“Yes, father bought me one.”
“Well, you’ll want it this winter, for the wild geese tell us that it will be a sharp one. Steady, starboard!”
“Starboard it is.”
“D’ye know the compass?”
“No.”
“Well, stop till we get down to Deal. Now, stand by me, and keep your eyes wide open; for, d’ye see, you’ve plenty to learn, and you can’t begin too soon. We must square the mainyard, captain, if you please,” continued he as we entered Blackwall Reach. “What could make the river so perverse as to take these two bends in Limehouse and Blackwall Reaches, unless to give pilots trouble, I can’t say.”
The wind being now contrary from the sharp turn in the river, we were again tiding it down; that is, hove-to and allowing the tide to drift us through the Reach; but as soon as we were clear of Blackwall Reach, we could lay our course down the river. As we passed Gravesend, Bramble asked me whether I was ever so low down.
“Yes,” replied I, “I have been down as far as Sea Reach;” which I had been when I was upset in the wherry, and I told him the story.
“Well, Tom, that’s called the river now; but do you know that, many years ago, where we now are used to be considered as the mouth of the river, and that fort there” (pointing to Tilbury Fort) “was built to defend it? for they say the French fleet used to come and anchor down below.”
“Yes,” replied I; “and they say, in the History of England, that the Danes used to come up much higher, even up to Greenwich; but that’s a very long while ago.”