become contrary, and
talked on in a dreary sort of way about his voyage, the bad weather,
and the disadvantages he was under in the lightness of his ship, which
bounced about like a chip in a bucket, and would not answer the rudder
or properly respond to the most careful setting of sails.

"So there we were blowin' along anyways," he complained; but looking at
me at this moment, and seeing that my thoughts were unkindly wandering,
he ceased to speak.

"It was a hard life at sea in those days, I am sure," said I, with
redoubled interest.

"It was a dog's life," said the poor old gentleman, quite reassured,
"but it made men of those who followed it. I see a change for the worse
even in our own town here; full of loafers now, small and poor as 'tis,
who once would have followed the sea, every lazy soul of 'em. There is
no occupation so fit for just that class o' men who never get beyond
the fo'cas'le. I view it, in addition, that a community narrows down and
grows dreadful ignorant when it is shut up to its own affairs, and gets
no knowledge of the outside world except from a cheap, unprincipled
newspaper. In the old days, a good part o' the best men here knew a
hundred ports and something of the way folks lived in them. They saw
the world for themselves, and like's not their wives and children saw it
with them. They may not have had the best of knowledge to carry with 'em
sight-seein', but they were some acquainted with foreign lands an' their
laws, an' could see outside the battle for town clerk here in Dunnet;
they got some sense o' proportion. Yes, they lived more dignified, and
their houses were better within an' without. Shipping's a terrible loss
to this part o' New England from a social point o' view, ma'am."

"I have thought of that myself," I returned, with my interest quite
awakened. "It accounts for the change in a great many things,--the sad
disappearance of sea-captains,--doesn't it?"

"A shipmaster was apt to get the habit of reading," said my companion,
brightening still more, and taking on a most touching air of unreserve.
"A captain is not expected to be familiar with his crew, and for
company's sake in dull days and nights he turns to his book. Most of us
old shipmasters came to know 'most everything about something; one would
take to readin' on farming topics, and some were great on medicine,--but
Lord help their poor crews!--or some were all for history, and now and
then there'd be one like me tha