The merchant vessel : a sailor boy's voyages around the world . money can produce, they makeup a most enchanting scene. My chum, George, who was a real vagabond, had alreadywearied of the monotony of life on board the Akbar, andlonged for a change. He had determined not to go home inthe ship, but to take a chance in a lime-juicer, or a countryship, where he could make a short trip to some other EastIndian port, and again try a new vessel. He of course con-fided his wish to me, and urged me to go with him. Ireadily entered into his project, as it chimed well with myown desire to see somewhat mo
The merchant vessel : a sailor boy's voyages around the world . money can produce, they makeup a most enchanting scene. My chum, George, who was a real vagabond, had alreadywearied of the monotony of life on board the Akbar, andlonged for a change. He had determined not to go home inthe ship, but to take a chance in a lime-juicer, or a countryship, where he could make a short trip to some other EastIndian port, and again try a new vessel. He of course con-fided his wish to me, and urged me to go with him. Ireadily entered into his project, as it chimed well with myown desire to see somewhat more of the East Indies than Ishould be likely to, did I remain in the Akbar. We had,therefore, already before we made the laud, picked out such ofour joint stock of clothes as we considered it best to takealong, when we should Leave, and determined to avail ourselvesof the first suitable chance that offered, after our arrival atCalcutta. The pilots on the Hoogly are perhaps the greatest gentle-men to be found in all their fraternity. Although sterling sailors,. INDIAN LABORERS. CALCUTTA HARBOR. 175 and masters of their business (and their duty on the river i<of the most arduous kind), they bear about them none of therough looks or manners of the sailor. They are mostly menof education, not a few of them dabbling in literature, andsome of the most creditable prose and poetry in the Orientalmagazines is dated from the pilot brigs off the Sand Heads. The slender and rather effeminate gentleman who was as-sisted up our gangway, and took charge of the vessel, withhis jewelled fingers, and dainty tread, smacked more of theparlor or the counting-house than of the ship. But he was notten minutes on board before we knew that we had a seamanto deal with. He brought on board with him a leadsman and a private-servant, two swarthy Hindoos, and sufficient baggage to lasthim, so we thought, for a voyage round the world. Naviga-tion on the Hoogly is of the most difficult, as the channelis al
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