They then replaced the bottles in the tub, paid the woman more than she
asked; but, by way of taking out the change, they chucked her stern
foremost into the water amongst her merchandise, and then shouldered the
vessel, old woman and all, and away they staggered with her, the empty
bottles clattering together in the water, and the old lady swearing and
bouncing and squattering amongst them, while jack shouted to her to hold
her tongue, or they would let her go by the run bodily. Thus they
stumped in the wake of their captain, until he arrived at the door of
the Courthouse, to the great entertainment of the bystanders, cutting
the strings that confined the corks of the stone bottles as they bowled
along, popping the spruce into each other's faces, and the faces of the
negroes, as they ran out of the stores to look at jack in his frolic,
and now and then taking a shot at the old woman's cockemony itself, as
she was held kicking and spurring high above their heads.
At length the captain, who was no great way ahead, saw what was going
on, which was the signal for doucinog the whole affair, spruce--woman,
tub, and bottles; and the party gathering themselves up, mustered close
aboard of us, as grave as members of the General Assembly.
The regular courthouse of the city being under repair, the Admiralty
Sessions were held in a large room occupied temporarily for the purpose.
At one end, raised two steps above the level of the floor, was the
bench, on which were seated the Judge of the Admiralty Court, supported
by two post captains in full uniform, who are ex--officio judges of this
court in the colonies, one on each side.
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