. We were constantly dreaming of tables finely spread with
a plenty of all those good and savory things with which we used to be
regaled at home, when we would wake smacking our lips, and groaning
with disappointment. I pretend not to say that the allowance was
insufficient to keep some men pretty comfortable; but it was not half
enough for some others. It is well known in common life, that one man
will eat three times as much as another. The quality of the bread
served out to us on board the Regulus, was not fit and proper for any
human being. It was old, and more like the powder of rotten wood than
bread stuff; and to crown all, it was full of worms. Often have I seen
our poor fellows viewing their daily allowance of bread, with mixed
sensations of pain and pleasure; with smiles and tears; not being able
to determine whether they had best eat it all up at once, or eat it in
small portions through the day. Some would devour all their bread at
once, worms and all, while others would be eating small portions
through the day. Some picked out the worms and threw them away; others
eat them, saying, that they might as well eat the worm as his
habitation. Some reasoned and debated a long time on the subject.
Prejudice said, throw the nasty thing away, while gnawing hunger held
his hand. Birds, said they, are nourished by eating worms; and if
clean birds eat them, why may not man? Who feels any reluctance at
eating of an oyster, with all its parts: and why not a worm?

One day while we were debating the subject, one of our jack tars set
us a laughing, by crying out: "_Retaliation, by G--, these d--d worms
eat us when we are dead, and so we will eat them first._" This shews
that misery can sometimes laugh. I have observed that a sailor has
generally more laughter and good humour in him than is to be found
among any other class of men. They have, beside, a greater share of
compassion than the soldier. We had repeated instances of their
generosity: for while the epauletted officers of this British ship
treated us like brutes, the common sailors would now and then give us
of their own allowance; but they took care not to let their officers
know it.

The Regulus had brought British soldiers to America, and among the
rags and filth left behind them were myriads of fleas. These were at
first a source of vexation, but at length their destruction became an
amusement. We could not, however, overcome them; like the persecuted
Christian