ision merchants of the town
surprised at the quality of the provisions that Master Beggs
ordered for the use of the Swan. Nothing but fine flour of the last
year's grinding; freshly killed beef and pork, to be carefully
salted down in barrels; and newly baked biscuits would satisfy
Reuben Hawkshaw. They could scarce believe that such articles could
be meant for use on shipboard; for, as a rule, the very cheapest
and worst quality of everything was considered as amply good enough
for the use of sailors.

Then, too, the cider and beer must be neither thin nor sour, but
sweet and of good body. Surely, Master Beggs must have gone off his
head, thus to furnish his ship! For never before had a vessel
sailed out of Plymouth harbor, provided after this fashion. An
ample store of ropes and cordage, and of all matters required for a
ship's equipage, were also laid in. To all questions as to the
surprising lavishness of cost, Diggory replied:

"I would have the ship well found in all matters. It was but the
other day that the Antelope returned from a voyage to the Levant.
She had lost a third of her crew from scurvy, and of the rest but
six were strong enough to pull at a rope when she came into port.
Did not the women follow Master Skimpole, her owner, through the
streets, and cry after him that he was the murderer of their
husbands, by reason of the foul victual that he had provided for
their use? No, no, it will cost more to start with, but it will be
cheaper in the end; for a weak crew often means the losing of a
ship, besides the loss of a good name. I have never carried economy
to such lengths as did Master Skimpole; but I am resolved, in the
future, that those who sail in my ships shall have good and
wholesome fare. Then, if misfortune happens, no one will be able to
point to me in the streets, and say that I fed my men worse than
dogs, and thought only of my profits and nothing of the lives of
those who served me."

Indeed Master Diggory, after a short time, quite forgot that all
this provision for the health and comfort of the crew was but the
outcome of Reuben Hawkshaw's insistence; and came to regard
himself, with a feeling of pride, as a man possessed of greater
benevolence than his fellow merchants.

A week after the refitting of the Swan was completed she was
afloat, with a large proportion of her stores in her hold. A ship
from London came round and took up her berth alongside of her,
discharging large number