Mason's in his flat boat, what would you
do to be bounding over the water as we are now? I am sitting
Turk-fashion on the deck-floor, leaning against the mast, and, as you
see, writing with a pencil, being afraid to use my inkstand, lest some
stray wave should give it a capsize. There comes one now, that has
washed our floor for us, and it needed it badly enough; nor do I mind
the wetting, for I am bare-footed and my duck trousers always expect it.
We have been five days now upon the water, and since we have thrown
overboard the good things that Clarendon laid in for the voyage, and
taken to sailor's fare, we have no more of that horrid sea-sickness.
Hard biscuit and water are just as good as any thing else, if you only
get used to it, and the fish which we caught this morning are delicious.
We came upon a fine shoal of them, and for several hours had nothing to
do but pull them in, one after another, as fast as we could put our
hooks down. I got hold of a very big fellow, myself, but he was nearer
drawing me out of the schooner than I him into it, till David Cobb came
to the rescue, and gave such a tug at the line, that he was soon
floundering about on the deck. I never knew what an apt comparison "like
a fish out of water" is, till I saw him flapping round.
If you only knew David I am sure you would like him. He is as different
as can be from our Virginia boys, and yet we are excellent friends.


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