ed till just
before the ship was ready for sea.

I must notice here the very bad system which has long prevailed with
regard to British merchant seamen. The moment a ship arrives in
harbour, the crew are paid their wages and discharged. On this they are
immediately set upon by Jews and harpies of every description. I do
them no wrong when I say that they are the very worst of the human race:
the fiercest savages have some virtues--these wretches have none.

The poor seamen are cajoled by them with every artful device; nor do the
miscreants cease till they have plundered them of all their hard-earned
gold. Not content with this, these crimps--for such is the name by
which these persons are known--encourage the seamen to get into their
debt, chiefly for liquor; and they then go to the masters of merchantmen
looking out for crews, and make any arrangements they please. Part of
the seamen's wages are paid in advance, and this goes into the pockets
of the crimps. I have known men put on board in a state of brutal
intoxication, without knowing who were their officers, or where they
were going to. Thus the men were kept in a state of absolute slavery,
without self-respect or a chance of improvement.

I speak of the system as it was till lately. I trust that a better
state of affairs is now being introduced; at the same time, as there is
a tendency in most things to let abuses creep in, I must entreat you, my
young friends, in your several capacities when you grow up, not to
forget the interests of our brave seamen. On those seamen depend
greatly the prosperity, the glory, the very existence of England; and,
whether as legislators or as private gentlemen, I tell you it is your
duty to inquire into their condition, and to endeavour to improve it by
every means in your power.

But to return to the _Black Swan_, and the man who had pointed her out
to me. There was something I remarked very peculiar about the said man,
so I will speak of him first. He wore a straw hat with a very broad
brim, a nankeen jacket, though the weather was still cold, Flushing
trousers, which did not near reach to his ankles, and a waistcoat of
fur--of beaver, I believe, or of wild cat. He had a very long face, and
lantern jaws. His nose was in proportion, and it curled down in a way
which gave it a most facetious expression; while a very bright small
pair of eyes had also a sort of constant laugh in them, though the rest
of his features l