“The stays and shrouds were set up, and new rattled down; the yards crossed, the running rigging rose, and sails bent.
“And the old craft, fresh painted and all a-taunto looked as fine as a midshipman on liberty.
“In place of the storm stumps which had been stowed away among the booms and other spare spars amidships, we had sent up top-gallant masts and royal poles, with a sheave for sky-sails and houst enough for sky-scrapers among them.
“So you may judge the old frigate looked pretty taunt.
“There was a Dutch line ship in the harbour, but though we carried only thirty to her forty guns, her main-truck would hardly have reached to our royal mast-head.
“When we had got everything ship-shape and man-of-war fashion, we hauled out again, and took berth about half a mile from the quay.
“What little wind we had had in the fore part of the day, died away at noon, and though the first dog-watch was almost out, and the sun was near the horizon, not a breath of air had risen to disturb the deep serenity of the scene.
“Even on board our vessel a degree of stillness unusual for a man-of-war prevailed among the crew.
“It was the hour of the evening meal, and the low hum that came from the gun-deck had an indistinct and buzzing sound.
“On the top of the boom cover, and in the full glare of the sun, lay a tall negro, ‘Black Jake’ the jig-maker of the ship, and a striking specimen of African peculiarities, in whose single person they were all strongly developed.