68 SAILORS. 



gained sufficient courage and confidence 

 to reach the truck, but not to rival the 

 feats of either the Dutch or the English 

 midshipman. 



In the fore and afternoon that is, 

 when it was my watch upon deck I 

 would employ myself in learning to knot 

 and splice, under the tuition of the 

 captain of the forecastle a fine specimen 

 of a British sailor; and frequently learn 

 from the boatswain, who took pleasure 

 in instructing me, the names and use of 

 the different ropes, the marks on the 

 lead line, and every part of practical 

 seamanship. Indeed, with the crew gene- 

 rally I was an especial favourite, who, 

 with but one or two exceptions, were 

 quiet and orderly men, of sober and 

 obedient habits, and, with every charac- 

 teristic of British sailors, united a re- 

 spect for, and attachment to, their officers. 



The first-lieutenant, who, under the 

 captain, is the principal agent for creating 



