DUTCH SAILORS. 47 



rities, in which no preference was shewn to 

 either nation, a reciprocity of visits daily 

 took place on board one or other of the men- 

 of-war, each taking it by turn to entertain 

 the officers of the other ; while the midship- 

 men would endeavour to surpass each other 

 in feats of daring agility on the masts, yards, 

 and rigging of their respective ships. Hence 

 the foundation, if not the truth, of that feat 

 of our countryman that has since obtained 

 general circulation, but is set down by 

 people on shore as nothing better than a 

 Joe Miller or a Munchausen. 



The Dutch, whatever may be the distin- 

 guishing features of their more mature age, 

 are in their youth and on the water par- 

 ticularly bold and active. Upon the occa- 

 sion I am now relating, one of the Dutch 

 midshipmen ascended to the main-royal 

 mast-head and sat at his ease on the truck, 

 which in shape and size resembles a small 

 round table, and between it and the sky 

 there is nothing. One of ours, on seeing 



