ats on the other, so
that only sufficient space remained to pass through.

At dinner or supper, the ladies--the Danish girl and myself--sat on the
little benches, where we were so squeezed, that we could scarcely move;
the two cavaliers--the captain and the steersman--were obliged to stand
before the table, and eat their meals in that position. The table was so
small that they were obliged to hold their plates in their hands. In
short, every thing shewed the cabin was made only for the crew, not for
the passengers.

The air in this enclosure was also not of the purest; for, besides that
it formed our bed-room, dining-room, and drawing-room, it was also used
as store-room, for in the side cupboards provisions of various kinds were
stored, also oil-colours, and a variety of other matter. I preferred to
sit on the deck, exposed to the cold and the storm, or to be bathed by a
wave, than to be half stifled below. Sometimes, however, I was obliged
to descend, either when rain and storms were too violent, or when the
ship was so tossed by contrary winds that the deck was not safe. The
rolling and pitching of our little vessel was often so terrible, that we
ladies could neither sit nor stand, and were therefore obliged to lie
down in the miserable berths for many a weary day. How I envied my
companion! she could sleep day and night, which I could not. I was
nearly always awake, much to my discomfort; for the hatches and the
entrance were closed during the storm, and an Egyptian darkness, as well
as a stifling atmosphere, filled the cabin.

In regard to food, all passengers, captain and crew, ate of the same
dish. The morning meal consisted of miserable tea, or rather of nauseous
water having the colour of tea. The sailors imbibed theirs without
sugar, but the captain and the steersman took a small piece of candied
sugar, which does not melt so quickly as the refined sugar, in their
mouth, and poured down cup after cup of tea, and ate ship's biscuit and
butter to it.

The dinner fare varied. The first day we had salt meat, which is soaked
the evening before, and boiled the next day in sea-water. It was so
salt, so hard, and so tough, that only a sailor's palate can possibly
enjoy it. Instead of soup, vegetables, and pudding, we had pearl-barley
boiled in water, without salt or butter; to which treacle and vinegar was
added at the dinner-table. All the others considered this a delicacy,
and marvelled at my deprav