human
Cannot, though, receive you on board, sir; sorry for it: but all my accommodation is taken up by an English colonel and his family, and he would not allow anybody else on board, even if it was the Pope himself,
gpt
But I am not at all particular as to the sort of accommodation you can find for me, urged the Greek.
human
I have been at sea before, and can rough it as well as any of you mariners.
gpt
No matter, Mr Prince; the colonel would not allow any stranger on board, so, with all the will in the world to serve you, I cannot do it.
human
But suppose the colonel should not object, would you then receive me?
gpt
That would alter the case, sir, and we would rig you up the best berth we could manage,
human
So far, so good, said the Greek.
gpt
About the passage-money we shall not disagree; but tell me of what does your cargo consist? I have the greatest horror of sleeping over gunpowder, or anything likely to explode.
human
Oh, we have no gunpowder except a few charges for our guns there; but we have some cases of muskets consigned to a merchant at Cephalonia, and which will, I suspect, soon find their way over to your friends on the main; and we have besides an assortment of hard goods, and of silks and clothes, and cottons, and such things, indeed, as would only be shipped in a sound ship--high up in Lloyd's list, let me tell you, sir. There isn't a finer craft out of London than the _Zodiac_, and none but a good ship would have weathered the gale we fell in with t'other day, though, as it was, we met with a little damage, which made us put in here to repair.
gpt
I have no doubt of the _Zodiac's_ good qualities, and I hope that I may yet have the satisfaction of proving them, said the Greek, as he stepped over the side.
human
Adieu, captain; a prosperous voyage whether I sail with you or not.