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and on the shortest notice you may revolve in a whirlpool of red
shirts； shaggy beards； wild heads of hair； bare tattooed arms；
Britannia's daughters； malice； mud； maundering； and madness。 Down
by the Docks； scraping fiddles go in the public…houses all day
long； and； shrill above their din and all the din； rises the
screeching of innumerable parrots brought from foreign parts； who
appear to be very much astonished by what they find on these native
shores of ours。 Possibly the parrots don't know； possibly they do；
that Down by the Docks is the road to the Pacific Ocean； with its
lovely islands； where the savage girls plait flowers； and the
savage boys carve cocoa…nut shells； and the grim blind idols muse
in their shady groves to exactly the same purpose as the priests
and chiefs。 And possibly the parrots don't know； possibly they do；
that the noble savage is a wearisome impostor wherever he is； and
has five hundred thousand volumes of indifferent rhyme； and no
reason； to answer for。
Shadwell church！ Pleasant whispers of there being a fresher air
down the river than down by the Docks； go pursuing one another；
playfully； in and out of the openings in its spire。 Gigantic in
the basin just beyond the church； looms my Emigrant Ship： her
name； the Amazon。 Her figure…head is not disfigured as those
beauteous founders of the race of strong…minded women are fabled to
have been； for the convenience of drawing the bow； but I sympathise
with the carver：
A flattering carver who made it his care
To carve busts as they ought to be … not as they were。
My Emigrant Ship lies broadside…on to the wharf。 Two great
gangways made of spars and planks connect her with the wharf； and
up and down these gangways； perpetually crowding to and fro and in
and out； like ants； are the Emigrants who are going to sail in my
Emigrant Ship。 Some with cabbages； some with loaves of bread； some
with cheese and butter； some with milk and beer； some with boxes；
beds； and bundles； some with babies … nearly all with children …
nearly all with bran…new tin cans for their daily allowance of
water； uncomfortably suggestive of a tin flavour in the drink。 To
and fro； up and down； aboard and ashore； swarming here and there
and everywhere； my Emigrants。 And still as the Dock…Gate swings
upon its hinges； cabs appear； and carts appear； and vans appear；
bringing more of my Emigrants； with more cabbages； more loaves；
more cheese and butter； more milk and beer； more boxes； beds； and
bundles； more tin cans； and on those shipping investments
accumulated compound interest of children。
I go aboard my Emigrant Ship。 I go first to the great cabin； and
find it in the usual condition of a Cabin at that pass。 Perspiring
landsmen； with loose papers； and with pens and inkstands； pervade
it； and the general appearance of things is as if the late Mr。
Amazon's funeral had just come home from the cemetery； and the
disconsolate Mrs。 Amazon's trustees found the affairs in great
disorder； and were looking high and low for the will。 I go out on
the poop…deck； for air； and surveying the emigrants on the deck
below （indeed they are crowded all about me； up there too）； find
more pens and inkstands in action； and more papers； and
interminable complication respecting accounts with individuals for
tin cans and what not。 But nobody is in an ill…temper； nobody is
the worse for drink； nobody swears an oath or uses a coarse word；
nobody appears depressed； nobody is weeping； and down upon the deck
in every corner where it is possible to find a few square feet to
kneel； crouch； or lie in； people； in every unsuitable attitude for
writing； are writing letters。
Now； I have seen emigrant ships before this day in June。 And these
people are so strikingly different from all other people in like
circumstances whom I have ever seen； that I wonder aloud； 'What
WOULD a stranger suppose these emigrants to be！'
The vigilant； bright face of the weather…browned captain of the
Amazon is at my shoulder； and he says； 'What； indeed！ The most of
these came aboard yesterday evening。 They came from various parts
of England in small parties that had never seen one another before。
Yet they had not been a couple of hours on board； when they
established their own police； made their own regulations； and set
their own watches at all the hatchways。 Before nine o'clock； the
ship was as orderly and as quiet as a man…of…war。'
I looked about me again； and saw the letter…writing going on with
the most curious composure。 Perfectly abstracted in the midst of
the crowd； while great casks were swinging aloft； and being lowered
into the hold； while hot agents were hurrying up and down；
adjusting the interminable accounts； while two hundred strangers
were searching everywhere for two hundred other strangers； and were
asking questions about them of two hundred more； while the children
played up and down all the steps； and in and out among all the
people's legs； and were beheld； to the general dismay； toppling
over all the dangerous places； the letter…writers wrote on calmly。
On the starboard side of the ship； a grizzled man dictated a long
letter to another grizzled man in an immense fur cap： which letter
was of so profound a quality； that it became necessary for the
amanuensis at intervals to take off his fur cap in both his hands；
for the ventilation of his brain； and stare at him who dictated； as
a man of many mysteries who was worth looking at。 On the lar…board
side； a woman had covered a belaying…pin with a white cloth to make
a neat desk of it； and was sitting on a little box； writing with
the deliberation of a bookkeeper。 Down； upon her breast on the
planks of the deck at this woman's feet； with her head diving in
under a beam of the bulwarks on that side； as an eligible place of
refuge for her sheet of paper； a neat and pretty girl wrote for a
good hour （she fainted at last）； only rising to the surface
occasionally for a dip of ink。 Alongside the boat； close to me on
the poop…deck； another girl； a fresh； well…grown country girl； was
writing another letter on the bare deck。 Later in the day； when
this self…same boat was filled with a choir who sang glees and
catches for a long time； one of the singers； a girl； sang her part
mechanically all the while； and wrote a letter in the bottom of the
boat while doing so。
'A stranger would be puzzled to guess the right name for these
people； Mr。 Uncommercial；' says the captain。
'Indeed he would。'
'If you hadn't known； could you ever have supposed … ？'
'How could I！ I should have said they were in their degree； the
pick and flower of England。'
'So should I；' says the captain。
'How many are they？'
'Eight hundred in round numbers。'
I went between…decks； where the families with children swarmed in
the dark； where unavoidable confusion had been caused by the last
arrivals； and where the confusion was increased by the little
preparations for dinner that were going on in each group。 A few
women here and there； had got lost； and were laughing at it； and
asking their way to their own people； or out on deck again。 A few
of the poor children were crying； but otherwise the universal
cheerfulness was amazing。 'We shall shake down by to…morrow。' 'We
shall come all right in a day or so。' 'We shall have more light at
sea。' Such phrases I heard everywhere； as I groped my way among
chests and barrels and beams and unstowed cargo and ring…bolts and
Emigrants； down to the lower…deck； and thence up to the light of
day again； and to my former station。
Surely； an extraordinary people in their power of self…abstraction！
All the former letter…writers were still writing calmly； and many
more letter…writers had broken out in my absence。 A boy with a bag
of books in his hand and a slate under his arm； emerged from below；
concentrated himself in my neighbourhood （espying a convenient
skylight for his purpose）； and went to work at a sum as if he were
stone deaf。 A father and mother and several young children； on the
main deck below me； had formed a family circle close to the foot of
the crowded restless gangway； where the children made a nest for
themselves in a coil of rope； and the father and mother； she
suckling the youngest； discussed family affairs as peaceably as if
they were in perfect retirement。 I think the most noticeable
characteristic in the eight hundred as a mass； was their exemption
from hurry。
Eight hundred what？ 'Geese； villain？' EIGHT HUNDRED MORMONS。 I；
Uncommercial Traveller for the firm of Human Interest Brothers； had
come aboard this Emigrant Ship to see what Eight hundred Latter…day
Saints were like； and I found them （to the rout and overthrow of
all my expectations） like what I now describe with scrupulous
exactness。
The Mormon Agent who had been active in getting them together； and
i