"LAST SHIP."

Even in the cabin there was a tendency to dissatisfaction, and the passenger expressed his weariness of our simple and restricted fare by composing a parody on the "Ode to the Rocket," in which she was abused as heartily as any old sailor could have done it. His pencil was also called into requisition, and the scantiness of fare on the cabin table was graphically portrayed.

Sea life is a severe test of disposition, and it must be a remarkable amiability which can endure its vicissitudes without complaint. Lord Byron’s prescription for truly knowing a man: "Go to sea with him," is certainly correct, as regards knowledge of a man’s temper.

The first verse of the Parody will serve as an example of its sentiment:

"IN THE DOLDRUMS—​HOMEWARD BOUND."

Our stock of conversation got low after so long a season of intercourse, and many trivial arguments were sustained for lack of better material. Perhaps the most frequent of these minor themes was the question, whether the dish which sailors always call "Hash," was properly hash or minced meat.

One of our greatest causes of annoyance, and a frequent occasion of growls was the presence of cockroaches, in numbers which can only be expressed by millions. The vessel for some time past, had been making yearly voyages, which brought her home in the summer and kept her in the Tropics in the winter, so this army had never been exposed to the potent destroyer, cold weather. They were not the little creatures that housekeepers are unpleasantly familiar with, but were almost more like birds than insects, and carried out this resemblance in certain conditions of the atmosphere, when they took to flying, tempting one to jump overboard to escape their attacks against his head. They were omnipresent day and night, alive, dead, whole or in parts. They eat the bindings of books and everything that had paste in its composition, and their especial relish seemed to be for pomade. In spite of all precautions so many had encamped in the sugar, we had to pass our tea through a strainer, and there was but little food free from their presence or flavor, after it was sweetened. Were it a less disgusting subject I could fill a volume with accounts of these creatures. I will only add one of the many experiences with them. They were very fond of frequenting my cabinet organ, and often while I was playing a note would become dumb. An inspection would usually show a cockroach leg caught by the reeds as its proprietor passed over them and left it behind him. A ship at San Francisco had to pay twenty thousand dollars for damages done to the cargo by cockroaches. The organ on leaving Padang had a more agreeable inmate, which remained in it for several weeks, a cricket, who entertained us with his evening chirp, and lulled one to sleep with the pleasing fancy that he was on shore.