ntered the greatest amount of dishonesty
combined with dispositions most cruel and brutal. Such a man was the
skipper into whose tender care I had so recklessly thrown myself.

The mate was an echo of his captain. When the one said "no" the other
said "no," and when either said "yes," the other affirmed it. The
principal difference between them was that the mate did not drink, and
perhaps this lengthened, if it did not strengthen, the bond of
friendship that existed between them. Had both been drinkers they must
have quarrelled at times; but the mate never "tasted" as he affirmed,
and when his superior was in his cups this enabled him to bear the abuse
which not unfrequently the captain treated him to. In all matters of
discipline, or of anything else, he was with the captain, for though
brutal he was but a cowardly fellow and ever ready to fawn upon his
master, "boot-lick" him as the sailors termed it.

There was a second mate, but this was a very secondary kind of a
character, not worth description, and scarcely to be distinguished from
the common "hands" over whom he exercised only a very limited control.

There was a carpenter, an old man with a large swollen rum-reddened
nose, another crony of the captain's; and a huge and very ugly negro,
who was both cook and steward, and who was vile enough to have held
office in the kitchen of Pluto. These were the officers of the ship,
and for the men, they were, as already stated, as villainous a crew as I
ever encountered. There were exceptions--only one or two,--but it was
some time before I discovered them.

In such companionship then did I find myself--I just fresh from the
tender protection of parents--from the company of kind friends, and
associates. Oh! I was well cured of the sea fever, and would have
given half my life to be on land again! How I reproached myself for my
folly! How I reproached that friend of the family--the old salt--whose
visionary adventures had no doubt been the cause of my sea longings! how
in my heart I now execrated both him, and his fanciful stories! Would I
had never heard them! would that I had never run away to sea!

Repentance had arrived too late to be of any use. I could no longer
return--I must go on, and how long? merciful heaven, the prospect was
horrible! Months of my painful life were to be endured. Months! nay
years,--for I now remembered that the wretch of a captain had caused me
to sign some agreement--I had no