said another of the men. I turned round,
and refused him. He expostulated, and begged very hard, but I was
resolute; however, when I again turned my eyes to watch the bowman, he
and his wife were gone. "There," says I to the coxswain, "I knew it
would be so; you see Hickman is off."

"Only gone to take a parting glass, sir," replied the coxswain; "he'll
be here directly."

"I hope so; but I'm afraid not." After this, I refused all the
solicitations of the men to be allowed to leave the boat, but I
permitted them to have some beer brought down to them. The gun-boat
steward then came back with a basket of _soft-tack_, i.e., loaves of
bread, and told me that the marine officer requested I would allow two
of the men to go up with him to Glencross' shop, to bring down some of
the stores. Of course I sent two of the men, and told the steward if he
saw Hickman, to bring him down to the boat.

By this time many of the women belonging to the ship had assembled, and
commenced a noisy conversation with the boat's crew. One brought one
article for Jim, another some clothes for Bill; some of them climbed
into the boat, and sat with the men--others came and went, bringing beer
and tobacco, which the men desired them to purchase. The crowd, the
noise, and confusion, were so great, that it was with the utmost
difficulty that I could keep my eyes on all my men, who, one after
another, made an attempt to leave the boat. Just at that time came down
the sergeant of marines, with three of our men whom he had picked up,
_roaring drunk_. They were tumbled into the boat, and increased the
difficulty, as in looking after those who were riotous, and would try to
leave the boat by force, I was not so well able to keep my eyes on those
who were sober. The sergeant then went up after another man, and I told
him also about Hickman. About half-an-hour afterwards the steward came
down with the two men, loaded with cabbages, baskets of eggs, strings of
onions, crockery of all descriptions, paper parcels of groceries, legs
and shoulders of mutton, which were crowded in, until not only the
stern-sheets, but all under the thwarts of the boat was also crammed
full. They told me that they had a few more things to bring down, and
that the marine officer had gone to Stonehouse to see his wife, so that
they should be down long before him. In half-an-hour more, during which
I had the greatest difficulty to manage the boat's crew they returned