I Cannot Forget How My Friend S - - - And Myself Got The Laugh Of
The Crew Upon Us For Our Eagerness To Get On Shore.
The captain
having ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both sprang down
into the forecastle, filled our
Jacket pockets with tobacco to barter
with the people ashore, and when the officer called for "four hands
in the boat," nearly broke our necks in our haste to be first over
the side, and had the pleasure of pulling ahead of the brig with a
tow-line for a half an hour, and coming on board again to be laughed
at by the crew, who had seen our manoeuvre.
After breakfast the second mate was ordered ashore with five hands
to fill the water-casks, and to my joy I was among the number.
We pulled ashore with the empty casks; and here again fortune
favored me, for the water was too thick and muddy to be put into
the casks, and the governor had sent men up to the head of the
stream to clear it out for us, which gave us nearly two hours of
leisure. This leisure we employed in wandering about among the
houses, and eating a little fruit which was offered to us.
Ground apples, melons, grapes, strawberries of an enormous size,
and cherries, abounded here. The latter are said to have been
planted by Lord Anson. The soldiers were miserably clad, and
asked with some interest whether we had any shoes to sell on board.
I doubt very much if they had the means of buying them.
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