THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Introductory— Getting" under way— Getting- to Sea« 



Sea-going people, and particularly sailors, for there is a 

 distinction to be made between them, derive a pleasure from 

 looking at a vessel, which landsmen cannot comprehend. Next 

 to woman, nothing can fix the admiring gaze of a thorough 

 bred seaman, so soon as a ship. When he views her from the 

 shore, sitting buoyantly on the water, his eye roves quickly 

 over her side from stem to stern, and carefully notes her pro- 

 portions, her paint, the line of her ports and guns, with bright 

 tompions reflecting the sun's rays, her shear, and model gene- 

 rally. The next look is aloft. There he scans the nice propor- 

 tion and symmetry of her spars ; if the examination be satisfac- 

 tory, he pronounces her " a splendid model — clean run and 

 neat aloft," mentally deciding that she sits on the water like a 

 duck, and must be a good sea-boat. If he is to become an in- 

 mate on board, from that moment he feels a growing affection 

 for her, and will not hear her faults mentioned without attempt- 

 ing a defence. He speaks her praises with delight, and takes 

 as much pleasure in her decoration, as a city belle possibly can 

 in that of her own person ; — his ship occupies a place in his 

 mind, only second to that of his wife or sweetheart. 



Without possessing the discriminating eye of a tar^ I enjoy, 

 in a high degree, the sight of a fine ship at her moorings, and 



when I first looked upon the F , I felt a yearning to- 



2 



