8 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR AVEST. 



lashed to the posts, to keep them from tumbhng about 

 wdth the motion of the ship, leaving a space on each 

 side of about twenty-two feet long, and from twelve to 

 fourteen inches wide, for 118 passengers. At first I 

 could not believe that we were so many, but by de- 

 grees became convinced of it. After for a short time 

 viewing the scene with its forms climbing and crawl- 

 ing about through the gloom, I imagined to myself the 

 motion of the ship, the lashings giving way, the chests 

 and boxes flying from side to side, and the advent of 

 sea-sickness, which the number of tin basins kept in 

 readiness seemed mournfully to forebode; — I hastily 

 mounted to the deck, which seemed spacious and well 

 arranged. 



Although lying at anchor, the " Constitution " ap- 

 peaj'cd to one so uninitiated as myself to roll con- 

 siderably. Before dark, I crept below again to take 

 another look at my sleeping-place. There were five 

 of us, whom fate and our ovm volition had consigned 

 to a space six feet square, Avith the audacious idea 

 of resigning ourselves to the arms of Morpheus; 

 but we were so squeezed together that the god could 

 not have clasped an individual ; so he must eitlier take 

 all five at once, or leave us to our fate. Our mat- 

 tresses were spread (each had a mattress and coverlet), 

 and we crept in one after the other. ^Mien four had 

 taken their places, two of them being men of colossal 

 bulk, the space was filled, and the question arose — 

 "VMiat was to become of the fifth ? Lie across? That 

 would have been too uncomfortable for those below. 

 Under our lieads ? That would not have been agree- 

 able for H., who was the fifth man ; besides he was so 



