After the usual formalities at starting had been gone through, with a gentle bleeding of your pocket, in the shape of fees and dues, there was a general scrutiny of each other, among the passengers, so that each might form some estimate ef the position, consequence, profession, and wealth, and, if possible, the peculiarities of his neighbour,—not however as yet proceeding to that skirmishing of personalities by which an Englishman is so readily distinguished from more polite foreigners. The passengers soon however began to sort, and to settle down in cliques, which seems to be the natural solution of English society, in such a predicament as this.
The vessel E was in was 872 feet long, and too narrow in beam for her length: consequently there. was no pitehing from stem to stern, but she was in a constant state of waddle, uncomfortable at times to: those who are only accustomed to derra firma. The crockery was repeatedly sent flymg; and sundry things tumbling down created unpleasant interludes throughout the night, that prevented sleep. And when the earliest dawn of light began, all the cocks on board, of which there must have been scores, seemed entitled to assert their privilege of proclaiming the day; and that with repeated salutations from one to another. “As the old cock crows, the young cock learns,” was exemplified on this occasion. The senior seemed to commence his statement, and the juniors, according to age, reiterated it, which appeared to be, to them, a satisfaction, although they were crowded _ oud heaped together, topsy-tarvey, in the baskets. In spite of these disadvantages they found means of giving expression to their opinions; but it’ was anything but
