360 
HARTMAN AND MYSELF FEEL INSECURE. 
against the otherwise almost certain caudal irritation. 
The headman himself found a similarly-dangcrous seat 
on either quarter while guiding her course with a long 
and trailing oar. She floated on the water with the 
lightness of a distended bladder, and had a most singular 
way of twisting herself about, bending her long back 
over the short seas, seeming to be giving away under 
one’s foot, &c. &c., and altogether imparting a feeling of 
unpleasant insecurity. 
Upon one occasion, Hartman and myself were anxious 
to go on shore, while there was hut one of the ship’s 
boats alongside, and the headman, noticing our dis- 
appointment, — for we could not leave the ship without 
any boat for fear of accident, (a man falling overboard, or 
something of that sort,) — made signs to the effect that if 
we would get into his with a bottle of brandy in our 
pocket he would give us a passage : so we provided our- 
selves accordingly and stepped over the side. There was 
no ivind blowing at the time, but there was still the same 
old swell setting in through the channel, and, as wo rode 
lightly over them, she felt to iis, who were accustomed to 
<»ur ungiving boats, as if slie would break her hack at 
every jump. She would bend as much as fifteen or 
twenty degrees; and, if you happened to step anywhere 
save on one of the withe-like timbers, the softened skin 
\w)uld sink under the foot and cause you to catch for the 
gunwale nndcr the suddenness of the impression that 
you had found a hole and were about to try the depth of 
the -water. Then, her motion ^vas so supple and snake- 
like that one could not for sonie time rid himself of the 
idea that ^^somethins: was wroim,” and that it behooved 
