“Ah,” said she, “sailors are so good, I fear you may not be an exception.”

“Well,” said he, “as you seem to have some doubt as to my bona-fides I think the question may be settled by my marrying you now.”

“What!” said the fair maiden, “this forenoon?  Surely you will allow me to consult my mother?”

“No,” said the captain; “that would spoil the romance, and make it uninteresting.  We must be spliced at once.”  And they were.  The result was a ghastly tragedy.  The lady turned out a termagant.  Happily she did not live long, but while she lived it was terrible.  He told me the tale long after, and the pathos of it, in all its hideous detail, was piteous.  It sank deep into his life, and changed his whole character.  He was a man of culture, and in the affairs of life displayed unusual common sense.  No one could comprehend how he came to be drawn into this ill-assorted union, that might have sacrificed two lives.

There is no body of men who should be so careful in choosing their wives as sailors, no matter what their rank may be.  If they have children, the sailor, or captain, sees little of them, and can have no part in their training, whereas the mother has it in her power to fashion their lives either for good or evil.  She is always with them, and the responsibility of forming their characters must rest almost entirely with her.  It would be a reckless exaggeration to say that all successful men had good wives; but I think it safe to assume that a large majority of them are blessed in that way.  One thing is certain, if you see a well-conditioned, well-behaved child, there is a good mother and a good wife behind it.  And it may not be unsafe to assert that the successful man nearly always owes some of his success to his wife’s assistance.  She may not have assisted actually in the business itself, but she may have done better still by holding her tongue at the proper time, and watching a suitable opportunity of making an appropriate suggestion, avoiding saying or doing anything that will irritate and break the continuity of thought which is essential to the husband’s success.  A great deal may be achieved by discreet silence.

The wages of captains sailing in north-east coast brigs and barques that traded to the Mediterranean, Brazils, West Indies, and America, ranged from ten to twelve pounds per month.  Those trading to the East Indies received fourteen pounds, and some out of their wages had to find charts and chronometers.  London owners paid higher wages to their captains, but less in proportion to their crews.  These commanders were on the whole a very intelligent, well-conducted lot of men.  They had high notions, perhaps, of their importance, but they did no ill to anybody by this.  There were occasional squabbles between their mates and themselves, and sometimes bickerings with the crew, but these were never of a very serious or lasting character; in fact, I have known men sail