A gentleman of
breeding and education meets half a dozen smacksmen in a little cabin,
and the company proceed to talk informally. Well, at one time the
seamen's conversation ran entirely on trivialities--or on fish. As soon
as the subject of Fish was exhausted, the exiles growled their comments
on Joe's new mainsail, or the lengthening of Jimmy's smack; but nowadays
the men's horizon is widened, and the little band of half a dozen who
meet the missionary are eager to learn, and eager to express their own
notions in their own simple fashion. The gentleman, of course, shows his
fine manners by granting attention to all his rough friends when they
talk, and the smacksmen find that, instead of a preacher only, a man who
withdraws himself to his private cabin when his discourse has been
delivered, they have among them a kindly fellow-worker, who enters with
the true spirit of _camaraderie_ into all that interests or concerns
them, and gives counsel and cheery chat without a sign of patronage.
Then, after the little meeting is over, and the evening begins to fall,
the fascinating landsman will stroll on the deck for a few minutes,
until the smack's boats come over the great seas to bear away the
visitors; all his gossip is like a revelation to the rude, good-hearted
creatures, and his words filter from vessel to vessel; his very accent
and tone are remembered; and when the hoarse salute "God bless you!"
sounds over the sea, as the boats go away, you may be sure that the
fishers utter their blessing with sincere fervour.
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