ke the same language; that was
enough. Soon after the arrival of their guests, powerful friendships
were formed. While tea, or rather supper, was being discussed, these
were cemented; and, when pipes were lit, confidences of the most
touching nature were interchanged. Anecdotes and stories naturally
followed the confidences, broke up the separate parties, and drew the
company more together. The union was finally and effectually
concentrated by one of the whalers' crew making a demand for a song.

"Come, O'Rook," cried one of the _Rainbow_ men, "let's have `The poor
little pig wi' the purple nose.'"

O'Rook began at once, and sang with such fervour and pathos, that his
auditors became quite uproarious in their admiration. But when the
Irishman called on the whalers for a ditty, a fine-looking youth sang a
song of the "Homeward Bound," in a voice so sweet and true, that the
spirit of the men was changed, and many a moistened eye told that deep
chords of sympathy had been touched.

"Can you play the fiddle?" asked one of the men of O'Rook, when the song
was finished.

"Sure it's myself can do that same," he replied, with a modest air,
which drew forth a peal of laughter. When the fiddle was produced and
O'Rook struck up reels, and strathspeys, and hornpipes, with a precision
of touch and time and perfection of tune that was far above the average
of amateurs, the joy of the party could no longer find vent through eye
and mouth. They were forced to open the safety-valves of heel and toe.
For this purpose the quarter-deck was cleared, and flags were festooned
round it; the officers joined, and Polly Samson was placed on the
capstan, like the presiding angel of the scene.

Ah! reader, if you have not been for many months on the ocean, or in the
lone wilderness, without seeing a new face, or hearing a sweet sound, or
feeling the power of female influence, you cannot fully appreciate what
we describe. There was no drink save coffee and tea at that feast. The
_Rainbow_ was a temperance ship. But the men required no spirits. Each
one had more than sufficient within himself. The presence of Polly,
too, had a powerful effect. Every man there saw his own particular
Polly or Susan or Nancy in her pretty laughing face and sparkling eyes.

"Your men are powerful fellows," said the captain of the _Rainbow_ to
the captain of the whaler; "I've no doubt they'll be quite game for work
to-morrow, though they should keep it