human
This is too good to last long.
gpt
Ah! well I remember that old ship; I was midshipman of her when she blew up. I was signal midshipman. I was in the act of making the signal of distress, when up I went. Damnation! I thought I never should have come down any more.
human
Indeed, sir! said I,
gpt
I thought there had been no one on board at the time.
human
No one on board! repeated the captain, with scorn on his upper lip,
gpt
I heard it from a captain I served with in America.
human
Then you may tell your captain, with my compliments, that he knew nothing at all about it. No one on board! Why, damn me, sir, the poop was crowded like a sheepfold, and all bellowing to me for help. I told them all to go to hell, and just at that moment away we all went, sure enough. I was picked up senseless, I was told somewhere in Stokes Bay, and carried to Haslar Hospital, where I was given over for three months--never spoke. At last I got well; and the first thing I did was to take a boat and go and dive down the forehold of my old ship, and swim aft to the bread-room.
gpt
And what did you see sir?
human
Oh, nothing, except lots of human skeletons, and whitings in abundance, swimming between their ribs. I brought up my old quadrant out of the starboard wing, where I was adjusting it when the alarm was given. I found it lying on the table just where I left it. I never shall forget what a damned rap we hit the old _Queen Charlotte_, with our larboard broadside; every gun went slap into her, double-shotted. Damn my eyes, I suppose we diddled at least a hundred men.
gpt
Why, sir, said I,
human
I always understood she only lost two men on that occasion.
gpt
Who told you that? said Captain G---;
human
Yes, sir, said I,
gpt
He be damned, said my skipper;