of some similar excess.

"Well, Grampus, how is the ship getting on?" I asked, after he had
returned from one of the trips on which I had despatched him.

"The old craft is sucking in almost as much water as our fine fellows
drive out of her, sir, but for all that there isn't one of them shirking
his duty," he answered, in a cheerful voice. "If we could have a glass
of grog apiece served out among us, I don't think as how it would do us
any harm."

"I'll see to it," I replied. "Here, give me a spell; I'll get some
myself from the spirit-room." Searching about I found a can, and
lantern in hand I descended to the lower regions of the ship. As I
groped my way there, the strange noises which assailed my ears--the
creakings, the groans, the wash of the water--almost deafened me. I
felt strongly inclined to turn back, for I could not help fancying that
the ship was that instant about to go down. The air, too, was close and
pestiferous, as if all the foul vapours had been forced up from the
inward recesses of the hold. She continued pitching and rolling in a
way so unusual that I could scarcely keep my legs. This was owing to
the unseamanlike mode in which the cargo had been stowed: indeed, a ship
of war was not calculated to carry a cargo at all, in addition to her
own stores, water and ammunition.

At length I filled my can and returned with it on deck, filling it up on
my way at one of the water-casks. Then I went round and served it out
to the people, and never was grog more thankfully received. It did them
all a great deal of good, and I am certain that on this occasion, by
pouring the spirit down their own throats, they were enabled to get a
great deal more of the water out of the ship. I took very sparingly of
it myself, for I never was in the habit of taking much liquor of any
sort, and I felt the vast importance, under present circumstances
especially, that it was for me to keep my head cool. Not only on this
occasion, but on all others did I feel this; indeed, though the licence
of the times allowed a great deal of hard drinking on shore, I held the
vice in just abhorrence. In the navy especially, more men have been
ruined body and soul by drunkenness than by any other way, and many a
fine fellow who would have been an ornament to his profession have I
seen completely lost to it and to his country by giving way to the vice.
I will say that I considered it very creditable to my fellows that,
althou