PEOVINOETOWN. 
247 
gir (s as we passed that spot. That was the name of a 
sailor hung there, he said. — I am guilty, this island 
will remain; but if I am innocent, it will be washed 
away,” and now it is all washed away! 
Next (?) came the fort on George’s Island. These 
are bungling contrivances: not our fortes, but our foibles, 
Wolfe sailed by the strongest fort in North America in 
the dark, and took it. 
I admired the skill with wdiich the vessel was at last 
brought to her place in the dock, near the end of Long 
Wharf. It was candle-light, and my eyes could not dis¬ 
tinguish the wharves jutting out toward us, but it ap¬ 
peared like an even line of shore densely crowded with 
shipping. You could not have guessed within a quarter 
of a mile of Long Wharf. Nevertheless, we were to 
be blown to a crevice amid them, — steering right into 
the maze. Down goes the mainsail, and only the jib 
draws us along. Now we are within four rods of the 
shipping, having already dodged several outsiders; but 
it is still only a maze of spars, and rigging, and hulls, 
— not a crack can be seen. Down goes the jib, but still 
we advance. The Captain stands aft with one hand on 
the tiller, and the other holding his night-glass, — his 
son stands on the bowsprit straining his eyes, — the pas¬ 
sengers feel their hearts half-way to their mouths, ex¬ 
pecting a crash. “ Do you see any room there ? ” asks 
the Captain, quietly. He must make up his mind in 
five seconds, else he will carry away that vessel’s bow¬ 
sprit, or lose his own. “Yes, sir, here is a place for 
us ”; and in three minutes more we are fast to the 
wharf in a little gap between two bigger vessels. 
And now we were in Boston. Whoever has been 
down to the end of Long Wharf, and walked through 
Quincy Market, has seen Boston. 
