TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIA S. 
9 
A surge—another—and a third still heavier, beat upon the 
noble ship and sent a thrill through every timber. On they 
rolled, and dashed, and groaned. But her iron heart only 
seemed to gather strength from the conflict, and inspire 
us with a feeling of perfect safety. 
u A fine sea-boat is the Vancouver, gentlemen,” said Cap¬ 
tain Duncan, u she rides the storm like a petreland with 
this comfortable assurance we seated ourselves at the table. 
I had nearly forgotten Tom, the cabin-boy; a mere 
mouse of a lad; who knew the rock of a ship and the turn 
of a corkscrew as well as any one; and as he was spry^ 
had a short name, a quick ear, and bore the keys to the 
sideboard and some things elsewhere, all well-bred stomachs 
would not fail to blast my quill, If I omitted to write his 
name and draw his portrait. 
Well, Tom was one of those sons of old England, who 
are born to the inheritance of poverty, and a brave heart for 
the seas. Like many thousand children of the Fatherland, 
when the soil refused him bread, he was apprenticed for the 
term of seven years to seamanship. And there he w T as, an 
English sailor-boy, submitting to the most rigorous discipline, 
serving the first part of his time in learning to keep his cabin 
in order, and wait at the table, that when, as he was taught to 
expect, he should have a ship of his own, he might know 
how to be served like a gentleman. This part of his appren¬ 
ticeship he performed admirably. And when he shall leave 
the cork-screw and the locker for the quarter-deck, I doubt 
not he will scream at a storm, and utter his commands with suf¬ 
ficient imperiousness to entitle him to have a Tom of his own. 
u Tom,” said Captain Duncan, a bring out a flagon of Ja¬ 
maica, and set on the glasses, lad. This stosm, gentlemen, 
calls for cheers. When Neptune labors at this pace, he 
loves his dram. Fill gentlemen, to absent wives.” This 
compliment to the sacred ascendency of the domestic affec¬ 
tions was timely given. . The storm howled hideously for 
our lives, our families were far distant over seas and moun- 
