order that the reputation for
stern, slashing, devil-may-careness should be established, and many a
fine fellow did violence to his whole nature by the desire to be
considered a desperado.

This, however, never appeared to be an ambition of Captain Bourne. All
he seems to have aimed at was to inspire his crew with an affection for
his much beloved vessel, and not on any occasion or under any
circumstances to be thought soft, or weak, or womanish. This of course
could only be assumed, because he never conveyed his thoughts to
anybody.

Long after the herring incident this little vessel was being loaded,
waiting for favourable wind and water so that she might start on her
voyage to Boulogne. She had been detained several weeks, when a fine
N.E. wind and high tide enabled him to pass out of port. It was called
in those days a sea tide, and several masters availed themselves of it
to put to sea. Before this little fleet of collier brigs got as far
south as Flamborough Head, it was blowing a fresh gale, and big lumps
of sea were slashed over them. The pumps of the _Cauducas_ were
continually kept going, and there was much concern as to the crew being
able to keep the water under. Her decks were opening and shutting, and
her timbers were making suggestive noises. She scudded across Boston
deeps under two close-reefed topsails and reefed foresail until abreast
of Cromer high land, when the gale subsided, and before the Cockle
light-ship was reached the wind had shifted into the south-south-east.
With the help of the flood tide she was beaten through the Gat into
Yarmouth roads, where the anchor was dropped, a good scope of chain run
out, sails furled and ship pumped dry. Then the forecastle hands cast
lots who should keep the first anchor watch. The hand who picked the
shortest piece of matchwood had to accept the position of having to
take the first two hours; then all the rest turned in.

The mate was always called at the turn of the tide to swing the vessel,
so that the cable did not foul the anchor. This was done by a skilful
manipulation of the yards and fore topmast staysail. Some mates had
quite a genius for this piece of real seamanship. Others never got
within the fringe of doing it successfully, and the result was that
many a mishap occurred in consequence of cables fouling the anchor
stock, or flukes, thereby pulling it out of the ground and causing it
to drag. It was also the occasion of many bitter quarrels be