noon
The high swell demanded caution , but they managed wonderfully well . They never swung more than three casks into a boat , and with this cargo she would row away to the ship that lay hove-to close , and the men in her hoisted the casks aboard . The wind remained light till half-past three ; it then freshened a bit . Though all hands had knocked off at noon to get dinner -- and a fine meal I gave them of ham , tongue , beef , biscuits , wine , and brandy -- by half-past three they had eased the hold of ten boatloads of casks , besides clearing out the whole of the clothes from the forecastle along with as much of the bedding as we did not require ; and I began to think that my Yankee intended to leave me a clean ship to carry home , though I durst not remonstrate . Yet was my turn handsomely served too . The pumps had been cleared and tried , and found to work well , and -- which was glad news to me -- the well found dry . The running rigging had been overhauled , and it travelled handsomely .