The captain, who had been on the coast
before and "knew the ropes," took the steering oar, and we went off in
the same way as the other boat. I, being the youngest, had the
pleasure of standing at the bow, and getting wet through. We went
off well, though the seas were high. Some of them lifted us up, and
sliding from under us, seemed to let us drop through the air like a
flat plank upon the body of the water. In a few minutes we were in the
low, regular swell, and pulled for a light, which, as we came up, we
found had been run up to our trysail gaff.
Coming aboard, we hoisted up all the boats, and diving down into the
forecastle, changed our wet clothes, and got our supper. After
supper the sailors lighted their pipes, (cigars, those of us who had
them,) and we had to tell all we had seen ashore. Then followed
conjectures about the people ashore, the length of the voyage,
carrying hides, etc., etc., until eight bells, when all hands were
called aft, and the "anchor watch" set. We were to stand two in a
watch, and as the nights were pretty long, two hours were to make a
watch. The second mate was to keep the deck until eight o'clock, and
all hands were to be called at daybreak, and the word was passed to
keep a bright look-out, and to call the mate if it should come on to
blow from the south-east.
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