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itself about in the most extravagant manner, they stowed all that
could be stowed and then turned to the pump for the very serious mass
of water still below and to plain swab and bucket for the knees-deep wet
that washed from side to side of the sick-berth, the captain's cabin and
the lieutenants' store-room.
A heavy night, with nothing to eat but wet biscuit & rum; but
it did clear before dawn and rising sun showed not only beautiful
clear but the coast of Loando with its town and its run of shore. The sea
was still grievously troubled and there were half a dozen fishing-
boats at least half-wrecked or worse. The South African squadron
as a whole had lain to very early in the night -- their topsails were
above the horizon -- so Suffolk picked up the fishermen, a[nd] towing their
boats carried them into Loando, having signaled his intention to the
squadron.
They were most lovingly received -- many of the fishermen were relatives --
and they were feasted (though at short notice) in the most splendid [manner], which
as far as the exhausted hands were concerned, went down very well
indeed. The Admiral commanding squadron was housed in a rapidly brushed
governor's [house]: the nominal white squadron had no flag officer of its [own];
but Jack who was after all a rear-admiral of the blue, lived with all his family and
senior officers in the former military command, next to still not
inconsiderable barrack.
In spite of the shortness of the storm the ships had suffered
extremely and he, Jack and the other captains were almost
perpetually in the well-equipped and capable dockage. One day, as
they were coming back to the Governor's house -- a shingle strand with
singularly coconut palms and their usually birds -- Stephen met
them and the Admiral asked after his hernia.
'Thank you, sir,' said Stephen, 'he has shown the most
remarkable improvement and I think I shall operate in the next
two days, now that Jacob is returned. Perhaps I shall mention
it to Captain Miller.'
'Yes, indeed: he loves medical matters. But it is not particularly [bloody,]