p. 41

23

On stepping on deck I heard them ask me something
and the same when I got as I judged near where
Neptune sat, but from the noise and talking that
was going on I could not distinguish what was said.
I felt no razors upon me but presently when I
least expected it, splash I went "head over heels"
into the water. I thought at first I was overboard
but when I got the bandage off my eyes, I found
myself in the sail of water, before described, along
with the bear and his leader, here I floundered about
a bit being choked with the salt water getting down
my throat, and I had a gentle hug or two from
bruin or his leader, and I have no doubt I cut
a funny figure before I got a footing, for I heard
their gruff laughing, presently I got a lift up the
side of the sail, and I soon tumbled out on to
the deck and got away altogether. My stomach
was full of salt water and my hair of tar and filth,
but on the whole I had no great reason to complain
of my treatment, compared with some of my ship mates'
treatment. After my escape and I had shaken myself
a little straighter again, I was soon on deck to take
a note or two of how others were served.

Each one had his eyes bandaged as mine were, and the
moment they began to ascend the hatchway ladder, torrents of
water met them in all directions, one man would empty a
bucketful down the poor devil's back, and another would
cooly perform the same act of kindness for him down
his bosom, another as his head came above the
[illegible?] of the hatchway would deluge it with a
tubful, whilst small shot from pots and pans of water
would meet him on all sides, at the same time the
spiteful little engine would be squirting the water
in a small continous stream in his face with all
the force that four men could exert upon it.