This Difficulty, Of Course,
Existed In The Same Force With The Steamboats And All I Could Do Was
To Give Them Some Account Of The Results, In The Shape Of Speed; For,
Failing In The Reason, I Had To Fall Back Upon The Fact.
In my account
of the speed I was supported by Tom, who had been to Nantucket,
and seen a little steamboat which ran over to New Bedford.
A map of the world, which I once showed them, kept their attention
for hours; those who knew how to read pointing out the places
and referring to me for the distances. I remember being much
amused with a question which Hope asked me. Pointing to the large
irregular place which is always left blank round the poles, to
denote that it is undiscovered, he looked up and asked. - "Pau?"
(Done? ended?)
The system of naming the streets and numbering the houses, they
easily understood, and the utility of it. They had a great desire to
see America, but were afraid of doubling Cape Horn, for they suffer
much in cold weather, and had heard dreadful accounts of the Cape,
from those of their number who had been round it.
They smoke a great deal, though not much at a time; using pipes
with large bowls, and very short stems, or no stems at all. These,
they light, and putting them to their mouths, take a long draught,
getting their mouths as full as they can hold, and their cheeks
distended, and then let it slowly out through their mouths and nostrils.
The pipe is then passed to others, who draw, in the same manner,
one pipe-full serving for half a dozen.
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