at we have been strong enough for them, to
threaten to cut their throats to make them hand their sails and
keep under shore, not to fright as well as hazard the passengers
when there was no need of it.

"One time, being in one of these boats all alone, coming from
London to Gravesend, the wind freshen'd and it begun to blow
very hard after I was come about three or four mile of the way;
and as I said above, that I always thought those fellows were
the more venturous when their passengers were the most fearful,
I resolved I would let this fellow alone to himself; so I lay
down in the boat as if I was asleep, as is usual.

"Just when I lay down, I called to the waterman, 'It blows hard,
waterman,' said I; 'can you swim?' 'No, Sir,' says he. 'Nor
can't your man swim neither?' said I. 'No, Sir,' says the
servant. 'Well then,' says I, 'take care of yourselves, I shall
shift as well as you, I suppose:' and so down I lay. However, I
was not much disposed to sleep; I kept the tilt which they cover
their passengers with open in one place, so that I could see how
things went.

"The wind was fair, but over-blow'd so much, that in those
reaches of the river which turn'd crossway, and where the wind
by consequence was thwart the stream, the water went very high,
and we took so much into the boat, that I began to feel the
straw which lay under me at the bottom was wet, so I call'd to
the waterman, and jesting told him, they must go all hands to
the pump; he answered, he hoped I should not be wet; 'But it's
bad weather, master,' says he, 'we can't help it.' 'No, no,'
says I, ''tis pretty well yet, go on.'

"By and by I heard him say to himself, 'It blows very hard,' and
every now and then he repeated it, and sometimes thus: ''Twill
be a dirty night, 'twill be a terrible night,' and the like;
still I lay still and said nothing.

"After some time, and his bringing out several such speeches as
above, I rous'd as if I had but just wak'd; 'Well, waterman,'
says I, 'how d'ye go on?' 'Very indifferently,' says he; 'it
blows very hard.' 'Ay, so it does,' says I; 'where are we?' 'A
little above Erith,' says he; so down I lay again, and said no
more for that time.

"By and by he was at it again, 'It blows a frett of wind,' and
'It blows very hard,' and the like; but still I said noth