hereabout, with
three royal yards across, and loaded with flour and grain, there bein'
sixteen of us afore the mast, with two mates, carpenter and cook, and
steward, leavin' on the 16th of November, and, unless I'm mistakened,
in the year 1843.

"We towed down to the Hook and out over the bar, and then put the
muslin on to her with a fine breeze from sou'west, and I supposes
there weren't a happier man in the world than old Wiggins when he
discharged the pilot and steamer and took charge.

"'I've giv' 'em the slip,' says he to the mate. 'I've giv' 'em the
slip; they thought I were too old for to go to sea, but I'll show 'em
thar's plenty of life into me yet; git out all the starboard stunsails
and see to it that she's kep' a-movin' night and day, for in sixteen
days I expects to walk the pierhead in Liverpool.' Well, sure enough,
a-movin' she were kep', and I never seen harder carryin's on than I
seen that passage; but we never lost a stitch of canvas, 'cause the
old man not only knowed how to carry it, but he knowed how to take it
off of her when it be to come off, and in a gale of wind he'd 'liven
up wonderful, whereas in light weather he'd show his age. It were
funny for to see him takin' the sun and tryin' to read her off, which
he weren't able for to do, not by no means.

"'What d'ye stand on?' he'd say to the mate arter screwin' his eye to
the glass and tryin' to make it out; and when the mate would tell him,
he'd say, 'I believe that agrees with me; just take a squint at my
instrument; my eyesight ain't just as good as it used for to be, and I
don't quite make it out.' Then the mate would read him off his
instrument, and arter he'd made it eight bells he'd go down and work
it up and prick her off. The fourteenth day out we made the light on
Fastnet Rock, off Cape Clear, and went bowlin' along the coast,
passin' Tuskar next day, and swingin' her off up channel and round
Hollyhead past the Skerries and takin' a pilot off P'int Lynas. It
were a sight worth seein' for to watch the old man handle her in
takin' a pilot. The wind were fresh from west-nor'west, and we passed
the Skerries with all three royals set and lower topmast and
to'gallan' stunsails on the port side. As soon as ever we passed the
rocks we kep' off for Lynas, and as soon as the stunsails got by the
lee they was hauled in. Then with the wind about two p'ints on the
starboard quarter we went bilin' along for the boat which we seen
standin' off sho