Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/124

118 THE CRATER; the pinnace." Friend Abraham White had bethought him of the worms of the low latitudes, and had sent out enough of the refuse copper of a vessel that had been broken up, to cover the bottom of this little craft fairly up to her bends To work, then, Mark and Bob went to put on the sheath ing-paper and copper that had thus bountifully been pro vided for them, as soon as the seams were well payed. This done, arid it was no great job, the paint-brush was set to work, and the hull was completed ! In all, Mark and Betts were eight weeks, hard at work, putting their pinnace together. When she was painted, the summer was more than half gone. The laying of the deck had given more trouble than any other portion of the work on the boat, and this because it was not a plain, full deck, or one that covered the whole of the vessel, but left small stern-sheets aft, which was absolutely necessary to the comfort and safety of those she was to carry. The whole was got together, however, leaving Mark and Bob to re joice in their success thus far, and to puzzle their heads about the means of getting their craft into the water, now she was built. In a word, it was far easier to put together a vessel of ten tons, that had been thus ready fitted to their hands, than it was to launch her. As each of our mariners had necessarily seen many ves sels in their cradles, each had some idea of what it was now necessary to do. Mark had laid the keel as near the water as he could get it, and by this precaution had saved himself a good deal of labour. It was very easy to find materials for the ways, many heavy planks still remaining ; but the difficulty was to lay them so that they would not spread. Here the awning-posts were found of good ser vice, plank being set on their edges against them, which, in their turn, were made to sustain the props of the ways. In order to save materials in the cradle, the ways them selves were laid on blocks, and they were secured as well as the skill of our self-formed shipwrights could do it. They had some trouble in making the cradle, and had once to undo all they had done, in consequence of a mis take. At length Mark was of opinion they had takeri all the necessary precautions, and told Betts that he thought they might venture to attempt launching the next day.