The Monikins

was always with the pith of one who had seen a great deal of at least one portion of his fellow-creatures. The conversation, under such c

y way of cutting in a word in his own favor, he gave me to understand that he had seen a great deal, mor

I have as yet had but little communion. In order that we may improve the occasion to the utmost, I propose that we introduce ourselves

aste his breath in idle compliments. "I accept the offer, therefore, with all my heart; and this the more readily because you are the only one I have met for a week wh

ter, and furnished a proof of responsibility. The condition was th

haken each other very cordially by the

nows it. I am not ashamed of either of my

oa

hat he had just said of his self-confidence were true. As I had afterward occasion

England are you a

may say of th

island was so designated. Will you ha

o sea a four-year-old, and here I am, walking about the kingdom of France without a cent in my pocket, a shipwrec

mariner-starvin

h to call myself a Yankee, but my back is apt to get up when I hear an Englishman use the word. We are yet f

nd will not offend again. Have

gers, in pure contempt of th

een munching half a-dozen during the walk, and held it up to view-"draw your lines which way you will on this sphere; crosswis

as well a

igator floundering in the mud. I lost my schooner on the northeast coast of Russia-somewhere hereabouts," pointing to the precise spot on the apple; "we were up there trading in skins-and finding no means of reaching home by the road I'd come, and smelling salt water down hereaway, I've be

hen, to call the

of Stunin'tun,' to anything else, for that was the name of the craft I lost. Well, the best of

where you learned to speak the Eng

e with us that think a great deal of their geometry and astronomies, but I hold to no such slender threads. My way is, when there is occasion to go anywhere, to settle it well in my mind as to the place, and then to make as straight a wake as natur' will allow, tak

not well comprehen

it after all, for the two times I've been wrecked were in summer, and both the accidents happened by sheer d

this peculiar so

tion. It's the very best way in the world to discover islands; and everybod

e, Captain Poke, how many tim

ous glance at me, as if he distr

into the South Sea with my craft, and it's of no great moment how it's done. A skin is worth just as m

loss

t cannot speak a syllable of the homespun; so I brought the schooner's dictionary with me as a sort of terrestrial almanac, and I fancied that, as they spoke gibberish to me, the best way

ea was

' and occupation, it is time that I ask a few questions of you. This is a business, you must kn

ain Poke; I hope the answ

r na

avor of his majesty, Sir

majesty, a baronet! Is baronet a calling?

n the kingdom to

stationed, like a ship's people that are called to go about; you have a certai

w that order, and propriety, and safety

ing to experience; I'm not so sure that it would do to take even

too hallowed to escape me even under the ordeal of a Stunin'tun inquisitor. In short, finding that I was nearly helpless in such hands, I made a merit of necessity, and yielded up my secrets as wood in a vice discharges its moisture. It was scarcel

ut on the whole my relations with all that portion of mankind who inhabit the islands of the Pacific, the northwest coast of America, and the northeast coast of the old continent, were rather loose, and generally in an unsettled and vague condition; and it appeared to me that I had been singularly favored in having a man so well adapted to their regeneration thrown as it were by Providence, and in a manner so unusual, directly in my way. I now

in

I believe few men fairly enter into the beauty of this benevolent system who are not

ew idee, Sir

encalf, if you

er clear of misunderstandings. You wish a navigator to take your craft, let her be what she will, into unknown seas,

sideration with

always a considerable consideration with me, and I may say, also, just now it is rather more so than usual. But when a ge

the spot. Amicable and in some respects confidential relations were now established between my new acquaintance and myself; and we pursued our walk, discussing the details necessary to the execution of our project. After an hour or two passed in this manner, I

. This task was nearly over when my attention was particularly drawn to a group that was just entering the place of general resort, apparently with the design of adding to the s