THE PARK. 141 



heaven, and rose refreshed to begin their daily work 

 again as did their fathers and forefathers before them, 

 without a thought beyond the narrow sphere qf their 

 simple life. But not so Rajararrj. He would rjse 

 superior to the traditions of his profession, strike 

 out a new path, and enter, as, it were, upon a 

 new phase of existence. His natural surroundings 

 greatly favoured this berjt of hi$ mind. Brought 

 up in the midst of ships and sailors in the Calcutta 

 port, he had early conceived a strange passjon for a 

 seafaring life, which took a stronger hold of him as he 

 emerged from boyhood to youth. Often while steering 

 his father's frail boat, or paying out the interminable 

 lengths of a berh jdl, he would watch with closest atten- 

 tion the officers and crew of the sea-going vessels engag- 

 ed in their respective duties, and would secretly wish 

 to be one of them. The clock-work regularity with 

 which everything was performed orj board a steamer, 

 the far-reaching whistle of the boatswain, the musical 

 click of the capstan working, or the mellow tinkling of 

 the bells, fascinated Rajaram. But, like the goqd 

 fellow that he was, he bided his time, and waited for an 

 opportunity, which was not Iqng in cpming. 



One forenoon, during a certain passenger season, 

 (to specify particulars is unnecessary,) one of the 

 popular steamers of the splendid fleet of the P and Q 

 line was full of passengers and their friends and relations. 

 When all were busy talking and leave-taking, a lovely 

 little girl of seven summers with a few friends, boys ape} 



