CHAP. XXI. 
A GRAND BATTUE. 
213 
and the day after he astonished the ship’s company by 
running up the shrouds, as I think they call those ladder¬ 
looking ropes extending from the ship’s side to the mast. 
The sailors were looking on with much interest and 
winking at each other. My friend had got about half¬ 
way up, when we saw two great big fellows like ouran- 
outangs running up quietly behind him. When he got 
near the 6 lubber’s hole ’ he knew what they were at; 
and as he was not a man easily to be 4 done ’ he saw his 
chance, and affecting to go through the hole, he said 
4 Gret on, get on,’ and the two sailors climbed over that 
part where you appear to be upside-down. At this 
moment Sir Walter gave them the slip and commenced 
to descend as rapidly as possible. There was a shout 
of warning from below, and the two sailors followed him 
down like monkeys, and would soon have overhauled 
him; but he let go the ropes and slid down before them 
like lightning. He would have gone clean into the 
sea had he not been caught by Captain Christian, 
who was watching the whole proceeding from the ship’s 
side. We all shouted with delight, and the sailors hissed 
at their two companions for being outdone by a lands¬ 
man. Grood-humour was, however, restored in the 
evening by Currie’s paying his 4 footing,’ and so be¬ 
coming, 4 free of the ship,’ as I think it is called. 
The two sailors did not get over their defeat or 
hear the last of 4 being done’ for a long time. 
