o these, were four capacious pockets on the outside; one
pair to slip books into when suddenly startled from my studies to the
main-royal-yard; and the other pair, for permanent mittens, to thrust
my hands into of a cold night-watch. This last contrivance was regarded
as needless by one of my top-mates, who showed me a pattern for
sea-mittens, which he said was much better than mine.

It must be known, that sailors, even in the bleakest weather, only
cover their hands when unemployed; they never wear mittens aloft, since
aloft they literally carry their lives in their hands, and want nothing
between their grasp of the hemp, and the hemp itself.--Therefore, it is
desirable, that whatever things they cover their hands with, should be
capable of being slipped on and off in a moment. Nay, it is desirable,
that they should be of such a nature, that in a dark night, when you
are in a great hurry--say, going to the helm--they may be jumped into,
indiscriminately; and not be like a pair of right-and-left kids;
neither of which will admit any hand, but the particular one meant for
it.

My top-mate's contrivance was this--he ought to have got out a patent
for it--each of his mittens was provided with two thumbs, one on each
side; the convenience of which needs no comment. But though for clumsy
seamen, whose fingers are all thumbs, this description of mitten might
do very well, White-Jacket did not so much fancy it. For when your hand
was once in the bag of the mitten, the empty thumb-hole sometimes
dangled at your palm, confounding your ideas of where your real thumb
might be; or else, being carefully grasped in the hand, was continually
suggesting the insane notion, that you were all the while having hold
of some one else's thumb.

No; I told my good top-mate to go away with his four thumbs, I would
have nothing to do with them; two thumbs were enough for any man.

For some time after completing my jacket, and getting the furniture and
household stores in it; I thought that nothing could exceed it for
convenience. Seldom now did I have occasion to go to my bag, and be
jostled by the crowd who were making their wardrobe in a heap. If I
wanted anything in the way of clothing, thread, needles, or literature,
the chances were that my invaluable jacket contained it. Yes: I fairly
hugged myself, and revelled in my jacket; till, alas! a long rain put
me out of conceit of it. I, and all my pockets and their contents, were
soaked thr