53 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



" she arrives at the wharf, two or three scramble up, and 

 "the rest, remaining in the boat, begin to throw the 

 "heavy pelts of greasy bloody fat up on the floor of the 

 "stage. At the same time one of the crew that has 

 " climbed up begins to lay them one by one, fur down- 

 " ward, on the barrow ; singing out, as he lays down 

 " each, ' One — two — three — four — tally,' I at each one 

 "making a mark on my paper. Five pelts make a 

 " barrow-load, and instead of the word ' five,' the word 

 " ' tally ' is used, for then I am to make a diagonal line 

 " across the four marks, and this formula is called ' a 

 "tally.' Immediately the word ' tally ' is uttered by the 

 " loader, which is always with a loud emphasis, I also 

 " say ' tally ; ' and then two labourers catch up the 

 " barrow, and carry it into the recesses of the stage for 

 " the pelts to be skinned ; a second barrow meanwhile 

 "receiving its tally in exactly the same manner, while 

 " my marking goes on, but on the opposite side of the 

 " basal line ; so that the record assumes a form which 

 "represents fifty pelts. This is very easily counted, 

 "while mistake is almost impossible. 1 forgot to say 

 " that one of the more responsible hands, perhaps the 

 " mate, also stands by, and keeps a like tally with mine, 

 " on behalf of the owner and crew. 



" Of course this was by no means so pleasant an 

 " employment as that I had been used to in the warmth 

 " and comfort and congenial company of the counting- 

 " house. The dirty, brawling vulgar fellows crowding 

 "around, uttering their low witless jokes, or cursing 

 "and swearing, or abusing others, or bragging their 

 " achievements ; the filth everywhere ; the rancid grease, 

 " which could not fail to be absorbed by my shoes and 

 " scattered over my clothes ; so that whenever, at bell- 

 " ringing or in evening, I essayed to join my companions, 



