28 DUTCH SAILORS 



they dare to pursue us, had made up our minds to give 

 them a warm reception. Nevertheless, while we were 

 lying there together, every civility passed between the 

 senior officers of the two hostile fleets. Independent of 

 balls, and fetes^ and dinners on shore, given by the Portu- 

 guese authorities, in which no j)reference was shown to 

 either nation, a reciprocity of visits daily took place on 

 board one or other of the men-of-war, each taking it by 

 turn to entertain the officers of the other ; while the 

 midshipmen would endeavour to surpass each other in 

 feats of daring agility on the masts, yards, and rigging of 

 their respective ships. Hence the foundation, if not the 

 truth, of that feat of our countryman that has since 

 obtained general circulation, but is set down by people 

 on shore as nothing better than a Joe Miller or a 

 Munchausen. 



The Dutch, whatever may be the distinguishing features 

 of their more mature age, are in their youth and on the 

 water ^particularly bold and active. Upon the occasion I 

 am now relating, one of the Dutch midshipmen ascended 

 to the main-royal mast-head and sat at his ease on the 

 truck, which in shape and size resembles a small round 

 table, and between it and the sky there is nothing. One 

 of ours, on seeing this, immediately ran up the rigging, 

 and with great apparent ease and confidence, stood upon 

 the truck, and waved his hat in defiance. This was not 

 to be borne, for the Dutch boy, with wonderful daring 

 and activity, turned himself over, and stood upon his 

 head, with his heels towards the heavens, to the amaze- 

 ment of the crews of the other ships, both English and 

 Dutch. Determined not to be outdone, with more spirit 



