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Updated: June 29, 2025
"Only one of the gigs is being manned, sir," I added, "the crew of the other most likely going round by shore to cut us off." "They'll have a hot run, sir," returned the captain. "Jack ashore, you know. It's not them I mind; it's the round-shot. Carpet bowls! My lady's maid couldn't miss. Tell us, squire, when you see the match, and we'll hold water."
I did not see that they had any other weapon but darts and gigs, intended only for striking of fish. Their canoes were much like those of Tanna, and navigated in the same manner, or nearly so. They readily gave us the names of such parts as we pointed to; but we could not obtain from them the name of the island.
Presently the pen, made of four hurdles, was ready, the pigs safely in it, and the boys took their station in front of it and waited events. Donnington market was a large one, well attended by all the fanners for miles round; gradually they came rattling up in their carts and gigs, or jogging along on horseback, casting shrewd glances at the various beasts which had already been driven in.
A short pause now ensued, during which I suspected that the first luff was conferring with Captain Stopford, the Barracouta's people gazing curiously at us meanwhile through the brig's open ports; and then the sound of the boatswain's pipe came floating to us from the brig across the tumbling waters, and we heard his gruff voice bellowing "Gigs away!"
Down the cross-road approached the hounds themselves, headed by their whipper-in and surrounding the picturesque figure of the huntsman. They took up their position in the park, and presently from every point of the compass the scarlet coats came trotting forward, followed by a string of drags, dogcarts, and gigs.
At certain points of the river, where there were shallows towards which the currents set, carts, carioles, boxes, carriages, gigs, fencing, and property of every description were stranded in large quantities and in dire confusion, but much of the wreck was swept onward and engulfed in Lake Winnipeg.
"Hallo, Pendyce!" he called out heartily; "didn't see you on the platform. How's your wife?" Mr. Pendyce, turning to answer, met the little burning eyes of Captain Bellew, who came out third. They failed to salute each other, and Bellow, springing into his cart, wrenched his mare round, circled the farmers' gigs, and, sitting forward, drove off at a furious pace.
"'Man overboard! he yells, and snaps the patent life-buoy over the side, and the marine on the starboard side of the quarter he yells, 'Man overboard! and the marine on the after-bridge he yells, 'Man overboard! and the two seaman on watch on the for'ard bridge, 'Man overboard, sir! they yell, and the watch officer orders, 'Hard on your wheel, Quartermaster! and to the bosun's mate on watch the watch officer yells, 'Pipe the deck division to quarters! and the watch officer pulls a few bells and talks through three or four tubes, and in no time the ship is coming around in a circle, and up on deck came piling about two hundred lusty young seamen, and it was, 'boats away, and over the side went hanging gigs and cutters and whale-boats, and then it was, 'Search-lights all clear! and in about one minute the big ship was back on the spot, and in another minute and a half there were eight boats with half-dressed crews rowing around, and six big search-lights playing tag on the waters.
No sooner, however, were they seen from the fort than they were fired at by two guns, and directly afterwards by musketry from both sides of the river. As this act effectually prevented any peaceable arrangements, Captain Loch immediately ordered up the boats for the purpose of storming the fort. The two gigs then took the lead, followed pretty closely by some of the lighter-pulling boats.
The crew, every one of whom had many a time grumbled at the contrast between their beamy craft and the smart gigs of most other ships, now felt the advantage.
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