OF THE COOK. 123 



one occasion he had passed a few days in a vessel that 

 had been turned bottom up in a squall, but which, 

 luckily, having a light and shifting cargo, floated. 

 His only companions were two Negroes, who, with 

 the apathy of their race, spent the principal part of the 

 time in sleep. It was by boring a small hole through 

 the vessel's bottom, and pushing up a stick with a 

 handkerchief attached, that they were enabled to 

 attract the attention of a passing ship, by whose 

 people they were cut out. Old Mitchell's propensity 

 for fishing was very singular. Almost down to the 

 last, when in his hammock under the forecastle, he 

 would have a line passed to him whenever he heard 

 fish playing about ; and he would catch at it as it was 

 drawn through his fingers, until exhausted nature 

 failing he fell into a lethargic sleep. His situation 

 latterly was peculiarly pitiable. Worldly affairs and 

 a future state were so painfully mingled, that it was 

 impossible to determine whether or not resignation 

 predominated. He evidently recoiled from the awful 

 contemplation of futurity, and sought refuge in the 

 things of this life. Even whilst in the pangs of 

 death he could not conceive why he should be so 

 cold, and why his feet could not be kept up to a heat 

 which nature, in obedience to the dictates of infinite 

 wisdom, was gradually resigning. 



We arrived at Swan River on the 31st, under 

 circumstances which must forcibly illustrate to a 

 landsman the precision with which a ship may be 

 navigated. We had not seen land for fifty-two days, 



