That part of the expedition was easy enough, though the horses were
painfully glistening with icicles, and the aspect of the tram-
conductors' faces presented a repulsive blending of crimson and
purple. But as to frightening or bullying, or even wheedling some
sort of answer out of Mr. Hudig, that was another matter
altogether. He was a big, swarthy Netherlander, with black
moustaches and a bold glance. He always began by shoving me into a
chair before I had time to open my mouth, gave me cordially a large
cigar, and in excellent English would start to talk everlastingly
about the phenomenal severity of the weather. It was impossible to
threaten a man who, though he possessed the language perfectly,
seemed incapable of understanding any phrase pronounced in a tone
of remonstrance or discontent. As to quarrelling with him, it
would have been stupid. The weather was too bitter for that. His
office was so warm, his fire so bright, his sides shook so heartily
with laughter, that I experienced always a great difficulty in
making up my mind to reach for my hat.

At last the cargo did come. At first it came dribbling in by rail
in trucks, till the thaw set in; and then fast, in a multitude of
barges, with a great rush of unbound waters. The gentle master
stevedore had his hands very full at last; and the chief mate
became worried in his mind as to the proper distribution of the
weight of his first cargo in a ship he did not personally know
before.

Ships do want humouring. They want humouring in handling; and if
you mean to handle them well, they must have been humoured in the
distribution of the weight which you ask them to carry through the