266 
LETTERS FROM 
ation was not very enviable. The cabin was 
large, and tolerably clean, for as the vessel 
was nearly new, there had not been time for 
the dirt to accumulate, but nothing had ever 
been done to make the place comfortable. 
It had neither stove, cupboard, shelf, nor 
furniture of any kind, except one small deal 
table, and the only adornment the sides and 
ceiling had ever received, was a thick coat¬ 
ing of tar. The sleeping berths were nothing 
more than rough wooden frames fastened 
to the sides of the cabin with ropes. They 
were furnished with bedding, but we made 
use of nothing but the mattresses, as we had 
purchased some sheets at Messina, and our 
sea-cloaks and coats served us for blankets. 
We had also bought three rush-bottomed 
chairs. The favourable opinion we had 
formed of the respectability of the captain 
and his men was very soon changed. The cap- 
