t, "They have probably never eaten sheep
or midshipmen," he observed, "but the nature to do so is in them, and
depend upon it their nature will have sway if we give them the
opportunity." However, as the animals were tolerably well-fed, and were
carefully caged, they gave no exhibition when anyone was watching them
of their evil propensities, if they possessed them. When our stock of
fresh meat was exhausted, first one sheep and then another was killed to
supply the Captain and officers' tables, a portion falling to the lot of
some of the men's messes. Their skins, which were peculiarly fine, were
cleansed and prepared by the armourer, who happened also to understand
the trade of a currier. Two of them were hung up to dry, when it came
into the brains of Tom Twig and Dicky Esse to clothe themselves in the
skins, and in high glee they came prancing about the deck, baa-ing away,
imitating two frolicsome lambs, with a tolerable amount of accuracy.
They afforded much amusement to us, their messmates, and not a little to
the men who happened to be on deck. Not content with amusing us, off
they went, into the neighbourhood of the tigers' cage. It ought to have
been shut, and generally was shut. So exact was their imitation of
nature that the beasts, after watching them with great eagerness for
some moments, could no longer resist their natural propensities. With
fierce leaps they rushed against the door of their cage. It gave way,
and out they sprang. One bound carried them on to the backs of their
expected prey. In another instant Tom and Dicky Esse would have been
torn to pieces, had they not, in a way midshipmen alone could have done,
slipped out of their skins, and rolled pale with terror across the deck.
The animals, finding only the dry skins, were about to make another
spring, when the man who had charge of them and had witnessed the scene,
came rushing up with his stick of office, and several other men coming
to his assistance with ropes, the savage creatures were forthwith
secured. Both the midshipmen were rather more frightened than hurt, and
in consideration of their terror they escaped any further consequences
of their conduct which was looked upon by the First-Lieutenant as
somewhat derogatory to the dignity which they were in duty bound to
maintain.

After leaving the Cape, we were constantly becalmed, and then, getting
further east, fell in with a hurricane, from the effects of which
nothing but fir