Nautical experience [graphic]

"A sailor heaves a donkey over the railing of a small enclosure, holding its fore-legs across his shoulders, so that the beast looks over his head. Another sailor stoops to support the ass's hindquarters on his own back. A paunchy man wearing top-boots, and with a dog, stands (left) in profile to the right., angrily facing the sailor; he says: "Who gave you authority to release that ass from the Pound". The sailor, who is smoking a pipe, answers: "Why look you master - the thing was this - we saw him aground without Victuals d'ye see and so my messmate and I agreed to Cut his Cable and set him at liberty because we have known before now what it is to be at short allowance"."--British Museum online catalogue