Whether the ship had a figure-head, or only a plain beak, was not quite
certain, owing to canvas wrapped about that part, either to protect it
while undergoing a re-furbishing, or else decently to hide its decay.
Rudely painted or chalked, as in a sailor freak, along the forward side
of a sort of pedestal below the canvas, was the sentence, "_Seguid
vuestro jefe_" (follow your leader); while upon the tarnished
headboards, near by, appeared, in stately capitals, once gilt, the
ship's name, "SAN DOMINICK," each letter streakingly corroded with
tricklings of copper-spike rust; while, like mourning weeds, dark
festoons of sea-grass slimily swept to and fro over the name, with every
hearse-like roll of the hull.

As, at last, the boat was hooked from the bow along toward the gangway
amidship, its keel, while yet some inches separated from the hull,
harshly grated as on a sunken coral reef. It proved a huge bunch of
conglobated barnacles adhering below the water to the side like a wen--a
token of baffling airs and long calms passed somewhere in those seas.

Climbing the side, the visitor was at once surrounded by a clamorous
throng of whites and blacks, but the latter outnumbering the former more
than could have been expected, negro transportation-ship as the stranger
in port was. But, in one language, and as with one voice, all poured out
a common tale of suffering; in which the negresses, of whom there were
not a few, exceeded the others in their dolorous vehemence. The scurvy,
together with the fever, had swept off a great part of their number,
more especially the Spaniards. Off Cape Horn they had narrowly escaped
shipwreck; then, for days together, they had lain tranced without wind;
their provisions were low; their water next to none; their lips that
moment were baked.