298 TAKING IN WATER. 



not to be accomplished with ordinaiy tools ; with the 

 assistance of a sharp hatchet, I managed to remove 

 the jacket, and was rewarded for my pains by a 

 mouthful of the hardest chewing commodity that 

 ever was put between my masticators ; it reminded 

 me of the occasion, when a boy, I attempted to crack 

 a hickory nut between my teeth. 



On Monday morning we arose with the intention 

 of doing a great deal of work — thinking to get ofi" 

 all our water in the course of the day. In pursuance 

 of this resolution two boats were manned, and we 

 went ashore with a raft of casks in tow, passing up 

 the inner harbor. (But as we were to go ashore in 

 a few hours on liberty, and would then have more 

 leisure for inspection, we omit further description 

 until then.) There were several hundred ships lying 

 here, independent of the coasting-craft, and therefore 

 on arriving at the watering-place, w'hich consisted of 

 an aqueduct w^ith a single nozzle, we found it sur- 

 rounded by seamen of every nation, hose in hand, 

 patiently waiting their turns, while being scorched 

 by the burning rays of a tropical sun. Finding that 

 in all probability the greater part of the day w^ould 

 be consumed ere we should have an opportunity to 

 fill our casks, the starboard-watch returned to the 

 ship, in order to make preparations to go ashore on 

 liberty; which being soon completed, a boat was 

 manned, and away we went for a day's enjoyment 

 after eig-ht months of sea-life. 



On our way in we passed a series of parti-colored 

 buoys, placed so as clearly to define the entrance to 

 the harbor. About two miles from the landing 

 there is a curious contrivance of wicker-work, with a 



