pies, &c.--then nuts, oranges, raisins, figs, and wine. At first,
they stared, as if they were in the land of dreams; but presently
the enchanting realities before them were welcomed and consumed with
the greatest relish. They were waited upon in the most respectful
manner. Their feast had no drawback. All was good and agreeable as
possible.

The gentleman said he had been at many grand dinners, but had never
enjoyed one so much as this.

The sailors tried to find out their benefactor, but no one would
tell them.

At last their suspicions fell upon the right man, him who told me
the story.

They chose the oldest of their number to wait upon him in the name
of the whole, to express their thanks. "When the old man approached
me," said the gentleman to me, "he took off his hat and was going to
speak, but the tears came in his eyes, and he could not. He went
away, and presently returned; but again he lost his self-command,
and turned away. At last, he recovered himself enough to speak, and
these were his words: "'Tis the first time, sir, that we were ever
treated like men."

The captain, who laughed at the whim of these gentlemen, said
afterwards that he had never had such work from his sailors as he
had from that time to the end of the voyage.

I will tell you yet another true story.