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A reel in a bottle, for Jack in the doldrums; being the adventures of two of the King's seamen in a voyage to the celestial country. Cheever, Henry P..
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A REEL IN A BOTTLE.
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A REEL IN A BOTTLE, FOR JACK IN THE DOLDRUMS; BEING THE ADVENTURES OF TWO OF THE KING'S SEAMEN IN A VOYAGE TO THE CELESTIAL COUNTRY. EDITED FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS OF AN OLD SALT.

BY

REV. HENRY T. CHEEVER,

AUTHOR OF "THE WHALE AND HIS CAPTORS," "ISLAND WORLD OF THE PACIFIC, "LIFE IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS," ETC.

NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER, 145 NASSAU STREET.

1852.
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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by CHARLES SCRIBNER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. C. W. BENEDICT, STEREOTYPER AND PRINTER, 201 William Street.

PREFACE.

DOLDRUMS is the name given by seamen to those parts of the ocean directly under the Equator, where they have neither North East nor South East trades, but baffling winds and calms. In the navigation of life all men fall into the Doldrum state some time or another. Too many persons, indeed, keep there a good part of their days, their sails seldom filled with the gales of the Spirit, and rarely, if ever, finding the trade-winds of success.

Now it may be well for all such, or for any others, whether on a tedious or quick navigation, to turn hither and try to make out how this reel got into the bottle, and how they can get it out, or wind off its lessons of wisdom. They will be sure to meet in these pages something to please, employ and profit them. They will find Peter and John genial companions, in whose society they can while away an hour, and be all the better for it.

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This unique manuscript of an Old Salt, practically experienced in the navigation described, we have made into a book for all that get into the Doldrums, land-lubbers as well as sailors, and whether at sea or on the land, for everywhere life has its Doldrums, on ship or shore. It is for all, indeed, upon the voyage of life, whether they meet with driving gales, or with baffling winds and calms. It has been put into the present Editor's hands to revise and correct for the press, and introduce to public notice, because while intended for readers at large, it was thought to be especially suitable for a contemplated series of volumes, constituting a Library for the Sea. Hence the pertinence of its name.

The Editor takes the liberty to say, whether it pleases the Author or not, that the Old Salt is no mere crabbed fellow that has lived on salt junk all his days, till his juices are all dried out of him. But his humor is rich and generous, and he seems to be well skilled in the Nautical Almanac used in the navigation here taught, while the language and imagery of the Sailor's EPITOME, spiritually at least, seem as familiar to him as the images of things that lay about the home of our childhood. He has also kept the eye of his Christian voyagers on all passing events to windward, while themselves steering steadily by Compass and Chart, and looking at all things from their own standpoint in their Heavenly EPITOME, the Living Word their only rule. Hence the value of their comments upon the various crafts found launched upon these tides, and the practical wisdom of their own maxims of navigation.

All the meaning couched under the various names and allusions may not be apprehended by every reader at a single perusal, but a second reading through the glass of the Word will make it clear. To all the King's Sailors, on the Land or Lea, of the Old World and the New, with earnest wishes for their good, the book is now DEDICATED by the Editor.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1851.

H. T. C.

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CONTENTS.

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