a mild infusion of old cognac, provided for me by a
considerate friend.

Within two hours, the wind had gradually increased until it blew a
gale: the foresail was taken in, the mainsail close-reefed, and the
saucy boat flew along before it like a gull, the following seas just
kissing the edge of her taffrail, as she slipped away before them.

Our pilot, the owner of the craft, was a careful and steady old
Bristol-man, but somewhat nervous and timid: his regular crew consisted
of two fine white boys, apprentices, and a couple of stout slaves: we
had, in addition, taken on board an old apprentice of the pilot's, who
as we started had volunteered to accompany his once master. This was a
droll subject, a regular long-sided dare-devil of a South Carolinian: he
was full three sheets in the wind when we sailed, and managed to keep
the steam up by the contributions liberally proffered during our short
season of festivity.

As the gale freshened this fellow showed out; when a sail was to be
handed or a reef taken in, he was a crew in himself; one of the coolest
and smartest fellows I ever met, but somewhat profane in his humour, and
rather hard upon the nerves of the chief: few of his sayings will bear
repetition; but the exaggeration of his figures of speech, the wild
fantastic spirit of reckless humour by which he was governed, I shall
not lose sight of; during the night I supplied him with cigars, and with
his oddness wore away the time. One little bit of dialogue will describe
this wild man of the water better than any words of mine. We had already
taken in two reefs when the pilot gave directions "Stand by to lower
away the peak."

"Ay, ay," sang out his _aide_, as he sprang nimbly to the foot of the
mast; adding, "but what the devil are you going to do now, stranger?"

"Bear a hand!" cried the senior, "take in another reef!"

"What! you're afear'd little Wash-the-water goes through it too fast,
are you, old man?"

"To be sure: I don't want to get off the bar before daylight."

"Don't you? Why then you must tie her fast to a stump, my friend; for if
you let her go ahead, she'll make the light long afore you can see your
way across the bar, between the white water."

"The wind between now and then may slack a little," urged the senior,
looking back over the seas now rolling very high, as though he wished
the time was come.

"Well, that's a cur'ous kind o' guess you've made, any way, old
stranger," laughed his to