noon
The boatswain 's hoarse voice repeated the command , and he n turn was re-echoed by his mates . The capstan was manned , and the crew stamped , round to a point of wart most villainously performed by a bad drummer and a worse fifer , in as high glee as if those who were killed had been snug and well in their hammocks on the berth-deck -- , in place of at the bottom of the sea , with each a shot at his feet . We weighed , and began to work up , tack and tack , towards the island of Ireland , where the arsenal is , amongst a perfect labyrinth of shoals , through which the Mudian pilot conned the ship with great skill , taking his stand , to our no small wonderment , not at the gangway or poop , as usual , but on the bowsprit end , so that he might see the rocks under foot , and shun them accordingly , for they are so steep and numerous , -LRB- they look like large fish in the clear water , -RRB- and the channel is so intricate , that you have to go quite close to them . At noon we arrived at the anchorage , and hauled our moorings on board . We had refitted , and been four days at sea , on our voyage to Jamaica , when the gunroom officers gave our mess a blow-out . The increased motion and rushing of the vessel through the water , the groaning of the masts , the howling of the rising gale , and the frequent trampling of the watch on deck , were prophetic of wet jackets to some of us ; still , midshipman-like , we were as happy as a good dinner and some wine could make us , until the old gunner shoved his weather beaten phiz and bald pate in at the door . `` Beg pardon , Mr Splinter , but if you will spare Mr Cringle on the forecastle for an hour until the moon rises . ''