Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/53

Rh visitor. Beside him was Irish Jack, a lively, active fellow, but now in disgrace for insolence to the first mate. On my left sat Andrew the Swede, always tidy and clean, gravely smoking his pipe. Boy George, old Bob the Greek, with Irish Jimmy, completed the watch—a motley group of seven men of five different nations. And yet, with much wickedness, profaneness and recklessness, there was so much of the whole-souled frankness of the sailor, that they were a most interesting company. My proposal to spend an hour with them every other morning, when they would have "the watch below," was accepted with a hearty "Yes, sir!" from them all.

Sunday came, and its first sound betokened the change that had taken place. It was a broom sweeping the deck; there was to be no deck-washing to-day. For the first time on the voyage the previous afternoon had been given to both watches, that they might prepare for the Sabbath, and have no work to do upon that holy day. After spending an hour with the crew in the forecastle, I returned to the cabin, leaving almost the whole crew as quietly engaged with their tracts and books as if in a Sunday-school. In the cabin, the usual Bible