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This Item is filmed at the reduction ratio cheeked below/ Ce document est fllmA au taux da riduotion IndlquA oi-dassous. 10X HX ItX 22X aox » F H □ i lax IfX »x MX ax 3tX f^.l^m^tfitfmm'i 'nV»m!^ftmntn»'MVe-:l}^'V'4ft:7^^->S-ln A n 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i^7f-"^,:7^r^' ■"^t 't mft ^m x ^^'^'''"^■(Rll!^^*' f?^* &>- < ( »(i5»rr:--*-r •0-55 \S43 1 ton DOM: OILBIKT ARK KIVIMOTUM, vniVTaBI, (T. JOBa'i IQUAIIE. "^ff I 55 •ti mm ^ n ^ m i w j i tW W ii^ wi t^ Viii CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. PAGE TWBNTT-EIOHT-GUN ShIPS AND TeN-OUN BrIGS 239 Recreations in Rhtme.— The Lieutenant's Lament . . 267 The Boarders. — A Galley Stave 271 Leaves of the private loo of a Captain on half pay 278 Jack in Parliahent.— Dialogue of the Deck 282 ill IWIMUll III! aesw iM hm_nimi m% m» pm \9mm!i!W^ ' fM i ] i i i w i |H i ni i .w iJUff pwigiyjWWWWg'P \ \ miji i Lwi i ii , III » III Wiiif »^imffii>ii'Ti ' :■.»«— i mH MMM II II niBiiii! n i i i -i-'i-i i ii i » iii w i w i Wf i i«iiowBri i iww^ Cl( iir fa T ^ 4 THE CHASE. duced to the reader as Premier (to use the present foshionable phrase) of His Majesty's Ship S , located « per log," AT SINGLE ANCHOB IN FUNCHAL ROADS. The said Premier deserved to be emphatically styled a '* character ;" his person, of aldermanic mould, presented a proud contrast to Shaks- peare's "lean and slipper'd pantaloon." At the "moment now alluded to, his countenance seemed full of thought : his attitude was fixed and motionless : his broad chest and folded arms were supported by the capstern-head — his half- bent and separated knees pressing the nether whelps'; while his small, sunken, scrutinizing eye darted " low and aloft " alternate glances, detect- ing, with quick accuracy the minutest defects afloat. Nor did he seem insensible of his proud position— for he had long styled him- 1 The uninittatid m not to Imtgin* that there ii any con- ■anguinlty between the " u**lfi of the eapetern," and the ^•*»NM(i«orthema«i." THE CHASE. l;o use the Majesty's ROADS. nphatically aldermanic to Shaks- oon." At ountenance e was fixed folded arms i — his half- the nether tinizing eye ices, detect- test defects ible of his ityled him- «re ii any con- »rn," and the •elf « Executive-Chief of Ocean't-Pride ;*'■— and certainly that encomium was not to be refused to the frigate. — When sitting for her picture she was ' past compare ;' but at tlie present period her attire was rather ruffled, and consequently she was not exactly suited to tiie study of the painter. But as "Beauty unadorned 'i adorned the moat," let us sketch her even as she is. Her long, low hull, rising .forward in a gra- duated line — her light quarter — her sloping stem — her beautifully rounded bow, swelling from the surface, and gradually receding in the rise — together witli her graceful sit upon the water, would almost warrant the ** soft impeach- ment," that in the oonceptiou of her symmetri* oal mould, Art had borrowed beauties from Nature, and taken from the female form ** its &ir proportions:" — b short, in plain English, she swam the handsomest frigate afloat, and was the fastest sailer in His Majesty's service. b3 6 THE CHASE. Tlie crew of the S (tare of the firet- water, with long, thick, Traialgarian tails, doubled-up in week-day working bights, as if willing to back their wearers against any odds in favor of fight,) was now busily employed in the execution of that nice and tedious task, — "fleeting fore-and-aft, the lower and topnuust rigging-" The tops were thronged, the channels crowded — the stouter seamen seen striding across the well-stowed hammocks, hugging to their brawny breasts the huge dead-eye* as they bent the stubborn shroud around the unweildy wood. The frigate had been cruizing, for more than a month, between the Azores and the Island of Madeira ; and had but a very few hours taken up her anchorage in Funchal-Roads for the purpose of procuring firesh provisions; and as some keen observera had insinuated wine for the commander-in-chief. I Dead>ey«— « block with thra* holes in it, to rwtive the laniard of a ihroud or itay. f the iirst- uian tails, ights, as if it any odds ■ employed ious task, — nd topmast lels crowded across the heir brawny sy bent the y wood. T more than he Island of hours taken ids for the ons; and as ed wine for to rective the THE CHASE. 7 . The captain, Sir S. S., after leaving with the first-lieutenant the necessary orders «foi- refitting and getdng ready for sea as soon as possible," indulged in that practice, so peculiar to people in power, of escaping from scenes of business and bustl ?, and partook him- self to his six-oared gig, pulling direct for the fort The purser, who for some hours had preceded the captain in his trip, had ahready sent along- side the necessary supplies. Hardly had the boat been « cleared' of its last vegetable bag,—- the hiSt bullock slung, (the huge animal. Sus- pended by the horns, oscillating high in air with the rolling motion of the ship,) — ere the look- out man at the mast-head sung out — " a strange sail on the starboard beam !" "Glass, youngster — glass— mount a-reevo and report her rig." Running to the capstern and taking from its head the deck-doUand which rested on its stand, b4 "«MMMHHMiaiMM| d THE CHASE. and slinging it over his shoulder with a length of spun-yam (for in those unsophisticated times, midshipmen were not wont to have buckled belts to secure their costly telescopes in their flight aloft), the lad appeared puzzled to gain the giddy height — for at tliis moment, the whole of the lower-rigging was adrift, and the * ladies' ladders^ rendered comparatively useless. — Per- ceiving the boy's hesitation the lieutenant hailed aloud — " Main-top there ! — over!iaul down the royalt haiiards for Mister Rivers — Not ashamed, youngster, to go aloft like a lady? — Take a month o' Sundays to crawl up the cast-off rig^ng !" Whether this was the royal road to promo- tion, or whethe;' the boy was not to be abashed by ascending like a lady, has not been yet de- cided ; but aloft he flew, very unlike the * young gentlemen' of the present day. " Upon deck there !" screamed the lad frpm aloft. wi( toi th< hi« cr« av« th th he al hi P' S g ^.: :';"':TiiiiiiWii HHMiiiiiiiiiiiiiM^^ mi THE CHASE. t a length .ted times, i buckled B in their d to gain the whole le *ladiet !8S. — Per- ant hailed the royal7 ashamed, :e a month ging !'» to promo- e abashed sn yet de- le * young lad from «« Hullo !" responded the hoarse lieutenant. «« She's a long, low, black-looking schooner, with raking masts— 111 swear Sir she's a reg'lar rogue," continued the excited boy, still holdbg the glass to his eye, whilst his arms supported his body between the horns of the top-mast cross-trees. «« The devil she is !— Hurrah my lads ! reeve away—reeve quick— ready for*ard for staying the foremast ?— bobstays-up ?' " All up. Sir," bellowed the boatswain. « Be alive !— be alive. Mister Canister," cried the bustling Tarbucket, addressing the grey- headed gunner.— «• Come, rflon't let 'em beat us abaft" «« Ready when you like, Sir.— Bowse away —starboard side first -the stay you know, Sir, has never been started— bowse, mysons— steady- puU—sfetidy-drag— there she draws— bowse! bowse!— /?wLLii».jit|ui « u 8 K «i||ib»-ij.-i 12 THE CHASE. tifitl spot overlooking that part of the coast in the immediate vicinity of Funchal. ♦« What's the matter, youngster ?" inquired the captain, turning his horse back towards his sum- morcr. " Privatei;' in the offing, Sirf" ' «* B^csis fny soul ! — and all the rigging adrift !" *^ No, Sir, — ^it's all up — and every thing ready for. " " Weighing f* «« Yes, Sir,— only waiting for you." ** Then we'll soon be-off. Launch in ?" *< Yes, Sir, and ship at a shortnstay." " A short stay indeed," interposed the Consul, mistaking the professional report of the young- ster. " Bravo, Tarbucket I" exclaimed the captain ; then muttering to himself, " I'm sure the poor fellow must have been right glad to have had me out of the way." Though somewhat addicted to what sailors term " shore-going pleasure," Sir S. had no >,-y.,— ; - '■•-%" \ _. " ■■ ' "'-*- -.' r s -^-;: a ;■ ; t f 1 I \ I < : ] t t V* tc MMMMMmMN THE CHASE. 13 objection to a little maritime amusement in the reflfiilar way of war. '• * In descending a ravine, his horse made a false step, and the captain was thrown with hb right arm under him. which received so severe a con- tusion as to be wholly useless, and gave risp to a fear that his shoulder was dislocated. Intent, however, on reaching the ship, he heeded not his pain, and again mounting his horse, hurried on- wards. But Fate seemed maliciously disposed, and not content with one infliction, determined on another. His horse, starting at some object in the road, curveted so suddenly, that he pitched his rider over his head. By this second disaster. Sir S. was ahurmingly hurt. Lame and bleeding, his right arm in a sling, his left leg severely crippled, his head baadaged with a black « Bandana,' he at length reached the landing-place, supported by his trusty cox- swain, who had already run to the aid of his maimed commander. Stretched in a reclining MMmMM -mm^^f WMEmuMMK»M '» ;> . THE CHASE. poature in the Bternnsheets of his gig, Sir S. was rowed from the beach, followed in the jolly-boat by the two 'young gentlemen' already men- tioued. The day was beautifully bright, but the breeze sufBeiently fresh to retard the progress of both boats. ** Good Heavens !" ejaculated Tarbucket, un- able to account for the maimed appearance of his captain, who, as the g}g iq>proached the ship, had partly raised his bleeding head — *' I'll bet a guinea to a quarterly* bill, those rascally Portuguese have been trying to spit the skipper — d— d assassinating scoundrels I — Well — he will be aoftrnd of foreigners. — Messenger, down to the doctor, desire him to get his traps and turniquets ready in the captain's cabin. — It's no Johtf I know, by Johnson's fiuse." The coxswain's countenance certainly looked mninous and drear ( and this wat: the more noticeable, inasmuch at his wonted aspect was .m i oi i NMEmuaMR^H IP- THE CHASE. m^ SirS. was jolly-boat lady men- the breeze •s of both tucket, un- learance of tached the sad—" I'll •e rascally he skipper -Well— he iger, down traps and I. — It's no nly looked the more aspect was remarkable for its uniformly jolly, good-natured character; but at present it wore an anxious expression. The surgeon nnd his mate (for in tliose en- dearing days of war and wisdom, the dignified title of < tutistarUi had not been implied to that serviceable class of officers) were abready in the cabin, preparing to receive their suffering com- mander. « Never mind me," said Sir S., as with feeble and limping pace he descended the quarter-deck ladder, leading to his cabin.—" Never mind ww, Tarbuoket, — trip the anchor, and crack on her every thing low and aloft." The last syllables of the sentence wert. barely audible. The captain's intention had been anticipated —the anchor was rapidly weighed, and in a very few minutes the lofty frigate was seen under u ' crowd of oanvai, ' close-hauled with a beauti- ful breeie.' The position of the chase was that of all -■= —" . -aM w - ■ la.ii J —WWW 16 THE CHASE. Others the most fkvourable to a flying foe— hull down in the wind's-eye of her distant pucsuer. " Bravo — brtvo — that's the breeze!" eja- culated the delighted lieutenant, as he stood in his fitvourite position, eyeingaloft the complain- ing'spars — " Come in they must — Topmen aloft, stand by to take in the royals." Ascending with fearless foot the retaut- ened rigging, the topmen had reached their ilevated stand, awaiting the judicious move- ment and word on which depended the deli- cately-nice manoeuvre. ** Luff, boy, luff— luff to the breeze. — Give her a bit of a nip — shake it out of 'em. Mind ! — don't itart the weather-sheets,"— roared the cautious Tarbuoket " Ready, for'ard?' « All ready, Sir." " Ready, abaft?" •* All ready, Sir," re* echoed a shriller tone. •* In royals," thundered the first lieutenant, through his battered trumpet. th n< so of w tl V o: d h d \ n s St iMI i THii CHASE. 17 But aa if reluctant to resign tlieir lofty posts, the royals were not so eaisily to be taken in. " Curse the kites!" exclaimed Tarbucket, not a little mortified at his precautionary mea- sures failing in effect, and at the unseemly sight of the light and lofty canvas bagging to lee- ward, and wildly flapping in the wind — "There they ffOf'' he continued, " flying to the d — 1. Well, well! patience is a virtue." The royals at length reached their destiny on deck. And now in all his glory might be seen the ' stout gentieman,' pacing the sloping deck, puffing his bloated cheeks, and rubbing his delicate digits with all the enthusiasm of a delighted seaman. ** Come, thank Heaven, they're in at last—- We may now do something— A fellow's no chance with a clipper, with any thing over a double- reefed taupsle.— ^Totr, she walks— -thafs the snuffler.— Well done, old girl— lAthe coming cabn — the dnwning day—- the sudden gust — the "MMMMM ^ssa^mTi'e^-^ THE CHASE. # inoe, who, al matters, -the stately obliquely e agitated ling spray, ^ bow the e more in- Tarbucket, rd a couple »re-and-aft, trough it at lumphantiy animating ind of man variety of beyond the f * Course.' wind— the he coming a gust — the sprung spar— the splitting sail— the increasing gale — the rising sea — the setting sun, and dreary night ? But it is not the present purpose to descant on the alternations of hope and fear, to which the pursuing and pursued are equally subject. To proceed :— smce the royak had been taken in, and subsequently another reef in the topsails, some three hours and a half had already elapsed. The 'idlers' in the gun-room had discussed their «best-bumed-pea'— vulgarly called coffee, —the merits of the chase, and the situation of their suffering captain. The usual routine of mustering the ship's company at quarters, had been purposely dis- pensed with, and each individual of the < watch below,' in his swinging dormitory, was partak- ing of «horisontal rest' with the comfortable adjunct of a twoHUid-thirty pound shot by way of pillow.— The watch on dedi, with the ex- ception of a few necessary hands attending the ■nr-^—JO ,-.vj>M« SO THE CHASE. H i ¥ hi customary * stand-by' ropes, were now seated in various parts of the waist, — congregating in groups between the main-deck guns, — holding colloquies on the chances of tlie chase; while the more speculative of the elder pett,y-ofEcer8, fathers of families, were seen looking through the ports, straining their eyes in their eager endeavours to catch a transitory glance of the schooner's low and lengthy hull as she rose on the summit of the undulating swell. The executive officers were collected around the capstem interchang^g opinionu connected with the sailmg of the ship ; whilst the younger of the * young gentlemen' were stealbg up from the lee-side endeavouring to catch the in- disdnot murmurs of the master. "In trim! — stuff, man, stuff !" cried Tarbucket, rejeothng a suggestion of the second lieutenant; — "see how she carries her hdm— a diljd might steer her. But you're just like others I could mention," throwing a significant glance 1^ !li*> ■», Mi ow seated egating in , — holding Bse; while t,y-officer8, g through leir eager ice of the he rose on ted around connected te younger baling up toh the in- Farbucket, lieutenant; I — a dii.ld ke others I Mit ghince THE CHASE. 21 at the master, "never, never satisfied, unless you're doing this and undoing that.- — When toill you learn to leave well alone ?" At this moment a topping sea breaking over the weather gangway, and flying aft ia a broad sheet of water, half-drenched the disputing party. ** Undo thaty if you can !" said the master sneeringly. ** That's leaving well alone," cried Funnel, the second lieutenant " Never mind— cools the corns," suid Tar- bucket, throwing off his filled shoes, and beating his battered beaver against the breech of the neighbouring gun^^** wouldn't give a straw for a fellow if he couldn't stand the soak of a little salt-water." ** Salt-water ! — for my part," said the second lieutenant, "I've been just like a half-tide rock, — wet and dry the whole of the cruize." « Well !— what worse are you for i^ ?" " None." •* Then hold your tongue," said Tarbuoket,— If ■* .1 « ^ |. 22 THE CHASE. «♦ this is no time for childish talk— Nothing off— luff, boy, luff. I say, master, have we a moon to-night?" «♦ We have— but you know she's young" re- turned the master, assuming a discouraging air of prophetic wisdom. «« That's like you— /i*« you. Mister Sound- ings; — clean full, quarter-master — ^let her go through the water— I hate a croaker— Youngster, down and ask the doctor how the captain is — How's her head now ? — coming-up ?— Don't like that— firings the sea on tiie bow— pile-driving's not her forte." The lieutenant's apparently unconnected soli- loquy was now interrupted by the noise of a sudden clash, followed by a xjuick succession of thunder-like claps. « The jib-stay 'syoiw, Sir," bellowed the boat- swain. " Mind your weatiier-helm, my man— JMiin ihe jib-down haul — Driver braiU." The furious Sapping of the jib, togeUier with S mmm THE CHASE. 98 hing off— e a moon oung" re- irag^g air er Sound- et her go Youngster, ptain is — -Don't like e-driving's lected soli- loise of a ccession of the sudden rush of fast-fleeting feet, shook the ship to her very centre. — The second-lieutenant had already flown forward on the forecastle, while the boatswain, with several seamen, had collected on the bowsprit, displaying proo& of no ordinary muscular power as they gathered in the ^^ildly agitated canvas. " Whafs ihatf" vociferated the first lieute- nant. " A man overboard I" To prevent the flurry and confusion which this appalling cry so often produces, Tarbucket had long seen the propriety of ** stationing" (in a manner peculiarly his own,) every man borne on the books to the perfornuuice of some specific duty. *< Silence f fore-and-aft— every man to his citation," cried Tarbucket, whose self-possession was strikingly contrasted with the manner of the master. The ship was instantiy luffdd to the wind — her way through the water deadened — the heavy i H CTpMi l mmttmmS^ 24 THE CHASE. courses ' rajpidly nused— the main-topsail hove to the mast— the ship rendered stationary— the grating hove over- the plank plunged from the porfr-^the life-buoy cut away— the lee quarter- boat lowered— and disengaged from its tadcles — and the coxswain seen standing erect in the stem-sheets, guiding his steerage by the directing voice and waving hand of the first-lieutenant, elevated on tiie tafirail. «« Pull more to starboard— pull, pull, my lads ! larboard oars best Now right as you go, right as yftu go— Who is he ? '"ho is he ?' «« Bill Thompson, Sir, the captain of the folksel." « Poor felbw ! The bett man in the ship. They don't tee him in the boat— A littie to leeward of tiie life-buoy. He's nearly at his last gasp— Another fiithom and h^ fetches the, ' plimk. No, tiiat, thae$ his hat— tiiaf s not tiie man Good God ! he's gone." | » The maimaU and forewul are called the «' oouwm." HHMHNMHH iili^'aii mmmm MM '^V jpsail hove Diiary — ^the dfrom the ee quarter- tB tackles — 'ect in the tie directing -lieutenant, 11, my lads ! >u go, right itidn of the n the ship. •A little ta iarly at his fetches the, lat's not the ■ OOUNM. )i!:,eBm^m m.n»t miiw" ■ mmfmmmiffiKi^' " ^W«V. ■ '~'i^_'",W ""'v^AiTy^ ^ ii|i uiuwi i ,i i iniii)iw i i i , 11 fey; 1 TBI CRA8K. And now after meandering the dreary and remorsttlcM deep a considerable dbtance astern of the ship, the disconiolate crew were seen to relinqoidi their search, and the brave boat breasting the surging sea slowly returning to tlie frigate. Not a syllable was heard on the S * « deck— melancholy pervade^ every mind.— Sif lenee was at length broken by the brief order,— " Up boat:* The cutter had hardly been taked to the da- idts, ere the surgeon, hastily asoendlnf the quar> ter-dedk ladder, entreated that as ttttle noise as possible mif^t be made over the oqptain's head, adding that ** the very movement of hoistbg up the boat had half distracted his patient" ** Ay, poor man— I dare say he suffers maxk »-but Fm sure he'd suffer far more were he aware ni poor Thompson's fiite." ** My dear friend, he knows nothing of the ttwtter— 4ie^s neariy delirknis t and were he per- feotly sensible I should conoeal the oireumstanM, THK CHASE. for I Iwow that poor Thompson wa» one of his gre«t«st &vourite«. « And d«»arv«41y too.— But come, we must make smI— get t|he noise over at once— -fiff th maitir4far4, Man Uufort and main tachi jib' haliardt «»d driver-sheet." The wo>d of oommand had hardly escaped the Ueutenant'« UpSi ere the deep and heavy folds of the courses feU fluttering in the wind, their tacks run on board, wd their sheets roused aft with tlie mpidity of thought, and the pursuer again Men under » press of swelling canvas, rapidly ol««ving her way through the vrater. «« Ah ! by this unfortunate aflhir," emphati- cally exclaimed Twhuoket, looklngr intently on titt eha««» with his glass resting on the weather a«de of the quarter-deck hamm oc k^ w il s -^" ah ! 1 see, we've lost considerable ground." «< And I think we shall lose mom yet," said the nmUt-^** thurcs every appearance of -vwwJttKrrf^^^WVil^. ■ ^ THE CHASE. tf one of liis I, we must te-^FiU the taekti jib- BM»ped the Kvy folds of , their tacks led aft with nuer again iraB, rapicUy Whether it was in accordance witli the stale maxim, that "silence gives consent," or tliat Tarbucket was not disposed to encourage the master in his gratuitous predictions, the lieute- nant made no reply, but merely turned to the binnade, to ascertain the position of the ship's head. The sun had already * dipped' the horizon, and the breese with the setting luminary was inclined more to lessen than increase ; — nor did the general indications of the sky induce an opinion in opposition to that already pronounced by the master. Tnmquillity was again restored— the ham- mocks below rs-tenatited — the seats in the waists resumed — whiktsomo few of the more mournful of Thompson's messmates occupied the coam- ings of the foro-hatchway, deploring their recent loss. •• Poor Bet ! it 'ill be the breaking of her heart," said one of the sympathising group, af- fecting to scMTch for his quonduln quid within c 9 memm^Ktmn UUa!llU..--^™r-: i;*eW''W*ilP J ' .'J ''B W ilw 1^ " ■ > THE CHASE. the lining of his little low tar-pauling hat— « movement evidently adopted to conceal from his companions symptoms (tf emotion-^" it 'ill be the breakin' of her heart, I'm sartin sure— Never, never was woman fonder o' man — and) no wonder, — for Bui was reglarly bom'd foi Bet" « And yet, Tom," bterposed an equally sen sitive topman, ** no one never can say as Bill, poor Bill ! was ever the man as liked to show his liking." *< Sartinly not— he was none o' your cap-struck chi^M— for Bet aboard, or Bet ashore, Billwasstill the same— work I work I work ! and always wiUin', ■^Nothin', nonothin', butthesein' of tmoth«r\n trouble, ever seemed to give tnmNt to Bill." « Poor Bill I— what acAaf in the chains'." ** Ay, Tom 1 and »uch a song * I" < ClMlB»-«lMaiMki, whtre the MMna itukb prnidisf tlw pptntioB oTIiMviaf tl t iMd. * Tlw wj wImo liWnf th« d*pth of wtttrt for numpitt ^iHfliiWrnttiTMirfwiiiifaiii imfiMiii iiiriii[aiitinirriijii^iiti>l|iiiiiilliMiiiilli''itfii1>"iliffil1M ing hat— a al from his " it 'iU be tin sure— • man — and» born'd foi ^ually sen ay as Bill, to show his r cap-struck BUlwasstiU rayswillin'. P (mother \n » BiU." Bhains\" <• prndiOftlM t fMT nanpl«» THK CHASB. tt» " He'd bunt a foresle < himself, wou'dn'l; he, Tom?" " Ay, Bob ! we as know'd him, know'd well his worth.— fF«IZ might the first-leaftennant say he was the but aboard.—— Poor Bet l-^I thinks I sees her iti the berth below b her usual, nice« natty, tidy trim— head-geer all in order (and a nicer head o' hair I never seed with a wench), ■dean capt and white apron, overhaulin' poor Bill's chest and bag— I think I sees her afor a me counting his traps on the mess-table— folding his shirts afresh, and dappin' 'em atwizt her tidy hands— I think I sees her taking the creases out of his musterb'-trowsers— wipin' the mildew off the buttons of his best Jacket, and deanin' hb combs ready for a Sunday fje*.— Poor soul ! I has her afore me as plain as the living light." > FonMO.— It ia ■h^iiUr OtaH A* Mtnm of tha latter lyl. bbia, mM, tlmtf drtacta tha land—aw. Forinatanoakthaworda tcfttd l t an m U ac ai tw proMuaea abort, hpih—firuk. ' OnSundajra or gala dqn, tha taU oT tha tar waa wont to ka axhlMtad at AiU langUi i on waak day* and worUnf dajri,— deuUad up In a Ught C 8 g es a gBaJiiitfiMiM^^ ^-' " ^ '• ' *' - " ■""" ' ** 00 THE CHAftB, «» Ay, Bet tirag wmrthy o' BilL— A nicer man- ner'd laas, nor a more modester she-messmate, never sot foot afloat Sare * HtrndtonuSat there, I nerer seed her equal afore." At this momttit ** Handsome Sal," as desig- nated by the S ^"s ship's company, aad who was then on board, bein^ one of the fow privi^ leged of the petty offioers' wives who in those days, were permitted to aooompaay their hus- bands on a crube, had just passed the group on her way to pbce a If ie of water on the gally- grate. She was wife to the captain's coxswain, who was then in the cabin sitting by the oot-?ide of Us suffering commander. nicer man* -messmate, ndsonU'SaF ," as design y, ud who (few privi* \m in those r dieir hus- \m group on n the gaily- s coxswain^ the oot-Mde CHAPTER II. " Kight U the mother of counieti." CU MoglUk Prm>eri. 'i'HB day was now drawing to its plose, and the shades of night were felling fest. Tarbucket and FUttnel were both standing at the capstern, busily adjusting their night-glasMs, prepamtory to bringing tiiem to bear upon the ehase. ** When did you last set the ehase?' said Tarbucket, interrogating the mate of the watch. o4 33 THE CHA8S. ''* Not fire minutes since, Sir, — she then bore sou-sou-west" '* Exactly in the wind's-eye." " It's my opmion," said the second lieutenant, in a somewhat subdued tone — " it's my opinion lihe'll tack so soon as we lose the moon — I know / should do so." ** I'll. I'et my existence," sud Nipper, the third lieutenant, who had just joined his two brother-officerik 'ja *capstem square,' " I'll wager what you like, she edges away after dark, and tries to cross us a^head. — Old Canister, the gunner, thinks the same ; and you know, he's an old hand in a watcL" The colloquy was here intarrupted by the marine-officer popping his head up the quarter^ deck ladder, and inqidring if the trio intended to take any supper.—** I^s past three bells, yoit know, and the plug's * placed on the table*" « D ^n it, soldier," said Tarbuoket» ** you > Pluf — the eommon dMignadoa for ohetM. «m iien bore eutenant, Y opinion —I know >per, tlie i his two ['11 wager ^k, and ister, the ¥, he'« an d by the quarter^ intended [mUb, yott Me," »t» " you mrmm TBE CHASC. m n.^y^t diiiik of any thing else, but stuffing' your maw from morning till night." " And to get something for your maw— for you're just like every one else— grumble, when there's a southerly wind in the bread-bag." ** Come, dire, loldier, dive— you'll have tlie doctor athwart your hawse d!rectly." But the doctor had other occupation than that of quelling the idle loqoadty of the most legid« mate **idUt** afloat He was then in the very act of taking, for the second tune, smce the cap> tain was brought on board, blood from the arm of Sir S—. The « plug"-report— (and here we must be permitted a momentfs pause, to introduce for- mally to the reader. Mister Cheeks, first-lieute- nant of marines, and commanding the * party' vmbarked on board of his Mi^esty's ship, S->-. Mister Chedcs, Mister Reader— Mister Reader, Mister Chedcs)— the *(pIug"-report, or rather the supper summons, was not, however, altoge- ther disregarded ; for the soldier was shortly fol- c5 II JM 1,'L I H I j||lll "— WWt t^r^lB ' -J" * 34 THE^ CHAflK. lowed to the gun-room by both Funnel Mid Nip* per, leaving Tarbucket on deck to ** chaw the wind,'' and look out alone. But Tarbucket never could be and to be aUm* —not in hii wonted custom of soliloquizing aloud, did he ever more indulge than he now did, at the moment his messmates departed tJic deck.—" If a fellow," ejaculated our fat fHend— " if a fellow waS to follow the advice of every fellow afloat, he'd make a precious mess of the matter. — Here's olie swears ♦she'll edge^way after dark '— nother < she'll taek as soon as the moon goes dowr; ' — Wonder what Mister Sound* ings says — How's her head, quarter-master?" <* West, Sir,— she's kept at that this last hour." «< Steadier *hm I thought. Youngster,— Rivers, down to the gun-room,— tell the caterer send me up a biscuit and a ghMS o' grog.— Tell Mister Nipper too, to remember it's his middle wateh.— Wrap- ♦ ull— «fo let her go through the water— Good look-out befsre i See the $ THS CHAtS. 35 I and Nip. ' chaw the to be alone liloquizing Eoi he now eparted the lat Wend — e of every less of the edge^way soon as the ster Sound' master?" at this last oungster, — I the caterer o' grog.— nber it's hH r go through i See the chase yet ? Who the devU *t that striking the beUr The surgeon had now joined the lieutenuit on deck — " The captain's situation," said the doctor, ** is extremely critical— >I hope the brain has re. ceivedno injury; — ^however, things may take a favorable turn. — What are we likely to do with the chase?" ** Do! — the best we can — ^though we should Ao better, if we hadn't this tweU on the bow — the other tack would suit us to a tee — but— see her yet ?" cried Tarbucket, leaving his sentence un- finished, and suddenly addressing the * mate- of-the>watch,' who had been, for upwards of an hour, in the main-top with Funnel's inverted tele- scope fixed upon the chase. " Yes, iSr — about half a cable's length astern of that rising star before the beam." " Mind ! moment lose sight of her let's know. — That feUow's a capital eye — No walking there abaft I — Jib taut up? — Another pull of the fore sheet — Devilish tired, doctor— up sinee day-i c6 -m^^ 36 TPX CUASm break. Dow$t that infernal light ia the waist!" The nq[>idity' iHth whieh remark and mandate were alternated in Tarbucket's mode of 'speech, convinced his medical messmate that howcTer fiuigped the corporeal mould, the mental man was fresh as ever. And now might the lieutenant hive iqMStro^ phised the pale dqwrting * Queen of Night,' and have sud with Shakapeare ** The ieedng moon no planet !■ of mine." But for poetry, Tarbncket had no predilection f— he never quoted a line in his life:--4iot that when dted at the mess-table, he disrelished an occadonal couplet bum * FaulAn«r'$ Shifwnehf* to settle a diq>uted pmnt in seamanship ;^ut to pirtroni24; verse, or indulge in other numbers savevlbose of < John JSamUtom Moure,* the * £»• entive-ohie^' had neither taste nor thne. The pursuer was now no longer &vored by the lunar light; and as the master had left direo mm THB CHAS£. 37 ta the dons " to be cdlad to soon as the mo>)tt had dipped her lower-limb," Soundii^ had ahready i^paared updn deck. ** You aiay depend on it> by thU" said he» addressing the first-lieutenant, "by Ait she's round on the oAer tack." ** Master, do you know better," returned Tar^ bucket in an unwonted earnestness of tone — « do you know better than the nuui whose eye, at thu very moment, is fixed upon the chase?* " Lost tight of the chase. Sir !" bellowed the mate from the main-top. " There it is,-;^ as I said 1" exclaimed the master, assuming no litUe consequence upon the result of his prediction. **Whafs she going?' inqmred Tai1>ucket, timibg from the master to the midshipman who had just completed the operation of * heaving the log.' « Siz-and-two,' Sir." t lis knoli Hid two &thami. tHE CHA8B. «Wiiid Blackens— never mind— must make (he most of it." As if the already conflicting opinions of the executive officers had not been sufficiently per- plexing, the purser foraooth, who since his re- turn from the shore had not even onee appeared upon deck, had now honoured the 'king's-parade' with his puny presence, expressing it as his " firm conviction that the chase had decidedly tAken an easterly course." «« Taken an easterly course !— I wish. Mister Nip, you had taken any other course, timn getting your bullock killed at this time of night. You know as well as I do, that tiiis is no time for lights and lantherns to be skulling about the decks r ( *< My good Sir, we were compelled to kill it, to save its life— tiie animal must inevitably have died— you've no idea of tiie hurt he received in hoisting him in." " Stuff, man I I thought you were an oliior stager than to allow yourself to be humbugged THE CHASE. by a day-mate buffer. The fellow only wants a blow-out of bullock's liver for supper." Nor was diis a gratuitous assumption, for, taking advantage of tliat portion of the galley- grate, which by the surgeon's desire ought to have been appropriated to the accommodation of the captain, the fire was now usurped by a black woolly-headed cook, who liad been preparing for the said day-mate, the delicate relish of fried bullock's liver interlarded with slices of fat salt- pork. t. ..actiR^iBH v.a:\\Jlii-l.1jUi^adS.it.-*>f\-tiiiijSl!tiiiS^^-i»i'» THE CHASBt 41 these inditriduak no responnbility fell ; the whole prewed upon the shoulders of the * Executive- chief.' Not that he had assigned any ostensible reason for pursuing one course more than ano* ther; but his favorite and oft-repeated maxim of * letting well alone/ appeared, in the present instance^ to determbe the question. From the commencement of the chase up to the present period, the S had been kept upon the one tack.— The second * glass' of the middle-watch had now, not been taAcn, but * turned;'— that is to say, the first hour of that period had already expired; for our readers must understand that the hipse of time is most anomalously marked by seap&ring folk— 'Aco bells ' indioatbg as often one, as seven or nine of the dock. Nipper had now, as it is technically termed, * taken charge of the deck,'— Tarbucket from fiitigue having thrown hhnself down upon the arm-chest abaft, not a little mortified at having so long lost sight Too oloM to th* wind. mmmmmmm THE CHASB. 4t [« nunber ■k huddled it, save the ng^ng^ mo- e water. B had been h his gloss y expected 1 a lateral Bck. — Pro- first^lieu- >keii slum- B made her I luff.'" iriU decide led in?" >m." r breeie." At tkU moment a sudden stentorian shout from the forecastle startled the ears of the officers abaft.-" Here she is, Sir,-running athawt our hawse under all saUl" « I knew it,— wAo'» right now?* ejacukted tVj third-lieutenant—" Rouse up the watch— quick.-Ounners, clear away the forecastle 'gun," contina«.d the excited Nipper in a hurried tone, as he darted forward to superintend the pointing of the bow-chaser. The bustle occasioned by this unexpected event brought both the doctor and the master •on deck. « How fortunate 1" exclaimed the sur~eon- « You see, master, had we taken your advice, we should have completely bungled the business." « Well !— only ftoyt» the fellow's a fool. Had he acted as / should have done, we should never have seen hi-n again." a Oh I— you're all very wise now,"* interposed 4 ForecMtl U by jMHtn pronwineid .hOTU-thut.M**'- 44 THE CHA8B< the £zeculive-chie£ — " Port a point, quarter- muter. — Just keep her open with the ^-aist* anchor<«tock. — ^Youngster, for'ard on the fore* castle, tell Mister Nipper, to keep &st his fir0 tiU he's told." " I wish she could be brought to in any other way," said the surgeon addressing Tarbucket in a purposely suppressed tone. — ** AttUs moment ^he concussion of the gun might do considerable mischief." ** Oh ! if it comes to that," returned the lieu- tenant, ** we'll get the Royals' on the forecastle, and soon unreeve hit running>rigging. — Young- ster, dire, — marine-officer on deck in a crack." " He's already called, Sir," sud the corporal of the watch. *• Yes," sdd the master ; ** he left word to be called as soon as we dosed with tho viiase.'' ** Port yet — Topmen aloft, shake out a reef-— Stand by to set to'-gaUan'-studdin'-sails. — Once > Tht MarinM. [uarter- e fore- y other tcket in noment iderable be lieu- ecastlei Young- aack." eorporal rd tobe ft reef— • — Once THE CHASE. «» get the fore topmast-studdin'-sail on her, soon overhanl her." Every telescope, * purser's-pump V and apo- logy for a glass in the ship, were already in active requisition on the forecastle. "Come, Cheeks," cried the delighted Funnel — leavbg the gun-room, and accompanying the marine-officer in a hurried ascent on deck— «« come, my boy, what will you take for your whack 1" « Thwack ! — Curse that thwack !" — cried Cheeks, whose shins had come in awkward col- Ibion with a midshipman's chest, mischievously pkced in the steerage passage— "You sentry," continued the commander of the 'party'— "I'll live ym double duty for TIm midthipmui's cut term for • ■pjr-glui. 40 THE CHASE. with the stranger. The circumstaace of ' run - nmg-off the wind,' together with an increase of canvas, materiaUy tended to diminish the dis- tance. The dayniate had received directions to prepare the appointed crew, and the post o' \Prixe-muter; the ambitious Nipper had al- ready sought. Twelve of the best marlwmen were now in full array drown up on the forecastle, and Cheeks had repaired to the quarter-deck to « report the party ready.* So long, however, as it was ap- parent that the pursuer was gaining on the chase, Tarbucket was not derirous to open a premature fire, particularly when he took into consideration the precarious state of the captun. The breeie, however, gradually declining, the * Executive-chief,' was heard to mutter to himself—" D n it— dehiys are dangerous, too. Come, Cheeks," he continued, startiing the tti.tTine-officer by a fUt-handed ship on tiie shoulder wUcb fell with the force of a . *, \ THR C|IA!8f . 411 »f 'run« reaa« o£ the dis- irections > post o>: had al- now iiY d Cheeks eport the twas ap- Jie chase, tremature sideratioD declining, mutter to bngerous, startling slap on >rce of a topmavd—" come, if we're not up with h^ in half an hour, I'll give the party an opportunity of disdnguishing itself/' Tarbucket had hardly uttered his intention, ere young Rivers, who was then perched some half-doaen ratlings up in the weather miun-rig- ging, shouted in a shrill piercing tone,—" I'll swear, Sir, tha£» not the tshase \—Thaif» no schooner !" « KJi I— what 1"— exclmmed the all-active Tarbucket, rapidly raising his gUiss to his eye— «« Bless me ! the boy's right— That's a lump of a bng!—A\\ blind there for'ard?— Pipe shorten sail." The brig's appearance, together with the steady course she was seen to steer, satisfied the first- lieutenant that she was a British vessel bound to an American port, and therefore determined him again to haul tiie frigate to the wind in pur- suit of the origbal chase. The disappointment and discomfiture of the pursuing party, may now be readily conceived. I.I mm 48 THE CHA8K. To record the different disputations on deck — the various 'prophecies of the past^ — ^the philoso- phy of the forecastle, and the subsequent col- loquy in the gun-room, would necessarily require a distinct chapter. Suffice it to say, that though Cheeks had stayed his stomach with no small portion of the stolen * Middle-watcher V l«ft untouched upon the table, he was not a litde loud in his lamentations in being, as he termed it, «« roused out from his sleep and brought upon deck for nothing." ti ( > A midnight, or rather a morning reliah, which it not un- frequtntly purloined from the locker, or meu«i<|^(. 60 THE CHASE. bearings, movements, and manoeuvres of the schooner were alone known to the crew of the fugitive vessel. The mistake revealed by the discovery of the brig detailed in the preceding chapter, appeared to have induced an unwonted sUence in the ♦ Executive-chief.' Not that he was in any way dejected, nor that his ardent spirit had for a moment flagged. No: his mind was still en- grossed by one sole idea; and, thus absorbed and abstracted, the vigilant lieutenant remained mute and motionless seated on tiie taffrail abaft, his eye fixed on the 'drowsy east* anxiously look- ing-out for the first famt gUmmering of return- ing light. At lengtii 'the grey-eyed mom smiled on the frowning night,'-and Tarbucket might Uye smiled too, had not tke fickle element played him fels^— for the breeze had now fiided into languid flaws, «« Upon deck there !" cried the ♦ youngster of the watch,' who had not many minutes before jjUlij,; ,jlH}». 'P . ! ' ■ijLtU^A-Ul .il. UJ l| THE CHASE. m of the r of the |r of the ppeared in the anyway id for a gtill en- rbed and led mute iibaft, his sly look- f return- miled on et might element low foded iingster of tes before discarded his *downhaul" to facilitate his as- cent to the fore-topmast cross-trees — " / have her, Sir — there she is, in her old bearing !" «' 1 know— I see— I see !" hastily returned Tarbucket, as if unwilling to be forestalled in the discovery of the chase— "/see her!— don't make a noise — ^hate a row.'' And now the schooner was descried exactly in the same position as when seen previously to the moon's descent in the horizon— that is to say sou'-sou'-wt f, distant about eight and a half miles. Ffi'j: .oratory to his -Irst salutation to the mo& 1,' c-a-t fat friend ordered the captain of the mizen-top to fill to the brim with ult-water a large deck-bucket, which was accordingly placed on the centre of the weather-side of the quarter- deck.— The ' stoul^gentleman' now stripped, and plunged his head into the bucket for the purpose as he phrased it of * refreshing his faculties for > JDo«w*«M*— the tockpit term for a great coat D 2 . THE CHASE. the work of tW coming-day,' as if for the last twenty-four hours he had not had work enougL —As he took bis partial bath, the quarter-master of the watch stood close at hand acting as his valet, and receiving his apparel as the * premier* disrobed on the ♦ king's-parade.' Deprived of the propelling power the two vessels were now similarly situated.— The frigate had lost her « steerage way'— the helm Kad no controul— th« lift of the long unduUting swell alone directed the position of the ship's head, not infrequently turned in the very opposite point to that of the suspicious schooner.— The lofty canvass betokened that the breexe had breathed its kst~whllst the huge, heavy courses and taunt topsails were flapping to-and- fro with fearful force, as if determined to burst their confining fetters, and avenge the treachery of the fickle element. Happy is he whoso ear has never been a»- wiled by the jarring, creaking, grinding, crack- ing noise Incidental to a calm at sea. But we - ""ffl- i i- »..,*»^„«. f„' a .'; i aMfiffl!l the last enough, r-master igas his premier* the two te frigate i had no ng swell p's head, opposite er.— The eexe had a, heavy ig to-and- 1 to burst treachery been at- ng, crack- But w« THE CHASE. sympathise too folly with our brother blues to recal to their sensitive organs those discordant sounds which were now distracting the head of the captain. »< Right your helm, quarter-master," cried Tarbucket, ♦«^I hate to see it jammed hard-down ^Surely she should have steerage-way," he eontinued, at the same time adopting the boyish practice of throwing overboard pieces of paper to sec if the ship passed them astern. «« No, she's falling off right before the swell, and I see clearly," said the master, « we're in for a confirmed calm." " Well, be it to— at all events," returned Tar- bucket, "the head-sails are better down— and the courses up before we go to breakfast." As toon at *sail had been shortened,' and (breakfast piped,' Tarbucket betook himself below to • swallow,' at he termed it, * a cup of tctW.'— " Come, soldier," said he, entering the gun-room, and thumping at the •itaftf-room' door, at tome of our trans-atlantic novelists . D a -^ ■ MnMMi 54 THE CHA8E. designate the confined six-feet-by-six * crib' of a lieutenant of marines— " Come, soldier, show a leg— Twwt not brewed yet?— Here's a feUow been on deck for twenty-four hours, and you hav'u't yet as much as scalded the tearpot" «« Well, you may thank yourself for it— you roused me out for nothing in the middle of the night," returned Cheeks, who was then, as it happened to be Thursday, the appointed day for what mea-of-warsmen term a 'clean shirt and a sliave,' tossing and re-tos »ng his exhausted wardrobe in anxious search of some substitute for a change of linen. Various are the precepts which phlIow>phers of old have transmitted to posterity on that in- terminable theme the « importance of time;' but it may be questioned whether a three montli's cruiie in a man-of-war would not more effectually demonstrate the value of that stuff of which lift is made,' than all the sage sayings and moral disquisitions which for centuries have been collected on the subject— At the period of ^i m ^ ' I ■*="• -J-—- Tib' of a show a a fellow and you ot" it — you le of the en, ai it d day for shirt and exhausted lubstitute Uosophers n that in- of time;* r a three not more that ■ stuff ^e saying* uries have I period of THE CHASE. 5S our present narrative, time's inestimable worth was appreciated by all afloat; more espemlly in meeting at meals was its value acknowledged by the denizen of the deep.-It i« true that according to U.e rigid rules of a miUtary me«, the ^sutler waits for no one,' and with the stroke of the clock the bugle blast or beat ot drum prochiims the 'dinner served;' but the preservaUon of this strict and inflexible punctu- aUty is, in the twenty-four hours, alone confined to the one regimental meal.-ln the barrack- room Hime' Is seldom • taken by the fore- lock '.'-The Sub may sup where he can, and from the Colonel commanding, to the junior carrier of the colours, officer, breakfiurt u^Aeu they will, and • with what appetite they may.' But how differently were these matters for- „erly managed afloat !-In the days of • Dun- can, Nel«.n, Howe, and Jervi.,' a. Byron un- chronologically sings, the chronometrical error. « Query, Fir*M-Vt\nW'% Devil. d4 im iiii i'' M THE CHASE. of the < Horse-gruards' might have been cor-f rected by the breakfost, dinner, or supper-pipe of any ship in his majesty's service. The breakfast apparatus of the gun-roomi ward-room, and midshipmen's tables, (including the black-jacks, mustard-pots, And the sundry substitutes for the < demolished cups and sau- cers' to which the tenants of the cockpit and steerage were compelled to resort,) were placed precisely at the seventh bell * of the morn, and at the eighth, the caterer of each mess was at his post brewing the boiling beverage. Half an hour was the time allowed to the discussion of the * scald.' — At the expiration of that period, whether at sea, in port, calm or gale, *the traps' Were promptly removed, and * the decks* thoroughly cleared.' But the long duration of the present dull, 'sK ^py, insensible' peace, and which we may Well say with tine great drriuMiio poet is only calculated to ' rust iron, increase tailors, and breed ballad makers,' has, it is ap« > Half>pMt Mvtn, A.M. prehenc now be pensity luxury, detttroy pllne— place. Oh lingwc rough quentl the *i meriti the n Brotl Bu ing' 1 the g ordei 'twee »w thip I TUB CHASE'. &7 pretended, conriderably turned the tables; for now be it with sorrow said, the prevailing pro- pensity to indulge in dandyism and eflFeminate luxury, is likely to undermine, and eventually dentroy those two indispensible pUkrs of disci- pUne-punctuality in time-and punctiUo in place. Oh ! spirit of CornwaUis ! Oh ! shade of Col- lingwood! will it be believed, that the once rough and ready ♦ reefer' is now not unfre- quently seen loUing b an easy chair, reclining on the •me-^-.o/aV or heard, either disputing th? merits of the renowned Reform bill, or discussing the rektive rights of the two royal Belligerent Brothers, over a comfortable bottle of cool chret But to our tale.-Whilst Tarbuck^t was « bolt- ing' his breakfast, and whilst each individual of the gun-room mess was hurrying his toilet in order to be in time for the mornuig meal, the •tween-decks of the frigate presented a scent of I W. .re not deiirou. to Mcord h' name of the line of b.ttle .hip In which we have «een thl. luxuriant piece of furniture. 13 58 THE CHASB. what rtay be literally termed « warm-work.'— Imagine two hundred and sixty-six hungry 'jacks' and greedy 'jollies' enveloped in fume, and perspiring at every pore over the fattening tare of hot scalding cocoa. "Well, I dun know," said Tom Frost, the captain of the fore-top, commenting on a remark made by a more argumentative messmate, "you see he's right after all— mortal man couldn't a managed it better.— I likes a man who's a vay an' will of his own— I never thinks much of a chap as listens to the plan and prate of every know-nothing feller as chooses to shove in his oar— I'll say that for « Tiny-Tom,' he can think for himself— and what's more too— IftinA like a man." And here the unprofessional reader is apprised of 'Jack's' propensity to designate people by Appellations totally opposite to their character- istics and persoiwl appearance '. * Thus k ttU tu ia frequently dMiguted 'A** AM-t,'— • Itan one • Fat /«(»,'—« ttlkttlw topman, • Dumb Dick.' "> I'll I l>e8tt "1 work bette hasn' nerl] man afori intl seiz t tap tak «tc Qi sa^ pu •mm V work.'— hungry in fume, fkttening 'rost, the a remark ite, "you ouldn't a o'b a vay mch of a of every )ve in his ' he can oo— IftJnA ■ apprised people by character- THE CHA»E. •• "1^0, no," continued Frost-" big as he is, I'll back 'Tiny-Tom- for brains against tlie l,e8t aboard." •■ ". V^^^ ^^^ ^-*- ' ..philL I doesn't deiiy he never knows his work-^use we all knows no fellow knows it better-but I'll »ay he's not the scholard-he hasn't the hffning, and moreover hasn't the man- nerly manner of the second leaftennanl^Every „an to his likin'. but give me Fred. Funnel afore 'em all.-As sure as the beU strikes four* in the middle watch, he's always, ahmys a throat- seizing* ready for the man at the weather-wheel. -♦There,' he says, fetching a feUow a friendly tap on the shoulder-' there ye are, my man,- take that,' he says, in a mild inviting voice- -pi :ijt >t* The forenoon had passed apace— Tarbucket had again taken up his fiivourite position, and was seen in close counsel witii tiie second lieute- nant. Various are tiie modes by which tiie opinions and sentiments of tiie foremast-men upon import- ant points are revealed to tiie officers abaft. The tar possesses a tact peculiarly his own, and tiiough he never * gives tongue' he employs a metiiod of communication which seldom fiiib in effect. His marked manoeuvres, mute inucndoes, and significant gestures are all happy ♦hits,' and hints, which are at once * seen, felt, and under- Stood.' And it was at tiiU particular period that « Jack's' telegraphic toctwas called into phiy— it 1 ib mm 64 THE CHASe. The coxswains and bowmen of the different boat$ on the booms were seen, of their own accord, overhauling their respective gear, examining the pintles of the rudder — the boat-hook points, — tossing-up an oar here,'->and eyeing a rullock there ; whilst the ^patrorC of the launch was ob- served to scratch his head in a discomfited mood upon discovering the carronade slide totally de- fective and unfit for use. The different boarders too, took each his cutlass from the stand, and with significant gesture, drew across his fore-finger the blunt edge, as he carried forward his weapon to re-grind the blade. *< I say, Funnel," said Tarbucket, addressing his messmate in an under tone—" you see what the fellows are at ! — They see there's something in the wind — ** "Very naturaUy—they all see the cahn is likely to hut. — And they all know there's only the one plan to be pursued." « My dear fellow," returned the first lieute- nant— " there are many things to think of." i. „ . -.N I I JHI I J, . 1 ■■ THE CHASB.' .-■;■. V^^*^ «« I am aware of your peculiar position— the great respoiiBibiuty « ResponsibUity !" interrupted Tarbucket, emphaticaUy,-«iny dear friend, the responsi- bility is nothing to what I feel for ym in the matter.-Were the captain equal to his duty, or even competent to be consulted, the command of the boats would undoubtedly devolve upon the first Ueutenant And you may now natu- rally suppose that his present incapacity alters the question " « Why certainly J— I— a- * « Expected— and I see expect the command of the boats.— But I cannot bring myself to al- low them to leave the ship at so great a distance, witiiout being myself present to superintend the matter.-Mind me, Fred, I've every confidence in your zeal, activity, courage, and what's more ' material than all, your discretion; but there's something tells me," continued Tarbucket, placing his huge hand upon his broad chest- \ )■! 0)1 THE CHASE. •< something tells me here — that I must go, and " Well, be it so. — I shall willingly wuve, if 1 may so express it, my birth-right, or title to command the whole; but, at all events, do let me accompany the boats." «< Then we shall have Nipper, and the master too, equally anxious.; — And you know how ne- cessary it is that a man of judgment should re- main on board." « The master's judgment can never be ques- tioned." <* Nu one disputes it. — And though he does g^ve an occasional growl he's an excellent man in his station; but it's quite contrary to the practice of the service that tlie tArvo lieutenants should be out of the ship at the same time." ** I entreat you," exclaimed the importunate officer, in a tone sufficiently loud lo attract the attention of tlie quarter-master, aud man at the wheel, who were both observed to interchange THE CHASE. 07 .igniecant glance^' I entreat you to allow n.e to go l-I waive every other con.lderation ; but let me go!" « I wUh, Fred, you were third lieutenant- but my mind's m«le up-you, and yaa alone, . must remain to take charge of the ship.-I •«• go many reasons why you should not go, that would rather give it up altogether than not leave you on board. There's no use t« say more on the matter-my mbd's made up." The two Ueutenants now proceeded together aft, each remaining mute for several moments, wistfully looking at the schooner with their gh«ses resting on the taffrail.-Funnel was the first to break silence. « I don't think she's an armed vessel after all.-She looks more like Uie cut of an Isle of France runner.-Come, I'll go up in the mixen top and have a fair overhaul look at her hull ' Tarbuckefs eye followed the ascrnt of hw messmate aloft. " Poor fellow," he muttered to lamself-- he's very hot on it-but go he can't THE CHASE. '—can't go.— Suppose," he continued, elevatiiig bis voice — " suppose the captain got better and found all the officers away in the boats — sup- pose a breeze sprung up — a sudden fog to come on-'-or if by any chance the boats were to be se- parated from the ship, who then is to take charge of a watch ? much more charge of the barkey ?— It's all rery well talking — Tom's seldom out in his reck'ning. Messenger — tell the three war- rant-officers — want them directly." The gunner, boatswain, and carpenter were already in the presence of their superior. *• Whi?*'s the matter with the launch's carro- nftde slide?" inquired the first lieutenent, addres- sing the carpenter. '* it's decayed, Sir, — unfit for sarvus.** " You should have reported it." 4« 'Twas never no use, Sir. — There's not enough wood in the ship to make another. The two yard-arm pieces are both worked up — Md " ♦♦ I give you one hour," interrtipted Tar* THK CHASE. -m bucket hastily— "just one hour to turn out as good a slide as ever came from gun-wharf." « I axes your pardon, Sir," interposed the ' gunner — "the gun itself is damaged — twouldn't be safe to fire her.— She wiis an old rusty honey- comb consarn when first w.- got her— I tried all 1 could when we was last ut Plymouth $» get her condemned, but the gemiimn at the gun-wharf gammoned me over — and '* «« Gamnkoned yot* /—Come '—Away with ye ! —Well ! must make the most of it.— Not that I nee much use in it. — At best, it's no nore thaar? a Hort of stand-by— a sort ot nave-all, in case people should ask purticnUur questions." »• Ye doesn't want me, Sir, doeN ye /" said the boatswain, who still remained unobserved at the elbow of the soliloquising lieutenant. •« Yes. I do.— How are we off for oars ?" ♦' We've one set comi)lete for every boat in the ship, Sir." •• No more ?" " No, Sir." •M THE CHASE. « Never mind !— make the most of it— that 'ill do.— Youngster, dive -tell Mister Cheeks want him directly.-Hulloa !— what \-Heven bells! and no one looking out for the sun '?— Send down to vNe master 'xnd all the young* gentlemen to come on deck directly— all so full o' fight forget every thing else.— Boy, ask the cook if the ship's company's dinner ready— won't wait for twelve." «« It's all ready, Sir," cried the boatswain's-mate of the watch, his head peering just above the break of the quarter-deck as he stood on the second step of the gangway bidder with his call or pipe, already pkced between his lips, antici- pating the intention of the first lieutenant. •» Pipo to dinner, Mister Becket," said our fat friend, direcdng the boatawain to 'send forth the gbd tidings of a hearty meal.* ■ t' » At half pMt cloven the mmitpr and mldihipmen are ium- monod to uttend on dock with t\ioir reupwiive wxum. and (iu«lr«nti, for the purpote of observing the meridian ultitude, iind Mce'-Uining the " MUmh l»i." THE CHASE. :.' A simultanflous buret accompanied the shrill tones of tha boatswain's pipe; but the recollec- tion of the captain's condition, which was now racalled to the excited seamen by the uplifted liand of the main-deck mate, pointing to the cabin abaft, as suddenly suppressed the exhila- rating sounds heard in the vicinity of the cook's coppers. ^, • • Funnel had now descended from the mizen- top.—" I don't know what to mvke of her," said he, addressing Tarbucket, who was then at the capstem * overhauling his watch bell.'—" She's certainly a very raskish looking craft, and un- doubtedly a deep-wauted vessel— I've been straining my eyes out endeavouring to trace any thing like the appearance of man upon deck." *« How far do you reckon she's off?" »« Between seven and eight miles." ♦• I should say tl same — Think the people on board her could see us hointing out the boats ?" « Why, if she's a rogue, you may depend on it she'll keep a watchful eye on us." i : A 7« THE CHASE. « When does the sun set?" « Exactly at fifty-five minutes after six." " The question now is, whether we shall hoist the boats out immediately after the people have dined, or wait till the last moment?" « Is it to be an affair of volunteers ?" « Partly— I think we shall leave the boats on the booms till airs ready." « I approve of the idea," returned Funnel— « because if the fellow detects us in an early stage hoisting out our boats— " He'd have the more time to prepare to re- ceive them." »» Exactly." « And now, Fred, we agree upon every point but the one." «« That is— " « That jfOH remain— you shall have the black and-white for it I shall leave you a regw«r written order.— In ca»e of after-claps, it'* M well to have something to shov . " I hop«? vtm will yet alter ymew«PPi>^ 74 THE CHASE. apartment, than Ae raised hand of 'handsome Sal' indicated that Sir S. was not in a state to be disturbed.— Tarbucket returned to the gun- room. The ship's company had already dined and the potent 'two-water tipple' was drained to its last drop. There was so lething so unusually emphatic in the tone and manner in which Tarbucket had desired to be made acquainted ♦ when the people had had their time,' that long before the al- lotted period had expired, the forecastle was crowded, and the fore part of the booms covered with seamen sitting with folded arms, anxiously awaiting the return of the first lieutenant on deck. —An unusual assemblage of mates andmids had also congregated on the « king's parade.' « Hulloa !" exclaimed Tarbucket, affecting a tone of surprUe, as he ascended the quarter- deck ladder— " hulloa ! tiiick muster here— sunny-day witii some of you.— Different this time twelvemonth off the Texel.— Nothing Uke timwfff^'^'Vi"i-\- ndsome state to lie gun- led and >dto its emphatic icket had le people i the al- istle was s covered anxiously t on deck, mids had ffecting a s quarter- er here — erent this thing like THE CHASE. n a north-sea snuffler to thin decks.-Youngster, if I hear you making a noise over the captain's head, I'll give you a six hours' spell at the jib- boom end.— Send for the boatswain." « Here am I," cried the bluff Becket, hasten- ing aft from the starboard gangway. " I want you, Mister Becket-Can you pass the word in a proper manner ?" «« I can pass the toord. Sir." « The way /mean ?" « We all knows what you meant Sir." "You do, do you?" ' « Sartinly, Sir.-The people are aU on deck waiting for the word." « Well then, pass the word for the people to come quietly aft.-No noise, you know-hate a hubbub-come quietly aft, and give in their - names for the volunteer list-Mind! no rush running aft." « Had we not better draw up the party on one of the gangways?" «id the officer of ma- rines interrogating the first lieutenant. I r .t^frnp ■inBMR 78 THE CHASE. " The marines are to muster in the waist." The boatswain was already on the forecastle. — "Do ye hear the news here?" cried the hoarse « bur-throated' Becket»— " First of all the first leaftennant says he never wants nothing of a nitty — and next of all you're all to go aft lilf reg'lar men — and give in your, names for the fun." " Silence ! silence ! one at a lime," cried Tar- bucket, checking the impatient rush of the peo- ple aft—" Down off the booms — draw round — draw round," motioning to the moving mass to close round the capstern. The uncovered crowd arrived at a steady stand. " Now, my lads, before we take down a sin- gle name you must bear in mind that a certain number of the best hands," said Tarbucket, casting a significant glance at the second lieute- nant, " must remain on board to take charge of the ship." ' • " Hope you'll allow me to go. Sir," inter- rupted Frost, the captain of the fore-top, well L tHE CHASE. n aware, to use his own expression, be was ' a bit of a fancy-man' with the first lieutenant. « Certainly, Frost— The coxwains of all the boats are to go." « Thank ye. Sir," hastily one.' Uk- jntain's coxswain. « With the exception of you, Toimjo j." con- tinued the lieutenant, nipping in the bud the self-congratulations of the captwn's coxswain,— « your services are required on board." « The doctor says, Sir, Sal can sarve the cap- tain for better nor me." « I have no desire," said the surgeon, « that Johnson shouM remain on board— his wife makes an admirable nurse— indeed the captain could not possibly be placed in better hands." « You may go then," said Tarbucket, turn- ing to tlie captain's coxswain. There was now no end to the « volunteer list;' nor was it the least difficult task that devolved on the first lieutenant to reconcile the excluded seamen. e8 . f NS-«B5=CMK===^^^ flr ^., j:;j iTjf |iii|iiiiiiiiiir^^ 78 THE CHAME. «« I always ««»•«, Sir," cried Miller, the cap- tain of the main-top, in a tone of emphatic force, as he looked stedfastly in the face of the first lieutenant--" I always swore, Sir, that when- ever Mister Tarbucket went on a volunteer fray, Jem Miller would be found close in his wake." This species of appeal was not lost upon the 'Executive-chief.' « Swear did you say ?" " Yes, Sir, an' moreover now ready to swear I «trore the same." "Well, well— mus'n't break your oath- Miller, you go in the barge with me." "Thank ye. Sir," returned the delighted seaman, as he flew forward to Frost on the forecastle to report pr<^ess— « I say, I told ye Pd do him.—/ knows how to touch Tipy Tom." The ship's company were now dismissed in consecutive order, and the boarders directed « to be ready to muster at five bells.* / ■!W>iWPW*^>*< ' ! .w y gF" ^»! '*«-i^, ' If ^*. ^. I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 |2S MRHH ik 1.4 11.6 m Z tiS, 12.0 u u Photographic Sdmoes Corporation ^ ¥^ s O n WMT MAM tTRMT WntTILNV. I ISM (n*)in-4»o) '^%'"^' ^V' ^ 4x. l"'l -I likes a bit of sport as well as ' Tt>e squire-wWle patch on the collar of the midihipmui't -"oat.— We know not the origin of thia aeemingly Inapplic ble term.— It la worthy of remark, that whilit the facingi of the uniform of every other officer haa been altered to red, the middy atlU reUdot the old whttt < mw**^ aec««M(.' aMBgar-fi"?.:; i't I <. '■'#■• THE CHASE. 81 another— but a man-o'-war's a man-o'-war,— and men can't always have their own way.— Come, Sir, cheer up— it doesn't seem to me as you've had your dinner yet." «* I don't want any dinner." «• If Mr. Mitten was to see you, he'd have the laugh on ye." "/Te/— drowsy Dick, indeed !— but never mind; though 1 didn't think Mr. Tarbucket would serve me so." The dialogue was now interrupted by the precipitate descent of Mister Cheeks down the quarter-deck ladder,— the sudden lurch of the sMp having caused him to be very unceremo- niously ejected from aloft. That which the soothing philosophy of the private failed to accomplish, was effected in a trice by the marine officer's ludicrous tumble • down by the lump,' and by the simultaneous cry of half-a-dozen voices from the fore pai i of the waist of • call the butcher!' and 'pick up the pieces;' for no sooner did the boy witness the accident, and E 5 ...»»»«('.■' mmmmmmmmmmm ' ' W ji njw a ■ iM^jjm iii j . »■ I m'mm T-i**' 82 THE CHASU. hear the rude commentary always attendant on a like casualty on board a man-of-war, than his lamentations were quickly succeeded by shouts of laughter, so loud that the sentinel was com- pelled to call the 'young gentleman' to his senses before the private could < lend a hand' to lift as much as a leg of the * commander of the party.' f,- -*^ CHAPTER VI. All WM prepared— the fire, the iWord, the men, To wield them in their terrible array. BVRO^I. The time appointed for the inspection of arms, aud all the other implements of war neces- sary on such an occasion, had now arrived, aud the chosen band had already assembled in divisional order.— Fore-and-aft extended on either side of the upper deck, was seen a long line of armed and accoutred seamen, each sup- porting perpendicularly a 'muffled oar,' whilst B 6 ^1 mM Fif i^Jgi.. uiJ- ' -'S i L 84 THG CHASE. the eye of the looker-on was dazzled by the glare of bright blades glistening in the sun, as the cutlass was poised in a sloping position over the righf; shoulder of each broad-backed, weather-beaten boarder. The marines were drawn up from the fore- castle apart from the long-tailed tars : but as the first lieutenant had given directions that the * Royals were not to rig in red,' (though the martial appearance of the < party' was by tliis change of costume lowered in the opinion of the sergeant of the ' squad' and coirmander of the corps) the *joUi/' attired in the tarry apparel of Jack, was all the better suited for his work. — Nor was this the first time on a similar occasion, that Eieutenant Tarbucket had taken the liberty to substitute another cut and colour for the regi It it pretty generally admitted that the marine corps ought on every account, to be attired in the dark rifle uniform. It ha* been remarked by Captain M— y, a poit captain of some celebrity, that lince our " unnatural alliance" with the fleeta of continental powen, th« English line-of-battle-ship is onl^ I rr-gr fnw THE CHASE, 85 " Mister Canister," said Tarbucket, return*, ing aft from his round of inspection—" when the boats are hoisted out you see properly placed in each, a blue light, and a lighted match, and match-tub." ♦* Ready when you like. Sir." « Mister Becket," continued the first lieute- nant, next addressing the boatswain— « get from the gunner both the buoy grapnel-hooks." «* I've never no more nor the one. Sir," in- terrupted the gunner. " Well, never mind — make the most of it — give it to the bowman of the barge, and see it spliced to a five-fathom line of inch-and-a-half." "^ axes your pardon. Sir," said the boat- swain, "but I doesn't think 'twould be a" bad plan if all the boat-hooks was fitted in a sim'lar fashion." « Right, have 'em so— And now,' i« itinued distinguiihed bv the warlet jacket of the marine officer loung- •ing out of the weather-quarter,gaUery window. Vide log. of ■hlpi at Navarino. ■V" i. vm^ 86 THE chase; the first lieutenant in a distinct commanding tone—'*' now I hope every man fore-and-aft, clearly understands his station— for if he doesn't — now is his time to speak/' *; Not a syllable was uttered in reply. «« And I trust," resumed the lieutenant, « that the ship's company, knowing the suffer- ing state of their captain, will preserve as much silence as possible in hoisting out the boats. — Mr. Becket— Pipe down." The crew retired below. ^^.^^ .. « I never saw more orderly men," observed the third lieutenant, addressing his superior. — ** They are a little impatient to be sure — but that's no more than naturaL" « Time enough— if she wasn't so fer off— I'd take the night for it. — However— must make the most of it." Yotuig Rivers was now seen on the booms, in close * confab' with the bowman of the launch. — The only part of the conversation overheard* was — > . f f' f - i ■ »■" u" v'K THE CHASE. « What ! before she's hoisted out?" And the man's reply — « Sartinly, Sir— an' the only way as ye can manage the matter. «« Rivers," cried Tarbucket, calling the boy from the booms— «♦ take my glass to the main- top, and have another look at the schooner." «« Come, youngster," said Funnel, "I shall accompany you." «« Fine boy," said Tarbucket, in an under tone, turning to Nipper—" that feUow 'iU make a first-rate officer.— Come," he continued, « I must down and have another look at the captain. —I say, Peas," added he, addressing the purser, descending the ladder—" suppose you were to get your signal-lanterns in trim.- Mind, if there's any oil spUt on the deck, I'll give the steward a holy-stoning match for a month." Tarbucket had now entered the captain's cabin.— Sir S. had dropped off into a quiet slumber. The nurse was discovered by the bed- side of the patient in a somewhat melting mood. 3 MMM0i g:iJSi Kafe y ^ '''Sifcr't:^- ■ I m ' ng) «»i»^qiw^ A 88 THE CHASE, « What's the matter with you ?" said Tar- bucltet, interrogating the weeping woman. Without returning a reply,' the coxswain's wife rose from her chair, and repaired to the after-cabin where the surgeon was reading seated on a sofa. « Doctor, what's tb«3: matter with this wo- man ?" agun interrogated Tarbucket. " Nothing that I know of." <' What then is she piping her eye about ?" " Ben, Sir," returned the afflicted female, Siobbing syllabically, "Ben, Sir — was — quite — cross — ►with— me — 'cause — I ask'd him — stay —and keep — keep me company !" " Company ! — Hav*n't you the doctor?" re- turned Tarbucket, good-humouredly — " best company in the ship — always a fancy-m^ wi' the women !" <'Fw Heaven's sake," cried the doctor', "don't ' The reader may be anxious to be made acquainted with die name of the surgeon— but on board men-of-war the name of the medical chief, like that of the master, is seldom sought. i . ii i w iii w mw y ii. f ii I w^l^^^p^«p^w I Tar- 1. iwain's to the seated is wo- it?" emale, uite — — stay r re- « best 1^ wi' "don't ted with lie name I sought. THE CHASE. wake the skipper," placing his fore-finger signi- ficantly on the bridge of his hooked nose—" at this juncture ten minutes of quiet sleep is worth more to him than any pedicine that could be administered." Funnel and Rivers had both descended from the main-top, each to make his 'report* to the first lieutenant, now returned on the quarter- deck. « I cannot detect," said the second lieutenant, ♦' any thing like a movement on board. — She's too far oflf — and the rolling motion of the ship prevents a steady look from aloft." « I can see nothing. Sir," said Rivers— "she's just the same as when I last saw her." " Never mind— know more about it before dark." « Talking of dark," said Funnel—" I tliink you have little time to lose— It's a long puU." The author was himself six months in a ship before he could remember the long name of the short Scotch doctor. » »« " I I . •mm0t)Ht0o t ••*"'■■ ^^ ^S i r r . . r: : .^ ' ^iii ii M «il!i |cl» ii»i . i Ki.iJ^ri i ii> p i i mriMi i W wii*p«Wi>>j< i':,^f?^ « And the pinnace mine," echoed the third lieutenant = '-'-"^'A ■ ? -: -^ '■'^" « Well, Funnel," said the first lieutenant, «' we clearly understand each other?" "Perfectly." ' " ^'" ' « Should the boats not return before dark, don't forget the lights at the peak." « And should a breeze spring up, a blue-light will always indicate the position of the boats." «♦ Well, God bless you, my boy," said Tar- bucket, crushing the hand of the second lieute- nant in his Herculean grasp.— Then turning to the master—" Come, old Growl-and-go— tip us your daddle.-HerP; ''hysic— hand us your flip- per—take cao of the captain— and now," con- cluded the chee -^ul *Jirtt; buckling the belt by which his sabre was suspended, "now I think we are all right." The pithy sayings, and pugnacious gesticuU- tions interchanged between the excited boarders -h '# r^ 92 THE CHASR. in the boats beneath and their disappointed moss- mates crowded in the fore-channels, the profes- sional reader can readily imagine. Save the barge awaiting alongside to receive the first lieutenant, the boats were all ' lying-off on their oars,' on the larboard beam of the frigate. And now attired in a round jacket, a large broad-brimmed leathern hat, and a white piece of calico stitched round his left sleeve, the ' stout gentleman' was seen to descend the ship's side. fciiiOiiiiiii ■ >* i< W i i[^ ••lUf-~«r^' — ^ * -•■ K9m«rrw:i^M«S3f^!ti^':^^f3^^ I^ t J ' '-'• '.■ • . *»■ u.'. ^^^ -■%;•' CHAPTER VIL r' , They fell aa thick aa harveau beneath hail, Oraaa before acythei, or corn below the aickle. Byron. Ouii lady readers (and we hope to have such (leHpite our nautical subject) have, doubtless, f«lt some sympathy '-.ith the sailor's wife, known by the soubriquet of ' handsome Sal,' and are perhaps anxious to be »3ld of her last interview with her husband previously to his departing on tiie hazardous service on which he was engraged. Uut with every disposition to render justice to 4 >Mi«i«Miiw«im«e#Sff^^ nji'iiitirir. •• [^^"WMT ii THE CHASE. :^' the feelings of the fair, the departure of the boats precludes the possibility of describing the sketch of the affectionate female now seated in the captain's cabin. We cannot stop the course of our tale further than to say that the long lin- . gering look, and the silken signal waving from the stern-window, was unseen and unanswered by him for whom it was intended. After a two-hours' &tiguing « tug at the oar,' and the eager exertions of all to close with the 'rakish rogue,' the lighter and faster pulling boats had already decreased more than twor thirds of their distance,— leaving the gig, barge, and launch considerably astern.— The gig, which had been compelled to restrain her wonted speed, and which for the purpose of conveying a prompt message, had been specially stationed on the • quarter of the senior officer,' was now called alongside of the barge.— Tearing a blank leaf from his « watch-bill,' and pencilling on the paper a few hurried lines dated 'from the top of hit hat,' and addressed to • Lieutenant Nipper,' iV.i. jii^ J '•MbHtAJriiij =f-l^ -f THE CHASE. M Tarbucket despatched the « young gentleman,* already known by the flattering appellative of ♦drowsy Dick.' " How came I to put such a fellow as that in charge of a boat," said the ' Executive-chief,' as soon as the bearer of his mandate was out of hearing—** sure to blunder a message.— Never mind— has it in black-and-white — can't mistake it."— Then turning to- the coxswain of the barge — « Why ! how's this ?— I always thought your boat could beat the pinnace." h- .3* « The boat's too much by the starn. Sir." A natural consequence when taken into con- sideration, that in addition to the sixteen-stone weight of the ♦stout gentleman,* six of the largest and heaviest of the foremast-men were seated abaft in the boat The gig was not long in ♦overhauling' the pinnace a-head, nor Mister Mitten, in deliver- ing to the third lieutenant his official despatch- though it must he ocknowledged that more time was lost in deciphering than had been occupied »mmmmm wmum I :; (y^r'iB -^ I . iJ „- Ug«i i nu.l^LJ I ^||).tJ,.^L,,jMp i !Jia,4Ml l l il JI|,^ ' 96 THE CHASe. in writing the commands of the senior of- ficer. ' » " Such a scratch / never saw. — However, I guess what he means. — Mister Mitten," said Nipper, ** proceed a-head and direct the two cutters to remain on their oars till the sternmost boats come up — and tell them too, to be ready to take each other in tow. — Away with you — Though stop — stop a moment — What the deuce is this ?" he continued, holding the paper in his liand — " ♦ Tell — the — pur — purser' — can't be purser — 'tell the p — ip— people' — d it — ' they — are — all to put — put' — this put — puts my pipe out — Oh ! I have it — ♦ put on their jackets' — -Ay, ay ! — his old tune of a chill." The boats had already taken each other in tow, the larger and heavier taking the sternmost stations, and only awaiting to secure the * painter^ of the launch now within a few fathoms of the barge. " Hulloa !" exclaimed Tarbucket, not a little surprised at the unexpected appearance of young iMM ■MM MMMMi le senior of- -However, I ilitten," said rect the two the sternmost to be ready with you — lat the deuce paper in his r' — can't be 1 it- is put — puts put on their a chill." ich other in 'he sternmost the 'paintei* thorns of the t, not a little nee of young mmmm w/ltfigi^^mfmSm'mi vmmv y- ' - a ^^ "nn^if: :s«r'- THE CHASE. 91 Rivers, who had tried in vain to conceal his person under the portly lee of Lieutenant Cheeks, seated in the stem-sheets* of the launch — " Hullo ! — I thought, Sir, I ordered you to re- main on board !" ■•; »» "I thought I might be wanted, Sir," returned the boy, touching his hat. 4 iiAi sw^ " Well, — never mind — Forgive you this time — Make the most of it. — Gig there," cried the philosophic *Jir3t,' hailing the light-boat abreast of the barge — " Mister Mitten — change places with Mister Rivers. — And recollect, youngster," addressing the latter emphatically — " the gig is only to act as a despeUch-hoo,t, — The fellow's a regular fire-eater," muttered Tarbuoket, re- suming his seat The boflfders were now desired to refresh themselves, as Tarbucket expressed it, * with a bite o' biscuit and a sip of six-water-swizzle.' No one knew better than Tarbucket how neces- sary it was occasionally to console the inward ' 8t«m-shNt>— the after part of a boat. VOL. I. f •dP' •«>*M«MiMMMllM i III If: ^K" l|ii«,U.l,i*.-~,llMlll!4„ ■»,'liH I« ., I H i .lLI. I H i«iiw<«IN«g!iif aM i « i i i ii »ii » ii '! i .'M«au ii " i. 98 THE CHASE. man : — ^indeed he was often heard to expatiate upon the necessity of ' wetting the mouth after weary work.' ^ .v.. " Please, Sir, I axes your pardon," said Frost, the ship's company's fevourite < spokes- man' — '* but the people say. Sir, as they'd ra- ther do their work without their jackets— we thinks we shall be obligated to take to the buff." ** Well, with all my heart— make the most of it, — but they must tuck up their shirt-sleeves," returned Tarbucket, perceiving that severd had already adopted this distinctive mark — *' and then there's no mistake ' — And remember," added he, addressing the officer next in command — " the pinnace and the tv/o cutters will board on the larboard side, and the launch dfA barge on the starboard — Mind! mustn't mince the matter — Run alongside at once !" * The reader may imagine tie here detecu a plagiariim.— But Lieutenant Tarbucket had employed thii phrase long before it waa brought into fluhion— and ' n« miitaka.' ■MMM '^ M w wr ' :. ' ' - l i t^wm * .jMv I to expatiate e mouth after pardon," said trite *spokes- as they'd ra- ■ jackets— we take to the Le the most of shirt-sleeves," lat several had mark — " arid ember," added n command — will board on aM barge on nee the matter la a plagiariim.— thii phnue long miitake.' k. mm THt CHASE. W « That's the bo," cried a voice in the pin- nace, " Tiny-Tom all over." « Of course," said Nipper, " you will tell us when we are to cast-off?" « Ay, ay ,— I'll look out for that— And now," continued the animated leader, rising himself erect in the boat, and exhibiting to all a commanding presence — ** and now, my lads, what say you with a will ?—Now for it— Strike- out together." A simultaneous cheer which made the welkin ring and which lasted for several seconds, suc- ceeded the emphatic words of the exciting r lieutenant. Some twenty minutes had elapsed when Tar- bucket, who had been previously looking at the schooner with his gtoss, handed the instrument to the midshipman on his left, directing him to « see if he could discover any thing particular." «* It appears to me. Sir,** said the midship- man, still looking at the vessel—" it appears to me as if she had boarding-nettings traced up," w2 !t ' T'WnifiiiWiinjTtiiir" i. ,/-" 100 THE CHASE. " To be sure, she has. — But never mind — make the most of it. — I say, Nipper," cried Tarbucket, hailing his brother-officer a-head — <' I say, have your slashers ready — your toma- hawk-men at hand. — The fellow's got some bird- cage work about his rigging.'* " Ay, I see," said the third lieutenant, who had also his glass at his eye — " we shall piince his meshes for him. — I can't discover a single port open." ' " Lord, they never can stand us !" said the coxswain of the barge, in a tone evidently in- tended to invite a reply from the first lieute- nant. " Who said they could ?" returned Tarbucket testily — " Hurrah ! my lads — hurrah I—another rally. — Five minutes more and we cast-off." The time had barely expired before the boats were directed to * cast-off,' and were seen to form in two divisions. The schooner whose head had been so long turned towards the ^t closing boats, had now '^***Mflligg| mttmmmmm ■WiiiiiiMiiii ever mind — ipper," cried Mjr a-head — -your toma«. - , ot some bird- - '< itenant, who ' ! shall piince ►ver a single s !" said the evidently in- first lieute- id Tarbucket ih 1— another , cast-off." ore the boats seen to form >een so long nts. lia<1 nAur 1 '.Viat^^^!t!^'- THE CHASE. 101 changed her position— the lighter canvass of her « head-sails,' having felt the influence of a partial * cat's-paw »,' was observed to darken the surface of the water in the vicinity of the vessel. The mode of coming to the assault was consequently reversed — the boats having now to run on each ^ quarter^ instead of each bow. The assailing party were within half musket shot of the schooner, when displaying at her peak a large tri-coloured flag, the enemy's ves- sel was suddenly seen to open her ports. The discovery was made during a momentary pause of the boarders ' on their oars,' to permit them to recover breath. « What say ye, my lads — All in wind ?" " Ay, and willing too." « Now, remember all — Trust more to /^ "Hurra!!!" ,^ The air yet vibrated vitu ilie closing cheer of the reeking boarders, whec at the rj.oraent that the two crews of the leading boats relaxed the oar to wield the weapon, and that one and all had simultaneously risen to grapple with each quarter of the enemy's vessel, a shattering shower of grape, canister, broken bolts, rusty nails, and every description of destructive lan> gridge, flew forth from the depressed and well- pointed cannon of the formidable foe. The volumes of dense smoke which for several mo- ments accompanied both broadsides, hung like a canopy over the advancing boats and veiled from view the scene of slaughter that ensued. The heroic leader of the larboard lincj who had i. i. I'fii.m*'"'! Hf ■L&i t m'i o ike flash of bing his huge I — slap along- V*', . •S'-r »9uig cheer of r.'.oment that s relaxed the one and all pie with each a shattering 1 bolts, rusty itructive lan- led and well- e foe. The r several mo- , hung like a [d veiled from nsued. The iCj who had THE CHASE. 103 usurped the place of the bowman, as if deter- mined to perish or have the first foot on the ene- my's deck, fell over the outer gunnel of the pinnace— disappearing on the instant, and leav- ing no mortal trace save the crimson stain which discoloured the bosom of the deep — Singular to say, Tarbacket, though the largest and decidedly the most conspicuous object in both boats, alone escaped the fatal fire. " Foltow fast— follow fast!" cried he, uncon- scious that none in the barge excepting his two favourites. Frost and MiUer, were in a condition to raise an arm— for in scaUng the side of an enemy's vessel, the boarder has Uttle time to look behind.— Tarbucket, how- ever, soon effected a footing in the starboard channels of the schooner, ar^ commenced with might and main hewing and hacking with his sharp sabre the close meshes of the netting that obstructed his advance. Frost, who had foUowed in the wake of his valorous leader, and who had also found a ' landing' on the lieutenant's F 4 ^"* ' |' ii 'iii"»'*>»i?wiww*Mwi^-^ >«ti< w i.ii w j " ' ^f,i ' ...m L 104 THE CHASE. left, suddenly descried a tall resolute looking Creole pointing with deliberate aim a pistol at • the head of his officer. — Without a word of warn- ing,. but with a praiseworthy presence of mind, the seaman made a violent push at his superior, precipitating him flat on his back into the boat beneath — The lieutenant's fall terminated the expiring agonies of the Main-deck mate who had previously dropped, mortally wounded, in the stern sheets of the barge. The desolating contents of the schooner's guns had levelled the boarders in both lead- ing boats before the launch had had time to take her appointed station. " Never mind— dash up, my boys," cried the gallant Lieutenant of marines, animating his men on the sudden suggestion of the more expe- rienced coxswain to board on the taffrail. " You see, Sir, she's low abaft" " Hurr«h ! lads— we'll heave ourselves over the taflfrail." At the moment the boarders in the launob V. - UBS. i>«Hi»ii ili i.i i>i iiiii i ' ii i. "Mm ' mimmi- ' ,! ^ ute looking a pistol at ►rd of warn- !e of mind, is superior, to the boat linated the ate who had led, in the schooner's both lead> ime to take " cried the ng his men lore expe- ail. elves over lie httnoh '^^¥£->^i..m^^iia THF. CHASE. 105 were rallying to effect their purpose, the enemy, who had hitherto concealed his stern- chasers, unmasked his treacherous battery, defeating with fetal effect the daring intention of the lieutenant of marines. « The villwns !— Who could have thought ' thatf" excUimed the exasperated officer, as he bent to raise the bleeding body of the sergeant, who had fallen at his feet «« Leave me— leave me !" groaned the sufferer. "Good heavens!" continued the marine lieutenant as he passed forward from thawt to thawt to bind the wounds of the several sufferers strewed in the boat-" Why, we've scarcely a man left!" « Here am I, Sir," cried the corporal. " They've missed me," exclaimed a private. « And me too," echoed another. « There's four on us yet left," cried a blue jacket in the bow of the boat. - The pitiable plight of the launch soon at- tracted the eye of young Rivers who had al- f ft ■m m ;.' l.yw *' * mi^limmmmmgfff^ 106 THE CHASE. ready proceeded in the gig, to the succour of the crew. « Rivers, my boy," cried the officer of ma- rines— «« jump in here, and give me the gig." " Come in. Sir," answered the boy—" but I must steer." " Well, be it so— but we must take tliese four," pointing to the small number left un- touched in the launch— « and danh off to support the barge." At this critical juncture a sharp volley from the stern ports of the ,privateer, prostrated the marine officer senseless in the stern sheets of ^^® PK* a" The «teering linei. m I^^Kgg3JEE3SS3SC3SS 2SSiJ*'^*9>'K£8 ft succour of ficer of ma- the gig." oy— "but I take tliese ber left un- ff to support volley from ofltrated the rn sheets of left arm of held in hit It way at u •oats wain. — that — what leering nnd THE CHASE. 107 leading forthwith tlie crews of each cutter to a desperate charge on the enemy's larboard side. The galling fire of musketry, together with the thrusting pikes from the enemy's port-holes, as the Frenchmen reroiuned in ambush under cover of their deep-waisted bulwarks, repulsed the assault of the English assailants. « Never mind, boys — here's at her again !— Now for itr— hurrah ! — and board her on the bow." A second charge was effected. The first cutter grappled with the fore-chains. — The boatswain, tomahawk in hand, flung himself at the schooner's rigging. «• Bravo, Ben!— That's yw— dash away— sever the ridge-rope and make a lane," cried Becket, perceiving the captain's coxswain had carved an aperture in the enemy's netting. — At this moment the coxswain in diriding die de- tired ridge-rope overbalanced himself by the force of the blow, and feU in board on the enemy's deck. " Hurrah, boys!— Ben 's made a lane!" cried f « mmm «f ^m i, -se ^ ifW'nJ 108 THE CHASE. the boatswain, springing aft to follow John- son's supposed advantage. — In attempting a second spring his foot fmled, and overboard toppled the brave Beclcet, between his own boat and the schooner's side. ** It's never no use — ^they're too much for us !" exclaimed Becket, as he gained the gunnel of the cutter — " It's only murdering men to attempt »» more. The sun was sinking in the west, and a breed- ing breez6 had already ruffled the sur&ce of the waters in the south. The schooner's lofty can- vass caught the combg air, and the sharp vessel gradually 'gathering way,' slipped from be- tween, and dropped astern the disabled boats. *< What officers are left?" asked Tarbucket, who had only now recovered the stunning effects of his fortunate fall *< Only me and Mister Mitten, Sir," an- swered the boatswain, who had ah-eady sought his superior. ** Are we sbrong enough to make another rally ?•* ' "'i'lSMsrv^i^^^'^- [low John- empting a overboard is own boat ichforus!" uinel of the to attempt THE CHASE. 109 " Can't do it, Sir. Moreover, she's slipping .away from us fast ." »« Where's young Rivers ?' " He, Sir — ^his arm's knocked to atoms." "What! thefeoy*?" « Yes, Sir." ^ "I'd rather have lost both my own." }\ 1 i 1 M] ^ i tjm 1 ^■U! f JH ^B \m ' i iW - ' Sfj ; -f 'M ; m '/K 1 V,! ■•1 1 Mk * II i nd a breed- rlace of the s lofty can- iharp vessel 1 from be- ed boats. Tarbucket, ning effects Sir," an- ndy sought therraUy?*' [| II i -^^u^^e4a»i!iJm■J!i^i:JaB e s^ ^ ;^ ■i,^ CHAPTER VII. " It is an awful topic — but 'tis not My cue for any time to be terrific." Byron. After so direful a result to his expedition, it will easily be conceived that the feelings of Tarbucket must have been of a most overpower^ ing nature. Harrowing, however, as they were, he still retained that sense of duty which even iu tJie utmost extremity, while perception re- ri»i i isssssssma^i^s;::r. Wr::::z:^&BsBSsmissgB!^ass3B» f/ron, »edition, it 'eelings of )verpower- they were, i^hich even leption re- al: THE CHASE. Ill inained, never for a moment left his mind. He was sufficiently collected to arrange his shattered flotilla, in which only a few men had escaped, to administer relief to the sufferers, and raise them, mutilated as they were, from the boats' respective spars. Before the boats had been taken in tow, the foremost of each stepped, and upon which a lug-sail was set, tlie dismal day had closed. « Does any one see the ship ?"' inquired Tar- bucket, after running for a considerable time in line to leeward. " Not yet, Sir," replied Frost, steering the boat in his seated station. « Then burn a blue light." At this dark hour (for the moon, though high in heaven, was obscured by gathering clouds), and after the murdeious catastrophe just described, the fulfilment of the commanding officer's order produced a peculiarly grim effect: the wounded and the dead were already ghastly enough, but when the coloured flame gleamed 2 ,' J5' m ■m EHH -tSSSBS If ■ jy ! i iMi|| Ji - 112 ;^.- ' THE CHASE. upon their contorted visages their appearance became doubly fearful and phantom-like. Save an occasional moan, all around was silent, solemn, drear J in the ill-foted boats lay the expiring and the departed— some writhing in hideous agony, and others fixed in the marble sleep of death ; while each of these expressions was ex- aggerated under the seemingly preternatural illumination which brooded over them. The boat's signal was answered in a few minutes by the frigate burning a blue light to indicate her own position. «« Ah I there she is," exclaimed Tarbucket, «« a long way to leeward. Poor Funnel ! he can have no notion of our distress ; — how unfor- tunate, too, that the doctor's mate should have been taken ill at the moment he was most wanted— fine plucky fellow too. Blow breezes, blow," continued the Lieutenant, unconsciously whistUng to the wind, « I'd give all I'm worth in the world could I get these poor fellowH aboard." , Mi Mi ^\ ■Jflpipii.lHJPVilJUIiIlP, fi ■ THE CHASE. 118 appearance ike. Save nt, solemn, } expiring n hideous tie sleep of US was ex- sternatural • in a few le light to rarbucket, unnel! he low unfor- ould have was most n breezes, onsciously I'm worth yc felluwM *' The breeze freshens fast, Sir," observed the coxswain. " Bad business. Frost," said Tarbucket. '* Can't bi? helped. Sir," returned the cox- swain ; '* mortal man cou'dn't a done more ; — hope. Sir, the heave in the boat didn't hurt you ; but if I hadn't a done it you'd a been a dead man." « Poor Nipper !"— Not another syllable escaped the lieutenant's lips during the long hour the boats were nearing the frigate. At length, however, he gave directions for the gig to * cast off the tow,' and proceed to the ship, for the purpose of com- municating to Mr. Funnel the disastrous issue of the attack. Mister Mitten was ahready alongside in the gig, " Proceed to the ship," said the lieutenant, " as fast as possible — you see her, don't you?" " Yes, Sir, I see her lights." « Well, then, tell Mister Funnel — but quietly mind— of our unfortunate fate; get as many cots -:-\. J ^.^^m,i^^^ ly,, . I n i . qp r iB^ ail tj B' f^.;^ 114 THE CHASE. as possible slung^, and every accommodation for the wounded — shove oflF." The light boat,.under the influence of her large lug-sail, soon closed with the frigate At the moment of passing under the stern of the ship a female voice from the cabin-window was heard ejaculating, « Ben ! Ben .'—Is Ben in the boat?" There was no reply. The gijf luflVd under the lee-quarter of the frigate, hove-to with her mam-topsail to the mast— exhibiting two vertical lights at the peak and one at the bowsprit end. Funnel, for a considerable time before the hxita Imd closed with the enemy's schooner, and until chey were seen straggling astern,, had planted himself in the main-top of the frigate in anxious suspense. As soon as he perceived the schooner slipping away witlj a gentle breeze, lie descended the deck, convinced that the boats had been repulsed, though he had not calculated the extent of the loss sustained. JMPMWtWil l lJliii i iiMWt)^ tmodation for lence of her frigate. — At stern of the -window was [s Ben in the larter of the psail to the s at the peak i before the chooner, and astern,, had he frigate in erceived the e breeze, he it the boats ot calculated THE CHASE. 115 Mitten had now communicated his melancholy message ; — anxiety was depicted in every xioun- tenance aboard. — Lighted lanterns were seen in every direction on the main-deck, and mess- mates were already taking from the nettings the hammocks of the absent men. The gig and jolly-boat had ahready bee:' despatched with fresh hands to hasten alongside the disabled boats, and every preparation had been made to &cilitate the transit of the wounded. As fast as the boats were cleared, the bodies of both dead and wounded were placed between the guns on the main deck, in order that the surgeon might examine them.— At this time the wife of the captain's coxswab, half frantic, was running fore and aft the waist, gazing at the diflFerent bodies, and wiping with her apron the gore from their faces, endeavouring to trace the features of her husband. — Poor creature! her's was a bootless scrutiny. Of the few survivow who were capable of even answering a question, none •. ,( iwW^?M,"ri i> t-^ij-w^itjW^'wa ■'"'TI-' 116 THE CHASE. could afeord lier any tidings of « Ben.'--But at length, and when with bewildered air she again bent over the sufferers as they Jay extended on the deck, the attention of the boatswain was drawn towards her. " Whafs the matter, Sal?— Poor Ben's not here !" « Good God I" exclaimed the unhappy wo- man—" Dead or alive, I must see him." « He's not among us at all— He was the only man who got on board the enemy, and I saw him with my own eyes faU on the schooner's deck !" These words were no sooner uttered than, with a piercing scream, the bereaved wife sank senseless at the boatswain's feet^ and regained her consciousness only to become a confirmed maniac. N.B. Should any reader be anxious to tnow the destiny of the surviving personages in our melancholy tale, we have the gratification to •«>V<»fa«pp^wi«9>«M n.*--But at ir she again extended on itswain was ' Ben's not happy wo- tn. Eis the only and I saw schooner's THE CHASE. 117 inform them, Lieut Cheeks is now Lieut.-colonel of marines, and the best dressed man seen at his Majesty's levees ; that young Rivers is now an old post captain, minus his left arm ; and that Tarbucket still remains on the lieutenants' list. The professional reader will be aware, that the foregoing fiction is unhappily not without more than one parallel in our Naval records. "t 1 u lered than, wife sank i regained confirmed 8 to tnow i;e8 in our ication to ;.;j^v;-.A: F-' [ ■ ■&^m, Wmmmaamm M tiumiiieiMsaai»iiim,tmsieMtM BKK»!ffi»«!.iWS5S iM^Sffl^wH^S^SI^BSesS'Sw^S^SsSrSlfeK a'l', ». 'j - i- '<• «i » i xV IV ->/ -' > - 1* i 7 !' .; t^- A • 1 , t • u ,'» , ^ 4 ■ -■> . t • *m', . ^"■' f'**" i-. (y * 1 , •*" ^« . i ■ %h , - -V-^'S .-...-i 4'. tm * . -. . „/ • *. , • - * .. --Vf V* t ' • « > ' ' STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. Of the few productions which have come under ^ the title of * Naval Novels,' Smollett has been said to be the originator ; and, chronologically speaking, he is so. We cunnot, however, agree in the dictum which attributes to him the highoNf * excellence in nautical fiction ; and we shall en> « VOL. I. a '! m ill I II l ii l'i H i i wm^*)M^V• il^^'- i^ltimi^JfsatSXS^l&^i^asmrtriiil^iiktai^ie^A j:«?4&ieESm^ u STKICTURES ON SMOLLETT. deavour to show why it is that we differ from the verdict of the majority of critics who have estimated the genius' of Smollett as a Naval Novelist. In other respects, no eulogy which has ever yet been paid by the warmest admirers of this great writer can, for one instant, be deemed extravagant. Our present business with Smollett is confined to those parts of his works which tend to exhibit to landsmen the nature of the goingaon at sea. Critics in all times have done more to mislead than to guide the multitude; never has the perverseness of the honourable craft been so triumphant as in the false impression regarding sea-stories produced by them on the public mind. This is the more remarkable, as happening in a maritime nation which transcends all others in the power and extent of its navy, and wherein it might conse- • quently be imagined that ahnost evory landsman would have some knowledge of marine affisirs. Th« reverse of this, however, is the fact No people in the w^rld know less of the matter. 'I TT. re differ from ic8 who havtf ;t as a Naval eulogy which ■inest admirers te instant, be isent business e parts of his landsmen the Critics in all than to guide erseness of the bant as in the aries produced bis is the more naritime nation the power and it might conse- evory landsman marine afhirs. I the foot No of the matter. STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. 123 i Englishmen, indeed, are fond of the subject, but they take no pains to qualify themselves to apply the test of truth to such * Tales of the Sea' as come before them: and yet we were told by Lord Halifax, one hundred and twenty-nine years ago, that ** the first article of an English- man's political creed must be, that he believeth in the sea." Smollett, being the first writer (at least of novels) who attempted to delineate nautical life, critics and readers havo been induced to take every thing uttered by him for gospel; and most unquestionably to him are the public indebted for many scenes afloat, which, being stamped by the hand of genius, are not likely soon to fade. Still it is not safe to rely implicitly on Smollett's representations; for thougli occasionally these are founded in a deep knowledge of the human heart, seconded by great skill in portraiture, his humour, generally speaking, is not so much that of a painter of real life as of a caricaturist; and the propensity to add the outr4 to what is in itself o 2 •msaa^sssssiammm 124 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. ^ %<| ■ extlravagant, though seen here and there through all his writings, is no where more obvious than in his naval scenes. Upon his exaggt ration of naval character and incident, and upon the forced and inconsistent phraseology put into the mouths of his seamen, the critic has erected his standard of excellence in this line of fiction ; but critics are, for the most part, " Gentlemen of England who live at home," though not ai ease. [We are sorry to vitiate the quotation.] Now before a man can write like a seaman, he must learn to think like a seaman ; and while we join in the general testimony as to the surpassing genius of Smollett, we may be allowed to add that vagueness of delineation . no lees than extrava- gance is a defect in his naval sketches. For example, we do not discern in his writings those nice distinctions of character which mark the different grades of thr profession. Truiuiion the commodore, Oakum the captain. Bowling and Hatchway the lieutenants, Jack Ratlin and Tom Pipes the foremast-men, speak alike in the •<%> I^SSSSH^H^ tmf^mmm r. here through obvious than iggt ration of on the forced o the mouths his standard ; but critics n of England le. [We are low before a lust learn to e join in the issing genius to add that han extrava- etches. For mtings those ich mark the Trunnion un, Bowling :k Ratlin and k alike in the STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. 125 same btrain of extravagant metaphor, which is not only misplaced in itself, but, in nine cases out of ten, is broken by the most violent incon- gruities V In the 73rd chapter of Peregrine Pickle we lind the following passage in the dying speech of Commodore Trunnion : " This cursed hiccough makes such a rippling in the current of my speech, that mayhap you don't understand what I say. Now, while the sucker of my wind-pump will go, I would willingly mention a few things, which I hoi e you will set down in the log-book af your remembrance, when I am stiff, d'ye see. There's your aunt sitting wii'Tnpering by tlie fire. I desire you will keep her tight, warm, ' Innumerable putagrei similar to the following might be cited in support of thii auertion : — " A third, seeing my hair clotted together with blood, as it were, into distinct cords, took notice that my bowt were manned with red ropes insteod of my side." — How either the bows or side of a ship could be ' mmntd with ropei' we, knowing something of man as well ns of nauticals, are quite at a loss to conceive. A seaman would have said ' Red ropes are shipped to your bows,' instead of ta your side. *^^':\..-P,' o3 Hii 1 \i r 126 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. andTeadBy in her old age; she's an honest heart in her own way ; and thof she g^oes a little crank and humorsome, by being often overstowed with Nantz and religion, yet she has been a faithful shipmate to me," &c. &c. In the foregoing passage, Smollett might, had he been living, have sheltered himself from our weak assault respecting the application of the phrase * crank,' under the great aathority of Shakspeare, who says that in drunkenness *' *\\e brain is the heavier for being too light" Be this as it may, we are certain that such a strain of discourse is at once improbable as occurring on a death-bed, and perfectly senseless as nautical metaphor. To be * crank' is to want ballast, not to be * overstowed ;' and if the rippling of the current of a man's speech will prevent his being understood, surely a wind-pump ought not to be called into pky to increase the rippling; though, up to the present hour. His Majesty's navy has been unaided by the operations of such an instru- ment as a wmrf-pump. T. inest heart in L little crank trstowed with een a faithful tt might, had iself from our cation of the aathority of cenness " ♦'.le . light" Be such a strain as occurring ;s8 as nautical nt ballast, not ppling of the 'ent his being ight not to be ling; though, Bty's navy has uch an in9tru- 4 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. In making the above remarks, we fear that we may be considering the great novelist too closely, especially as his works are ruther exhibitions or caricatures of life in general, than of that small portion of it which is confined to a ship. Smol- lett's sea-scenes are only incidental to his stories; they do not constitute the staple of Roderick Bandom ; while the locality of Peregrine Pickle, though some of the principal characters are sea- men, is altogether on shore. One of the great difficulties common to naval novelists is uncere- moniously got rid of by our Scotch writer; — we allude to the non-introduction of his heroines afloai They are confined to the shore, a cir- cumstance which confers no very enviable benefit on the landsmen with whom they must associate, inasmuch as Smollett's virtuous women, of whom of course his heroine** are formed, are any thing but attractive. It is hardly necessary to say that virtuous women are the best of women; but cer- ■ tain it is that Smollett had not the talent to invest purity with interest. His mind, we fear, o 4 I^HMtWMWMMIIP n- m» STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. was essentially gross, and (not to affect a para- ^ dox) his best women are his worst. The most perfect of Smolletf s naval delinea- tions are to be found in his incidents in the cock- pit, in which place, as a surgeon's mate, he would necessarily have been domiciliated ; and this is , . not only evident in such parts of Roderick Random as are descriptive of scenes at the amputating table, but is also shown in the manner in which he so minutely depicts such cable-tier tricks as .-:. * cutting down,' < reefing sheets,' * turning the turtle,' * blowing the grampus,' and similar i.ia- nual jokes peculiar to the lower regions of the orlop. In descriptions of this nature Si^llett seems to revel; but it is worthy of remark, that although he had poetical &culties of no mean order, as manifested not only in his metrical productions but in his prose fictions, (witness the ghastly scene with the robbers in the forest, in Count Fathom^) yet he seems incompetent to delineate with minuteness and fidelity the grand aspect of nature on the deep. He endeavours uraniiirmiii'rtii STT. affect a para- naval delinea- tsin the cock- nate, he would d; and this is derick Random 16 amputating uiner in which i-tier tricks as • turning the id similar i.ia- reg^ons of the ature Snlbllett )f remark, tliat H of no mean t his metrical IS, (witness the the forest, in icompetent to iity the grand le endeavours layMii i imM i ii^ lift-. STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. 129 indeed frequently to do this ; but his descrip- tions resemble more the style of a writer la- bouring in his study, than that of a man whose imagination had been excited by the sublime influences of the scene. His < tem- pests' and < battles' are not exhibited for the grandeur inherent in themselves, but are made subservient to a display of incidents connected with his own individual profession ; for example, what he tirms the hurricane in Roderick Random^ is briefly despatched in order that ' Poor Jack Rettlin/ who had &llen from the main-yard'arm, at the expense of a broken leg, should be brought belof^ to the surgeon for an operation. All the circumstances contingent upon this accident are described witli minute detail, and are unques- tionably very interesting. Ag^in, in his * battles' the reader's attention is not so much engaged by the impending fate of the hostile ships, as by the display of knives, bandages, tourniquets, and all the paraphernalia of marine surgery, — < a terrible show.' This proves that even a great man (and o 5 130 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. Smollett is truly such) may occasionally smell of the shop. We have already spoken of the Doctor's ten- dency to exaggeration * ; and, that we may not be thought to accuse him rashly, let us cite one of the scenes wherein this tendency will be readily apparent. It is from Roderick Random. — We must premise that Captain Oakum had tyranni- cally commanded the < sick' of his ship to be reviewed on the quarter-deck. *< This inhuman order shocked us extremely, > " It is remarkable," says a contemporary critic, " that Sir Walter Scott, in his Biographical Memoiri of British Novelists, should have selected for eulogy a circumstance which every seaman must .ridicule." — " Fielding," says Sir Walter, " has no passage which approaches . in sublimity to the robber scene in Count Fathom, or the terrible description of a sea iengagement, in which Roderick Random sit$ chaintd and ex- poted on the poop, without the power of motion, or exertion, during the carnage of a tremendous engagement" Vol. III. p. IMS. ' Every seaman well knows that nothing more unlikely could have occurred before a battle than deliberately to incapacitate and expose to danger one of the two men on whose surgical assistance the lives of so many of the crew, including that of the captain himself, would depend.' ' '_ff; V i/i'-"'>^*=^i J" -jT, '■\^";.v PT. fially smell of Doctor's ten- . ve may not be IS cite one of irill be readily landom. — We , had tyranni- is ship to be us extremely, y critic, " that Sir British Novelists, »nce which every Sir Walter, " has ity to the robber «nription of a sea t$ chaintd and ex- ttion, or exertion, ment" Vol. III. lore unlikely could «ly to incapacitate on whose surgical r, including that of STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. as we knew it would be impossible to carry some of them on the deck, without imminent danger of their lives ; but, as we likewise knew it would be to no purpose for us to remonstrate against it, we repaired to the quairter-deck in a body to see this extraordinary muster ; Morgan observ- ing by the way, that the captain was going to send to the other world a great many evidences to testify against himself. When we appeared upon deck, the captain bade the doctor, who stood bowing at his right hand, look at these lazy lubberly sons of b— — s, who were good for nothing on board but to eat the King's pro- vision, and encourage idleness in the skulkers. The surgeon grinned approbation, and, taking the list, began to examine the complaints of each as they could crawl to the place appointed. The first who came under his cognizance was a poor fellow just freed of a fever, which had weakened him so much that he could hardly stand. Mr. Mackshane (for that was the doc- tor's name) having felt his pulse, protested he G 6 ■MMP i^immmiimmtmmmm i. 13-2 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. > \ . was as well as any man in the world ; and the captain delivered him over to the boatswain's mate, with orders that he should receive a round dozen at the gangway immediately, for counter- feiting himself sick : but, before the discipline could be executed, the man dropped down on the deck, and had well nigh perished under the hands of the executioner. The next patient to be considered, laboured under a quartan ague, and, being then in his interval of health, disco- vered no other symptoms of distemper than a pale meagre countenance and emaciated body ; upon which he was declared fit for duty, and turned over to the boatswain; but, being re- vived to disgrace die doctor, died upon the fore- castle next day during his cold fit. The third complained of a pleuritic stitch and spitting of blood, for which Dr. Mackshane prescribed ex- ercise at the pump to promote expectoration ; but whether this was improper fur one in his sitim- tion, or that it was used to excess, I know not, but in less than half an hour he was suffocated > ' . .i rr. '" orld ; and the e boatswain's ceive a round , for counter- the discipline ped down on iied under the lext patient to )uartan ague, health, disco- emper than a aciated body; for duty, and ut, being re- upon the fore- it. The third ,nd spitting of prescribed ex- ctoration ; but le in his situa- I, I know not, was tuffocated STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. ia3 with a deluge of blood that issued Jrom his lungs. A fourth with much difficulty climbed to the quarter-deck, being loaded with monstrous ascites of dropsy, that invaded his chest so much he could scarce fetch his breath ; and his disease being interpreted into 6it, occasioned by idleness and excess of eating," (doubtless on banyan days when the foremast-man so sumptuously fares,) " he was ordered, with a view to promote per- spiration and enlarge his chest, to go aloft im- mediately. It was in vain for this unwieldy wretch to allege his utter incapacity ; the boat- swain's driver was commanded to whip him up with the cat-o'-nine-tails: the smart of this appli- cation made him exert himself so much, that he actually arrived at the futtock-slirouds ; but, when the enormous weight of his body had no- thing else to support it than his weakened arms, either out of spite or necessity, he quitted his hold and plumped into the sea, where he must have been drowned, had not a sailor, who was in a boat alongside, saved his life by keeping i. 134 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. him afloat till he was hoisted on board by a tackle. " It would be tedious and disagretoble to de- scribe the fate of every miserable object that suffered by the inhumanly and ignorance of the captain and surgeon, who so wantonly sacrificed the lives of tlieir fellow-creatures. Many were brought up in the height offeversy and rendered delirious by the injuries they received in tlie way. Some gave up the ghost in the presence of tiunt inspectors; and others, who were ordered to * duty, languished a few days at work among V fellows, and then departed without a»iy ceire- mony." That for too long a period it had been a prac- tice prevalent in the navy to muster the sick on deck, we readily admit ; but we unhesitatingly aMert, that at no time of the service, even in the most tyrannical days, (and there is no denying that those of Smollett were certainly the worst,) could such a series of cool atrocities by any pos- sibility have been perpetrated ; the officers would m Ai board by a toble to de- object that ranee of the ly sacrificed Many were id rendered I in tlie way. mce of tiant ered to " • among v t aiiy cere- been a prac- r the sick on- iiheBitatingl]^ , even in the no denying y the worst,) I by any pos- oiBcers would STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. 135 have remonstrated, or the crew wotdd have mu- tinied : flesh and blood, in short, could not have borne it, but would indignantly have asserted tlie rights of humanity, and forced the cowardly despot to ' walk the plank.' There are times and sufferings under the pressure of which it is difficult to wut the tardy retribution of the law. But a mere violation of probability did not deter Smollett from indulging a desire to satirise the ' Service,' which it has been often said he de- tested. This wilfulness of purpose breaks out indeed in all his works '. Whatever he seems inclined to say, he says plainly and recklessly. * There are passages in all his novels, especially in Roderick Ilandom, which no other than him- self, not even Fielding, would have dared to put forth. Talk of a ' Family Shakspeare' indeed I — we wish good Mr. Bowdler had directed his purifying operations to the works of our physi- cian ; for we know, and so does every one else, Again in Rodorlcit Random. i f 'I ti). 136 STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. that no books are more freely put into the hands of youth, by well-meaning persons too, than the works of t'^e novelists. With reference to his propensity to caricature, it may not be superfluous to allude to the extra- vagant dress in which Smollett has thought pro- per to attire Captain Whiffle upon the occasion of his going on board to supersede Oakum in the command of his ship : — " A white hat, gar- nished with a red featlier, adorned his bead, from whence his hair flowed upon his shoulders in ringlets, tied behind with a ribbon. His coat, consisting of jvtnA-coIoured silk, lined with white, by the elegance of the cut retired backward, as it were, to discover a white satin waistcoat, em- broidered with gold, unbuttoned at the upper part to display a brooch set with garnets, that glittered in the breast of his shirt, which was of the finest cambric, edgpd with right Mechlin : the knees of his crimton velvet hreechet scarce descended so low as to meet his silk stockings, which rose without spot or wrinkle on his meagre ito the blinds too, than the to caricature, to the extra- thought pro- the occasion le Oakum iti iite hat, gar- lis head, from shoulders in I. His coat, id with white, backward, aH 'aistcoat, em- it the upper garnets, that which was of bt Mechlin: •eechea scarce ilk stockings, )n his meagre i 'i STMCTURES ON SMOLLETT. 137 legs from shoes of blue maroquin, studded with diamond buckles that flamed forth rivals to the sun ! A steel-bilted sword, inlaid with gold, and decked with a knot of ribbon which fell down in a rich tassel, equipped his side ; and an amber-lteaded cane hung dungling from his wrist. But the most remarkable parts of his furniture rere, a mask on his Jace, and white gloves on his hands, which did not seem to be put on witli an intention to be pulled off occa- sionally, but were fixed with a curious ring on the little finger of each hand." So that it was not, as the Frenchman says in the song, * on his ring he wore vl fingered but on his glove he wore a ring ; or, as Jack w "^nld say, he wore a ring * over all.* This is a dress which Smollett might indeed have seen among the fancy characters at a Ranelagh masquerade, but which could not by any possibility have been exhibited on the quarter-deck of a man-of-war, however ridi- t , li i*:.... STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. culous and contemptible the character of the wearer. It is true that in the days of Smollett, Jack himself was rather ' rumly rigged.' A little low cocked-hat, a * pea-jacket' (a sort of cumbrous Dutch-cut coat), a pair of « petticoat trowsers' not much unlike a Highland kilt, tight stock- ings with pinchbeck buckles in his shoes, consti- tuted his amphibious < fit-oat ;' he had no tail ; . but, excepting this useful deprivation, no cos- tume -could be less adapted for a seaman's work. Fancy a man in this attire at the mast-head ^sending down a to'-gallant-yard, or hauliug-out a weather-earing in a close-reef topsail breeze. — The tar of Trafalgar was another guess sort of fellow — his jacket was short arid succinct, and though his tail, half-mast down his back, brought him up now and then with a round-turn, he had ^ no useU ss coat-skirts to be caught in the sheeve of a block, — an accident by which his prede- . cessor in the days of Benbow not unfrequently ETT, iracter of the Smollett, Jack ' A little low t of cumbrous ticoat trowsers' t, tight stock- i shoes, consti- le had no tail ; 'ation, no cos- seaman's work, the mast-head nr hauliug-out psall breeze. — r guess sort of I succinct, and I back, brought d-turn, he had t in the sheeve ich his prede- ; unfrequently STRICTURES ON SMOLLETT. 139 lost what he called his * precious limbs.' Let hin) only be taut about the stem, and our Tra- falgarian (for Jack, out of a horror of any thing military, despises suspenders) cares not how loose his trowsers may be from fork to foot. We have snoken freely of what has struck us to be defects in the naval portion of Smollett's comic romances. We must not omit however to allude to the very masterly sketch of Commo- dore Trunnion. Having ventured to object to certain passages as unworthy of the general skill of the writer, let us specify some of those which manifest his genuine vein of comedy. In this way nothing can be better than the out-bursting of Trunnion's feelings on hear- ing that one of his juniors had been made a peer of the realm. The speech is too good for quotation ; but it is perfect in its way, whe- ther considered as a manifestation of profes- sioi il pique, or as illustrative of the weakness of the human heart. By the way it is worthy of notice, that when the scene is afloat, as in Ro- \ f 'MinmM'' itiu i W^*rmim!iWBKmmi mmm .J. srs J 40 STRICTUUES ON SMOLLETT. derick Random^ ftioUett's style and feelitiir seem to partake of the uncomfortable state of things inseparable we fear from a life at sen, especiaV^y as regards the junior officers, among whom the doctor's experience was gained. His pen therefore seems to liave been dipped in gall and fiilge-water. Nothing short of satirising and abusing the Service will content him ; but when his naval heroes are settled comfortably in shore- retirement, as in Peregrine Pickle, the spleen of the writer vanishes ; all is jocose and kindly on his part, p id, for the life of him, he cannot deli- neate any worse traits in his seamen than those which may be safely said to come under the head of amiable eccentricities. ,M.- LETT. e and feelings brtable state of 1 a life at sen, officers, among as gained. His n dipped in gall of satirising and him; but when >rtably in shore- le, the spleen of i and kindly on be cannot deli- men than those ! under the head ', "* ' '• NOTES NAVAL MAXIMS. (Found in the Pocket-book of a Pott Captain,) No. I. In national disputes. — Parleys to be courted and protocols increased ; — both to be considered as signals preparatory to battle. Mem. — Paper pellets formidable weapons of war-^thirty-two pounders pacific pills. . v.i > m f. ,| il MU H W ipfti i. 142 NOTES FOR NAVAL MAXIMS. .r \ i I ■I n.v i i ; '■* if I: H*fi l)i' n'. iff' No. II. < t Neutral treaties.— To be shunned as sunken dangers. .. ' No. III. In Parliament. — On nautical topics observe a passive and dignified silence.— The discussion of naval affairs and maritime matters to be left solely to landsmen. ,f ^i - - No. IV. In Town.—l{ a member of a club, blackball all candidates of reputed abilities. N.B. « Long- headed fellows, all the jaw to themselves.' Mm»i.— Not that talent is always contagious. (■%!.. No. V. , p.". -.-•'•.)' ■ Dt«o.— Should « employment' be sought, an- nounce appointment in a morning minbterial paper, and contradict same in an evening oppo- iMHawwHHMMaa XIMS. nned as sunken topics observe a rhe discussion of rs to be left solely a club, blackball g. N.B. • Long- to themselves.* ys contagious. ,;»;-•--,-'-.>' it' be sought, an- irning minbterial an evening oppo- M NOTES FOR NAVAL MAXIMS. 143 sition print. Mum. — Comments, claims, long services, neglected merit. No. VI. /« Society. — When conversing with ladies, in- terlard your discourse with a double allowance of technical terms ; — tliis will denote your pro- fession, and confirm the feet of your " having been to sea to learn manners." Mem. — An oc- casional ' Damme' may not be amis^i — oaths in- dicate manliness, and carry weight with the women. ■■>:i.- ••^:;;-;!' ' ■ /'■- ■.-'";-"■ - ■• No. VII. In command. — Should you be a flag-officer, neglect not to favour the fleet with a ceaseless succession of -signals, monotonous movements, new circulars, and old orders. In the concoc- tion of official papers, verbose ambigiiity to be studiously sought Mum. — Flag pass for a long- heitded iftWoan,. . M 'mmssammt mmm i NOTES FOR NAVAL MAXIMS. No. VIII. To avoid the appearance of official stiffness or dulness at dinner, relax in the recital of an oc- casional '>e.' N.B.— Lest joke be lost, or wit unseen, secretary to roar aloud and force a laugb. ■ > ' ■ ■ '\ No. IX. If a captain — fix the officers' dinner hour as the prudent period to retire on shore or return to the ship. N.B. — By disturbing comfort of inferiors, increase your own consequence and lessen their's. r In the performance of evolutionary duties, patronize noise, and blink at bellowing. Mum. — Proves that « the people' are not tongue-tied, and each has a ' voice* afloat. tm^^J IMS. ..' ■». . • ■ •,..."..' .'■■-,, J ■ cial stif ness or cital of an oc- be lost, or wit , [ and force a ' 1 iinner hour as shore or return ing comfort of nsequence and tionary duties, owing. Mum. ""^" \ -1-' Dusand. Mum. • ' ' ' ' ■ ■-.* . . ■"'■'"■: • ■■■■■:>■' ■ - ■ ,.V./^''' - \' > , NOTES FOR NAVAL MAXIMS. 145 — The more multitudinous the less contradic- tory. No. XII. Should intelligence be sought by signal, com- municate through the medium of 'vocabulary code.' Mem. — Keep sr.ierior in suspense; and self in ffood temper. ^ No. yai. Sailing orders to be kept secret. Mm, ■ - Mystification adds to importance and comiinauds respect. No. XIV. In sickness. — Blue pills and black doses. — Leaf torn. VOL. I t.i ■.j-''"\'->:^^-- M,>-''-i;*'f / t ^^ t«^ -" ,'' ;?* 'i, t^ii J »' vf . ;, T f K ,. ^, JACKS ECCENTRICITIES. A DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE. The paTsimonioui habits of a late distinguished admiral have frequently afforded subject for merriment afloat. The story of 'poor piggy mutt die,' is well known in the navy, and may here serve to identify the name of the dejmrted chief. In * taking care of number one,' Sir John was h9 I .. -mmMwm ifmmmmwimmmmmm A I4ft jack's eccentricities. unique; and in the practice of domestic economy I^dy E herself might not have despised the veteran's tuition. i Wherever he was employed as port-admiral, a portion of the flag-ship's crew was daily de- spatched with the dawn to milk the cows, ' start the pigs',' and stuff the turkeys. The bravest on board were converted into cow-herds; and there was hardly a boy on the « books' who had not undertaken the duty of a dog; or who had not, at some period <" the day, 'looked sheep- ish* in watching the admiral's flock. Sentinels selected from the after-guard and waist had to keep the cows in clover, and a ♦ bright look-out' that bipeds did not trample on the grass, or in any way permit the cattle to be disturbed at their meals. > Th« lite surgeon Wadd obwrveg, in hit Commtntt on Corm puhncy and Lianntu, timt " umong the moat iingular propoal- tlona for flittening the person that our Inquiriea have ftir- niahed us with, that o( flagellation is the moat whiinsioaL" In the ArU/lcial aiangeling we read, that the Magones were wont to adopt this praoMce, to make their bodies more fat for aale. ■n the grass, or in to be disturbed at , in hit Commtnti on Cor. )e most linofuUr propoai- onr inquirien have ftir- ho mott whimiioaL" In it the Magonei were wont bodies more fal for mU. ■jack's eccentricities. 149 It once happened that an Irish waister had been personally directed by the admiral to en- force his commands, * that no person whatever should walk upon the grass, and that nothing but cows should be seen upon the lawn.' A lady in full feather approached the sentinel on the sward. «* Keep off there !" cried Pat— « keep off!" "l- •• Pray, Sir," exclaimed the mortified dame, *| Pray do you know who / am ?" %'** Saurra-know," rejoined Pat. . " Not know me. Sir ?" " The divil a-know." " Not the admiral's wife, SirV" " Not / — all I know is, you're not one of the admiral's cow$ /" GOOD PILOTAGE. Nothing is more amusing than the alacrity of Irishmen in getting into scrapes, and the happy tuiiveti and blunders by means of which they endeavour to extricate tliemselves. h8 I I ^. f »ii A captain of a man-of-war, newly appointed to a ship on the Irish station, took the precau- tion in cheating out' of harbour, to apprize tlie { pilot that he was totally unacquainted with the coast, and therefore he must rely entirely on the pilot's local knowledge for the safety of the ship. *' You are piirfectly sure, pilot," said the cap- tain, " you are well acquainted with the coast ?" " Do I know my own name, Sir ?" « Well, mind, I warn you not to approach too near the shore." « Now, make yoursel' a*y, Sir : in troth you may go to bed if you pkise." " Then shall we stand on?" " Why, — what eke wou'd we do ?" « Yes, but there may be hidden dangers which you know nothing about." ** Dangers ?-> I like to see dangers dar hide themselves from Mick. Sure, don't I tell you I know every rock on the coast ("' (hen the $hip ttrHu$J—'^ and that's one of 'em !" :iTIE8. , newly appointed , took the precau- iur» to apprize the iquainted with the I; rely entirely on r the safety of the ilot," said the cap- d with the coast ?" L', Sir?" (lot to approach too Sir: in troth you we do?" dden dangers which e dangers d/ar hide e, don't I tell you »tj"' (hxrt the $hip 'em !" iW S *.. .. m. "•■" jack's eccentricities. 151 ■-fi4tM^-Vr r V, f ^n i^M ■si^l in^ 01 ' • . i-. » ; JACK A PUNSTER. « 'Wi t ^Vit.. iiu^t .,SK/ itJi^m •' Anxious to avoid a recurrence of the niany riotous scenes, and, too often, distressing disoH- ters which, upon a former occasion, took place at our several sea-poR; tt»wns, gfovemment took u. 1 praiseworthy precaution, upon paying-oiF ships at the commencement of the present peace, to provide vessels for the purpose of conveying our seamen, free of expense, to the sea-ports nearest their respective homes. However consi- derate this arrangement might be, it was hy no means relished hy Jack, inasmuch as it was ft'lt to be a controul over his purse and person, which in peace time^ he was not prepared to expect. At most ports, the measure was unpopular ; *»'it in the ' river' it was received with increased dissbtiBiactio: The seamen paid oif from the ships at Deptford and WooLvich, were taught to believe by the publicans, slop-sellers, and other diiinteretted supporters of the * conttitntion^' that II 4 LWJIL*"! k%\\ I' ' , - u m mmm nnriiT i i' tmmm ipMMMMHMIi 1 laj JAf K S E( i SNTRICITIES. til ' net, v> say the 1 -si of it, was an infringe- ment upf'fi the Kbtrfy of the subject. The ship' J company of the L e were advised by ihe ' liberals' of Woolwich * to enter their protest against !0 ille^! a r>roc«. .ding ;' and a fore-top- moii of the name )^ Toms, who upon all occa- sions 'A'as rt . , >' to " iirgufy the topic' was de- puted to appeal to the first lieutenant in their favour. In the usual roundabout way, Toms thus opened the proceedings: — '< I axes your pardon, Sir, but the ship's company desires me to say, they doesn't like this hc>re business at all." '* What business?" asked the lieutenant. , -' Why this here cramming us in craft, for all the world like new-prest men in a tender." " Well, my man, it's the admiral's order." *' Yes, Sir ; but when the admiral strikes hit flag, he's never refused liberty to land ; and now the pennant's down, he's never no right to stop our leave, and prevent us spending our money like men !" jmm mm i. riES, , was an infringe- B subject. The were advised by Dter their protest ;' and a fore-top« ko upon all occa-*! e topic' was de» utenant in their lout way, Toms , but the ship's r doesn't like this lieutenant. s in craft, for all fi a tender." airal's order." Imiral strikes hit » land ; and now no right to stop iding our money jack's eccenthicities. 153 " It's too late now," returned the lieutenant, " nor can the order be now recalled even by Sir Home Popham himself." . ., „ " I tells you what it is. Sir, — I don't know what the admiral can call or recall, but I knows this, instead of calling him Sir Home Popham, they ought to call him Sir Pop *em Home /" TOO MUCH OF ONE THING. Upon the return of tlie Temeraire into Ha- , moaze after the ever-memorable battle of Tra- falgar, (in which brilliant affair, be it ubserv.^d, ;, no ship took a more conspicuous part,) two of ; the seamen obtained (as it is technically termed) * leave to go ashore on liberty.' — The day hap- , pened to be Sunday, and as the • liberty-mew' were landed during the performance of divine service, when all the public-houses, not except- ing the • Two Jolly Tarty were closed to tlieir best customers, — the i7acA«, to tlieir great dis- comfiture, found there was more of a * stopper H 5 •; ' I i i.^^^»r,iiiSV,;(W%^i -.. ; ■ .- ;'!i«'4 \\ -.^A: , - •■ ^*^^Ww^^^^ 154 JACK 8 ECCENTRICITIES. clapt upon their liberty than they had bargained for on leaving the barkey.* Their object, how- ever, was to kill time, and, as they had nothing else for it, one of the tars, who was in every sense of the word a more curiotts fellow, than his companion, proposed ' bearing-up for the nearest church,' in order to ascertain 'the difference 'twixt the rigging and palaver of a methody parson, and the togs and talk of a reg'lar-buiit battle-ship preacher.' With this view the Jacks ' put into a methody chapel' in the vicinity of the little village of Stoke. The parson had commenced his sermon, and mentioned, as he proceeded in his discourse, the words * glorious victory,' on which the pro- jector of this reconnoitring trip, whose head was full of the Temeraire and the battle of Trafalgar, observed to his shipmate, " Hark, Jem ! there's th^ Victory." The preacher, like many of , ranting bretluren, was often at a stand for ideas, and was compelled to iterate one word many times ^' TIES. ey had bargained 'heir object, how- they had nothing who was in every tut fellow, than his ■up for the nearest 1 'the difference 'er of a methody of a reg'lar-built ut into a methody ; little village of enced his sermon, id in his discourse, on which the pro- p, whose head was lattle of Trafalgar, [ark, Jem ! there's f of s ranting ,nd for ideas, and word many times JACK 8 KCCENTRICITIES. 153 to fill up the interval during which he was waiting for fresh supplies of thought. — The word * victoty was therefore pronounced a second time. — " Hollo, Jem ! tally there again," said the tar in a somewhat more audible tone. Not long afj«r, the extemporaneous • expounder of the Gospel,' still hard'Up for language, eja- culated the word « victory' a third time, when the irritated tar, again addressing his equally mortified messmate, audibly exclaimed, " my eyes, Jem, if I can stand it any longer ! — There's three times, because, you see, she hap-^ pened to be the^^-ship, that that there black- looking, blarneying beggar has lugged in the Victory, and never, no, not as much as once, touched on the saucy Temeraire—^We, as Was in the hottest part o' the business, and took two ships to our own cheek ! — Come along out o' this — cut and run. — I always told you , these here straight-haired chaps was a parcel o' lying lubbers." I I I I iWIMMMHMMMaMIMnilll .11 ■l«li MNB>Jk 156 W /T JACK S 5CCENTRICITIES. TAKING IT EASY. ■W^^rr On the morning after the mutiny broke out on board the T «, in Beerhaven, upon the peace of Amiens, but which, by the intrepidity and firmness of Pear- Admiral Campbell and his officers, was quickly suppressed, the ship's com- pany of the Vengeance (74), who had for some days been in secret and seditious intercourse with the crew of the former, were seen before the time usually allowed for breakfast had ex- pired < coming aft in a body.' The lieutenant and two midshipmen of the watch were the only ofBcers at the time upon deck ; the rest were at breakfast below ; but when the captain, who wa« reading in his cabin, perceived the men crowding en masse on the quarter-deck, he quietly arose from his seat, and, with book in hand and head uncovered, came out upon deck, and coolly in- quired their * business.' « Why, Sir," said the captain of the fore- castle, who acted on the occasion as spokesman. i. IE9. SY. fm'- utiny broke out i laven, upon the ' the intrepidity Campbell and his the ship's com- 10 had for some ious intercourse ero seen before eakfast had ex-< The lieutenant :h were the only the rest were at captain, who wa« le men crowding he quietly arose n hand and head c, and coolly iu- iin of the fore- in as spokesman, i jack's eccentricities. 157 " we hears as how the ship's ordered abroad — the West Ingees, they say — and the ship's com- pany wishes to know whether it's true, or no more nor a galley-packet; for you see, Sir, in time o' peace, they doesn't altogether look upon it as a fair matter 'twixt man and man, to be sent out o' the land." " 'Pon my word," replied the captain, " this is the first intimation I've had of the matter — but all I know is this, whether East or West Indies, wherever I'm ordered, I go ; and where- ever Iffo, you go ! — Come, come — down below— ^ down, my lads, your cocoa's cooling," good hu- mouredly added the undaunted Duff, returning into his cabin, without once looking behind to see if the ship's company had dispersed and followed his advice. Pleased with the manly candour of their cap- tain, the tars retired with a murmur. The conduct of both captain and crew was duly appreciated by the Lords of the Admiralty, for, though subsequent! V sent to the West Indies, MiiHuniciiHi i. II ll li .1 158 jack's eccentricities. the ship was not disgraced, as others of the squadron were, by having a ringleader hung at her fore-yard-arm, on the day when, by the sen- tence of a court martial, six out of sixteen of the T e'« misguided and mutinous crew at Spit- head forfeited their lives in the face of the fleet.. The well-known anecdote ' told of the late Admiral Cornwallis, when in command of the Canada (74), might, in addition to the fore- going, be adduced to prove that in cases of pre- meditated mutiny, a good-humoured coolness, an > The CoHoda'i ship's company addressed a ' round-robin' to their commander, wherein they declared, to a man, that they would not fire a gun till they were paid. — Captain Cornwallis, on the receipt of the letter, ' turned the hands up,' and thus laconically harangued them.—*" My lads, the ship will be paid when we return to port ; and, as to your not fighting, I only hope we may fall-in with the largest first-rate out of France — for I'm positive the devil himself could not keep you from tearing her to pieces!" — The Jack* were so tickled with this tar-like compliment, that they one and all returned to their duty, perfectly satisfied with themselves and their captein. afea's»¥ig i. :iE8. , :. ^ ■ I Others of the igleader hung at hen, by the sen-f of sixteen of the lus crew at Spit- 'ace'of the fleet.. told of the late command of the ion to the fore- t in cases of pre- iired coolness, an led a ' round-robin' to I, to a man, that they —Captain Cornwallis, i hands up,' and thus , the ahip will be paid ir not fighting, I only :-rate out of France — Id not keep you from « 80 tickled with thia all returned to their and their captain. jack'8 eccentricities. 159 apparent sang-froid of manner, will sometimes do more with Jax:k than all the marines under arms with ball and bayonet : — the one, naturally acting on and humoiuring the buoyant spirit of the tar, stifles sedition ; his fancy being tickled, he forgets his grievances, whether imaginary or real, and his better feelings imperceptibly predominate ; whilst the other method only tends to confirm mutinous thoughts, and leads, if not at once to open rupture, to a continuance of sour and dis- satisfied feelings not easily allayed ; — for, though an officer should be always prepared to meet any disaster, mutiny should be the last thing he should show his ship's company he expected. I i i u fci tm ■'^•H " .>rt«i^jMw;j[««fl«^^^i>^»«»,\5Rpm*JiKvi*»^;ff?w.»i«3»?i^'St*>i4^5'^fw*r^w/.'-'i*^4**^^-^ ^w«;t iikMIS£ iI!.^.•:*■-^ .-.■- ''k. •" Ui*-:r i@e£ JL Mi ' ?r\ ■■'■'] : '■' .11 NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS, BT WHICH COtOURB MAV BE WHOLLY DISPENSED WITH sawgawB ^uj!.. ■■ - NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS, BY WHICH COLOUU8 MAY BE WHOLLY DISPENSED WITH «. Impoiitant m thiH inciHiim of communicntion has been ever • .;)i(lered tr n mr itime power, it 18 singular iiow little of the science of Signals —for such it mny jimtly be called — is really un- derstoofl i" tlie navy, 'i iiis remark may, at the ' Ry Rear- Admiral R«|>»r.—Key)«w«d. "^^^ :- '.Ifimr-^^. . ffi I ^ ■aMOPpitaiaa ■■■■■■Hiaa 164 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNj*L8. outset, Startle tlie professional reader, who, per- haps, will pronounce it a gratuitouii assumption; but we rather imagine, the obser rations which appoar in the work before us, together >i'ith tliose we have ourselves to offer Ofi the subject, will not tend to strengthen the too prevalent opinion that hitherto Naval Signals have arrived at any degree of perfection— nor can we lend our assent to the recorded assurance of a profes- sional writer, that, in their " progressive im- provement, they have advanced at a rapid rate." We fearlessly assert the reverse, and therefore it is, that we shall ever regret when impediments are thrown in the path of their progress. At the close of the American war they were comparatively useless; for, through iJieir me- dium, it was as difficult to command m to coni- rauuicate. At that period, Vicu-Adm. Kem- penfoldt undertook their revisioii ; but, notwith- standing the various Improvements introduced by that indefaiigable officer, still ihe system was common place, and wretchedly derective. :''Siv^|V^'"f*^ jader, who, per- ouii assumption; serrations which V , together »«•. r JM—4u i -*i a^rjaP!i -j. ' i ' iy»l» A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. " The inefficiency of the colours of signals being universally admitted, it seems surprising tliat they should so long have continued to be the only distinction, particularly when it is con- sidered that the flags and pendants, by their respective positions, present the most perfect distinction that can be found; for it is evident that a flag over a pendant cannot, under any circumstance, be mistaken for a flag under a pendant, while the symbols themselves are dis- cernible. This, then," adds our author, " is the principle of the system." \:s*,sy^^' '•^>*-m-^^ * But to explain it more fully: ^ ^ * j< > By the manner in which the Admiral has classi- fied his code, the leading subject of the signal is announced by a specific combination of symbols; a due consideration being given to the character and importance of the purport. For instance — Signals by ships in chase,'' are made by a flag over a pendant. How much better this, than a long flight of flags partly concealed by your Y [>NALS. olours of signals seems surprising continued to be y when it is con- ndants, by their he most perfect ; for it is evident umot, under any r a flag under a lemselves are dis- ir author, " is the W^". '•'* jf;- \.dmiral has classi- ct of the signal is nation of symbols; ;n to the character . For instance — ■e made by a flag better this, than a oncealed by your ^/^i!,-,';> A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 171 canvass aloft ' — or if not so hoisted, separated in halves at each mast-head. Again, ' Signals to ships in chase,* by a flag under a pendant. In like mini ' danger and distress' are instantly recog' symbolic combinations peculiarly Striiui , ::.;-,, l._;;-i:L:-.--;i^?;;;-.^ J^^i J t vious, so long as a flag can bo distinguished from a pendant, combinations can- not possibly be mistaken for each other. Class I. " Contains the signals for Tacking, Wearing, and otliers of the most frequent occur- rences under sail." — These come und«r the head of * Siffnah by the Adtniral or Senior ojicer.'—^ " The combination which distinguishes this class is two flags," and which, says Admiral Raper, " is selected for its convenience in blow- ing weather."— So far so good,— nothing can be better. i---. .: , ^■,-'^% -■ *>,.•■ - • Ships in chase have been often compelled to clew-up their royals and top-gallant sails, go as to afford a full view of their flags; when, perhaps, it was of as much moment to ' carry •air as to communicate to the admiral. ''' *''j' ■'■'-' 't# Hi iiaMinr A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. . Class II. — Is, in some measure, a continua- tion of Class I. and " contains (he remainder of the signals for general purposes, which are of less importance than the preceding" — "The com- bination," (we quote the Admiral,) " is composed of three flags: — the numbers begin with No, 101, and continue to No. 500— this number be- ing more than sufficient for every purpose that can be required of them." ,^ For the latter reason we suggest the propriety of never employing numbers that require to be expressed by substitute symbols ; for example — 11, 22, 222,-33, a33,— 44, 444, &c. &c.— It is true in 500 numbers more than one hundred are lost ; but four will be found sufficient for every possible purpose ; and if not, it would be better to add a hundred, or even ttco more, than employ either of the two substitutes, in 'signals made by the admiral.' Besides, they are not only diflFerently shaped from the numeral flags, but one, the Jlrst substitute we find, is assigned to the combination belonging to the < Compass vt;''jJ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^.v ^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 ill u 2.2 140 u& nil Bli^^ mill 1.6 ■k. Phot„ . SdsKjes Carporation . I ^ ^^' An ovtrtight of no imall imporunce appears in this por- tion of the present Admiralty code. Th« uum$rical flags are employed to indicate the poM$ of the compass. A pendant over number /m indicates N.E.D.E. A uanger is suddenly discovered. The ship that discovers it, desires to apprize her consort of its immediate ' bearing.' But this announcement cannot be effected. The flag number five, is employed to express the previous purport, ' Dnngcr ««««iW*«IMM»t ittttiiaiiiiiiiiiB;^. }MAL8. onsequence were Uowed by oae of 'hip standifig into lip's company has ly suggested by the * Victualling edit a sin to con- n empty stomach, suit from signals cation. — For ex- ir leagues to lee- 1 with three flags ter of the signal ih^ and in toant of tate.'— Well—the r made out by the in the lower flag white become, at —Though differ- Dura will be found nber three, — Gra- ;ed— conjecture it •WIWWH MIUl ".U«i A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 176 put to the push.— " It can't," say the officers of the « repeater,' « be three-four-three, for that signifies, ' Ship has sprung a leak;' and no guns are fired indicative of distress.— It must," they continue—" be three-four-ftoo,— • Enemy the same when last reconnoitered. '"— This settles the matter— all doubt is dispelled— the signal is probably repeated— tlie stranger no longer is an object of interest— she ^passes for one of the « Inshore Squadn^' a fog suddenly envelopes the fleet, and the unfortunate frigate is left to her fate. .y;,— v" v.; r^,....^■' Admiral Raper has guarded against mistakes of tliis nature; and particular attention ap- pears to have been paid in the application of opposite combinations to opposite purports: for instance, ♦ Danger, steer to starboard,' 'wjhff No. 6.—* Danger, steer to Port,' is pendant No. 6. In Sir Home Pojsham's late code, signals of importance were neither, as respecta symbolic combination, nor classification of purport, con- trasted. But on the contrary, such signals were i4 ifc|Li ^i i Wi\« iritirnili, iMIU'li'm I iiii iiiriiaiMitM***!!**!^ :\ V !TAL8. ;he * Interroga- assigned to the f a ship in the a his presence, ihing pendants, . ; and the same assigned to the n employed by lie, — the signal with the chase, n addressed by demands of the with the chase this means, the ed interrogative al symbol; and s fiul, which has is expressed by e fiicility as any ■ A NEW SYSTEM OF^ SIGNALS. 179 The above named pendants we should have long since * condemned as unfit for service ;' — and only that the surgeons of the navy have always objected to bunting bandages, we should have slit them into regular lengths, and con- signed them to Haslaar. With respect to the « preparative,' we cannot altogether assent to the total rejection of that flag. On this subject says the Admiral — ••^' " « The frequent and unnecessary employment of a preparative flag having made it a matter of doubt when the signal itself was to be hauled down, in this plan the hauling down of the sig- nal directs the execution of it; as in fact it always has done when it was not accompanied by the preparative flag. — There are few services requiring preparation w' A have not already specific signals assigned to th jm,- such as * pre- pare for action' — * prepare to anchor,* &c.; and therefore when an operation, not provided for in this manner, is to be executed, preparation for that purpose will be intimated by hoisting a ship's 1 6 »)i> •iiiiii j y^ i ji i ■ y " iHHU Wiii n. ri . i ■*i. ^ w A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. pendent ' umfer the signal, to denote that it is then shown only preparatory." ,'b Here we differ from the Admiral.— In the first place a ship's pendant, even of the widest description — the * regular dock-yard-cut* — is much too narrow to be seen at a distance ; and, in the 8econd,~in the event of a calm, too * long and lazy' to be extended by a * stretcher.' We therefore suggest to the Admiral the propriety of employing the cypher flag to mark a prepa- rative purport not previously provided for in the general code. By this arrangement the uniformity of his system would not lie disturbed, nor an additional symbol added to the code. Nor need there be any doubt on the subject of * directing the execution of the signal.' If the interval be distant, ere the execution of the signal be required, repeating it as heretofore, without the preparative, would answer every > The lengthy pendant, worn by men-of-war at the mait- • head, to diitinguiib them from merchantmen. '■gititfi MMaMMLMn J I III! iiiii'iifflBriirftiMi JAL9, mote that it is Imiral. — In the 1 of the widest k-yard-cut* — is distance; and, of a calm, too ►y a ' stretcher.* ralthe propriety mark a prepa- provided for in rrangement the lot lie disturbed, d to the code. i the subject of signal.' If the xecution of the .t as heretofore, 1 answer every i-of-war at the m«it« men. uami I II ! li l WlN j A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 181 possible purpose. And if the time of action be immediate, ' dipping^ the preparative might serve as a caution ere marking the moment of exe- cution by hauling down the < general number.' These are not hypercriticisms : we can assure the Rear-Admiral our remarks are offered as friendly suggestions. <* Some useful signals," says the Admiral, in the explanation of his system, " may probably have been omitted, and other imperfections may be discovered by the professional reader, more attention having been bestowed on perfecting the system itself than on minor arrangements of the signal book, which would have undergone revision had it been adopted.'' And the Admiral might have added that had his code been put to the test of practical proof, improvements, as to both the cut and colour of his flags, would probably have suggested themselves. But so far as relates to the • system itself,' we have little hesitation in asserting, it comes nearer to perfection than any we have ever yet seen. iinf>apwwiP> ipwM-ni" j m iri Mwu w w w » j iw i iw«i » •aHgnpMmwRnMf" 182 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. It is simple, well conceived, aud well digested } and works its oton way out of every apparent perplexity. There is nothing left to chance^ and few objections can be started which are hot met by considerations, evincing considerable forethought and professional pecaution. i ' >' The Admiral, and we shall follow his example, reminds the reader that— ' ' - - « Care has been taken to adopt the most simple and conspicuous combinations to the most important subjects: for this reason the sir^le flags and pendants are each assigned to com- munications of the most consequence." ^^ ' ' This distinction (so valuable on every consi- deration) was sacrificed sadly in Popham's sig- nals—and why?— Merely to allow the tele- graphic code to begin with flag number fottr. Had all the combinations of two symbols been assigned to the • general signals' only, more than half of those numbers which had been expressed \)y three, (and many were of sufficient import* ance to have demanded a distinction so material) r\- > I 4AL8. [ well digested ; every apparent left to chance^ i which are hot g considerable aution. i. ? >' owhis example, idopt the most ions to the most ison the single signed to com- ence." ' on every consi- 1 Popham's sig- EtUow the tele- g number fottr. oo symbols been only, more than been expressed ufficient import- :ion so material) A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 183 would have been expressed by only two. Nor was the telegraph book free from similar defects, for all the combinations relating to • board,' * chase,' * bearing and distance,' 'enemy,' •in- telligence,' • reconnoitre,' * reinforce,' * sound,' ♦ stranger,' &c., which are certainly the most im- portant subjects on which the telegraph can be possibly employed, were expressed by three symbols, while eleven numbers by tu.v symbols only were appropriated to the word * able.' Many of the 'telegraph signals' were repeated from the « general code.' Thus, not only coun- teracting the precision, and distinction so desira- ble to attain, by making the same signals in a certain determinate manner ; but multiplying pur- ports to an enormous and unnecessary degree. . Five and forty changes were rung on the verb *do.' Such grammatical niceties are not re- quired in the tarrish tongue. Nor yet in com- munications by telegraph, where simple words (or at most combinations of the negative and /! b i * « 184 A NEW SYSTEM OF 8IONAL8. certtun prepositions) are sufficient for every purpose required. Besides, they are not only Superfluous, but detrimental, because such cri- tical delicacies create delay, and in business of bunting, — *time should be taken by the fore- lock.' '^ Thirty-five numbers were assigned to the word ' if,' of which many were expressed by two symbols only ; thirty to the word • have,' twenty- two to 'it,' 'should,* «tliat,' ♦will,' &c., &c. ; which, if added together', would turn out a * leader* sufficiently lengthy for a quarterly work, and certuinly more prolix and prosy than our present critique. Such words as * allure- ment,' * fascinating,' 'fashionable,' * felicity,' &c. may answer very well for the columns of tlie « Morning Post,* but we question, whether the ' navy gentlemen* — or indeed, the * gentlemen of the navy,' (for it seems there is that delicate ' In Admiral Rnper'i code, four thouMuid U8eleia wordi are rejected. il-'^^'-m'-fNii n'-f iii[iiT[T"T'''"~'''~''*TTIfir }NALN. cient for every ey are not only icause such ori- el in business of jn by the fore- Etssig^ed to the jxpressed by two I • have,' twenty- will,' &c., &c. ; mid turn out a for a quarterly : and prosy than ords as 'allure' e,' *felicih/,' &c. columns of tlie ion, whether the the * gentlemen of is that delicate >UMUid useleia wordi ., 8 1 A NEW SYSTEM OP SIGNALS. 185 distinction,) were ever sufficiently fascinating to warrant the word in their vocabulary. Fancy a bluff weather-beaten captain of a battle ship, repeating the following signal, flying from the mast-head of some fashionable fop from port.—* The fascinating Mrs. F. lately eloped with Col. G. of the Guards.'— Imagine the signalman turning his quid, as he ' bends on his tack,' and d g sky-high the fascinating fair 'for a-fol- loin the sogers.'— But to turn to the Admiral's TELEGRAPH. «« The imrease of flags and pendants required for the Telegraph," (he observes) «« has intro- ducec such confusion in their colours, that the signals can no longer be- distinguished so far off as they could be formerly ; and there being no distinction but colour between the telegraph and the other signals, it follows that signals of con- sequence are liable to be mistaken for telagraphic communications of little or no importance ;" and 11 1 i ] §a (1 '1 ' 1 If, ;! mmmmmimfimimmmmmmmmmil^^ m ' mmmmn*^ ir f » 186 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. again, " The addition of so many flags and pendants, has not only destroyed the simplicity of the numeral method, but causes g^eat delay and confusion in selecting them as they are wanted for use, when the deck is covered with them." This absurd, and indeed we may add, expeni* sive superfluity of flags and pendants, owes its origin solely to the unnecessary amalgamation of letters and numbers. Telegraphing by Popham's code, we have seen as much bunting strewed upon the deck of a ten-gun brig, as would nearly suffice to dress a three-decker for a Royal visit. Letters and numbers lay mingled together; B, blushing for the blunders of C, and C trampled under foot for usurping the place of Four. The scene was one of fun and confusion — captain cursing the code — lieute- nants averring it harder to work than a lunar-* and the master d g it for regular algebra. The algebraic system, as it may be desig- nated, the Admiral properly rpjects; and by num- »ll— lOBlIM iliMiiflHllHIIIIII^^ I w B nn Mimi 'mmiititDti' ir GNALS. many flags and ed the simplicity kuses g^eat delay lem as they are is covered with may add, ezpen- endants, owes its iry amalgamation relegraphing by as much bunting ten-gun brig, as three-decker for a ibers lay mingled e blunders of C, for usurping the ]B one of fun and he code — lieute- k than a lunar-* egular algebra. it may be destg- ects; andby num* bers alone produces, without availing himself of the elaborate auxiliaries of the code lately in use, a work infinitely more copious >, and incom- parably superior in point of efficiency. The following combinations are assigned to his telegraph : «« A pendant combined with two flags ; and a flag combined with two pendants." These combinations admit of six different forms, each form representing ten pages in the code ; for example, the combination of a pendant over two flags, expresses all purports contained between page 1 and 10 : two flags over a pen- dant, page 21 to 30, and so on, varying in form • By a iupplcmentory •y»tem of Ijur aymbols (for the ad- miral, excei;>t In thia caw, emp'oya no more than three) 40,000 numbera are obtained i a number nearly four times as exten- sive aa Sir II. P.'s system of telegraph and general signal to- gether.—" Accordingly," aa the Admiral observes, " by a signal for this purpose, any dictionary, vocabulary, o' other book of reference whatever, may be em«)loyed. And it may be re- marked that the at-'ove combinations are not more complicated than many of the chasing signals In th j lale code, when used InterrogatlveJy." ptrnfmrnrnt ruiWm H ww i ^ 188 A MEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. through the six «yinbolic combinations. Hence, by this plan six thousand numbers are produced, and which, as the admiral observes, " are fully adequate to express all communications of a professional or political nature." The utility of assigning to each division of pages a specific combination is obvious, because, should colours be invisible, the distant signal not only repeats the page^ but the number of the purport : the one thereby acting as a check upon the other. . , In Popham's code no specific combination was assigned to the telegraph. The only guide was the number of the upper symbol ; consequently when colours were invisible, no possible notion could be formed of the purport or importance of the signal. By the Admiral's system, so long as the combination is distinct, (we are unavoidably compelled to repeat the remark,) the class or subject of the signal is decided ; for though the 'gloom of tlie atmosphere may render the colours composing tlie combination of a signal totally ~ ' W f 1GNAL8. nations. Hence, ers are produced, jrves, " are fully nunications of a each division of obvious, because, distant signal not e number of the ' as a check upon A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 189 indistinct, yet so long as the latter presents a clear outline, — a palpable form, the difficulty of communication is at once overcome. Hence, should a pendant between two flags be descried, without reference whatever to colour, the class is instantly known to pertain to the telegraph ; and should doubt exist in the identification of the number, it is at once removed by having re- course to those admirable and truly original aux- iliaries — combination was e only guide was )1; consequently ) possible notion or importance of yrstem, so long as are unavoidably rk,) the class or ; for tiiough the ;nder the colours a signal totally THE DISTANT SIGNALS. On this important branch of the Admiral's code, he observes, that — «< It is shown in the general view, that when colours are not visible, the combinations become more perfect as Distant Signals than any that have yet appeared, because they point out, in the clearest manner, the subject of every signal as soon as a flag can be distinguished from a pendant; and, therefore, its number only re- naiftHiii P -* « 190 A MEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. A HI J* msdns to be denoted by the Distant Signals. Tliis peculiar quality arises out of the principle here employed, and renders the Distant Signals | available for every point of service, with a cer- . tainty and expedition which have never, till now, t been obtained ; while those lately in use, could express no more than two hundred and fifty-six signals by a process so complicated, and liable to mistake, that they vere rarely, if ever, resorted ' to with success." Few in the profession will attempt to refute these remarks. For t' vo-and-thirty years * under the fly of a pendant,' we never had recourse to the Distant Signals. We have known what it is to be bored with buntin;f — We have had our eyes so tired and tortured in ' squinting at jsignals' in the sun, that we have shed more tears in a * watch,' than a watery-widjw would shed in a week. Colours at sun-set, sun-rise, and at times in an easterly wind, assimie as many hues as a dying dolphin. Red bis * looked blue,' like ourselves; blue — white; and ' white no colour at all.' 9 ■mmmmtmmimlm iii i' ilii i illii i i I '"n '••' i '" i - — '" ^ .\,. ■* GNALS. Distant Signals, t of the principle ! Distant Signals rvice, with a cer- /e never, till now, tely in use, could idred and fifty-six icated, and liable jr, if ever, resorted attempt to refute lirty years ' under jr had recourse to known what it is to ve had our eyes so [g at signals' in the ears in a * watch,' shed in a week, md at times in an Y hues as a dying ue,' like ourselves; (10 colour at all.' A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 191 Berge ' was invariably beaten, and if we saw not double with Dolland, he played us the part of the pirate. What would we not have given for a patent stentor, or a forty horse-power trumpet that would have borne our words against wind, tide, glare, and gloom, and .thus roared in the ear of the stranger — « We see not what you mean." Another source of embarrassment attending the employment of the distant signals, was this : the signal which denoted « the Distant Signals will be used,' was distinguished by its colours only— under the very circumstances which de- clared cohurs themselves to be invisible. An oversight like this was not likely to have escaped the notice of the author of the Code before us, in which the s6me communication is conveyed by a ball, unaided by a bull To briiig before the mind of the reader the me- chanism of the system, we extract tlie illustrative examplegiven in the Admiral's "GeneralView :"— > The celebrated optician. *i sm„<^tHi ' iVimmi lfffl^r¥¥'* fa ' V: ! > • ■■IMMWIHMI WaiMMI W W Ifc I'* 192 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. Fig. 2. ' " A ship charged with im- portant intelligence, on first Fig. I. seeing the fleet, shows her number (932) on the list of the navy, as in fig. 1. The » ship nearest to her, being too far off to distinguish co- lours, sees the signal as it is represented by fig. 2; and, Fig- *• » on referring to the Signal Table, finds it is a * ship's H number.' Instead, then, of waiting till the colours become visible — a delay which has hitherto been wholly unavoidable- she immediately hoists a ball; on seeing which, the strar.ger hauls down her signal, and repre- sents the number of it by the Distant Signals, as in fig. 3 ; and then proceeds to telegraph her intelligence with the same facility with which she made herself known." This example s jpersedes the necessity of fur- ther description or comment. . We could have '■^tatmti.r.iKiiS.i.ma, I aMiiMiM tsuetomt:: /*^. •mSb *'^^>'^^' ■;■;.?■ ■ :;nals. Ig. 1. ig. 2. ig. 8. 9 3 1 4Sr.i« ' visible — a delay [jr unavoidable— on seeing which, ignal, and repre- Distant Signals, to telegraph her sility with which necessity of fur- We could have Siaaiiii ' """ ■ ' : i M | i i i'.MUl l lli-u-^i..^'^-,--t A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 193 wished, however, the Admiral had made his graphic illustrations a little more * ship- shape.' !«./•;« Speaking of * ships' numbers,' we are not alto- gether satisfied that the Admiral has selected the best form of combination assigned to that pur- pose. A ship-of-war should write her name in Capital letters, or, at all events, < make her mark! in a manner sufficiently masculine to prevent the possibility of its being mistaken for the crow quill hand of a boarding-school miss: three pendants border too much upon this: they may answer very well for the Yarborough yachts — but for ' Men'of-wat' we prefer a striking churacter, that at once says, with the song. ^0"^ • My name you iee*t Tom Tough." But this is of minor import ; for, without dbturbing materially his " General ^'iew," the Admiral could easily substitute another com- bination (which indeed appears a specific for all complaints in hj^ syvtem.) Besides, his dis- VOL. I. H waam agsm ^rr^'-u^fry-i^' "V. 194 A NEW'SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. r 1 vV tant signals can be always resorted to in cases of defect of vision. On the Tactical part of the work we cannot | now enter into critical detail ; suffice it to say, that whilst Admiral Raper has exercised a sound discretion in rejecting all the obsolete and unnecessary illustrative movements with which former codes were wont to be encumbered, he has introduced essential evolutions hitherto to- tally untouched. We allude in particular to the « interchange of stations by squadrons'— a ma- / noeuvre of a widely different nature from that of the interchange of single ships. It is true, (al j least as far as relates to the mere mandatory part of the purport,) a signal to that effect has hitherto appeared in our Admiralty codes,— but the mode of executbg the manoeuvre was in no instance ever pointed out The manner, also, in which the Admiral restores the 'order of suling* on the wind shifting forward, appears to ~ partake of novelty, and is deserving of attention as well on account of its simplidty as of its uiiKiiiiliimiiii II I iii i i>w>ii ' iii (W wni^»«*i rtlMiH II * H(| ted to in cases of ; work we cannot suffice it to say, has exercised a 1 the obsolete and nents with which e encumbered, he Ltions hitherto to- n particular to the iquadrons* — a ma- lature from that of )s. It is true, (^ i mere mandntory to that effect has liralty codes, — but anoeuvre was in no The manner, also, res the * order of fotward, appears to lerving of attention implidity as of its mmrnn tmi Uj i lilUM il l A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. 195 tactiotl precision. And we are satisfied the pro- - fession at large will duly appreciate the following observations upon the propriety of placing the Commander-in-chief on the weather-beam of the fleet " It is most probable, that the position which the Admiral has hitherto taken, namely, that of leading the weather-division of the fleet, has occasioned tacking and wearing all the ships to- gether to be so little practised, because by these movements he became the stemmost ship of his own division. In the first and third evolutions he is therefore placed abreast of the centre ship of the weather division, where his repeating fri* gate has hitherto been stationed. In this posi- tion, the fleet, however numerous, is more under his immediate observation, and he is also better seen by the ships in general : and whether he is abreast of the centre ship of the weather division on one tack, or on her weather bow on the other; his signals will always be sooner circulated, both by day and night, particularly those by blue K 2 i B-'- mn\'- I'll k I BHMMMBMaK ^f**" mmmm ■MM 196 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. :: t^ lights, which may, in cases of necessity, be suiB- ciently effective without repetition, and thus hasten the operation where expt- "ii-on jjiight be necessary. « In foggy weftfher al.».o »■ :« is the most fevourable position f.Vi- his signal guns being heard. « The commanders of squadrons are to be iii the centres of their respcciive divisions. «« This is, perhaps, a fit occasion to notice what must have been observed by every oflBcer conversant with fleets, namely, the advantages of performing movements altogether, in prefer- ence to performing them in succession '. In the > Such movements are not only more convenient and expe- ditious, but are likewise, especially in bad weather, much safer than when they are executed by the ships in succession. When movemenu are performed together, all the sUps are under the same circumstances at the same moment, and hence the rela- tive distances are liable to be only slighUy disturbed. In Rear- Admiral Ekins's Naval Battles, an anonymous cor- resjwndent observes on Admiral Comwallis's novel man«euvre of wearing, "The signal being made by the Commander-in- chiMi 1V« wearing, tha second extern shortened all saU *nd » i.wn V .id,' (a stiT , ; iipplioation, by-the-bye, of the term ?3^s?sr!:2 SNALS. f Bcessity, be suffi- tition, and thus edi<:'Dn might be ]m is the most jnal guns being Irons are to be iii divisions, cession to notice d by every oflBcer , the advantages gether, in prefer- icession '. In the I convenient and expe- lad weather, much safer )B in succession. When the ships are under the It, and hence the rela- itly disturbed, ties, an anonymous cor- rallis's novel manoeuvre by the Commander-in- shortened all sail ind by-the-bye, of the term A NEW SySTEM OF SIGNALS. 197 former case, the danger so likely to occur from ships crossing each other in the night, is wholly when a ship is stationary,) " so as to admit the Admiral to pass ahead of him ; all sail was then made by the second astern until he had wore and gained his station astern of the Admiral. The same operation was continued in succession through the line." To say nothing of the danger likely to occur from the head- most ships heaving-to first, especially at night, the distances of the ships from each other are by this mode of proceeding entirely thrown out. In the first instance, they are unavoid- ably compelled to shorten sail in order to give their respective leaders room to come round ; and in the next, to carry perhaps a press of sail to gain their stations on the opposite tack. Tliote officers who have served under Comwallis, Gardiner, Cotton, and others, will remember that the interval between the first making of the signals, and the completion of the ma- noeuvre by the stemmost ships, occupied sometimes a period of four hourt ! During the whole of this time, it was neces- sary to keep the " watch," and, if the weather was bad, " all hands" upon deck, consequently at night, it was exceedingly harassing to the crews of the fieet. Ou the contrary, by per- forming this movement simultaneously, the whole fleet could be brought round on the other tack in less than ten minutes, with very little loss of ground, and no unnecessary wear and tear of His Migesty's stores. Although these considerations would seem definitive in fa- vour of the latttr mode, yet such was the predilection for anti- quated systems, that this method was oply at a late period of the war adopted by our commanders of fleets. Nor must the greater degree of tactical experience which the officers of the Heet derive by performing operations together be overlooked. k3 gfj([[llM|t»* HSfiB 198 A NEW SYSTEM OF SIGNALS. prevented ; and they are besides performed with so much more expedition, that a fleet which would require an hour and a half to tack or wear in succession, would perform that movement all together in a quarter of an hour. Thus, at the relief of the watch, the time generally preferred for these operations, during the night the ser- vice may be executed by two watches, if neces- sary, without breaking in upon the repose of the crews. To conclude. — Of the merits or demerits of our author's work, we shall no further speak. — Let the reader judge of both from our criticism and illustrative extracts. In our opinion, (and we feel it professionally at stake,) Admiral Raper has produced the best code of signals yet known to the Navy. Wnen the fltat in the order of Miling by the wind, taoki toge- ther, the ehipi which were before aheikd and utern of each other retpectively, are now thrown on a bow and quarter line, that it, on the line of bearing. In thia poaition, it ia much more diflloult to preaerve order i and the akill of the oftloen ii coniequently more called into action. ■■hiffiakiiiB! •mmmmm s performed with it a fleet which if to tack or wear at movement all r. Thus, at the lerally preferred i night the ser- fttches, if neces- the repose of the I or demerits of further speak.-— rom our criticism ur opinion, (and stake,) Admiral de of signals yet the wind, taoki toge* d and utern of noh bow and quaner \\m, I poaition, it ii much i akitl of the ofHoen ii mm >':^Hi . DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. k4 Ills i* V , i- -- . ". ,. .''i'v » >•' .''' i fiV'^^Wh i in i nm i T 1 1 i ' t p . I ' ' I4fmm i .J" . ■/•:",-ir*4 -■' t! ■st ■ !l^-^.JJJiU ' . ' .,-J.'- ' -' <^x . - ,-*; » / DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. ' THE MARCH-O'-MIND i OR. INTELLECT AFLOAT. (Scene— i4 Group around the Galley of a Frigate. J «« Wrll! I'm blest if /know* : but I knows ther'8 milk — once e clap on his clar- 's if he sees you're I clear of his well- a, dose-haul'd on 1 know, a regular irk to wind'ard o' I, and creep, aye, ,- INTELLECT AFLOAT. creep, for all the world, like a Mugian clipper, in the very windVeye of the longest law — " -> « Right, Bob— right, bo!" interrupted a restless auditor, impatient to support his ship- mate's assertion — " and see how he'll pick and pilfer the sense out o' every strand — ^throw it aside out o' sight — work-up unwillin' words into reg'lar junk, and clinch the whole consarn by convartin' strong sense, and stronger proof, into rascally twiceUid or rotten rumbolin'- » WeU done. Bill !— go it. Bob !" bellowed a bye-standdr, rubbing his hands with delight — <* Why, the pur on ye seems to sarve 'em out !" ** Sarve 'em out ! — not half as much as tlie fellora desarve.— We knows 'em well — doesn't we, Bob? — 'Twas r-^rer for nothin' we comed across their hawse." «« You may say that, Bill. — WVrf enough of tb«ir saucy sneerin' lip. — Long as I can sup my swiiile, I'll never, no, never forget that infiurnal rascally trial- mmrmmm'iiiimmme' 204 DIALOGUE OF TH£ DECK. ^ « Bob," interrupted Bill, «♦ Bob, d' ye •mem- bers the little short-arm'd, bandy-legged beggar wi' the grizzly wig — the chap wi* the copper- oolour'd phiz, — or to come more nearer the mark, wi' the brass breakin' out thro' his greasy mug ?" " Remember him !— do I remember * Bil- linsgate Bet f But, see here, — and, I doesn't care where I says it, — they're the sauciest set, (I doesn't say all — for it must be a precious bad trade as hasn't itB ffood as well as its bad) — but I says your Old Bailey birds, and the likes o' they, are the sauciest sneerin' set, — the biggest bul- lies, and the most barefaced fellows as ever larnt, — larnt the trade o' tormentin' man. — Look at one on 'em" — continued the Cicero of the circle, waxing warm in debate, — " one on 'em, swearin' in an opposite witness — watch his mug, an you'll see, ay, as clmuras the livin' light, the mischief brewin' in his bitter brain. — See how he'll fasten his fer- rit eye on a poor unprotected petticoat, — a for- lorn helpl«M g^l, half terrified out of her life, an ready to &11 in a fiunt at the dirty doubt the diMli mimm mmmtm ECK. ;" , lob, d' ye 'mem* ly-legg'd beggar wi' the copper- nearer the mark, is greasy mug ?" remember * Bil- — aiid, I doesn't te sauciest set, (1 a precious bad 9 its bad) — but I the lilces o' they, ;he bigrgest bul- )W8 as ever larnt, man. — Look at $ero of the circle, n'em,8wearin'in lug, an you'll see, mischief brewin' '11 fasten his fer^ >etticoat, — a for- ut of her life, an dirty doubt the IKTELLECT AILOAT. 205 fellow contrives to throw in his overhaul lurking look. — Watch- when the clerk claps the Bible, the book of God, into her trembling hand, — watch then his double-faced phiz, when he hears her told (and perhaps himself repeats the same) to swear to the truth, the whole truth, and no- thin' but the truth, at the very identical time the fellow's intent on confusin' the cretur, — takin' hei aback — y capsizing her credit, and causin' the poor innocent soul to trip on the truth in spite of herself— I, once, could 'ave •hied my shoe " " Hilloa! — hilloa! my hearty;" interrupted a tall, brawny, muscular forecastle-man, catch- ing the excited orator . in the very act of raiting the action to the word — " no shyin' o' shoes herty Mister Bob !— Recollect you're not among lawyers nmo : tho' I must say " " What d' ye say ?" hastily returned the heated orator, snatching from the delicate digits of the tall tar his long-quartered, long-painted, can- vass slipper— 206 DIALOGUE OF THE HECK. " "What does I say?— Why, I says, I grants yoa speaks no more nor the truth, naked, nat'ral, and bared to the bone : — ^but I must say, must indeed^ Bob — that to me, its a reglar-built pauler ', how a fellor like yon, — a fellor as hates, and ought too, to hate a lawyer worse, ay, nor even a Jew, — can now, now tarn to, to copy his prate, and use his very dientical Hp and lingo. — Why, you talks as large, and comes the Dick* as iiast an' as fine, as if, by Joe, you'd arreglarly arshipped the wig!"— , " 7 talk like a lawyer !— why, Sam, by your own showin', I speaks the trutht naked, naf ral, nnd bared to the bone." 1 *« Han'somely, bo ! — han'some/y. — Why, Bob, you has a fellor afore he's fiurly down.— If you comes it in this here fiuhun, I'm blest but you'll paM for a reglar-built Bencher.— But just try back for a bend — take out the grind, and, you'll find it comes to thist and never no more— I PMltr, a puule. * Die*, dictionary. ECK. J. ays, I grants yon ked, naf ral, and »y, must indeed^ tilt pauler ', how ites, and ought nor even a Jew, y his prate, and igo. — Why, you hck* as ficist an' glarly arshipped. r, Sam, by your t, naked, naf ral, )me/y. — Why, iairly down. — If n, I'm blest but icher.'— But just the grind, and, lever no reore— k, dictionary. INTELLECT AFLOAT. A 207 IfKjJsometimes weathers on fate — why, it tells on the one tack as well as the t'other.— A fellor, we'll say, falls sick; well !— he goes to the doctor- he can't do better.— But, then on t'other tack, 'sposin' he gets into debt,— gets pinn'd— gets in Umbo, or gets in the clink— who does he look to then ?— who gets him his clearance ?— who, to be sure, but a reglar-built lawyer?- so, steady a bit, bo!— right your helm— fair play's a jewel— a trade's a trade— have bakers, have butchers- Joe* Ketch must thrive as well as another.— Then, on f other tack— how's a lawyer to deal with a r<^e — or treat a ruffin?" " How ?— why the same way he does with a timid man, or modest woman— bully and badger till all's blue.— But, no,— he knows a trick worth two on it— he knows a hard-hearted ready rascal will sarve him out, and give him more than his own. — No, no, he won't grapple with his match __„^ lie 1 once see'd a light-finger'd chap floor a reg'lar Upper like smoke and oakum. — The pickpocket, as was only a witness, stands the liiMlMi 1 iate n mm. mmm mmmmmm *i 208 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. badgerin', at first, better than a well-baited bear : —at last, the llght-finger'dlad opens his fire, and pours on the prater a double-shotted Billinsgate broadside as soon lowers the lawyer's lip : — 'till, findin' he was fairly floor'd, and goin' to looard as fast a haystack adrift^' he loses his temper — turns to A, snivellin', and prays an' 'plores the judge ou the bench to gprant him protection !" " Protecticn ! — why he more nor another?— why more nor a better man ?" indignantly ex- claimed a sitter hitherto silent on the subject in debate. — <* I wouldn't g^nt, no, not one on 'em one ; nor does I see why as lawyers shou'dn't be preet as well as the other lubberly gfrass-combin' beggars they us'd to pin in the war." «« Protection /—why, Joe, we're on opposite tacks — I doesn't mean^ man, a press protection." *' Oh ! I axes your pardon ; — but still, Bob, there's neter no makin' more of a thing nor it is —a protection's ^protection all the world over. — HowBomever, strike put again — strike out, my •i^WttS •mmm »ECK. • irell-baited bear : pens his fire, and ntted Billinsgate oyer's lip : — 'till, d goin'to looard tes his temper— i an' 'plores the protection !" nor another?— indignantly ex- m the subject in », not one on 'em 'en shou'dn't be ly grass-combin' m." 9're on opposite >res8 protection." —but still, Bob, a thing nor it is lie world over. — -strike out, my INTELLECT AFLOAT. " « But come, come," interposed the originul mover of the original question—" come, I say — I say, we've taken a precious, precious wide yaw * from our course — What's the meanin' on it? — I axes afore for that — I wants no more nor the real, reg'lar-built meanin* o' the matter — *March-o'-Mind P — Mareh'0'~Mindf—Vm blest if it isn't a thoro-bred pauler, isn't it, Joe ?' « Why, at first sight, Jim,— at first sight," returned the interrogated tar, assuming all the air and consequence of oracular authority, — ** at firiit sight, 'twould sartinly seem as much; but I thinks I can clear the kile, — I thinks I has it. — You see, Jim, this here March-o'-Mmd — {thafs the word, isn't it?) — well, this here March-o'- Mind means, you see,-^mean8, you see, when a chap's a mind to inarch^ he may !" « Oh ! that'' it, is't ?— Well, in course, Tom in course you ought to know best : — but /knows this — Fve never no mind to march. — I kin»^Ti » Yaw, a digrewion. 1 mumm^^' 'mmtm i m»f < '■J/- ■' --' ■' '■■J ■%;; !vv '■• ,(, ■ ,"<).^ '»" q * r ':J'*?^^-^:7'»^- r — -^■- H .A'-' 210 DIALOOVE or THE DECK. ( \i < when I've a good berth — a good barkey and meets with good usage. — I knows more too, — I knows my sarvitude time will tell at a time when I neither can sarve myself or Sal. — Talk o' the Marchan'Hsarvus — What d'ye get in it now? — Small wages and worse wittels, for precious hard wearin'-out work — Get hurt in the hold, fiedl from aloft, fractur your pate, or catch a West-Ingy fever, who then*s to cure you? — a groggy skip- per, or a greasy cook ? — No, no, a good man as knows well his work, and knows how to respect hiihself — ^mind; I says - AtwweZj^for if a man won't respect himself, where's the fellow as will? — ^Yes, yes, let a man but respect himself, obey his officers, and keep from lip and lickor, and he need never, no never, shy a King's ship, or, in any way, dread a man-o'-war. — The man as de- sarves the name o' man is sure, sure to be treated like a man, — and sure, in the end, to meet wi' reward'." * The subjoined extractt from a recently publiihed pam> phlet, entitled, " Impresmenl rf Seamen," and the production .-^-^ >ECK. ^ooi barkey and Dws more too, — I ill at a time when Sal Talk o' the ret in it now? — for precious hard the hold, fall from »tch a West-Ingy —a gf oggy sWp- o, a good man as vs how to respect l^for if a man :he fellow as will ? >ect himself, obey md lickor, and he ling's ship, or, in —The man as de- sure to be treated end, to meet wi' cently publiihed pam> «," and the production IKTELLECT AFLOAT. 211 « Well done our side o' the house!— well done, Jim !" vociferated the tall tar, accompany- of a " Naval Officer" of intelligence and experience, fully cor- roborate Jack's assertion. " It has been a matter of regret with me, that so little is known of the real conrfort and advantages of a well- regulated man-of-war. They ought to be sung in every cottage in the kingdom, that the inhabitants of those humble mansions may know how weU it fares with their friends at sea. It is true, that those of inquiring minds, and whose local circumstances give them the opportunity of information, are well aware that the governing principle, and practice of the service, are directed to the great objects of protection, and benefit to the men. " How little is it generally known that an able seaman may lay by ten pounds a-year, out of his wages, after clothing him- self with neatness and comfort « That he has an excellent bed, and every necessary descrip- - tion of clothing, of the moat suitable quality, at fixed and rea- sonable prices ; also tobacco and soap. " That he has the same provisions, both in quaUty and quan- tity, as the admiral commanding the fleet; the daily allowances are liberal, and include a pint of wine, or a proportion of spirits. " That he has the best medical attendance, medicines, and medical comforts in sickness, free of all abatement from his wages. " That he has two months' wagespaid in advance, when the ship is first fitted, to enable him to supply his wants. "That he may, while abroad, receive a certain sum monthly, as pocket money, if he wish it ; and this optional advance is »-l Ll'r *: i\ u m\g h nJl M ^ ** »"-* -' 212 DIALOGUE OF TFE DECK. ing the compliment with a heavy open-handed slap on his messmate's shoulder. — " And, more- very proper to the extent to which it goet, but would be objec- tionable if carried further. *' That he haa peculiar advantagea, «o( granted to tffietri, ex- cept thoae of the inferior claaaea, (non-eommiisioned offlcersi) Vic. " That he can allot a portion of hia wages for the main- tenance of hia wife, children, mother, or sister, if he please ; which is paid to the party monthly, free of all charge. " That he haa the privilege of aending letters to his ikmily from my part ECK. ivy open-handed , — " And, more- I, but would be objeo- ' gfranted to <^er», ex- Dinmiuioned offlcera:) is wages for the main- ' sister, if he please \ of all charge, g letters to his fknily a charge of «im fWMiy ; mself if hia fiunily are which, by Act of Par- , and every six months tart of his wages * re- im, at the Oovernment receive it himself, if n be discharged. s for voluntary service s to the situations of e most deserving Ma- lerate as an encourage- jre eligible to warranla »r, by this, to say, that d to such rank, but, on remit to the savings' INTELLECT AFLOAT. S13 over, Jim, you knows tcetf, the very chaps as sneer an' snarl 'bout the cruelty o' the caiy and the likes o' that 'ere shore-goin' lubberly trash, are only your pieabald parlimin'-praters,— chaps as are sore an* savage at seein' seamen contented — 'stid of growlin' and dissatisfied like Uieir sulky selves.— And yet, yet these very same hipper- crocodile varmins as pretend to pity, and feel, so much, as tliey tarm it, ' for their fellor-creturst' the contrary, 1 have the pleasure of being acquainted with some highly estimable men who were before the mast, wlio had no- thing to recommend them but tJieir nltill and good conduct, and now do credit to the service in its Hightil classes ; and, if needful, 1 could mention by name some of those distinguished men who wei-e impressed into the service. " That a seaman has a pension after a certain number oi years' service, if lie produces testimonials of good conduct, and has never deserted. « That he has that noble insUtution, Greenwich Hospital open to him in old age, or if maimed in the aervice. •' That his children arc eligible to the schools atOreenwlch, witere they receive excellent instruction, calcuUted to At them for »ny station their good conduct in the navy or merohant-str- vioe may obtain. . , . v i " These, with many others, are benefttt which belong equally to the marines when embarked, and they are enjoyed in common by impressed men as well as otheni." mfe^" hi 214 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. are always the first, the very ^rst to cut down an' dock a poor fellor-cretur's hard-earn'd pay, or to try an' knock off the harder-earn'd pension his king and country allows him to keep the little life that's left from leakage " *( That's yoUf Sam," ejaculated the last inter- locutor. — •♦ You says no more nor the truth — seamen are not dissatisfied, if not over-worked in port, nor yet discontented when they gets liberty ashore, — we knows the revarse, — an' all on us know the best berth a seaman, or sea- farin'-man, can find is 'board of a high-keltered, crack man-o'-war — a ship as miJces every man know his work— every man do his duty, an' no man a morsel more," " Where's the man as denies it, Jim?" <• No one, as / knows : —but where's the man, as can tell me — tell m« as a man, the real meaniu' o' this mysty matter: — where's that nan — where's thiU man, Tom ?" reiterated the perplexed inquirer of a questirn, which had al- ready betrayed *he disputants into those long 8 mmH i-.^ T» diNntuiglt. ' ? i uiUl 216 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. V f fj* iW « Then I can tell ye, Tom," returned the welcome interpreter to the puzzled party — «< I can tell ye, it means no more nor this — Prate ! — prate !— prate ! — gab ! — gab !— gab I •^Pretendin' to know and do every thing better than the betto' your betters — alikin' to lay down the law — to deal in /ip-^to use long-winded words 'thout knowin' a word o' their meanin'—to pour over newspapers, as far oft'ner mean more mischief nor type 'ould tell — to prate in a pot- houge — to talk large and larn'd over your pipe and liokor — to growl like a landsman, an' rig like a lubber — to sham a small smatt'rin' of every trade, and to never know nothin' o' your otcn, — An' d it — to clinch the whole — to end your days, and die like a dog in a ditch, for durin' to dabble out o' your depth." «* Hurrah !— Well done, Ned ! — I know'd you was the fellor as 'ould soon give us the Eng^lish o' the milder." ** Ay, ay, Tom : i>ut Ned has given us more nor me meanin', ycu know — /wants the one real, I DECK. INTELLECT AFLOAT. 217 m," returned the puzzled party-* more nor thii — J ! — gab ! — gab I ivery thing better iHkin' to lay down use long-winded their meanin' — to oft'ner mean more to prate in a pot- I'd over your pipe landsman, an' rig smatt'rin' of every iiV o' your otcn. — hole — to end your B ditch, for durin' »d ! — I know'd you ive us the Eng^lish has given us more ^ wants the OTM real, reglar-built meanin' o' the matter ; for, as I said afore, xt must be a double deceiver, as means more nor the one identical thing." «« Well, Jim," returned the interpreter, " you has your choice, — take any one o' the few I gave ye. I've only given you the standin" part of a few of the meanins as stand for the phrase. — But I can tell ye this — there's more mischief in the Aing nor people thinks." ** Well, isn't that exactly — exactly what / says?" <* To be sure, Jim — to be sure it is. Why, 1 was lately paid off from a ship-sloop-o'war. ( I'll keep her name to myself, for I doesn't like to disgrace a craft as desarves the name of a cli|>- per) ; but I was btely paid off from a craft, t» was all as one as a floatin' parlimint house. There never was gather'd together such a beg^ garly bunch of praUn' poUytishini. There was the oaptdn o' the midn top as took in the ' T^mii > W« ■ubMqiwnd)' paid off, and n-owpiiMkHMd thla ship. VOL. I. L file DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. If ^ J ■ ^': m\ i f\m& n I'i^ i as regW, ay, as he took his daily allowance.— r Let the ship go where she would, the newspaper reg'larly followed the fellor.— 'Stead of lopkin' after his top, an' the likes o' that, he was always skulkm' below, pourin' over papers, or, as was mostly his favourite fiuhun, readin' out loud to a large lazy set of haddock-mouth'd listners, the whole o' the parlimiiifr-paUver as was cramm'd chock o' block in every column o' the * Ttmea.' —In as many minutes, he'd make as many re- marks as 'ou'd fill a Liner's log for a mouth. There he'd lay down the law— say, if he was prime minister, he'd do fftw— that the First Lord o' the Admirallity ought to do that;—iS he was First Lord, he'd know well what to do " « Well," interrupted the long forecastle-raan, " I only wishes /was the FirH Lord—/ knows well what Td do." « What?' asked an inquisiUve topman. «« What f— why f take care o' myself for life- make myself cook o* the Callydony «." > CaMbMto, flnt-nte. 9 liRi ^> DECK. INTELLECT AFLOAT. 219 aily aUowance.>-r Id, the newspaper 'Stead of lopkin' lat, he was always )apera, or, as was tdin' out loud to a ith'd listners, the r as was cramm'd an o' the « Timea: nake as many re- log for a mouth, r — say, if he was hat the First Lord ith(U;—ii Ae was at to do " ng forecastle-raan, tt Lord — / knows ive topman. b' myself for life — dony«." ■ate. "WeU, you might do worse nor that. — But, bless your heart," continued * knowing NetT — (for here the cognomen cannot be considered a « breach «f pnvilege') — «« but, bless your heart, this Mareh-o'-Mind was reg'larly playin' the devil afloat — Fellors 'oud Ait such 'capers — thoughts corned into their heads as never was' know'd afore.-~Them as was spliced, reg'larly twice a week, (days we didn't wash below,) must send off to their lovin' ribs long lubberly letters, criss'd an^. rarosa'd fore-an'-^rf^ and atbaut-ships, for til the world like the square meshes of a splbter-nettin'; an' if they uidn't reg'larly re- ceive by return o' post— for they all had their stated days, an' look'd for letters from the cryin' crafk, as reg'larly as they did for pipin' to din- ner — you'd see the poor devils the whole day long pbin' below, an' doin' for worse, neglectin' their duty on deck. But that wasn't all 1 'members one day fittin* ^ut in Hamoaze — ^the chief boson'»-aHite, as one, 'oud suppo . ought to know more o' the sarvus — well, this chap, M ii MmJiji'i ' ' ' ■fa a MWitu iVi'Hi" 'iiiiiii> i i' I 920 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. as was long in the doctor^s list, comes aft to the firet-leaftennant, andclappin' on a mug o' mis'rjr, axes for two days' liberttf ashore.--* A$hore P says the first-leaftennant. thinkin' the man was mad — an' well he might—' a man in the doctor's list ax for liberty •«Aore/— why, ray man,' says die firstrlesftennant, * this is comin' it ttronff in- deed !' says he — « I thought,' says the boson's-inate, — « I thought. Sir,' says he, « you didn't divirte my drift !' — « OA / I axes your pardon,' says the first-leaftenhant, opening a frolicksome fire on the fellow — * I axes your pardon— pray explain i'you please.'— 'Well, Sir,' says Hpes, as stiff as a sulky s<^er,— * it seems. Sir,' says he, — * that's, it seems so to me — when a man's unwell, it be- comes,' says he — ' becomes no more nor hu duty to recover his health as^< as he can— the sar- vus,' says he — * the sarvus demands it. — So, Sir,' says Pipes, *as I'm terribly troubled with the KM^atis, an', as I welt knows from 'sperience, there's never no other way to cure me, I wants,' says h»t ' with your parmisddn — two days' H- : » **M*»'*««»* DECK. INTELLECT AFLO/iT. 221 comes aft to the I a mug o' mis'ry, ihore. — * AihmreP (in' the man was lan in the doctor's y, my man/ says Imin' it ttrottff in- ithebo8on'»-;nate» you didn't diviru pardon,' says the olicksome fire on Ion — pray explain rs Hpes, as stiff as says he, — * that's, m's unwell, it be- more nor hu duty I he can— the sar- lands it.— So, Sir,' troubled with the rs from 'sperience, cure me, I wants,' i6n — two days' U» berty asfunre to take a dozen or two warm-batht \' —I'm blest, if the first-leaftennant didn't nearly drop down on the deck in a fit o' laughin'." *< An' well he might: but I say, Ned, did le get the liberty?" « To be sure he did. — The first-leaftennant cou'dn't, for the life on him, find it in his good- natur'd heart to refuse the fellow: but, bless you, that's a trifle to some o' their rigs. — We'd an- other boson's-mate, a smart fellow too, in his way ; but he lik id his beer. Whenever the fel- low went ashore, he always came back to the ship as drunk as a lord : he used to say, 'twas the only iime as ever he indulged in lickor: how- somever, as soon as he sobered, an' came to him- self, down he'd dive tc the doctor, sayin'— sayin' (let's see what ww tbo word ?)— ay, I has it— sayin' he was foirly crip/t»— that's crippl'd you know, and be^n' the doctor to give him a cool SaHy4ion draught — one o' your «)6i -'Il'l| !! ' |l litJli ' « i . ' ' iptumiiiiijiiiiiiiiiipii^.iijiii IHIi^; M|iiin-^w-^iiiliTfiiBnii 222 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. as trae 89 I'm gittin' here. Well, there's two touches 0* your March-o*'Mind—no9r here's strike out for a third." « Go it, Ned ! go it, bo !" vas the general cry. — « Well, you must know, this same captun o' the main-top — this same dientical chfl|> as took in the * Times,' was one o' your 6ddle-fikldle fancy -men wi' the women — a terrible chap for sayin' arsoft tnings, an' dealin' in that delicate lip, as you know, as most ladies like. Well, I 'members one time, a-layin' in Kiobal** har- bour, when two or three o' the petty oiiicers' wives as went to sea m the ship were all ashore but the one, an' she was the «A«-gunner'8-mate — well, this here Vaux '—(for that was the fellow's name, an', moreover, he used to boast an' brag as he was the>8r«* o' the ftimily) — well, this here Vaux took a terrible likin' to this ^e-gunner's mate, — an' «A«, sartinly, a likin' for he. — She > This man's name may be found in the books of the ship in ^vtestioib >ECK. Veil, there's two tnd— now kefe's Bthe general cry. I same captun o' ical chap as took our 6ddle-fikldle terrible chap for i' in that delicate ieslike. WeU, I in Kinbal'' har- ^e petty oiiicers' ip were all ashore !-giinner*8-mate— it was the fellow's to boast an' brag ) — well, this here this ^e-gunner's kin* for he. — She lie boolu of the ship in INTELLECT AFLOAT. 223 used to say *he said guch things,— so niw a man —so pretty spoken,— «o good-natur'd,— so good a sohohird,— an* so ao sober an' steady a man,' she'd say, shyin* a leerin' look at her husband, as much as to say—* that's more nor I can say o' tfouy Mister Tom.' Well, every one seed as Vaux and Sal were on more nor talldn' farms t he used to write her varses, send her Valentines, an' amuse her mind by readin* out to her all the robb'ries, murders, an' crim-cons as appear'd in the ' r»»ie«."' « Crim-cons \—What the devU are they V" <« Why, ifs a t7i»na word, I b'lieve; but it means no more nor runnin' away wi' another man's wife." «« What ! — a messmate's?* « No, no, she wasn't a messmate— there was just a berth atwixt 'em. Howsomever, Tom, (the gunner's-mate, you know) smells a rat, an* says, one mom, comin' up to Vaux, as he catches him a-krnin' Sal to sbg, an* tippin her one o' his Valentine varses—* I say, young fellow,' says L 4 rAim^rm sssssz masiSm MMp liMlMtti IM 224 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. Tom* snatching the paper out o' the fellow's fist, •t-* I say, I've » score to settle wi' you.' « A score !' says Vaux, — < what for ?' « Don't mind him/ says Sal, leavin' Tom an* the captin-o'-th^ top to side it out— What^ f says Tom, seein' Sal leavin' the berth, for he didn't want her to know hd was bent on a breeze — 'Make for the bay ',' says Tom, *an' I'll soon let you knowr— we'll soon see who's the most right to sing with Sal or write her varses.' — * I tell ye what it 'tis,' says Vauz, comin' the gemmen's gam- mon over the gunner's mate — ^ .^-iJ)' ^" " ■mj-i.-. - r ?* >ECK. ' the fellow's fist* wi' you.' ' A ■^—* Don't mind be captin-o'-the^ lays Tom, seein' in't want her to -< Make for the let you knowj — ■. ; right to sing •* I tell ye what gemmen'8 ganv^ *1 tell ye what you takes me he, *to make a fist it out like } honourable' — liking of honour tryin' to under* i!)~*if it's ho- ne the nethernmoBt illuded to. The bap 'tween deolu. INTELLECT AFLOAT. 225 nourable aaldshcAont says he — « honourable sa- tisfaction you wants, say the word, an' rm your man whenever you chooses your time.' — Well, this, you know, was a reg'lar-built pauler to Tom, as thought to settle the score in the reg'lar way, and to side it out in the bay below.— So no more was said for a time— 'twas just six-bells in the forenoon watch.— Well, howsomever, it happens tiiat very same afternoon the small-arm'd men was exercised firing at a mark, — an' just as all was over, the men ordered to clean their muskets, an' the gun-room officers divin' down to their dinners,— I'm blest i' the midshipman o' the watch didn't catch poor Tom an' the varmint Vaux in the very dientical act o' poppin' at one another with a pair o' ship's muskets.— Tom took his stand on the folksel, an' the right honourahle Mister Varmint Vaux in front o' die poop, le- vellin' at his shipmate's life after tryin' all his soft, sinnavatin' ways to weather him out of his wife. — Tom's musket was crammN' to the muzzle with more nor twenty balls, in case, as l5 . II I I . L' l .l il W MUH DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. k^ afterwards said, the first eighteen or nineteen should miss his man.— Well ! now— what d' ye think o* that ' ?— there's a third touch o' the March-^'-Mind—va* I hasn't done with half of it yet," " Done wi' half on it— Well, for my part," ejaculated the leading interlocutor of the party, « for my part, I wants to hear no more o' the matter — I 'spected as much — thought all along 'twas a double deceiver ; an' as for mitchief, I'm sartin there's the makin' o' more in it, ay,— nor a main-top-fiill of monkeys 'oud make in a month— Honourable satis&ction \— honourable sa^ tis&ction !— Well, I'm blest if it doesn't bang Black SJ's petitionin' the firstrleaftennant of the Levee^than to grant her a reg'lar-built lawful divorce." Dash my wig, here are two double-fisted fellors caliin' 'emselves men, an' eeamen withal, I ThU ooourronct happened on board a ihip now in com- mlMton. .:'. «■">? »■" *"**'4lMI »ECK. iteen or nineteen now — what d' ye ird touch o' the lone with hedf of »11, for my part," Uiior of the party, ir no more o' the liought all along I for mischief, I'm e in it, ay, — nor 'oud make in a I ! — honoureJfh aor f it doesn't bang ■leaftennant of the Bg'lar-built kwful two double-fisted ui' teamen withal, rd B ihip now in com- ■jpfWigiyilli^ III , II "I IMTEIXECT AFLOAT. 227 tamin' to, to ape the antics of a pair of parlee- voo hopkickers, an' all for why ?— for Jionourable satis&ction— for the right honourable satisfaction of larnin* a wallnrided wench to sing.— See here, Ned, only I knows you was never the man to make more of a thing nor trutli 'ould back— a chap as never took to hearttuf talk (for you knows what the skipper said on that score the time we'd the Crowner's-quest aboard;) an' moreover, only I knows you to be just what the Crowner said he believed you to be— both be- fore your face an' behind your back,— an', that you know, Ned, was what the old gemman called ♦ a voracious man'— that's a man as never wailowi more nor he ought— I'd say, Ned, an' I'm not the man as means the smallest morsel of offence,— I'd say, the whole yam, from begin- nin' to end was, what your ball-room blades 'oud (m11 a reg'bur-built thund'ring thumper." » Well then, see here, Jem," retorted the tall tar, taking up the oudgeb in defence of the indi- vidual whose veracity had been so insidiously l6 iljiy*"'-""' »■ ■ 226 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. impugned in the last round>about speech,— ' '* see here, only I know you never were, an', wliat's more, never will be a thoro'bred parli-< mint-prater ; I'd say, you'd been a-larnin' from some o' the like to play at long^balls wi' your prate. — Why, — why the devil do you work duch a terrible traverse? — that's always the way wi' your parlimin-chaps — they never can t'^'Uch on the smallest matter — no matter .vhs.: ' "ty must back an' ^l — an' box about, fo. u.'-- i^ world like a deep-laden collier tidm'-it up in a narrow reach. — If you doesn't believe the man, can't you be man enough and say so at once, an' tliere's an end o' the matter." *' No, Sam," interrupted the anecdotioal Ned, " no— I doesn't want an end o' the matter ; — I knows it's not in natur to make a body believe a thing as he doesn't like. Now I knows you wouldn't like to believe it, if I telb ye that I've Men a skipper of a frigate shame a whole ship's eompany by heavin' himself out on the taupsle- yard-arm, an' takin* the weather* eariu' outo' the SCK. }out speech,-— - lever were, an'» loro'bred parli-^ t a-larnin' from l^-balls wi' your I you work .^uch ays the way wi' r can t'^'Uch on vvhtt- ; I l%y DUt, fb te tidm'-it up in a elieve the nuui, yno&t once, an' uiecdotioal Ned, the matte:-; — I I body believe a V I knows you elb ye that I've B a whole ship's on the taupsle- ■eariu'outo' the INTELLECT AFLOAT. 229 hands o' the captain o' the main-top. — Well now, I've see'd /Aa<— but I knows if s hard,— no easy matter, by any manner o' means, to make men believe in things almost beyond belief." « That's just what / says." « Well, Jim— there's only one way o' clinehin' the truth— an' — now I says, if any man among ye chooses — or, if the King chooses,— or, if the First Lord-o'-the-Admirallity chooses, an' more- over, if the first-leaftennant chooses, I'll willin'ly go aft this precious minit," (rising from his seat for the purpose) "an' take my Bible oath, on the book, that all I've told you about the varmint Vaux, and the other two ilfarcA-o'-Minrf-»n«n, is no more, as I hope to be saved, nor the truth — the whole truth — an nothin' but the naked truth." « We aU believes ye, Ned — all, all— there's not a man on us as doesn't," vociferated several voices in fest succession—** But if that, Ned" laid one, addressing the narrator— as soon as the chunour of assent had ceased— *♦ if tha^t what ye calls the MarcA-o'-AftW— the sooner it 23Q DIALOGUE or THE DECK. marches ashore the better — Why, I'd rather,-* rather, by Joe, bear-up at once for a Guioea- slaver, ay, battle-the-watcL wi' a parcel o' cut- throat pirates — for then, you know a man's well awake to the worst: — but may I lose to-morrow's plush ', an' I'm not a man as likes to lose tlie like, — if I woudn't sooner sail for months an' months, ay, even for years, in a reglar-built Yankey slaver, nor sarve a single soft summer's week in the best man-o'-war in the sarvus ac was diski- ver'd to havf: the smallest morsel of this here inarch of mind aboard — Why, I looks upon it to be far worse, an' sartinly &r mor 'fectious noi^ one o' your reg'lar Levanters. — Now, if 1 was a big-wig, an' I'm none o' your bullyin'-ohaps as gets a better man's berth by length o* lip->- but, if I was a big-wig, I'm blest if I wouldn't clap ev'ry 'scription o' craft— King's ships, 'John's Company's' an' all into tcg'lar long currentine •s was ever 'spected to 've the slightest touch of I An extra allowanoe of grog given by the leamen to the cook of the meu. riliiiiriliiiliilllTrilMWII ECK. y, I'd rather,— <• ) for a GiuDea- a parcel o' cat- ow a man's well lose to-morrow's B to lose tlie like, nths an' months, ir-built Yankey mmer's week in 'US ac was diski- sel of this here looks upon it to lOr 'fectious noi^ -Now, if 1 was ir bullyin'-ohaps r length o' lip— if I wouldn't clap s ships, * John-'s long currentine (lightest touch of by the uamen to the INTELLECT AFLOAT. SSI it atwixt Aee\iB.—-Mareh'o'-Mindt indeed!— Why, Ned, I just takes it to be as bad as this here Corporal Morbus, as is so long a-levellin' the Sunderland « Smashers,' an' keelhaulin' the Newcastle * Keehnen.'— 1 say, Ned,— never say no more about it." « V.'hy not? why not?" said the long fore- castle-man, exhibiting symptoms of unwonted warmth.—" Never mind him—/ tells you— an', when / tells you, that's enough. Mister Ned— now / tells you to let's know all you know o' the matter— I'm not afeard of it," continued the excited Sam— « I doesn't shy it— I'm none o' your nockahiti-' chaps as catches ev'ry sore an' sickness as flies an' flaws about—/ never grappled wi' YeUou}-Jack\ when he floor'd ev'ry fellor fore-an'-ttft; ay, an' when the skipper, poor man, (and a better man never left his bones to bleach on a bumin' beach,) yes, when the poor old skipper, an' ev'ry soul in the ship down to Dirty-Dick at the coppers, was droopin' an* I r«H*i^/ac*,— the yellow fcvtr* 232 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. fli ■ ii droppin' on deck) an' dyin' by tens an' tens of a day — So, see here — Sam cares no more for the 'fec- tion, asye calls it, of the March-o'-Mind, nor Sam car'd afore for the fast-takin' 'fection of Yellotc Jack — So, now Mister Ned,— do as I tells ye— tell us all you know o' the matter." " Oh, if you goes to tliat, Sam, I could keep the watch awake for a month. — In all my bom days, I never see'd such a ship— tho' they tells you too, she was never nothing to some o' your fimcy liners'. Why, bless yt, some o' your ^ruary Joe, with the schoolmaster !— the thun- dering tehoolmaster /'* > Line-of«batde ihipt, and their orcw«, are lo designated hy^ ■eamen '' 0Harre for the 'fec- ■Mindy nor Sam ;tion of Yellow- as I tells yc — r." n, I could keep In all my bom -tho' they tells ;o some o' your some o' your r with the pride you talks sense nceited to see they doesn't r sneerin' 'mioses p, an' threatens 9r ! — the thun- re 10 designated by ip. INTELLECT AFLOAT. 230 ' ." I 'spose, Ned, they're sick o' the eaty au* wants to bring in the boys' birch I" « i >k ^j «« 1 doesn't know, Jim, what they wants — nor, what's more, does one half the wantin' world know wh'vt the tother half wants to want. But I knows thib, the last time I was on liberty aboard a liner — let's see, it's more, ay, more nor a twelvemonth now — no, now I thinks on it too, not quite a twelvemonth yet— a twelvemonth exactly to-morrow week — 'cause now I 'members we only shifted from the ship to the hulk in Hamoaze the very forenoon afore. Well, I tells ye, the last time I sups my swizzle 'twixt two o' the foremost bull-dogs * in her starboard bay — one o' these here pratin' poUytishuns cuts me sliort in my yarn, in the very marrow o' the matter too— for I was just tellin' 'em, Sam, your twist o' the « Mudian Ghost^—m' a capital yarn it is. — Well, just as I was coming to the part where the ghost was seed makin' a harlekin-bolt thro' the best-bower hawse-hole, this here pratin' chap jumps on his pins, and sings out in a most > BuU-doga— |r«M on the lower devk. iPitiiiiiiiwiiii 234 DIAI^OaUE OF THE DECK. mockin' manner—* Stuff! Stuff!— Be more of a man !' says h6 — * give o'er yoiir childish talk — an' bear thia in mind,* says he, snappin' his fin- gers a& he walks clean out o' the berth — * bear this in mind, Sir,' says h^ — Sirring me too — * Bear this in mind. Sir,* says he, — * The school- matter's now abroadP *' *< Well, Ned, you knows," said a tar of the olden time — *' you knows every liner's allow'd a reg'lar-buUt schoolmaster." ** Sirtinly I grants — But how can a fellor be both aboard an' abroad^ — Can a fellor be both at the lead an' helm at the same dientical time ?" « No, Sam, sartbly not" *< Then, where's the use o' tellin' o' twisters, an' sayin' the sohoolmaster*s abroad^ when the feilor's aboard, borne on the books, — reg'larly wittled, an' perhaps never misse . as much as his muster a single day. — But it's always the way," continued the long logician, waxing warm in debate — " if s always the way wi' them there know>nothin' chaps— thejr're sure, to think they knows ev^ry thing better nor their betters.— I ^lommmm iBCK. / — Be more of a ir childish talk—^ snappin' his fin-* the berth — * bear Sirrinff me too-^ e, — ♦ TTu school- aid a tar of the J liner's ailowM a iw can a fellor be a fellor be both at lientical time ?" tellin' o' twisters, ■tbroadf when the books, — reg'larly s., as much as his always tiio v/ay," waxing warm in y wi' them there ure, to think they their betters.— I INTELLECT AFLOAT. 285 should like to see some o' your schoolmaster- chaps try to puddin' an anchor.— I never know'd one on 'em yet as could tell the jdifFerence 'twixt the lay of a right and a left-handed rope." - " See here," added the argumentative Sam, assuming an unaffected air of seriousness—" See here, if the ^rtt foremast-man afloat, ay, the smartest captain of a top as ever haul'd-out a weather-earin',— or the best captain of a folksel as ever clothed a battle-ship's bowsprit, was to tell me— an' Ned k ows I'm an even-minded man, — a man as a child might any time play with like a caperin* kitten,— that's providin' I wasn't provok'd by lying lip,— but if the best man in th^ sarvus was to come up to me, face to face, an' to tell me such a thund'ring twister as the young gemmen's schoolmaster was ahroady when 1 well «now'd the man was oAoarrf,- why I'd just up wi' my nearest flipper, an' floor the fellor as flat as a flounder—* Now,' says I, after layin' him low—* take that !— take thaty* says I, « an' ax the schoolmaster,' says I — • the next time you sees him,' says I,— 'if A« was the man,' m f mmmmmiiimim*i'»'!f=^^'^~'' ii3«rff35r". 3&S3SS S36 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. says I, 'as larnt you to lie.' — I'm blest if I wouldn't — tho' I know'd the act wou'd bring me the very next moment both legs in limbo !" " Well, Sam, you'd do no more nor right,—-' but, as I was a-goin' to tell ye,"— resumed the man, who has been already introduced to the reader by the applicable cognomen of *Know' ing Kedt* — " as I was a-goin' to tell ye, — for the whole three years I sarv'd in that there March- o'-Mind man-o*-u3ar I was teUin' ye about, — I never hears as much as a sailor's song — a song as ye cou'd call a reg'lar-built seaman's itave." " No, Ned, you doesn't now often hear the staves as we used to sing in the war — ^You never now hears — ♦ Will-ye-go-to-Catogin-Bay-Billy- Bo-Billtf'BoP — nor the * Sauctf-AreAum* — nor the * Bold Brittaimt^ — * Black-colours under her mizen didfl^ — * From Ushant to Scilly it thirty- Jive leoffuxi — an' many more o' the sim'lar sort." " No, no, Sam, — you're right enough — your March-o*-Mind-men must now come your simmy- dimmy quiv'ring quivers — tip ye !»•>''* sentimental (Ouches— sigh-away like ladies in love, an' never m )ECK. -I'm blest if 1 I; wou'd bring me i in limbo !" lore nor right,—* i" — ^resumed the itroduced to the imen of * Know' tell ye, — for the bat there March- lin' ye about, — I •*s song — a song eaman's itave." 7 often hear the war — ^You never itDgin-Bay-BiUy- tf-Arethum* — nor colours under her ■0 Scitt^ t> thirty- the sim'lar sort." ht enough — your omeyoursimmy- e p'>''t sentimental in love, an' never INTELLECT AFLOAT. tst sing nothin' but your silly sicknin' stuiF, as often ured to frighten the geese an' make 'em cackle in the coop, for all the world like the comin' of a heavy hurricane — Moreover, your March-^'- Mind-men never will sing a single stave as ad- mits of the main thing — for what's a song as won't allow all hands to jine in reg'lai- coal-box ' i — No, no, your Marc^-o'-Mind-men hav'n't, you may depend on it, the mind o' men — they think far more like people as rig in petticoats, nor 'they as tog in trowsers — Now what looks more young-ladyish, nor to see a fellor with a fist like a shoulder o' mut<;on, flingin' his flipper about, an' suitin' his antics to his song, as he snivels out — * Strike— strike the light guitar !' " «« Wlua, Ned,— comin' what ye calls your forty-poney- fingers over a felior ?" " Exactly — for all the world like one o' your Spanitdi ladies — one o' your Cadiz-craft — Then again — we'd another chap — a chap, .too, as big an' bulky as a bullock — easin'-it off — an' I > Coal-iM,— «bonia. -.mmmmaii'' .-a^MSS iggm iHii mmam 238 DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. nuncin'-it out like a lank boardin'-school miss-'^ * Tdbe a BvMerfy bom in a Bower- ** " In a Joujcr-tier, I 'spose, Ned?" " No, bo, — born in a busk." « Well tken, Sam, we'd another fellor as *oud 'ave made you laugh more nor even Big-Ben buzzin' shovt in a bush — ^There was the ct^taln o' the mizen top — ^a cap-ftruck chap as was all day long pesterin* people about his « dear Sue' — his *fmd SW— an' his * bett-o'-wives'—yreii, that there chap, as was all day long teazin' an' tor- mentin' every man an' boy aboard 'bout his cro* jaok-eyed-craft — could never at night be got to sing no other stave but * Oh, no, we never men-' timu her!' — Why, I was obligated at last, to chalk-out a sort of stave for 'em, to see if I could turn their petticoat thoughts, an' make 'em ashamed of their die^way ditties." ** Well, look here, Ned,— if I was a man ae had weight in the world, I'd make a r^lar-built jow as no lubberly songs should be sing'd in tho sarvuB — I'd make it, by Joe ! one o' the Articles o* War." ^^js^kS^SS, DECK. TWENTY-EIGHT GUN SHIPS lin'-school miss—' ovoer Ned?" xher fellor as 'oud lor even Big-Ben e wag the captain ;k chap as was all t his ♦ dear Sue' — ■teivM* — well, that g teazin' an' tor- oard *bout his cro* at night be g^t ta 10, tee never men" igated at last, to ' 'em, to see if I ^hts, an' make 'em ies.' if I was a man ae lake a r^lar-built d be sing'd in th& one o' the Articles TEN-GUN BRIGS'. The g^eat exertions which both France and America are at present making in the formation of their respective navies, shoidd not be over* looked by ovx own Government, which cannot^ in this respect be toomudi on the alert : France is trying ev . >' oxperiment, aot only in the in<« > Tbit paper waa originally publiihed in the " United Ser- vice Jounult" in the year 1SS&. m r 240 TWENTY-EIOHT-QUN SHIPS Btruction and constant practice of exercising a large body of men as seamen, but in a new system of artillery, which, in the event of a war, i will, to say the least of it, give us more trouble than we have ever experienced in either single or general engagements with the French afloat. A reference to the work of M. Paisihams, en- titled « Nouvelk Force Maritime^" published six years ago, will give our readers some idea of the preparations which France has made, and doubt- less continues to make, agunst the event of a new maritime struggle. The naval measures of America are not so extensive as those of the French, but we know from experience that their system of naval archie tecture has already been successful ; and, as th« inference seems inevitable that they will pursue their plans to a more complete developement, w« ought no longer to hesitate about taking steps to meet tliem on equal terms. — It is well known that the chief features of what may be called their Naval Reform, consisted in building vessels of « «ll|M||iM*Wlr9q!pl|Me««l>tJJ^ , I.JII!J.,U1UI1' !f SHIPS ;e of exercising a m, but in a new bhe event of a war, re us more trouble !ed in either single the French afloat. M. Paisihams, en- Ime" published six rs some idea of the !i made, and doubt- inst the event of a merica are not so nch, but we know Item uf naval archi- essful ; and, as the It they will pursue out taking steps to t is well known that lay be called their uilding vessels of a AND TEN-OUN BRIGS. 241 much larger size than is usual in the class from which they derive their denominations. Their frigates are larger, and of heavier metal than ours ; and their sloops have had the same mechanical superiority over our sloops. To meet them fairly in action we should meet them in ship-building ; and having built as they build, we should make experimental cruizes with the vessels thus newly oonstmcted, in order to ascertain the rate of sail- ing and other qualities as * men of war.' But instead of this, we are not only perpetuating our old scantlmg of vessels, but even creating other ships inferior in size and force to those which constitute their respective classes. We are building, and employing small frigates, and in- creasing the number of ten-gun brigs >, instead of those of eiffhteen, although we know that other powers have no vessels which are not more than a match in site and metal for the former. — Our ' W« are happy to Me that thia practice hat been aban- doned. VOL. I. M II If ^i' 'iwiiilipi HiiiMiMpiiMWRa t^ngmtamimm 2412 TWENTY-EIOHT-OUN SHIPS fiigates inust either inglorioiuly engage sloops, such as the Wasp of the United States, or be beaten by other frigates, as in the instance of i the Maeedoniant Qwrriire, and Java. But the case of the ten-gun brigs is even worse; they can neither^** nor fly— prevent a convoy in war, or prevent smuggling in peace. Captain Pettman, a post-ca{>tain in the navy, «« challenges* any officer who has ever sailed in this class of vessels to dispute, under his own ngnaturet the correctness of his assertion, that they are perfectly safe and very superior sea- boats, and exceedingly well calculated for packets." What! attach a ^ature to a profesrional * opinion' without a^ ?— Is there a fuU-wigged barrister in the land, who, on so serious a sub- ject, would even ♦ ship his spectacles' to open Blackstone, or consult Coke, under at least a < In a letter which appMired In tht CtttHtr. i ; » n i .. »» i ii M l' i ~ -ji • jin I mit i ".m .1 1 ■ i .jj.] ii . ii m i wwBU'Wwwftyg* ,,' ■-■ fif SHIPS sly engage sloops, ited States, or be in the instance of td Java. But the even worse ; they event a convoy in peace, i)>tain in the navy, J has ever sailed in lite, under his awn his assertion, that very mperior sea- ell calculated for t to a profesrional there a full-wigged on so serious a sub- spectacles' to open e, under at least a id tn tht Ctmritr. AND TEN-OUN BRIGS. 243 twenty-four pounder? — Why, dien, should any * sea-kiwyer' so commit himself as even to make his mark to an opinion in opposition to the re- corded testimony of the * iigning-officei' in the Courier ; and who, by the by, in thus coming forward to espouse the cause of the * Charity Brig,* appears to have acted strictly in accordance with the proverb; that *< charity begins at home;" for, as a poaf-captain, he is happily excluded from the command of such a vessel — his rank rescues him from sudi a miserable doom. Captain P. oongratukites himself that the * report^ of officers who have commanded these vessels corroborate his . testimony as to their * tuptrior qtialitiea as sea-boats.' It is true, that favourable * report^ are made by commanders of these vessels ; but, to say no- thing of the official form in which these reports are embodied, neither Captain Pettman, nor any other defender of this defenceless class can deny, that the officers in question may be induced to forego any manifestation of their opinion out of m2 n'^'-^rry^^-^rr^f^-fii i. " iriiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiinii riiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiwiiilMiiitt 1! » ♦ 244 TWENTY-filOHT-GUN SHIPS an ill-grounded apprehension, that any unfa- vourable account of th^se brigs might bduce tlie Admiralty to supersede whoever should so re-: port, instesxl of relying, as they ought to do, oa the justice of the board, which would duly ap- preciate their candour. No professional man will deny, that a vessel of war ought to possess other qualities be^ef* those upon which so much stress has been laid by Captain Pettman ; because, were the grand detiderata in naval architecture merely to consist in beb^ « a safe vessel, and a qfood searboat,*— the Dutch dogger, with ita broad bow, high stem, flat floor, and large lee board, may be con- sidered as tiie safest vessel tiiat swims Uie sea.— But there are many properties which a ves "1 of war shouIU possess, to which it will be prosentiy shown, Uie •Charity Brig,' can ky no possible cUiim. A ship of war is required to be a good sea-boat— to sail fast— to stow, at least, l Ui l ..ti l J il H *!* If SHIPS I, that any unfa- I might induce tlie jver should so re- »y ought to do, on jh would duly ap- leny, that a vessel r qualities besides ress has been laid «, were the grand e merely to consist , qrood searboat,' — broad bow, high board, may be oon- tt swims the sea. — s which a ves "^1 of it will be presently an lay no possible uired to be a good ow, at least, two ths' provuions tm- ms well out of the AND TEN-OUN BRIGS. 245 water, and more especially, to have room to fight them, — to * berth her men,' or rather to afford pro- per and healthy accommodation for her crew, — to * stand well up under her canvass' — to stay in a head-sea—* claw-off' a lee-shore — and, above all, to tcud Ota of, as well as io lie to, in a hurri- t^ute. Out of these ten qualities, with not one of which w511 any naval officer think it possible to dispense, let us see how many the ten-gun brig pretends to possess. " If it be required of a ten-gun brig to perform k voyage of any distance, or probable duration, she must, of necessity, carry above htUches, an extra quantity of provisions and water, both of which will so much encumber the decks, and deepen the vessel beyond her < proper bearings,' <«s to render her any thing but a * safe vessel, andn^rtok .os^boat.' — As to carrying her guns well 0!it of the water, or having room to fight them, the probability is, that the brig's battery will become totally useless (not so much on ac- count of the constant succession of seas likely to m3 bt «lHjf.«d ii^«)D <>p' \ ,flg the ports in an ordi- rrary double-reet-to^wnil breeze), as from the equally probable cirouinstance of a butt', or at • least, a puncliec of >. iter being lashed between every two gaT>w' is doomed by day to suffer nearly suffocation from the smoke of the galley-fire *, and by night to inhale the most noxious vapours, not only oc- ■ As in the cue of the D*Ughl, Captain R. Hay, when aail* Ing from Spilkeab for the ' Cq>e etation' in ISM, and which veesel haa nerer been heard of ainoe. It ia auppoaed ahe foundered off the lale of France. * The galley of fluah>deelc veaaala atanda on the lowar-dMk. i ^gmiisiaiii g ggi i aBfe^ifa^^ '*/^ , Subaaquantly loat on the coaat of Newfoundland. M 4 Ki ■■^.iiimm mm 246 TWENTY-EIGHT-GUN SHIPS « April 27M, A.M.— Wind S.E.— At 2, blow- ing a txemendous gale of wind; took in die main-topsail — scudding until day-light. Finding it dangerout acudding any longer, took in the fore-sail, and brought-to with her head to the southward, and lightened ship of her top" (a strange phrase, by the by,) " as much as possible. —At noon, hard gales, with a high sea running — F.M. 1 h. 30 m. — Wind hauled to the N.E. — At midnight gale increased to a very high pitcbj and several heavy seas struck the ship (brig). *' April 28ake, yet the^- le subject of bebg ' ' cutting away an- 1 guns, stores, and lay be necessary to f the lumbered con- fc^' SUIPS C8 originally ap^ aken place on the he soundest views en entertained by Majesty's Dook- Bt few years have part of Govern- }f naval construc- ; may judge from ich to assume that ( in the higher de- imperfect state of chitecture has, for kd openly avowed." it that so many ire been permitted al Navy ? Had it te disputed points, IB, as a means of principles already g in assuming that AND TEN-GUN BRIGS. 253 there has been a want of confidence in our theo- retical resources; but the experiments that have been gone into, had nothing of this character about them. If particuhu- objects had been sought after, there would have been a close conference, and an unreserved communication, between the whole of the constructors; first principles would have been acquiesced in, and consecutive deductions admitted, and all would have given their attention to the accomplishment of the same object — the extension of naval science. But how different was the fact! There was a competition of entire systems, and, consequently, a division of interests ; and the termination, as might naturally be imagined, has ended in a very inconclusive triumph of individual merit, (on which opinions are very various) without deve- loping a single novel truth. Without venturing an opinion, or intending to offer the most remote insinuation, as to the rektive merits of the constructions which have been put forth by modern competitors in ship-^ pme^sss^mmMR 254 TWENTY-EIOHT-OUN SHIPS btiilding, it will be our endeavour to show that the pre$aU habitt of coii.^crucHon are a sufficient reason why those productions could not be made extensively useful ; and it is from a belief that this opinion may be fully substantiated — that the remedy is perfectly practicable — and that it will be found in the following remarks, that the dis- cussion of the subject is now engaged in. It is not necessary to the argument which it is proposed to adopt, to know whether Captain Hayes can build better ships taan Captain Sy- monds, or whether Mr. Sant6 (the kite eminent yacht-builder) has proved himself to be a supe- rior constructor to either, or both of them : nor is it at all material to the questiks, that the dis- {aged in. ipiment which it whether Captain lan Captain Sy- he bite eminent >lf to be a aupe- th of them : nor ion, whether the re not» pbmned ;ned by the aur* 'rofewior Inmaii. •ly aik, how die d— for it would [n our decisions he more simple AND TEK-OUN BRI08. 365 way of proceeding will be to put a few direct interr<^tories, like the following: viz.— What has Science been doing all this time ?— Can we, with our present means, take the drawings of several ships, and pomt out, with any degree of confidence, their comparative excellencies or in- feriorities ?— Are we habituated to do so?— or, are we too conscious of the poverty of our own resources, to attempt it ? The best reply to these questions is the plam truth— that the ships belonging to the ex- perimental squadrons did not undergo any liind of analysis, or comparison, of their peculiar prtn perties; and the tendencies of their character- istio features were never scientifically discussed, after the same mode of reasoning tliat is inva- riably followed in matters of science generally. This is a tacit acknowledgment of our incompe- tency lo make a critical comparison of shipN* properties, upon understood principles ; and the reason is, that we have not been accustomed to take up naval architecture as a branch of philo- aii TWENTY-EIOHT-GUN SHIPS sophy, but have regarded it as an art involved in greater obscurity, and accompanied witli more difficulties, than really belonged to it ; and having thus neglected to analyze its principles, in a manner commensurate with the extent of the subject, we now find ourselves but imper- fectly acquainted with a science, above all otliers important to the true interests of this country. If the theory of construction be at all de- pendent on the principles of science, it is obvious that it never oan be pn-perly understood, unless it be taken up as a study to the extent to which science may be applied with advantage, to the purposes of ship>building. Individuals of talent and observation, untutored in first principles, may furnihh valuable suggestions, and offer cor- rect opinions, on certain points ; but a few wed, on r^flec- !l«i\\f« of naval /'id«ni thtkt tht> itciplen, U) trust to isolated fiicts, we place naval architecture en a very speculative, and therefore on a very pe- rilous, basis. >i*ss*» It was remarked in the third report of the commissioners of naval revision—* where we have buUt exactly after the form of the best of the French ships that we liave taken, thus atid- ing our dexterity in building to thtiir knowledf^e in theory, the ships, it is generally allowed, have proved to be the best in our navy : but, whenever our build«:rs have been so far misled by their little attwnments in the sci'^nce of naval archi- tecture, US to depart from tlui model before them in any material deafree, and attempt improve- ments, the tnit) piiiiciples on which ships ought to be wnistruc > being in perfe tly known to them, hove been nust^iken or counteracted, and the alteratior.H, aeoowting to the information given U> . l»ave in many cases done harm.' Oooasional— nay, brilliant Huocess, may, for a time, attend an incomplete mrlliod of design, but Uie j/irtial application of principles will ever 358 TWENTT-EIOHT-OUN SHIPS be subject to disastrous consequ«MMS ; and prac* tices which are not founded on a sure and perfect method, must eventually be remodeUedt i>s a Cfwe of expediency, and therefore as a thing of course: and, any observationa whidi tend to show that, without a well-digested system, we shall always incur the risk of < doing haim,' when we deviate largely from known good models, are borne oet by experience and by reason. Experience, undoubtedly, teaches many things which may never have been communi- cated in a tangible form to the fountain-head of construction ; or whjclu having been communi- cated, have not been rightly taken advantage of. This only points out (without absolving) the necessity of putting ail experimental knowledge in an available form, so that communicationH between the expefimMitaUitt and the theorist may be as perfect as possible. But, to whom (Should we look for a definition oi the kind of communication which it may be proper to establish between those who design MU SHIPS lenoM ; and prac* a ainre and perfect remodelled^ ^>s a fore as a thing of IS whidi tend to ;esiied system^ we doing liann»' wImd wn good modebh id by reason. teaches many ) been communi- e fountain-head of g been commcni- iken advantage of. lit absolving) the mental knowledge t communications and the theorist ok for a definition \ which it may b<^ those who design .AND TEN -GUN BRIGS.. .¥ 259 ships, and those who nnvigate them ? — Shall it be to him who makes u«e of the information, or to him who affords it? We do not, for a mo- ment, ^prehend that any one will insist that no communication is necessary. If those who have devoted themselves to ,fint principles were to reject the suggestions of the experimentalist, they would betray their ignorance in disavowing that naval philosophy is a mixed science : and it would be equally incorrect on the part of a practical seaman, to say— I am master ut our being able to nm^n the exHCt reasontm that when we make a coHftu- rison of th4> effects that ari^e from the complex '"■"'■■'■•"■inmmiMrfif°'-n''^ SHIPS feared that muck of ship-building, mder discussion, se considerations th the permanent e quantity of sail 9ns of the masts -the position and n badly rigged—* — ^^bad stowage — ly affect a ship's e degree; conse- accompanied with as well be said to of differences in at plMSure, as U* ve merits of «htp««' g for R ^ood '•hip iing able to Mssi^n 'e make a coHftu- ftwu the complex AND TEW-OUN BRIGS, "p 261 causes which affect a ship's behaviour at sea, it is often purely hypothetical to say to which of the causes the result is attributable.' >- f > The simplest experiments that can be made require that some conditions ^ould be given, otherwise it is no experiment at all, in a scienti- fic sense; but in the experimental ships, to which allusion has been here made, both the moving forces and the bodies momd were so extremely dissimilar, that it wouI-r------' ' il l ' i " 'i» | 8 B 8Hi :>' -Jt .'= J-.i; (. guffiaaamiuitm r-mmrn I'. 262 TWENTY-EIGHT-OUN SHIPS would be in vain for any one infiiddiMil to at- tempt Our means are, at present, insuflMent, for * we have not an office of construction— Aat u, a public department in wWch provision is made for attending exclusively to scientific prelimina- ries; if we bad, its immediate objects would be very nearly as follow: — 1. Tie first thing would be to obtain the ctd- eulated properties of the whole of our ships, own- mencing with those in actual service, so that w« might turn to any ship on the list of the navy, and find her qualities properly described. 2. The portion of the centre of granityt of at least one ship of every class, should be deter- mined by experiment, whenever it can be dune without inconvenience to the service. 8. We should have tables of the weighte of masts and yards, sails, cordage, guns, andtors, ca- bles, ammunition, and every other article included in die equipment, so that their general effect, as r SHIPS indiridual to at- , insufficient, for ' notion — diat n, a trovision is made ientific prelimina- objects would be to obtain the ctd- of our ships, com- lervice, so that we s list of the navy, ' described. « of yravityt of at , should be deter- rer it can be done service. I of the v)eiffht$ of I, guns, ancfaore, ca- her article included ir general effect, as AND TEN-GUN BRIGS, t 263 well as the effect of any proposed alterations, may be properly investigated. 4. Descriptive drawings of the stowage of ships are also necessary, to show the capacities of the holds, store-rooms, &c., and to estimate the effects of gpreat weights by their known dis- positions. 5. We ought to have accurate plans of sails (or rigging draughts,) to show the comparative powers of canvass, and to demonstrate the effect of any proposed alteration of spars. «. TTie height of the centre of effort of the sails should be shown, also its position Icmgitu- dinally. These are the outlines of the leading objects of an office of construction ; and tasks of such magnitude coold only be achieved by the ex- clusive energies and attention of a plurality of persons. 7. To assist them in their labours, it would be dedrable to form a professional library, and to take in such periodical works, English and )'. 264 TWENTY-EIGHT-GUN SHIPS foreign, as immediately relate to naval affairs ; for it is indispensable that individuals engaged in die advancement of naval science should pro- , secute the study of mathematics, have opportu- nities of research, and watch the progress of professional improvements. 8. The benefit of such a library might be extended to naval officers, add others, under the sanction of the Admiralty. 9. The instruction now given in nautical sci- ence, at the school of naval architecture, might be continued as heretofore; and the professor . could be assisted in his lectures by members of the office of construction. 10. The instruction in the scientific branches of naval architecture hitherto given to the stu- dents during their course of study, might in fu-j ture be afforded with increased advantages. 11. The transactions of an olHce so consti- tuted would be carefully recorded, and its jour- nalized proceedings regarded as public property; and all its documents should be so preserved. ,1111 MIL 141 i^jiLj;'! *• SHIPS to naval affairs ; ividuab engaged ience should pro- », have opportu- the progress of library might be others, under the ;n in nautical sci- 'chitecture, might and the professor ' es by members of icientific branches given to the stu- tudy, might in fui I advantages. I office so consti- ded, and its jour- 18 public property; be so preserved, AND TEN-GUN BRIGS. . 265 that they could at any time be submitted to in- vestigation. 12. A limited correspondence might be kept up wit' whole of the naval establishments, vith ollect, and ultimately to make a go. -nt of, every species of useful inforni.iuoii. • 13. The members of such an office might be called upon occasionally, to join in reports on any new plans, or improvements, which may be under consideration, and which may come within the character of their pursuits. 14. When the operations of the office be- come organized, part of its attention might be directed, with advantage perhaps, to the state of naval science and nautical economy in other countries '. « It will be recollected thai M. Dupin, whose writings have produced a great sensation, not only in this, but in almost every other country, devoted himself for no less a period than five year$ to the three great sources of our national means— the Commercial, Military, and Naval Force of Great Britain. It has been remarked that " it was not his object to instruct us, but, from us, to instruct his country ; to describe our institu- VOL. I. N m^ -«w- 266 TWENTV-EIGHT-GUK SHIPS, &C. •l5. Experimental sciencey to which we owe so much, and from which there is yet much to expect, would claim the attentive consideration of an office of construction ; it would, therefore, be an object of great importance to revise the reports on ships' sailing qualities, so that they may be made available to scientific views." tions and practiceB, and to point out to Frence what to follow." This was a very natural wwh on the part of M. Dupin, in which he certMnly »ucceededj for, in an address to ti 5 Academy of Sciences, at ParU, (1820) he acknowledges having gleaned many valuable hints bom our dock-yaTds. Speaking of the School of Naval Architecture, Dupin expresses some surprise at an order which emanated from a Committee of the House of Commons, (1819) forbidding further instruction in French to the members of that establishment, to prevent them transfer- ring their services to foreign powers ; and then he observes, " Ce passage qui contraste si fort avec les vues g6ii6ralement saines et genereuses des oomit«s du parlement, merite d'etre cit« et medit6." The knowledge of a foreign tongue appears to ■ have been of great service to M. Dupin, and it io not quite ob- vious why the French language may not some day be similarly instrumental in rendering useful services to this country ; be- sides, the French abound in scientific works, and nothing would be so effective a check to improvement in naval science as not to be able to read them. SHIPS, &C. a which we owe re is yet much to itive consideration I; would, therefore, uice to revise the ities, so that they atific views." I Frence what to follow." irt of M. Dupin, in which ireaa to t) i Academy of wledgei having gleaned jTKird*. Speaking of the expresses some surprise tmmittee of the House of instruction in French to 9 prevent them transfer- ; and then he observes, ec lea vues giniralement parlement, merite d'etre foreign tongue appears to in, and it io not quite ob- not some day be similarly rices to this country ; be- tiflc works, and nothing rovement in naval science / ••^P*^ r ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ■( V ' I % 1.0 "^^ U£ S itt no I.I 11.25 i 1.4 1.6 -^ Sdmoes Carporaticai 39 WMT MIAIN STINT WtMTM.N.V. MIM (7U)l7a-4MS JttaaMWMMhkWMMi ■ ■^Ktn^'Miijs-.^K.fi ■ ::^mv&::-m!Simimsm^s»^'& ; CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHJVI/ICMH Collection de m Camdi«n IratltuM lor HIMorlotl Mlcroraproductlont / Inititut c*nadl*n d* mlcroraproduotiont hMortqiwa ...r »:.■:■ ■ .i \l. 1 . ».■ V.-:. ■I'i V 1 I ... fi 266 RECREATIONS IN RHYME. If young, we are told We must yield to the old,— •Till our prospects and cradles increase. Then, are we in years ? Our ' age interferes' With juniors appointed as firtt ' ;' Tho' still in our prime, As if 'twere a crime ' Lon^-standing' is treated the worst. Too green we're to-day, To-morrow too grey, Too long or too short on the list ; Excuse will bo found. To keep us • a-ground,' , And keep us from grinding our grist. Altho' we indite, From morning to night, Memorials for berths by . n\ Each answer's the same, That is — • not/ '. the name,' Tho' noted for nought but a ' hort* > Pint UsulmwDt. IHYME. les iocreaae, . if««';' the woist. le list ; ; our griit. ne/ a 'tor*.' Dt. "^ THE lieutenant's i^ment. 269 Should plans we invent, Be officially sent, To the Board o{* AffeetioiuUefriends\' The friends in affection Reward with ' rejeeikm,' And make us no other amends. Each quarter we make Affidavit, and take Our oaths that we're out of employ ; That we leave in the lurch. Ourselves and the Church, Nor life, nor a ' living' enjoy '. I When this Board had, u it often happened, to announce fflcially to an officer, that an ' imprees had been put againit hii fAy,' the membere of it verj charitably lubacribed them- * The form of the half-pay naval affidavit nini thua :— > I do iwear ^t lammtbt hotff trdert, and that I had not, between the day of and the day of .anyplace or employment oSpnfit whatsoever under Hit M^jeaty, nor in any department of HU Majesty's aenrioe, nor in the coloniea, or poaeetaions of His Mi^eaty beyond the seas, nor under any other goTemment. Sworn befii i nf ill * -' -■' -^ ■"•"-" -*"*"»"^- ' HYME. • fiut re, r UM'MSt.' btii n iiiif f'-'' '' ''•"■' ■"— •'■^"- ■■- yiilHil i illiipimi THE BOARDERS. A GALLEY STAVE. HoBKAH ! heftre ft-head— tumble ap—tnmble aft, The Skipper '■ inteikt on • fray— He't long bad hit eye on the enemy's craft, The brig in the bight o' the bay. The ahip'a ell aliTO— the ahip's company cnuh And crowd round the oapaten on deck, And all volunteer, in a regular mih, To join in the «prM and the«pcc. h4 MMM '■Vj ipH IBI i il ll lii i i JUMHHjH I IHH I IUHMi.t. i . I -kH» l i | » i >ll»ln »i» W« 272 RECREATIONS IM RHYME. /- . " The a$£t." says the Skipper, " is worth cattin'-out, And so," says the Skipper, says he, " Be sober, be silent, be steady and stout, ^ Attend ey'ry man unto me. " Each man will 'ave sanr'd out a station in turn, Confiuion in fight to prevent, So board on the quarter, the bow, or the stem, You know on what bus ness you're bent. " There's Turner can handle a hatchet in sl^Ie, The cable he'll cut with a clip ; But cham should it be, a sledge-hammer and file Will help to unshackle and tUp. " The jib, too, there's Jackson can loose in a crack, And Warren can run to the wheel ; But mndl though your slaughter be seemin' to slack, Slack nothin' in duty or >4 -^V*V' < THE BOARDERS. — A GALLEY STAVE. 278 " So round the right ann clap a pitee o' white duck, Your cutlasses carefilily grind, Secure in your belts see your pistols be stuck, No boat leaves a grapnel behind. a station in turn, v, or the stem, 'ou're bent. latchet in sl^Ie, •hammer and file ip. ian loose in a crack, 'heel ; ghter be seemin' to " And now," says the Skipper, " I've never no more To say, — ^but to tay you'll succeed ; So down ev'ry man, now, and muffle his oar. And ready get all that you need." The boats are now mannin' — the moon's goin' down, And messmates are shakin' a fist, / The pass-word is Neltan — ^that name o' renown, That bows every name on the UsC Toss'd up are the oars, and lueceii is the word. And eager are all for the start ; " Shove-off," says the Skipper, "and bring-out your bird- Be oarefVil — don't company part." IforafiM, urk; nritedUow Like pirate» we pull, but with consciences clear, For e'en should ire fail or we fall. There's never disgrace,— nor we've notiiin* to fear. But death from a pike or a balL n6 MiaiMWkiiiMMM i i -y f ^"» r "A'*"'-, ' m- '' -"" ■"" ..^.— t.^iff.' ■iAJfe.---"-'- 974 SBCBKATIONS IV SBTME. Land-bzMses spring tip ftom the •onihernmott side, The boats are faMt dosin' the pott, ThefoeisdialdTwr'dtoleiMltothetide, i' The sentry heaid hailin' the foit. Then strike-out, my lads, in the cutter and barge, The pinnace, *e», boards on the bow ; The launch lags astern, she's heavy an' large. But soon riie'll be up for the row. Tkere !—»laf goes the cable— and «f> goes the jib. Anil «)^8he pays round on her heel ; Our officer's *if,— " Only •*«* ^ *•" ^" He cries, as he slashes his steel. She's M our own—for'ard,— let's sally abaft, The quarter-deck yet we've to gain ; What say ye, my sons t— with a will fore an' aft, And show we don't ndly in vain. The otttlasiee dash, and iihe blades on 'em fly. And pistols flash foil in the faee, Btttnodiin' oan stand us, so never say die I Humh t an' we're gainin' apaoe. wtiiiimarw-iiiiiiiiiiiii ihiukiih rmtlrii"" Jill liii it J|i yiii' >-iw'*»-.-»*s;-r"^« . KBTME. i •ondienimott side, pott, ike tide, 'ott. i cutter and baige, be bow ; tavy an' laige, row. ind «f> goes ibe jib, NT bed; : in tbe rib," eel. ft sally abaft, to gain; a will fore an' aft, raia. Bdes on 'em flyi fitee, »T«raaydi«l - pace. THE BOARDEBS. A GAIXET STAVE. 275 They take to their fins, an' they take to their feet, The enemy scamper around; The taupsails quick loose — and quick home with 'em sheet, 'Twon't Bons, for three thundering cheers. For sAofI fiU^l the shot from the fort; We draw-off the land, and the frigate we hear, iSAe'U soon tow the priie into port I n6 JB t-*"-"""!' i ' ' i i iii i « i»ni i M ii ii i ii M I t I LEAVES OF THE PRIVATE LOG or A CAPTAIN ON HALF PAY. " I will make t prief of it io my note-book." March lit, — Returned to town firom Brighton — Sick of Steyne, chain-pier and cockneys of the coast J%rt»i p.m . — Bore up for Clob— found it filled — Whigs and Tories on opposite tacks^ Rads hud up in * Rotten-row* — Conduct of the * tail' retailed. Mem. — Queer reoiarks on par- liamentary * pluck.' . mmmmtm IVATE LOG ALF PAY. y note-book." own from Brighton r and cockneys of op for Clob— found tn opposite tacks — If* — Conduct of the )r renoarks on par- LEAVES or THE PRIVATE IX)G, &C. Mirch 2nrf.— Horribly in the blues— Climate as fickle as the people— Wind as unsteady as statesmen— Pouring over morning p^ers— « Precarious state of Spwn'- « War in Por- tugal'— • Miguel thp monster'—* Fall of jusurper^— * Rise of funds*—* Rebels routed'— 'Oppressed people'—* Andent ally'—* Fallen foe'—* Legitimate means*—* Foreign force'— « Non-intervention'—* Strict neutrality'—* Let- tersfrom Lisbon'—* Strange reports of continental Queens'— * Constitutional cause'— * Lusitanian deliverer'—* Liberating army'—* Englishmen in chains'— * Cause of humanity.' March 3rd.— Thick fog— Steered for Strand —Tried to weather agent— no go— Omnibuises boarding each other in the smoke—* Celerity' foul of * Chancellor'—* Chancellor' aboard of « Union'—* Union' foul of 'Reform'—* Reform' knodted to pieces— rotten in the perch — * Tax- carts' creepii^ to windward—* Favorite' li^;ging to leeward. March 4«ft.— Wind at east— Hard weather— NrtirifrMimririaaMMiiWWMBBiiw gaiifiiliMi'iMrtS i iiiwiww** ** ' ! *^^ "-w^tipr^aww ■WIW'wwirtf | »«iWyi '■ iy.-^»" 278 LEAVES OV THE PRIVATE LOO OF Face of nature shrivelled up>~Ditto, &ce divine — Physidans picking up fees — Undertaken in high feather. Mem. — Both trades thriving.-~At t«ro clapped on down-haul * — Started on a man- o'-war's cruise — Fell in with a fuU-teathered hearse — five mouming-coaohes-Hind a long line of carnages *flybg light' — ^N.B. Sable-squad brought up, all standing at tumpike-gate — Thought cfeduf might repab to long home with- out paying for repair of pavement Mem. — Toll of bell and toll of gate, double tax. March 6th. — Received official damper in re- ply to application for employment— went to bed —slept it off. March 6th. — Mud without, and misery within — Waded through parliamentary debates — QtMry, Rhetoric included in ' Bill of Reform?— Stood into Arcade — Put into Trucfit's managerie — thronged with customers. N.B. — Observed more hairy fiices than heads of hair. Qiurjf—- > Surt«ut ■•*■ *W*W i ww u m um i " *"^^''^- '^" 'm lTb loo of -Ditto, &ce divine I — Undertaken in adei thriving.— 'At Started on a man- 1 a fuU-teathered »— 4Uid a long line N.D. Sable-equad ; tumpike-gate — » long home with- vement Afem.'— ouble tax. ial damper in re- lent— went to bed ndmiiery within — r debates — Query, Reform?*— Stood tfit*! managerie — N.B Obierved )f hair. Qjuiy— * •< tiiummwmm} *">' "*-f»^ir n•llu„-^;>^^Jr''^- ^ ^ ' '^^-A^l• ■■ A CAPTAIN ON HALF-PAY. 279 Uimiountedmen right to mount moustaches- Suggest tax to ChanceUor of Exchequer— Re- turned home— Detected mother reading a ro- mance, entitled * First Affectum: N.B.— Old woman in her s?xty-third year-7. 30. p.m. went to Oper»-took ap a berth in the pit. N.B.— Not horae enough to take to a ttaU : heard sing— voice evidently veUed-recommend her a Yankee 'yoywohV-Heard odd remark* about her build— BeUeve in England— a good singer, Uke a good sailor, must be * dean in the run* and neat In the upper works, ilfm.— Vestris to wit. I— Mil— gfiiii liiiiii I immk ipfii*— -. M i . i .n l i i ^ .HPumlWW i u- ■ p>ili»MMb(wipwt TithM— pronouMvd Mm by JMk. rum n ii i in «i ». , rfi < jiip pi iii!j'!''i"'y m—- •■»*»»*•»»?"*'*«■ - ' ■"•••■■Wi^ 282 JACK, IN PASUAMENT ; A " Well, you know, the first thbg I'd do afore I shapes my course for the Spoatin'-shop, I'd make for the tap and freshen my nq>, — for they i say your Parlimint chaps can never do nothin* 'thout rq^larly layin' in th^ ui^^^s allowance. —Well, as soon as I takes in a tumbler or two, and stows my Uckor away snug under hatches, I'd up with my hehn, steer straight for the spoutan' anchorage, and take up a rakiu^-berth dose athawt hawse of the piatin' potheoary's bowt— for he's the first follow m should feel the force of a rakin' fire.— In course I'd keep tut my fire till boUi sides begins to open their ports, an' blace an' bang away on the double score of lief and taxes;— then I'd get on my pins— for you see every duif as attempts to spout in Far- Umint must take to his < legs,' ay, and stiff as a cburoh, for fear a fellow should be taken for a tailor.— Well, as soon as I gels on my pins, and clears my mouth o' my quid,— for ye may be sartin I'd sing out in what your ParUmint-m«n call a reg'lar-built laudable rice—* rice too, as l^>«M IIIIWI » *■ ';■':,*« t;; SNT! Mag I'd do afore Jpoatan'-sbop, I'd ly i^» — for they i never do nothin* ui|^^8 allowance, t tumbler or two» ig under hatcheS) straight for the up a rakiu^-berth piatin* potheoar/i M should feel the irse I'd keep fiut o open their ports* lie double soore of ; 00 my pimK^for ts (0 spout in Fur- I,' ay, and stiff as a luU be taken for a Is on my pins, and i,— for ye may be our Parlimint-m«n ice— a rice too, as DIALOGUE OV TH» DECK. 283 every man imd member fore-an'-aft should never forget— well, as soon as I'd find myself standin' stiff in the step, I'd say,— « Gem'men,' says I, « there's never no use in mincing the matter. — Tm not the man,' says I, thumpin' my fist on the table, to give, you know, foil weight to my wmi»—* Fm not the man,' says I, * as tay$ the one thing and lhink$ the f other.'— Then they'd begin to kick up a noisy nitty, beUowin' out « hmxr ! hearr like a bundi o* new made bosons, till not a soul in the House could hear the sound o' sense.—* Gemmen,' says I, opening a broad- side on both sides at once— for I doesn't see the diff 'rence 'twixt Mend or foe when people won't hearken to reason,—* Gemmen,' says I, *I never wants none o' your aots*— I wants the revarse— I wanti you to lam to lidnh and not to kick up a thunderin' hubbub as hinders all hands from hearin', with your pot-house pranks and bel- lowin' burst* of deafain' * hmn.* '—Then they'U begto to mind their man— mend their manners a bit— an' seem to listen a little to sense :— so, in MMfcaiMH'MnM.x I 284 JACK IN parliament: coarse, as soon as I gets them under my thumb for a while, an' finds 'em idl as steady an' ulent as a well-keltfered ship a-goin' into action, I then goes on again.---* Gemmen,' says I, * you teSka o' taxes, and you talks o' /wf — now, Gemmen,' says I, * I'm not a goin,' says I, * to say a single syllable on the score o' taxes,— because you see,' says I, ' I never knows more o' the matter nor Aey as made 'em^ but try me,' says I, * on Uie tack o' Hei, an' you'll find me,' says I, < a match for the best barber as ever brought a wiry wig to a block;— rm not like $ome meit,' says I, * / never,' says I, * talks on things I knows nothing about— I never,' says I, hullin' the pratin' po- thecary with a reg'lar raker 'twixt wind an' water, « I never sot up a Member fi>r MUehief'-' I nevier try to make seapfiurin' folks discontented with their lot, or men-o'-wars-men detest the sarvus and desert their country.'— Then you'd hear, fore-on'-aft, a yelpin' cry of * order f order r—* Ottummt' says I, * you may wder as much as you please — but I'm never the Kiriii III! ■i^iiiMiHiftirniiii under my thomb steady an' ulent nto action, I then lyg I, « you talks -now, Gemmen/ [, * to say a single -because you see,' o' the matter nor ,' says I, * on Uie ' says I, * a match rought a wiry wig 10 men,' says I, * / s I knows nothing n' the pratin' po» r 'twist wind an' ber for MitehMf-' folks discontented n>men detest the try.'— Thjsn you'd cry of * order f * you may wder It Tm never the DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. 285 man as means to obey one o*^ your lubberly orders— an' moreover,' says I, « I just thinks my- self as good a man as the biggest big wig among ye.' — Then somco' yourjwemn' chaps, as hav'n't the sense to talk, or the teeth to bite, will try all they can to make a man lose his temper, snarlin' out in a cur dog cry, *Ohf oh P — as if a sea- forin' man was to be firight'ned by the- yelpin' cry of a barkin- cur.— ♦ So, see here. Sir,' says I, lettin' fly a fierce iook at the first fellow I catches comin' his snarling yelp — « See here. Sir,' says I, just showin' him the size of my starboard fist— « See here, Sir,' says I, ' if you comes your ' OV over me any more, I'm blest,' says I, « but I'll soon make you mind your P's and Q's.' — Well, you know, as soon as I gets 'em again into man- nerly kelter, I then tries back for a bend, and keeps on the tack o' ties. " « Oemmen,' says I, • / 'members the time when ties were a British boast— when the finest sound as was heerd afloat — the most cheering«« cry as could rally a firigate or battle-ship's crew, MM 266 JACK IN rAaWAMENT : was the tuneful cry of « Tie for tie^ an' d « afl favours!'— But, gemmen,* says I, *that time o' times has long gone by ; an' long ties, like long ^ sarrusses,' says I, letting fly another leveller at the pratin' 'pothecary, * have been both eta off to the downright rubation of the man, and the total destruction of the BritiBh navvy !'— Then you'd hear dieers ks upon the dook- iven worse northe rer intended poor nat'ral paiquisites. we took to olippin' the dogs:-— when led up in a bight, ^, we then were man.' — Then you'd I, an' out firom die i to freshen my nip and a man tmuf wet rk his words." back again ?" DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. 287 « In course I does, as soon as I takes my tipple.— Well, as soon as the praters see I'm more nor a match for 'em all — and that I floors 'm on the tack o' ties, m course, they'll broach some other bisness— or begin to boast of their Foreign relations. * Gemmen,' says I, < thank God,' says I, *rve no foreign relations — there's none o' the cross o' Crappo in me.' — ^Then they'll bellow out, 'hear! hearP— * Yon may well sing out * hmr,' ' says I, « for I tells you aU. — I'm a reg'lar-built bulk ay, to the back bone.' — Tlun you'd hear *cheer^ in earnest— Then the snarler would try to give tongue on another score — an' get up his old tune of « Floggin' afloat' In couj»e he'll «oy — for the fellow 'ould swear thro' a nine-inch phmk — ^in course he'll say enough to make all the lub- berly members believe, as know no more o' the matter nor he does himself, that seamen detest men-o'-war; and, moreover, that seamen are jireat in time o' peace '*." > Jack iMmi to have pidd attention to the Ute Parliamentarx dflbktM. mmmmmmmm Mfp^aa^iwiMttHNMiaw*' 288 JACK IN pabuamknt: « I gay, Ned-^wouldn'tyou stop the fellow in the middle of his prate, and teU him like a man, it was a thund'ring thumper ? If you wouldn't , do that, you're not the man I takes ye to be." « No, no, Sam, I'd let him go to the length \ of his tether-I'd let him go on a erammin' the House ; for the fellow 'd 'ave fece enough to tell four or five honoured gemmen that he had already received more nor a miHum of letters comphun' o' the cruelty o' the ca<— Well, I'd let him run on till I marks the moment to open my fire ; then I'd pour such a peltin' broadside into the beg- gar's bows, I'd soon send the pester-an'-mortar- man staggrin' astern— « Now, Gemmen,' says I, « you all hears the mischeef that there mixheev ious man in tryin* to make in these here horrid TOi«A«!»ioi«limes.-NowI telk the fellow fairly, fiice to fiice— an' I'm not the man as 'oud turn my back on the best Member among ye— but I tells the feUow fairly— an' I axes pardon q' the House'— for your big-wigs have never no objec* don to a bit o' blarney—* I axes,' says I, * par- don of this here honourable House for callin' the HHaHflWMi [ENT : Stop the fellow in 11 him like a man, If you wouldn't _ takes ye to be." • 1 go to the length on a erananin* the &ce enough to tell that he had already f letters complain' , I'd let him run on ipen my fire ; then side into the beg- pester-an'-mortar- Oemmen,' says I, hak there m ischeeV' I these here horrid sllfi the fellow foirly, ) man as 'oud turn r among ye — ^but I [ axes pardon o' the ave never no objec* ixes,' says I, • par- Elouse for callin' the —mfifm 11 1 1111 ) 11 il a jWWWfWB^ mmmm Mi DIALOGUE OF THE DECK. 291 fellow ayeffow.'— Then they'll sing out * Order P again — and then, says I, * Gemmen, you knows it's never no use ; I've made up my mind on die pint — I'm detarmined to do my duty — and not sit here like some ft/ue-jackets as I coidd easily name— «nd let a man label his Majesty's sarvus for want o' tellin' the fellow a bit o' my mind, and bringin' him up with the round-turn. — Gemmen,' says I, *that there man-o'-mischeef is not only tryifi' to humbug this here honorable House, but he's tryin' as well to gammon the seamen o' the sarvus into a sham-Abraham belief that he is their best an' oniy friend !— Now, Gem- men,' says I, gettin' bold on the business — * Now,' says I, * afore the Member for MuUipli' cation' (for they say hie's a devil of a fellow of figurs) < afore the muUiplication-maax makes his motion to knock off both pennons and punish- ments, I'll bet him a wager of a week's grog, he can never produce out of his million o' ^ttera ft single syllable from a thoro'-bred tar touchin' the cruelty o' cat I' Then you'd hear i^uch clap- vot. I. p > i Mi i!i imii. i ■SSfHiPP"*' JACIt IN PARLIAMENT : pin* o' hands, kickin* o' feet, an' soch a reg'laT habbub fore-an*-aft the House, that you'd fiiiriy think the loof 'oud fiOl in. ♦Now,' aays I, • Gem- men,' as soon as I brings 'em back to a propjer sort o' quarter-de«^ silence—* Now, Oenmien,' says I, « if yon believes me— an' Fm sure by^ youf right honourable mugs^I axes your pardon*— I mean by all your be^^n* fiujea-Fm sure you does— you'll now allow me to capsise Uie 'pothe- CBr/s potwn— I axes his pardon— his motion* I mean— and Mud him and Im corporal. 9 pwaA' nunt clean out o' the House in the hailds & <*» Mader-dtorm! Then you'll hear cheers frmn stem to stam.— «Gemmen,' says I, * !'▼« no ob- jection V. cA«r*, but I doesn't like the way as you rig your roar«r#— Gemmen, your cheers are th« cheers u right honourable member give me the wink, an' I'm the man as 'ill soon give yon all the ttwrf.'— This, you know, I says, to set 'em imi'/jem^ r-' iJiji." "j i " ! ! '> ^y i w "'«wi>»w« i iwwww>wf>Miw>iwiaiiwW L W H i lBL ' J lffl *-^W^Ii^ [EMT : an' sodi a reg'kr e, that you'd £Biriy ow,' aays I, • Gem- Bdktoapn>i^«Nrt w, Oemmeo,' says m sure by *U yoof >gyour paidaii»-~-I Dea— Fm sore you oqmzethe'pothe- urdon — ^hk motion* is eorporvts pmtitk- in the haifds tf «mM ,.i,. at •;* *" LOMOOMi muata u MviMmm, MiimuMi •It. ««■■'* MirAka. '■'Oimm wmtmrnfimt^gBUtlm ■ ., ...... ■=*■ '•* >MD01II nwmvm, Miimuu. L^^Kgn MHi ilM99i