watery round, by a broad
border of jet-black cloud, against which each curling wave appears to
break, and the goodly ship seems as though delving through a lake of
quick-silver--when the track of the swift porpoises show like long
furrows of dazzling flame, and over the whirling eddies of the keel's
deep wake is seen to hover a strange unearthly light,--a thin bluish,
devilish, vaporous haze, which, in the silent watch of night, maketh the
lonely gazer's flesh to creep, and conjures through the brain every wild
legend whispered of the "vasty deep," fascinating the eyes, and holding
them with spell-like power, until--until what?--why, until a sharp
twitch on the lip from the fire of the close-burned cigar we recommended
awakens you to a due sense of such a "lame and most impotent
conclusion."

Jump off the spare spar on which you have been perched whilst gazing so
dreamily over the ship's quarter, give the last half of your grog to the
old lad at the wheel, peep in on the compass, find she heads about
west-north-west, and, well satisfied, descend the stair. The steward
lights the waxen taper which fixes on a branch before your glass; when,
having performed such ceremonies as you delight in, thank God and sleep:
and thus ends the chapter of a day.

And, gentle pupil, if you would learn yet more especially to enjoy all
this, which I have for your benefit somewhat _lengthily_ detailed, give
directions to the steward to rouse you at deck-washing; that is, about
six A.M.; put on drawers and jacket of fine cotton, and, sunshine or
cloud, calm or squall, run on deck, leave your _robe de chambre_ in the
round-house, and slide down into the lee gangway, where, according to
previous contract, you see a grim-looking seven-foot seaman--pick out
the tallest--waiting for you with a couple of buckets of sea-water, one
held ready in his claw, with a half-grin upon his puckered phiz as he
inwardly blesses the simplicity of the landsman who turns out of his
hammock in the morning-watch to be soused like the captain's turtle in
cold salt water; and i' faith! startlingly cold it gets when on the
Banks, even in July, especially if within the influence of an ice-berg
or twain: think not, however, of this, the infliction is light in
comparison with the after enjoyment.

Being seated in the lee-scuppers, give the word; up goes the bucket, and
wush! down pours the deluge on your oil-capped crown. "Hah!" you cry
involuntarily, for the flesh w