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Them old he waves hunt in droves mostly, and when one did board us we couldn't scarce get clear of the wash of it before another would rise right up over our rail and fill the waist, or mebbe sweep ev'rything clean from starn to bowsprit. At four bells of the mornin' watch one o' them big waves come inboard.
We tried for to dissuade him at first, but when the starn o' the ship was tore away, and the cargo began to wash out, we all saw that it was neck or nothin', so we let him go. For a time he swam like a good 'un, but when he'd bin dashed agin' the cliffs two or three times an' washed back again among the wreck of spars, cargo, and riggin', we thought it was all over with all of us.
Well, we yawed once or twice, and motioned to him to keep off for fear he should get hurt; but he came right on afore the wheel, and I hope I may be shot if the paddle didn't strike the bow of the boat with that force, it knocked up the starn like a plank tilt, when one of the boys playin' on it is heavier than t'other; and chucked him right atop of the wheel-house.
Lord-a-mercy! you might have drove a Portsmouth waggon into his starn the broadside of the Victory had made room enough. However, they were soon all smothered up in smoke, and we could not make out how things were going on but we made a pretty good guess.
"We might be able to kedge her off, sorr, an' thin ag'in we moightn't; but the foorst thing to say, sorr, is whither she's all roight below." "A good suggestion," answered Mr Mackay. "Tell the carpenter to sound the well at once." "That'd be no good at all, sorr," interposed the other, "for the poor craythur's got her bows hoigh an' dhry, while she's down by the starn.
I could not help thinking how pretty and gentle and brave she looked as she left herself in Bob's hands, while he knelt on the locker, lifted her up, passed her out of the cabin-window, held for a moment or two by the knot, and then gently lowered her down. "Done lovely," said Bob. "Better let Neb Dumlow cast off the rope, Mr Preddle, sir. You can hand the lady into the starn arter-wards.
One of the "old salts," having been rebuked by the captain for steering wildly, declared, in a grave but respectful tone, that he could steer as good a trick at the helm as any man who ever handled a marlinspike; but he "verily believed the old critter knew as much as a Christian, and was obstinately determined to turn round and take a look at her starn!"
It was in the following words, viz.: "Willow Cove, Sept. 18th, 1804. "Captain Wallingford: "Dear Sir, and my dear Miles Here I have been, moored head and starn, these ten days, as comfortable as heart could wish, in the bosom of my family. The old woman was right down glad to see me, and she cried like an alligator, when she heard my story.
"I al'ays liked the starn seat best. When'd you git back from up country?" This allusion to Asa's origin was not lost upon the rest of the company. We were some little distance from shore, but we could hear a chuckle of laughter, and Asa, a person who was too ready with his criticism and advice on every possible subject, turned and walked indignantly away.
We boarded her from the starn, and had driven them right up into the bows, but being a bit india-rubbery, when they could get no farther they bounced back on us and we were being driven step by step along the deck, farther and farther aft, till they gathered theirselves together with a rush, yelling like demons, and the next thing would have been that such of us as could stand would have been driven over into our boat again.
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