Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/158



cattle were  carried  on  board,  and  butchered  as  re- quired. Meals were  kept  going  in  the  saloon  nearly ail the  time,  as  when  the  ship  was  crowded  three  or four  tables  were  set  for  each  meal,  so  that  breakfast crowded on  luncheon,  and  luncheon  on  dinner. On this trip  there  were  nine  tables  in  all,  but  I  have  fre- quently seen the  tables  all  laid  twelve  times  each  day. The steerage  passengers  were  treated  more  like  beasts than human  beings ;  to  the  shipowners  they  were  but so much  freight,  to  be  carried  at  so  much  a  head. Their sufferings,  and  whether  they  lived  or  died,  were matters of  their  own. They were  bedded  like  swine, and fed  like  swine. Instead of  a  trough,  a  broad, board shelf  was  suspended  from  the  ceiling,  which served as  a  table,  greasy  and  clothless,  furnished  with tin plates  and  cups,  and  pewter  spoons,  and  on  which were placed  huge  pans  or  kettles  of  food,  stews,  beans, and the  like. Droves, one  after  another,  were  let  in through  a  gate,  and  after  they  had  fed  a  while  they were driven  out  by  their  sooty  overseers.

Out of  the  regions  of  ice  and  snow,  out  of  boister- ous waves and  cold  stinging  air,  we  pass  Cape  Hat- teras, and  dropping  down  the  Florida  coast  and  across the gulf  stream,  sail  into  an  unruffled  sea,  into  the soft, southern,  aromatic  air,  down  into  the  seaweeds, and through  the  haunts  of  nautilus,  and  flying  fish, which in  their  attempts  to  scale  the  ship  often  drop upon the  deck;  down  among  the  ever-green  isles where were  enacted  the  initial  tra2;edies  of  Ameri- can race-extermination. Spring succeeds  winter  and summer spring. The polestar  pales  behind  us. The air first  softens,  then  grows  languid,  and  finally  pul- sates with heat. Flannels and  heavy  clothing  are  laid aside ; clean  calico  dresses  and  summer  bonnets  take the place  of  woolen  gowns  and  hoods,  and  the  experi- enced male travellers  sport  their  white  pantaloons, linen coats,  and  straw  hats. Out under  a  burning sun, and  into  hot  sea-breezes,  and  from  shivering  in