28 



VOYAGE TO RIO. 



after showing fight, or making a more 

 sulky resistance, the victim is pushed into a 

 large sail full of dirty water, under the main 

 hatchway. " Down he falls " backwards, 

 groaning revenge; but not to escape imme- 

 diately from this new dilemma ; for two ani- 

 mals in sheep skins, ycleped bears, seize him 

 when fallen, and souse him over and over 

 again, more or less, according to their love of 

 fun, or their fancy. At last he struggles out on 

 the main deck, covered with dirt, half drowned, 

 and angry enough to murder half the ship^s 

 company. 



I never heard the origin of this practice, 

 which is universally adopted, I believe, by all 

 nations. It opens too wide a field for the gra- 

 tification of private pique or dislike among the 

 men, and falls very hard sometimes upon the 

 marines and other land-lubbers, as Jack is 



