The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 129 eut to a length which was deplorable to behold. Captain Penton- ville smoked a_cigar in a fit of desperation ; and Mr. Buckram lay upon the floor, moaning piteously, and seriously contemplating in his own mind the necessity of proclaiming himself the Jonah of the vessel, and allowing himself to be consigned to the waves as a propitiation to the rage of the tempest. But when he heard the sea breaking over head, and fancied that he beheld its fearful abysses and its white-crested billows, and thought of the great fishes and dread beings which the profundity thereof might contain, his resolution gave way, and he determined to allow matters to take their own chance. Perhaps this was the wiser plan of the two—espetially as no one had ventured to express a sus- picion that there was a Jonah on board, and as yet there was no indi- cation of a whale to windward. “Gentlemen,” said Mr. Tiptile, who was sitting in a remarkably easy kind of manner under the table, holding on by two of the legs, **do you not think we should do well to sit iz lumine, and debate upon what is to be done in this strait ?”’ ‘* Strait, indeed!” ejaculated Mr. Rumtutch: ‘‘I hope 1 shall never find myself in the strait of Dover again, for one.” __ ** As for sitting 22 lumineé,’” said Captain Pentonville, with a grim smile, ‘‘ we shall soon be iz tenebris if this goes on much longer.” ‘Mr. Rumtutch, sir!’’ exclaimed the treasurer, in a decided tone of voice, “summon the executive committee without delay ! ”’ ‘¢ Summon the devil!’ murmured the secretary. ~ Either this abrupt and unfeeling answer, or else a sudden lurch of the vessel, Jaid Mr. Tiptile upon his back, and effectually silenced his proposal to sit 77 iamine. 3 : Meantime Mr. Smale crept up to the place where the tailor was sitting, and addressed this gentleman in a most piteous strain. r ‘‘ My lord,” said he, “ do you apprehend that there is any very great ° danger ?”’ “Danger!” cried Buckram popeteniy aN: Papect we shall go down every minute.” “QO Lord! O Lord! What will become of me—of you—of us—of of course there is! I all 2 2”? moaned Mr. Smale ;—“ and after all your lordship’s kind pro=-" mises—and the prospects that were opened to me, in consequence of your lordship’s influence—and to my poor dear old grandmother— and aunt Susan—and Mary Murgatroyd—and Tim Macarthy.” ‘© Well—well, my good fellow,” said Buckram, still impatiently, but with a species of smile upon his countenance, ‘if you happen to hop the twig, and I should come off safe and sound, like a water proofed K A » >» > BS pe - nt Wy ibe KS: C(O)