Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/160

 ntion about

the ship. Rushing in  where  angels  fear  to  tread,  into the august  presence  of  omnipotence  itself,  he  boldly addresses the  Thunderer,  the  captain  of  the  craft, who if  he  happens  to  be  occupied  gives  in  return  a deep-toned  curse  and  a  shove  which  sends  the  appli- cant headlong- elsewhere  for  information. Nothing;' daunted, but  a  little  more  wary  in  the  future,  before he leaves  the  ship  he  knows  the  difference  between bow and  stern,  and  lee  and  weatherside,  learns  to count  time  by  the  bells,  and  to  play  seven-up  for  the drinks.

I noticed,  after  we  were  fairly  out  at  sea,  a  certain habitual sarcastic  expression  on  the  face  of  many, particularly those  of  the  ruder  sort,  as  if  the  wearer wished to  cover  his  sense  of  inferiority. Such are the men,  who,  seasoned  by  experience,  and  having  in reality  gained  a  better  opinion  of  themselves,  but making less  show  of  it,  on  their  return  from  California fall victims  to  professional  pickpockets,  who  regularly plied their  trade  between  New  York  and  Aspinwall, endeavoring to  win  the  confidence  of  returning  Cali- fornians so  as  to  fleece  them  on  groins;  ashore. Some there were  on  this  trip  out  who  had  been  to  California before, men  of  slow  demeanor,  with  slouched  hat  and slouched gait,  of  free  and  easy  speech,  and  comfortable carriage, and  self-satisfied  countenance,  red-shirted, perhaps, as  they  were  proud  of  the  distinction,  and these were  looked  up  to  as  superior  beings  by  all raw recruits. Some sat  the  livelong  day  gazing  list- lessly on the  water,  or  staring  stupidly  at  their  fel- lows ; others  restlessly  wandered  about  with  a  sharp anxious inquiring  look;  some  set  themselves  up  as sailors  and  talked  knowingly  of  ships,  others  discussed politics, religion,  and  monetary  affairs,  and  many  had much to  say  of  the  land  and  people  to  which  they were going. Among them  you  might  readily  point out the  chronic  talker,  the  chronic  listener,  and  the chronic laugher,  which  latter  with  his  asinine  guffaw at every  silly  repartee  was  the  most  disgusting