain of a coaster, with 

 whom I had made a voyage once before the mast, 

 accosted me, and after shaking hands, and a 

 hearty inquiry after my welfare, asked me if 1 

 would not go with him to New Bedford. 



" I'll only want a man to help me as far as 

 there, where I have now one of my old hands, 

 waiting for the vessel (a little schooner), and 

 I'll give you five dollars for the run." 



"Agreed," said I, without stopping to take a 

 econd thought ; " when do you sail ? " 



" To-morrow morning, with the first flood." 



We walked down aboard the schooner, a neat 

 little craft of some sixty tuns, and talked over 

 old times for a while, when I returned to my 



