Her
decks were filled with passengers who had come up at the cry of
"sail ho," and who by their dress and features appeared to be Swiss
and French emigrants. She hailed us at first in French, but
receiving no answer, she tried us in English. She was the ship La
Carolina, from Havre, for New York. We desired her to report the
brig Pilgrim, from Boston, for the north-west coast of America, five
days out. She then filled away and left us to plough on through our
waste of waters. This day ended pleasantly; we had got into regular
and comfortable weather, and into that routine of sea-life which is
only broken by a storm, a sail, or the sight of land.
CHAPTER III
SHIP'S DUTIES--TROPICS
As we had now a long "spell" of fine weather, without any incident
to break the monotony of our lives, there can be no better place to
describe the duties, regulations, and customs of an American
merchantman, of which ours was a fair specimen.
The captain, in the first place, is lord paramount. He stands no
watch, comes and goes when he pleases, and is accountable to no one,
and must be obeyed in everything, without a question, even from his
chief officer.
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