254 WHAL KG AND FISHING. 



DOW the shop keepers, a wretched set, had the 

 sway, and the Acadian simplicity of the French 

 regime was gone." 



He spoke tolerable English himself, but would 

 not be complimented upon it, and strongly advised 

 me to learn French, as the only language fit to be 

 spoken by honest men. 



I delighted much in his talk ; and his descriptions 

 of the indolent easy life which was formerly the 

 fashion among the French planters and residents, 

 were charming to me, who have myself a keen 

 appreciation for " a bit of the dolcc." On board 

 his ship, where he was Lord Paramount, all lived 

 in this indolent, half dreamy state. To brace 

 the yards or pull home a sheet was a labor 

 requiring much deliberation. Half an hour gen- 

 erally elapsed between any order and its fulfill- 

 ment ; and no work not absolutely necessary was 

 ever attempted. Studding sails were held as 

 abominations, fit only for a restless hurrying Jean 

 Bull, and even royals were not looked upon with 

 favor. 



I, who had been trained in the hardworking 

 merchant service, would have labored from eight 

 till six, on my sails ; but this was not suffered. S~x 

 hours per day was quite sufficient to woik, and 

 even this time was in great part wasted in loung- 

 ing and conversation : so that ere long I had got 

 to be as inveterate an idler as any one on board. 

 This kind of life would of course be impossible 

 any where but in the tropics. Here however, the 



