20 WILD SPORTS IX THE FAR WEST. 



the evening. The scene in the steerage was piteous in 

 the extreme ; sea-sickness at its height. — H. and I 

 attempted to joke with some, who were seated on the 

 deck, deadly pale, with tin basins between their knees, 

 patiently awaiting the dreaded paroxysms. We put a 

 slice of nice fat bacon into a plate, covered it over, then 

 went to the sufferers and asked them how they felt. 

 Instead of answering, they mournfully shook their 

 heads. " Won't you take something ? " asked H., with 

 a kind voice ; the very idea occasioned disgust, and 

 with wry faces they motioned us not to speak of it ; 

 not yet satisfied, I uncovered the plate, and H., holding 

 up the slice before them, asked in the most amiable, 

 S}Tiipathizing voice, " Perhaps you could eat a little 

 bit of bacon ? " This was like a watchword ; it worked 

 like magic, and we were glad to fly on deck, almost 

 alarmed at the success of our plans. 



At noon pease-soup was served out ; I had taken a 

 basinful down below, a proceeding which required no 

 little skill, and leaning against the sleeping-place had 

 almost finished it, when H. came cursing and swearing 

 down the ladder, and standing at the foot of it, showed 

 us his coat, telling us, fiery with rage, that one of the 

 Oldenburghers had spilt all his pease-soup over him. 

 At this moment a tin dishful of the same came 

 flying down the hatchway, and emptied itself so com- 

 pletely over ill-fated H. that his eyes were bunged 

 up ; nor was this all — the soup was only the prologue 

 to the play, for who should follow his soup, head- 

 foremost, but poor William, in propria jjersonu, who, 

 but for alio-htino^ on H.'s shoulders must have broken 

 his neck. Both fell t0";ether in the mess. It would 



