w that the big thing was intended to go round, so I
thought that I would try if I could move it by myself. I pressed with
all my force against one of the handles, when, to my infinite
satisfaction, the windlass began to revolve, but as it did so, to my
still greater dismay, down came the chain rattling on to the deck. In
vain I tried to stop it. I then made a desperate effort to replace it,
but as it had taken probably two men some time to put it up I had not
the slightest chance of succeeding. My task was something like that of
Sisyphus, a man of ancient days, who had to roll a huge stone to the top
of a mountain, but which always came down again as soon as he got it
there.

I had not been long engaged in my hopeless undertaking when my ears were
assailed by such a volley of abuse as I had never before heard in my
life. As I turned round, letting go the chain, which came rattling down
again on deck, I discovered that it proceeded from a head that had
suddenly appeared above the combings of the fore hatch. It might have
been a picturesque head, but was not pleasant-looking to my eyes. On
the top was an old party-coloured nightcap, beneath which stuck out on
all sides a mass of reddish hair resembling oakum or shavings, as
untwisted rope is called at sea; a pair of ferrety eyes, a snub nose,
and a huge mouth half concealed by a bushy beard, completed the
countenance of the individual who was addressing me. I need not repeat
what he said, but if his remarks were true I was among the greatest
reprobates this evil world has ever produced. I stood with my hands by
my side mutely gazing at him, for I had nothing to say for myself. I
was conscious that I had done something wrong, though not meriting the
remarks to which I was listening.

"Arrah, now spake, youngster, if you've a tongue belonging to you,"
cried the head. Still I said nothing. Presently, below the head a pair
of broad shoulders covered with a red shirt emerged from the hatchway,
and I had an unpleasant vision of a bear-like hand grasping a short
piece of knotted rope. The next instant a short thick-set man in tarry
trousers springing on deck advanced towards me, ominously flourishing
the piece of rope. I did not think of running, for I had nowhere to run
to, so I stood stock still. Down came the rope on my shoulders. I
tried hard not to cry out. A second and a third blow followed. I had
on a pretty thick jacket on account of the cold, so that