DESCRIPTION OF ADAMS. 125 
officer by the hand, with undisguised feelings 
of gratification. The activity of the young 
men outstripped that of old Adams, who was, 
consequently, almost the last to greet us. He 
was unusually strong and active for his age, 
notwithstanding the inconvenience of con- 
siderable corpulency. He was dressed in a 
sailor's shirt and trowsers, and a low-crowned 
hat, which he instinctively held in his hand 
until desired to put it on. He still retained 
his sailor's gait, doffing his hat, and smooth- 
ing down his bald forehead whenever he was 
addressed by the officers. It was the first 
time he had been on board a ship of war 
since the mutiny, and his mind naturally 
reverted to scenes which could not fail to 
produce a temporary embarrassment, height- 
ened, perhaps, by the familiarity with which 
he found himself addressed by persons of a 
class with those whom he had been ac- 
customed to obey. Apprehension for his 
safety formed no part of his thoughts: he 
had received too many demonstrations of the 
good feeling that existed towards him, both 
on the part of the British Government and 
of individuals, to entertain any alarm on that 
