n already led to divide into two classes--the
better sort consisting of the baser kind of Bagman, and the worser of
undisguised Beasts of the Field. The berths are excellent, the pasture
swallowable, the champagne of H. James (to recur to my favourite
adjective) inimitable. As for the Commodore, he slept awhile in the
evening, tossed off a cup of Henry James with his plain meal, walked the
deck till eight, among sands and floating lights and buoys and wrecked
brigantines, came down (to his regret) a minute too soon to see Margate
lit up, turned in about nine, slept, with some interruptions, but on the
whole sweetly, until six, and has already walked a mile or so of deck,
among a fleet of other steamers waiting for the tide, within view of
Havre, and pleasantly entertained by passing fishing-boats, hovering
sea-gulls, and Vulgarians pairing on deck with endearments of primitive
simplicity. There, sir, can be viewed the sham quarrel, the sham desire
for information, and every device of these two poor ancient sexes (who
might, you might think, have learned in the course of the ages something
new) down to the exchange of head-gear.--I am, sir, yours,

BOLD BOB BOLTSPRIT.

B. B. B. (_alias_ the Commodore) will now turn to his proofs. Havre de
Grace is a city of some show. It is for-ti-fied; and, so far as I can
see, is a place of some trade. It is situ-ated in France, a country of
Europe. You always complain there are no facts in my letters.

R. L. S.

TO SIDNEY COLVIN

_Newport, R.I., U.S.A. [September 1887]_

MY DEAR COLVIN,--So long it went excellent well, and I had a time I am
glad to have had; really enjoying my life. There is nothing like being
at sea, after all. And O, why have I allowed myself to rot so long on
land? But on the Banks I caught a cold, and I have not yet got over it.
My reception here was idiotic to the last degree.... It is very silly,
and not pleasant, except where humour enters; and I confess the poor
interviewer lads pleased me. They are too good for their trade; avoided
anything I asked them to avoid, and were no more vulgar in their reports
than they could help. I liked the lads.

O, it was lovely on our stable-ship, chock full of stallions. She
rolled heartily, rolled some of the fittings out of our state-room, and
I think a more dangerous cruise (except that it was summer) it would be
hard to imagine. But we enjoyed it to the masthead, all but Fanny; and
even sh