the holes on the top of the cocoa-nut, and
found it very refreshing. As for the sailors, they appeared very fond
of it indeed. But I very soon found that if good for de 'tomac, it was
not very good for the head, as my men, instead of rolling the casks,
began to roll themselves in all directions, and when it was time to go
off to dinner, most of them were dead drunk at the bottom of the boat.
They insisted that it was the _sun_ which affected them. Very hot it
certainly was, and I believed them at first, when they were only giddy;
but I was convinced to the contrary, when I found that they became
insensible; yet how they had procured the liquor was to me a mystery.

When I came on board, Mr Falcon, who, although acting captain,
continued his duties as first lieutenant almost as punctually as before,
asked how it was that I had allowed my men to get so tipsy. I assured
him that I could not tell, that I had never allowed one to leave the
watering-place, or to buy any liquor: the only thing that they had had
to drink was a little cocoa-nut milk, which, as it was so very hot, I
thought there could be no objection to.

Mr Falcon smiled and said, "Mr Simple, I'm an old stager in the West
Indies, and I'll let you into a secret. Do you know what `_sucking the
monkey_' means?"

"No, sir."

"Well, then, I'll tell you; it is a term used, among seamen for drinking
_rum_ out of _cocoa-nuts_, the milk having been poured out, and the
liquor substituted. Now do you comprehend why your men are tipsy?"

I stared with all my eyes, for it never would have entered into my head;
and I then perceived why it was that the black woman would not give me
the first cocoa-nuts which I selected. I told Mr Falcon of this
circumstance, who replied, "Well, it was not your fault, only you must
not forget it another time."

It was my first watch that night, and Swinburne was quarter-master on
deck. "Swinburne," said I, "you have often been in the Indies before,
why did you not tell me that the men were `_sucking the monkey_,' when I
thought that they were only drinking cocoa-nut milk?"

Swinburne chuckled, and answered, "Why, Mr Simple, d'ye see, it didn't
become me as a shipmate to peach. It's but seldom that a poor fellow
has an opportunity of making himself a `little happy,' and it would not
be fair to take away the chance. I suppose you'll never let them have
cocoa-nut milk again?"

"No, that I will not; but I cannot imagine what pl