"eight bells." I hurried on deck, fully aware that no leisurely
ten minutes would be allowed here. "Lay aft the watch," saluted
me as I emerged into the keen strong air, quickening my pace
according to where the mate stood waiting to muster his men. As
soon as he saw me, he said, "Can you steer?" in a mocking tone;
but when I quietly answered, "Yes, sir," his look of
astonishment was delightful to see. He choked it down, however,
and merely telling me to take the wheel, turned forrard roaring
frantically for his watch. I had no time to chuckle over what I
knew was in store for him, getting those poor greenies collected
from their several holes and corners, for on taking the wheel I
found a machine under my hands such as I never even heard of
before.

The wheel was fixed upon the tiller in such a manner that the
whole concern travelled backwards and forwards across the deck
in the maddest kind of way. For the first quarter of an hour,
in spite of the September chill, the sweat poured off me in
streams. And the course--well, if was not steering, it was
sculling; the old bumboat was wobbling all around like a drunken
tailor with two left legs. I fairly shook with apprehension
lest the mate should come and look in the compass. I had been
accustomed to hard words if I did not steer within half a point
each way; but here was a "gadget" that worked me to death, the
result being a wake like a letter S. Gradually I got the hang
of the thing, becoming easier in my mind on my own account.
Even that was not an unmixed blessing, for I had now some
leisure to listen to the goings-on around the deck.

Such brutality I never witnessed before. On board of English