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Article PENCILLINGS FBOM THE SKETCH-BOOK OF A MA... ← Page 5 of 13 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
entertaining book , aloft in fine weather was a luxury ; and going overboard for a bathe , when becalmed near the line , was indeed delightful . This was accomplished in numbers because of the sharks , and by sails suspended from the ship ' s side , in the area of which we plunged about with a rope round the waist . One day a bottle , sealed and corked ,
containing a paper stating our latitude and longitude , was thrown overboard , hoping that it might be cast ashore , and thus afford another proof of the theory of ocean currents . Sometimes , by way of varying our sports , we had pistol-firing from the poop at bottles suspended from the spanker-boom ; occasionally we had the luck to catch a shark , or strike a porpoise with the ship ' s grcfins , or fished
for albatross or Cape pigeon with a line baited with pork from the stern ; perhaps , too , a little temporary excitement might occur by the cry of a whale in sight , or a suspicious-looking craft to leeward , affording diversion to the mind and food for speculation as to its being a pirate or not ; whilst at sunset , in the warm evenings , two fiddlers , a drummer , and fifer , men of the crew , for a trifling remuneration , enlivened us by striking up some well-known and lively
. There is something , without doubt , in Dr . Johnson's definition of life on board ship , " a prison with the chance of being drowned ; " but yet this is to be taken in a qualified sense—much will depend upon the individual himself . There is necessarily much idle time at sea , and what with pitching and tossing , and a host of minor nuisances
one never experiences on land , deep study is , I think , out of the question ; but I hold that in such a situation the elementary part of a foreign language may be taken up with advantage and satisfaction ; books , too , of a lively and entertaining kind , will be found a great resource against dullness . Most vessels now carry very respectable libraries with them , in which the most interesting works of travels , history , and fiction , find a prominent place ; thus no one need be absolutely rusting and pining through ennui . \
"When confined within the narrow compass of a ship , it is indeed a delightful change to emerge from the cold and raw weather of winter into the genial warmth and vivifying influences of a summer ' s day ; and this we felt in all its comfort at the close of the month of November , when we passed Porfco Santo and Madeira . The very lovely view presented to us of Funchal and its magnificent background , made us regret most sincerely that the heaviness of the
portdues prevented our commander from giving us the benefit of a run up the verdant hills of the island to enjoy the scenery and taste the fruits for which it is so praised . One may easily imagine , from the very romantic appearance this sea-girt oasis in the desert of waters presents to the eye , that it might justly be supposed to be the fabled Atlantis of the ancients ; and the very aspect from the oiling must invigorate the valetudinarian who , by its attractions , is led to make a sojourn among its beauties .
Off the Canary Islands we saw many flying fish ; these pretty creatures absolutely leapt on the vessel ' s bows , where they were
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
entertaining book , aloft in fine weather was a luxury ; and going overboard for a bathe , when becalmed near the line , was indeed delightful . This was accomplished in numbers because of the sharks , and by sails suspended from the ship ' s side , in the area of which we plunged about with a rope round the waist . One day a bottle , sealed and corked ,
containing a paper stating our latitude and longitude , was thrown overboard , hoping that it might be cast ashore , and thus afford another proof of the theory of ocean currents . Sometimes , by way of varying our sports , we had pistol-firing from the poop at bottles suspended from the spanker-boom ; occasionally we had the luck to catch a shark , or strike a porpoise with the ship ' s grcfins , or fished
for albatross or Cape pigeon with a line baited with pork from the stern ; perhaps , too , a little temporary excitement might occur by the cry of a whale in sight , or a suspicious-looking craft to leeward , affording diversion to the mind and food for speculation as to its being a pirate or not ; whilst at sunset , in the warm evenings , two fiddlers , a drummer , and fifer , men of the crew , for a trifling remuneration , enlivened us by striking up some well-known and lively
. There is something , without doubt , in Dr . Johnson's definition of life on board ship , " a prison with the chance of being drowned ; " but yet this is to be taken in a qualified sense—much will depend upon the individual himself . There is necessarily much idle time at sea , and what with pitching and tossing , and a host of minor nuisances
one never experiences on land , deep study is , I think , out of the question ; but I hold that in such a situation the elementary part of a foreign language may be taken up with advantage and satisfaction ; books , too , of a lively and entertaining kind , will be found a great resource against dullness . Most vessels now carry very respectable libraries with them , in which the most interesting works of travels , history , and fiction , find a prominent place ; thus no one need be absolutely rusting and pining through ennui . \
"When confined within the narrow compass of a ship , it is indeed a delightful change to emerge from the cold and raw weather of winter into the genial warmth and vivifying influences of a summer ' s day ; and this we felt in all its comfort at the close of the month of November , when we passed Porfco Santo and Madeira . The very lovely view presented to us of Funchal and its magnificent background , made us regret most sincerely that the heaviness of the
portdues prevented our commander from giving us the benefit of a run up the verdant hills of the island to enjoy the scenery and taste the fruits for which it is so praised . One may easily imagine , from the very romantic appearance this sea-girt oasis in the desert of waters presents to the eye , that it might justly be supposed to be the fabled Atlantis of the ancients ; and the very aspect from the oiling must invigorate the valetudinarian who , by its attractions , is led to make a sojourn among its beauties .
Off the Canary Islands we saw many flying fish ; these pretty creatures absolutely leapt on the vessel ' s bows , where they were