A SCOTCH HAGGIS. THE CAPTAIN'S STOEY. 295 



after the cloth had been removed, and a kettle of boiling 

 water flanked with lemons had made its appearance, I 

 felt satisfied that there were worse lots in the world 

 than commanding a clipping schooner in the West Indian 

 trade. 



As the toddy circulated our companionship increased, 

 and to a question I asked in reference to his success in the 

 last voyage, he made the following statement. "Well, 

 sir, you see a man that commenced the world without a 

 bawbee. My faither and mither were baith poor, and when 

 I thought I had enough schooling, our family being big, I 

 bound myself as an apprentice on board a bark called the 

 Kilmors, that traded out of Clyde to the West Indies. She 

 was one of the old-fashioned sort, and would make as 

 much on a wind as a hay-stack. Still, she was a snug 

 little boat, strong as oak and dry as could be. On the 

 last run I made in her the captain took sick and died, 

 most before we lost sight of Cantire. This made me 

 second mate, and the former first mate took charge. Our 

 voyage was prosperous, and we dropped anchor off Demerara 

 in near the shortest time that then ever had been made. 

 One thing only disturbed the harmony of the passage, viz. 

 the acting first officer was so puffed up with his new post 

 that he neither performed his duty nor would let others do 

 theirs. The temporary captain was, after a deal of for- 

 bearance, compelled to place him under arrest, and prefer 

 charges against him on dropping anchor. The result 

 was, he was discharged, and as the bark was to go to sea 

 immediately, and a first mate could not be procured, I was 

 advanced to act in that capacity. 



