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and in the beft condition, while remaining in 

 the harbours of the iflands : and that in this 

 the failors have a degree of pride, which excites 

 a general fpirit of emulation — every captain 

 wifhing to render his veflel the objed of at- 

 traction and admiration. In confequence of 

 this cuftom the Weft India harbours become 

 quite a drawing room of fine-dreffed mer- 

 chantmen. Here each fhip exhibits her beft 

 apparel, and vying with the others, holds 

 out her lures to catch the eye of every 

 beholder. The decoration Is univerfal. From 

 head to ftern^ not a plank, a maft, a yard, nor 

 fcarcely a rope efcapes ; each receives a full- 

 drefs coat of paint, or is made new with a 

 black varnifh of tar. The painting of the more 

 prominent parts of our fhip being completed, 

 the progrefs of cleaning, and new-drefling 

 was extended to fuch minutiae as to become 

 very highly ridiculous. A painting mania 

 feemed to have feized the whole crew, and 

 every one was up to his elbows in greafe, tar, 

 and paint. The capftan-^^the quarter-boards 

 ■—the binocles — the hen-koops- — every thing 

 around us was bedaubed. The cannon — the 

 foand-fpikcs — the capftan bars— the barrels 



