take twenty of them and
the tailor; they will all fit in in time." I then picked out twenty of the
best, who were bad enough, as they were the worst set I ever saw grouped.
Their appearance and dress were wretched in the extreme. I reached the
ship before the hour of dinner with my live cargo. "What, more hard
bargains," said the first lieutenant, "we have too many clodhoppers on
board already. The captain told me we were to have seamen." "Captain N.,"
said I, "assured our noble captain that the _Defiance_ had taken all the
A.B.'s." "D----n the _Defiance!_" replied he; "I _defy_ Captain N. or
anybody else to match those gentlemanly ragamuffins." The master's mates
were called, and they were given into their charge.

One of them, a tall, large-boned man, requested to remain on deck a little
longer as he had a palpitation of the heart. "What country man are you?"
said I. "Shure," answered he, "I'm all the way from dear ould Ireland, and
I don't think I shall be arter seeing the bogs again; but good luck to
her, wherever she goes!" "What did you do there?" said I. "Och," said he,
"why do I give all this trouble and what business have I here? In Ireland,
plase your honour, I planted praters and tended cows. In the hay season I
came to England and was employed in stacking, when one day, as I was
taking a walk in a field near Lunnen, I fell in with four men who asked me
to join them as they were going to a public-house to have something to
drink. I thought this was very civil to a stranger. After taking the first
pot they told me they intended going in a boat on the river, and asked me
if I could pull an oar. 'I'll try,' said I. 'Well,' said they, 'on
Saturday, at five o'clock in the evening, be down at Wapping Stairs and
you will see a green painted boat with six men in her. I will be ready to
meet you,' said one of the most good-natured, 'and we will have a pleasant
trip.' I little thought, your honour, that these spalpeens, saving your
presence, intended anything more than friendship. I was at the place
pointed out, and stepped into the boat. I took the second oar, but I
caught so many crabs that I was desired to sit in the stern. We pulled up
the river, which I thought very pleasant. In returning, the man who
steered said he had a message to deliver on board a dark-looking vessel we
were close to. We got alongside of her. 'Won't you go up, Pat?' said he;
'you never was on board so large a vessel; she is worth looking at.'