ed with Jack that this was the _ne plus ultra_ of navigation:
and that old Smallsole could not do better with his "pig-yoke" and
compasses. So they shook a reef out of the top-sails, set
top-gallant-sails, and ran directly down the coast from point to point,
keeping about five miles distant. The men prepared a good dinner; Mesty
gave them their allowance of wine, which was just double what they had
on board the _Harpy_--so they soon appeared to be content. One man,
indeed, talked very big and very mutinously, swearing that if the others
would join him, they would soon have liquor enough, but Mesty gave him
his look, opened his knife, and swore that he would settle him, and Jack
knocked him down with a handspike; so that, what with the punishment
received, and that which was promised, the fellow thought he might as
well say no more about it. The fact is, that had it not been from fear
of Mesty, the whole of the men would, in all probability, have behaved
equally as bad; nevertheless, they were a little staggered, it must be
owned, at seeing Jack play so good a stick with the handspike.

After this night Jack and Mesty kept watch and watch, and everything
went on very well until they were nearly abreast of Carthagena, when a
gale came on from the northward, and drove them out of sight of land.
Sail after sail was reduced with difficulty from their having so few
hands, and the gale blew for three days with great fury. The men were
tired out and discontented. It was Jack's misfortune that he had but
one good man with him: even the coxswain of the boat, although a
fine-looking man, was worth nothing. Mesty was Jack's sheet-anchor.
The fourth day the gale moderated, but they had no idea where they were:
they knew that they had been blown off, but how far they could not tell;
and Jack now began to discover that a cruise at sea without a knowledge
of navigation was a more nervous thing than he had contemplated.
However, there was no help for it: at night they wore the ship, and
stood on the other tack, and at daylight they perceived that they were
close to some small islands, and much closer to some large rocks,
against which the sea beat high, although the wind had subsided. Again
was the helm put up, and they narrowly escaped. As soon as the sails
were trimmed, the men came aft, and proposed that if they could find
anchorage, they should run into it, for they were quite tired out. This
was true; and Jack consulted wi