^73 



dipped and drenched m the foamhig billows 

 of the ocean ! The indifference of fea-faring 

 men to the dangers around them is exem- 

 pHfied in every part of their condud, and^ 

 even, in their common expreffioas. Often 

 when we have felt the moft vivid appre- 

 henfions from the fiercenefs of the ftorm, and 

 the huge roughnefs of the ocean, and have, 

 tremblingly, fought relief, by an appeal to the 

 captain or mate, we have met only a look of 

 unconcern, or, at moft, the laconic reply " // 

 blows frefhr From their quaint and tech- 

 nical terms it is difEcult for any one, unac- 

 cuftomed to the fea, to know precifely what 

 they mean to convey. Their degrees of com- 

 parifon are peculiar to themfelves, and, at firft, 

 not eafy to be comprehended: taking the term 

 frefti as thepoficive, they fay it blows frefo — it 

 blows Jlrong — it blows bard ; and again, to de- 

 note the fevered poffible gale, they affume hard 

 as the pofitive— add an oath to form the com- 

 parative, and augment that oath to confticute 

 the fuperlative ; thus, it blows hard; it blows 



d hard ; it blows d hard by — — 



Previous to this extremity we are commonly 

 furnifhed with an omen, by the captain com- 



