Even in my then state of sickness , I perceived two things : that the mate was touched with liquor , as the captain hinted , and that -LRB- drunk or sober -RRB- he was like to prove a valuable friend . Five minutes afterwards my bonds were cut , I was hoisted on a man 's back , carried up to the forecastle , and laid in a bunk on some sea-blankets ; where the first thing that I did was to lose my senses . It was a blessed thing indeed to open my eyes again upon the daylight , and to find myself in the society of men . The forecastle was a roomy place enough , set all about with berths , in which the men of the watch below were seated smoking , or lying down asleep . The day being calm and the wind fair , the scuttle was open , and not only the good daylight , but from time to time -LRB- as the ship rolled -RRB- a dusty beam of sunlight shone in , and dazzled and delighted me . I had no sooner moved , moreover , than one of the men brought me a drink of something healing which Mr. Riach had prepared , and bade me lie still and I should soon be well again . There were no bones broken , he explained : `` A clour * on the head was naething . Man , '' said he , `` it was me that gave it ye ! '' * Blow . Here I lay for the space of many days a close prisoner , and not only got my health again , but came to know my companions . They were a rough lot indeed , as sailors mostly are : being men rooted out of all the kindly parts of life , and condemned to toss together on the rough seas , with masters no less cruel . There were some among them that had sailed with the pirates and seen things it would be a shame even to speak of ; some were men that had run from the king 's ships , and went with a halter round their necks , of which they made no secret ; and all , as the saying goes , were `` at a word and a blow '' with their best friends . Yet I had not been many days shut up with them before I began to be ashamed of my first judgment , when I had drawn away from them at the Ferry pier , as though they had been unclean beasts . No class of man is altogether bad , but each has its own faults and virtues ; and these shipmates of mine were no exception to the rule . Rough they were , sure enough ; and bad , I suppose ; but they had many virtues . They were kind when it occurred to them , simple even beyond the simplicity of a country lad like me , and had some glimmerings of honesty . There was one man , of maybe forty , that would sit on my berthside for hours and tell me of his wife and child . He was a fisher that had lost his boat , and thus been driven to the deep-sea voyaging . Well , it is years ago now : but I have never forgotten him . His wife -LRB- who was `` young by him , '' as he often told me -RRB- waited in vain to see her man return ; he would never again make the fire for her in the morning , nor yet keep the bairn when she was sick .
Indeed , many of these poor fellows -LRB- as the event proved -RRB- were upon their last cruise ; the deep seas and cannibal fish received them ; and it is a thankless business to XXXXX ill of the dead .
bade brought laid lie made occurred sailed shut speak told