AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



the eastward, wind north, and running free, when we first saw 

 her, but soon after Hook in her studding-sails and hauled up so as 

 to come near us. When abeam, and about three miles distant, 

 she showed Bremen colors, laid aback her mainsail and lowered 

 a quarter-boat, which we immediately squared away to meet, and 

 ran up our bunting : every body on deck, and great excitement. 

 "With a glass we could see her decks loaded with emigrants ; and 

 as her masts and sails appeared entirely uninjured, it could only 

 be conjectured that she was distressed for provisions or water. 

 The carpenter was sent to sound the water tanks, and the mate 

 to make an estimate of what stores might be safely spared, while 

 we hastened to our room, to scribble notes to send home. We 

 finished them soon enough to see a neat boat, rowed by four men, 

 come alongside, and a gentlemanly young officer mount nimbly 

 up the side-ladder. He was received on deck by our second 

 mate, and conducted aft by him to the cabin companion, where 

 the captain, having put on his best dress-coat and new Broadway 

 stove-pipe hat, stood, like a small king, dignifiedly waiting. After 

 the ceremony of presentation, the captain inquired, " Well, sir, 

 what can I have the pleasure of doing for you?" The young 



man replied that he came from the ship so-and-so, Captain , 



who sent his compliments, and desired " Vaat is te news?" This 

 cool motive tor stopping two ships in mid-ocean, with a fresh and 

 favorable wind blowing for each, took the captain plainly aback ; 

 but he directly recovered, and taking him into the cabin, gave 

 him a glass of wine and a few minutes* conversation with a most 

 creditable politeness ; a chunk of ice and a piece of fresh meat 

 were passed into the boat, and the steerage passengers threw 

 some tobacco to the men in her. The young officer took our 

 letters, with some cigars and newspapers, and went over the side 

 again, without probably having perceived that we were any less 

 gregarious beings than himself. The curbed energy and sup- 



