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Las diagrammes suivants illustrant la mMhoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 NA AV » HARAC lOFESSIC BIOURj AND SOI SIiMP] .♦ '■ AVAL SKETCH-BOOK; OR, THE WITH Characteristic reminiscences, fragments, AND OPINIONS OK lOFESSIONAL, COLONIAL, AND POLITICAL SUBJECTS ; INTERSPEKSED WITH COPIOUS NOTES, JIOURAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, CRITICAL, AND ILLUSTRATIVE. BY AN OFFICER OF RANK. IN TWO VOLUxMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; AND SOLD BY H. COLBURN; GEO. B. WHITTAKER ; SIMPKIN & MARSHALL, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1826. LONDON; PRINTKD BY COX AND BAVLIS, GHJiAT liUL£N &TttE£T. Intiioduc CONTENTS OF VOL. I. Page llN'iiiunucTiON vii FIRST DAY AFLOAT.— By a Middy. Aliirnis — Anomalies — Origin of Horse Marines I A MELEE. Cornwallis's Retreat — with the * First of June' — a Galley Story 19 LEAVES FROM THE PRIVATE LOG OF A CAPTAIN. A Post- Admiral's Dinner Minuted — PI easing Formalities — Private Yachts, &c 34 NAVAL INVENTIONS. Officers versus Mechanics — Inman — Seppings — Captains Pakenham, Phillips, Hayes, Burton, Truscott, Lieu- tenant Halahan, &c 41 i-. ■ t XXI 1 CONTENTS. NAVAL ANOMALIES. Page Affectionate Friends — " More Yes than No" — Jack a Zoologist — Jack a Statesman — Wooden Intellects — Meum and TVum— Once a Captain always a Captain 58 NAVAL AUTHORS. Remarks on the literary Productions of Admiral CoU lingwood. Captains Parry, Francklin, Heywood, Lyon, Smith, Cochrane, Hall, Goldsmith, and Heathcott — Marshall's Biography — Naval Histories— Inconsis- tencies, Infidelities and Fallacies of James, &c 7^ SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN. Belief in Ghosts and Goblins — Abhorrence of Friday — " Mother Gary"— her Chickens 100 A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. A Galley Story— The Ghost 112 TAX ON COMMISSIONS 122 NEWFOUNDLAND. Vagaries— Periodical Fires — Courts of Judicature — Judges— Benbow on the Bench— Colonial Press — Conlrib Rhyme, \Slrenua r Society- Romance, [British Bu ble Dea Synonyr Leg — L( in a Sail Glory, ( [Inventions tain Pee Encourage Phcenix, George Page —Jack a iUects — [Captain 58 iral Col- d, Lyon, thcott — iiconsis- c 72 I. 'riday — 100 112 122 ature — ?ress — CONTENTS. xxiii Page Contributions of Naval Officers— Recreations in Rhyme, by the Lieges of St. John's 127 NAVAL CLUB-HOUSE. Slrenua nos excrcet inertia — Club-house Scenes and Society — Dismals in December 166 COAST BLOCKADE. Romance, founded on Fact 170 JACK'S ECCENTRICITIES. British Bull-Dogs — A Nondescript — A Sea-Bull — Dou- ble Dealing — No-way Nice, or Nautical Nuptials — Synonymous Terms — Swindling the Sharks — Jack a Leg — Lost and Found — Extraordinary Resolution in a Sailor — Literte Scriptee, or Forced-meat Balls — Glory, or Glauber Salts — Matrimonial Motives 196 NAVAL GUNNERY. Inventions— Sights -Spirit Level— Sir P. Broke — Cap- tain Peechell «, 219 CHEERING IN ACTION. Encouragement — Instances: La N^mphe, Colossus, Phoenix, Captain Baker — Meander, Barfleur, Sir George Martin —iSAanwon 225 m fi XXIV CONTENTS. ROYAL ivIARINES. Discipline — Effectiveness — Broad-Sword Exercise — Large Establishment essential 233 DISCIPLINE. Rewards — Punishments— Emulation — Temper. 240 p. DEDICATED, WITH THE SINCEREST RESPECT, TO r HE IJ R I T I S H N A V Y, KY III THE AUTHOR. r I At a iion in Ihumble lagazii Imost in: ing the Imanneri [equally its achi( lcharact< [of our British stitution INTRODUCTION. /-" 'i I At a period when every class or profes* jion in society, from the merchant to the [humblest mechanic, has its association, its lagazine, its newspaper, it would be al- Imost impertinent to apologize for present- png the ptiblic with a view of the habits, Imanners, and peculiarities of a profession, [equally distinguished by the splendour of its achievements and the originality of its [character — at once the essential protection lof our mercantile enterprize, the nurse of British independent feeling, and the con- |stitutional security of our maritime great- b2 n i VIII INTRODUCTION. ness and national prosperity. Whilst every other subject of general policy or profes- sional interest has been discussed and examined with all the eyes of Argus, our marine, with its services, claims, discipline, privations, and hardships, has escaped that scrutinizing ordeal imposed on every thing else by the growth of information, and the zekl for improvement. From an overween- ing delicacy on the part of the profession, the redress of grievances, the remedy of evils, with the suggestion of either altera- tion or improvement in the principle or discipline of the service, have been lefl almost entirely in the hands of public Boards, and the difficulties of professional subjects have deterred the pen of the un- initiated from the task. Hence it happens that, from the sphere of its action and ser- vices being remote, it may, with truth, be INTKODUrTION. IX observed, that (unless in a period of war, when the public is sometimes treated with the meagre notice of a naval victory in the Gazette) the mass of even reading, intel- ligent Englishmen is unacquainted with, or uninterested in the welfare or concerns of that force, on which our existence as a nation solely depends. In the absence of I authentic information, the field is left open to conjecture, and fiction naturally steps I in to aid the imagination. Even Dibdin, I who unites often fine poetic feeling with a noble and devoted patriotism in his sea- songs, repeatedly raises a blush for the nautical ignorance he betrays. The ab* surdities detailed in graver publications, as to the conduct and character of sailors, would be amusing, were it not for the false, and often unfavourable impressions they create of the service. b3 Si 'i it INTllODUCTION. Of such a character and tendency is the extract we subjoin, entitled " Lord Nelson's Humanity," which, unluckily for the profession, has gone the rounds, and been copied into almost every paper throughout the kingdom — a proof, at least, that professional subjects are still matter of general interest. vii **• " Lord Nelson was loth to inflict punish- ment, and when he was obliged, as he termed it, * to endure the torture of seeing men flogged,' he came out of his cabin with hurried steps, ran i«to the gangway, made his bow to the marine-general^ and reading the Article of War the culprit had infringed, said, * Boatswain, do your duty.* The lash was instantly applied, and, conse- qttentli/, the sufferer exclaimed, * Forgive me. Admiral, forgive me !' — he would look | round with wild anxiety, and, as all his INTRODUCTION. XI officers kept silence (when the Jettow really merited his punishment), he would say, * What! none of you speak for him ?^ Avast! cast him off! Jack^ in the day of battle remember me, and be a good fellxm in future !' — A poor devil was about to be flogged : he was a landsman, and few pitied him — h'«i ^offence was drunkenness. A.^ he was tying up, a lovely girl, contrary to all rules, rushed through the officers, and falUng on her knees, clasped Nelson's hands, in which were the Articles of War, * Pray forgive him, your honour, and he shall never offend again.' — * Your face* said he, * is a security for his good be- haviour — let him go ; the fellow cannot be bad who has such a lovely creature in his care.* The man rose to be a lieutenant ; his name was William Pye." Absurdities here crowd so thickly upon b4 m ^1 Ml INTRODUCTION. US, that it is impossible to lix the attention on any one in particular. We have an Ad- miral inspecting punishment, and a Gene- ral of marines doing a subaltern's duty. In point of fact, there never is a General of marines on board ; and in case of punish- ment, the Admiral is never present — his captain does the duty. The " hurried step" and " wild anxiety" well become the cool deliberate hero who at Copenhagen, when in imminent danger and in the heat of action, calmly and deliberately sealed with wax his summons to the Danes to surrender, observ- ing, " that a wafer might discover hurry or anxiety." And for whom is all this " anxie- ty ?" For a " fellow who really merited punishment." The low vulgarity and gas- conade of phrase, "Jack, in the day of battle remember me," is an insult to the memory of an accomplished gentleman and the brighte narrati^ nishme orders girl" r( whose few pit who, as ^™ fancied To con cal tern landsm! the quj nant ! late Tc concep Taylor. theatric giving the al INTRODUCTION. XUl ttention an Ad- a Gene- Lity. In neral of punish - mt — his 3d step" :he cool n, when faction, wax his observ- lurry or '* anxie- merited md gas- fbattle nemory nd the brightest ornament of the profession. The narrative is equally false : — previous to pu- nishment, the ** ship's corporal " always orders the women below. Here a " lovely girl" rescues " a poor devil of a landsman, whose offence was drunkenness, and whom few pitied," from the lash, because Nelson, who, as we observed, could not be present, fancied her face, and argued like a fool. To complete the fable, and give a theatri- cal termination to the farce, the drunken landsman leaves the gangway to ascend the quarter-deck, and becomes a lieute- nant ! Thrice lucky Mr. Pye ! ! ! The late Tom Sheridan has a similarly brilliant conception in the comic song called ** Billi/ Taylor" But Sheridan had imbibed more theatrical tact from his father; and by giving it an air of romance, completed the absurdity. — " Billy Taylor's" sweet- 6l XIV INTRODUCTION. heart is made lieutenant* of the ** Thunder- Bomb." ; ■ VI Sailors are thus unfortunate in more re- spects than one. Generally, when they sit for a portrait, the canvass is made to glow with all the characteristic traits of a bold, generous, reckless ruffian. This might be endured, because it is at once detected as a caricature jf but the indignity we feel * " When her captain come to diskiver The glorious action what she'd done. Then he made her first leaftenant Of the gallant 7%Mwrfer-Bomb." f To shew that instances of this species of nautical jargoii and murder of common sense are not unfrequently palmed on the public as the genuine effusions of our tars, we quote from a daily paper another very recent and elaborate anec- dote, which, for confusion of ideas, absurdity, and igno- rance, out-Herods all preceding specimens of rhodomon- tade : — " An honest tar was heard to describe the dress of his wife thus : — * On my return from the Cape, she was so bam- boozled in all her riggingy that I hardly knew her stem from in his d tar app dicant i her ster7i ; with a ven^ her clue-gG so lubberly I soon foi ashore, on INTRODUCTION. XV Thunder- more re- I they sit \ to glow »f a bold, might be tected as we feel r le. utical jargoii ntly palmed rs, we quote borate anec- , and igno- rhodomon- dress of his was so bavi- It stem from most disposed to resent, consists in mingling in the picture the maudUn mawkish attri- butes of the puling writer himself. The sailor becomes in such hands perfectly meta- morphosed, so that his intimates would not recognize in the sketch their blunt, honest, warm-hearted acquaintance ; acting ever on false sentiment, and aping the flippant nonsense of a French novelist, he is repre- sented as a being at once averse to his duty, and wincing Uke a woman under punishment. Thus, in his feeling degraded, in his distress robbed of dignity, the British tar appears but a bully in war and a men- dicant in peace. her stern ; and as to her midships, that was lumbered up with a vengeance ! Even her studding-sails were all a'peak;f her clue-garnets a-foul of her reef-tackle : and her fore-sheet so lubberly belaid to her cat-heady that, on putting her about^ I soon found she missed stays, and away she went, bomb ashore, on the rocks of Scilly P " f What nonsense ! 4l XVI INTRODUCTION. A-s a corrective for an evil so serious in its consequences, and to set Jack's charac- ter right in the opinion of his countrymen, a few original " Galley-Stories," which we would fain presume are not destitute of the vraisemblance, are added, to serve as an illustration of his opinions of duty, mo- tive, religion, men, and manners ashore and afloat. However the tales may be disguised in professional allusions, or the vernacular of the forecastle, they have each a clear, intelligible moi'al. Possibly, those chapters which will most require something to be said in their de- fence, will be imagined to be those relative to the " Naval Club-House." It is only doing justice to our motives, here to pre- mise, generally, that the characters sketched are imaginary ; and that nothing can be farther from our intention than to censure institut princip not esj being c in a p cences enlighti gleans pcrienc ardour. berated fessiona led to ii son to fective, end. Ofth( tics, na\ disciplir that, th( INTRODUCTION. XVU institutions of this nature. A club on liberal principles is, doubtless, advantageous, if not essential to the interests and well- being of the profession ; more particularly in a period of peace. In the reminis- cences of the past, and the collision of enlightened opinion, young emulation gleans from the harvest of veteran ex- perience, and learns to glow with patriot ardour. From personal observation, corro- borated by the concurrent opinion of pro- fessional friends, we have, however, been led to infer, that there existed some rea- son to apprehend the system was de- fective, and the means substituted for the end. Of the more serious papers, relative to tac- tics, naval improvements, punishments, arid discipline, it is only necessary to say here, that, though the result of long experience iM XVlll INTRODUCTION. and much active service, they are sub- mitted with great deference, and even dif- fidence, to the service, in the present bright and promising day-spring of professional attainment. ' : . t: .i r.. For our review of the principal modern works from the pens of naval men, we, without anticipating what may be the opinion of the reader as to its justice on perusal, confidently calculate on its being favourably received by professional writers, | who have hitherto had the hard fortune only to be criticized by * men of letters,' or critics by profession, not one of whom ever took a helm in hand or saw a shot fired ; and, though it may appear an extraordinary waste of time, in the present day, when a critique on a quarto of 600 pages is pre- pared for publication in a shorter time than it would take to read one-tenth of it with attentio I we have suming An i( the vet materiel years u he is no artless I bling ef every cj oscillati< ing to landsma of every a word, the spiri To ac thetic y( fading g INTRODUCTION. XiX ire sub- ven dif- it bright fessional modern len, we, be the istice on | ts being writers, fortune tters,' or lom ever )t fired ; ordinary | when a s is pre- me than it with attention, we can assure each writer noticed I we have always read his work before pre- suming to pronounce any opinion. An idea begins to gain ground amongst the veterans of the profession, that the materiel of the common sailor has of late years undergone a great alteration — that he is no longer the same gay, unsuspecting, artless being, whose minute garrulity, ram- bling episodes, and figurative phraseology, every cadence of which was marked by the oscillation of a long queue of hair reach- ' ing to his waist, never failed to detain a landsman's ear, and render him the hero of every groupe in which he mingled ; in a word, they presume very generally that the spirit of the tar is fled with the tail. To administer consolation to the sympa- thetic yearnings of these lovers of the fast- fading glories of the tar, we have picked i-\»H ^1^ XX INTRODUCTION. out a few relics of the genuine antique, y'clept Eccentricities, Having almost all come within the writer's knowledge and observation, they are presumed to be at least genuine specimens, which, like fossil organic remains, may serve to resuscitate to the fancy a race long since extinct. How far the Work may have redeemed these pledges must, however, be left to the reader to determine. VALETE. Cheltenham, December, 1825. N. Pe Th( TWEI head, w] jjesty's E and with any boy haps, m( friends the serv I niost stu] • There The reparte [ the rough c VOL. I, THE antique, [most all ;dge and to be at ike fossil jsuscitate I extinct, •edeemed eft to the LETE. NAVAL SKETCH-BOOK. FIRST DAY AFLOAT; BY A MIDDY. ■ ' Speak thou, boy ; Perhaps thy childishness will move them more Than our reason. — SHAKSPEARF. Twelve years had scarcely slipped over my head, when, in the year 1800, I entered His Ma- jesty's naval service, as mischievous as a whelp, and with as much of the devil in my disposition as any boy of equal age ; circumstances which, per- haps, more than any thing else, had induced my friends to consider me peculiarly calculated for the service, although neither the youngest nor most stupid of the sons of my father.* * There is, no doubt, some allusion here to naval biography. The repartee alluded to is said to have been made by an officer to I tlie rough compliment of some naval Duke. VOL. I. B . FIllST DAY AFLOAT. The ship to which I was destined was com- manded by Captain — — , who bore the character of a gentlemanly, good-natured fellow, which however was then deemed quite incompatible with the duties of a commander: an opinion, happily for both young and old placed under his control, not considered perfectly orthodox in the present day. On my arrival at Deal, I waited on him at his lodgings, and was agreeably surprised at the kindness of his reception. After looking merely at the signatures of a large assortment of introductory letters, and put- ting my patience to the proof, by repeating the customary lecture on such occasions, his bell summoned the steward, a brawny, well-looking, woolly-headed black, to receive the order for putting me on board with all possible despatch ; the captain adding at parting, to the steward, " you'll tell the first-lieutenant to let one of the I steadiest midshipmen shew the young gentleman the lions." — The mandate was received by my | sable conductor with an indistinct mutter, through tusks that shone, by contrast with his skin, like pearls*, — every feature of his face, and agitation of his body, denoting the most perfect submissive- ness and obedience. Agitation is always con- FIRST DAY AFLOAT. d 1 was com- le character ow, which icompalible | m opinion, d under his trthodox in It Deal, I IS agreeably I •ion. latilres of a; rs, and put- 1 epeating thel is, his bell irell-looking, order for % despatch ; the steward, one of the gentleman ved by ^ % ter, through | s skin, like | nd agitation submissive- alwavs con- tagious, and I began to suspect, from the conduct of the black, that we were fast approaching the dread confines of the region of terror. My con- victions were strengthened by the silence which was subsequently preserved. Having repaired to the " Hoop and Griffin,** to ship my traps, we proceeded, accompanied by a porter, across the shingle to the beach, off which the barge was lying outside the surf at a grappling. The crew consisted of ten or eleven sun-burnt, rugged, long-tailed tars, under the charge of a young- ster, who, in every respect but the air of autho- rity he assumed, seemed * my other self.* His complexion, it was evident, had not been ex- posed to sun or wind, and he wore gloves, which, like his face, were of a dazzling whiteness. The grappling was soon weighed, I was bundled in by the bowman, and, to use his expression, the barge was * shoved alongside of the barky* in the twin- kling of a bed-post.* Although a mere boy, never shall I forget the overwhelming and indefinable impression niade on my mind upon reaching this wonderful and stupendous floating structure. The immensity of the hull, height of the masts, and largeness of * Jmk'a fancy pliraxp tor a favourite ship. 't) FIUST DAY AFLOAT. the sails, which had been loosened to dry, so far exceeded every anticipation I had formed, that I continued, unmindful of what was going on in the boat, to gaze on her in dumb amazement, until awakened from my stupor by the coxswain, who now grufflye xclaimed, — " Come, master ! come ! mount a' reevo, 'less you mean to be boat-keeper." The youngster, who had not opened his lips on the passage, now turned round to give vent to a repartee, which, from its homeliness, served ma- terially to humble him in my estimation. — " Give us none o* your jaw, Mr. Jones," said this young ,*^Triton, scampering up with the black close at his heels. I now seized the side-rope, and was assisted in my awkward attempt by the coxswain, who followed in my wake, no doubt looking-out for a " slippery-bend." Being safely landed* on the quarter-deck of the frigate, I literally shrunk back through a feeling of intense admiration, approaching to awe, at the scene which presented itself; where nau- tical neatness, accurate arrangement, intricate machinery, and moving masses of men completed the illusion, and overwhelmed the mind with the gigantic grandeur of the whole. * " Laaded on deck"— » nautical aiiomalr> FIRST DAY AFLOAT. 5 dry, so far ned, that I ^ on in the ment, until swain, who er ! come ! at-keeper." his lips on e vent to a •erved ma- tt. — " Give this young ck close at ;, and was ^ coxswain, ooking-out :er-deck of through a ing to awe, inhere nau- i intricate completed [1 with the ilr. As I cautiously stepped on the deck, my eyes attracted by the alternate whiteness of the planks and polished ebony of the parallel caulking, my ears were assailed by sounds which seemed to threaten danger aloft, proceeding from the thun- der-like claps of the shivering sails, as they hung in the brails, and flapped their huge wings in the wind. ^:! . In this state of apprehension from undefined danger, and motionless as a statue, I felt myself pulled by the sleeve. The black had been enjoy- ing my surprise, and now motioned me to make my obeisance to a vulgar-looking, squat, round- shouldered man, whose obliquity of vision exposed every being he looked at to a sort of cross fire, from eyes which appeared to have a roving com- mission. A * voice like a boatswain' had been a phrase with my father, and the association was revived by the Stentor-like tones of this strange- looking person, who was dressed in a blue white- edged coat, which displayed here and there a few straggling anchor-buttons of different dies; to which was added a buff, soup-spotted vest, a pair of tarred nankeen trowsers, and an old bat- tered broad-brimmed leathern hat. This homely habit, with divers distinguishable daubings of B 3 '3 2t 1 6 FIRST DAY Al'LOAT. pitch or white-wash on his back, naturally in- duced me to conclude he could be no other than the boatswain. I was soon undeceived, on hear- ing the steward deliver to him the captain's message relative to myself, which at once decided me as to his rank. I am still at a loss to account for the ap- prehensions with which he inspired me, but 1 already felt myself retreating from a form so unprepossessing; possibly from the consciousness tha^ I was a scrape-grace, and that, as our fire- side circle had loiig since assured me, my offences were all discernible in my face. Already had sable Jack muttered in a half terrified -tone, aided by divers agitations and shiverings, re- sembling ague fits, the wishes of the captain relative to myself, when this modern Caliban, pulling up his trowsers with one hand, whilst with the other he boused forward the peak of his tarnished shirt-collar, swaggeringly ex- claimed, " Well, youngster, here you are, — just like a young bear, — all your troubles before you !" — Often when a child had I been dubbed a cub by my mother, and it now for .1.'^ first time flashed across my imagination, that I was fated in due course of time to become such FIKST DAY AFLOAT. 1 rally iii- ther than on hear- captain's ;e decided ' the ap- ne, but 1 I form so sciousness our fire- ly offences ready had fied-tone, rings, re • le captain Caliban, id, whilst the peak ingly ex- are, — just es before Ml dubbed for .1.' I )n, that I i ;ome such a bear as that now before me. — " But never mind !" he continued, — " make a man o* you, my boy ! — born, of course, with a silver spoon in your mouth ? — want to come in at the cabin windows, 1 suppose ? — ever heard of the hawse-holes?* — eh ? — Got your traps in ? — chest and bedding ? — Well, get your hammock slung — rope-grummets, laniards, lashings, and nettles whipped,f you know!" — " Nettles, whips, and lashings !" thought I. The black's late trembling was no longer a mystery — it was now all as plain as a pikestaff — nothing but terror and torture ! — " 'Cause," con- tinued he, " none o' your * midshipman's rolls,* you know ! — we'll have no greyhounds or * nip- pers' in the nettings.":j: - ;.. v And then leaving me, equally astonished by his volubility, and at a loss for the meaning of this unintelligible jargon, he, without waiting a reply, thundered through a speaking-trumpet, I . * The holes in the bows of the ship througii which the cables P^ss. ,...;. f To bind twine round the ends of the geer appertaining to a hammock, so as to prevent them from fagging-out. \ Term applied to hammocks having a lean, or thin appearance, after having been lashed-up for sto\ '«ge in the nettings upon deck. ; u 4 li FIRST DAY AFLOAT* \<:' with which he had been previously thumping the head of a marine — '^ Turn the hands up, furl sails." In an instant the frigate appeared a chaos afloat. Scarcely had he uttered the words before the command was repeated by the boatswain and his mates, who were piping and roaring down the hatchways^ — " Tumble up, tumble up from below." Seamen in swarms were now flying up the ladders, shaking the ship to her centre, and making the decks answer like spring-boards to the clattering of four or five hundred feet. -The lower shrouds were instantly crowded eu masse, not a soul daring to ascend until the word— " way-aloft" was given; when, as if loosed by magic, they started, by hundreds together, up the rigging. ........ However beautiful, in a seaman's eye, the pre~ cision and rapidity of this manoeuvre ; in me it excited the most lively apprehension for the safety of the sailors. My nerves were on the rack as they ran out on the yards, on which they balanced their bodies, whilst their countless hands * In well- regulated ships this practice is considered incon- sistent with discipline. One voice, and one pipe, is as good as fifty i silence is the soul of subordination. FIRST DAY AFLOA^r. thumping nds up, furl id a chaos rords before [itswain and Eiring down >le up from w flying up centre, and T-boards to feet. ly crowded d until the as if loosed >gether, up e, the pre- in me it >n for the re on the which they tless hands idered incon- is as good as were busied with the most indescribable rapidity in gathering up the folds of the canvass. Every moment I expected they would " topple from the giddy height/' and pitch headlong on deck as they " tossed up" the sails in their arms. The bustle and bellowing below and aloft in- creased with the exertions of the men. — Here an officer was heard cheering the seamen, whilst others resorted to curses, to expedite them in their duty. " Bear a-hand, boys, bear a-hand !" was heard in several quarters of the ship, and an occasional "blast you !" startled all my school- taught notions of propriety; whilst the shrill tones of the " young gentlemen"* in the tops, pierced the ear with — "Lie-in — lie-in, you lub- berly rascals ! lie-in there !" Amidst all this noise and bustle, I might have preserved something like self-possession, but for the continued recurrence of phrases, anomalous in their application, and often ominous and alarming in their signification. " See, sir," says an officer on the forecastle, " you might shove your head through that earing." — That must be a thumper, thought I. — " What are those hands • The midshipmen are always thus designated, by botli supe- riors and inferiors. 10 FIRST DAY AFLOAT. about," says another, " that they don't Jbot-h down in the bunt ? ' — " Fore-to'-sail yard, there !" cried a third. — " Why don't you stop that ' Fle- mish horse* up?' — I had heard something of the " Horse Marines,''f and immediately con- cluded one of the Flanders breed of their cattle had broke loose from the yard where they had been at livery. - My mind was already labouring under the knost bewildering influence : but how was I horror- i * A rope under the yard, on which the man at the extreme end of it stands to support himself in reefing or furling the topsail. f Horse Marines-— 'A shrewd conjecture may he imzarded as to the high antiquity and utility of a mounted force on board of our ships of war, by referring to the history of our navy, so far back as the time of Admiral Blake, who, strange to say, was rather a horse-sailor than a horse-marine, having been appointed by Cromwell from a colonel of dragoons to the command of a fleet. The splendour of his subsequent career as an admiral, proved that his previous application to equestrian exercises on shore had not unfitted him for aquatic duties . , " quantum mutatus ab illo Hectore." — How has the corps been falling into contempt since that gallant admiral's time ! In Harry the Eighth's reign, the largest ship in his navy was entrusted to the management of the " Muster of Horse" to the King — Sir Thomas Knyvett. riKST DAV ATLOAT. 11 ti't /oot-h d, there!" lat « Fle- lething of Ltely con- leir cattle they had iider the 5 1 horrox'- ; tl«e extreme r furling the Iiazarded as on board of navy, so far to say, was sn appointed E )mmand of a an admiral, exercises on struck when I heard Bruno bellow out, — ** Damn those fellows' bloods on the main-topsail-yard, — why don't they tuck-in those dead-men* out of sight." — What a monster ! thought I ; he has been the cause of some accident, which has escaped general notice, and his object clearly is to avoid, by concealment, a coroner's inquest. Now, indeed, I began to wish myself at home,f although not for worlds would I have confessed it. In about a quarter of an hour the bustle was at an end, and comparative order restored. But what I had already witnessed continued still to exert a stupifying influence over my faculties. Leaning on the wheel, I was beginning to indulge in moody contemplation (none of the " young gentlemen*' as yet having shewn me the lions, though it must be confessed such a surfeit had I of one bear, that little curiosity remained for an introduction to any more savage animal of this menagerie afloat), when a familiar whack on the t since that n, the largest ment of the .'tt. * Siulors designate by the term Dead-men the platted reef- points of the sails when carelessly hanging beneath the yard, when the sail is furled. t We could have wished our young hero had not descended to an obvious plagiary of Irish pathos :-^" I left my home, and it was a happy home. "—FtWe Counsellor O'ConncVs Speech. 13 FIRST DAY AFLOAT. shoulder, and the authoritative phrase, ** Young- ster ! no lounging !" apprized me I was once more honoured by the lieutenant's notice, who, point- ing below, briefly said, " You'll dine in the gun- room to-day ;* an invitation I would fain have declined, through a well-founded apprehension that he would be of the party. The tone, how- ever, was sufficiently imperative to convince me that Bruno's sovereign authority was not to be trifled with. I had no choice left — nor let the reader imagine, for a moment, that my compliance was not to the full as hearty and gracious, as the invitation was attractive and polite. Dinner being at last announced by beat of drum, down flew the officers, helter-skelter, to the gun-room, the start being decidedy in favour of the lieutenant of marines, a light-infantry-like figure of about fifteen-stone weight. The surgeon, however, who appeared to be the most civilized civilian* on board, struck with my forlorn situa- tion, returned, and looking up the hatchway, beckoned me good-naturedly to follow him below. Encouraged by this kindness, I descended cau- tiously both the quarter and main-deck ladders * The surgeon, purser, and chaplain, are commonly desig- nated by the appellation of civilians. FIRST DAY AFLOAT. 13 leading to the steerage, ibaft which, in the gun- room, dinner was served up. Thither my guide and I groped our way in the dark, breaking our shins against the midshipmen's chests, which I have been since led to believe, from an intimate acquaintance with the tricks of these * young gen- tlemen,' had been thus premeditatedly placed in the gangway for the annoyance of Bruno, or, as the law phrase has it, " to inflict on him some grievous bodily harm." Experience enabled my guide to tread, with comparative security, the dark -" Abyss And through the palpable obscure find out His uncouth way " • , to a dismal dungeon-like looking place, flanked on each side by a row of miserably cramped cribs, called cabins. Overhead there was certainly what, by some poetic license, continued to be de- nominated a skylight ; but, as to any light afforded, it might as well have been under foot, most of the panes in its frame having been fractured, and unpointed patches of solid wood substituted for what had once been transparent glass. The members of the mess were already seated : a smoky vapour arising from the steam of the dishes, which was unable to effect its escape, in 14 FIRST DAY AFLOAT. consequence of the lowness of the decks, enveloped the busy group. At the head of the table sat a pale, calculating, anxious-looking, middle-aged man, whose sole pretension to any thing like uniform consisted in wearing a cross-anchor but- ton on a plain blue coat. A short bull-headed black boy attended behind the president's chair, whom the reader has already recognized as the purser. At the foot sat the officer of marines, whose easy contented air and portly person foriKied a lively contrast wi^h the meagre figure at the head, who appeared conjointly with him to rule the roast at table. He was supported by a private of his party, one pace in the rear ; a bolt- upright, grim-looking jolly* whose head and the beams above were perpetually in collision. His leathern false tail, as stiff and polished as ^ poker, oscillating to and fro, amidst clouds ofl pipeclay effecting its escape whenever he moved from all parts of his uniform, proved an irresistible source of mirth to most of the young urchins in attendance, but particularly Massa Pompey, des- pite of an occasional knock on his pate from the purser. Bruno, the second and third lieutenants, both * JnUy — a iiiuiiiie. FIRST DAY AFLOAT. 15 young men of an agreeable exterior, the master, a broad North-Shields-man, with one of the " young gentlemen," (a venerable mid, about forty), the surgeon, and I, constituted the dinner party. The first lieutenant sat nearest the door, to be, as he termed it, " ready for a bolt," and evinced great impatience for his dinner. Per- ceiving the officer of marines loosening his sash to prepare for ground-tier stowage, he gruffly ex- claimed, " d — n your belly-band soldier ! bear a-hand aind bale out the soup — think every one an * idler' like yourself?" This appellation I soon perceived, from his alacrity in cutting and hewing down every thing edible within his reach, was al- together inapplicable to our good-humoured vice. Soup had scarcely been served, before the midshipman of the watch came running into the jrun-room, to inform the first lieutenant the signal from the admiral s office had been made to unmoor. " Pass the * messenger,' ''* says Bruno, " and when * brought to,' let me know." The poor messenger (for I was not then aware that it was a rope) appeared to me to be brought to * A small kind of cable, wliieli, being brought to the capstan, and the cable by which the ship rides made fast to it, purchases the anchor. \< t V I 16 FIRST DAY AFLOAT. I ,:'. '■ rather roughly, for upon the gentleman's ac- quainting the lieutenant, " there was an * elbow' in the hawse," he opened a volley of abuse on both the midshipman and the master, for allow- ing " the ship to go the wrong way."* — Wrong way ! Heavens ! thought I, has any thing g(wie j-ight ? — " Here's the devil to pay, Mr. Sound- ings, and no pitch hot,'' said he to the master; then addressing the midshipman, he added in a more temperate tone, ^* Lash the cables and unsplice the lee-one — and when the bowlines are rove, turn the hands up clear hawse." In about ten minutes' time, agreeably to Bruno's direction, the hands were turned up. All but the * idlers' left the gun-i-oom, who now began to push about the bottle : I, too, was preparing to rise ; when Bruno pulled me back in my chair, and exclaimed, ** D — n all volunteering, youngster ! 'tis a good dog does what he's told." The hawse had been cleared, and the ship un- moored, before the arrival of the captain brought me upon deck. After having been received by * When a ship is moored in a tidesway, and swings on the change of the tide in a contrary direction from that which she should, so as to keep her hawse clear, or cables from crossing, she ifl then said to have "gone the wrong way." FIRST DAY AFLOAT. 17 eman s ac- all the officers, he gave directions to weigh ; the capstan bars were immediately " shipped, swifted- in," and manned. A perpetual succession of fi- gures, whirling in a circle to the ceaseless cry of the officers, " Heave round, heave round, my lads !" which at first dazzled my eyes, soon render- ed me giddy. The anchor being " hove up," and sail made on the ship, she gracefully yielded to the pressure of her canvass, and soon entered a sea, highly agitated by the opposition of the wind and tide. . , As my giddiness increased, I clung to the railing of the lee gangway ; my sight began to fail, yet to complain I knew was useless : sea-sickness, like the tooth-ache, excites little sympathy. One of the stay-sail sheets flapping about now swept my hat overboard ; and, as I stooped to trace its descent, a violent retching and deadly sickness over- powered me. Just then I heard a loud laugh, accompanied by a sneering compliment from the lieutenant, upon the youngster's punctuality in " casting up his accounts" so soon : — this insult VOL. I. c .4 . r 18 FIRST DAY AFLOAT. totally unnerved me ; home — kindred — parents- flashed on my recollection; and, hanging helplessly my bare head over the side, I abandoned myself to my grief, and wished I had never been born. The object of this memoir of the first few hours afloat can hardly be misunderstood. It cannot fail to assist youth in balancing the account as to the inducements and discouragements to embrace the profession. It must, however, be a subject of congratulation tc their parents, as well as of satisfaction to officers themselves, on the score of personal feeling, that, however just the picture here drawn, many desirable regulations have been introduced into the Navy since 1800, so as to soflen down the asperities of command, and re- move those stumbling-blocks which are too often wantonly flung in the path of enterprizing young men, on entering a profession, whose duties are at all times sufficiently laborious, responsible and arduous. parents— helplessly ed myself n born. few hours It cannot ount as to embrace a subject (vrell as of e score of le picture have been so as to and re- too often ng young les are at sible and A MELEE. CORNWALLIS'S RETREAT; WITH THE FIRST OF JUNE : A GALLEY STORY. That sailors are a remarkably plain, downright race, no man acquainted with their character will deny. Devoid of all guile, a seaman never seeks to disguise his object ; though he may sometimes be found " veering and hauling" to get rid of some difficulty which he imagines lies in his way. His narrative resembles a ship's course in work- ing to windward, which is fain to yield obliquely to the blast, in order to weather her object indi" c 2 :j 20 A m£lee. rectly, and fetch her port in the end : for though in a conversational cruize he may make twenty digressions, and fly off in chase' of every strange sail heaving in sight, no sooner has he '^ run-'em down," than he will " close-haul his wind,** and resume his original course— as in the following sketch of Cornwallis*s celebrated retreat. " Come, Jem, spin us a yarn," says one of the forecastlemen to another, one night as we were cruizing in company with the ** Channel fleet" which were blockading Brest. — " Come, Jem, youVe neither tipped us a stave, or spun us a twist this week." — " Well, as it*s a fine moon- light night," says Jem, " and no signs of reefing, and moreover, as that *ere * jib-and-staysail Jack'* * A nick-name given by men-of-war*s-men to those officers, who, from either inexperience or an unnecessary display of the martinet, torment the men, when a ship is attached to a fleet, by ^ perpetually "making and shortening sail" to keep her in her station. A M^LEE. 21 hiisn*t charge o' the deck, but a gemman, as can keep the ship in her station without worry- ing the watch — I doesn't care if I do. " Well, I believe I was telling you to'ther night, there was three or four o* us drafted from tlie Brunswick, seventy-four, into the BiUyriiffin* — (the Ball-o'-rope-yarns, you know) — a ship as seed more sarvice nor any other what swam the seas. I did my duty in both ships alike— bow- man o' the barge, and second-captain o' the foretop — and, though I says it that shouldn't, could toss a bow-oar and haul-out a weather eavirig with any fellow in the fleet. Well, you see, the time I means, we belonged to a squadron of five sail o' the line, two frigates and a brig, under old Billy-blue,f as brave a fellow as Vi * Bellerophon.— It is a curious coincidence, that this ship, which will be found in naval history to have been more frequently engaged with the French than that of any other British man-of- war, should have been the ship on board of whioJi Buonaparte took refuge after his flight from Waterloo. t Admiral Comwallis. c 3 22 A MELEB. ever wore a flag ; and as we were running along the land one morn, close aboard the Penmarks, you see — to conitre, as they calls it, a French squadron as was skulking in Billile anchorage — down conies a galley-packet on the lower deck, to say as how the Fee-aJton frigate had diskivered more nor thirty sail of the enemies' fleet stand- ing-out on a wind, with every stitch they could crack. Well, you know, before you could turn the i][uid in your mouth, there was a nitty fore and aft in the ship. " We'd three or four bullocks 'twixt the guns on the main deck, we^d got from a ship as either corned from Cawsand or Torbay ; and blow me if I don't think they nosed the French were in sight, for they tarned to a-bellowing like a bunch of boatswains. Well, just as we'd turned the hands-up make sail, one on 'em breaks from his birth (seeing as how it wasn't for the second- captain of the fore-top to be lagging astarn on the forecastle ladder) : he runs aboard o' me tail o'nend, takes t*»^ clean under the counter with A M^LEi:. 23 one of his horns, and heaves me from the waist half way up the weather fore rigging, over the heads of all the other topmen." — " Why, Jem, a send like that was enough to have started your starn-post,'* said one of the group which had assembled between the sick-bay and starboard side of the galley-grate.. " It's as true as I am here," said Jem, *^ and I took such a liking to the beast for it, that a'ter he was killed, cut>up in the coppers, and his hide hung-out on the spritsail-yard-arm, I gives a half-pint o' grog to the butcher to make a marlingspike out o* the very dientical horn what gave me the heave. " Well, howsomever, we clapped on the canvass, and badgered along * on a bowline* : all night, as we stood at our quarters, we were trimming, tacking, manuvring, and taking every Vantage o' the wind, what was weering and bawling just like the pull of a backstay-fall; but it oftner favored the French — for at day-light, you see, they weathered our wake, coming up with us, ' hand over fist,' in three different divisions. c 4 WiMil 24 A MELEE. ** Well, there was the Brunswick and we in the Ruffin* lagging together astarn — (for it was'nt in the natur of neither to run from an enemy's fleet)— and, as they never larnt it from no one afore, no, not a leg would they willingly budge. Both on us started our water — cut our bower- anchors away — bundled o*er-board the boats from the booms — and did every thing mortal could think on to shove 'em along. ..... " * Well,* says Sam Smith (as was one o' the Brunswickers afore, and quartered with me in the top at the time) — * Jem,* says he, fixing his eye like a firret, and fetching a heave from his heart, as he looked at the ship as his brother was killed in — * Jem,* says Sam, *I've just been a-thinking the Barkyf was born'd to be bang'd.^— I'll bet you,* says he, *aye, six months* pay to your plush':|: (for it happened that day I was * cook o' the * An abbreviation for Bellerophon. f J^arA^^sailors* slang for a fevourite ship. ^ On board a man-of-war, the cooks of the messes have a per- quisite of the overplus grog that may remain in the ' kid' or can, after tlie cup has gone round. .f' W m A MKLEC. 25 mess') — * she's sarved-out the same as the First o' June* A •' • " Aye, that was the day — and had more on 'em stuck to their birds like the Brunswick, there had been less breezes and bloody-noses at Sally-port- stairs.* — I shall never forget it as long as I live — we'd been trying for three days afore to bring Crappo to box,f but t'was only our weathermost ships (the Ruffin among 'em) what skrimaged at all on the first day ; and as for the second day*s work — why, the less we says of it the better. Then, you know, on the third and fourth, both flyers and fighters was humbugged with fogs — though the 31st, to be sure, we might have brought 'em to a general scratch afore dark ; but 1 i • It is a well-known fact, that many hard-fought battles took place here, between the boats'-crews of Lord Howe's fleet, after the action of the first of June. When Jack cannot have fight in one way he will have it in another. t Tlie reader will here perceive that Jack, in his usual circum- locutory way, has lost sight for awhile of Comwallis's retreat, to describe the part the Brunswick took in the battle of the Fint of June 1794. A MELEC. the admiral wisely refar it for day-light — for Black Dick,'"' you see, was summat deep in discarnment. ** Howsomever, the first o' the month was fixed for the fray. About five in the morning, just as the fog clears up, there was the Ruffin (first as usual), with the signal flying for the enemies* fleet in sight, nor*-west. There they was sure enough, about three or four points on the bow to leeward, — formed in a long line-o'-battle a-head upon the larboard tack — and over their heads there hangs a cloud as black as a hearse ; as if, like the morn- ing rainbow,f it comed from aloft to warn the poor devils of their doom. Well, we cracks on, like 'smoak and oakum,' till we brings 'em a-beam; when just as the bell strikes six, up goes the signal to 'bear-up-together a-breast' — then for the 'van to attack the enemies' van' — then for the 'centre the centre' — the 'rear the rear'— and for ' every ship to break the line,' and bang her bird. • Nick-name given to Lord Howe in those days, f " A rainbow in the moming Is a sailor's warning." A MELEE. 87 Four signals was made one a*ter t*other, when one might have sarved ; but the Admiral, you see, was detarmin'd they shouldn't mistake him again, — I knows all about it, you see, for in the B. I was quartered on the poop at the signals.— Well, down we runs, three or four miles ; when the Admiral, both ways bent on a belly-full, makes the general signal for breakfast — and many's the brave fellow that never bolted another. Well, you know, 'twas no time to be nice for stowing away ground-tier grub — so you may suppose every man was at his gun in a crack ; and never mind, in closing with Crappo, if we didn't buy it with his raking broadsides. Howsomever, we was bent on the same ourselves; for just az we was passing the starn of our reg'lar anniversary in the line, and giving her a job for the glaziers abaft — her second astern, thinking to cross our hawse and bang it right into our bows, puts her helm a-port, just at the very moment we claps ours a starboard to luff under the lee of the Shields*—-' • T' L'Achille. S8 A MELEE. !-| so slap alongside of each other we comes, as loving as a pair of pet devils. There was both of us rubbing together our bends, like a couple of lighters ; and so close we clung to our bird what we clawed like a cat, 'twas mortally unpossible to haul-up one half of our lower-deck ports— so, to shorten the matter, we blows 'em clean out with the bull-dogs, and sets to a-barking and biting like Britons. Well, the ship what we grappled was ^called— (let's see, was't the lee — or the la, — though it must be the lee to be sure, 'kase she was to leeward of we all the while) — aye, I'm par- fectly right, it was the lee — the \ee-Wen^ure was her name — which signifies Wengeance in Eng- lish — and, with a wengeance, she fought to the last. " 'Twas exactly four bells* when we opened our fire in the Brunswick, — and at seven or so when the Captain (God bless him) received his death-wound. If bravery is rewarded aloft, and the sarvices of a seaman is not overlooked, he's * Ten o'clock in the forenoon. A M^LEC. 29 sure of a far better birth above nor ever he'd a'got below. But, bless your heart, he came from a boxing-breed; for if the name of Hervey doesn't stand for fight in the telegraph-book, then there's no other word in the world what does. But, how- somever, the Wengure and we — there we was, for three or four hours, hugging each other like a couple of bears — blazing away like winking, and pouring in the peas, till both ships were tarned into reg'lar-built riddles. Three times she set us a-fire with her wads, and twice she cleared the poop of a part of the 29th foot — (for you see we'd then sogers aboard in lieu of marines) : — aye, and a fine fellow, too. Captain Jackson, as commanded the party, was killed alongside me. " About four bells in the afternoon watch* 'way goes our mizen -mast, and shortly a'ter the Wen- geance's fore and main-masts. We'd dropped, clinging to each other, to leeward of both lines, and the pair on us falling into the trough o' the sea, the lower decks of both were afloat fore and wnk*^ 'ni * Two o'clock in the Hftcnioon. 30 A MKLEE. aft, from the water rushing into the ports. Well, a terrible lurch breaks both ships adrift :— away goes, smack-smooth, our starboard-quarter gal- lery, spare and best-bower anchors. Many of our guns was disabled ; and many's the poor fel- low what fell, afore she signified she certainly struck ; — but our boats were so shivered with shot, we hadn*t one as could swim what could board her— so she was claimed for a while by another, what had little to do in the business. But it warn't quite over with us yet— for, seeing our dis- tress, down bears another eighty-four on us, with four or five hundred men, cutlash in hand, in her rigging, besides what she*d got on her decks, ready to board us. Howsomever, the biter was bit, for Captain Hervey coming up in the Ramil- lies at the time, to back his poor brother, *twixt the Ram and the Rion* she was taken herself* ** Well — by this, we fell so far to leeward, we was reg'larly cut-off from our line— and in trying to get into it again, both the Queens 98, and our- • Orion. swmi am A MI^LEE. SI selves, had to buffet through twelve of the ene- mies' ships. The Queen, somehow, managed to manuver it — 'sides the Charlotte, and a few others, ran down to support her. But as for the Barky — why, we as well might a- tried to have un- shipped Saint Paul's, or rigged a jury-mizen-mast out of the Monument, as keep her at all by the wind:— moreover, the carpenter came aft to the officers, and ref/L ly reported 'twould soon be all up with us, for 1 siiip would sartainly go down, if they didn't put her * afore it,' — so we was obligated to * bear up ' at last — a step which the Admiral sartified himself; for seeing our condi- tion, and the signal what we made of unability to continue the action, up goes our pennants aboard the Charlotte, Xo *part company, and proceed for the nearest port.' But, mind ye, we'd finished our work first — for afore we lost sight of the lame ducks, as well as them as was flying, the Wen- geance disdaining, after we leaves her, you see, to swim any longer, head-foremost goes down in the face of lM)th fleets ! — So there's an end o' the first >--j M 32 A MEIiEr. o' June for you ! — But, let's see,— wliere did I al- ter my course from Billy's retreat ?* — oh, aye, — where the Brunswick and Ruffin cut-away their bower anchors and boats. — Well, you know, the Admiral was detarmined we'd stick by each other — so, to kiver us two bad-sailing ships,f he changes our stations with the Mars and Triumph what brought up the rear. At one time, the enemies' van thought to cut off the Mars, but they'd mis- taken their man ; for old Billy, at once seeing their manuver, bears right-round-up in the Sov- ran, and lets fly such a broadside among 'em as sends them all staggering astarn : — nor did they try it again in a hurry — for, you see, they was puzzled a bit ut the Fee-aton a-head, what was all the time like another decoy-duck, * letting fly her to'-gallant sheets,' firing guns, and mak- ing all sorts of false signals to deceive 'em. How- somever, to make sure of his ships, old Biliy again runs down in the Sovran to support the * He now returns to Cornwallis's retreat, f Tlie Bellerophon and Brunswick. A MLLKF. 33 e did I al- oh, aye,— away their know, the ch other — 16 changes imph what e enemies' fiey'd mis- ice seeing in the Sov- mong *em — nor did I see, they Bad, what ' letting and mak- m. How- old Biliy jport the I :■ Mars — when hailing 'i Sir Charly,* says he, ' Don't fear, my friend —have one, have all. We "11 stick,' says he, * to each other like wax, nor won't go to Werdu"f for nothing. What say I you. Sir Charly ?' says he.— Well, he was as good as his word — for, by shewing his pluck, and ma- nuvering in the mrsterly way what he did, he saved his squadron, and escaped before dark the clutches of Crappo. The Mars and Triumph bore the brunt of the business; but, you know, 'twas only their tarn ; and as one good tarn deserves another — * take a tarn with that * and * tarn-in,' for the watch is relieved." ' Sir Charles Cotton, then captHiii of the Mars, t Verdun ; Frencli prison, >-u. V j I VOL. I. D LEAVES FROM THE PRIVATE LOG OF A CAPTAIN. Is this a dinner? this a genial room? No ! it's a temple and a hecatomb ! A solemn sacrifice performed in state ! You drink by measure, and to minutes eat. POPE. Portsmouth — December 21st, shortest-day ; thought it the longest — traps afloat, telegraphed | for trunk — * Foul-weather flag up* — wind-bound ashore — streets deserted, even of soldiers — ma- rine-officers moored in barracks. — Noon — regular gales — great guns and small • arms — * stood-off- and-on' admiral's office — dowsed swabs* — ditto gold-laced scaperf — shipped storm ditto — driven off the port — ' bore up' for billiard-room — heai'd * Epaulets. f Gold-laced cocked-hat. I,EAVES FROM A CArTAIN S PRIVATE I,0(;. 35 mids were there ! — rounded to — hauled again to the wind— remembered Captain Rigour's rebuke for shaking hands in the street with a youngster. — Mem. impropriety made an impression — altered course for Crown* — arrived safe; pored over " printed instructions'* — Query : Captain's com- panion. — 5. p. m. Barometer fell — rose to dress for admiral's dinner — cursed bore — dreadful di- lemma — white pantaloons at the wash. — Mem. Wish pompous people were less particular- thought of sending excuse ; changed mind — look like contempt. — Query, contempt and disrespect synonimbus terms. — Resolved to rig in Wellington blues. — Mem. Colour suitable to sex — swabs No. 1 aboard; shipped No. 2 — looking too old to dazzle — ditto myself — Mem. Physical causes: — protracted war, effects of the peace. — 5° 30' — Rigged, rough and ready — looked alternately at watch and weather — thought time unusually long — ditto invitation — grand entertainment — i } ..J * T/u- iiiii. J) »i 36 LEAVES FROM A Query A misnomer — practised in glass asking Admiral's wife to take wine — detected by sudden entree of waiter. — " Glass of wine, did you say, sir?" Took up the cue— "Yes, wine and water, if you please.** Mem. Lock door when dress for the future. — Six on the stroke — suspense re- lieved — brother-officers meet —blaze of bullion- boyish commanders buzzing about Ijke blue-bottle flies* — modern Benbows as drowsy as drones. — Weigh in co. from Croivn — cross over to Admi- ral's. — 6° 15' Sight of flag — salute ditto. — Re- served reception — Sir Stately, as stiff^as a steeple — quarter deck bows — official faces. — Females aloof, I moored on the " Mother-bank." — Ankles in sight. — Running-rigging unrove — lower ditto reported want lifting — " gone in the service." — Glances at galleoner— no go; not a marrying man. —Sir Stately standing — ditto captains. — Query, Official forms compatible with politeness. — Mem, Dignity, respect, and chair-covers, equally preserved.— i Novel conversation — state of weather — Mem. wished to have weathered the state. CAPTAIN S PRIVATE LOG. 31 ass asking by sudden , did you wine and when dress Lspense re- f bullion— blue-bottle I drones. — r to Admi- litto. — Re- a steeple — 1 nales aloof, les in sight. o reported •Glances at man. — Sir ry, Official n. Dignity, •eserved.— ler — Mem. Dinner announced — Dreadful ceremony — awk- ward advances — squad under- weigh for parlour — formidable force — ladies under lofty sail. — Pride and prudery on opposite tacks. — Senior post-cap- tain, post of honour, convoys Admiral's lady below. — Mem, Commodore's of convoy heavy charge- daughters independent of protection :— " risk the run."* — Query, Bales or ballast. — Private signal from femaleflag forgalleoner to come within hail — signal seen, though not understood. — Query, Rela- tive rank of Admirals' and Aldermen's daughters. — Napkins unfurled — soup served out — demolish- ed. — Awful pause — relieved by remove and clatter- ing of plates. — Tedious forms of table — female flag on the fidgets. — Good things going into mouths : none coming out — taciturn talents of all. — Admi- ral aground for dignified diction — shored-up by pompous deportment. — Nauticals discussed at the foot. — Admiral's conversation beginning to float. — Brief questions — quick replies — "honour of wine ?'* — Query, Pleasure. — Ladies libelling with looks.— * A nautical phrase, sigiiitying sliips vvliich run witliout (Convoy. D 3 I I 38 I-LAVKS 1 IIO.M A Stupidity at high water mark — title turns at top of table — champagne operates. — Flag forgetting the formals; — opens his fire to port — suddenly silenced by look from female flag — grey mare. — Mem* " Too much familiarity breeds contempt." — Cloth removed — happy felease. — Random shots from galleoner levelled at ladies — regular rakers — hard hits — cut-up consequence — wound pride — "Pomp and vanity anti-matrimonial properties." — " Proud girls like rusty guns, never go off'* — " Remain on hands" — " Old-maids" — " Shoved on the shelf" — *''Lap-dogs atlast." — Huffs — visible effects of anger — alternate York and Lancaster — wine declined. — Absence of Admiral, consequent embargo on decanters in port — port in decanters. — Nuts cracking — no jokes. — Dessert despatched — toast — silence resumed. — Somniferous symp- toms apparent: gaping long the larboard line, ditto starboard. — Admiral's top-lights begin- ning to blink — secretaries sealed ; — roused by itinerant fidlers in the street striking-up " We're a' Nodding;" and, "Home, sweet Home." — Mem. % n u IAPIAIN's IMUVATE LOG. 3tf ■1 ^ Thought home more sweet than ever.-—" Music hath charms." — Bottle on the alerU— Female flag prepares to weigh. — Reeves running, and top- gallant-studding-sail geer. — Motions observed by daughters — followed by ditto— fumble fingers of gloves — " heave short"—** cast to port" — fill- make all possible sail— part co,— ilfem. Satisfac- tory faces mutual.—** Squadron close round Ad- miral"— ditto released from conjugal restrictions. — Affected facetiousness— >captains conversable-— reserve resumed by flag.— Interesting interroga- tories—novelties—** Sail well?"—** Weatherly ship ?"— " Good sea-boat ?'— ** Well mann'd?"— " Many mids ?" — Dignified duty performed.— Deplorable solemnity.— Silence again broken — Commissioner starting subject of yacht-sailing. — severe remarks upon proprietors aping men- of-war's-men— folly of observing complimentary forms — farcical parade of *'piping side,"* and peers '•>«H(»I * It is a well-known fact the proprietora of some of the private yachts now-a-days insist on having the same honour* paid them H! ZJ ' NAVAL ANOMALIES. AFFECTIONATE FRIENDS. It is mi old saying, that touching a man's pocket is the most efficacious and never-failing test of friendship. Tiie adage has not escaped the observation of tlie " Navy Board." They have, hovvever, drawn from this admitted truism a rather extraordinary inference. An instance will suffice. On all occasions, when officers* accounts are not passed at the Navy Office, but particularly those of captains, pursers, and lieutenants in command, an impress takes place against their pay. The great hardship of this regulation is, that the defect may originate in the difficulty of settling a multi- plicity of vouchers, or even through the fault or NAVAL ANOMALIES. 59 iiiiitlentioii of others in neglecting to make up their respective accounts, which thus forms an insuperable baiTier to passing those of their superior. When this is signified officially from the Board, tliey uniformly accompany the intimation of his pay being stopped by subscribing themselves the unhappy man's affectionate friends. This instance of kindly profession and unkind practice will, perhaps, remind the reader of an autograph now in the records of one of the kings of England, which, after designating a noble defaulter in allegiance by all his titles of honour, orders his immediate execution by cutting off th© head of his " trusty and well-fi^foucrf cousin." ^iii' till- « MORE YES THAN NO." MAJOCCHr. It has been a custom in the service ever since we had a regular navy, for the sentinel on the i; 60 NAVAL ANOMALIES. gangways to cliallenge all boats approaching the ship at night. This is done first with a view to prevent surprise and ensure the vigilance of the watcli, and next to ascertain the rank of the officer who may be coming alongside. This latter object is effected in so strange a manner, and in language which to the uninitiated may appear to partake so closely of the nature of a secret cypher (if such a phrase be admissible), that its notice may with strict propriety be introduced under the present head of Naval Anomalies. In the first instance the challenge thus comes from the sentinel, " Boat ahoy !" — if it be a captain, the answer will be '* Griper" " Growler," or the name of the ship he commands : by this techni- cality his rank is immediately recognized, and preparation for his reception is made accordingly. If it be a lieutenant, the answer to the hail " Boat- ahoy," will be *' Holloa !" — The sentinel then says, ** Coming here ?" — the reply from the boat will be " Aye \ aye !" — This at once denotes his rank. But, strange to say, in the case of a midshipmaji, NAVAL ANOMALIES. 61 his reply to the first challenge, " Boat-ahoy," is uniformly, though most inexplicably, given in the negative, " No, no !" All doubts are, however, cleared by the answer to the second interrogatory, " Coming here ?" — which is in the affirmative, " Yes." It would be difficult to account for the necessity of this cir- cumlocution, unless it be that, in compliance with the regulations for secr.ring to young gentlemen the benefit of vernacular instruction on board men-of-war, this mode of reply is enjoined as a practical exposition of that rule of English gram- mar, that two negatives are equivalent to an affir- mative ; otherwise, it would appear that a Mid is the only officer who is privileged, possibly virtute Juventutis, on these occasions to hang-out at first false colours, and afterwards to change his mind. Jf ':l: *.^ 02 NAVAL ANOMALIES. ' //! JACK A ZOOLOGIST. Whether it arises from the j^eneral ac- quaintance which sailors, in their peregrinations round the globe, make with all created things, or that the liberties they are accustomed to take with human beings, when in want of hands, induces them to follow a similar system with respect to animals, it is certain they occa- sionally press into the service at least the names of some of the most unlikely creatures in the World. The cat, though a sailor's greatest abhorrence if possessed of more tails than one, assists him more frequently in his nomenclature than any other domestic quadruped :— there is the " boat- sw-'tin's-cat"— the " cat-heads"— the " cat-fall"— the " cat-harpings. ' Thus, it will be seen, they indifferently make it a substantive, or an adjec- tive ; but what will Lindley Murray think of a sailor's " parts of speech," when he is told that w -w NAVAL ANOMALIES. 68 they go still further and make it a verb ? — as in the phrase on board — " It's enough to make a dog cat !" In this extraordinary liberty with language, the grammarian and philologist are not the only parties " sinned against ;" there is a confusion of ideas that would have provoked a whole metaphysical chapter from Locke ; it im- plies a violation of natural relations, and of the distinction of genera^ that could not fail to startle BuiFon and Linnaeus, had they been alive. But this is a trifle : they identify her with the wind, " catching every * cat's-paw' to claw-ofFa shore." Again : in stowing an anchor, they must " haul away the cat" before they can " hook the fish." In bringing up a ship in bad weather, they " stopper with the dog." It is quite a usual thing to talk of " handing-in the leech," — " clapping on a lizard," — " raising on a mouse," — " seazeing with a fox," — with a variety of other beastly al- hisions. 64 NAVAL ANOMALIKS. C JACK A STATESMAN.* Notwithstanding nil the simplicity for vvlii(;li >vc ^ive Jack credit, he is not iiulilterent, whilst afloat, to what is goin*^ on ashore ; and whenever he turns his thoughts on politics, he is u perfect wag in his way. What satire can be more point- ted or delicate than his jnode of ascertaining the rottenness of a ship's lower timbers, or detecting her unsoundness at bottom, by giving her what he terms a Parlinment heel ?\ Who can be at a loss for his meaning ? WOODEN INTELLECTS. The native vagaries of genius are often irra- tional, and sometimes take an excursive flight * It is tolu' hoped none of the seamen of St. Stephen's will imagine this compliment levelled at them. I Heel— an obliquity, an undue inclination to one side. NAVAL ANOMALIES. (J5 ])cyoiKl the bounds of probability : its partialities and prejudices are as often unaccountable — ecce signum ! The main-mast and bowsprit arc nearly alike massive and heavy ; yet the latter is ftn established favourite* with sailors, and is privileged to bear the brunt of many a good-humoured joke. In other words, the main-mast, though the greatest stick in the ship, is treated, with respect to its in- tellect or capabilities, with sovereign contempt: indeed, 'tis a proverb on board to say, as deaf as the main-mast; whilst the first thing a sailor sets about in the rigging-way is to ^^ gammon the bowsprit." ■t^ MEUM AND TUUM. There is a phrase in fashion amongst captains in the service which, on account of its anomalous nature, is entitled to notice in this place. VOL. I. -" tepido (lunt oscula ligno."— Ovid. 66 NAVAL ANOMALIES. The navy, even before the llestoiiu on, has, for other reasons than mere courtesy, we suppose, been designated *' royal ;" and the opinion had become rather prevalent amongst well-informed persons, but perhaps very erroneously, for aught we know, that the vessels composing it, with their equipments, were the property of the king. It would, however, appear from the manner in which captains designate, not only the officers serving under them, but even the ship, and almost every thing pertaining to it, that there can exist, at this day, no doubt as to the legal right of property being vested in themselves ; or, in other words, that the commander ought to be considered in the double relation of " captain and owner." With- out attempting to account for the cause (which might, with propriety, perhaps be traced to that brevity of phrase so peculiar to the service), it is remarkable that, in their conversations, the pro- noun possessive most unceremoniously obtrudes itself, to the surprise of his Majesty's loyal and dutiful lieges, in the following expressions: — ^1 " my si iiant," — people," that, as ii tor a moi of profes; trip on dressing cers on b though j master, y * III ii iia of his Majes and extolling coeds : " Tl docks piuinlj of rest." A thiin on the us :" an ex doubt, to th< t A coinr duty is of th( the captain i NAVAL ANOMAL[E8. 67 "my ship," — "my barge," — "my first lieute- nant," — " my surgeon," — " my purser," — " my people," &c.* It is, however, somewhat singular that, as if it arose from the dread of acknowledging tor a moment a superior even in terms, this habit of professional brevity never betrays a captn* o trip on the term " my master ;" although he, ad- dressing another captain, as to this class of offi- cers on board of his ship, often lays a provoking though jocular emphasis on the words "your muster, your master. "f • III a imutioil journal recently published, the author, speaking of his Majesty's ship which he had had the honour to command, and extolling the cxemi)lary conduct of her officers and crew, pro- ceeds : " The singing and merriment which prevailed between (locks plainly evinced the value my people placed on an evening of rest." Again: " Never, perhaps, was witnessed a finer scene thim on the deck of my little ship, when all hope of life had left us :" an extraordinary instance of coolness, attributable, no doubt, to the temperature of a polar climate. t A commissioned officer next in rank to a lieutenant, whose duty is of the most responsible nature, and upon whose judgment the captain principally relies for tlie navigation of the ship. F 2 I ..■1 I ^' 1 i;;:" -■^W, •fc. ■>. ^•>, ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 2.5 ■ 50 l""^ ui mm Z 1^ 12.0 iim 1 1.25 |||.4 ||.6 ^ 6" ► V] 7. ''«Sl // '/ /^ Photograpnic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 68 NAVAL ANOMALIES. ONCE A CAPTAIN, ALWAYS A CAPTAIN.— NEGATUR CONCLUSIO. " Your reason, sir— your most exquisite reason ?' \^c ^ From a late regulation in the service, it would appear to a superficial observer, that the whole race of junior captains had been simultaneously guilty of some offence, for which they had been as generally degraded in rank. A distinction, rather invidious, is now made between those and post- captains, by a new mode of designation — the for- mer being now recognized only under the term of commanders. If this regulation be considered necessary causd honoris^ or rather to mark the inferior rank of the junior captain, it may be fairly objected, that distinction had always been sufficiently strongly marked by that envied and enviable prsenominal syllable which marked the superior rank of a />05^-captain. By this regula- tion, the post-captain's rank remains, as to general acceptation, the same ; whilst the captain, not post, is forced to descend, and discontinue the NAVAL ANOMALIES. 69 title he bore officially in the service. The differ- ence in rank, too, was so important, and so gener- ally understood, that no post-captain ever felt a jealousy at others, not post, being addressed by the title of captain. The well-known and highly- prized honour of being made post* is also abo- lished. In these regulations, it is true, no real rank is lost ; but all men, at least naval men, are not metaphysicians ; and sailors are least of all persons disposed to yield on points of honour. The mere interdiction of the use of an old title is, to men who have borne it for years, a concession of no mean importance : and how, after all, are lieu- tenants in command of brigs or cutters to be dis- tinguished from the class of officers next in rank ? Will not both be indifferently denominated commanders? . .. . j * What young fellow, now in the service, will ever be able to express his delight or ecstacy in the same forcible mode of ap- pealing to a sailor's feelings, as young Lieutenant Echo, contem- plating his success with the fair, exclaims to Brilliant^^" Oh ! seas and skies ! I am so happy ! I am made post ! ! !" ) ; ; 13 70 NAVAL ANOMALIES. ».-il, . It is not unfair to infer that this step may be retraced, from recollecting the fate of a somewhat similar regulation in the army with respect to the uniform of subalterns. On the appointment of Sir Henry Dundas, as commander-in-chief of the forces, as if to render himself unpopular, almost the first regulation he adopted, with respect to the dress of this class of officer, was to deprive them of the bullion epaulette, and substitute instead a contemptible thing of fringe. It was soon dis- covered that these officers were no longer Saluted, as they were wont to be, by foreign troops. His Royal Highness, with his characteristic good sense, on resuming the command of the army, restored them the enjoyment of those honours which had been forfeited by this silly regulation. Innovations and changes, with respect to the symbols of value or rank, are productive, either in the service or our commercial relations, of inconveniencies never contemplated. Before the late coinage (a measure which, in all instances but one, merits public gratitude), the old En- NAVAL ANOMALIES. 71 glish guinea had attained a preference and facility in circulation beyond that of any coin of any other realm : its value had been ascertained by the standard of every other coin, and its face familiarized as an old acquaintance in every country. The armorial bearings of our kings disappeared ; and an usurper, who founded his title on fable, rode into the field of gold, and robbed legitimacy of its ancient honours. A new sovereign assumed a sway over commerce, which was only tardily acquiesced in by strangers, from doubts as to its want of weight, and the trouble of ascertaining its relative value. The old Eng- lish guinea had been, throughout the world, admitted to speak all languages — the sovereign spoke none. J F 4. ! I 1 i NAVAL AUTHORS, He travels und expatiates— as the bee From flower to flower, so lie from land to land : The manners, customs, policy, of all Pay contribution to the store he gleans. He sucks intelligence in every clime. And spreads the honey of his deep research At his return'— a rich repast for me. He travels, and I too. I tread his deck, Ascend his topmast, through his peering eyes Discover countries— with a kindred heart Suffer his woes, and share in his escape ; While fancy, like the finger of a clock. Runs the great circuit, and is still at home. COWFER. It must be a subject of congratulation with the profession at least, if not participated by the public, that in this age of increased and increas- ing thirst after knowledge, there are some splen- did examples amongst our naval officers to prove they are not uninfluenced by the prevailing senti- NAVAL AUTHORS. 73 ment of improvement ; nor incompetent coadju- tors in the arduous task of developing truth, and — what, perhaps, is more valuable — endeavouring to dispel error. • . • i The value of their co-operation is enhanced by comparisons with that of the officers of other maritime countries, whose writings savour so strongly, particularly French authors, of any thing but grave, patient, and deliberate examination of appearances and facts. Many of the latter have a character of exaggeration, and an affectation of the marvellous in the materiel and style, which, however desirable in a work of fiction or romance, must ever prove an insuperable bar to obtaining precise and definite ideas on subjects of science, or drawing fair logical inferences from natural appearances. It would be unfair, whilst on the subject of ex- cellent composition generally, to pass (though it be a naval despatch) unnoticed a specimen which has been considered above all praise. To the scholar or seaman it is almost unnecessary to II n NAVAL AUTHORS. L-i. say we allude to the celebrated memoir of the battle of Trafalgar ;* a production which, though composed in a moment of considerable anxiety, and under the pressure of the most serious re- sponsibility, stands unrivalled for the modesty and moderation of its tone, whilst announcing the most signal victory, the homage of a brave spirit to vanquished valour in the foe, and the most affecting tribute of manly grief for his own and his country's loss, in the death of the im- mortal Nelson. With reference to the subject of despatches, it is to be regretted that an action, the result of which occasioned such heartfelt satisfaction and triumph in patriotic spirits, should have been * The annals of no country, ancient or modern, afford any pro- duction, in the nature of a military despatch, worthy of being placed in competition with the letter of Lord Collingv^'ood, and Lord Hutchinson's admirable soul-stirring description of the Battle of Alexandria. To the credit of one of our universities, both productions have been accorded classic honours, and will be preserved amongst its literary treasures as heir-looms for the benefit of posterity. NAVAL AUTHORS. 75 recorded (owing to Captain Sir Philip Broke being severely wounded) by any other pen than his own. There are few officers, probably, whose known literary attainments better qualified him to give, in the language of a despatch, effect and interest to an action* so gallantly fought, and a * A remarkable resemblance may be traced, between almost every material circumstance of this gallant action, and one fought between a Dutch and English frigate, in the reign of Charles the Second ; the details of which, extracted from Campbell's Naval History, are subjoined. It will be seen, that in the circum- stances of the engagement, being the ctmsequence of a challenge, as to the scene of action, which, in both cases, was in sight of a crowd of spectators ashore, and more particularly as to the result of British valour, there is the most surprising coincidence. Tliat nuthor having premised that the date of this engagement was at a period pending a well-known negociation for peace, between England and Holland, proceeds thus : — " The Dutch Admiral Evertz being in those seas" ({he Mediterranean) " with his squadron, it happened that Captain De Witte, in a man-of-war called the Scbaerlaes, which carried thirty-six pieces of cannon, and one hundred and forty men, met with Captain Harraan, in the Tyger, a small English firigate, which had been careening at Tangier, and came witli him into the harbour of Cadiz, where the Dutchmen also careened. The Spaniards jestuig with Captain ii ^■^ ' i I i 76 NAVAL ADTHOUS. 6#' triumph so heroically completed. However such a circumstance, together with its cause, may be deplored, an imperishable memorial to his fame exists in the gratitude of his country. His is the " Monumentum sere perennius." 1 ' Long may he need no other ! Dc Witte, and telling him that he durst not fight the English captain, and that this made them so good friends; Admiral Eveitz heard it, and thereupon told De Witte, that he must, for the honpur of his nation, challenge Captain Harman. He did so ; and his admiral lent him, that he might come off with glory, sixty mariners and seventy soldiers. Captain Harman had but one hundred and eighty-four men in all : however, at a day's notice, he stood to sea, and fairly engaged the Dutch frigate in sight of the town. Their ships were within pistol-shot before either of them fired: and then Captain Harman's broadside brought the Dutchman's main-mast by the board, and killed and wounded him fourscore men. The English captain followed his advantage, entered the enemy's vessel with his resolute crew, and became master of the ship . in an hour's time ; but she was quite disabled, and had one hundred and forty men in her killed and wounded. The English had only nine killed, and fifteen wounded, amongst whom was their brave captain, by a musket- shot, which went in at his left eye, and out between the ear and jaw-bone ; of which wound he was well cured, and lived several years after." NAVAL AUTHORS. 77 It would be difficult to say, whether the journals of Captain Parry have succeeded more in exciting curiosity and interest in the public mind, or in adding important acquisitions to the stock of nautical and geographical information, seconded as he has been by the graphic abilities of Captain Lyon, as well as by this officer's interesting vo- lume, which might be aptly termed the " Sayings and Doings'' of the Esquimaux. The details of the expedition are interesting, ample, and im- portant : but, even in this fruit of knowledge, there is a canker ; let it be attributed, however, to an inherent vice in the art and mystery of pub- lishing, rather than to a deliberate intention in the captain of locking up these stores of informa- tion from the generality of readers. The fact, however, is, that no officer, not a man of fortune, can afford to purchase books, indispensable for his professional information and improvement, at their present enormous cost. The worst is, the exorbitant price of £4. 14«. 6d. is justified on the grounds of the expense, labour. i i f I i ! n NAVAL AUTHORS. .mJI'i and pains bestowed on the drai;v 'ngs and surveys embodied in the work, when it is well known, that the surveys were contributed to it gratis, by officers sent out from the Admiralty for this express service; and that the drawings were executed by Captain Lyon, who most hand- somely ( though about to publish a book himself) made them a present to Captain Parry. Whilst on the subject of surveys, it is unfortu- nately Necessary to add, that the same objection as to price may be made to the late publication of Captain Smith, on Sicilian Hydrography, a work not destitute of interest or valuable infor- mation, and which has been the fruit of seven or eight years* labour. His surveys certainly reflect great credit on the skill he has displayed, and trouble expended in applying, on so large a scale, the improved principle of nautical sur- veying. The engravings of marine scenery, which accompany these charts, are remarkable for pictorial beauty, accuracy, and fidelity. There can be but one opinion of the utility of NAVAL AUTHORS. 79 tliis work, notwithstanding this surveyor appears to have travelled so far out of his way to at- tack the veracity of Homer, hitherto considered the most authentic early hydrographer, as well as geographer of antiquity. He has taken, perhaps, more pains than were necessary, after the infor- mation already possessed on the subject, to rob Scylla of its now merely poetical terrors. The extent of this officer's scepticism is such, that it is a matter of surprise, from the sweeping manner in which he assails, as apocryphal, all remote testimony, he did not altogether contest the fact of Colas* being drowned in Charybdis. His readers, however, will be convinced, from the obvious scrupulosity of his research, that, before he could have acquiesced even in the truth of this historic fact, he would not have con- tented himself, despite of the ages since then elapsed, without at least '* dragging" for the body. Nor ought the journal of Captain Franklin be omitted when speaking of works whose style and observation beget in the reader a respect for the 80 NAVAI, Al'TilOltS. author nml tlu; profession to which he hch>ngs. This work* is throughout extremely interesting, * Tlivrv Ih I. puHHiigo in thiit Narrative, piigu 7, whirli would loud tliu rcudvr to tlio infcrciico, timt tlu> GrcunliuidorM " liad fiiir ooinpluxioiiH, nitlior liuudsoinc tVatiiroH, aiul a lively inaiiiier." Captain Fmnkliii waH not aware, from liiH ifj;noraneu of their language, tliat tliu two individual from whoHe appearanee tliifi inferonec in attempted to be drawn, aH it was suliHequently dis- eovertnt (not by Captain Franklin, but by other intelli;{ent otH- oerH), wore in fact the ehildren of an European Moravian uiiHRicn- ary. Tliu Nubseipient details in tluH paragraph, would convey an inipresHion rather unjuHt to the zeal and labour of the misNionarieH, who have for nmny years been Huecx'ssfully employed in the dis- Hemination of the Gospel on these inhospitable shores. Captain Franklin states, as apieee of interesting information, " The Coni- maiuler of the vessel (the Ilnrtnout/) gave me a translation of tlie Gospel of Saint John in the Ksiiuimaux language, printed by the Moravian Society in London." What would have been his surprise, if he had Ihumi nuide acquainted with the eircumstance, tliat all tlie Gospels— in fiict, the whole of the New Testament, witli the exception of eighteen chapters of the llevelation of St. John^had Ik'CU published in the Esiiuimaux language, previously at least to the year 1821, and that the version has since been completed ? His book was published hi the middle of the year 1823. Taking into consideration tlie little acquaintance we have with this almost-unknown tongue, tliis not "/(.r, svd lingua non ahhou com pi 1 not he The son an zenl ui juclgmc sufFerir infer, fi tliat M seamen early p; tion am conduci of the must h opporti in the ncripta,'* i 1823, he intelligcni have apiN VOL, NAVAL AUTHORS. 8i iiltliough it bears obvious marks of its being a compilntion by several hands. But who would not be interested by such a tale of woe? The contributions and exertions of Dr. Richard* son and Mr. Back reflect great credit on their zeal and intrepidity; but, without allowing the judgment to be prejudiced in the least by his sufferings and tragical end, it is impossible not to infer, from the details of this ill-fated expedition, that Mr. Hood was, of all the intelligent young seamen of- the day, most calculated, from the early promise he gave of habits of close investiga- tion and uncommon vigour of mind, to €u;cel in conducing to the interests of science. That part of the Narrative furnished by him, although it must have l)een written on the spot, without opportunities of revisal or correction, by a man in the last stage of disease and famine, in a St.. --.* .t^ scripta" it is rather a remarkable circumstance, that> publishing in 1823, he sliould not have done more justice to the research and intelligence which characteriKed efforts, whose difhculties might hiivo npiMlled any other than Christian niissionari(>s. vou I. (; 82 NAVAL AUTHORS. S — climate thirty or forty degrees below zero, is sa justly deserving of praise, that there can be nov doubt, had he lived, he would have realized the, expectations of his most sanguine friends: ^^Multis ille bonis flehilis occidit.** After all, the intense interest which this work excites is attributable to a feeling any thing but creditable to, though inseparable from our nature; which derives a reflective pleasure from the posi- tive pangs of others, and gloats itself in descrip- tions of hitherto unimagined and almost un- imaginable horror and misery. An auAo-da-fe in Spain, and a massacre of gladiators by savage beasts in antient Rome, became popular ex- hibitions merely by the force of this prin- ciple; and we may safely infer, that Captain Franklin's Narrative would have excited com- paratively little interest, had not so many of his companions perished in this disastrous expedition. ' A large pamphlet has been published, under the fictitious signature of " Scrutator" on the NAVAL AUTHORS. 83 ** Impracticabiliti^ o^ effecting a North-west Passage for Ships." The able reasoning which this work displays, and the clear and luminous review which the author has taken of every antecedent narrative or commentator on the subject, places this brochure high above the level of ordinary scientific productions. The general inference which he draws, and which is founded on scien- tific data now universally admitted, aided by his own practical observations, is such as we imagine has been frequently suspected by scientific men, but never before avowed, much less enforced and supported by arguments so able :^namely, that a north-west passage he is convinced there is, " for water and Jish, but not for ships" The assumed signature of " Scrutator* could hardly be expected to baffle curiosity as to the real author of a pamphlet of so much merit. It is now generally attributed to Coptain Peter Hey- wood, a highly scientific and experienced officer, who served as a midshipman with Captain Bli^h in the Bounty. .., G 3 ^' fe.. 84 NAVAL AUTHORS. L— The ]ast work which has appeared on the subject of the " North-west Passage," is that of Captain Lyon's account of <* An unsuccessful Attempt to reach Repulse Bay in His Majesty's ship Griper,** . • . . From the previous specimen this officer had given of his literary attainments, the profession was prepared to expect more from his pen than these pages have realized. Both the expedition and its Narrative are failures. The latter assumes rather the character of an apology for his return without having accomplished any of the objects with which he set out, than a plain statement of those facts to which he would attribute his want of success. Indeed, it appears altogether extraordinary, that an officer who had so many opportunities of acquainting himself with the qualities of a vessel* * Some idea may be formed of the fitness of this vessel for an " icy sea," when Captain Lyon assures us, " that on many occa- sions, in strong gales, it took a quarter of an hour to get ' the ship before the wind,* after ' the helm was put up,' for the purpose of wearing." — Vide Narrative, page 98. NAVAL AUTHORS. 85 SO ill-calculated to perform a service so important, should not have seen the propriety of pointing out to the proper quarter, defects so apparent to the nautical eye, previously to undertaking the expedition, rather than publicly making, upon his return home, these defects the main grounds of apology for its failure. Had he applied to the Admiralty for another vessel, in all probability, either a survey would have been held on the Griper i ov a vessel more adapted for a polar sea would have been immediately fitted for the service. It is not improbable that, as a young officer. Captain Lyon might have been apprehensive that any thing like reluctance would have operated with their Lordships to appoint another in his stead. • •" ■ • ■ 7 - ■ .. . -.■ .... Of the execution of the work, it must be con- fessed, its details are often feeble, and little interesting to men accustomed to professional danger, though, it is said, it is a decided iavourile with the h(U''hkm of his acquaintance.—*/'!^ and itfjf's— ^ood order, and bad liick<»are recurriag Q 3 J •4W 86 NAVAL AUTHORS. V. M- incessantly. The spirit of the story of the Orkney farm evaporates in a "wee bottle whisky," and, as might be anticipated, ends in a bottle of smoke. ; Similar dangers to those which he so feelingly deplores must have been experienced by others in those seas ; which have been now, for seven or eight years past, constantly frequented by British navigators. In that part of his Narrative which more jiarticularly describes the perilous situation of the Griper^ when riding heavily at her anchors, pitching bows under, and shipping green-seas over all. Captain Lyon says, that " as the water was so shallow, these" (seas) " might almost be called breakers, rather than waves; for each in passing burst with great force over our gangways, and as every sea * topped,* our decks were con- tinually, and frequently deeply flooded." It ap- pears that, in order to administer to the comfort of his crew, he ordered " every man to bring his bag. upon deck, and dress himself in his best and warmest clothing :" an opportunity which the NAVAL AUTHORS. m captain, it seems, profitably employed in anatomi- cal examination of the fine forms of the sailors, and a haply vain endeavour to detect the quivering muscle or the quaking heart.* To order the men on deck, to do that, with a polar-sea breaking over their naked bodies, which might have been done dry below, was, one would have thought, a sure way to cool their courage ; but, better acquainted with the physical conforma- tion of his men, and the effects of intense cold, the captain's prescription appears nothing more than an ingenious substitution for the " shower-bath,** to brace their nerves and support their spirits. Turning his back on experimental philosophy, he next draws the attention of his readers to 5 * " Although few or none of us had any idea tliat we should survive the gale, we did not think that our comforts should be entirely neglected ; and an onler was therefore given to the men to put on their best and warmest clothing, to enable them to sup- port life as long as possible. Every man, therefore, brought bis bag on deck, and dressed himself; and, in the fine athletic forms which stood exposed before me, I did not see one muscle quiver, nor the slightest sign of alarm."— Narrative, page 79. G 4 88 NAVAL AUTHOU8. V.4 ■ even graver details. — ** The officers," says he> •* sat about wherever they could find shelter from the sea ; and the men lay down conversing with each other with the most perfect calmness : each was at peace with his neighbour and all the world." Alas ! where were their neighbours ? where was that world ? All hopes of earthly friend- ship or feelings of enmity were fast fading from their view : the term " world" was one of unmixed endearment ; and to have discovered a friendly sail, or to have been boarded by an enemy, would hove produced an agony of delight amongst alL But he continues: " And I am perfectly per- suaded, that the resignation which was then shewn to thewill of the Almighty, was the means of obtaining his mercy. At about six p.m. the rudder, which had already received some very heavy blows, rose, and broke up the after-lockers; and this was the last severe shock which the ship received. We found by the well that she made no water, and by dark she struck no more* God was merciful to us, and the tidey almost miracih NAVAL AUTHORS. 89 louslp, fell no lower." — Now, if at any previous period during the twenty->four hours, whilst in this perilous plight, the tide had fallen no hwer (which we are entitled to presume, because no mention is made of it) than at this moment^ where was the miracle in their preservation? The whole is too much a laHohenlohe; and the ten- dency to indulge in preternatural and miraculous interposition in his highness the Prince, and his honour the Captain, may be more effectually repressed, by referring them to the subjoined lines of Pope, than by any less orthodox reproof from humbler moralists : — .f/ » " Think we, like some weak Piince, the Eternal Cause Prone for his fav'rites to reverse his laws ? iShall burning JEtna, if a sage requires. Forget to thunder, and recall her fires ? On air or sea, new motions be imprest. Oh, blameless Bethel ! to relieve thy breast? When the loose mountain tremUes from on high. Shall gravitation cease if you go by ? Or some old temple, nodding to its IIeiII, For Chartres' head reserve the hanging wall ?'* Essay on Man. J •W)< 90 NAVAL AUTHORS. V;, ■■ Amongst the candidates for literary fame in the navy, a conspicuous niche must be reserved for Captain Cochrane,''^ who, for personal zeal, and intrepid defiance of peril, fatigue and privations, appalling to a man of ordinary nerve, may defy all rivalry. His journal possesses a lively interest which ''chains inquisitive attention." He ap- pears the hero of his own romance, though not without occasionally weakening our enthusiasm by minuteness of detail, or by an overweening egotism, venial perhaps only in a traveller so peculiarly circumstanced. ^ Taking into consideration the dangers which would have attended his pedestrian tour amongst the wretched and half-savage people of Asia, his plan was the only one which would have secured him— 'defenceless, on foot and alone— from insult, robbery, perhaps murder. Had he carried about him even the most frugal funds, he might be said * Since this paper went to press, accounts have been received from South America, announcing the death of this enterprizing officer. to have then, wi inquisiti on this 1 tries, wl effemina His r times c< if we si little chs lessly e: whether others, c projects enterpri spirit of bias — tl spirit, 1 design, most s inventi( NAVAL AUTHORS. 91 to have borne his own death-warrant. Away, then, with the imputation of meanness, which less inquisitive and enterprizing minds would throw on this lonely and gratuitous explorer of coun- tries, whose mere names* are bugbears to snug effeminacy and exquisite refinement. His reflections are often just, though some- times common-place. With a candour which, if we should give credit to public opinion, is little characteristic of his countrymen, he fear- lessly expresses his opinion on most subjects, whether in reprobation of the errors or plans of others, or in advocating the different speculative projects recommended in his work to British enterprize or mercantile capital. His sanguine spirit of speculation may be considered a natural bias — the vice of his race ; yet to precisely this spirit, when felicitously directed, by accident or design, the world is indebted for some of the most splendid improvements and miraculous inventions. J "-i-» * Siberia, Kamschatka, &c. NAVAL AUTHORS. Amongst other scientific works on professional subjects (besides the innumerable pamphlets* which have appeared since the peace), Sir Henry Heathcote has recently published a treatise upon * Although the subject of this note cannot with propriety be classed under any of these heads> it is, on more accounts than one, unfit that the pamphlet, entitied " ^n Addreu to the Officers of Hit Majesty's Navy^ by an Old Naval Surgeon^" should be per- mitted to pass without observation. Its object is to abolish altogether the promiscuous admission of females on board our ships-of-war in port. He certainly has taken strong ground, with respect to the moral objections he makes to this practice, from which, under other circumstances, we should feel no inclination to dislodge him ; and describes with some truth, though often witli obvious exaggeration, the demoralization and contagion imparted to crews under the present system. He has not, however, though sacrificing to the cant, adopted the quackery, so frequent in the present df^ with professional and moral reformers, and run the risk of committing himself by pro- posing at once a specific for an evil, which all admit, all deplore, and for which wiser heads than his have long since most anxiously sought a remedy in vain. Taking into consideration the discipline observed on board a British man-of-war— the restricted opportunities of gratification which present themselves — the season of life at which sailors enter, so ill-suited to those long privations which might even disturb the NAVAL AUTHORS. 93 the cutting and setting of *< staysails," putting his theory to the test of mathematical proof. How- ever elaborate the diagrams, practical proofs must always be preferred on professional points ; and, though the baronet is backed by Euclid, and assures his readers he is supported in his theory by the opinions of experienced officers, it is not too much here to assert, that the majority of both the new and old school will dispute the utility of staysails, in any shape, set " upon a wind ;" and few, it is presumed, will approve of the cut of Sir Henry's jib. Lieutenant <* Marshall's Biography," must be considered a work of considerable utility and great research, when it is recollected he pur- frigid self-possession of an andiorite, we must say, that, until some man is found bold enough to propound, undisguisedly and in- genuously, a less exceptionable plan for gratifying natural propen- sities, with which experience teaches us it is vain to preach or parly, it would be wise, in a case like this, where the alternative would too possibly involve a more serious breach of morality, to recollect the homely but strictly applicable proverb—" Of two evils, choose the leAst."—Sajrieniiverbum sat. 94 NAVAL AUTTTORS. sues the history of each officer even to the parent stock. Many of his characters are authentic and well drawn : doubtless, he has derived consider- able assistance from the contributions of others. We confess it appears singular there should be so obvious and close a resemblance in the style, and even language of Lieutenant M., in his bio^ graphical sketches, to that excellent periodical published many years ago, entitled "Public Characters." Only that it is said there have been instances of two authors striking on the same idea, and expressing themselves alike, even in words, we should be almost disinclined to attri- bute to Lieutentant M. all the merit of bio- graphical portraits, which, in all that is just and spirited, bear so striking a resemblance to a production published long prior to his, and which, therefore, might be uncharitably inferred to have been their original. It is remarkable that, in his enumerations of claimants for honours, he has described more than one officer as haviuir been knijrhted for his services, was the relative, « Knigh may haA by Volt£ cessive another within 1 literatur and the like thi praise ii Athenis < Hence from th and ext In al high-soi NAVAL AUTHOES. 95 services, whose only claim to that distinction was their having stood proxy for a parent or relative, on the occasion of their being made " Knights of the Bath." Possibly this writer may have read the acrimonious definition given by Voltaire of Biography, and, through an ex- cessive anxiety to avoid one error, fallen into another : " A new poison," says Voltaire, " has within these few years been invented in low literature — the art of outraging both the living and the dead, in alphabetical order." A work like this must be popular, for it is liberal of praise in the extreme — " Lavdantem Athenienses, Athenis laudari ;" — besides, " *Tis pleasant sure to see one's name in print: A book's a book, althougb there's nothing in't." Hence the Naval Biography will ensure itself, from this circumstance alone, a respectable sale and extensive list of subscribers. In alluding to a work published under the high-sounding title of "The Naval History of 96 NAVAL AUTHORS. Ui>t.. Great Britain,"* an apology is certainly due to the gentlemen of the profession for introduc- ing the author's name amongst (hose of officers of literary pretensions. A distinction to which, in either sense, he can have no possible title. • Another work, of a description " qualem decet esse sororem," has just made its appearance — " A Naval History of Great Britain from the earliest Period, by Captain William Goldsmith, R.N." The first nmnber only liad been published when we saw it, and promised an arduous and extensive field of research.—QM^, has this gentleman's promotion been veiy recent? Can this be the lieutenant of that name, who lately rendered himself so un- popular with the people of Cornwall, by the demolition of that Druidical monument of antiquity, the far-famed Rocking-stone in that county ? If so, possibly he may expect to appease the indignation of the antiquary, by tracing in his works the tri- umphs of the British flag, achieved by " a Brute " (vide first number), at a period twelve centuries before tlie existence of the Christian sera. In every arduous attempt we cannot help feeling our interest strongly excited, or withhold our approbation ; but, with all possible respect, we must still think that he would have expiated his offence in the eyes of that " irriiabile genus" anti- guariorum, more effectually, if, instead ofreplacing this monument of our giant ancestors on its old site, as he has since done, he had applied himself to a task, perhaps, to a man of his reacii of mind and knowledge of remote history, less difficult ; and The which is of a wi( subject, tails of and the himself ference, getter-u author— His correct, tails of n venturing o his intentio naval super to the time faction of t rates," an< without th( himself a cl * From tliis gentle VOL. I NAYAL AUTHORS. 9T The work is of that book-making description which is the bane of literature — the cureless evil of a wide-spread thirst of information on every subject. He who looks into it for authentic de- tails of many actions, in which the profession and the public are interested, will often find himself disappointed, or tantalized by a re* ference, in the true tact of a professed book- getter-up, to another work published by the same author — " Naval Occurrences." His description of single actions are often correct, though encumbered with spiritless de- tails of number of men, and weight of metal.* venturing only a little further in his researches than he intimates his intention to do in his unpresuming title-page, pursued our naval superiority, through both profane and sacred history, up to the time of Noah. Could he but have, proved, to ttie satis* faction of the antiquaries, the ark vt^as one of our early ** first- • rates," and her commander a British commodore, he might, without the dread of imputed sacrilege, have even constructed himself a chateau out of the venerated ruins of Tintern Abbey. * From the aifectation of hypercritical precision with which tills gentleman handles pounds and pounders, after the avoir- VOL. I. H 98 NAVAL AUTHORS. m f' He, as may be supposed from being a lands- man, is indebted entirely for his matter to log- books and despatches, though he affects to despise both. Whenever he ventures without pilotage, he flounders in errors and misconceptions,, some of which have already brought down on him the vengeance of those whose character he has ignorantly, we cannot suppose wantonly, assailed. His criticisms on the conduct of officers in action are presumptuous, and in bad taste, as coming from a man who has neither seen service or been brought up in the profession. In his hands a general engagement loses all its interest. The logs of the ships engaged are spliced together, or taken separately, so as to present a series of single actions between those at close quarters. The general results are overlooked, and the de- dupois standard, it is singular that retribution should have foU lowed so hard on the heels of his own offences, in instances where he has laid himself open to correction, relative to his false return of contrasted weights of metal ; and that he should have incurred the censure of not having adjusted the critical balances with strict and ** dveu-handed justice." tail is 1 any one glorious see that aught ii Tod men, w valion a worthy practise have th< is desira from en the pres of talen able con novelty privatioi manner handled in a nn • Se NAVAL AUTHORS. 99 tail is meagre, spiritless, and unimposing. Let any one consult the account of the battle of the glorious <' First of June,"*. 1794, and he will see that we have not, in this instance, '* set down aught in malice.'* To decide the palm of good writing amongst men, whose styles as well as subjects of obser^ valion are so different, would be a task not un- worthy the exercise of a sounder and more practised criticism. All have pleased those who have the interest of the navy at heart, because it is desirable that the profession should not abstain from entering the lists of authorship, where, in the present day, the successful and gigantic stride of talent of every description excites to honour- able competition. Some have interested by the novelty of their detail, or the history of their privations and sufferings; but if the masterly manner in which important subjects have been heast. Owing to the distance and extreme lightness of the breeze, it was not until ten minutes past three that the latter noticed the advance of the former. Immediately the British ships hoisted their colours, and hauled closer to the wind, awaiting the expected attack. At four, how- ever, the ships of the combined fleet, with colours also hoisted, and being distant about three leagues from their opponents, hauled to the wind on the same tack as the latter, evi- dently declining, for the present" (inferring their intention subsequently to offer battle) ** a renewal of the engagement. The British admiral then resumed his course to the north- east, until driven from it by a change of wind ; which, commencing about midnight at north, be- came, about five on the morning of the 24th, nortli-north-east, and occasionally north-east This change of wind," continues Mr. James, NAVAL AUTHORS. lOS "reversed" (excellent Mr. James !) "the situa- tions of the two fleets: the British tvere now to windward^* (bravo, sir !), " and might in all pro- bability have renewed the action with the com- bined fleet. No attempt was made. Sir Robert, for reasons that will appear presently" (good again ! they will indeed presently appear !), " con- tinued with his prizes, under easy sail, working towards a British port, steering about south-east by east. The combined fleet steered the same course as the British till eight o'clock, then bore- up, and steered south-east by south" (mark ! in a direction only two points more southerly !), " obliquely crossing the latter's wake" Now if, according to Mr. James's account, the combined fleet, by a change of wind, became to leeward of' the British^ by what mode, short of Lapland witchery in the wind, could they (the enemy) possibly bear-up (as the naval historian asserts), to cross, in a lateral direction, the wake of their opponents ? Any one, in the least ac- quainted with nautical phraseology, must be H 4 104 NAVAL AUTHORS. Jf. aware that no vessel can bear-up in the wind's eye; or, to be more explicit, pursue objects to windward of her, by any other practical mode than that of " beating." Indeed, upon the latter point, it might be presumed experience had taught Mr. James the corrective effect of this manoeuvre. However, as far as it relates to the important particular of the reversed position of the hostile fleets, Mr. James, as usual, is totally in error. The situations of the two fleets were not, at the period he stated, ^^ reversed;" nor did the wind materially change, even to suit his convenience, till many hours c^er the com- bined fleet had ultimately bore-up, with the in- tention of parting amicably with the British. Mr. James asserts that the enemy " bore-up ;" — if this phrase is not misapplied, it must neces- sarily follow that, in order to have accomplished this nautical evolution, the combined fleets must have been to windward instead of to leeward of the British, as Mr. James so erroneously affirms. Without tediously detaining the reader with NAVAL AUTHORS. 105 noticing further the redundant absurdities of this historian, it will be more elucidative of his pretensions and consistency to refer at once to his unpresuming preface, in which he apolo- gizes for having prudently acquiesced in the maxim " that truth is not always to be spoken." Any such apology from him was totally unne- cessary. The more closely his work is scru- tinized, the more thoroughly will the reader be convinced that, in mercy to his aberrations from fact, and uncandid Inferences, Mr. James should have adopted this Jesuitical maxim as the motto of an history, disfigured by disingenuous mis- representations, and calculated to tarnish laurels won by valour, and rewarded by national gra- titude. -^—» SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN. '-^..J ^t Whether it arises from a consciousness of the danger to which sailors know their lives are cbnstantly exposed, or the frequent oppor- tunities they have for calm and serious reflec- tion in the lonely mid^-watch, surrounded by the most elevating and spirit-stirring scenes in nature, they have, in general, a due sense of the importance of religion, and the existence of a future state. It is no less true, that this sentiment is too often found to be strongly tinc- tured with its not unfrequent concomitant, super- stition. They implicitly believe in omens, mer- maids, the flying Dutchman, evil spirits, the ap- pearance of the ghosts of the departed, and the pranks of malicious spirits and goblins. They fa- KUPKRSTITIOX OF SEAMEN'. 107 miliarly tulk of frightful sounds and preternatural noises coming up from the deep, all having an import of fearful warning, and occasionally por- tending accidents, or the death of a messmate. The simple and uneducated mind of the sailor seizes on the supposition of some preternatural occurrence in all such cases, as the easiest way of accounting for these appearances, which a better-informed mind w'ould endeavour to unravel by the application of philosophical principles, 01^ a close examination of the facts — comparing them with the usual operations of nature in such situations. Biit these are efforts to which a tar is imequal : his creed, therefore, is easily made up, and hence certain shores, islands, and even latitudes, known to the naturalist as abounding in marine animals, which produce strange sounds when approached or surprised on the surface of the water or basking ashore, are accounted by sailors ominous and fearful of ap- proach. A seaman, too, as devoutly as any methodist .i.«ii*» 108 SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN. believes in the efficacy of a call;* with this difference, that the latter imagines it will prove the means of preserving him from perishing finally in fire ; the sailor, that, if the legend of liis mother and grand-dam be true, it will avert a similar fate by water. Of witches such is his dread, that a horse-shoe, always toe-up, is nailed to the fore part of the fore -mast, as a specific against those unhallowed hags. Is the superstition of a Laplander more silly? Valuable as a fair wind is to a sailor, he would sooner lose it, and run the chance of its chopping about, and detaining him for weeks in harbour, than voluntarily sail on a Friday. Should he be compelled, from circumstances, to sail on that ill-starred day to school-boys and sailors, he will not fail to attribute to that * We are afraid sense has been here sacrificed to sound, if tlie " Morning Post " is authority on so delicate a subject. In the advertisements which so frequently appear in that paper, offering these charmed articles for sale at extravagant prices, they are spelt cau/«.— Frintbk's Dsvil. circum serious throug For predile fellow to plui busines parati^ throw haps yi which may tl neral < the ex service the br sequer scurvy or ves The as alii SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN. 109 circumstance every the minutest failure, or most serious accident, which subsequently occurs throughout the voyage. For some animals they entertain a singular predilection ; whilst for whole classes of their fellow creatures, even those whom they permit to plunder them with impunity as a matter of business, they entertain in this respect a com- parative horror. No sailor would hesitate to throw a Jew rather than a cat overboard, per- haps without being aware of the high authority which sanctions such a line of distinction. He may think, with his holiness of Rome and ge- neral councils, that, in promoting the cause of the extirpation of heretics, he "is doing God service ;" whilst he dreads that the offence against the brute creation will be visited by the con- sequent and inevitable penalties of sickness, scurvy, hard weather, masts struck by lightning, or vessels miraculously escaping during chace. Their suspicions are not confined to beasts, as allies of the great enemy of man ; even the i\ no SUIERSTITION OF SEAMEN. 'Hi birds which soar aloft come in for tlieir share, possibly from his considering them as liege subjects of the " prince of the power of the air" (as a great authority calls Satan), and therefore bound to do his dark behests on the viewless winds. Their appearance at sea is almost al- ways thought a sinister occurrence. Some are considered the harbingers of a tempest and storm ; others, like " Mother Cary*s chickens" the active agents of the foul fiend already bent on their destruction. With reference to these calumniated little creatures, they often gravely tell at night-fall a story, which fails not to make the circle round the galley-fire smaller by degrees as it proceeds — but whether through intense attention or apprehension, it luckily is unnecessary to determine : — as " how the Tiger East-India-man, outerbound, had one continued gale without intermission, till they got to the ' Cape,' by which time they were almost a wreck : that off the * Cape of Good Hope,* in particular, thov were nearly foundered : that SUPERSTITION OF SEAMEN. Ill r share, IS liege the air" lierefore viewless nost al- •me are 3St and ickens^" \y bent o these gravely not to iller by irough kily is Tiger tinned to the lost a )e,' in in the height of this gale were seen a number of ominous birds screaming about in the light- ning's blaze, and some of them of monstrous shape and size: that among the passengers was a woman called ' Mother Cary^ who always seemed to smile when she looked up to these foul-weather birds, upon which they concluded she was a witch : that she had conjured them up from the * Red Sea,' and that they never would have a prosperous voyage while she re- mained on board : and, finally, that as they were just debating about it, she sprang overboard and went down in a flame; when the birds (ever after called ' Mother Cary's chickens *J vanished in a moment, and left the Tiger to pursue her voyage in peace !" that A VOICE FROM THE DEEP A GALLEY STORY. m% " I said it was a story of a ghost — What then ? • • • • All nations have believed that from the dead A visitant at interval appears." LORD BYftON. " What say you, boys, a caulk or a yarn ?" says one of the ' quarter-gunners,* addressing indis- criminately the watch one night, as soon as they were mustered. " Oh, let's have a yarn, as weVe eight hours in," replied one of the topmen. " Bob Bowers will spin us a twist;" and away to the galley a group of eight or ten instantly repaired. A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. 113 " Well, boys !" says Bowers, "let*s see, what'll you have ? — one of the Lee Virginney's, or the saucy Gee's?* — Come, I'll give you a saucy Gee, *' Well, you see, when I sarved in the Go-along Gee — Captain D*** (he as was killed at Trafflygar, aboard the Mars, seventy-four, — aye, and as fine a fellow as ever shipped a swab,f or fell on a deck. — There warn't a better man aboard from stem to starn. He knew a seaman's duty, and more he never axd ; and not like half your capering skippers, what expect unpossibilities. It went ugainst his grain to seize a grating-up, and he never flogged a man he didn't wince as if he felt the lash himself! — and as for starting,— blow me if he didn't break the boatswain by a court-mar- tial for rope's-ending Tom Cox, the captain o' the fore-top in Plymouth-Sound. — And yet he wasn't a man what courted, as they call it, cocularity;| it-: 'i: 1 * Jac^-'sfancy-namesforfavourite ships : the Gee — the Glenmore. t Epaulette. \ Tliis is no fur-fetched Malapropism ; the man who made use of this expression was subsequently killed, as boatswain of a line* of battle ship. VOL I. I 114 A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. 1*1 ur ii: tor once desarve it, you were sure to buy it ; but do your duty like a man, and, d — n it, he'd sink or swim with you ! " He never could abide to hear a man abused : ~ let's see, was't to the first or second leeftenant he says — no, 'twas the second — and blow me, too, if I doesn't think 'twas the third — it was the third, kase I remember, now, he'd never a civil word for no one. Well, howsomever, you see, says the skipper, mocking the leeftenant, in a sneering manner, one morn, who'd just sung-out, * You sir !' you know, to one o' the topmen, — * You sir, I mean,' says the skipper, looking straight in the leeftenant's face, — ' pray, sir,' says he, * how do you like to be you sir*d your- self?' " Well, the leeftenant shams deafness, you know ; but I'm blowed but he hard every word on't — for never a dolphin a-dying tarned more colours nor he did at the time ! But avast there a bit — I'm yawing about in my course. How- somever you know, 'tis but due to the dead, and A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. 115 •uy It ; — n it, ibused : sftenant ow me, was the r a civil ,rou see, t, in a ing-out, )men, — looking ly, sir,' i your- ss, you y word \ more st there How- id, and no more nor his memory desarves : so here's try again — small helm bo — steady-— ey-a. — Well, you know, the Go-along-Gee was one o' your flash Irish cruisers — the first o' your fir-built frigates— and a hell of a clipper she was ! Give her a foot o' the sheet, and she'd go like a witch — but some- how o' nother, she'd bag on a bowline to lee- ward.* Well, there was a crack set o' ships at the time on the station. Let's see, there was the Lee Revolushoneer (the flyer, you know) — then there was the fighting Feeby — the dashing Dinfd^ and one or two more o' your flash-uns ; but the Gee took the shine on 'em all in reefing and furling. " Well, there was always a cruiser or two from the station, as went with the West-Ingee convoy, as far as Madery or so — (to protect 'em, you know, from the French privateers, and to bring * A judicious remark, though couched in a homely phrase ; for it is now proved that fir-huUt ships, from the diflFerence of their specific gravity, hy no means " hold so good a wind" as our oak " men-of-war." I 2 116 A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. ..J back a pipe of the stuff for the admiral : — aye, and I take it the old boy must have boused-up his jib stay pretty often, for many's the pipe we shipped in the Gee for him. " Howsomever, you see, we was ordered to sail with one of thesie thund'ring convoys, the largest as ever was gothered together in cove — nigh-hand a hundred and eighty or ninety sail. Let's see, there was the Polly-infamous,* sixty-four, t was our commodore you know ; and 'sides we in the Gee, there was a ship Cravatte,f and an * eighteen-gun-brig/ Well, we sailed with the convoy from cove on St. Patrick's day, with a stagg'ring breeze at east-north-east. We was stationed astarn, to jog-up the dull-uns, and to ' touch 'em up in the bunt' with the buntin. " Well, a'ter we runs out of one o' your reg'lar easterly gales, what has more lives nor a cat, and going for ever like a blacksmith's bellows, till it blows itself out, we meets with the tail of a westerly hurricane (one o' your sneezers, you * Polephemus. f Corvette^ A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. 11*7 :~aye, Lised-up pipe we 2red to ys, the cove — 3ty saiK ty-four, s we in and an ith the with a Ve was and to in. y* your » nor a )ellows, lil of a rs, you know). Four or five of our headmost and lee- wardmost ships, what tasted the thick on it first, was taken aback; two was dismasted clean by the board : but the Go-along Gee was as snug as a duck in a ditch, never straining as much as a rope-yarn aloft, and as tight as a bottle below. " Well, howsomever, we weathers out like a 'Mudian; though we lost, to be sure, the cor- poral of marines overboard, as was consulting his ease in the lee-mizen-chains. Well, a*ter the wind and sea gets down, the commodore closes the convoy, and sends shipwrights aboard of such ships as needed *em most. Well, at last we gets into your regular trades, with wind just enough for a gentleman's yacht, or to ruffle the frill of a lady's flounce : and on one o* those nights as the convoy, you know, was cracking-on every thing low-and-aloft, looking just like a forest afloat — we keeping our station astarn on *em all — top-sails low*r*d on the cap— the sea as smooth as Poll Patterson's tongue, and the moon as bright as her eye — shoals of beneties playing I 3 118 A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. .J under the bows; what should I hear but a voice as was hailing the ship ! Well, I never says nothing till I looks well around (for you see I*d the starboard cat-head* at the time); so I waits till I hears it again — when sky-larking Dick, who'd the larboard look-out, sneaks over and says, * Bob, I say Bob-bo, did you never hear nothing just now ?* Well, he scarcely axes the question, when we hears hailing again — ' Aboatrd the G--e, ahoy --a--.* Well, there was nothing, you know, in sight within hail (for the starnmost ships of the convoy were more nor two miles a-head)— so I*m d — d if Dick and my- self wasn't puzzled a bit, for we war'nt just then in old Badgerbag*sf track. Well, we looks broad on the bows, and under the bows, and over the bows, and every where round we could look; when the voice now, nearing us fast, and hailing again, we sees something as white as a sheet on the water ! Well, I looks at Dick, * Look-out forward. t A name given by Jack to Neptune, when playing tricks on travellers upon first crossing the Line. A VOICE FROM THE DEEP. 119 and Dick looks at me — neither of us never saying nothing, you know, at the time — when looking again, by the light of the moon, * I'm d— d,' says I, * if it is'nt the corporal's ghost!* — * I'm d — d if it is'nt,' says Dick, and aft he flies I to make the report. Well, I felt summut or so queerish a bit (though I says nothing to no one, you know), for 'twas only a fortnight afore the corporal and I had a bit of a breeze 'bout taking my pot off the fire. Well, says the voice, ' Will you heave us a rope? I don't want a boat !' was the cry. * D — n it, ghost or no ghost,' says I, * I'll give you a rope, if it's even to hang you;' so flying, you see, to the chains,* I takes up a coil in my fist, and heaves it handsomely into his hands. Well, I was as mum as a monk, till he fixes himself in the bight of a bowling-knot; when, looking down on his phiz, says I, just quietly over my breath, * Is that Corporal Crag ?' * An external projection affixed to the side of a ship to give spread to the lower or standing rigging (the shrouds), to which the latter are set up or secured. I 4 i'..i k u 120 A VOICE FIIOM TIIK DKEI*. says I. — * Corporal Hell !' says lie, * why don't you haul up?' — * Well, I sings out lor some-un to lend us a fist (for Dick was afcard to come forward again — and I'm blow'd but the leeftenant himself was as shy as the rest o* the watch). So I sings out again for assistance : for there was the unfortunate fellow towing alongside like a hide* what was soft'ning in soak. — * Will no one lend us a hand ?' says I, * or shall I turn the joUyf adrift,) and be d — d to you?' Well, this puts two o' the topmen, you see, on their pluck, for both on 'em claps on the rope, and rouses clean into the chains — Now what do you think ?" — " Why the corporal's ghost to be sure," says one of the group. — " No, nor the sign of a ghost — nor a ghost's mate's minister's mate — nor nothing that looked like a lubberly lobster,:}: * That part of a ship's rigging most liable to be chafed or rubbed is usually preserved by pieces of hide being securely sewn around it. Men-of-war have continually, at sea, hides towing overboard in soak. f Jolly— familiiir appellation for a royal marine. I Jack's slang for a murine, or soldier in any shape. A VOICE FROM THK UKEl'. 181 (loud or alive; bul as fine a young fellow as ever I seed in my days. For, you see, the whole on it is this : — 'twas no more nor a ehap of an appren- tice, whose master had started* him that morn ; and rather nor stand it again, he takes to his fins and swims like a fish to the Gee — mind ! the stamtnost ship of the convoy ! though his own was one of the headmost ; aye, and running the risk not to fetch us, you know, nor another chance to look to for his life.f And why ? — why ? bekase the ship had a name — aye, sure ! she was the Gee!!!" • Beating witli a rope's-end. t The author served on board this ship at the periotl above alhided to. TAX ON COMMISSIONS. " He paid too dear for his whistle."* 1)U. FRANKLIN. At a time when every exertion is making to take off the fetters which the improvidence and ignorance of former rulers and parliaments had imposed on industry and enterprize, it seems * A whistle was formerly part of an officer's accoutrements in action. In order to render this motto at all illustrative or in- telligible, it will be necessary to go back in our naval history as far as the time of Henry the Eighth, at least ; by reference to which it will be found, that the whistle was neither the plaything ofchildren, or the humble official distinction of the hoarse boat- swain and his mates. In the desperate action fought by Thomas and Edward Howard, sons of the Earl of Surrey (which last was afterwards Lord Admiral of England), with the celebrated TAX ON COMMISSIONS. 123 rather extraordinary that the attention of the Admiralty has not been drawn to the subject of a tax payable on officers' commissions. This tax, whilst its amount to the public is, if not con- temptible, certainly inconsiderable, proves a great hardship upon officers, more especially when Scotch captain of a letter-of-marque, Andrew Breton— granted to him against the ships of Portugal in consequence of the murder of his fother, and detention of his ships, by the Portuguese; Rapine relates, "that Breton, though greviously wounded, cheered his men on with his whistle even to his last breath." Though falsely described by King Henry as a pirate, in his in- structions to the Howards, that prince dismissed the prisoners. The King of Scotland demanded reparation for the outragei in vain, and it became a cause of quarrel between the two nations. It is about this period that we hear, for the first time, of a whistle being used in the navy ; but it appears to have been then sus- pended at the breast of the Lord High Admiral : for, in addition to his other insignia, the gallant Sir Edward Howard actually wore a golden one when he engaged the French galleys near Brest. Since that period^ silver has been substituted for the more pre- cious metal : and this shrill ancient instrument of authority has fallen in rank in proportion to its depreciation in value, and lias descended from the neck of a commander-in-chief to that of the boatswain. il ' 1^ ^ ■ ■ ■ -it '■' ■».!.! ' 1} jlMII: m4\ t 1 121 TAX ON COMMISSIONS. J appointed to a ship from half-pay. On every commissiou issued, or appointment made out by the Admiralty, there is a separate duty or tax payable by the officer so appointed. Fortunately, it is not required from midshipmen on their being " turned over " from one ship of war to another, or it might often prove the means of confining a spirited youth to a guard-ship for life. As it affects commissioned officers, how- ever, ft is sufficiently injurious and inconvenient in its consequences. Even a midshipman, on being appointed lieutenant, is compelled to part with his money as the price o? a commission, already, perhaps, dearly purchased with his blood. In this way a gallant young mid may feel himself necessitated, according to the rules of the service, to pay a fee for having the awkwardness to come in contact with a **two- and-thirty-pounder," and lose a leg or an arm. The payment in this case is a guinea : in some instances the appointment may be made out to a •* ship in ordinary," merely to give him rank ; ■|:B TAX ON COMMISSIONS. 125 in due course he is appointed to a vessel on service; his former payment of the tax avails him nothing, and he is obliged once more to pay a guinea. It sometimes happens that, through accident, unfitness, the dry-rot, or other cause, the officer may, in a couple of months, be shifted into four or five other ships ; and he is of course obliged, on each occasion, to pay half the tax, as it were to ma'vit, him feel, more sensibly, the inconvenienced k cj shifted about from ship to ship. This tax, too, falls most heavily on those whose emoluments are less considerable; namely, lieutenants, who are always shifting about, whilst the commander or captain remains stationary, and seldom incurs the duty. If the change happens to be made from half to full pay, the difficulty is not so great; as the agents, even if they be of the tribe of Levi, feel less reluctance to open their purses and defray the charge, in expectation of increased commission and agency. An attempt is made to render the superior officers* commissions equally prolific as a subject 126 TAX ON COMMISSIONS. of taxation: a commander paying two guineas, a captain more, and so on up to an admiral. These fees may, perhaps, not be considered quite so onerous or objectionable. It is, however, ob- vious that, taking into consideration the low rate of pay, and their more frequent liability to be removed from one ship to another, a very con- siderable portion of the tax falls upon the lieu- tenants. From the attention which has been paid to the improvement of the regulations of the service, it appears reasonable to imagine that the subject may -have hitherto escaped the attention of the Admiralty ; and that the mere suggestion may induce their Lordships to recom- mend the discontinuance of a tax, so unequally pressing on the younger branches of the pro- fession. NEWFOUNDLAND. "Oh, flesh! flesh! how art thou fishified!" SHAKSPKARE. ■j; 1^ H^ 5; There is, perhaps, no part of our coloniear — especially taking into consideration that it is the nearest home — so little known, both as respects its internal state or its commercial importance, as the island of Newfoundland. Though extending three hundred miles in length, and nearly the same in breadth, covered with wood, abounding in noble harbours, intersected by navigable streams, and possessing a soil (con- trasting it with its present state) capable of a much higher degree of cultivation in the interior 0- 128 NEWFOUNDLAND. of the country, wliich is every where diversified with picturesque scenery — this island may as yet be pronounced to be, for the most part, unin- habited ;* a fact whicli is altogether unaccount- able, and almost incredible in an age like this, when the tide of emigration may be said (to use a nautical expression) to have set in so strongly, for many years past, to the westward. This dis- position, it must be regretted, has become almost uncontrollable of late in British subjects; nor can it be repressed, either by the warnings re- corded in the public prints, or the private jour- nals of intelligent travellers, detailing the dis- tresses and misery of hordes of our countrymen, upon their first landing in the United States, in consequence of want of employment ; nor by the tragic narratives of the melancholy dupery and aggravated sufferings, through pestilence and famine, of crowds of deluded and innocent ad- • The whole interior of this island, which is larger than all Ireland, is almost unknown to the colonists, ilts extremely scanty population consists of the red or native Indians. NEWFOUNDLAND. 129 iversified ay as yet rt, iinin- laccount- like this, id (to use strongly, This dis- ne ahnost ects; nor nings re- ate jour- the dis- ntrymen, d States, ; ; nor by y dupery ence and )cent ad- rer tliaii all s extremely iaiis. venturers, swept, with their little families, into untimely graves on the naked and unhospitable Mosquito shore, to feed the rapacity of un- blushingly-avowed and newspaper-puffing Poyais- \oan-per-centage agents, and the still more cruel cupidity of a calculating coward, at once the fell scourge of his credulous countrymen, and foul stain on the military character.* Without affecting to submit a syllable, in the way of advice, to those whose official duty it is to take such important questions into con- sideration, we must still be of opinion that there is in this colony, from advantages already enu- merated, a fairer field to deploy with success latlon which a porti popuh are, * The whole military annals of this country do not afford a parallel to the dastardly flight and treacherous desertion of the fugitive of Porto Bello. A tear, sacred to a friendship, once fervent as memory is still faithful, traces that page which should perhaps glow only with the language of indignation. But, even in thus paying a debt due to natural affection, this feeble pen may recall his crime to recollection, and brand afresh the Cain of modern times — the Cacique of Poyais. VOL. I. K •■Mv > 130 NEWFOUNDLAND. now-a-days, so much in the habit of alleging to be redundant at home, than in others which have been selected by the colonists themselves, or by those who catered for their immediate comforts or probable future prosperity. It has been objected, by some persons not altogether unacquainted with this island, that it is over- stocked already, for its means of maintaining a population. Nothing is more fallacious : hither- to the fishery has been the only mode resorted to for the purpose of obtaining a livelihood; agriculture, mining, and other avocations, are never thought of. FIRES AT SAINT JOHN'S. " Diverse interea miscentur msenia luctu ; * * « « : Sigea igni freta lata relucent, Exoritur clamorque virum, clangorqiie tubarum." VIRGIL. For some years past the governor and a small squadron have uniformly wintered a at Saint NEWFOUNDLAND. 131 alleging irs which emselves, nmediate '. It has Itogelher is over- taining a : hither- resorted velihood ; ions, are •um. VIRGIL. ' and a at Saint John's, contrary to former practice. During the first three years which succeeded this new ar- rangement, this capital was at different times discovered to be on fire. Upon two of these occasions, one-third of its opposite extremes was literally burnt to the ground: indeed, for three years successively, upon the close of the fishery for the season, or rather upon the return of the Paddies* into port, an annual fire was as regularly looked for as the coming of the frost ; nor is it unworthy of remark, that, whilst every provision was made, on the part of the inhabitants, to guard against the severity of the one, few took the slightest precaution to prevent a recurrence of the other,-}- notwithstanding the direful calamities with which they had been so * An endearing appellation by which the fisheraien in this country are designated, the majority of whom are Irish. f From localities peculiar to this place, built as the town is, en- tirely of wood, the vast quantities of oil, either in store or exposed in open air, rendering in vats in every direction, perhaps there is no set of people so liable (to use their own phraseology) to be "frost-btirnt" as the Fishmongers' Company of St. John's. K 8 V32 NEWFOUNDLAND. frequently visited. If the governor suggested any precautionary expedient for the prevention of fire, or, in the event of its occurring, issued orders calculated, as he thought, to avert the inevitable destruction of property that must in such cases be expected to ensue, he w^as sure to be attacked through the medi'^m of the radical press and anonymous pamphlets ; if not opposed by the "grand jury," or even a grand deputa- tion from the commercial community, on the subject of this presumed encroachment of civil rights.* The first fire which occurred during this period * At the moment this work goes to press, we have learned that, at the close of the sessions before last, in consequence of charges made in presenting a petition from Saint John's, by a gentleman who plumes himself rather upon the honours he derives from the corporate body of Aberdeen, than the kindness of his friends in the little burgh of Montrose, who first fostered his senatorial fortunes and arithmetical talents, he was called on to retract cer- tain unworthy and dishonourable insinuations relative to the late governor of Newfoundland. To the first application, through the medium of a. polite note, no answer was received ; but a pcr- at Saint season o of Augi covered flag-ship the repo ing hills truly ap could n inhabitai issued fo well-kno sonal applic or, more pr to relax, ral officer, " cc here, as in i disseminate) and the mis the unpresu admiral, ws made public •' the better is accounted NEWFOUNDLAND. 133 at Saint John's, happened at the least dangerous season of the year. About the end of the month of August, at midnight, a flame was 6rst dis> covered by the vigilance of the look-out from the flag-ship. The alarm gun was instantly fired, the report of which echoing among the surround- ing hills at so silent an hour of the night, was truly appalling, more particularly as its cause could not be misunderstood. The affrighted inhabitants, suddenly roused from deep sleep, issued forth in dismay from their dwellings at the well-known clang of the fire-bell. Women with sonal application liaving been made, the dignity of the criminal— or, more properly speaking, criminatory judge— felt it convenient to relax, rather than brave the honest resentment of an injured officer, " confessed the cnj)e,** backed out, and apologized. But here, as in most cases of privileged slander, the calumny had been disseminated widely : it had reached the seat of his government, and the mischief was consummated ; whilst the apology, through the unpresuming spirit and honourable forbearance of the gallant admiral, was accepted without any stipulation that it should be made public. With truth says Falstaff, that wiseacre in proverbs, " the better part of valour is discretion." The gallant admiral is accounted one of the first shots in the service. K 3 { ■ (.r- 4 <•-, ,. < 134 NEWFOUNDLAND. >.i*<' ^ , children in their arms, and many with helpless infants at the breast, were seen flying in every direction, e?i chemise, for refuge to their more for- tunate friends, situated at a distance from the fire — which rapidly spread amongst streets con- sisting entirely of wooden houses — or to the church, the constant asylum on each of those calamitous occasions. Every aid that could possibly be spared, consistent with the safety of the squadron, was instantly sent to the scene of devastation. Parties were despatched provided with buckets, hatchets, hawsers, and every auxiliary implement that the experienced could devise for subduing the fire, with the exception of engines, as, from the proximity of the men-of-war, which lay to leeward of the flames, it became necessary to em- ploy them in playing upon the rigging, until the ships were in readiness to slip from their moor- ings, and haul out of reach of the fast-falling flakes, which showered constantly round them. Being amongst the first of those officers who proceeded on shore, with a view to tranquillize NEWFOUNDLAND. 135 the tumult of the people, we were surprised to witness, amid this scene of horror and destruc- tion, such a manifestation of opposite feeling. They who were insured,* were philosophically passive, and submitted to their fate without a murmur ; whilst, on the contrary, those uninsured, were either too irresolute or too furious in their conduct to be practically useful. The rich, awaiting the inevitable destruction of their pro- perty, were tilmost frantic with despair, whilst the poor (particularly the Paddies) were delight- ed beyond measure at the prospect of plunder which presented itself, and the favourable oppor- tunity now afforded them to retaliate past favours upon their employers. The military were not less quick in their move- ments than the navy, and were admirably ar- ranged in line to facilitate the necessary supply of water. Indeed, both services displayed, at every * It is whispered amongst the better-informed of this island, that some of the mercantile community have most opportunely escaped bankruptcy, by what might almost be termed a providen- tial conflagration. K 4 i 136 NEWFOUNDLAND. risk, the greatest possible coolness and courage in their exertions to extinguish the flames ; although (unaccountable to relate) the authority for this prompt and active interference was not only questioned, by those whose property our men were actually endeavouring to preserve, but was even vociferously disputed by one or two demo- cratical demagogues, who literally exhausted the Billingsgate vocabulary of abuse in exciting the lower orders to riot with the troops. — But even in more civilized countries similar calamitous occur- rences afford ample opportunities for the deve- lopment' of vicious and virtuous principles. As the fire commenced in the north-east, in which point was also the wind now increasing in vio- lence with the flames, it communicated rapidly from building to building, and store to store. Wet blankets and carpets were extended along the tops and sides of the houses, to render the wooden material of which they were constructed less liable to take fire; but as every effort was found to be ineffectual to subdue the flames, an if NEWFOUNDLAND. 137 along expedient was suggested by a captain in the navy — who, it is to be remarked, by way of parenthesis, evinced the temper of a saint under showers of abuse, whicli rained thick and threefold upon both him and his abhorred expedient. There was no time for idle parley or consultation : the necessity for making a breach in the street, by levelling one or two of the houses contiguous to the fire, so as to cut off the communication, was sufficiently apparent ; but how to put into exe- cution so prompt a mode of accomplishing this desirable object, was a question of considerable solicitude. It was proposed by a military officer to blow up, with a few barrels of powder, some of the intervening houses, as the most effectual ex- pedient; but this was rejected, notwithstanding the celerity of the process, as appearing to savour too strongly of the belligerent principle. The axe and the saw were now resorted to. The principal uprightbeams which supported these buildings were sawn through at the base: but these firm fabrics were found to be too strongly ail-; 138 NEWFOUNDLAND. . ) constructed to be felled by ordinary means. At this perilous period, with the presence of mind so truly characteristic of the tar, a seaman taking the end of a hawser in his hand, ascended by a ladder the top of the dwelling about to be, as he termed it, " dowsed," and succeeded in securing it sufficiently firm round the house. An hundred hands now hastily grappled the rope : the haw- ser, however, it was now thought, was likely to give-^^ay before the house, and it became neces- sary to attach a second. This was soon accom- plished, but the "miracle" of making a breach in this modern Jericho was reserved, as of old, for the clergy ; for just then the well-known shrill voice of the priest was heard vociferating from the crowd, " Follow me, boys — follow father Fitzgerald !" when a phalanx of fishermen flocked round their pastor : their numbers and exertions increasing until (to use the humorous expres- sion of the priest) "every mother's son of them" clapt on both hawsers, and with a hearty hurrah hurled the building to the ground. NEWFOUNDLAND. 139 The praiseworthy exertions of the priest thus produced effects doubtless considered miraculous by his flock :* useful they were, certainly, not only as the means of preventing the further de- struction of property, but, in all probability, of • The power of the priests here is fully as great over the lower orders of the people, who are principally papists, as it is in other countries ; but there is a more pacific disposition, and less persecuting feeling, on their part, towards those who entertain a different creed. Indeed, the ^/crsons most prone in this colony to religious differences are of that sect so appropriately denominated " Dissenters." En passant, it would be unpardonable here to pass unnoticed the singular difference in the state of society in this island and that of Ireland, to which it bears, in a religious point of view, a strong resemblance. Though the vast majority of its population are Roman Catholics, no rivalry nor discontent pre- vails, although the government and all oilicial situations are filled by Protestants. The Roman Catholic Bishop entertains and is entertained by the governor and official persons, not excepting the officers of both army and navy ; and, unlike the policy pursued at public dinners in Ireland, no controverted topics of religion are ever discussed, or political toasts introduced, which could be construed into the slightest attempt to foment disunion or em- broil religious professors. 140 NEWFOUNDLAND. saving more souls in this world than ever I? was likely to do in the next. The fire, in consequence of the breach being effected, was subdued by degrees, or spent itself, owing to this precaution, for want of fuel. No lives were lost; but much valuable property, in- sured and uninsured, perished by the flames, or was plundered by the Paddies.* V* J COURTS OF JUDICATURE. " 'Tis an ill wind," says the proverb, "that blows nobody good ;" so it has ever been a bad fire at * On other occasions, it was notorious that a considerable part of the property pkindered was secreted and carried away in boats, called ''jack-asses," to the outports; inconsequence of which, the then governor (Sir Charles Hamilton) ordered, that in all cases of fire a guard should be rowed by the boats of the ri..;. •*- war in the harbour; a judicious precaution, which, however un- palatable to those active marauders, was productive of beneficial results in protecting property so circumstanced. II NEWFOUNDLAND. 141 Saint John's that did not bring abundance of business to the gentlemen of the bar. As surely OS ever sharks followed ships whose crews have been afflicted with contagion, so surely, in all cases of conflagration, followed a train of actions for assaults, batteries, trespasses, indictments for misdemeanors, and other offences, though rarely for robberies; possibly, because the confusion which prevailed on such occasions, and the ex- tent to which depredations of the latter na- ture were carried, rendered individual detection extremely difficult;* and, even when detected, justice was often defrauded of its victim, in con- sequence of the too general impunity with which offences of every kind are committed in this singular state of society.* The judicature of this country is vested in the * It is ludicrous to observe how, in the opinion of the colonists here, the mother country already begins to retrograde in civiliza- tion. It is not unusual with the supreme judges to condemn the ' Paddies,' in heinous cases, to a retransportation to their native shore.— Alas ! poor Ireland ! 142 NEWFOUNDLAND. chief justice; who, whilst personally presiding over the " supreme court" in the capital, is assisted in the administration of justice in the distant districts by the naval officers* employed on the station, who periodically visit the out- ports in his Majesty's ships for that purpose: a duty which excites no less apprehension from the dangers incident to so intricate a navigation, despite of all weathers at fixed and stated in- tervals, than from the difficulties and serious responsibilities attached to the due performance of a task equally onerous and novel to mere naval commanders. For if, on the one hand, it requires consider- * For several years these officers had not only to perform judicial, but divine duties : nor was it uncommon for a captain to marry a couple in the morning — pronounce judgment upon a legal question in the afternoon — christen a child in the evening— and put to sea at midnight. This latter practice, though bold, is, in case the moon is up, proved by experience to be safe and judicious on this coast, from the general prevalence of fogs in the day-time, which are remarked to be less dense and frequent in moon- light nights. NEWFOUNDLAND. 143 able nautical ability to navigate a ship on this coast, from the uncertainty of the currents, fre- quency of the fogs, and the little dependence which can be placed on the lead ; it, on the other, demands the exercise of a naturally sound judg- ment, and a more than ordinarily discriminative faculty in a naval officer, to be able to wend his way through the devious intricacies of fraud, and avoid those rocks and quicksands, too often interposed between the judge and the attainment of an equitable adjudication, by the partiality of official pilots (frequently in cases in which they themselves are concerned), or the craft or per- jury of interested witnesses. The derobed gentlemen of the " long-robe"* (who, by-the-bye, practise only in the supreme court) constantly dabble, like Caleb Quotem, in various avocations — notary, attorney,f ad- * These gentlemen as yet have not assumed the dignity of the gown. f According to a French witty authority, an "attorney is a cat that settles differences between mice." Had he seen this ril. smaller the supply of food for the mind, the greater the - eagerness of the people of Saint John's to procure it, the higher the value set on it, and the greater the gratification with which it appears to be devoured ; all is grist that comes to mill pend- ing this period of estrangement from the mo- ther country, during which the severity of the climate enforces the observance of a species of mental " non-intercourse act." ' : The contributors to these ephemeral produc- tions are as liberal as they are multifarious. The disquisitions on philosophical and physical subjects daily fill whole columns, and are fur- nished in gross by the disciples of Galen and Paracelsus. However large the bolus, the pisca- tory public gulp it down with a zest : the editors gladly open their columns to matter so generally interesting; and nothing, save prescriptions, is proscribed: a merciful regulation for the pro- fession itself, lest the probability of a fee should become problematical ! It is a fact, that a controversy continued for L 4 152 NKWrOUNDLANI). six months, discussing the existence or non-ex- istence of a disease which had already swept ftway the fairest part of the rising generation; some denominating it scarlet fever, others scar- latina. *' Strange that such ditTerence should be 'Twixt tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee !" The subtle enemy of the future hope of propa-^ gation, however, finally defeated every effort of these polemic con trover tists to detect either its appropriate name or distinctive essence. The disease died a natural death, by the anticipated decease or miraculous recovery of all the suffering innocents, without elucidating any new light on this anxiously-mooted question ; and the contro- versy was swept away by the first thaw, in all probability to be revived with renovated ardour at the setting in of the next frost. All subjects connected with the naval or mili- tary professions were carefully abstained from by gentlemen in either service, although con- stant contributors on almost every other topic ; NEWFOUNDLAND. 153 mili- from con- opic ; a moderation originating, perhaps, in the dread entertained of opening afresh the flood-gates of abuse and personality, which the radical press, (for even here are radicals !) always felt itself privileged to direct against every officer who had the spirit to maintain opinions, which might be construed as militating against the majesty of the mob. The affectation which pervaded the contributions of these modern military literati displayed how very independently they had formed their style of the admired principles of composition, which have given so great a gusto to the works of those writing, fighting characters of antiquity, Zenophon and Caesar. The mate- rials of these compositions are, for the most part, such as might be expected ; but it would puzzle a conjuror to tell what could have determined the several contributors in their extraordinary seler don of literary «/«Ws, or nommes de guerre. The most ordinary were, " Mercator, Piscator, Viator, Benbow, Bobstay," and even " Boreas," which were indifferently affixed to eprigrams, 154 NEWFOUNDLAND. % ■'■ ^j ■••4 elegies, political squibs^ tales of love, and satirical poetry. These important persons have long since become so well acquainted with their value, as correspondents in a place so destitute of news, that they completely lord it over the unhappy editor ; frequently sacrificing, to their amuse- ment or pique, the interest of his establishment, in right of their gratuitous contributions. For never yet, we believe, has the daily press in this country stooped to the disgrace of buying or remunerating the labours of any individual (the editor albeit always excepted). All the evils which are held by some to follow in Great Britain from the influence and exertion of an unpaid magistracy,* are in reality felt at Newfoundland, from the want of that responsi- bility attached to stipendiaries, in the republic of newspaper literature. * The writer wishes it to be understood, that it is not in- tended here to attempt to arbitrate between the advocates and opposers of a system which 1ms set at variance so many wise iieads ill butli houses of Purliumeut. NEWroUNDLAND. 155 Notwithstanding that newspapers in this colony are saleable without being subject to any duty, it would appear that the profits, arising from that- of even the most extensive circulation, are no more than competent to the maintenance of a family. In the instance alluded to, the various departments of exertion left, no individual, young or old, male or female, unoccupied. The father took the literary lead, and wrote the leading article ; the son-in-law (an half-pay purser in the navy) sometimes sported a quiet quill on a little quackery in political economy; the mother, not having much pretensions to letters, except in type (for she could assist as compositor at a pinch), collected and arranged little receipts for preserves, pickling, and pretty progeny ; whilst the daughters, who were spins- ters, professing total ignorance of the mystery of the latter composition, confined their talents to aiding in the composition of type, and correcting the press, which usually went on during the hour of tea, when every avowed 156 NKWFOUNDLAND. ^ ■».,* p >■ contributor considered himself a privileged guest. Humble as it was, this might be considered the only thing resembling the literary soiree of a well- known retired actress,* and active proprietress; at whlclij now-a-days, the company are treated with a sight of the lions on a Sunday evening, previous to their public production in the ensuing week. Maugre ail the bustle of the scene, the blunders to be corrected, and the brogue of the ladies (for all residents speak almost equally discordant in either an Irish or Devonshire accent), the scene was interesting enough to collect many of their contributors, to dissipate the ennui particular to a place so circumscribed as to society, by correct- ing the errors of the press in their own con- tributions; of which, we shall close this article by subjoining extracts, grave and gay, leaving the reader to pronounce on their comparative merits. Though the specimens are possibly none of the best that might have been selected, they • Of London. NEWFOUNDLAND. 157 a privileged onsidered the iree of a well- oprietress; at ; treated with ling, previous tisiiing week, the blunders he ladies (for ]iscordant in 0» the scene any of their 3articular to , by correct- r own con- this article jay, leaving comparative ossibly none ected, they are not altogether destitute of point ; and some of them, of the gravest character, may, notwith- standing, be said to contain ample matter for mirth and laugliter. RECREATIONS IN RHYME, BY THE LIEGES OF SAINT JOHN'S. " For the Newfoundland Royal Gazette.^ « Mr. Editor : " Sir, — If you think the following reflections, caused by the late destructive fire, worthy a place in your interei>iiiig paper, you will oblige by your insertion, " Augustus." .« And morn came on, by softest silence led : The raoonf was ris'n— she M'. the noon-day sun • A misnomer— read Radical Gazette. t This contributor was strongly suspected of lunacy. c^-^-- '>■, > .-n 158 NEWFOUNDLAND. To other climes ; while here each twinkling star Roird in its orb, in midnight beauty blush'd. The hour was sacred — silence all around ! But lo ! the hour of rest and quiet fled ! The heavens alone had peace, and dying men Once more were rous'd from sleep by cannons' roar. With cries of fire ! and by the toll of bells. The awful grandeur burst, and to the winds Gave thickest clouds of heated, rolling smoke : The flames flew wildly up, as if Despair Had urged them, and on revenge were bent ; Like that which chainless maniacs display, Or fiery justice from th' eternal throne. Will this remind us of a future hour, As morning stars of the coming day, Or evening suns of the approaching night? Whose pomp shall burst, and whose loud trump shall sound, While nature sleeps in dust ; and few shall be To tell when sprang the fire the world involves. Then none shall quench the Jlaming skies and tvorld, But yield submission to the angel call, And The ti NEWFOUNDLAND. 159 And fly to judgment, where all works must stand The god'like untried test of spirit Jire. «* Newfoundland^ 1819." " Augustus.' " VERBUM STULTIS. " Ye raaiiglers of rhyme. And ye murd'rers of prose, If you had your deserts You'd get puU'd by the nose. " Do you think that the public Have nothing to do But read the damn'd stuff That is written by you. " I wish that the devil, Who I'm sure is your patron, Had the friend and Sir Knight, With the doctors and matron.' 160 NEWFOUNDLAND. INVOCATION. Extracted from a poem entitled «* Newfoundland." " The land I sing, where fish and oil abound, And od'rous flakes the public streets surround ;* Where five long months the driving snows assail, And ice keeps off the packet and the mail ; Where perfume rises with the rising sun ; Where half-starv'd pigs and puppies run In quest of fish ; and when it's on the fork, Yexuhangers /f judge how savory is the pork !" And then, in allusion to the marriages made 'oy naval and military officers amongst the fair colo- nists — " Hook'd like a cod-fish, as a beaver caught, They curse the snares their loveii/ partners wrought. Retreat is vain, iheir fate for ever seal'd, And vanquish'd man to woman yields the field : Bows to a yoke his better sense despises S!r>ks into nothing, and a whanger rises." • This » Titer might have concisely described the aspect of this coast in two >/ords, as— in winter, it is covered with flakes of snow — in summer with flakes of fish. f Slang of the colony for the fish-iMU'ers. NEWFOUNDLAND. 161 "ADVICE TO A FLIRT. " Nd longer this flirting, dear Fan, This < working a traverse' won't do ; Plain sailing's a far better plan. For a girl so anxious to woo. Away, then, with * humming and hawing Steer steady and straight after me ; They never gain ground who are * yawing,' But often are * brought by the Lee.'* Then hark unto honest advice, And veer not about with the wind : Just tell me, I'm not fit to * splice,' Or decidedly not to your mind. So settle my fate — for I feel I'm sure to be * taken aback ;' If so, I'll < come round on my heel,' And * stand on the opposite tack.* " Ben Bobstay." * NaiitioHl phrase ; also the fair lady's name. VOL. I. M IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I Hi u ■ULll- 1.8 1.25 111.4 1 1.6 — II — lllll — ^ ^« _ ► vl om/. ^% w Riotographic Sciences Corporation ^ \ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 i\ I: * I' ;-i: ,V if. \i mi-^* 162 NEWFOUNDLANP. The two following are curious specimens of the " grave and gay" — we suspect the writer of the first to have been more of a ship-builder than qualified to " build the lofty rhyme." « THE SHIPWRECKED SAILOR'S GRAVE. <* No recording stone discloses Where the shipwreck'd tar reposes — No grass grows o'er a sailor's grave, \Vhose pale corse, cover'd by the wave, In sea-weed shrouded lies ! No weeping kindred o'er his bier Shed affliction's grieving tear ; Yet weep they when they hear the tale. That, in December's boist'rous gale, The lov'd one's lost at sea ! <( Do friends his death-bed then surround ? Ah ! no — he hears not, save the sound Of sea-bird's scream — or voice of woe. As each poor shipmate sinks below The ocean's briny billow ! NEWFOUNDLAND. 163 cimens of ; writer of p-builder if ^AVE. B, i? It heeds not where death meets the brave, Whether on land or stormy wave : His bosom shrinks it at the blast, He gives one sigh to joys long past — And sinks, resigned, to rest i" « Saint John'Sy 25th Januarif 1819." A rare and happy specimen of quaint verse ! "FOR THE ROYAL GAZETTE. " The magi of the present day. Try some to wound, others slay. Stop, vain, foolish, scribbling man, That 'temptest more than do ye can. •» Scur'Ious ! as unavailing. Seems the whole of your writing. As Christians conduct yourselves, Not like tartarian elves. Oh, shame ! thus a lady fair to lash. In plumage deck'd, cuts no common dash. Have mercy. Literati ! On this our community, M 2 164 NEWFOUNDLAND. Else * Whangers* will have at ye, Maidy Matron, anon you'll see Ye censure undeservedly ; Yet mercy still sheweth thee. 'T appears in you a disease. For you cut-up whom ye please. Careless of your randrous prong Is saucy * Old Go- Along.' " " St, John'Sy ii5th January 1819." "A RAKING BROADSIDE AT PARTING. " Farewell to this cod-fishing coast, It's prevalent fogs and its frost ! Adieu to a people who boast Of a breed unaccountably crost. Farewell to each marrying maid. Each marital match-making mother: Adieu to the plots ye have laid To trick me by threats from a brother. NEWFOUNDLAND. 165 Farewell to each mountain and moor, Each desolate barren and bog ; Adieu to the dogs, who endure The devil's-own * life of a dog,^ Farewell to the stench of each stage,* The odours of oil in the ' vat.* Adieu to the radical-rage. And the system of plundering Pat, Farewell to eternal misnomers, And things by young misses misnam'd ; Adieu to the priests of St. Omer*s — May their flocks, and their fields, be reclaim'd ! Farewell to the « 49th Act ;'t The Sessions, and * Surrogate Court :' Adieu to thie judges — in fact, God help the poor Paddies in port ! «H.M.Ship * » * "D.I.O." «' St, John's^ %\st December 1819." ^ • Fish-stage. t The 49th Act of Parliament—'* An Act for establishing Courts of Judicature in the Island pf Newfoundland." M 3 NAVAL CLUB-HOUSE. " STR£NUA NOS EXERCET INERTIA." A WET DAY. " The politicians, in a nook apart, Discussed the world, and settled all the spheres ; Th^ wits watched every loop-hole for their art, To introduce a bon-mot head and ears." LORD BYRON. A FLOCK of wild geese, in their migratory flight, is not more indicative of bad weather than a crowded assemblage at the club. The daily avo- cations and destinies of its members appear en- tirely to be governed by the state of the atmos- phere : for whether flag-officer, post-captain, com- mander, or * physician of the fleet,* they all seem to be under the same barometrical influence. When the weather is fair, the club is deserted for the street; and when foul, the street, but WET DAY — CLUB. 167 YftON. than u ily avo- 'ear en- atmos- n> com- II Sfcem e. jserted t, but more particularly the residence of each individual, is deserted for the club. The more dreary the day, the more thronged the assemblage of the dismal within, to dissipate, if possible, the gloom without. Stimulated by so powerful a motive, neither the dampness or the severity of the wea- ther deter from their enforced attendance at this Hotel de la Marine, the old, the bilious, and even the hypochondriacal; which latter, by the bye, have increased in a proportionate ratio to the prolongation of a peace so generally deplored, not more in the maritime than it would appear in the mercantile world * at the present day. . It was on such a day that I visited the club, to ascertain the existence of the many advantages promised me by brother officers from becoming a member. Just as I had entered the hall, I was * This belligerent anxiety on the part of our merchants appears to be fast abating, in proportion as they begin to feel the beneficial effect of the repeal of restrictive duties, and the adoption by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Huskisson of more liberal regulations as to our commercial intercourse with other nations. M 4 168 WET DAY — CLUB. 0' familiarly accosted by an old shipmate, who, ^fter congratulating me on my <* luck, for having under my lee such an anchorage," kindly offered his ser- vices to shew me the conveniences of the establish- ment, and " point out to me its comforts." — " Here you are," says he, bringing me over to the window and looking at the curtains, — " See ! brail-up as close as you like," — and then, taking hold of the tassel of the window-blind, which, (suiting the action to the word) he quickly pulled down with evident satisfaction, exclaimed, — ** Shut the sun out like shot" — " down fore sail in a crack" — " every comfort, you see" — ** cheap chop in a jiffy" — " best pint o* wine" — " 'port it ourselves" — "pay no waiters"— "besides, my boy," he continued, " you've a chap in livery behind your chair during dinner.*'— When, having nearly run out his reckoning, he looked round inquisi- tively ; a chronometer clock catching his eye, he pointed to it with exultation, (possibly arising from a fellow-feeling with so many of the club, who repaired there solely to kill old Time), and ex- WET DAY — CLUB. 169 who, ^fter ing under ed his ser- estabhsh- '— « Here • to the — " See ! in, taking J> which, ly pulled aimed, — fore sail -** cheap " *port it my boy," y behind Q nearly Iff mquisi- ' eye, he ng from >b, who and ex- claimed, '' Aye ! and dam'me ! you can make it twelve o'clock when you like!** — Happily illus- trative, thought I, of the enviable delights of this establishment! Ascending with him up stairs, at one of the tables we observed a pair of old post-captains, who, from their sickly aspect, were evidently much nearer their grave than their Flag, poring over the last number of the Navy-list, and betraying a peculiar satisfaction in their looks as the elder struck his pen through the names of their seniors, who had died since its publication. " Well !" said the veteran, as he concluded the agreeable task of blotting so many brother officers out from the list of the living, " thank God ! there are five more within these three months have resigned their flags in our favour !" We quickly brushed by a group whose attention was directed to an amicable dispute between two juvenile commanders, who, like " prophets of the past," were fighting afresh battles formerly fought shy : the youngest of whom was cutting up the conduct of Calder with the greatest severity. — :; . .-»- no WET DAY — CLl'B. I'' ^-^"^ " D — n it," said he, " 1 was not there myself, but I know it's the opinion of many he ought to have been bing'dJ^ — " But, you know," replied the other, " he fought in a fog, and could not see how others conducted themselves : besides, there was a political ruse practised by the Admiralty, in withholding from the public a part of his des- patch." — "Despatch !" cried the other, "despatch him to the devil ;"— and turning on his heel, abruptly quitted the room. The report of heavy artillery on the lower-deck induced several to make a simultaneous movement down stairs, where an M.P. distinguishable for his tact in thinking with the Tories and still voting with the Whigs, was blazing away in a loud invective against the newspaper reporters for giving his last-night's speech so incorrectly, or, as some perhaps thought (if we may judge by the interchange of significant winks), lending him " a grace beyond the reach of art." — {i, e. his own) — "D— n the blundering blockheads! I said a devilish good thing last night, and there is WET DAY — CLUB. 171 ;re myself, e ought to replied the lid not see des, there Admiralty, of his des- " despatch his heel, Dwer-deck movement shable for and still way in a reporters correctly, judge by lending —{i. e. his leads ! I d there is not a word of it here." — " A'weel, what was't, Sir Jacob?— let's ken?" said a prying, peak-nosed, interrogative Caledonian. — "Why! what you never heard t'other side Tweed, I'll answer for it. You're aware what was the subject of debate ? — Sepping's plan, you know — Deserves no credit for it — Danes had it before us— d — d good for those fond o* turning tail, to be sure." — " Weel, but Sir Jacob, your weet — your weet ?" — " Why, I told them the discussion on round sterns* was only fit for the Parliament of the Round-heads." Ha, ha, ha ! — he, he, he ! — "Vera weel. Sir Jacob : can you spare us a frank the day?" The request was no sooner complied with, but the wily Scot, perceiving the Baronet was in the vein, plied him with an application to allow him to set his name down as a subscriber to " that admirable national institution" Saint Andrew's Charity School. The result proved Sandy had not mistaken his man, who, however, qualified the concession as he departed, by ob- * See remarks at page 176. 172 WET DAY — CLUB. < serving, ." I should never have contributed six- pence, if I did not think too well of your country- men to suppose they suffered the saints to put in their oar.*' The honourable Baronet had no sooner hastily left the apartment, to support in his place at St Stephen's the interests of the fishermen of the Thames and Medway, in a disputed right of fishery in the inland sea near Havant, from which they were attempted to be excluded, than reserve almost immediately closed every mouth, which but a moment before had been so communicative. Several prepared to cut their cables, and avoid the dreaded com- pany of e«»M«, which now was observed making all sail on the squadron, but were deterred by the continuance of the rain : whilst a sickly looking K.C.B., evidently labouring under the influence of hypochondriacal affection, through disease of the liver, kept pacing the room, precisely to the extent of twelve paces, occa- sionally pressing his hand on his right side, or stopping short to apply his finger to ascertain WET DAY — CLUB. 173 ibuted six- Lir country- ints to put let had no :o support ests of the [way, in a I sea near (ted to be tely closed 3efore had 'epared to ided com- d making deterred it a sickly under the I, through he room, ces, occa- t side, or ascertain the state of his pulse. Alternately examining his tongue before the mirror, or inspecting the quicksilver in the barometer, he despondingly addressed a gentleman, who had stood long *< fast bound in chains of silence," intent on the pattering rain without, which bid fair to pre- vent him keeping an engagement to dinner. — " A disagreeable afternoon, sir — a bile-making day ; — cursed indigestible weather — glass falls — ^gall rises ; — can't understand it at all. — Hale a' fellow, as any, afloat — never sick in the war — nothing but pain since the peace.* — I see how 'twill be — nothing for it but to ' bear- up* for Blue-pill at last." A lively young sprig of fashion at this moment entered the door (the ' Couriei' in hand); * Whether in the present day» or the sera of Domitian, mora- lists appear to think precisely alike of the enervating influence and political danger resulting from a long peace. The hypochon- driacal captain seems to have compared notes with that severe satirist Juvenal, who roundly denounces it as the scourge of human nature :— " Nunc patimur longse pacis mala: Saevior armis Luxuria incubuit, victumque ulciscitur orbem." Sat. vi. 29i?. in WET DAY— CLUB. " Well, just as I thought ! — here's the whole ac- count!" — " What ! what is it?" cried several voices together. " Why, only one o' your Polar lions returned with his tail between his legs." — " Really !" — " Aye, and I'm curs'd if we sha'n't have the great North bear soon following in his rear, with the star-gazing crew wheeled up, papers and all, by a barrow together, to the Admiralty. The * Courier* was now eagerly grasped at, by hands enough to threaten its being torn to pieces before the curiosity of any one could be gratified, whilst the voluble officer continued : — " What the deuce is the use of the thing after all ? — What have they ever done, but christen capes and headlands after heads of de- partments, and islands after lay-lords ? — shouldn't wonder if they name them after lying-in ladies next !" To a grave gentleman, who was bold enough to take up the defence of the expedition, a pragmatical elderly quiz by the fire addressed the oft-quoted and triumphant query, " cuibono ? " — " Bones, oh ! I'll bet," said our lively friend, I ■ WET DAY — CLUB. 175 whole ac- Bral voices *olar lions legs."- we sha'n't ing in his eeled up, er, to the V eagerly reaten its ity of any ble officer use of the done, but ads of de- -shouldn't y-in ladies was bold pedition, a addressed cut bono?** i\y friend, " a hundred to fifty, they'll leave them there yet." " But," rejoined the grave gentleman, " you will 7 confess they have contributed essentially to the progress of science by their valuable discoveries.", ■ — " Aye ; but who can read it ? Don't all their mmeralogy and geology end in an apology for the price of their books ?" (a laugh.) " I tell you it's all a job, sir." The tides of wit and argument appearing to run nearly as strongly against the expedition, as those which it had experienced off Repulse Bay and the Frozen Straits, the grave apologist of our enterprizing navigator resigned the unequal contest, sarcastically observing at parting, " Well, gentlemen, it gives me plea- sure to perceive you can be unanimous on any subject ;" a sneer which a young wag of a com- mander, more remarKiible for his good-humour than the choice of his metaphors, followed up by exclaiming, " Haul off, Harry ! your fire can never hurt 'em — every one knows you were late at Solomon's Levee." The laugh which ac- companied this sally, convinced its author this 1*76 WET DAY — CLUB. was the moment to retire with eclat from '* the sharp encounter of keen wits." He quickly dis- appeared, leaving his antagonist to unravel, as fast as his limited capacity would permit, the humorous connexion, thus traced, between him- self and the first Sage of antiquity. In an appendix containing the principles and practice of constructing ships as invented and introduced by Sir Robert Seppings, surveyor of his Majesty's navy, by John Knowles, f.r.s., &c. &c. &c." the author, after enumerating the many advantages attending circular sterns, says, that by this construction, ** the danger arising from being pooped is considerably diminished, if not wholly prevented." In the teeth of this assertion, which implies, that ships with circular sterns are considered to be the safest for scudding, we ask, how does it happen that the attention of our naval architects, who patronize this plan, has never been directed to flush-built vessels, a class w^ rom "the iiickly dis- nravel, as ermit, the veen him- ^iples and ented and irveyor of eSj FaIv*S>J ating the ;rns, says, er arising inished, if h of this h circular scudding, ttention of i plan, has Is, a class MET DAV — CLUB. 177 which are, more than any other, liable to accidents from being pooped? Yet, these are the only vessels in his Majesty's service on which this experiment has not been tried. There can be no question, as far as strength goes, the square stern must yield to the circular; but there are other points equally as important to be taken into consideration, more particularly as to the policy of their introduction. Subsequently to committing these observations to paper, the following note appeared in the supplementary part of Admiral Ekin's elaborate work on " Naval Battles." In allusion to a letter from Sir Robert Sep- pings to Lord Viscount Melville, on the advan- tages of circular sterns, the admiral quaintly observes, that " Sir Robert has quoted the opinion of an eminent French engineer. Monsieur Charles Dupin, who is in great admiration of them. It may, therefore, be fair to quote (adds the admiral) another Frenchman upon the same. *' A captain in the French naval service, greatly distinguished VOL. I. N ITS WET DAY — CLUB. for skill and gallantry in defending his frigate in a single action early in the revolutionary war, very lately, at Paris, on meeting with a British officer of rank and distinction, expressed his astonishment that we who had hitherto beat them, and chased and drove them over the seas in every direction, should be the ^rst to teach them, by these new circular sterns, the best mode of arming their ships for defence in future." — (December 1823.) We are aware that, among some of the first officers in the service, a difference of opinion exists on the propriety of circular sterns being introduced in our navy; and that many who formerly derided them, have lately become con- verts in favour of their adoption. It is, however, to be hoped, that those shipwrights who have hitherto only turned their attention to increasing the strength of our ships' sterns, both in point of architecture and artillery, will now provide means to make their bows, as a battery, equally as formidable. rigate in ary war, a British issed his eat them, i in every them, by of arming December [le of the )f opinion rns being any who !ome con- however, vho have ncreasing in point V provide r, equally COAST BLOCKADE. " Smuggling, though a real offence, is owing to the laws them- fielves ; for the higher the duties, the greater is the advantage, and, consequently, the temptation ; which temptation is increased by the facility of perpetration, when the circumference tliat is guarded is of great extent, and the merchandize prohibited small in bulk."— fltfccarw. In the present state of our excise laws and prohibitory duties, there is perhaps no part of our naval service which more demands the atten- tion of the government of the country, or is more an object of its interest, than the ^' Coast Block- ade" for the prevention of smuggling, or that improved system of naval guard originating in the p'-eventive service. N 2 180 COAST BLOCKADE. K •-* .1 The system has been matured by degrees, and though acquiring instruction by repeated defeat, and strengthening the rigours of its discipline so as to meet every possible case of meditated fraud by fresh caution, increased watchfulness, and un- abating exertion, it has been, and continues to be, we regret to say, too successfully opposed by the sagacity, skill, resolution, and daring intrepidity of tl^e smugglers ; more particularly on our south- ern and eastern coast, where the difficulties are such as might induce less desperate men to con- clude the chance of landing contraband goods was altogether hopeless. The regulations of this service combine a sys- tem of both reward and punishment. A propor- tion of the goods taken being divided amongst the men, with the certainty of a better rating in cases of exemplary conduct and personal alacrity, proves a strong stimulus to the performance ofv their arduous duty. Superadded to the ordinary inducements to enter in this service, by one of its regulations seamen in the enjoyment of pen- '■I COAST BLOCKADE. 181 jrees, and :ed defeat, helpline so ated fraud », and un- lues to be, ed by the ntrepidity our south- culties are bn to con- and goods bine a sys- A propor- d amongst • rating in al alacrity, )rmance ofv e ordinary by one of nt of pen- sions are entitled to retain those pensions after entering the " Coast Blockade," although, had these seamen, instead of entering this service, re-entered on board other men-of-war, the pay- ment of their pensions would have ceased pend- ing the period of renewed service.* Nor^are the terrors of an inquisitorial system of discipline wanting, to enforce the due observance of the most rigid regulations. The watch in day-time is stationed either on the margin of the tide, or on headlands command- ing an extensive prospect ; at night the men are extended along the coast within hail of each other, and invariably on the verge of the sea as it rises or falls. When on duty, all intercourse, or even ordinary communication, with either stranger or acquaintance, is strictly forbidden .-—even when * In the case of sailors who have served on board ships of war re-entering for the " Coast Blockade" service, their time for en- titling them to pensions, or their increase if they already have pensions, goes on, and is calculated at the Navy-ofRce in the same way as if they re-entered on board of any other king's-slup^ N 3 182 COAST BLOCKADE. I; off duty, the men are interdicted from all commu- nication with the neighbouring inhabitants, and more particularly from ever entering a public- house. No severity of weather is allowed as a pre- text for seeking a temporary shelter, or retreating from the line of water- mark guard : a duty whose hardship is increased by the regulation that each man has six hours out and six hours in, twice in every twenty-four, besides other claims of duty on hi^ time. A departure from any of these regulations is visited by degradation, discharge, or, in cases of flagrant breach of duty, transporta- tion on board the frigate on the station, where the offence is punishable under the articles of war. In this brief expression of a conviction, that the service is as well calculated as any thing can be to effect, what most consider to be impossible, it is not to be inferred that we deem the " Coast Blockade'* the legitimate occupation of naval officers ; nor yet imagine it will ever, as some suppose, essentially serve as a nursery for seamen. To prove that it is not ever likely to be a popular COAST BLOCKADE. 183 1 commu- ants, and a piiblic- as a pre- 'elreating ity whose that eacli twice in s of duty of these lischargei ansporta- vhere the )f war. ion, that Jbing can tpossible, « Coast af naval as some seamen. popular service, amongst even naval men, we need only appeal to their general disinclination to the ser- vice, from an apprehension, that accepting an appointment in it may be a bar to their future employment afloat. That it will fail as a nursery for seamen may be inferred, as well from their being principally employed on shore, as from the fact that able seamen or petty officers of men-of- war rarely enter. The roll is thus filled for the most part (if by " Blue Jackets") by waisters from discharged crews, or, which is more frequent, by unskilled though hardy Irish landsmen, whose estrangement from the sentiments, habits, and religion of those placed under their surveillance, seems to point them out as peculiarly adapted for a service, whose basis consists in an invidious watchfulness over others, and an hostile segrega- tion from their fellow men. The spring-tide of knowledge and improve- ment has recently risen so much above the high- water mark of past ages, that the political theories on which we fondly bottomed our national pros- N 4 y I 184 (OAST BLOCK A DK. •I '^> UK* ! I.. i ;■■ perity, are hourly sweeping like sand from beneath our feet. This is an age of revolutions ; but they are happily effected by the winning influence of reason, and the bloodless effort of mind. The darling doctrines of monopolies in commerce, export bounties, and restrictive duties on im- portation, formerly the mounds of our maritime policy, are remorselessly levelled by an enlight- ened Legislature; and, the President of the "Board of Tr^de," at the moment we write, proposes a change in our navigation laws, which erst, even to have hinted at, would have produced his im- peachment ; and, from the prevailing liberality of commercial men, there is no doubt the generous experiment will be fairly tried. The same autho- rity has prophesied the inevitable downfall of contraband trade, by the intended removal of excessive import-duties on those articles which produce the greatest profit to the smuggler. Predictions emanating from such men, not un- frequently surprise the public by the unexpected rapidity of their fulfilment. COAST BLOCK A DE. 185 II beneath but they luence of nd. The ommerce, s on im- maritime 1 enlight- le" Board roposes a Tst, even 5d his im- )erality of generous ne autho- wnfall of moval of es which smuggler, not iin- lexpected Before the service, as well as the objections to it, become mere matter of history, we may be pardoned for attempting to describe the dangers incident to this service when on duty afloat, by what, we regret to say, is too authentic in most of its particulars to be denominated A TALE. It was late in the afternoon of a gloomy day in the latter part of November, when, in con- sequence of a signal made that a suspicious sail was seen off the coast, as if waiting for the flow- ing of the tide in the dark. Lieutenant had given orders to man his favourite galley, and pro- ceed in quest of the stranger. The crew had been carefully, though to appearance hastily, selected from those inured to service, and bearing a character for intrepidity, some of whom had been the partners of an enterprize which was ever uppermost in his mind, when amongst the first to board the American frigate Chesapeake, 186 COAST BLOCKADE. >u as a young midshipman, he was stretched on the deck by the stroke of a cutLiss on the head. The strokesman of the boat, whose brawny arms had borne him on that memorable day to the cock- pit of the Shannon, as soon as the Americans had deserted their deck, and fled for safety below, as he now shipped the rudder, looked wistfully in the wind's eye. The glance was not unobserved ; but the lieutenant, apprehensive that it might be accotnpanied by some remonstrance (a liberty which Jack considered himself exclusively privi- leged to take), quietly motioned him to go for- ward, in order to hoist the main-sail. The boat being shoved off the beach, after pitching twice in the surf, rose triumphantly over the third sea, which had now exhausted itself. In a moment the sail was hoisted ; she instantly gathered way, and stood-ofF in a lateral direction from the shore. Tlie men seated themselves regularly on the thwarts, and the strokesman, after reeving the main-sheet through the fair-leader abaft, sat with it in his hand in such a position on the after- COAST BLOCKADE. 187 ;d OD the the head, wny arms > the cock- icans had ity below, istfully in observed ; might be (a liberty ely privi- ;o go for- The boat ling twice third sea, I moment lered way, the shore. y on the eving the t, sat with the after- tiiwart, that, though his face was uirncd to wind- ward, his eye would occasionally meet that of his commander. As the light-boat lay down to tlie wind, and became steady in her course towards the chase, the crew had time to look around them. The strokesman's eye was alternately turned from that part of the heavens, where he had vainly sought for any encouraging appear- ances amidst the portentous indications of a -wild wintry sky, to the beach; where, in a lonely romantic gorge, skirted with verdure and leafless underwood, between two grey beetling cliffs, was discovered the compact white -wooden station house of the party, with its signal post and mi- niature glacis descending almost to high-water- mark. His look betrayed unusual emotion, in one of his years and service, possibly occasioned by the intrusive officiousness of the remembrance, that there were garnered up the source of his best affections — his wife and innocent little prat- tlers, whom, through some unaccountable pre- sentiment, he foreboded he should never see more. 188 COAST BLOCKADE. f4%} •^^' A tear might have glazed the veteran's eye at the moment ; for, as if unwilling to be longer a witness of the struggle between tenderness and duty, the lieutenant a,ddressed him in a tone of evidently assumed ease, and inquired if the arm- chest had been kept dry ? Receiving an answer in the affirmative, and having ascertained that each man had his cutlass beside him, he pro- ceeded to examine the priming of his pistols, whidh he finally placed in his waistbelt, and wrapped himself in a cloak which had been spread for him in the stern-sheets abaft. Taking advantage of the first heavy swell, he rose in the boat to catch a glimpse of the strange sail in the offing, which was discovered broad on the lee- bow. Having directed the attention of the bow- man to her position, both resumed their seats, and the lieutenant shaped his course so as to board her on the quarter. Not a word, as yet, had escaped the lips of any of his men, who sat cowering in a bending attitude, with elevated shoulders and arms crossed, fearful of changing COAST BLOCKADE. 189 ns eye at longer a irness and a tone of the arm- in answer lined that he pro- is pistols, tbelt, and bad been . Taking 3se in the iail in the 1 the lee- ' the bow- leir seats, so as to d, as yet, , who sat 1 elevated changing the position of a limb, lest it should occa- sion any alteration in the boat's trim. Tlius aided by every effort of art, and impelled by a light breeze, the galley soon gained rapidly on the chase; which, perceiving tha? the boat from the shore was evidently about to pursue her, bore round-up, making all the sail she could carry before the wind. The bowman, just then look- ing under the foot of the lug, pronounced her to be a large lugger, which he had before seen on the station, under similarly suspicious circum- stances. The lieutenant, putting up the helm, instantly edged into her wake, and followed pre- cisely her track. A short period, however, sufficed to shew that the chase, from the quan- tity of sail she was enabled to carry, had deci- dedly the advantage ; and the wind continuing to freshen as the tide set in, she rapidly dis- tanced her pursuer. In half-an-hour she was hull down ; the haze of evening growing every moment thicker, she became almost impercep- tible to the view. The men now involuntarily 1!)0 COAST BLOCKADE. turned iheir eyes, which had hitherto been strained on the chase, to the stern of the galley ; the appeal was unnecessary — the lieutenant was already occupied in council with the coxswain: his trusty favourite hesitated not to dissuade him, in terms respectful, yet decisive, from continuing so unequal a chase ; more particularly as there was no chance, in the dark, of communicating by signal, either with the shore or any cruizer which might be then off the station. A heavy swell had now set in from the same point in which the wind had continued all day. The sun had set with every indication of stormy weather ; a pale yellow streak of light over the land, partly reflected on the east, formed the only contrast to the general murky gloom of the horizon ; across which the gull, and other sea-fowl, hastily fled the approach of the gale, already indicated by the swift drifting of the scud, which overtook them in their flight, and suddenly enveloped all in darkness, without the intervention of twilight. They had got so far to leeward, that to return COAST BLOCKADE. 191 erto been he galley ; enant was coxswain : iuade him, continuing r as there licating by izer which ;avy swell in which sun had eather ; a id, partly 7 contrast horizon ; vl, hastily indicated overtook eloped all ' twilight. :o return with the lug was impossible. The sail had already been lowered, the mast struck^ and the boat brought head to wind ; when the crew, shipping their oars, bent their broad shoulders to pull her through the heavy sea, which flung itself in sheets of spray over the bows, and drenched every man on board. It was soon found that oars were unavailing to contend against the force of a sea like this, in which it was scarcely possible so small and delicate a bark should live much longer. The waves were rolling from the main with aggravated violence, and the united strength of the men could barely keep her head to wind ; who, perceiving there was no longer the slightest prospect of making any progress^ or the wind moderating, sullenly contented themselves with hanging on their oars. Appre- hension soon put an end to all subordination. Remonstrances on the impossibility of success- fully persevering in 'their present course, were now muttered by every seaman, except the cox- swain, whose features betrayed, notwithstanding. 192 COAST BLOCKADE. ';;''!*■ li .y^: 14, no less anxiety than tiie rest. A heavy sen, which now struck the larboard bow, making, in consequence of its being impossible for the crew to keep the boat's head on, a rapid accumidation of water every minute, soon de- cided the reluctant lieutenant to run (though at the obvious hazard of her destruction) the boat ashore in the first situation which might oifer a chance of saving the lives of bis brave com- panions. " Lay in your oars, my lads," cried he, "step the short mast — close-reef the storm- lug: we must run all hazards, and beach the galley under canvass." Whilst executing this order, the bowman sung out, " a sail close aboard, sir ; if she don't keep her luff, she'll run us right down." — " Luff, luff !" exclaimed aloud every man in the boat. The lugger's course, however, re- maining unaltered, there could be now no doubt that she had seen them first, and perceiving her to be a king's boat, h«r object was to run clean over the galley, by taking her right abeam. Destruction appeared inevitable in their helpless COAST BLOCKAUF,. 193 beavy sen, , making, )ssible for 1, a rapid , soon de- though at ) the boat rht offer a »rave com- ids," cried the storm- beach the ;uting this )se aboard, n us right every man wever, re- no doubt perceiving i^as to run rht abeam, ir helpless condition. A shriek of despair, mingled with execrations, succeeded as she neared the galley, when the lieutenant rose in the boat, levelled his pistol at the steersman, and fired : the hand which grasped the tiller relaxed its hold, and the miscreant his life. The lugger in- stantly broached-to, passing to the windward of the boat,—" Out oars, my lads," said the lieu- tenant, " we'll board the villains." — " Aye, aye, sir," exclaimed several voices, with an alacrity which might be taken for the surest earnest of meditated revenge. The oars were again manned, the boat in the mean time pitching bows under, and shipping green seas fore-and-aft. Before she liad got way on her, two of the weather oars snapt short in the rullocks, and her intention to board being suspected by the smuggler, she had no sooner paid-olf, so as to get the wind again abaft the beam, than shaping a course edging in for the land, she quickly dropped the galley astern. Having run so far to leeward in the former chase, no one was now able to decide on VOL. I. o 194 COAST BLOCKADE. *,* |( ,-> t what part of the shore an attempt to land might be practicable; all was darkness around; and although, from two or three flashes, discernible at an elevation considerably above the sea, and which appeared to be signals made from the heights to assist the desperate outlaws they had just encountered, there was no doubt they could be at no great distance from the land, still to follow her was to brave unseen dangers. The meri were clamorous to hoist the lug and give chase; a sentiment in which the unpresuming coxswain concurred, as he observed, ** that cap- ture or no capture, they were more likely to find a smooth by following the lugger, which clearly was herself making for the beach." A heavy lurch, which nearly swamped the boat, soon created unanimity. The lug was hoisted at all hazards, and the lieutenant putting the helm-up, she flew with inconceivable velocity in the lug ger's wake, though not without imminent danger of being pooped by every successive sea. The roaring of the surf was now distinctly heard ; and COAST BLOCKADE. 195 land might ouncl; and icernible at 3 sea, and from the » they had they could nd, still to ^ers. The f and give (presuming that cap- ely to find ich clearly A heavy boat, soon sted at all 2 helm-up, n the lug ent danger sea. The leard; and soon the whole scene was lighted-up by its lumi- nous appearance. The bowman, alarmed, now vociferated, " Breakers a-head ! — hard-down, sir, hard-down !" Before the word was repeated she had entered the frightfully agitated element. — " Down with the sail, or we're lost !" exclaimed the crew. — " Hold-on ! hold-on every thing !" cried the veteran, " *tis our only chance to beach her." The surf now reared itself in boiling masses higher than the mast, and as it fell, thun- dering on the shore, the wild din burst on the affrighted ears of the seamen like successive salvos of heavy artillery. An enormous sea, striking her on the quarter, swept her broadside to the surf, washing out the lieutenant, with one of the crew ; and the next, bursting with wilder fury, turned her bottom-upwards, burying be- neath her the seven unhappy seamen in one common grave. o 2 JACK'S ECCENTRICITIES. BRITISH BULL.DOGS. 14^ To prove the sort of stuff our tars are made of has been well compared to the toughest of all materials—" heart of oak,"— it is only necessary to mention a well-attested anecdote of the con- duct of the Barfleva's ship's-company, on the oc- casion of Sir Robert Calder's declining to renew his engagement with Villeneuve. As soon as it was discernible that such was the intention of the admiral, from the circumstance of the course of the British fleet continuing unchanged under easy sail, whilst Villeneuve " bore-up" in a con- JACK 5 ECC£NTRICIT1£8. 197 :s. ire made of liest of all Y necessary )f the con- on the oc- g to renew ^s soon as ntention of the course nged under ' in a con- trary direction, an unusual bustle was observable on the forecastle of the Barfleur, The risible muscles of her gallant commander (Sir George Martin) were destined to be put to the proof by the following address from the " chief-boatswain*s-mate," who now stood be- fore him as spokesman of the crew, assembled aft in a body : " Please, sir, axes your pardon, but the * ship's-company' bid me say, they wished as how you'd command o* the fleet, sir; 'kase, sir, it looks (hope no offence, sir,) as if the ad- miral was inclined to tarn tail on the enemy — mean no harm, sir — but we*re all on us old Tri- umphs* — never did the like afore, and it's very hard for old hands to take to a new trade." The smile, which had been excited by the comic manner in which this veteran deputation had opened its mission, had, before the conclu- sion of this honest appeal, yielded to an expres- • Most of the Barfleur' s ship's-company were composed of the crew of the Triumph, which had distinguished herself in Duncan's gallant action, and Cornwallis's no less celebrated retreat. c) 3 I! 198 JACKS ECCENTIIICITIES. sion more of " sorrow than of anger." The captain was, as in duty bound, obliged, however, to suppress his feelings, and dismiss them with a slight rebuke. THE NONDESCRIPT— A SEA BULL. A^N Irishman, who served on board a man-of- war in the capacity of a waister,* was selected by one of the officers to haul in a towline, of considerable length, that was towing ov^r the tafferail.f After rowsing-in forty or fifty fathoms, which had put his patience severely to proof, as well as every muscle of his arms, he muttered to himself, " By my soul, it's as long as to-day and to- morrow !"— " it's a good week's work for any five in the ship !" — " bad luck to the arm or leg, it'll lave me at last !" — " what ! more of it yet ! — och, murder ! the sa's mighty deep, to be sure !" '* Laticlsmun. f Pronounced tallcl. jack's eccentricities. 199 » r." The , however, lem with a When, after continuing in a similar strain, and conceiving there was little probability of the com- pletion of his labour, he stopped suddenly short) and addressing the officer of the watch, exclaimed, " Bad manners to me, sir, if I don't think some- body's cut off the other end of it!" LL. a man-of- is selected pwline, of ov^ the y fathoms, 3 proof, as uttered to ay and to- r any five •rleg, it'll et ! — och, »e sure ' ifft'l. f'> DOUBLE-DEALING. The tenets of Methodism were introduced, about the middle of the French revolutionary war, on board of a ninety-eight gun-ship, for the first time, to the family of Neptune, The principal preacher was an officer of dis- tinguished merit in the service, and certainly on the ^^ first of June" proved himself, if possible, more of a seaman than a saint. He, however, conceived that, as a corollary to o 4» - 200 JACK S ECCENTRICITIKS. 3 :: ■Si P' Xi ■f|i: iiis own conversion, it became his duty, as long as he had any control over people in this world, to prepare tliem for the next, and therefore not only established on board religious " preparatory schools," but also distributed to the ship's com- pany a variety of tracts and pious " experiences." Several, from interested motives, affected to be converted; sang psalms* and spiritual songs with vociferous piety; sported the language of Canaan as their vernacular ; were enrolled as class-brothers and band-brothers, and acted so * Possibly the officer here alluded to might have formed his practice upon a precedent as old as the period of Cromwell and good Queen Bess. An elegant and ingenious writer says, " Psalms were practised by the Puritans in the reign of Elizabeth ; for Shakspeare notices the Puritan of his day singing psalms to iiornpipes, and more particularly during the Protectorate of Crom- well, on the same i)lan of accommodating them to popular tunes and jigs, which one of them said 'were too good for the devil.' Psalms were now sung at Lord Mayors' dinners and city feasts ; soldiers sang them on their march and at parade ; and few houses, which had windows fronting the streets, but had their evening psalms ; for a story has come down to us, to record that the hy- pocritical brotherhood did not always care to sing unless they were heard !" JACK S ECtENTllICITIES. 201 as long us world, to efore not •eparatory iip*s com- eriences." ted to be lal songs iguage of trolled as acted so e formed hik 'romwell and writer says, of Elizabeth; ng psalms to ate of Crom- opular tunes r the devil.' i city feasts ; t few houses, lieir evening hat tlie hy- unlesM they admirably the part of *' Caittwell,'^ as to have pro- cured from the spiritual patron many promises and engagements — which were never kept, owing, perhaps, to the difficulties which the admiral (notwithstanding the high opinion entertained of the solvency of the bank of faith) would have had to encounter, in discharging claims at once so pressing and multifarious. This system, however, of unblushing cant and hypocrisy continued for a considerable period, until the admiral's flag was struck, when all doubts were set aside as to the deception being mutual. Scarcely had he shoved off from the ship in his barge, before the principal creditor of the afore- said bank, and loudest songster in this floating Zion, whose zeal had been so often applauded, and piety pointed out as a pattern to less presum- ing converts by his patron, jumped down on the lower-deck, exclaiming aloud, " D — n the psalm- singing old son of a b — I there he goes, — bl — t him ! I did think toVe sung him out of a * gun- ner's warrant,* but it wou'dnt gee 1" 1 1 202 JACK S ECCENTRICITIES. NO-WAY NICE J OR, NAUTICAL NUPTIALS. Tlierc swims no goose so gray, but, soon or hitc, She finds some honest gander for her mate." POPE. II i Sailors are generally supposed to be the most straight-forward people in the world; though, perhaps, in either shaping a petition or soliciting a personal favour, there are no set of men who resort to such round-about means to accomplish their purpose. A seaman, whose ship was on the point of sail- ing from Spithead, was extremely solicitous to obtain permission to go on shore, for the purpose of leading to the altar one of the chaste syrens of Sallyport Joe, during the time the ship's company were at dinner, was seen dodging about the decks, " backing and filling," for a favourable opportu- nity to make his simple appeal to the sterner feel- JACK S ECCENTRICITIES. 203 'TIALS. ate, POPE. the most ; though, soliciting men who ccomplish It of sail- icitoiis to e purpose syrens of >any were le decks, opportu- rner feel- ings of the first lieutenant. He at length, how- ever, appeared to have " screwed-up his courage to the sticking place," and made an effort to go aft, with a countenance strongly indicating a convic- tion of the hopelessness of such an application, on the point of sailing; or, which is the more probable, from a latent qualm of conscience, as to the real propriety of his indulging further the plan he had so eagerly and innocently projected, to insure his happiness for life. In his approach to the lieutenant, he bore more the appearance of a criminal leading out to exe- cution, than of an anxious bridegroom on the eve of the consummation of all his eager wishes. But he felt it was now too late to retract, so he pro- ceeded to open the business, with an awkward in- flexion of the body, and a twist of his shoulders, as a token of profound respect. As yet a word had not escaped him, and it ap- peared still problematical whether, without en- couragement, his timidity would not compel him (o carry his secret with him to the grave. I- 204. ■-» JACK S ECCENTRICITIES. f H? !- --4|«' CI ,.^- His head hung down, and, except that now and then he stole an anxious furtive glance at the lieutenant, to help him out at guessing how the " wind lay," his eyes were intently fixed on the buckle of his hat-band, which he alternately twiddled with the fore-finger and thumb of both hands, whilst, in a suppliant tone, he hesitatingly began, " Please, sir, Fve a bit of a favour to ax." — " Well, my man, what is it ?" replied the lieu- tenant. — " I know," rejoined Joe, " it*s more al- most nor a man can expect :— ship under orders for sea — single anchor — and the likes of that ere, sir : though, to be sure, it*s only once in a way — perhaps never have to ax the similar again. Just — grant permission, i* you please, sir," — alternately shifting his legs as he jerked out his words : when the lieutenant, betraying a little impatience, pet- tishly exclaimed, " Well, why the d — 1 don*t you say what you want ?" — " Once give the word, sir," says Joe — "soon clinch the concarn !" — " Concern !" ejaculated the lieutenant, " why, what concerns you now ?" — " Axes your pardon, jack's eccentricities. 205 ►ur to ax. sir — nothing more nor to settle a small matter 'twixt Sal and myself — give you my word, sir — won't break my libeity — be off' to my time, sir — 'sides the-e-e girl, you see, sir — " — " The girl be d — d !" exclaimed the lieutenant ; " you don't mean to say, you want to be spliced to that bare-faced hussey that was aboard ?" — " Yes, i' you please, sir ; the strands are unlaid." — " Un- laid !" said the lieutenant ; " you deserve to have the cat laid on your back for being such an infernal fool. Can you offer," continued he, in a somewhat more pacified tone, " the least plausi- ble reason for even thinking of marrying so com- mon a strumpet?" — "Yes, sir," said Joe, reply- ing more promptly than hitherto, and with an air of self-satisfaction, indicating hopes of carrying conviction as well as his point, " yes, sir ; 'kase whenever the ship comes into port, and she^s aboard of another, I can always shove alongside and claim her as my own /" '^OCy i-» JACK .S ECCF.NTRICITIKS. SYNONYMOUS TERMS. ^ ^ By way of inducing our tars to volunteer for the late Algerine ex pedit ion , Government gran ted them a liheral bounty, equivalent to two months* pay, which was officially termed by the Admiralty " gratuitous money." The application of this phrase, however, unintentionally by Jack, was razeed into one perhaps equally as apt, for when- ever the pay clerks visited the ships at Sheerness, for the purpose of distributing this boon, the ge- neral cry among their crews was, " Way aft there, boys, for your gratitude money." Every officer imagined there was more vraisemblance in the term applied by Jack than by his master. SWINDLING THE SHARKS; or, JACK A LEG. The habits of a sailor are so totally at variance witli those of ;i landsman, that in most instances jack's fxcentricities. 207 unteer for nt granted m months' Admiralty )n of this Jack, was for when- Sheerness, >n, the ge- / aft there, ery officer ce in the r. A LEG. t variance instances 1 ih le not only rnia^jnies t » he must pay more dearly for his enjoyments than others, but thinks himself lucky if, in the first jovial night's cruize ashore, he happens to baffle the Philistines and Amazons, and even reserves for himself a single shot in the locker. An unsuspecting tar of this complexion was ob- served, a short time since, at two p. m., reeling out of one of the unhallowed purlieus of Drury Lane. He had no sooner brought up in smooth water, than, choosing a snug birth, as he sup- nosed out of observation, between two buttres- ses of the piazza, he began overhauling his traps, first turning out the pockets of his trowsers; both were alike empty, which induced him to turn his quid, and ruminate for a moment. His 'bacco-box, jacket, and waistcoat pockets under- went a similarly fruitless survey ; the very lining of his hat was rummaged — still no effects ! Here one might have read in his rueful countenance the full conviction that he was hard-up on a lee- shore, and l)reakers a-head. As a last hope, ho 208 JACK S ECCENTRICITIES. proceeded doiibtingly to unknot the black Barce- lona from around his neck, which he shook care- lessly between finger and thumb, until he dis- covered a flimsy ^tll^ fall on the kirb-stone. Poor Jeffry the sailor, when left by his captain to starve on a desolate island, never felt more lively joy at perceiving a vessel bear-up to his rescue, than did our hardy tar at discovering those well-known white figures on a black ground, wh'ich announced it to be a genuine Henry Hast for FIVE POUNDS. Delight brightened every fea- ture, and his past despondency appeared to be suc- ceeded by comparative content, notwithstanding that it was but a few hours since he had ten times the sum ; so, thrusting it in his 'bacco-box, from which he took a refresher, he slapped his thigh -exultingly, and muttered to himself, with a good- humoured laugh, " D — n the lubberly pirates ! I've done 'em for once." JACKS ECCENTRICITIES. S0«) LOST AND FO[JND.* Whilst tlie Active was employed in tlie Just war up the Mecliterraneai;, an officer was sent on hoard a merchantman upon the disagi rd'ok diiiy of impressment. The seaman seJocle;!, dexterously enough, pleaded his incapacity to serve in a man- of-war. Resorting to raillery in the first instance, he endeavoured, as sailors say, to come " cripple- gate" over the lieutenant, and thus opened his fire : — " I suppose you'll get me a * cook's-warrant' if I enter ? What else is a fellow, without the use of hoth arms, fit for ? — Soon glad to get rid o' me, I guess." The lieutenant, as alive to his motives as himself, disdained all parley, and ordered at once his bed and baggage into the boat. Jack now solemnly declaring he was a " cripple from his cradle, and that both captain and mate could sartify the same, being unable to lift his hand to * This anecdote has, in part, previously appeared in print. Being then furnished by the uutlior, he feels justified in intro- ducing it here as original. VOL. I. P aio JACK 8 ECCENTRICITIES. his head, much more go aloft; moreover, he was an American born." In the lieutenant's mind, his logic was less sound than his arm — so shipped he was. Upon examination by the surgeon, the lieutenant's opinion was corroborated: still the arm pro- nounced to be sound hung motionless by his side, though the captain (the present Sir James Gordon) often, in a tone of jocularity so pecu- liarly his own, and so winning in a superior, reminded him of his good luck in falling-in with a ship whose surgeon was so particularly skilful in fishing sprung spars. No amendment was however observable. The Active continued two years on the Medi- terranean station, and though subjected to a se- cret and strict watch, both night and day, J — 's faithful arm never betrayed the slightest muscu- lar motion. Being suspected to be an excellent seaman, he was plied with every inducement and argument to desist from an unprofitable and unavailing imposture. He still appealed to liis jack's eccentricities. 211 eover, he 3 was less as. Upon eutenant's arm pro- 2SS by his Sir James :y so pecu- L superior, ng-in with arly skilful [Iment was the Medi- ed to a se- day, J — 's est muscu- ti excellent ement and itable and aled to liis helplessness as a full title to his discharge, and though appointed to the most degrading duties, as sweeper and scavenger, his infirmity continued inflexible to the last. In an engagement with an enemy's squadron, his captain had stationed him on the quarter-deck so as to be under his own eye. During the heat of the action he never lost sight of his darling object, preserving the most perfect presence of mind, recollecting that if he had " one hand for the king, the other was for himself;" for though fight- ing like a lion, it was observed that one arm only was employed at the gun-tackle-fall. His gallant commander, now falling severely wounded, that important secret, which neither artifice, encou- ragement, threats, disgrace, or even the din of battle could induce him to reveal, the generous feeling of humane concern for his esteemed com- mander's misfortune betrayed in a moment. The honest tar, completely off his guard, was the first to pick up his mangled officer in both his arms. The grand discovery was first made by Sir James, }• 2 213 .1 A ( R S ECTF. NT R I C I T I F,S. who, though deprived of a limb, widi admirable coolness, observed, — " Well, my boy, if I've lost a leg, Fm glad to see you've found an arm." As the reader will anticipate, he soon proved one of the best seamen of a " crack crew," and was ultimately promoted for his exemplary conduct. e LITERiE SCRIPTiE; or, " FORCED-MEAT BALLS." That neither the eccentricities nor spirit of the profession is confined to the Jacks, but is sometimes partaken in an eminent degree by their officers, may be strikingly elucidated by an anecdote, which, in its detail, furnishes alternately food for mirth and admiration. A noble officer, who had rendered himself, by his peevish and oppressive spirit, deservedly un- popular in the navy, experienced, upon one occasion, the mortification of receiving from his lieutenant a refusal to be present at the usual ulmirable f I've lost rm." As roved one and was conduct. r BALLS." ' spirit of ^ks, but is degree by ted by an ilternately imself, by rvedly un- upon one ; from his the usual JACK S ECCENTIUCITIES. 213 routine dinner given to officers by their noble captain. His lordship being highly incensed, called upon the lieutenant for an explanation of the answer to the steward's invitation ; who, as is usual, had presented the captain's compliments, stating his lordship would be glad of his company to dinner : to which the lieutenant had replied — " My compliments to the captain, I shall be glad of no such thing." To a personal i;?timation from his lordship, that he should consider it a contempt, the lieu- tenant bluntly replied, — " Does your lordship intend to make it a point of service?" — " I do, sir." — " Well then, before I comply, I must have a written order." — " That you shall, sir !" said his lordship ; and descending into his cabin, and sending for his clerk, the order, after mature deliberation as to its official form and tenor, was at length concocted by their joint labours. The lieutenant, of course, appeared in his place at dinner-time; and contiary to the ex- I' 3 214 JAfK S ECCENTRRITIKS. pectatiun of all, not only concealed his mor- tification, but assumed a more than ordinary proportion of complaisance and cordiality to his inferiors; studiously avoiding, as far as in him lay, all greeting or communication with his com- mander : who now began to experience the pains of the fiend in Eden, in witnessing a scene of hilarity, which was not only unwonted at his table, but from which, it was obvious, he was in- tended to be excluded. The evening, however, stole apace ; the customary pint had been swal- lowed, despite of the captain's dissatisfaction, who, notwithstanding the decanters were empty, gave no intimation to the attendant to replenish them. This never-failing signal for parting com- pany (though perfectly understood) was not re- peated, as was expected, by the lieutenant ; who, according to custom, should have intimated it was time to retire. A short interval sufficed with this spirited officer to form his determination. He rose — rang the bell — the steward appeared, and looked to the captain for his commands : the JACKS ECCENTlllCITIES. 215 US nior- ordinary y to his in him his com- he pains scene of d at his was in- however, ;en swal- :isfaction, re empty, replenish ting com- B not re- nt; who, imated it iced with nination. ppeared, nds: the lieutenant interposed, reiterating, " More wine ! more wine !" Such an assumption of authority in his own cabin was not to be borne. The in- dignant captain rose to put an end at once to this state of anarchy, and unequivocally signified it was his will and pleasure to be alone. The lieutenant, without rising from his seat, addressed him with perfect sang-froid — "My lord, I am here on this service in consequence of a written order, and am resolved (though I came hero against the grain) not to leave it without another." This request was also acceded to ; but will any one imagine the invitation was ever again re- peated ? GLORY ; or, GLAUBER SALTS. In the early part of the French revolutionary war, the captain of the Artois, then on the Chan- nel station, being indisposed, had applied for advice to his surgeon ; who, as in almost all cases p 4 216 JACK. .S ECCENTRICITIES. of temporary ailment on board, where repletion and a full habit is more to be dreaded than ex- haustion of the system, had ordered him to take a dose of that homely medicine, which, in those days, supplied the place of the unexplored che- mical inut a safe was opened Hew (Lord Cleopatr€f on coming same way I crews of the rom the fore- by the French: this mutual defiance to the foe, and encouragement to their respective crews, pro- bably tended to render the action so severe, which, however, was won by dexterous manceuv- ring. A curious circumstance is related of the Colossus, at the battle of Trafalgar, in which she suffered so severely. In the heat of the action, one of the hen-coops being shot away on the poop, a cock flew on the shoulder of Captain Morris, then severely wounded ; and, as if his pugnacious spirit had been roused by the furious conflict he witnessed, flapped his wings and crowed lustily in that situation, to the no small encouragement of the seamen : who, determining not to be outdone by the gallant little biped, swore he was true game, and giving him three cheers, continued the engagement with redoubled alacrity.* But the most decided proof of its * A similar occurrence took place on the ♦* Fir»t of June," on board the Marlborough, fieventy-four. It is well known that this ship was totally dismasted, «nd so completely disabled, that upon the captain (the Honourable G. Berkeley) and «« 328 CHEERING IN ACTION. Utility may be deduced from the case of the PhoB- nix. Captain Baker, and the Z)2di9?i— decidedly the severest single action ever fought. The French captain assured Captain Baker, when taken on board the Phcenix, that the cheers of the British sailors (which, by-the-bye, frequently took place when the Phcenix was in situations the most critical) did him more prejudice, and contri- buted more to his defeat, than the effect of their destructive fire. But the habit is not confined to cases of engagement. In situations of danger, or when extraordinary exertions are required, recourse is always had to cheering, or rather rallying the men : even on common occasions, the first lieutenant (Sir Michael Seymour) being both severely wounded, the remaining officers were deliberating on the propriety of striking to the enemy; when a cock, having escaped from his coop, suddenly perched upon the stump of the main-mast, and crowed sufficiently loud to produce an instantaneous cheer, fore- and-aft, which had the effect of rousing the desponding crew to a renewal of those efforts which ultimately saved the ship. She was shortly after rescued from her perilous situation by prompt »ss)stani;e from other ships. CHEERING IN ACTION. 229 ' the PhcB- idedly the he French taken on ie British took place the most id contri- ct of their t confined of danger, required, or rather occasions, both severely \ the propriety aped from his lain-mast, and us cheer, fore- nding crew to he ship. She on by prompt such as " rousing-up cables," "furling sails," and particularly " heaving at the capstern," the cus- tom has prevailed ; though in better disciplined vessels it is endeavoured to be discountenanced in these latter instances, as occasions unworthy of so strong a demonst' ttion of anxiety or excite- ment. In the case of the Meander y when in distress, making seven feet water an hour, the captain ordered minute-guns to be fired, more from the effect each report of the guns had on the crew, in promoting an instantaneous cheer from the men at the pumps, than probability of their being able to attract notice or assistance — it blowing so hard a gale of wind. In this critical situation, the chaplain of the ship, seeing the effect cheering had upon the crew, stripped, and frequently in turn took a spell at the pumps : less actuated by an expectation v^f being able to render any important service in the preservation of the ship, than from perceiving the encor;- vging effect it produced on the men. Whenever he laid into the winches, he was greeted by a cheer S3 230 CHEERING IN ACTION. 3 and a hearty " hurrah, lads ! now let*s sweat the parson." A fastidious simpleton might have been alarmed for his dignity, and, by retreating from the profanation, forgot that his first duty and highest honour was that of a saver of souls. There certainly are occasions in which a sound discretion may be exercised in this respect. It appears to be a generally-admitted principle, that cheering before going into action is far from de- silrable. Sir George Martin, when the crew of the Barflew'i in Sir Robert Calder's action, would have cheered the Agamemnon on passing her to form the line of battle a-head, dissuaded them, saying, " No, my lads, no cheering yet ; let*s wait till it's over :" — a caution prompted, doubtlessly, by the unaccountable delay observable in bringing the enemy to action* on that occasion. A splendid ; I I * All unnccossjiry delay was not only observable in the conduct of the British admiral, but his mode of approaching the enemy was very unlike that of a naval tactician. The enemy's fleets were first discovered broad on the lee-bow, on the opposite tack ; and, instead of the admiral carrying on a press of sail by the wind, CHEERING IN ACTION. 231 exception to the rule attempted to be established here, occurs in the glorious instance of the Shan- non and Chesapeake^ in which not a sound pre- ceded the discharge of the Shannon's guns, which were fired in succession into the American's ports as he ranged up alongside of his opponent, after " rounding too" within pistol range upon the weather quarter of the latter. In this fight it was deemed, perhaps, expedient by Sir P. Broke, that profound silence should prevail, so as to ensure a strict compliance with his directions, as he depended as much on his superior tactics as on the bravery of his crew. This action was any to either cut through their line or gain the weather-gage, the fleet was kept two points free, each ship with her main- sail up, and top- gallant-sails "lowered on the cap," solely forthe purpose of allowing the Dragon (which ship had the look-out on the lee-quarter, and was the fastest sailer in the fleet) to join with greater facility. By this delay, in thus waiting for one ship, the British admiral not only gave the enemy the advantage of gaining the wind of him, but of commencing the action late in the evening, which, under cover of an occasional fog, was the most desirable occurrence that could have possibly taken place for the enemy. 232 CHEERING IN ACTION. thing but an obstinate engagement, and the vic- tory may be attributed to the superior gunnery, and the admirable state of preparation in which that officer kept his ship. It forms, therefore, no exception to the general inference, that in all cases of danger or difficulty, especially when the effects of temporary depression of spirit or ardour are to be apprehended, the practice is invigorating and salutary. M erf I ROYAL MARINES. The corps of Royal Marines have always con- stituted an important arm of our naval force. Their value, however, was never fully appreciated until the last war, when it became necessary, in consequence of the shyness of the enemy's ves- sels, as well as from the frequency of combined operations by sea and land, to invade their har- bours, and attack not only the shipping under the protection of their forts, but to storm the batteries themselves.* In these services they deported themselves with so much zeal and steady valour, * Even so far back as the year 1705, the, till then deemed im- pregnable, fortress of Gibraltar was taken almost by a coup de main, by Sir George Rooke and the Prince of Hesse, with a small force, consisting of some seamen and marines of the fleet : an acquisition which was then considered undehcrving the thanks of Parliament— ora mutantur ! 23i ROYAL MARINES. s < that a generous rivalry between them and the sailors jointly employed on such expeditions, awakened the latter to a just sense of their merits, and extinguished happily that feeling of discon* tent, almost approaching to contempt, with which they had previously, no doubt, from the compa- rative inactivity of that service, been regarded by men whose cheerful and undaunted intrepidity had justly rendered them the idol of their coun- tr;^, and the object of reluctant admiration to other nations. The coast of Spain, during the peninsular war ; that of North America, where they acted in batta- lion ; and, above all, though precedently in point of time, the gallant defence of Anholl,* have en- titled this branch of the service to grateful recol- lection. Their obvious utility for operations, either by land or sea, has at length overcome the scruples of those patriots, in and out of Parliamer- , ^lose * By Lieutenant-Colonel Torrens, of the Marines, under Cap- tain Monix, B.N. ROYAL MARINES. 235 jealousy never fails to rouse itself into invective at the mention of a red-coat ; and they are, despite of their cloth, now considered a portion of that which is emphatically denominated the constitu- tional force of the country. The late improve- ments made in the corps have extended even to their uniform ; and for soldier-like appearance they are not inferior to any troops in the service. Sin- gular as it may appear, taking their confined si- tuation into consideration, they now rank amongst the best drilled corps. The practice of the broad- sword exercise* has been introduced on board • A singular document is in the possession of the author. — In consequence of drilling the crew of one of his Majesty's ships to the broad-sword exercise, the edge of the cutlasses had been jagged, as might naturally be expected. On the cutlasses being returned into store, the then Board of Ordnance considered the subject as one which deserved their interference ; and with- out entering into the merits of the case, despatched the captain a letter, officially reprimanding him for his negligence in permitting these weapons to be thus abused. Had they required any expla- nation beyond that which common experience would have sug- gested, the officer might have acquainted the Board, that, being then on the coast of America, with whose government this conn- ■i 236 nOYAL MARINES. ^ ^ many ships, most of the Serjeants being expert in the use of that weapon. Nor should it be unnoticed that a decided preference, as to general availa- bility, may safely be given to a military body comprizing exclusively with these advantages another, which must often be of the last impor- tance — regular instruction and acquaintance with the management of great guns. Though few instances of the kind, perhaps, have occurred on board large vessels since the peace, yet the marines have, not unfrequently, volun- teered on board our smaller ships of war to " furl the courses," and constantly go aloft,* though contrary to regulation. try was at war, and well knowing nothing gave sailors so much confidence in boarding as the knowledge of the use of the broad- sword, he had caused his crew to be regularly exercised by the Serjeant of marines, being in hourly expectation of an engagement with an enemy's cruizer. This is not the only remonstrance of the kind ; several captains have been similarly favoured. • And yet we are told by a writer in the eighty-first number of the "Edinburgh Review" page 174, that "when on board ship, they" (the mariiies) "have no oiYtev exclusive duty to perform than to keep mpresscd men in obedience." Doubtless the ma- i I ROYAL MARINES. 237 expert in unnoticed al availa- ary body dvantages St impor- ance with taps, have lie peace, y, volun- to "furl though >rs so much f the broad- ;ised by the engagement onstrance of (d. t number of board ship, to fterform ess the ma- Perhaps, to render a service so useful and eli- gible as nearly as possible perfect, it would only be necessary to admit them, when abroad, within fines, particularly the privates, would be too happy to find this a fact. " Sailors," continues the writer, " can easily be trained to alt the duties of soldiers ; but soldiers, sent on board ship for the purpose of keejnng the sailors in obedience, cannot mix with tliem, and therefore never learn the duty of sailors." The ignorance this writer betrays on this subject is really deplorable. In the first place, the very reverse of this reviewer's statement happens to be the fact ; for, instead of " sailors being easily trained to do all the duty of soldiers," they invariably so detest and despise the manual of a musket, that they actually consider excellence in a soldier's drill derogatory to the character of a sailor ; whilst, on the contrary, a marine is prouder of excelling in the duties of a seaman than of a soldier. It is true, that the brigades of seamen embodied to act with our troops in America, as well as in the north coast of Spain, contrived to " ship a bagnet" on a pinch, and to " toe" (for that was the phrase) " a tolerable line ; " but, had the reviewer reviewed our tars in the field instead of on paper, he would have discovered, that the various evolutions of " forming four deep," " changing the front," or advancing in (as they termed it) "shove along" (eschelon), were particularly perplexing to sailors, though quite aufait to mount guns in a battery, or serve them with effect, as at Walcheren, and under Sir Sidney Smith at Acre. 238 ROYAL MARINES. the improved regulation, suggested under the head of " Discipline," relative to their pay. During war, too, it might, with little inconvenience, and certainly with great advantage to the service, be contrived that marines should not be suffered to continue on board, without relief, for two or three years together : a practice which, in a corps cal- culated alike for land and sea service, deprives them often of opportunities of keeping pace with their comrades on shore in the daily improving system of drill and military tactics. If there were yet a doubt remaining as to the policy of always keeping up the marines on a li- beral establishment, it might be sufficient to urge that, from its being necessary they should be inured to the sea, they are a force which cannot be suddenly created so as to be effective ; that in har^ hour, when there are no other hands, they pre- pare every ship, on being commissioned, for the reception of a crew ; and, what is still of greater importance, both as regards the discipline and safety of vessels of war, in every instance of in- f' •: sul rel we rat In sib of sev ma lik< ost rep proi tim< opp case are ROYAL MARINES. 239 r the head During ence, and jrvice, be uffered to or three corps cal- , deprives pace with mproving as to the on a li- lt to urge lould be ;annot be at in har- they pre- , for the f greater line and ce of in- i subordination or mutiny in our crews, the firmest reliance has been most properly placed on the well-known fidelity of this brave, though compa- ratively inconsiderable part of the ship's company. In such a crisis, every officer must be keenly sen- sible of the vital importance and inestimable value of a few loyal and courageous hearts. Though severely tried, their courage and loyalty has re- mained proof against temptation and peril ; and, like the high-minded chevalier, they may, without ostentation, assume the motto " Sans peur et sans reproche"* ji., .^;. *. * It is rather remarkaMe that, amongst the aspirants of this im- proving and enlightened period, the Press is rarely, though some- times, indebted to a corps so peculiarly favoured with leisure and opportunity for literary avocations. One exception exists in the case of an intelligent officer already alluded to, whose wcrkK are not professional. DISCIPLINE. < In addressing the officers of his Majesty's navy on a subject of such delicacy as that of the dis- cipline indispensable on board a ship of war, it might have been expedient to have anticipated the possible imputation of presumption on the part of the writer, by some attempt at exculpa- tion, had he been a younger officer or less con- stantly engaged in active service. Counsel loses much of its offensive quality, when it is discovered to be the slow growth of yearsj or patient appli- cation. So far the writer feels he has a just claim to indulgence, since he can assure the profession, with the strictest truth, that the subjoined obser- vations are founded on long experience in the service, and the result of unremitting attention to the peculiar disposition and marked characteris- tics of British seamen. DISCIPLINE. 2241 The printed instructions issued by the Admiralty form an admirable code of marine law per se^ and have very properly defined and circumscribed the duty of a naval officer on almost all important oc- casions ; but still, as there is a wide field left open to the discretion of the oificer in command, it were deeply to be regretted, if, in some cases, either irritability, or possibly a want of thorough acquaintance with the true character of our sailors, should induce commanders to exercise this discre- tion in a manner never conteiuplated by the Board, or prejudicial to the interests of the ser- vice. Happily for the condition of seamen, offi- cers who rise by service and merit, pass, most commonly, so many years in anxious expectation of command, that the mere procrastination has, at least, one beneficial effect, that of checking any inclination to abuse their authority ; and the pe- nalty of a long probation is more than repaid by advantages derived from a more intimate ac- quaintance vv th the genuine character and real worth (there may be, and are, individual excep- VOL. I. R 242 DI8CIFLINI'.. i lions) of our honest unpresiiming countrymen afloat. -*- There can be but one opinion as to the first re- quisite in an officer for maintaining a high state of discipline on board — indisputably, firmness of character and conduct occupies that rank: as nothing can supply its place, so it never can be injurious, while tempered by moderation and re- gulated by discretion. The next in order, and almost equal in value, is self-possession, undcj* which, in the comprehensiveness of the term, may be presumed to be included that inestimable qua- lity, temper :* without this it is vain to expect either dignified deportment or consistency of conduct in * To exemplify the value of temper in a commander, we refer with pleasure to the conduct of Sir James A. Gordon, the hero of the Potomack, who, in the intricate ascent of that river, in the face of an active, intelligent foe, encountered and surmounted the greatest difficulties in warping up his squadron some hundred miles ; during which he was constantly obliged to take out his guns, whilst several ships grounded beneath the enemies* bat- teries. The capitulation of Alexandria followed, by which it was agreed that the very merchant-ships which had been sunk to pre- as lilSCIPMNK. 2i3 ;i t'ommander, or respecl ior his cliaracter in the seamen. For this reason, even reprehension should be conveyed in language at once firm and becoming, and, except in cases of heinous enor- mity, no punishment should ensue immediately on the commission of an offence or the omission of duty, lest the offender should attribute it to a vindictive feeling rather than a desire of correct- ing offences against the discipline of the service. An indulgence, therefore, in passion, under cir- cumstances of disappointment, mistake, or mis- hap, should be rigidly repressed, which, whilst the paroxysm lasts, tends to the debasement of those who are its objects, and robs its subject of either reflection or the free exercise of the native faculties of the mind. If an anecdote were want- vent capture, were, to the astonishment of the enemy, raised by him, reladen with their cargoes, and surrendered by capitulation as "prizes of war." The whole of this important service, though imputed by this amiable and modest officer to tlie zeal and gallan- try of those under his orders, is known to be with more justice attributable to the calm steadiness and patient cxani|)k' of their commander. 11 2 2U DISCI PLINK. ing to ?xemplity one of the fatal consequences of unrestrained passion, it would be only necessary to refer to the melancholy fate of the captain of La Revolutiomiaire, who, sailing under sealed orders, fell on the deck in a fit of anger at some of the crew, and, on being carried below, expired. What ' 1 effect must unrestrained passion have on the exercise of the faculties, if it can thus suspend animation or extinguish life altogether ? iThat officers themselves are not exempted from the disagreeable consequences of their superiors indulging in fits of anger, may be strongly in- stanced in the case of a captain deceased,* who presumed to tell his lieutenant, whilst on duty, that he would put him in irons ; a threat which he must have known, as well as every sailor who heard him, he durst not put into execution. Doubtless a most essential requisitef to the preservation of discipline, is a strict adherence to any engagement entered into with the seamen : * Bounty, Bligh, when in command of the Warrior, seventy- four. DISCIPLINE. 245 jquences of y necessary he captain ider sealed r at some of V, expired. All! have on I us suspend ? npted from ir superiors strongly in- ased,* who 1st on duty, ireat which sailor who ution. site? to the dherence to he seamen : irrior, seventy- a commander must religiously keep his word with his men, if he means to be respected. This rule is more particularly applicable with respect to threats of future punishment, whether con- ditional or absolute. The threat should, in the latter case, be always put into execution at its proper season ; and in the former, it should be a rule that, in all cases where the condition is vio- lated, the threatened punishment should be inflicted. In every case of a man*s being brought up for punishment, the slightest indication of passion should be avoided, and the offender thus impress- ed with the wholesome conviction that his suffer- iiig is a necessary consequence of his offence, abstracted from all private animosity or preju- dice. The moment the painful duty is ended, no inclination should be shewn to keep the recol- lection of it alive by any ill-timed comment, or intimation (which, unfortunately, is too much the habit with many, in other respects, very judi- cious officers), that in addition to his punishment R 3 216 i)i.s( iriJNi:. < the deliiiqueiil is set down in the captain's private list. The tendency of such an intimation is to make men reckless of the future, and regardless of character, which they, with a good deal of reason, imagine is irrecoverably lost the moment their name is enrolled in writing on that hateful memorial, emphatically denominated by sailors the " Black List." No unprofitable task in the way of black-list duty should ever be imposed. It is in the recollection of many, that captains have compelled seamen on this list to brighten the * breeches of the guns,' the * belaying- pins,* the ring-bolts in the deck, and even a two-and-thirty-pound shot, tasks which the sai- lor must himself perceive were useless and absurd.* Instead of such a misapplication of time and labour, which happily is on the decline, but 1 * These, and similarly vexatious practices, as they begin to be discontinued in our navy, have been taken up and adopted by commaiidors of American vessels of war, more particularly in the "crack hhips" on the Mediterranean station. DISCI PL I NIC. 217 1 s priVHte tion is to regardless d deal of e moment at hateful )y sailors isk ill the imposed. t captains briijhten belaying- d even a I the sai- ?less and time and line, but without any established substitute, why are they not apportioned extra exercises at their guns, or in various evolutions aloft? occupations which would be sufficient to punish or restrain minor offenders, whilst they tended directly to improve their state of discipline. With respect to indulgencies to seamen, we are aware that a difference of opinion prevails amongst commanders in our navy : we shall fo»- the present content ourselves with merely ob- serving, that they appear to be capable of being rendered eminently conducive to the interest of the service, by promoting, in generous and active spirits, a higher motive to an exemplary performance of duty, than the dread of punish- ment. Generally speaking, an anxiety to consult the comforts of the seamen* should form a prominent r begin to be adopted by irticuluriy in * In the variety of oj)iiiions which prevail with respect to tlic payment of our seamen on foreign stations, it is worthy of ob- servation, the American navy consider tlie practice neither in- jurioiis nor impolitic, " /•'(/.': cM ft ab lioslc dotcn." II a ship con- 248 DISCIPLINE. feature in the character of every officer who hopes to attain a high state of discipline in his crew : care should be taken to time things well ; and it should be a rule, that the men ought never to be unnecessarily disturbed at their meals,* than which nothing is more annoying to a seaman. 3 < tinue abroad throe, seven, or even twelve years, as in the case of the Cenlurion, in India, the crew is not paid till her return. Tlie consequence is, that those married men, who have not the fore- thought to provide by " allotments" for the maintenance of their families at home, waste their pay in taking up slops ; which, though costly in price as contrasted with their value, are notoriously imserviceablc, and not at all calculated to add to the respectability of a sailor's appearance. The only part of his slops which he pays for without repining, is his tobacco. So much does t/aci- abhor a purser's shirt and jacket, that for any one to be seen in them but a " waister," was, all last war, considered a fair subject of banter and reproach. It is true, that within these few years the qua- lity of slops has been somewhat improved; but might it not be an advantageous regulation to have, besides the ordinary qua- lity, a better sort ? so that, to parody a common expression. Jack might cut his cloth according to his purse. * il/eo/s.— This is always strictly attended to in well-regulated ships. DISCI I'LJNE. 249 cer who lie in his ngs well ; ^ht never • meals,* ing to a the case of Bturn. The lot the fore- ance of their )ps ; which, ; notoriously especUibility lich he pays Jack abhor a in them but ct of banter ,rs the qua- light it not dinary qua- ession, Jack 11-regulated I Finally, to dismiss this very interesting subject with that which, though last in order, is not least as to its importance, it should be a standing regu- lation on board ships of war, that irons should seldom, if ever, be used, except for cases of serious crime. During the war, it was almost universally the case, that men were " clapped into irons" for the most trifling ollences; and even in cases where the commander must have been aware, from the character of the offence, that severer punishment v/ould be necessary, the offender, though at sea, where escape was impossible, has been constantly put in irons.* Nothing can be more injudicious than such treatment; first, be- cause the disgrace of being Hogged before the ship's company is no trifling aggravation of the corporal punishment itself, whenever such punish- ment takes place ; and next, where no such pu- nishment ensues, the ship is deprived of the man's services pending a confinement, for which an * Such a practice might be justified in harl'our, as necessary to prevent the dmuce of the offender's escape. 250 DISCIPLINE. < apportionment of extra duty might be substituted, witli the best effect both on the sailor and the service. A man of any spirit will naturally brood over and repine at tb^jginj^essary disgrace thus inflicted for trifling offences. The injurious con- sequences of resorting to irons in the latter case may be most aptly exemplified by referring to iiumerous well-known instances, where a string of Jiien, whose offences having been trifling, have heen exhibited, each bolted by the leg on the half-deck, or other most exposed part of the shi]>, ^ whilst visitors from the shore have been conducted • round the vessel by their own officers. A sailor must be made of stone not to feel most keenly such ill-timed degradation. The sentiment is not confined to the prisoner : an inference is tlrawn by -he visitant (without at all being ap- prized of the cause of this severity) most dis- creditable to the (harartcr of the seamen and respectability of the service. Thus the injury is twofold; at once inflictintit on tlie sailor unneces- sary degradation and pain, whilst it serves the I, DISCIPLINE. 251 )stitiite(l, and the ly brood ace til us oils coii- -tter case rriiig to a string ng, have on the the ship, mducted A sailor ;t keenly iment is rence is iing ap- lost dis- aen and injury is iiincces' rves the malignant purposes of malcontents on shore to calumniate the character of that constitutional force, which has hitherto been, and will ever continue, the natural Dillwark of these sea-girt isles. ' * END OF VOL. r. LONDON: tRlNTED BY COX AND BAYLIS, GIIEAT QUKEN STIIEKI.