mydearEugenius，……canbefresherthanthouart，andinwhatpasturesnewshallIfindEliza，orcallher，Eugenius，ifthouwilt，Annie？“’-IsayImighthavedonethis；butEugeniuswasgone，andIhadn’tdoneit。
Iwasrestingonaskylightonthehurricane-deck，watchingtheworkingoftheshipveryslowlyabout，thatshemightheadforEngland。ItwashighnoononamostbrilliantdayinApril，andthebeautifulbaywasgloriousandglowing。Fullmanyatime，onshorethere，hadIseenthesnowcomedown，down，downitselflikedown，untilitlaydeepinallthewaysofmen，andparticularly，asitseemed，inmyway，forIhadnotgonedry-shodmanyhoursformonths。WithintwoorthreedayslastpasthadIwatchedthefeatheryfallsettinginwiththeardourofanewidea，insteadofdraggingattheskirtsofaworn-outwinter，andpermittingglimpsesofafreshyoungspring。Butabrightsunandaclearskyhadmeltedthesnowinthegreatcrucibleofnature；andithadbeenpouredoutagainthatmorningoverseaandland，transformedintomyriadsofgoldandsilversparkles。
Theshipwasfragrantwithflowers。SomethingoftheoldMexicanpassionforflowersmayhavegraduallypassedintoNorthAmerica，whereflowersareluxuriouslygrown，andtastefullycombinedintherichestprofusion；but，bethatasitmay，suchgorgeousfarewellsinflowershadcomeonboard，thatthesmallofficer’scabinondeck，whichItenanted，bloomedoverintotheadjacentscuppers，andbanksofotherflowersthatitcouldn’tholdmadeagardenoftheunoccupiedtablesinthepassengers’saloon。Thesedeliciousscentsoftheshore，minglingwiththefreshairsofthesea，madetheatmosphereadreamy，anenchantingone。Andso，withthewatchaloftsettingallthesails，andwiththescrewbelowrevolvingatamightyrate，andoccasionallygivingtheshipanangryshakeforresisting，Ifellintomyidlestways，andlostmyself。
As，forinstance，whetheritwasIlyingthere，orsomeotherentityevenmoremysterious，wasamatterIwasfartoolazytolookinto。WhatdiditsignifytomeifitwereI？ortothemoremysteriousentity，ifitwerehe？Equallyastotheremembrancesthatdrowsilyfloatedbyme，orbyhim，whyaskwhenorwherethethingshappened？Wasitnotenoughthattheybefellatsometime，somewhere？
Therewasthatassistingatthechurchserviceonboardanothersteamship，oneSunday，inastiffbreeze。Perhapsonthepassageout。Nomatter。Pleasanttoheartheship’sbellsgoaslikechurch-bellsastheycould；pleasanttoseethewatchoffdutymusteredandcomein:besthats，bestGuernseys，washedhandsandfaces，smoothedheads。Butthenaroseasetofcircumstancessorampantlycomical，thatnocheckwhichthegravestintentionscouldputuponthemwouldholdtheminhand。Thusthescene。Someseventypassengersassembledatthesaloontables。Prayer-booksontables。Shiprollingheavily。Pause。Nominister。Rumourhasrelatedthatamodestyoungclergymanonboardhasrespondedtothecaptain’srequestthathewillofficiate。Pauseagain，andveryheavyrolling。
Closeddoubledoorssuddenlyburstopen，andtwostrongstewardsskatein，supportingministerbetweenthem。Generalappearanceasofsomebodypickedupdrunkandincapable，andunderconveyancetostation-house。Stoppage，pause，andparticularlyheavyrolling。
Stewardswatchtheiropportunity，andbalancethemselves，butcannotbalanceminister；who，strugglingwithadroopingheadandabackwardtendency，seemsdeterminedtoreturnbelow，whiletheyareasdeterminedthatheshallbegottothereading-deskinmid-
saloon。Deskportable，slidingawaydownalongtable，andaimingitselfatthebreastsofvariousmembersofthecongregation。Herethedoubledoors，whichhavebeencarefullyclosedbyotherstewards，flyopenagain，andworldlypassengertumblesin，seeminglywithpale-aledesigns:who，seekingfriend，says’Joe！’
Perceivingincongruity，says，’Hullo！Begyerpardon！’andtumblesoutagain。Allthistimethecongregationhavebeenbreakingupintosects，-asthemannerofcongregationsoftenis，eachsectslidingawaybyitself，andallpoundingtheweakestsectwhichslidfirstintothecorner。Utmostpointofdissentsoonattainedineverycorner，andviolentrolling。Stewardsatlengthmakeadash；conductministertothemastinthecentreofthesaloon，whichheembraceswithbotharms；skateout；andleavehiminthatconditiontoarrangeaffairswithflock。
TherewasanotherSunday，whenanofficeroftheshipreadtheservice。Itwasquietandimpressive，untilwefelluponthedangerousandperfectlyunnecessaryexperimentofstrikingupahymn。Afteritwasgivenout，weallrose，buteverybodyleftittosomebodyelsetobegin。Silenceresulting，theofficernosingerhimselfratherreproachfullygaveusthefirstlineagain，uponwhicharosypippinofanoldgentleman，remarkablethroughoutthepassageforhischeerfulpoliteness，gavealittlestampwithhisbootasifhewereleadingoffacountrydance，andblithelywarbledusintoashowofjoining。Attheendofthefirstversewebecame，throughthesetactics，somuchrefreshedandencouraged，thatnoneofus，howsoeverunmelodious，wouldsubmittobeleftoutofthesecondverse；whileastothethirdweliftedupourvoicesinasacredhowlthatleftitdoubtfulwhetherwewerethemoreboastfulofthesentimentsweunitedinprofessing，orofprofessingthemwithamostdiscordantdefianceoftimeandtune。
’Lordblessus！’thoughtI，whenthefreshremembranceofthesethingsmademelaughheartilyaloneinthedeadwater-gurglingwasteofthenight，whattimeIwaswedgedintomyberthbyawoodenbar，orImusthaverolledoutofit，’whaterrandwasI
thenupon，andtowhatAbyssinianpointhadpubliceventsthenmarched？Nomatterastome。Andastothem，ifthewonderfulpopularrageforaplaythingutterlyconfoundinginitsinscrutableunreasonIhadnotthenlightedonapooryoungsavageboy，andapooroldscrewofahorse，andhauledthefirstoffbythehairofhisprincelyheadto“inspect“theBritishvolunteers，andhauledthesecondoffbythehairofhisequinetailtotheCrystalPalace，whysomuchthebetterforallofusoutsideBedlam！’
So，stickingtotheship，IwasatthetroubleofaskingmyselfwouldIliketoshowthegrogdistributionin’thefiddle’atnoontotheGrandUnitedAmalgamatedTotalAbstinenceSociety？Yes，I
thinkIshould。Ithinkitwoulddothemgoodtosmelltherum，underthecircumstances。Overthegrog，mixedinabucket，presidestheboatswain’smate，smalltincaninhand。Enterthecrew，theguiltyconsumers，thegrown-upbroodofGiantDespair，incontradistinctiontothebandofyouthfulangelHope。Someinboots，someinleggings，someintarpaulinoveralls，someinfrocks，someinpea-coats，averyfewinjackets，mostwithsou’westerhats，allwithsomethingroughandruggedroundthethroat；all，drippingsaltwaterwheretheystand；allpeltedbyweather，besmearedwithgrease，andblackenedbythesootyrigging。
Eachman’sknifeinitssheathinhisgirdle，loosenedfordinner。
Asthefirstman，withaknowinglykindledeye，watchesthefillingofthepoisonedchalicetrulybutaverysmalltinmug，tobeprosaic，and，tossingbackhishead，tossesthecontentsintohimself，andpassestheemptychaliceandpasseson，sothesecondmanwithananticipatorywipeofhismouthonsleeveorhandkerchief，bideshisturn，anddrinksandhandsandpasseson，inwhom，andineachashisturnapproaches，beamsaknowinglykindledeye，abrightertemper，andasuddenlyawakenedtendencytobejocosewithsomeshipmate。NordoIevenobservethatthemaninchargeoftheship’slamps，whoinrightofhisofficehasadoubleallowanceofpoisonedchalices，seemstherebyvastlydegraded，eventhoughheemptiesthechalicesintohimself，oneaftertheother，muchasifheweredeliveringtheircontentsatsomeabsorbentestablishmentinwhichhehadnopersonalinterest。
Butvastlycomforted，Inotethemalltobe，ondeckpresently，eventothecirculationofredderbloodintheircoldblueknuckles；andwhenIlookupatthemlyingoutontheyards，andholdingonforlifeamongthebeatingsails，IcannotforMYlifeseethejusticeofvisitingonthem-oronme-thedrunkencrimesofanynumberofcriminalsarraignedattheheaviestofassizes。
Abettingmyselfinmyidlehumour，Iclosedmyeyes，andrecalledlifeonboardofoneofthosemail-packets，asIlay，partofthatday，intheBayofNewYork，O！Theregularlifebegan-minealwaysdid，forInevergottosleepafterwards-withtheriggingofthepumpwhileitwasyetdark，andwashingdownofdecks。Anyenormousgiantataprodigioushydropathicestablishment，conscientiouslyundergoingthewater-cureinallitsdepartments，andextremelyparticularaboutcleaninghisteeth，wouldmakethosenoises。Swash，splash，scrub，rub，toothbrush，bubble，swash，splash，bubble，toothbrush，splash，splash，bubble，rub。Thenthedaywouldbreak，and，descendingfrommyberthbyagracefulladdercomposedofhalf-openeddrawersbeneathit，Iwouldreopenmyouterdead-lightandmyinnerslidingwindowclosedbyawatchmanduringthewater-cure，andwouldlookoutatthelong-rolling，lead-
coloured，whitetoppedwavesoverwhichthedawn，onacoldwintermorning，castalevel，lonelyglance，andthroughwhichtheshipfoughthermelancholywayataterrificrate。Andnow，lyingdownagain，awaitingtheseasonforbroiledhamandtea，Iwouldbecompelledtolistentothevoiceofconscience，-thescrew。
Itmightbe，insomecases，nomorethanthevoiceofstomach；butIcalleditinmyfancybythehighername。Becauseitseemedtomethatwewereallofus，alldaylong，endeavouringtostiflethevoice。Becauseitwasundereverybody’spillow，everybody’splate，everybody’scamp-stool，everybody’sbook，everybody’soccupation。
Becausewepretendednottohearit，especiallyatmeal-times，eveningwhist，andmorningconversationondeck；butitwasalwaysamongusinanundermonotone，nottobedrownedinpea-soup，nottobeshuffledwithcards，nottobedivertedbybooks，nottobeknittedintoanypattern，nottobewalkedawayfrom。Itwassmokedintheweediestcigar，anddrunkinthestrongestcocktail；
itwasconveyedondeckatnoonwithlimpladies，wholaythereintheirwrappersuntilthestarsshone；itwaitedattablewiththestewards；nobodycouldputitoutwiththelights。Itwasconsideredasonshoreill-bredtoacknowledgethevoiceofconscience。Itwasnotpolitetomentionit。Onesquallydayanamiablegentlemaninlovegavemuchoffencetoasurroundingcircle，includingtheobjectofhisattachment，bysayingofit，afterithadgoadedhimovertwoeasy-chairsandaskylight，’Screw！’
Sometimesitwouldappearsubdued。Infleetingmoments，whenbubblesofchampagnepervadedthenose，orwhentherewas’hotpot’
inthebilloffare，orwhenanolddishwehadhadregularlyeverydaywasdescribedinthatofficialdocumentbyanewname，-undersuchexcitements，onewouldalmostbelieveithushed。Theceremonyofwashingplatesondeck，performedaftereverymealbyacircleasofringersofcrockerytriple-bobmajorsforaprize，wouldkeepitdown。Haulingthereel，takingthesunatnoon，postingthetwenty-fourhours’run，alteringtheship’stimebythemeridian，castingthewastefoodoverboard，andattractingtheeagergullsthatfollowedinourwake，-theseeventswouldsuppressitforawhile。Buttheinstantanybreakorpausetookplaceinanysuchdiversion，thevoicewouldbeatitagain，importuningustothelastextent。Anewlymarriedyoungpair，whowalkedthedeckaffectionatelysometwentymilesperday，would，inthefullflushoftheirexercise，suddenlybecomestrickenbyit，andstandtrembling，butotherwiseimmovable，underitsreproaches。
Whenthisterriblemonitorwasmostseverewithuswaswhenthetimeapproachedforourretiringtoourdensforthenight；whenthelightedcandlesinthesaloongrewfewerandfewer；whenthedesertedglasseswithspoonsinthemgrewmoreandmorenumerous；