e sun to get
above the fore-yard, and for the afternoon middle watch, that we might
splice the main-brace. Sure I am that it was _there_ I first took a
liking to the stuff; and O, Tom, don't you think the government will
have much to answer for, in putting temptation in the way of us poor
sailors? Instead of being our protector, it is our seducer. Our blood
will stick in its skirts.

TOM. Yes, Jack, I think that Uncle Sam has a great deal to answer for on
that tack; and I can say, too, that the love of rum that I acquired in
the government service had pretty nearly fixed my flint, both for this
world and the next. But still, Jack, it wont do for seamen to drink grog
because the government supplies it, and think to excuse themselves by
blaming it. No, no; that is a poor excuse. Men who brave the dangers of
the mighty deep, as our class do, and face death in every form with
unshrinking courage, ought to be able to resist such a temptation. It
will be a poor reason to hand in to the Almighty when the angel summons
all hands before his dread tribunal, in palliation of our drunkenness
and the sins committed by us when under the influence of liquor, that
the government, instead of comforting us, and fortifying us against heat
and cold, etc., with coffee, and tea, and other wholesome small stores,
poisoned our bodies and souls with vile rum. No, indeed, Jack, that will
avail us naught in that awful day; and it will be poor consolation _in
the drunkard's hell_, to blame the government. But go on.

JACK. Well, when the Alert's cruise was up, and we were paid off, about
a dozen of us went to lodge with old Peter Hardheart, at the sign of the
Foul Anchor; and as we had plenty of money, we thought we would have a
regular blow-out. So Peter got a fiddler and some other unmentionable
requisites for a jig, and we had a set-to in firstrate style. Why, our
great frolic at Santa Martha, when Paddy Chips, the Irish carpenter,
danced away his watch, and jacket, and tarpaulin, and nearly all his
toggery, you know, and next morning came scudding along the beach
towards the Alert, as she lay moored near shore, and crept on board on
all-fours, like a half-drowned monkey, along the best bower, wouldn't
have made a nose to it. Well, next morning I had a pretty smart touch of
the horrors, and felt rather muddy about the head; but old Peter soon
set us agoing again, and we kept it up for three days and three nights,
carriage-riding, and dancing,