all a sense of cleanliness an though we had bathed; the seats drew

out and joined in the centre, so that there was no more need for

bed boards; and there was an upper tier of berths which could be

closed by day and opened at night.

I had by this time some opportunity of seeing the people whom I was

among. They were in rather marked contrast to the emigrants I had

met on board ship while crossing the Atlantic. They were mostly

lumpish fellows, silent and noisy, a common combination; somewhat

sad, I should say, with an extraordinary poor taste in humour, and

little interest in their fellow-creatures beyond that of a cheap

and merely external curiosity. If they heard a man's name and

business, they seemed to think they had the heart of that mystery;

but they were as eager to know that much as they were indifferent

to the rest. Some of them were on nettles till they learned your

name was Dickson and you a journeyman baker; but beyond that,

whether you were Catholic or Mormon, dull or clever, fierce or

friendly, was all one to them. Others who were not so stupid,

gossiped a little, and, I am bound to say, unkindly. A favourite

witticism was for some lout to raise the alarm of "All aboard!"

while the rest of us were dining, thus contributing his mite to the

general discomfort. Such a one was always much applauded for his

high spirits. When I was ill coming through Wyoming, I was

astonished - fresh from the eager humanity on board ship - to meet

with little but laughter. One of the young men even amused himself

by incommoding me, as was then very easy; and that not from ill-

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