anthorn,
I passed many weary hours, while all about me was a stir and bustle, a
confused sound made up of many, as the never-ending tread of feet, the
sound of hoarse voices now faint and far and anon clear and loud, the
scrape of a fiddle, snatches of rough song, the ceaseless ring and tap
of hammers--a very babel that, telling of life and action, made my
gloomy prison the harder to endure. And here (mindful of what is to
follow) I do think it well to describe in few words the place wherein I
lay. It was indeed a very dog-hole, just below the orlop, some ten feet
square (or thereabouts) shut in 'twixt bulkheads, mighty solid and
strong, but with a crazy door so ill-hung as to leave a good three
inches 'twixt it and the flooring. It had been a store-room (as I
guessed), and judging by the reek that reached me above the stench of
the bilge, had of late held rancid fat of some sort; just abaft the
mizzen it lay and hard against the massy rudder-post, for I could hear
the creek and groan of the pintles as the rudder swung to the tide.
Against one bulkhead I had contrived a rough bunk with divers planks
and barrels, the which with mattress and bedding was well enough.

Now opposite my berth, within easy reach of my hand, was a knot-hole
the which, by some trick of the grain, had much the look of a great
staring eye, insomuch that (having no better employ) I fell to
improving on nature's handiwork with my knife, carving and trimming
around it; and in betwixt my sleeping, my eating and drinking (for Adam
and Godby kept me excellent well supplied) I would betake me to my
carving and fashioning of this eye and with my initials below it, the
which foolish business (fond and futile though it was) served in no
small measure to abate my consuming impatience and the dreary tedium.

Howbeit on the third day, my situation becoming unbearable, I stumbled
out from my dog-hole, and groping my way past kegs and barrels
firm-wedged in place against the rolling of the vessel, I climbed the
ladder to the orlop. Here I must needs pause, for, dim though it was,
the light from the open scuttle nigh blinded me. In a while, my eyes
growing strong, I got me to the main-deck, where again I must stay to
shade my eyes by reason of the radiance that poured through an open
gun-port. Glancing around after some while, I saw no one and wondered,
for here was the main gun-deck. Ten great pieces a side I counted,
with ports for divers more. I was ye