The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

132 : THE STEAM PACKET, — | ; in or out of the berth;’’ and a third asserted that ‘‘ it required quite a feat of horsemanship, only fit for a sailor, to dismount from the upper- most bed.” A fourth lady had partially undressed herself in her berth, probably'under the impression that it was uncomfortable to die with her clothes on; and she now chose to adjust her attire in her berth previous to descending. But as she was excessively corpulent, this was rather a difficult task, especially as the vessel still continued to pitch and roll a great deal. She was compelled to throw herself upon her face, and lace her stays behind her back, feeling for the eyelet hole with one hand, and trying to poke the tag through with the other, while she rolled about from side to side in a most pitiable, but truly laughable manner. But probably the most unpleasant por- tien of this ceremony of dressing in a berth, was the fact of the corpulent lady fastening the pillow on by sidtalberh in the hurry; instead of her bustle; and she did not find out her error until she was com- _ pelled to descend and solicit the stewardess to hook her gown. The unfortunate stout lady was then compelled to pass through an ordeal of almost interminable laughter; but it was eventually agreed, as a sort of consolatory set-off to the indulgence in all this mirth, that the little incident should not be mentioned to the gentlemen. | The Luminaries did net land at Gravelines in the same triumphant manner as they had done at Dunkirk, as they nearly all felt wet, miser- able, and sulky. The banner, therefore, was not spread; and the music — did not play as the sapient voyagers crowded pell-mell onshore. The ordeal at the Custom-House was passed through; and they proceeded to the hotel, which, to increase their annoyance, was not of sufficient extent to give promise of comfortable lodging for all the visitors. The {Luminaries were accordingly compelled to separate into three divisions, under the respective commands of the Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary, and repair to three different inns—an arrangement which enabled those places of public accommodation to make suitable pro- vision for the guests whom they had to entertain. As soon as Mr. Thomas Gibbins had attended to his master, and refreshed himself with a copious repast, he retired to the garret pro- vided for his accommodation. He there sat down to pen a letter to Miss Jane Thompson, the pretty chambermaid at the White Hart Inn; Margate; and probably our readers will not be displeased if we lay an authentic copy of that memorable dispatch before them. It ran as follows :— “‘ Wel, mi dere jaine, here we air at Gravlings, a wery small, de- serted, and mellonkolly-looking town, which we reeched arter havin’ Eomicbooks.co