. Recollections of a sea wanderer's life; an autobiography of an old-time seaman who has sailed in almost every capacity before and abaft the mast, in nearly every quarter of the globe, and under the flags of four of the principal maritime nations. on our course, passing the Canariesand Cape de Verde Islands, soon after which we fell in withthe Doldrums, or horse latitudes. Why this delectable part of the world rejoices in thename of horse latitudes is a matter which I deferentiallyleave to be settled by those who delight in solving abstruseproblems. My humble idea is because seamen had to wor
. Recollections of a sea wanderer's life; an autobiography of an old-time seaman who has sailed in almost every capacity before and abaft the mast, in nearly every quarter of the globe, and under the flags of four of the principal maritime nations. on our course, passing the Canariesand Cape de Verde Islands, soon after which we fell in withthe Doldrums, or horse latitudes. Why this delectable part of the world rejoices in thename of horse latitudes is a matter which I deferentiallyleave to be settled by those who delight in solving abstruseproblems. My humble idea is because seamen had to worklike horses until, after days and nights of unceasing labor,they bade a heartfelt adieu to the Doldrums, and at lastrealized the blessings of a steady breeze. Torrents of rain— Paddys hurricanes, straight up anddown the masts—followed each other with exasperatingregularity, excepting an occasional cats-paw, as vain anddelusive as the mirage of Sahara, holding out to us thepromise of a breeze, and sending us flying to the braces,hauling to port, then to starboard, then squaring awayin a manner which outrivaled the Ancient Marinerand surpassed the Flying Dutchman. All on board weregreatly morose and despondent, and seemed to have served. IN THE MADEIRAS. 74 CAPTAIN THIRSTY in the army of Flanders, and to have merited honorablemention for proficiency in the catalogue of oaths. The men ripped out imprecations upon the brig, grumbledat the wind and their own organs of vision; the mate fumedand swore, and the captain from his berth below roaredmore lustily than ever, Steward, bring me a glass ofbrandy. Infected by the sulphurous atmosphere which pervadedthe brig, and, as the lawyers say, impelled thereto by thedevil, I out of sheer malice determined to make CaptainBrophy as miserable as the rest of us. I knew that he wasunable to leave his berth to punish me for my capers, and Iwas also fully aware that the mate would chuckle at anylittle annoyances I might cause the captain; fo
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectseafari, bookyear1887
