"Well, captain, you needn't make so
much noise about it; your conduct is decidedly ungentlemanly. If you
don't wish to sail in father's employ, leave like a gentleman," said
George, pulling up the corners of his shirt-collar.
It was the great craft that George had distended upon, and the
veritable captain of the right stripe, who promised to toe the mark
according to secession principles, but made no stipulations for the
nigger feed that was the cause of the excitement. The captain, a
Baltimore coaster, and accustomed to good feed in his vessels at
home, had been induced by a large representations to take charge of
the craft and run her in the Pedee trade, bringing rice to
Charleston. On being told the craft was all ready for sea, he
repaired on board, and, to his chagrin, found two black men for a
crew, and a most ungainly old wench, seven shades blacker than
Egyptian darkness, for a cook. This was imposition enough to arouse
his feelings, for but one of the men knew any thing about a vessel;
but on examining the stores, the reader may judge of his feelings,
if he have any idea of supplying a vessel in a Northern port, when
we tell him that all and singular the stores consisted of a shoulder
of rusty Western bacon, a half-bushel of rice, and a jug of
molasses; and this was to proceed the distance of a hundred miles,
But to add to the ridiculous farce of that South Carolina notion,
when he remonstrated with them, he was very indifferently told that
it was what they always provided for their work-people.
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