ounded, darted with its jaws wider than a large shark's at the
boatswain, who was the nearest. Luckily for him, the mate was ready to
fire his pistol again. The ball struck its lower jaw and broke it. It then
made a stern-board, but before it could reach the bows the boatswain gave
it a stroke with the axe which nearly gullyteened it; you know, shipmates,
what that is. Why, mayhap you don't; so I'll tell you. It's a kind of
gallows that cuts off Frenchmen's heads. But I must heave-to a bit and
overhaul my reckoning, for I almost forget. Did ever any of you see a
port-go-chaire?" "We never heard of such a port," said some of his
auditors; "you're humbugging us." "I have been to America, the West and
East Ingees, but I never heard of such a port," said another. "Why, you
lubbers," said the story-teller, "if you go to France, you'll see
thousands of them. It's what they drive the coaches under into their
yards." I was inclined to correct the word, but I thought it better not to
interrupt them. "Where did I leave off?" "Come, Bill, heave ahead and save
tide; your yarn is as long as the stream cable; they'll be piping to grog
presently," said one of his impatient listeners. "Well," said Bill, "to
make short a long story, I left off where the boatswain cut off the head
of the sea-serpent. By this time all hands were on deck; they threw a rope
over the beast and secured it to the cable-bits, but not before they had
got several raps over their shins, as it kept twisting about for almost an
hour afterwards. Next morning, said my brother, the magistrates having
heard of it, came on board to know all about it, as no one in the town had
ever seen such a serpent. A man with a cocked scraper offered to buy it,
but the mate wanted to stuff it and carry it to England. The captain who
had come off with the magistrates said it could not remain on board, as it
would bring on an infection. At last it was agreed that if four dollars
were given to the ship's crew, he might have it. The money was paid to the
mate, and the serpent towed on shore, and before they sailed Jack saw it
in a large room, stuffed and the head spliced on, among a great many more
comical-looking animals. And if any of you go there," added he, "you may
see all for nothing." The boatswain's mates now piped for supper, and the
party left the galley-bench.

The following evening I found another set on the bench. Their tales were
rather marvellous. The captain of the waist of