The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-06-20
Selected for he .Nite York Patriot
TnE Old SEAMAN. \ skEfCu FROM
NNIt RI


1 like a salur lie is the uldcst bo
that wears a packet frank, generous
+ playful, aud somewhat pugtaeions. M
3 lhM hewil fight for nothing but he vii
hattie iuf glory, for that Is like ship
NAM, o., II men Neat wooden SHOES, IN
vii dnih them lor II, though Ia hould -
Il leg made of the saine heather. Talk II
-" our Wives aud Liberties, - o viii Ggb
for " Doll of Wrapping" aud yet into .
French plison Bun for laurel OF Ntealh'
NJ II he would rather Win rolls of pigtail
and as for palms -he has losl his hand and
the palm with its Immortality Is nat hi
aim bat he is a Dryad up 10 the Knees :,
and, So Ett, he will not die like oil ReSh.
Gonl, 81 eramp, or rheumatism, what are
they To him p lac is 4 Stuit a. iar rs the
lmbergues Wooded -bul mol watered--
for he hates grog, except tor the liquor thai
is IN it. He louks like n human peg top
You might spin him with coil al cable.
One OF his arms too is fin aud he has
lost an eye. II is the siarhuafd one, aud
looks rs in had lle wind in IL but II was
blown oul with gunpowdcr. lie was IN
The Srltlife oil Cape Cod, when she took
hre in the glnl-r0onl, and llew mp like u
rocket He went alofl almost To bis che
rub, and when he came down aRaln fe
was half dead aud hall blind one Window,
ny he said, was ~ dark as night hut he
makes light OF It. All his brreavemonls- -
ele-arm lea-1re triiles 10 him. Din
genes WAS nothing IL linn as philosopher;
he is proud even of hls mlslorlunes.=
Whist others beNai their scratches, and
plaster their razor cuts, he throws open
his blue Jacket, and shows the deep fulroa
ed sears, and exrlAins, " Talk mol 10 me oI
acomS ~
To sce an old seaman is 10 see a mum
An old soldier, IN the comparison, looks
like an old woman perhaps, because his
uniform Is red like her CLOAK. But sailor
has fought with more advefsarics- fire
of the foc--thr ice of the North Pole--tbc
struggle Of the Withstand the assaults OF
the Wild waters. The elements are his
pIaymates, and his home is the wide sea.
- lie Is, says Sir II. Otcrbury, !" n piteht
peace of reason calkt aud tackled, aud only
studied 10 dispute with tompesis.' He has
encountered slrlrking hurrlcanes---bllows,
like mountains with the white sheep atop
and rocks, like the door. posts of death
lle-has ciprumtented the quick saGd, and
been ton cunning for the deep. Wind, Nasr,
rock, showers of shot bayoDol aud enIass
he has Wilhato0d them al, either by
force or skill What Gue llesh-and blood
trophy, (and some wood too is he of yali-
Gus victory The roaring sea, the howl
ing gale, the Numbering eannon--lls old
adscrsarles- sng his triumph over them.
What has he not braved and endured p
W. love him Tor the dangers he has pass
ed !" ~ the gentle Desdcmcna loved the
Moor, the more he rccouuledto her his pc
rils. He can talk loo Of
Rough qnarries, rocks, aud hills whose heads
| touch heaY H.
Aud OF the cannibnls thai each other eat,
| The Anlhropophag, aud men IS hose heads
Do grow beneath their shoulders.
A good liz, To do him Justice is no la
boar 10 him bui on the other hand, he is
~ freely crcdulo,is II wa, he who saw
the man hunted by devils in Nesuyius---
| or H1ina--as il is written and Witnessed
npon oath in his log book. He believes
that 3parrows may be- caught with salt up
on their tiis for he knows that cod fish
are 50 taken. He has great faith IN kfaken.
II you will credit INN, he has hooked one
largcl than The srd's bottom, with the best
bower anrhor; and he has seen the Sea
Serpent and Mermaid.
Some 1T least of his wonders he can
show you hc has a flying fish Ia his chest,
and yonag dolphla--besides c0ckroach
Is, which cal mp ones linen in the West IN
dies but the blue shark he las given 10
- iFlcnG. The Rreeu parrot too he has
parted with, but with more kindness tllan
| discretion for he sGnt II 10 an old aunt,
aud she Mas pleased with the gift /; but HE
bird, II turned ont, blasphcmrd, aud she
Was still more shocked ri the giycr. Ii is
worth one ear 10 listen Ia him WHEN, with
j these mapels, he talks over his voydgrs,
his engagements his adventures, aud above
all, bis residence amongst the savage; and
how he made Christians Of lhcm-and
some Of them fG says id good ones
too J.! On this matter he is frequent. Only
on one subject is he more eloquent MS
SHIP There me luSuriaies there he
talks poetry II is doubt whether he
could describe lbs mistress better. She sits
opoa TIE spray Speaking pastoralIy) like a
bad lacking or cl0sc handed, or under
bare foles, iilele Is none can compare with
her. To ser her IN full dress--shy scra-
pers, and roy al, and stud sails, is beyond
all comparison with him.
He Was bonn On board ship, cradIcd on
the occan, sclo5led ia The heet, and should
have married mermaid but, as the tale
sors, she jiItcd him, aud he took ap with
Nm Dawson, with whom h fell III love
becaHse She Was 80 like the -blps figure
head. Att"elFe years Old he WAS wreck.
80 IN the A,amrmn0u ri fourteen he WAS
taken in the N.Hgear; and at thirty he
wos blown up ia The Spuiire. Whit Il
sea fortune Buthe never quarrcIIed With
his profession, nor--as his good moihcr
sometimes advised him -Hre~ mp he SEA.
lie MAS never sick oi il \ last, ~ the
~.