158 ISLES 6f srifMfift, 



sengers happy by a perfect shower of encomiums upon the noble 

 and unexampled manner in which they " laughed at their calam- 

 ity," declaring that never in his life had he before seen ladies 

 and gentlemen behave so well. 



An old U. S. naval commander, (Capt. Fox), addressing our 

 favorite yachtman one day, said : 



''When you go out with sailing parties and have ladies on 

 board, why don't you take along your small boat, for, ballasted 

 with 8,000 lbs. of iron, if the 'Triton' should upset she would 

 go right straight to the bottom like a shot. In the United States 

 navy they will not allow a boat to be ballasted with anything 

 but water, so that it cannot sink. Now, with four tons of ballast 

 on board, what would you do should your boat with its load of 

 passengers upset?" 



With emphatic and graceful gestures and a flashing eye, Samp- 

 son answered: 



" But de 'Triton ' karn't upset — 'tis impossible. Why I sails 

 all round dese yere waters in all kinds 'er weather for mor'n ten 

 years, and I knows what she ken do, and I tells yer der ' Triton ' 

 karn't upset — kause I wont let 'er." 



" Well, Sampson, you think she'll not upset, and a great many 

 men as experienced and capable of managing boats as you are, 

 and equally confident, have been drowned at last. Now why 

 don't you take your small boat along so that if an accident hap- 

 pens, and you have ladies on board, they may be saved?" 



" I say," replied Sampson, speaking with an energy and earn- 

 estness with which a native deference, respect and politeness were 

 singularly and pleasantly combined, " I know'd what der Triton 

 ken do; for many a time, when I ha'nt got no passengers, I goes 

 all alone by myself and tries her in every place 'bout yese here 

 waters, and I studies her. and tries her, and larns what she ken 

 do, and I tells yer — not to say as how I do'snt 'spect 3-our opinion 



