8 WHALING AND FISHIN&. 



were so ridiculously attempting to counterfeit. ll 

 was comical to see how closely they watched my 

 every movement, each endeavoring to copy some 

 particular air or way, which, above all else, struck 

 him as still necessary to render his own appear- 

 ance that of a regular built Jack Tar. 



While I was yet watching their maneuvers, one 

 of the crowd, hitching up his pantaloons, which 

 threatened every moment to fall down over his 

 hips, waddled up to me, and adjusting his hat as 

 nearly after the sailor manner as he was able to 

 at the moment, said : 



" I say, sir, you're a sailor, are you not?" 



" That's the best guess you've made since you 

 cast loose from your mammy's apron-strings, 

 greeney," said a jolly voice at my back, whose 

 tones seemed somehow very familiar to my ear. 



I turned quickly in its direction, but had scarce 

 faced the speaker, when I felt myself encircled 

 in two huge arms, and the breath nearly squeezed 

 out of my body, while a stentorian voice hallooed 

 almost in my ears, "by the great hook -block, it's 

 Charley." 



When I got myself out of the bear -like en-- 

 brace of my huge friend, I found that he was an 

 old shipmate a topmate during the greater part 

 of a three years cruise in a man-of-war. Of 

 course, our meeting was deemed a fortunate one 

 by both of us, and Bill at once proposed to cele- 

 brate it by a glass of " the very best liquor you 

 ever drank, Charley." 



