383 NIMROD OP THE SEA ; OR, 



salts, and an equal measure of pure lime-juice. This dose 

 was to "work ofE" scurvy: it seemed like swallowing a 

 saw. 



Speaking of eggs, and captain, monkey, and man greedily 

 watching at the nest for them (as I did a few pages back) 

 recalls a yarn spun by Captain Mathews, of New Bedford. 

 When he sailed as boat steerer with Captain Blank, the stew- 

 ard placed three eggs by the old man's plate at breakfast 

 one day. The superior looked at them a while, with the cor- 

 ners of his nose turned up suspiciously. " Halloo, steward !" 

 he growled, " didn't I tell you to boil some eggs ?" " Them's 

 eggs, sir." " Them's eggs, sir !" mockingly said the irate 

 chief, "I'll egg you, you scoundrel! Call three eggs eggs, 

 do you ?" " Eggs for the captain — you — sir !" " And where 

 is eggs for the men? None, eh? Well now, just you tell 

 me what mean cuss you have been sailing with ?" " Captain 

 Lucius, sir." " Captain Lucius ! Well, you are worthy of • 

 him. He'll reach Fiddler's Green through a Galapagos ter- 

 rapin ; but just you don't forget that when you boil eggs, or 

 any thing else for the cabin table, boil for all hands, and place 

 in the middle of the table. If I don't get my fair share, it's 

 because I don't want it. Now clear out, and boil some 

 .eggs." 



This story of Captain Mathews's grew out of a discussion 

 as to the different qualities of fare provided in the cabins of 

 various whalers, and the old man went on to say, " It's not 

 that captains are always hard and mean by nature, but they 

 have been brought up with such men as Captain Lucius, and 

 really believe that the way is to be stingy on deep water." 



" Why, Captain Mathews," said one, " you don't let the 

 boat-steerers come to your table just as you leave it, do 

 you?" 



" And why not ?" he asked. 



" Well, it's extravagant, to say the least, to leave butter 



