they do for anything else, and though
the song is very musical, yet it won't get a ship off when she's on
shore. Now, two-thirds of the seamen who are sent in the chains will
not give the soundings within half a fathom, and, moreover, they do not
give them quick enough for the pilot in many cases; if, therefore, you
learn to heave the lead well, be correct in your soundings and quick in
giving them, you will become of great use to me. You understand, don't
you?"

"Yes," replied I.

"Well, go up into my room, and hanging on the nail behind the door you
will see a lead-line--bring it me down here."

I did so, and then Bramble explained to me how the fathoms were marked
on the line, and how the soundings were given out.

"You see," said he, "wherever there is a mark with a piece of leather or
bunting, whether it be white or red, it is called a mark; and if you had
five fathoms of water, you would cry out by the _mark_ five; but at the
other depths there are no marks, but so many knots tied as there are
fathoms, as here at nine; and then you would say by the _deep_ nine.
Now run the line through your hand, and see if you can repeat the marks
and deeps as they pass."

I did so.

"Very well. Now for the song, for there is a sort of tune to it."
Bramble then again passed the line through his hands, giving the song to
each fathom, half-fathom, and quarter-fathom, and making me sing them
after him, after which I had to repeat them by myself. The next day he
took out the marks and knots from the whole line, and, giving me a
two-feet rule to re-measure it, made me put them all in again. This I
had to repeat three or four times. By this plan they were fully
impressed on my memory; and as for the song, he made me sing it almost
every half-hour for three or four days, Bessy generally repeating, in
her clear voice, from the back kitchen or upstairs, "and a quarter
seven--by the deep nine."

On the fourth day Bramble said, "Well, Tom, I think both you and Bessy
may leave off singing now. You have yet to learn the most important
part, which is to _heave_ the lead; but we must wait till we get on
board of a vessel for that. Observe, Tom, it's all very well singing
when you've plenty of water, and I like it, for it sounds musical and
pleasant to the ear; but in shallow water the pilot's answer must be
much shorter and quicker, as you will find out by-and-bye."

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

IN WHICH I GO AFLOAT, AND OBTAIN