into a state-room, and the door fastened with the custom-house seal.

This was my first trip to England. I'd had a good description of
Liverpool from sailors, and yet I was surprised at what was to be seen.
Each dock is an immense large basin, built of solid stone masonry, with
large store-houses surrounding it, the whole being inside of a high
wall, a large gate opening into the city. Policemen and custom-house
officers patrol it day and night. Nothing can pass without examination.
The tide from the sea rises from twenty to twenty-eight feet in
twenty-four hours. At high tide the gates, like a lock in a canal, are
opened. The ships are then allowed to enter or go out. Within a half
hour the tide commences to lower, then the gates are closed until the
next high water. Everything was made ready on the ship for going into
dock. A tugboat had us near the gate waiting for our chance. Once
inside, we had no trouble securing the ship alongside the dock. Our big
anchors had to be taken on deck, that being one of the dock regulations.
By evening everything was in first-class shape and very little work left
to be done by us in port. After supper we all started to see the city
sights by night. I was the only stranger, the others having been there
before. The three Americans and myself had a very pleasant time and
returned on board the vessel about twelve o'clock. Before we had
undressed for bed we heard a heavy splash in the water from the forward
part of the vessel, then some one from another vessel sung out, "Man
overboard!" We ran to the top-gallant forecastle and could plainly see
the bubbles rising in the water, but the man never came to the surface.
Grappling-hooks were sent for and the body was soon recovered. One of
the crew, a Norwegian, had gone to sleep on a coil of rope on the
forecastle and rolled overboard. The next morning, through superstition,
the crew all left the ship. We four Americans, of all the crew, alone
remained. The stevedore and his gang came on board to discharge the
cargo. I was anxious to see the first bale of cotton taken out. I had
seen how tightly it had been jammed in at Mobile. With tackle and hooks
and plenty of hard work, it was slowly pulled out. It took over a week
to discharge the entire cargo. I had bought a straw mattress in Mobile,
and, as it was not very comfortable, I emptied the tick and filled it
with cotton. That same day a young fellow came on board and asked me if
I had a cotton