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who were camped and hutted there； and we were approaching towards
their quarters over the sand； when Christian George King comes up
from the landing…place at a wolf's…trot； crying； 〃Yup； So…Jeer！〃
which was that Sambo Pilot's barbarous way of saying； Hallo；
Soldier！ I have stated myself to be a man of no learning； and； if I
entertain prejudices； I hope allowance may be made。 I will now
confess to one。 It may be a right one or it may be a wrong one；
but； I never did like Natives； except in the form of oysters。
So； when Christian George King； who was individually unpleasant to
me besides； comes a trotting along the sand； clucking； 〃Yup； So…
Jeer！〃 I had a thundering good mind to let fly at him with my
right。 I certainly should have done it； but that it would have
exposed me to reprimand。
〃Yup； So…Jeer！〃 says he。 〃Bad job。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 says I。
〃Yup； So…Jeer！〃 says he； 〃Ship Leakee。〃
〃Ship leaky？〃 says I。
〃Iss；〃 says he； with a nod that looked as if it was jerked out of
him by a most violent hiccupwhich is the way with those savages。
I cast my eyes at Charker； and we both heard the pumps going aboard
the sloop； and saw the signal run up； 〃Come on board； hands wanted
from the shore。〃 In no time some of the sloop's liberty…men were
already running down to the water's edge； and the party of seamen；
under orders against the Pirates； were putting off to the Columbus
in two boats。
〃O Christian George King sar berry sorry！〃 says that Sambo vagabond；
then。 〃Christian George King cry； English fashion！〃 His English
fashion of crying was to screw his black knuckles into his eyes；
howl like a dog； and roll himself on his back on the sand。 It was
trying not to kick him； but I gave Charker the word； 〃Double…quick；
Harry！〃 and we got down to the water's edge； and got on board the
sloop。
By some means or other； she had sprung such a leak； that no pumping
would keep her free； and what between the two fears that she would
go down in the harbour； and that； even if she did not； all the
supplies she had brought for the little colony would be destroyed by
the sea…water as it rose in her； there was great confusion。 In the
midst of it； Captain Maryon was heard hailing from the beach。 He
had been carried down in his hammock； and looked very bad； but he
insisted on being stood there on his feet； and I saw him； myself；
come off in the boat； sitting upright in the stern…sheets； as if
nothing was wrong with him。
A quick sort of council was held； and Captain Maryon soon resolved
that we must all fall to work to get the cargo out； and that when
that was done； the guns and heavy matters must be got out； and that
the sloop must be hauled ashore； and careened； and the leak stopped。
We were all mustered （the Pirate…Chace party volunteering）； and told
off into parties； with so many hours of spell and so many hours of
relief； and we all went at it with a will。 Christian George King
was entered one of the party in which I worked； at his own request；
and he went at it with as good a will as any of the rest。 He went
at it with so much heartiness； to say the truth； that he rose in my
good opinion almost as fast as the water rose in the ship。 Which
was fast enough； and faster。
Mr。 Commissioner Pordage kept in a red…and…black japanned box； like
a family lump…sugar box； some document or other； which some Sambo
chief or other had got drunk and spilt some ink over （as well as I
could understand the matter）； and by that means had given up lawful
possession of the Island。 Through having hold of this box； Mr。
Pordage got his title of Commissioner。 He was styled Consul too；
and spoke of himself as 〃Government。〃
He was a stiff…jointed； high…nosed old gentleman； without an ounce
of fat on him； of a very angry temper and a very yellow complexion。
Mrs。 Commissioner Pordage； making allowance for difference of sex；
was much the same。 Mr。 Kitten； a small； youngish； bald； botanical
and mineralogical gentleman； also connected with the minebut
everybody there was that； more or lesswas sometimes called by Mr。
Commissioner Pordage； his Vice…commissioner； and sometimes his
Deputy…consul。 Or sometimes he spoke of Mr。 Kitten； merely as being
〃under Government。〃
The beach was beginning to be a lively scene with the preparations
for careening the sloop； and with cargo； and spars； and rigging； and
water…casks； dotted about it； and with temporary quarters for the
men rising up there out of such sails and odds and ends as could be
best set on one side to make them； when Mr。 Commissioner Pordage
comes down in a high fluster； and asks for Captain Maryon。 The
Captain； ill as he was； was slung in his hammock betwixt two trees；
that he might direct； and he raised his head； and answered for
himself。
〃Captain Maryon；〃 cries Mr。 Commissioner Pordage； 〃this is not
official。 This is not regular。〃
〃Sir；〃 says the Captain； 〃it hath been arranged with the clerk and
supercargo； that you should be communicated with； and requested to
render any little assistance that may lie in your power。 I am quite
certain that hath been duly done。〃
〃Captain Maryon；〃 replied Mr。 Commissioner Pordage； 〃there hath been
no written correspondence。 No documents have passed； no memoranda
have been made； no minutes have been made； no entries and counter…
entries appear in the official muniments。 This is indecent。 I call
upon you； sir； to desist； until all is regular； or Government will
take this up。〃
〃Sir；〃 says Captain Maryon； chafing a little； as he looked out of
his hammock； 〃between the chances of Government taking this up； and
my ship taking herself down； I much prefer to trust myself to the
former。〃
〃You do； sir？〃 cries Mr。 Commissioner Pordage。
〃I do； sir；〃 says Captain Maryon； lying down again。
〃Then； Mr。 Kitten；〃 says the Commissioner； 〃send up instantly for my
Diplomatic coat。〃
He was dressed in a linen suit at that moment； but； Mr。 Kitten
started off himself and brought down the Diplomatic coat； which was
a blue cloth one； gold…laced； and with a crown on the button。
〃Now； Mr。 Kitten；〃 says Pordage； 〃I instruct you； as Vice…
commissioner； and Deputy…consul of this place； to demand of Captain
Maryon； of the sloop Christopher Columbus； whether he drives me to
the act of putting this coat on？〃
〃Mr。 Pordage；〃 says Captain Maryon； looking out of his hammock
again； 〃as I can hear what you say； I can answer it without
troubling the gentleman。 I should be sorry that you should be at
the pains of putting on too hot a coat on my account； but；
otherwise； you may put it on hind…side before； or inside…out； or
with your legs in the sleeves； or your head in the skirts； for any
objection that I have to offer to your thoroughly pleasing
yourself。〃
〃Very good； Captain Maryon；〃 says Pordage； in a tremendous passion。
〃Very good； sir。 Be the consequences on your own head！ Mr。 Kitten；
as it has come to this； help me on with it。〃
When he had given that order； he walked off in the coat； and all our
names were taken； and I was afterwards told that Mr。 Kitten wrote
from his dictation more than a bushel of large paper on the subject；
which cost more before it was done with； than ever could be
calculated； and which only got done with after all； by being lost。
Our work went on merrily； nevertheless； and the Christopher
Columbus； hauled up； lay helpless on her side like a great fish out
of water。 While she was in that state； there was a feast； or a
ball； or an entertainment； or more properly all three together；
given us in honour of the ship； and the ship's company； and the
other visitors。 At that assembly； I believe； I saw all the
inhabitants then upon the Island； without any exception。 I took no
particular notice of more than a few； but I found it very agreeable
in that little corner of the world to see the children； who were of
all ages； and mostly very prettyas they mostly are。 There was one
handsome elderly lady； with very dark eyes and gray hair； that I
inquired about。 I was told that her name was Mrs。 Venning； and her
married daughter； a fair slight thing； was pointed out to me by the
name of Fanny Fisher。 Quite a child she looked； with a little copy
of herself holding to her dress； and her husband； just come back
from the mine； exceeding proud of her。 They were a good…looking set
of people on the whole； but I didn't like them。 I was out of sorts；
in conversation with Charker； I found fault with all of them。 I
said of Mrs。 Venning； she was proud； of Mrs。 Fisher； she was a
delicate little baby…fool。 What did I think of this one？ Why； he
was a fine gentleman。 What did I say to that one？ Why； she was a
fine lady。 What could you expect them to be （I asked Charker）；
nursed in that climate； with the tropical night shining for them；
musical instruments playing to them； great trees bending