silver fringe that had been erected for their
accommodation. At a signal from the ship's bell the sale began. As
many articles were sold by weight, I presided over the scales, that
were placed near the mainmast. The purchasers stood around me in a
semi-circle, and as every one of them bought either a whole or half a
hundred weight, it was immediately shoveled into the bags and baskets
they had brought. Some attendants, in the meanwhile, handed round
wine, cakes, and biscuit, and the wine had its effect; the sale was
very lively, and before three o'clock in the afternoon, our casks and
barrels were almost empty.

The captain now invited the whole company to dinner, and the further
sale of silks, linens, and ornaments, was postponed until afterwards.
He then called me aside, and gave me a peculiar commission; he ordered
me to concoct a drink which should be no less intoxicating than
pleasant.

"After the guests shall have partaken of it," said he, "they will bid
high enough, and I shall have an excellent sale. Call it English punch
and they will like it all the better."

I had to promise him to do my best, and go to work at once; as we had
a good store of all kinds of intoxicating liquors on board, I could
choose what I pleased. I mixed together, Bordeaux, Madeira, Rum,
Arrac, Geneva, Cogniac, and Porter; dissolved in it half a hat-full of
sugar and threw in about two dozen oranges, and as many sweet lemons.
It certainly tasted most excellently, and even the smell of it
affected my head. After dinner, when the dessert was about to be
placed upon the table, I called six sailors, and providing each with a
large bowl of my mixture, they marched into the cabin in procession
and placed them on the table; then I informed the company that the
mixture was a new kind of English punch, and filled their glasses for
them.

The delicious drink was very popular and even the ladies sipped it
with delight. The effect was immediate; after the first two glasses,
all grew very loquacious; two more glasses and the gentlemen were
thoroughly intoxicated without being stupified. At this moment the
sale began, and all rushed on deck, and proceeded to purchase in such
a wild, excited manner, that the worst article that we had, sold for
twice its real value. When the business was nearly concluded, a
frightful noise arose on the forward deck; the crew had received a
double allowance of rum and brandy, and very naturally, a quarrel had
arisen