were not a just sample of their whole nation; for
these gentry would exercise every imposition, and even insinuate the
thing that was not, the more easily to plunder us of our hard earned
pittance of small change. Had they shown any generosity, like the
British tar, I should have passed over their conduct in silence; but
after they had stripped our men of every farthing, they would say to
them--"_Monsieur, you have won all our money, now lend us a little
change to get us some coffee and sugar, and we will pay you when we
shall earn more._" "_Ah, Mon Ami_," says Monsieur, shrugging up his
shoulders, "_I am sorry, very sorry, indeed; it is le fortune du
guerre. If you have lost your money, you must win it back again; that
is the fashion in my country--we no lend; that is not the fashion._" I
have observed that these Frenchmen are _fatalists_. Good luck, or ill
luck is all _fate_ with them. So of their national misfortunes; they
shrug up their shoulders, and ascribe all to the inevitable decrees of
fate. This is very different from the Americans, who ascribe every
thing to prudence or imprudence, strength or weakness. Our men say,
that if the game was wrestling, playing at ball, or foot-ball, or
firing at a mark, or rowing, or running a race, they should be on fair
ground with them.--Our fellows offered to institute this game with
them; that there should be a strong canvass bag, with two pieces of
cord four feet long; and the contest should be, for one man to put the
other in the bag, with the liberty of first tying his hands, or his
feet, or both if he chose. Here would be a contest of strength and
hardihood, but not of cunning or legerdemain. But the Frenchmen all
united in saying, "_No! No! No! It is not the fashion in our country
to tie gentlemen up in sacks._"

There were here some Danes, as well as Dutchmen. It is curious to
observe their different looks and manners, which I can hardly believe
to be owing, entirely, to the manner of bringing up. Here we see the
thick skulled plodding Dane, making a wooden dish; or else some of the
most ingenious making a very clumsy ship: while others submitted to
the dirtiest drudgery of the hulk, for money; and there we see a
Dutchman, picking to pieces tarred ropes, which, when reduced to its
original form of hemp, they call oakum; or else you see him lazily
stowed away in some corner, with his pipe, surrounded with smoke, and
"steeping his senses in forgetfulness;" while here an