it. I would rather run a week among islands, than a single day among
icebergs. One knows where to find land, for that never moves; but your
mountains that float about, are here to-day, and there to-morrow."

"Quite true, sir," returned Hazard, "and men that take their lays in
sealers, are not to expect anything but squalls. I'm ready to hold on as
long as our neighbour yonder; he seems to be trimming down to it, as if in
raal earnest to get ahead."

This was true enough. The Sea Lion of the Vineyard was doing her best, all
this time; and though unable to keep her station on her consort's weather
bow, where she had been most of the morning, she was dropped so very
slowly as to render the change nearly imperceptible. Now, it was, that the
officers and crews of these two craft watched their "behaviour," as it is
technically termed, with the closest vigilance and deepest interest. Those
in the Oyster Pond vessel regarded the movements of their consort, much as
a belle in a ball-room observes the effect produced by the sister belles
around her; or a rival physician notes the progress of an operation, that
is to add new laurels, or to cause old ones to wither. Now, the lurch was
commented on; then, the pitch was thought to be too heavy; and Green was
soon of opinion that their competitor was not as easy on her spars as
their own schooner. In short, every comparison that experience, jealousy
or skill could suggest, was freely made; and somewhat as a matter of
course, in favour of their own vessel. That which was done on board the
Sea Lion of Oyster Pond, was very freely emulated by those on board her
namesake of the Vineyard. They made _their_ comparisons, and formed
_their_ conclusions, with the same deference to self-esteem, and the same
submission to hope, as had been apparent among their competitors. It would
seem to be a law of nature that men should thus flatter themselves, and
perceive the mote in the eye of their neighbour, while the beam in their
own escapes.

Had there been an impartial judge present, he might have differed from
both sets of critics. Such a person would have seen that one of these
schooners excelled in this quality, while the other had an equal advantage
in another. In this way, by running through the list of properties that
are desirable in a ship, he would, most probably, have come to the
conclusion that there was not much to choose between the two vessels; but,
that each had been constructed wit