Mr. Millinet being somewhat annoyed by the sly jokes and grave humor of
mine host, of the hotel, concerning his misfortune, and the giggling of
the waiters and chamber-maids, gladly accepted Captain Bowline's
invitation, and was soon seated at his hospitable and well loaded table,
for the old tar put no great faith in tea and bread and butter for
supper. The knight of the yard-stick had, however, gulped down too much
salt water, and been too seriously frightened to feel much appetite, and
he retired to bed early. The next morning he made his appearance at
breakfast, over which the fair Mary was presiding, and which might have
excited an appetite in the gastric region of the most confirmed
dyspeptic. There were bass and tautaug fresh from the water; oysters in
different forms, broiled, stewed, fried, &c.; a noble ham, into which
the stout seaman plunged his flashing carving-knife, and hewed it in
pieces, as Samuel did Agag, in the valley of Gilgal; there was broiled
ham, beef steaks, mutton chop, eggs, cheese, butter, honey, hot cakes; a
pile of pilot-bread-toast a foot high, ditto untoasted, coffee, tea, and
chocolate. To all this good cheer, their fashionable visiter paid but
small respect, and the old commander, having pressed him to make himself
at home, and help himself, attacked his own breakfast with vigor,
feeling at the same time no small contempt for a man whose stomach could
be so effectually unhinged by a simple capsize, and thorough ducking.
The vender of tape and calico, seemed to feast his eyes, if not his
appetite, by gazing on the lovely countenance of his young hostess; and
after some slight hesitation, commenced talking to her of theatres, and
balls, and assemblies, and fashionable intelligence in general; but
Balaam's ass, if she had marched into the room and commenced an oration
in the original Hebrew, or Chaldee, or Syro-Phoenician, or whatever
might have been _its_ vernacular tongue in which she formerly addressed
her master, could not have been more unintelligible. The old gentleman
made an attempt to drive a conversation, and asked a few questions
relative to foreign politics, the state of navigation, and commerce, in
New York, &c.; but finding his auditor as ignorant as though he had
proposed a case in middle latitude sailing, he dropped him altogether.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account