After this, the ship was scraped,
inside and out, decks, masts, booms and all; a stage being rigged
outside, upon which we scraped her down to the water-line; pounding
the rust off the chains, bolts and fastenings. Then, taking two days
of calm under the line, we painted her on the outside, giving her open
ports in her streak, and finishing off the nice work upon the stern,
where sat Neptune in his car, holding his trident, drawn by
sea-horses; and re-touched the gilding and coloring of the
cornucopia which ornamented her billet-head. The inside was then
painted, from the skysail truck to the waterways- the yards black;
mast-heads and tops, white; monkey-rail, black, white, and yellow;
bulwarks, green; plank-shear, white; waterways, lead color, etc., etc.
The anchors and ring-bolts, and other iron work, were blackened with
coal-tar; and the steward kept at work, polishing the brass of the
wheel, bell, capstan, etc. The cabin, too, was scraped, varnished, and
painted; and the forecastle scraped and scrubbed; there being no
need of paint and varnish for Jack's quarters. The decks were then
scraped and varnished, and everything useless thrown overboard;
among which the empty tar barrels were set on fire and thrown
overboard, on a dark night, and left blazing astern, lighting up the
ocean for miles.
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