38 LUBBERS' HOLE. 



aloft a second time in consequence of their 

 not being smart enough to please him, that 

 one of our best men fell from the main top- 

 sail yard-arm on to the larboard gangway, 

 and was killed on the spot. I was standing 

 by the side of the captain on the poop at 

 the time, and when he went down the 

 ladder on to the quarter-deck into his cabin, 

 his face covered with his hands, I did not 

 envy him his feelings. 



I cannot boast of any progress I made 

 in my profession during this short run, 

 unless it be that I was able to reach 

 the main or mizen top, though not by the 

 way used by the topmen, the futtock 

 shrowds, but through " Lubbers' hole," as 

 the sailors call the open space in that lofty 

 platform. 



While at Madeira our captain induced his 

 brother of the "Russell" to let us have the 

 assistance of a schoolmaster he had on 

 board, for a few weeks ; and during the run 

 to Rio Janeiro he assembled the midship- 



