possible: for he intended to
regale himself with a dish of salmagundy and a pipe. Accordingly, I set
about this disagreeable business, and soon found I had more causes of
complaint than I at first imagined; for I perceived some guests had
honoured me with their company, whose visit I did not think seasonable:
neither did they seem inclined to leave me in a hurry, for they were in
possession of my chief quarters, where they fed without reserve at the
expense of my blood. But, considering it would be easier to extirpate
the ferocious colony in the infancy of their settlement, than after they
should be multiplied and naturalised to the soil, I took the advice of
my friend, who, to prevent such misfortunes, went always close shaved,
and made the boy of our mess cut off my hair, which had been growing
since I left the service of Lavement; and the second mate lent me an old
bobwig to supply the loss of that covering. This affair being ended, and
everything adjusted in the best manner my circumstances would permit,
the descendant of Caractacus returned, and, ordering the boy to bring a
piece of salt beef from the brine, cut off a slice, and mixed it with an
equal quantity of onions, which seasoning with a moderate proportion of
pepper and salt, he brought it to a consistence with oil and vinegar;
then, tasting the dish, assured us it was the best salmagundy that ever
he made, and recommended it to our palate with such heartiness that
I could not help doing honour to his preparation. But I had no sooner
swallowed a mouthful, than I thought my entrails were scorched, and
endeavoured with a deluge of small-beer to allay the heat it occasioned.
Supper being over, Mr. Morgan having smoked a couple of pipes, and
supplied the moisture he had expended with as many cans of flip, of
which we all partook, a certain yawning began to admonish me that it was
high time to repair by sleep the injury I had suffered from want of rest
the preceding night; which being perceived by my companions, whose time
of repose was now arrived, they proposed we should turn in, or in other
words, go to bed. Our hammocks, which hung parallel to one another, on
the outside of the berth, were immediately unlashed, and I beheld my
messmates spring with great agility into their respective nests, where
they seemed to lie concealed, very much at their ease. But it was some
time before I could prevail upon myself to trust my carcase at such a
distance from the ground,