ten A.M.
Our bridegroom , finding himself at last brought up , or , in other words , at the end of his career , took the opportunity of this first pause , to desire the huntsmen would lend him a hand in dismounting ; and by their condescension , safely placed on the grass , where he sat staring at the company as they came in , with such wildness of astonishment in his looks , as if he had been a creature of another species , dropped among them from the clouds . Before they had fleshed the hounds , however , he recollected himself ; and , seeing one of the sportsmen take a small flask out of his pocket and apply it to his mouth , judged the cordial to be no other than neat Cognac , which it really was ; and expressing a desire of participation , was immediately accommodated with a moderate dose , which perfectly completed his recovery . By this time he and his two horses had engrossed the attention of the whole crowd : while some admired the elegant proportion and uncommon spirit of the two animals , the rest contemplated the surprising appearance of their master , whom before they had only seen en passant ; and at length , one of the gentlemen , accosting him very courteously , signified his wonder at seeing him in such an equipage , and asked if he had not dropped his companion by the way . `` Why look ye , brother , '' replied the commodore , `` mayhap you think me an odd sort of a fellow , seeing me in this trim , especially as I have lost part of my rigging ; but this here is the case , d'ye see : I weighed anchor from my own house this morning , at ten A.M. with fair weather , and a favourable breeze at south-south-east , being bound to the next church on the voyage of matrimony : but howsomever , we had not run down a quarter of a league , when the wind shifting , blowed directly in our teeth ; so that we were forced to tack all the way , d'ye see , and had almost been up within sight of the port , when these sons-of-b -- s of horses , which I had bought but two days before -LRB- for my own part , I believe they are devils incarnate -RRB- , luffed round in a trice , and then , refusing the helm , drove away like lightning with me and my lieutenant , who soon came to anchor in an exceeding good berth . As for my own part , I have been carried over rocks , and quicksands ; among which I have pitched away a special good tie-periwig , and an iron-bound hat ; and at last , thank God ! am got into smooth water and safe riding ; but if ever I venture my carcass upon such a hare'um scare'um blood-of-a-b -- again , my name is not Hawser Trunnion , d -- my eyes ! '' One of the company , struck with this name , which he had often heard , immediately laid hold on his declaration at the close of this singular account , and , observing that his horses were very vicious , asked how he intended to return .