THE MATE'S STOKY. 



with them, by means of a little net over the ship's side 

 the result, like many others in this world, was disappoint- 

 ment. A man-of-war is caught, but, upon its reaching 

 the deck, is found to consist of a small bladder, now 

 destitute of those attractions that had tempted our eyes, 

 and a few long muscular strings, that raise a red smarting 

 line wherever they touch the skin. This curious creature 

 declines exhibiting its beauties during captivity. 



I had many theoretical lessons in seamanship from the 

 mate during this fine weather, and many interesting 

 anecdotes of whaling adventures. He was very anxious 

 to pass safely round the Cape, and, upon my inquiring the 

 reason, he gave me the following account of his last trip, 

 which had taken place some four years before : 



"It was on a miserably cold day in February that the good 

 barque Emerald, in which I was second mate, weighed 

 her anchor from the mud opposite Gravesend, and com- 

 menced her voyage for the Mauritius. I had sailed with 

 the captain (Wharton) to the West Indies on a former 

 voyage, and had been asked by him to take the second 

 mate's place on this trip, although I was only twenty-one 

 years old at the time. I thought it a good berth, and 

 accepted it, although I disliked the man. He was a good 

 sailor, there was no denying, but a bit of a bully, and, I 

 always suspected, drank a good deal when quiet in his 

 cabin. He had been married just before our voyage, and 

 his" honey moon was rather curtailed by the hurry of our 

 departure. I saw his wife several times before we left 

 England, for she was staying at Gravesend, and had also 

 come on board while we were lying in the docks. She 



