The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STEAM PACKET, 125 The sky is. now completely overcast with the dense dark clouds; and the sun is hidden from view, though it still makes faint attempts to break through its barrier. The waves roll higher and higher, and break terrifically upon the shore. All along the French coast. the craft are hauling round as far as possible behind the points which jut out to sea. As the storm increases, the strand resounds with the noise of the billows, which go crashing in as if We would tear the shore from its foundations. Captain Bloomfield, who had been averse to put out ta sea. ‘that lag but who was over-ruled by the command of the Executive Committee, was now tormented on all sides by the inquiries of the very. men who had forced him to tempt the storm which he foresaw. -Some. begeed of him to put back to Dunkirk ; but his knowledge of the coast told him that it would be much more easy and safe to run for Gravelines— an attempt which he accordingly made. In the meantime, piteous was the condition of the Luminaries and their female companions. The ladies were all in their own especial cabin ; and as the stewardess was herself sick, they were compelled to attend upon themselves. Mrs. Pifpaf complained bitterly of her “‘ poor head,” and declared that if this were pleasure, she would rather be with- out it all her life;—Aramintha vainly endeavoured to find consolation in the fact, that the pumps were quite'as good as those made by ‘‘ Mr. Mann of London;” but even Byron produced a nausea ;—Belinda, in an attempt to leap over a footstool, and thereby exhibit her reckless- ness for the weather and the pitching of the ship, fell down, and did not attempt to get up again ;—and_ Sarah could discover no solace in humming “‘ the Sea, the Sea—the open Sea;”’ for she could not help thinking that ‘the blue, the fresh, the ever free” was at present in- clined to make a little too free with the comforts of the voyagers. The old one-eyed dowager vainly attempted to convey a drop of com- fort to her throat: she spilt a pint of excellent cognac, purchased at Dunkirk, out of her flask over her silk iis pee then resigned her- self to die in peace. One young lady—a Miss Tyillciniae crepe into a berth, and. lay upon her side, moaning in a most piteous manner, and 5 ai Hi: herself bitterly for all the sins of her past life: — _ “Qh! wretch that. I was to. treat. nice Mr. Tompkins. in that vile manner. Yes—I deserve to die—and a death as hideous as this too! Poor young man !—he came in his best blue coat with brass buttons —his nankeens—and his yellow kid gloves,—and yet I spurned him! Yes—I spurned him ;—I know I did; and when I sat down to the peanner, I wonldn’t allow him to turn the leaves for mes Oh! I Gomicbooks