174 



ing down, below, to change his long coat 

 for a fliort round jacket, and from this we al- 

 ways prognofticate unfavorably, it being a 

 precaution which denotes bufy, and perhaps, 

 perilous employment. 



Our fteward is a very old failor, tough 

 as the ropes of the fliip, and callous to every 

 alarm j and, being the perfon more immedi- 

 ately about us, it moft frequently falls to his 

 lot to be teazed. with queftions regarding 

 the weather, the wind, and the fea ; and the 

 fieady apathy of his feelings, together with his 

 exceffive fang fr old and unconcern, have been 

 often fubjeds of remark — fometimes, indeed, 

 of vexation to us ; for his utter infenfibility to 

 the circumftances, v/hich called forth our cares 

 and alarms, have, occafionally, provoked us. 

 During one of our perilous ftorms, the wind 

 having fhifted to a point fomewhat lefs un- 

 favorable, although ftill blowing a terrific 

 gale, the ufual queftion wms afked — Well, 

 fteward ! hov/ is the v^eather? Squally ^fqii ally ^ 

 " gentlemcfi — the wincPs coming about — be 

 Jinezveathcr foofz'^ According to the feel- 

 ings of this old weather-beaten tar, the fevereil 



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