ng decks, gradually narrowing as they rose in height, and
enclosed to form cabins. The bulwarks were high and surrounded with
large round shields of wood, and leather, and brass knobs, and curious
devices painted on them. The anchors were curious contrivances, made of
some hard wood, very large and cumbrous, the flukes only being tipped
with iron. Outside at the bows was a wonderfully awkward-looking winch
for getting up the anchor; and as Jack observed, when he came to be made
Lord High Admiral of the Chinese fleet, there were a good many things he
saw that he should have to alter. The sails were made of matting, with
laths placed across them. When it was necessary to reef or lower the
sails the seamen climbed up these laths, and standing on the upper yards
pressed them down, no down hauls being necessary. Bowlines, however,
were used to stretch them out. Had Jack and Murray not been prisoners,
with the possibility of the pirates changing their minds and cutting
their throats, they would have been excessively amused at watching the
proceedings of the crew, and rather enjoyed their cruise on board the
pirate. On deck there was an erection like a diminutive caboose, but
which was a temple or joss-house. The sailors were constantly making
offerings before it, apparently as the caprice seized them, by burning
gilt paper, or thin sticks, or incense.

One day the junk was caught in a calm, and as a sail appeared in sight
in the distance which the Chinamen thought might be an enemy, they were
very anxious for a breeze to make their escape. The midshipmen saw that
they were very busy about something, and soon every man appeared with a
model junk, which he had constructed of gilt paper. A boat was lowered
and these frail barques were carefully placed on the surface of the
deep, the men endeavouring to blow them away, so that they might be
clear of the ship.

Jack was much amused, and asked Jos the meaning of the ceremony. Jos
answered--

"For why you don't know? Dere is one great lady, queen, they call her,
lives up in de sky, and she like to see dese paper junks; and so when
she see dem, den she send breeze to blow junk along."

Jack was highly amused at this account.

"Well, I never thought much of a Chinaman's wit," he observed; "but I
did not think he was such a goose as to fancy that a breeze would be
sent merely because he put some twisted-up bits of paper on the water."

Jos, who understood some of the