Having scrutinised the exterior of my new command to my heart's content, we went alongside and boarded her.  Her gangway was open; and so little freeboard did she show at this point--Carline measured it and found it to be exactly four-feet--that we were able to spring from the boat's gunwale to the schooner's deck without difficulty, and without the need for a side-ladder.  I had by this time quite forgotten my first impression of diminutiveness in connection with the craft, and the moment that I passed through the gangway and stood upon her deck I gained a new impression, namely that of spaciousness.  For she was extraordinarily beamy; her hatchways were small, and there was nothing in the way of fittings of any kind to cumber up her decks; indeed, so far as actual room to move about upon was concerned, her quarter-deck seemed to be quite as spacious as that of the _Europa_.  She was flush-decked fore and aft, and abaft the immensely lofty mainmast there was nothing but the companion, with a seat and lockers on either side of it, a fine big skylight, a very handsome brass binnacle, and the wheel. Her bulwarks were only three feet high, with a fine, solid teak rail; and she was built of hard wood--oak and elm--throughout, and copper fastened.