He had a way of talking to each and doing everybody some particular service . To me he was unweariedly kind , and always glad to see me in the galley , which he kept as clean as a new pin , the dishes hanging up burnished and his parrot in a cage in one corner . `` Come away , Hawkins , '' he would say ; `` come and have a yarn with John . Nobody more welcome than yourself , my son . Sit you down and hear the news . Here 's Cap'n Flint -- I calls my parrot Cap'n Flint , after the famous buccaneer -- here 's Cap'n Flint predicting success to our v ` yage . Was n't you , cap'n ? '' And the parrot would say , with great rapidity , `` Pieces of eight ! Pieces of eight ! Pieces of eight ! '' till you wondered that it was not out of breath , or till John threw his handkerchief over the cage . `` Now , that bird , '' he would say , `` is , maybe , two hundred years old , Hawkins -- they live forever mostly ; and if anybody 's seen more wickedness , it must be the devil himself . She 's sailed with England , the great Cap'n England , the pirate . She 's been at Madagascar , and at Malabar , and Surinam , and Providence , and Portobello . She was at the fishing up of the wrecked plate ships . It 's there she learned ` Pieces of eight , ' and little wonder ; three hundred and fifty thousand of 'em , Hawkins ! She was at the boarding of the viceroy of the Indies out of Goa , she was ; and to look at her you would think she was a babby . But you smelt powder -- did n't you , cap'n ? '' `` Stand by to go about , '' the parrot would scream . `` Ah , she 's a handsome craft , she is , '' the cook would say , and give her sugar from his pocket , and then the bird would peck at the bars and swear straight on , passing belief for wickedness .
`` There , '' XXXXX would add , `` you ca n't touch pitch and not be mucked , lad .
England Goa Hawkins John Malabar Portobello Providence Surinam babby yage