TRAVELS IN THE CALIFORNIA S. 
21 
Somnus ; not he. u And if the planks of the ship will float 
me long enough it shall be done.” He does not say that 
he is on his way to the conquest of the Californias; and 
that he will strip himself of his blue roundabout, as he will 
that beautiful country of its ill-fitting tyranny. His berth 
’s on the starboard side. The ship is pitching and dodging 
like a spent top. How his bravery will end under such 
circumstances is a question of no little interest. But that 
something will soon be done you perceive becomes evident; 
for now as the starboard side lowers on the retreating wave, 
he seizes his outer garment with both hands, and with a 
whistle and jump that would do credit to a steam-car off the 
track, wrenches himself out of it just in time to seize the 
edge of his berth as the next surge strikes the ship and 
throws it suddenly on the other side. His vest comes off 
with more ease and less danger. Boots, too, are drawn 
without accident. But the pants! they are tight! He 
loosens the buttons; slides them down ; with one hand he 
holds fast to the berth ; pulls off the left leg with the other, 
and is about extricating the right foot, but, alas ! that sud¬ 
den jerk of the ship scatters his half-clad person, bravery, 
pants and all, among the trembling trunks, stools, table- 
legs, &c., to the manifest detriment of the outer bark of his 
limbs ! At this moment Mr. Simpson is in the midst of his 
favorite passage— 
“ Ah Tam, ah Tam, thou ’It get thy fairin’, 
In hell they ’ll roast thee like a herin’.” 
The professor of psalmody, after some search, finds him¬ 
self again, and with courage unimpeached, lies down in 
silence. 
