The Nineteenth Century 155 



Just before the men came down from the masthead at sundown, the captain 

 hailed the boat-steerer who had the masthead at the main: "Do you see any- 

 thing of the Line?" "I think I do," he rephed. "Take the glass and see if you 

 can make out anything like Old Neptune's boat." "There is something ahead, 

 but too far oflF for me to make out what," was the reply. The Mate turned to 

 the Captain, shaking his head knowingly, "That's hitn, no doubt." 



As soon as it began to grow dark the green hands were sent below, about 

 eight or nine of them. The forecastle scuttle was closed and guarded by three 

 or four of the able seamen, the main hatch taken oflF, and one of the largest 

 sized blubber tubs hoisted on deck. It would hold about sixteen or seventeen 

 barrels of water. This was placed on deck just abaft the tryworks, about six 

 feet below the top. The tub then was filled to the brim with salt water and 

 two wide boards were run from its edge to about two feet above the after 

 part of the works. A seat was made at this end, just high enough for one to 

 sit on the ends of the boards. This seat was made to swing on its side next the 

 projecting ends of the boards, the feet resting on the lower side or bottom. 

 When this was lifted a person could not help from tipping backwards and 

 sliding down heels over head into the tank of water. Some steps were placed 

 from Öie forehatch to the top of the works on the forward part of the tryworks, 

 so one could ascend that way. 



During the time these preparations were going on, the 4th Mate had put 

 on his rig and come on deck. His feet were encased in two old mats made of 

 spunyarn that had been partly worn out in the jaws of two topsail yards. 

 They were lashed on with rope yams and came above his ankles. Over his 

 pants in front were two thrummed mats (made of strips of canvas with pieces 

 of strands cut from unlaid rope, say, three inches in length, and sewed by the 

 middle to the canvas just so far apart that when the two ends of each were 

 unraveled they would meet: these were used in stopping the chafing of years 

 and riggin' ) . For a coat he had an old short oil jacket that had become quite 

 dark from use. Over it and his shoulders hung down long pieces of spunyarn 

 back and front, to represent seaweed. He had whiskers, reaching down to 

 his waist, made of white Manila yams, partly unlaid, sevioi on a piece of cloth 

 that tied over his face leaving only the eyes, nose and mouth exposed. His 

 head had a wig of frowsy okum and short rope yams in the way of hair, on 

 top of which rested an immense Turk's-head that had been worked out of 

 12-thread rattUn stuff. In one hand he held a pair of grains [a four-pronged 

 harpoon], in the other an old speaking trumpet. 



AU being ready, Neptune worked his way out on the bowsprit as far as 

 the fore-topmast backstays. These went dowTi through cleats each side of it, 

 and the ends led beneath to the bows, where he took his place. As the two 

 stays afforded him good standing and the use of his hands, in which he 

 carried the tmmpet (for he had left his trident until he could take his seat 

 on the tryworks ) , raising the tmmpet to his mouth, he bellowed out, "Ship 

 ahoy!" 



