He
was a far better sailor, and probably a better navigator, than the
captain, and had more brains than all the after part of the ship put
together. The sailors said, "Tom's got a head as long as the
bowsprit," and if any one got into an argument with him, they would
call out- "Ah, Jack! you'd better drop that, as you would a hot
potato, for Tom will turn you inside out before you know it."
I recollect his posing me once on the subject of the Corn Laws. I
was called to stand my watch, and, coming on deck, found him there
before me; and we began, as usual, to walk fore and aft, in the waist.
He talked about the Corn Laws; asked me my opinion about them, which I
gave him; and my reasons; my small stock of which I set forth to the
best advantage, supposing his knowledge on the subject must be less
than mine, if, indeed, he had any at all. When I had got through, he
took the liberty of differing from me, and, to my surprise, brought
arguments and facts connected with the subject which were new to me,
to which I was entirely unable to reply. I confessed that I knew
almost nothing of the subject, and expressed my surprise at the extent
of his information.
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