The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 35: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHAPTER III THE ROYAL GEORGE Tren days had elapsed since the Magsman and Big Beggar- man embarked on board the brig in the Mersey, and during that interval the ship had pursued its way toward the western hemisphere. At first a favourable wind and tolerably fine weather had attended upon the course of the Royal George, and thus for a week considerable progress had been made in the voyage. But a change then took place: the steady breeze broke into fitful gusts of violent fury, the heavens grew black and menacing, the ocean rolled in dark and sombre waves, and every sign familiar to the seaman’s experience denoted the coming storm. Over the surface of the troubled main swept the screaming bird; and on the tenth evening the sun went down a deep blood-red colour, like a lamp of evil omen extinguishing be- neath the mighty arch of heaven which now overhung the boundless ocean like a tremendous sheet of lead. : In the captain’s cabin the Magsman and the Big Beggar- man were seated at the table, upon which stood the drink- ing materials, that were prevented from falling off by a rim running above the surface all around the board; for the vessel was now tossing up and down on the undula- ting bosom of the Atlantic. A lamp was suspended to the ceiling of the cabin; but through the stern windows the white crests of the billows could be discerned, like moving masses of snow gleaming in the obscurity, and from time to time the spray dashed against the thick glass. The rapid trampling of the sailors upon deck, the re- sponses which they gave to the commands which the 17 (C(O) mG } cS \