made up the sum total of the quarter
watch, having no farther particulars of consequence to communicate, the
first six who came up having already broken every bone in poor Old
Cuff's body, and "abridged his doleful days" to boot. By dint of cross
questioning, we made shift to ascertain, that about two o'clock, or four
bells, Old Cuff had rolled away from under my head, and over the top
brim. Fortunately he fell across the fore-topmast studding-sail tack,
which broke two of his ribs and his fall, and thence he had gently
canted over, and alighted upon the quarter-deck hammock-nettings, nearly
knocked overboard the half-asleep main-topman who was perched up there
as a look-out. He recovered, however, in two or three weeks, in spite of
the doctor's prognostication.

Upon our arrival at Valparaiso, a similar accident happened to him,
that, taken in connexion with the first, formed what newspaper folks
call "a singular coincidence." A considerable portion of the town, or
city, or whatever it may be, of Valparaiso, is built upon and among
several high, rocky, precipitous cliffs, to which sailors, time out of
mind, have given the names of fore, main, and mizen tops. It is,
perhaps, another singular coincidence, that the name "main-royal," that
belongs of right to the highest sail in a ship, is applied to the lowest
part of said respectable sea-port. The "main-top" is the favorite resort
of sailors, but I cannot say much in praise of the moral virtues of the
denizens of said main-top. They do, indeed, enjoy a better prospect and
a purer air than their fellow citizens, whose location is somewhat
nearer the level of the sea, so that their physical elevation gives them
many advantages that serve to compensate them for what they lack through
moral debasement. The part of the main-top that fronts the bay, is a
sheer precipice of two hundred feet; but on another part, it is simply
too steep for any animal but a monkey to make a highway of. Down this
part Old Cuff, who was ashore on liberty, and who likewise had his "beer
aboard," contrived to trundle himself, and was picked up as dead in the
street below. He, however, recovered from this tumble as speedily as he
did from the other, having received but little damage, except some half
dozen cuts and bruises in the countenance, which he held in but light
esteem, being by no means vain of his beauty. I do not recollect that he
met with any more accidents of consequence during the cruise.