four
o'clock in the morning
From the glimpse of a play-bill , which I detected peeping out of his pocket , I inferred that he patronized the theaters ; and from the flush of his cheeks , that he patronized the fine old Port wine , for which Liverpool is famous . Occasionally , however , he spent his nights on board ; and mad , roystering nights they were , such as rare Ben Jonson would have delighted in . For company over the cabin-table , he would have four or five whiskered sea-captains , who kept the steward drawing corks and filling glasses all the time . And once , the whole company were found under the table at four o'clock in the morning , and were put to bed and tucked in by the two mates . Upon this occasion , I agreed with our woolly Doctor of Divinity , the black cook , that they should have been ashamed of themselves ; but there is no shame in some sea-captains , who only blush after the third bottle . During the many visits of Captain Riga to the ship , he always said something courteous to a gentlemanly , friendless custom-house officer , who staid on board of us nearly all the time we lay in the dock . And weary days they must have been to this friendless custom-house officer ; trying to kill time in the cabin with a newspaper ; and rapping on the transom with his knuckles .