ot absolute proofs, of honesty, and I am
sure my heart would have melted had not the purchaser insisted on
taking one of the buckets to convey the turtles home. Now, as these
charming implements were part of the ship's pride, as well as
property, and had been laboriously adorned by our marine artists with
a spread eagle and the vessel's name, I resisted the demand, offering,
at the same time, to return the money. But my turtle-dealer was not to
be repulsed so easily; his ugly smile still sneered in my face as he
endeavored to push me aside and drag the bucket from my hand. I soon
found that he was the stronger of the two, and that it would be
impossible for me to rescue my bucket fairly; so, giving it a sudden
twist and shake, I contrived to upset both water and turtles on the
deck, thus sprinkling the feet and coat-tails of the veteran with a
copious ablution. To my surprise, however, the tormentor's cursed grin
not only continued but absolutely expanded to an immoderate laugh, the
uproariousness of which was increased by another suspicious Bostonian,
who leaped on deck during our dispute. By this time I was in a red
heat. My lips were white, my checks in a blaze, and my eyes sparks.
Beyond myself with ferocious rage, I gnashed my teeth, and buried them
in the hand which I could not otherwise release from its grasp on the
bucket. In the scramble, I either lost or destroyed part of my bank
notes; yet, being conqueror at last, I became clement, and taking up
my turtles, once more insisted upon the departure of my annoyers.
There is no doubt that I larded my language with certain epithets,
very current among sailors, most of which are learned more rapidly by
foreigners than the politer parts of speech.

Still the abominable monster, nothing daunted by my onslaught, rushed
to the cabin, and would doubtless have descended, had not I been
nimbler than he in reaching the doors, against which I placed my back,
in defiance. Here, of course, another battle ensued, enlivened by a
chorus of laughter from a crowd of laborers on the wharf. This time I
could not bite, yet I kept the apparent thief at bay with my feet,
kicking his shins unmercifully whenever he approached, and swearing in
the choicest Tuscan.

He who knows any thing of Italian character, especially when it is
additionally spiced by French condiments, may imagine the intense rage
to which so volcanic a nature as mine was, by this time, fully
aroused. Language and mot