FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   >>  
urally in both sea and sky that a fellow scarcely knows which end he stands on. I have preserved a few leaves from a log written by my bosom friend. I present them as he wrote them, although he apparently had "Happy Thoughts" on the brain, and much Burnand had well nigh made him mad. THE LOG OF THE "LOTUS" 9 p.m.--Dinner just over; part of our crew desirous of fishing during the night; hooks lost, lines tangled, no bait; a row by moonlight proposed. 10 p.m.--The Irrepressibles still eager to fish; lines untangled, hooks discovered; two fellows despatched with yawl in search of bait; a row by moonlight again proposed; we take observation--no moon! 11 p.m.--Two fellows returning from shore with hen; hen very tough and noisy; tough hens not good for bait; fishing postponed till daybreak; moonlight sail proposed as being a pleasant change; still no moon; half the crew turn in for a night's rest; cabin very full of half-the-crew. Midnight.--Irrepressibles dance sailor's hornpipe on deck; half-the-crew below awake from slumbers, and advise Irrepressibles to renew search for bait. 12:30 a.m.--Irrepressibles return to shore for bait. Loud breathing in cabin; water swashing on rocks along the beach; very picturesque, but no moon yet; voice in the distance says "Halloa!" Echo in the other distance replies, "Halloa yourself, and see how you like it!" 1 a.m.--Irrepressibles still absent on shore; a dog barks loudly in the dark; a noise is heard in a far away hen-coop--Irrepressibles looking diligently for bait. 1:30 a.m.--Dog sitting on the shore howling; very heavy breathing in the cabin; noise of oars in the rowlocks; music on the water, chorus of youthful male voices, singing "A smuggler's life is a merry, merry, life." Subdued noise of hens; dog still howling; no moon yet; more noise of hens, bait rapidly approaching. 2 a.m.--Irrepressibles try to row yawl through sternlights of "Lotus"; grand collision of yawl at full speed and a rakish cutter at anchor. Profane language in the cabin; sleepy crew, half awake, rush up the hatchway, and denounce Irrepressibles. Irrepressibles sing "Smuggler's Life," etc.; terrific noise of hens; half-the-crew invite the Irrepressibles to "be as decent as they can." No moon yet; everybody packed in the cabin. 2:30 a.m.--Sudden squall. "Lotus," as usual, bends lovingly to the gale; dramatic youth in his bunk says, in deep voice, "No sleep till morn!" More dramatic youths s
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   >>  



Top keywords:
Irrepressibles
 

proposed

 

moonlight

 

Halloa

 

fellows

 
howling
 
fishing
 

dramatic

 
distance
 

breathing


search

 

rowlocks

 
youthful
 

chorus

 
absent
 

replies

 
loudly
 
diligently
 

sitting

 

urally


voices

 

packed

 

Sudden

 

squall

 

decent

 

terrific

 

invite

 

youths

 

lovingly

 

Smuggler


sternlights

 
collision
 

approaching

 

rapidly

 

smuggler

 
Subdued
 

rakish

 
hatchway
 

denounce

 
sleepy

cutter
 

anchor

 
Profane
 
language
 

singing

 

advise

 
Dinner
 

stands

 
desirous
 

scarcely