ere not on very lovable terms the few minutes allowed the
mate was a very monotonous affair owing to the forced and
dignified silence of his companion, who eyed with disfavour
his healthy appetite; but this did not deter him from
continuing to dispose of the meagre repast of vitiated salt
junk. The request to be helped a second time broke the
silence and brought forth language of a highly improper
nature, and did the indiscreet officer happen to boldly go
for the butter-pot _after_ he had partaken of beef he was
eloquently reminded that those who "began with beef must
finish with beef," and those who "began with butter must
finish with butter"! I quote the exact words, for I have
heard them. If the mate was of a quarrelsome disposition he
retaliated by declaiming against any attempt to restrict his
food. Then followed mutual cursings, and hot recriminations.
The title of gentleman was repudiated, and "you're another"
substituted. But these little squabbles generally passed
away without any permanent resentment; and although the
mates may have strongly disagreed with the starvation policy
of their captains and owners, as soon as they got command
themselves they adopted the selfsame methods, and in some
cases applied them with a rigour that would have put their
former commanders to shame. The scale of provision was a
scandal to any civilised nation. Both owners and captains
were well aware of this, and shamefully used it as a threat
to prevent men from justly complaining of the quality or
quantity of food they were being served with. An opportunity
was often made so that the men might be put on their
"whack," or, to be strictly accurate, the phrase commonly
used was "your pound and pint," and as an addendum they
were dramatically informed that they should have no fresh
provisions in port. The men, of course, naturally retaliated
by measuring their work according to the food they got; and
then it was seen that the game was to be too costly and too
perilous. The common-sense commander would find a judicious
retreat from an untenable position, and the blockhead would
persevere with it during a whole voyage, and boastfully
retail a sickening story of meanness to an audience who, he
cherished the idea, would regard him as a hero! How much
bitterness and loss was caused by this parochial-minded
malignity can never be estimated. It was undoubtedly a
prolific factor in making sea-lawyers, and a greater evil
than this could n