There were about eight of us travelling in the small saloon _of the Iaunch. We had scarcely started when one of the Chinese sitting near me deliberately spat on the floor very close to one of my fect. Scarcely had he done so when: another leant over and spat towards the door near to which the young master sat, T had glanced at him when the first expectoration took place, and received a sympathetic look from im. When the next took place I believe he made a mathews calculation parts of an inch it missed his leg!
suggested that it would be a good jing if we had a spittoon, and my friend immediately went in search of one. He returned presently and informed us that there was no such thing on board. Information which did not seem to impair the spirits of our travelling companions. My friend sat down and Joking round said quietly but firmly something to this effect: "Gentlemen this is a small cabin, there are several of us here, think it will be well if we abstain from expectorating in it." From that time on neither his legs my feet were again endangered, that this mathematical master was well worthy of being helped the attainment of that farther knowledge upon which he had set his heart.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.