It ryles me considerable, I tell you.
"Cutler," said I, "did you ever see a colt in a pasture, how he would
race and chase round the field, head, ears, and tail up, and stop
short, snort as if he had seen the ghost of a bridle, and off again
hot foot?"
"Yes," said he, "I have, but you are not a colt, nor a boy either."
"Well, did you ever see a horse when unharnessed from a little, light
waggon, and turned out to grass, do nearly the same identical thing,
and kick up his heels like mad, as much as to say, I am a free nigger
now?"
"Well, I have," said he.
"Stop," said I, a touchin' of him on his arm; "what in the world is
that?" and I pointed over the taffrail to the weather-bow.
"Porpoises," said he.
"What are they a doin' of?"
"Sportin' of themselves."
"Exactly," sais I, "and do you place man below the beasts of the field
and the fishes of the sea? What in natur' was humour given to us for
but for our divarsion? What sort of a world would this be if every
fellow spoke sermons and talked homilies, and what in that case would
parsons do? I leave you to cypher that out, and then prove it by
algebra; but I'll tell you what they wouldn't do, I'll be hanged if
they'd strike for higher wages, for fear they should not get any at
all."
"I knock under," said he; "you may take my hat; now go on and finish
the comparison between Clippers and Steamers.
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