‘Here,’ he shouted, ‘here men, clear away the decks, fore and aft. You, boatswain, get the yards braced, and put all things aloft ship-shape and Bristol fashion. What! d——n my eyes, is the ship to be always in this cursed mess? Here, you two boatswain’s mates, come and kick these drunken hogs. Overboard with barrel and bucket. Draw water, will you, and souse these fellows who are littering the deck, soundly. Curse and confound me, but a parcel of wild Indians would have more decency aboard ship! Doctor, how is that fellow’s skull? We shall serve out the thief who cut him, presently. Come, men, look alive there, or by all the devils dancing in hell, I’ll make you feel the flat of my cutlass!’ At this energetic speech there was a general bustle on deck. About half of the drunken fellows staggered to their feet, and began to tumble about, half asleep, lurching and pitching against each other, owing to the roll of the ship. ‘Quick, will you there!’ Jerry roared; ‘get the buckets full, and baptise these brandy kegs;’ pointing to the drunkards, who were still sleeping. In a minute a dozen pails were over the ship’s sides, and immediately, amid shouts of jeering and laughter, copious floods of the cooling brine were dashed over the heads and bodies of the snorers, who started up all bewildered, shouting and spluttering, half-choked, and swearing at such scurvy treatment. However, in a few minutes a wonderful transformation was effected—the decks were cleared—those of the crew who had not sufficiently slept off their debauch to be able to resume their duty, were tumbled down the hatches to their hammocks—the yards were braced properly for the course which we were lying—a steady-looking old seaman was at the wheel, and the ‘Saucy Susan’ began to move slowly upon her course, rising heavily to the seas, and butting at them with her great broad bows as they came rolling past. Meantime, I kept alongside of Rumbold—to whom the captain was explaining, with great gravity, that having last night taken a small Spanish sloop, aboard which there was very excellent wine, the greater part of the crew had been drunk all night, a thing, he admitted, not very seamanlike: ‘But what then—what could he do? _Messieurs les aventuriers_ would have their way.’ Presently, however, stepping forward to confer with Jerry, who was certainly bringing the ship into hand again, in the style of a man who knows his business, Rumbold whispered to me: ‘I know something of this ship. She is manned by the worst set of rogues who sail from Jamaica. There may be some honest men aboard, but both the Frenchman and Jerry, his mate, are as great rascals as ever rode colt foaled of an acorn, and I doubt it not but that a crew of their choosing will be found to match bravely.’ I inquired what he thought were the reasons which induced them to detain us on board?