AMONGST THE SEA-BIRDS. 215 



fishing smacks on the Dogger Bank before they joined the 

 Firefly. Nine or ten big flapping cod were thus unceremo- 

 niously dragged up, and then the roll of our craft as she drifted 

 proving decidedly unpleasant to weak stomachs, much to the 

 relief of some who did not yet betray themselves, the Firefly's 

 steam was once more turned on, and her head directed land- 

 wards. Rain came on in violent squalls, the sky and waves 

 assumed angry darkened lines, wind blew in strong gusts, and 

 no one was sorry when Peter pulled his forelock and announced 

 " tea." Alas ! the faint-hearted, on descending to the cabin, 

 found a trying state of things. The swing-table, with the tea- 

 things, was rolling suggestively backwards and forwards, the 

 lamps around joined in the dance, dizziness speedily ensued, 

 incapability of eating or drinking, and a rush to the upper airs. 

 There we will leave these weak members of the crew telling 

 their sea-sorrows to old ocean, while we, with the snug tea-table 

 and its rolls, typing unmistakeably the ups and downs of life, 

 take that philosophical view of existence which is so natural to 

 those who feel themselves superior to sea- sickness, the plague 

 of lower mortals. 



On adjourning in coats and comforters to the hurricane 

 deck for our evening stroll, the sea and sky seemed a painting 

 in sepia, ragged clouds were driven before the wind, the shore 

 was gloomy and flat, very few birds showed themselves, and a 

 huge collier under steam ploughed her sooty way past us. 

 Farther out a few fishing-vessels scudded along with reefed 

 sails, and there was every prospect of a dirty night. But we 

 were cheerful enough, and Dr. Johnson's view of a ship 

 being a gaol with the chance of being drowned superadded, 

 never presented itself to our mind. It is seldom realised that 

 apart from the buccaneering spirit of the Elizabethan era, the 

 present sentimental love of the sea, which people suppose 

 always distinguished Englishmen, only dates from the general 

 peace at the beginning of the century. Amongst its best 



