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Still, there was no danger or ought to have been none for we were well out of the regular track of the homeward-bounders, and in any case, with a proper look-out, it would have been possible to see another craft plenty early enough to give her a good wide berth.

There they anticipated creating no small impression by their immense and magnificent homeward-bounders so they called the long fly-brushes at their chins.

"Take your hand away, White-Jacket," he cried; "there's no law up aloft here. I say, you Emperor you greenhorn in the green coat, there look you, you can't raise a pair of whiskers yet; and see what a pair of homeward-bounders I have on my jowls! Don Pedro, eh? What's that, after all, but plain Peter reckoned a shabby name in my country. Damn me, White-Jacket, I wouldn't call my dog Peter!"

This corresponded to the breaking of glasses after a favorite toast, or to the bursts of enthusiasm in a Spanish bull-ring, where Andalusian caps fly by dozens into the arena. There, however, the bull-fighter returns them, with many bows; but those of the homeward-bounders become the inheritance of the boatmen of the port.

When I took the deck again at eight, I asked that serang whether there was anything about; and I understood him to say there was no more as when I went below at six. This is a lonely sea at times ain't it, sir? Now, one would think at this time of the year the homeward-bounders from China would be pretty thick here."

But I did no more good on one field than on another, and eventually, early in 1853, I cast up in Melbourne again with the intention of shipping home in the first vessel. But there were no crews for the homeward-bounders, and while waiting for a ship my little stock of gold dust gave out. I became destitute first then desperate.

All you that have long hair, cut it short; and all you that have large whiskers, trim them down, according to the Navy regulations." This was an amendment, to be sure; but what barbarity, after all! What! not thirty days' run from home, and lose our magnificent homeward-bounders! The homeward-bounders we had been cultivating so long! Lose them at one fell swoop?