The gun fired, the
drawbridge was hauled up, and I was afraid that I should be blamed; but
the boat was not ordered to shove off, as it was waiting for
commissioned officers. About an hour afterwards, when it was quite dark,
the sentry pointed his arms and challenged a person advancing with, "Who
comes there?"--"Naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow," was the reply,
in a loud singing voice. Upon which, the sentry recovered his arms,
singing in return, "Pass naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow--and
all's well!" and then appeared a soldier in his fatigue dress, wheeling
down the third lieutenant in a wheelbarrow, so tipsy that he could not
stand or speak. Then the sentry challenged again, and the answer was,
"Another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow;" upon which the sentry
replied as before, "Pass, another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow
--and all's well." This was my friend O'Brien, almost as bad as the
third lieutenant; and so they continued for ten minutes, challenging and
passing, until they wheeled down the remainder of the party, with the
exception of the second lieutenant, who walked arm and arm with the
officer who brought down the order for lowering the drawbridge. I was
much shocked, for I considered it very disgraceful; but I afterwards was
told, which certainly admitted of some excuse, that the mess were
notorious for never permitting any of their guests to leave the table
sober. They were all safely put into the boat, and I am glad to say, the
first lieutenant was in bed and did not see them; but I could not help
acknowledging the truth of an observation made by one of the men as the
officers were handed into the boat, "I say, Bill, if _them_ were _we_,
what a precious twisting we should get to-morrow at six bells!"
The ship remained in Gibraltar Bay about three weeks, during which time
we had refitted the rigging fore and aft, restowed and cleaned the hold,
and painted outside.
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