The sails were hardly fast before a boat from each of the ships was alongside with their respective skippers on board.  The extra exertion necessary to pilot the ship in had knocked the old man up, in his present weak state, and he had gone below for a short rest; so the three visitors dived down into the stuffy cabin, all anxious to interview the latest comer.  Considerate always, Mr. Count allowed us to have the remainder of the day to ourselves, so we set about entertaining our company.  It was no joke twelve of them coming upon us all at once, and babel ensued for a short time.  They knew the system too well to expect refreshments, so we had not to apologize for having nothing to set before them.  They had not come, however, for meat and drink, but for talk.  And talk we did, sometimes altogether, sometimes rationally; but I doubt whether any of us had ever enjoyed talking so much before.

*

CHAPTER XIV

LIBERTY DAY—­AND AFTER

There is generally current among seamen a notion that all masters of ships are bound by law to give their crews twenty-four hours’ liberty and a portion of their wages to spend every three months, if they are in port.  I have never heard any authority quoted for this, and do not know what foundation there is for such a belief, although the practice is usually adhered to in English ships.  But American whale-ships apparently know no law, except the will of their commanders, whose convenience is always the first consideration.  Thus, we had now been afloat for well over a year, during which time, except for our foraging excursions at the Cocos and Aldabra, we had certainly known no liberty for a whole day.

Our present port being one where it was impossible to desert without the certainty of prompt recapture, with subsequent suffering altogether disproportionate to the offence, we were told that one watch at a time would be allowed their liberty for a day.  So we of the port watch made our simple preparations, received twenty-five cents each, and were turned adrift on the beach to enjoy ourselves.  We had our liberty, but we didn’t know what to do with it.  There was a native town and a couple of low groggeries kept by Chinamen, where some of my shipmates promptly invested a portion of their wealth in some horrible liquor, the smell of which was enough to make an ordinary individual sick.  There was no place apparently where one could get a meal, so that the prospect of our stay ashore lasting a day did not seem very great.  I was fortunate enough, however, to foregather with a Scotchman who was a beach-comber, and consequently “knew the ropes.”  I dare say he was an unmitigated blackguard whenever he got the chance, but he was certainly on his best behaviour with me.  He took me into the country a bit to see the sights, which were such as most of the Pacific islands afford.  Wonderful indeed were the fantastic rocks, twisted into innumerable