pained, and
at the same time amused me, to behold the terrors that attended my advent; to
see a furrowed cheek, weather-beaten by half a century of storm, turn ashy pale
at the glance of so harmless an individual as myself; to detect, as one or
another addressed me, the tremor of a voice, which, in long-past days, had been
wont to bellow through a speaking-trumpet, hoarsely enough to frighten Boreas
himself to silence. They knew, these excellent old persons, that, by all
established rule, - and, as regarded some of them, weighed by their own lack of
efficiency for business, - they ought to have given place to younger men, more
orthodox in politics, and altogether fitter than themselves to serve our common
Uncle. I knew it too, but could never quite find in my heart to act upon the
knowledge. Much and deservedly to my own discredit, therefore, and considerably
to the detriment of my official conscience, they continued, during my
incumbency, to creep about the wharves, and loiter up and down the Custom-House
steps. They spent a good deal of time, also, asleep in their accustomed corners,
with their chairs tilted back against the wall; awaking, however, once or twice
in a forenoon, to bore one another with the several thousandth repetition of old
sea-stories, and mouldy jokes, that had grown to be pass-words and countersigns
among them.
    The discovery was soon made, I imagine, that the new Surveyor had no great
harm in him. So, with lightsome hearts, and the happy consciousness of being
usefully employed, - in their own behalf, at least, if not for our beloved
country, - these good old gentlemen went through the various formalities of
office. Sagaciously, under their spectacles, did they peep into the holds of
vessels! Mighty was their fuss about little matters, and marvellous, sometimes,
the obtuseness that allowed greater ones to slip between their fingers! Whenever
such a mischance occurred, - when a wagon-load of valuable merchandise had been
smuggled ashore, at noonday, perhaps, and directly beneath their unsuspicious
noses, - nothing could exceed the vigilance and alacrity with which they
proceeded to lock, and double-lock, and secure with tape and sealing-wax, all
the avenues of the delinquent vessel. Instead of a reprimand for their previous
negligence, the case seemed rather to require an eulogium on their praiseworthy
caution, after the mischief had happened; a grateful recognition of the
promptitude of their zeal, the moment that there