“Oh, but this is fine!” said J——­, dangling his arm over the side, and letting the sea wash against his hand.  “I declare it comes fizzing up just like soda-water out of a bottle—­reminds me of the lush-crib.  By the way, Mr. Yorkshireman, I heard some chaps in our inn this morning talking about this werry place, and one of them said that there used to be a Roman station, or something of that sort, at it.  Did you know anything of them ’ere ancient Romans?  Luxterous dogs, I understand.  If Mr. Nimrod was here now he could tell us all about them, for, if I mistake not, he was werry intimate with some of them—­either he or his father, at least.”

A boat that had been gradually advancing towards us now run on shore, close by where we were lying, and one of the crew landed with a jug to get some beer.  A large basket at the end attracted Jorrocks’s attention, and, doglike, he got up and began to hover about and inquire about their destination of the remaining crew, four in number.  They were a cockney party of pleasure, it seemed, going to fish, for which purpose they had hired the boat, and laid in no end of bait for the fish, and prog for themselves.  Jorrocks, though no great fisherman (not having, as he says, patience enough), is never at a loss if there is plenty of eating; and finding that they had got a great chicken pie, two tongues, and a tart, agreed to pay for the boat if they would let us in upon equal terms with themselves as to the provender, which was agreed to without a debate.  The messenger having returned with a gallon of ale, we embarked, and away we slid through the “glad waters of the dark blue sea.”  It was beautifully calm, scarcely a breeze appearing on the surface.  After rowing for about an hour, one of the boatmen began to adjust the lines and bait the hooks; and having got into what he esteemed a favourite spot, he cast anchor and prepared for the sport.  Each man was prepared with a long strong cord line, with a couple of hooks fastened to the ends of about a foot of whalebone, with a small leaden plummet in the centre.  The hooks were baited with sandworms, and the instructions given were, after sounding the depth, to raise the hooks a little from the bottom, so as to let them hang conveniently for the fish to swallow.  Great was the excitement as we dropped the lines overboard, as to who should catch the first whale.  Jorrocks and myself having taken the fishermen’s lines from them, we all met upon pretty equal terms, much like gentlemen jockeys in a race.  A dead silence ensued.  “I have one!” cried the youngest of our new friends.  “Then pull him up,” responded one of the boatmen, “gently, or you’ll lose him.”  “And so I have, by God! he’s gone.”  “Well, never mind,” said the boatmen, “let’s see your bait—­aye, he’s got that, too.  We’ll put some fresh on—­there you are again—­all right.  Now drop it gently, and when you find you’ve hooked him, wind the line quickly, but quietly, and be sure you don’t jerk the hook out of his mouth at starting.”