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- Yes: that might have been; but nevertheless, I will let nature have her
own way for once; and here declare roundly, that, however it was, I
cherished a feeling toward these cabin-passengers, akin to contempt.
Not because they happened to be cabin-passengers: not at all: but only
because they seemed the most finical, miserly, mean men and women, that
ever stepped over the Atlantic.
One of them was an old fellow in a robust looking coat, with broad
skirts; he had a nose like a bottle of port-wine; and would stand for a
whole hour, with his legs straddling apart, and his hands deep down in
his breeches pockets, as if he had two mints at work there, coining
guineas. He was an abominable looking old fellow, with cold, fat,
jelly-like eyes; and avarice, heartlessness, and sensuality stamped all
over him. He seemed all the time going through some process of mental
arithmetic; doing sums with dollars and cents: his very mouth, wrinkled
and drawn up at the corners, looked like a purse. When he dies, his
skull ought to be turned into a savings box, with the till-hole between
his teeth.
Another of the cabin inmates, was a middle-aged Londoner, in a comical
Cockney-cut coat, with a pair of semicircular tails: so that he looked
as if he were sitting in a swing. He wore a spotted neckerchief; a
short, little, fiery-red vest; and striped pants, very thin in the
calf, but very full about the waist. There was nothing describable
about him but his dress; for he had such a meaningless face, I can not
remember it; though I have a vague impression, that it looked at the
time, as if its owner was laboring under the mumps.
Then there were two or three buckish looking young fellows, among the
rest; who were all the time playing at cards on the poop, under the lee
of the _spanker;_ or smoking cigars on the taffrail; or sat quizzing
the emigrant women with opera-glasses, leveled through the windows of
the upper cabin. These sparks frequently called for the steward to help
them to brandy and water, and talked about going on to Washington, to
see Niagara Falls.
There was also an old gentleman, who had brought with him three or four
heavy files of the _London Times,_ and other papers; and he spent all
his hours in reading them, on the shady side of the deck, with one leg
crossed over the other; and without crossed legs, he never read at all.
That was indispensable to the proper understanding of what he studied.
He growled terribly, when disturbed by the sailors, who now and then
were obliged to move him to get at the ropes.
As for the ladies, I have nothing to say concerning them; for ladies
are like creeds; if you can not speak well of them, say nothing.
CHAPTER LII.
THE EMIGRANTS’ KITCHEN
I have made some mention of the “galley,” or great stove for the
steerage passengers, which was planted over the main hatches.
During the outward-bound passage, there were so few occupants of the
steerage, that they had abundant room to do their cooking at this
galley. But it was otherwise now; for we had four or five hundred in
the steerage; and all their cooking was to be done by one fire; a
pretty large one, to be sure, but, nevertheless, small enough,
considering the number to be accommodated, and the fact that the fire
was only to be kindled at certain hours.
For the emigrants in these ships are under a sort of martial-law; and
in all their affairs are regulated by the despotic ordinances of the
captain. And though it is evident, that to a certain extent this is
necessary, and even indispensable; yet, as at sea no appeal lies beyond
the captain, he too often makes unscrupulous use of his power. And as
for going to law with him at the end of the voyage, you might as well
go to law with the Czar of Russia.
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