HAPPINESS AND THE PURSUIT OF IT. 
temporarily lost in a swamp, they can always be 
diverted into some useful channel, by a judicious 
s^^stem of di-ainnge, requiring some skill and patience. 
Patience is a good stout vessel to sail, but you 
must mind your rudder ! Kecollect, all voyages are 
not made alike, all differ in some degree, and the 
causes cannot well be understood. Some vessels just 
pass out of one trade-wind into another, without any 
stop at all ; others again will be for days and weeks 
becalmed in the ‘‘doldrums”; while another slow 
ship has had better luck, and sailed through, with 
little experience of the “doldrums.” We all have 
our seasons of the “doldrums” — proprietor, manager, 
assistant, even the cooly, who would always be in 
the “ doldrums ” if he could. From personal experi- 
ence we always did, and still do, stand more in 
dread of the “doldrums,” than a gale of wind; ac- 
tion before inaction is any day better, far better, to 
wear than to rust out. But still, under certain cir- 
cumstances, “doldrums” are pleasant, provided they 
do not last too long : indeed, often desirable or even 
necessary, as, after a heavy gale, there is now good 
time and opportunity to put the ship all to rights, 
sew up the rents in the sails, and splice the broken 
ropes. And thus also it is with the “doldrums” 
of life ; our planters must all have experienced what 
a relief they are, in a heavy picking, a break before 
another ;pusli ripens up ; 3mu get your cisterns cleared 
out, the wet coffee dried up, and even a quantity 
despatched, making room in the store for more. 
Then, after a long period of two-bushel picking, 
when you hardly had time to eat your breakfast, 
because, just when you were half done, a store 
cooly would come running up and tell you, “ The 
coolies are come, waiting, actually waiting for 
master.” After bolting a few spoonfuls of rice and 
curry you also bolt without the after-breakfast rest 
and pipe. How pleased the “doldrums” are when 
you are done to a three-quarter or half-bushel pick- 
ing, taken in once a day at four o’clock, provided, 
and provided only, you have secured your estimate ! 
Then, who ever forgets the “ doldrums, ” between 
crops, when you get away for a few weeks to visit 
your friends, and come back fresh and invigorated 
to brave another gale of wind, which may in all prob- 
ability set in immediately after your return, having 
been gathering up in great force, all the time of 
your absence, for, as you step into your verandah, 
you step out of the “doldrums.” There they are, 
ready to pounce upon you, standing behind those 
bushes at the corner of the kitchen, a dozen of 
coolies at the very least, and, oh horror ! two red 
