James Braithwaite, the Supercargo: The Story of his Adventures Ashore and Afloat

James Braithwaite, the Supercargo: The Story of his Adventures Ashore and Afloat

The Barbara, I answered, trying to look more at my ease than I felt; for the old fellow, besides having but one leg, had a black patch over the place where his right eye should have been, while his left arm was partially crippled; and his crew consisted of a mite of a boy whose activity and intelligence could scarcely make up for his want of size and strength. The ebb tide, too, was making strong out of Portsmouth Harbour, and a fresh breeze was blowing in, creating a tumbling, bubbling sea at the mouth; and vessels and boats of all sizes and rigs were dashing here and there, madly and without purpose it seemed to me, but at all events very likely to run down the low narrow craft in which I had ventured to embark. Now and then a man-of-wars boat, with half-a-dozen reckless midshipmen in her, who looked as if they would not have the slightest scruple in sailing over us, would pass within a few inches of the wherry; now a ships launch with a party of marines, pulling with uncertain strokes like a huge maimed centipede, would come right across our course and receive old Bobs no very complimentary remarks; next a boatful of men-of-wars men, liberty men returning from leave. There was no use saying anything to them, for there wasnt one, old Bob informed me, but what was three sheets in the wind, or half seas over,in other words, very drunk; still, they managed to find their way and not to upset themselves, in a manner which surprised me. Scarcely were we clear of them when several lumbering dockyard lighters would come dashing by, going out with stores or powder to the fleet at Spithead. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 21386
Author: Kingston, William Henry Giles
Release Date: May 8, 2007
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Illustrator: Dugdale, Thomas Cantrell, 1880-1952