A New World 



much the old tub tossed about and battered 

 the waves, we were on deck every day, not in 

 the least seasick, watching the sailors at their 

 rope-hauling and climbing work; joining in 

 their songs, learning the names of the ropes 

 and sails, and helping them as far as they would 

 let us; playing games with other boys in calm 

 weather when the deck was dry, and in stormy 

 weather rejoicing in sympathy with the big 

 curly-topped waves. 



The captain occasionally called David and 

 me into his cabin and asked us about our 

 schools, handed us books to read, and seemed 

 surprised to find that Scotch boys could read 

 and pronounce English with perfect accent 

 and knew so much Latin and French. In Scotch 

 schools only pure English was taught, although 

 not a word of English was spoken out of school. 

 All through life, however well educated, the 

 Scotch spoke Scotch among their own folk, 

 except at times when unduly excited on the 

 only two subjects on which Scotchmen get much 

 excited, namely religion and politics. So long 



[ 57] 



