LIONEL H. SHORE— 1900. .Um L I E) R.ARY OF THE UN IVERSITY Of ILLINOIS N563 V.I *)»■--...■■• : cX;^^^::^*^ l/^A Ui-^ ',. G.,.A i Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2009 witii funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://www.archive.org/delails/nightwatchortale01lond THE NIGHT WATCH OR, TAT.ES OF THE SEA. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, 1828. LONDON : I'KINTED BY S. AND R. BENTLEY, DORSET STREET. m in CD 4 CONTENTS THE FIRST VOLUME. Introduction THE CAPTAIN; OB, THE LIFE OF A NAVAL OFFICER. CHAPTER I. Birth of the Hero CHAPTER II. Education of Morland Dunstanville Page i. CHAPTER HI. Country Society • CHAPTER IV. Country Visits . • , • CHAPTER V. Leaving Home.— -Going on Board CHAPTER VI. Life at Sea. — Sunday Morning CHAPTER VIL Advice to Midshipmen ^ 16 22 42 53 79 ^:r^ VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. Battle of Trafalgar CHAPTER IX. Country Correspondence and Scandal » Page 102 CHAPTER X. Catching a Shark. — Sea Saturnalia. — Crossing the Line 112 CHAPTER XL Cockpit Court Martial. — Cockpit Chronicle Naval Theatricals Wreck of a Boat . Boarding a Galliot CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIIL CHAPTER XIV. Passing Lieutenant CHAPTER XV. Adventures in Devonshire CHAPTER XVL American War CHAPTER XVII. Adventure at the Opera CHAPTER XVIIL The Duel The Accident CHAPTER XIX. The Captain's Return to England 119 156 171 178 185 199 218 230 250 CONTENTS. VU CHAPTER XX. Page Levee at the Admiralty .... 273 CHAPTER XXI. The Captain Abroad. — Matrimony . . . 282 THE MASTER; A FIRST WATCH STORY. CHAPTER I. Copenhagen Roads ..... 299 CHAPTER II. Family Sketches ..... 304 CHAPTER III. The Master's Story Begun .... 312 CHAPTER IV. The Shipwreck . . . . .320 INTRODUCTION. VOL. I. INTRODUCTION. A STORMY gale, which blew directly on the eastern shore of Jutland, and had prevailed without intermission for several days, rendered the situation of H. M. S. S , then cruizing off that perilous coast, dangerous in the extreme. The dead reckoning, or that deduced from the log, indeed indicated otherv»^ise, for it placed the ship in a most advantageous offing in the North Sea — a circumstance at once cor- roborated by the pilot, (a veteran in decision,) who having calculated " his latitude and lon- gitude by observation,"" with a pair of blunt compasses from a shrivelled chart of fifty years' B 2 IV INTRODUCTION, Standing, declared he knew to a fathom the position they were in. The pilot's confident assertion, however, was widely at variance with the computation carried forward from the last sight of the sun, and the longitude by chronometer ; and though he considered the plan of pointing out the ship's place on the chart with a couple of broad fin- gers extending over some sixty miles of longi- tude, far superior to the newfangled notions of philosophers and stargazers, for both of which classes he had a superlative contempt ; yet the captain was not altogether so satisfied with his skill, particularly when he observed the sweeping curve which his large hand made towards the coast of Norway, as he exclaimed, " There we are. Sir ! — I 'm certain weVe there ; — not a doubt of it, Sir. — Last sound- ings exactly as I expected. Sir;*" and then put- ting his nose close to the paper, " yellow sand and black specks" glimmered before his eyes, to which harmonious words he gave utterance INTRODUCTION. V three successive times, and was then about to proceed with his favourite story. *' I remem- ber, the time I was master of the Dorothy"" — when the captain desired him to tell the of- ficer of the watch to get another cast of the lead. A jest sometimes seasons a sorrowful de- scription; but absurdity, like merriment, sel- dom allays well-grounded anxiety; and the com- mander, placing more reliance on the facts which his own observations explained, than the blundering guesses of a pilot, whose local knowledge availed nothing out of sight of land, waited with the greatest solicitude the result of the soundings. It was a dark November's night, and the ship was plunging through the fractious waves, under the spread of as much canvass as the gale permitted to be set, when the pilot delivered the captain's orders to the lieu- tenant of the watch. " Pass the line along !" was the word ; and VI INTRODUCTION. presently the seamen were at their stations in the channels, while the deep sea-lead was " armed," handed forward, and " bent." The main-topsail was then backed, and the ship losing the little velocity she before pos- sessed, the lead was hove. " Watch there, Watch !'' reverberated from one seaman to another, as the line left their hands, and threw out a fringe of sparkling light as it cut the surface of the sea. It soon came perpen- dicular to the arm of the quartermaster, who, expecting deep water, was about to veer away from the coil ; but finding the line slaken, quickly hauled in, and, plumbing the depth, called aloud twenty fathoms ! '' Ah ! twenty fathoms ? only twenty fa- thoms .^" echoed the pilot; "how's that!" ''Look again?" On examination of the hne, there were indeed but two knots which had been on the surface when the lead touched the bottom. The captain was immediately acquainted with this result, which betokened their approach INTRODUCTION. Vll to shoals, or the shore, and " the hands were turned up to wear ship." That part of the crew which had retired to their hammocks, and who slept as soundly, amidst the storms and dangers of the ocean, as it' a calm had prevailed, received the unwelcome shouts of " All hands, ahoi !" — " Rouse out T with drowsy murmurs; while sundry significant remarks passed among them, on old officers and old women who were likely to run on a weather- shore by an over-anxiety to avoid a lee one. Jack's growl, however, was but momentary, and the whole crew were soon on deck obeying the stern commands of the first lieutenant, which, with the wind whistling among the rig- ging, the boatswain's shrill pipe, the creaking of the blocks, and the rustling of the waves against the side, was all that could be heard, as the ship veered round on the opposite tack. " By the mark thirteen !" proclaimed a voice, which seemed to have acquired music from the time, and solemnity from the meaning of its VIU INTRODUCTION. utterance. It was that of the leadsman on a lee-shore. "By the deep nine!" was the next sound that thrilled through the night air, as the ship breasted the waves which broke furiously against her bows, shaking the very masts by their liquid shocks. " Quarter less seven !" was next uttered, but the note had lost something of its usual length and force, and orders were given merely to make known the soundings without the song. The mainsail, which had been previously reefed, was instantly set, but the ship heeled till the muzzles of her guns were occasionally in the water, and the sail was again obliged to be taken in. Every ear now listened for the leadsman's voice, and though *' a quarter seven," and " a half six,"" had often been hailed with delight on entering their native ports, yet, on an open coast, they indicated the fearful reality of being INTRODUCTION. IX near shoals, which only told of land to make it the more dreaded. The night passed on, but the seamen''s eyes, instead of being closed in sleep, were bent upon the turbulent gathering of short waves, which broke in foam around them. The soundings clearly showed that they were sailing along the very margin of those dangers where three of the finest ships of the British navy had been wrecked but a few years before, and where so many hundreds of English seamen had found a watery grave, or only escaped the waves to lie buried on the sandy, arid shore. The time of sunrise had been earnestly looked for, but no sun appeared. A dull light, at last, circulated through the dense misty gloom that environed them ; and eventually a few bright rays, from behind the wild dark clouds, threw a clear reflected hue of light along the lee horizon, which gleamed on a ridge of low undulating sand-hills. This beautiful though portentous glimpse, B 5 K INTRODUCTION. like the iris formed in the spray over the dark fangs of a sunken rock, seemed but to warn them of their danger. There were many on board who had lost friends and messmates of their youth on the very coast at which they now gazed ; but be- fore they could distinguish either the sedge or the reed, those emblems of desolation, which in storms are wont to cut their curves upon the sand, the shore was again hid in mist ; but with the mist came a more favourable breeze ; and the ship was steered off the land, while her crew thus experienced a sudden transition from threatened danger to comparative security. It was at such a time the pilot came to the binnacle, and, clearing his mouth from the envelope of a red comforter and a Flushing coat, exclaimed, in the most satisfactory accents, " I knew she would do it ! it is just as I expected ! Very well thus.-^I remember, the time I was master of the Dorothy — ^" — which story we shall leave him to repeat on the .ship*'s passage to INTRODUCTION. XI England, and proceed with our messmate to the perusal of a manuscript which had been sent to him, accompanied by a letter, from which the following is an extract : — '^ As you have witnessed similar scenes to those attempted to be described in the MS. should you think the memorandums, thus thrown together in the shape of stories, likely to inculcate right principles without appear- ing presumptuous, or afford rational amuse- ment without offending, perhaps the sketches of Naval life contained in them may be new to the public, and, as such, tolerated in print. " As stories, they may fail to please ; but, in aiming at something more, I hope they may not be found to possess something less." THE CAPTAIN; OR, THE LIFE OF A NAVAL OFFICER. 'ITieir preparation is to-day by sea ; We please them not by land. SHAKSPEARE. THE CAPTAIN, CHAPTER I. One man in his time plays many parts, His acts beinj? seven ages. SHAKSPEARE. Who ever wrote a book without many doubts and scruples as to the manner of its commencement ? Let us see : Adam was the only man not pestered about parents and pedi- gree; but as our hero's name is not Adam but Morland, — an appellation doubtlessly of avari- dous origin, and preserved through a long hne of modern accomplishments, — it will be essential, we take it, to run him through the 16 THE NIGHT WATCH. usual ordeal of birth, parentage, and educa- tion. Morland Dimstanville was born shortly after the commencement of the first American War. He was the second son of a fashionable couple, whose extravagance soon sequestered the family estate, under the influence of a sleek, comfort- able attorney, living by ways and means in Lincoln^s Inn ; while the health of his mother, by a continued routine of dissipation, was brought under the care of an equitable country physician, who usually visited his fair patient at the hour of six, and who loved peaches, port, pines, and politics, in which he was freely gratified by the generous husband, till real and imaginary ailments brought his lovely partner to an early grave. Mr. Dunstanville, thus left in the world with his two boys, amidst difficulties accumulated by his own folly, and increased by the unlimited indulgence of his beautiful but thoughtless wife, had little solace to hope for among those THE CAPTAIN. 17 every-day beings on whom Fashion prostitutes the title of friends, and he wisely resolved to break up his establishment, wind up his affairs, and retire upon what could be saved out of the wreck of his fortune, in order to educate his children. The gay world, like game, do not appear but in season ; for, although the streets may be crowded, every body knows they are nobody : but when the period arrived when it was the mode for London to be full, the fashionable community were amused at the advertisement of the estates of George Dunstanville, Esq. for sale. His inimitable friends became vulgar on the occasion, and in common language exclaimed, *' Poor fellow ! who would have thought it !"" " Their parties were large and frequent, but really nothing extravagant. Their establish- ment, to be sure, was on a good scale, but how could a respectable establishment dissipate the immense fortune his father left him ? He was 18 THE NIGHT WATCH. not known at Brooks's or White's, nor did ht sport much on the turf." — " Are ye going to the levee to-morrow ?— devilish good horse I bought at TattersalPs yesterday. How did you like the Opera last night .f^-— This party — is hot and heavy, dull and full as a Methodist-meeting ; nobody here, let 's try another :" and with such conversations did his very faithful soi-disaiit friends blend their transient pity at the mention of his misfortunes ; while the gay gossamer things, that were wont to flutter about in pet- ticoats in Mrs. Dunstanville's saloons, were heartstricken, and danced in deep despair at the death of their delightful friend. Mr. Dunstanville was a gentleman and a scholar. In the early part of his life he had served a short time in the Dragoons, till tired of the monotony of mess, dress, and drill — of hearsays respecting horses and heiresses, balls and buffoonery, he sold his commission, and a month afterwards fell desperately in love, com- mitted matrimony, and, at his wife's solici- THE CAPTAIN. 19 tation, became again a member of fashionable society. The death of Mrs. Dunstanville made a se- rious impression on the mind of her husband, who, having by accident soiled his fingers with the ** greasy puUies and dirty ropes that move the machine of society," felt little reluctance at quitting scenes with which he was- satiated, and the following year saw him quietly in pos- session of the residue of his property, a small estate of something less than a thousand a-year. It was situated in one of England's peaceful vales, rich in beauty through the bounty of nature and the care of art. A majestic river, flowing between fresh' and flowery banks, graced the scene ; while streamlets, gurgling down their pebbly beds, separated the undulated woodlands which decked the little transverse valleys on the borders of the main stream. At the foot of the chief of these stood a modest church, screened by a few sheltering elms, near to which were the old vicarage and 20 THE NIGHT WATCH. several neatly thatched cottages, whose walls were covered with roses, jesmine, and woodbine. A hundred yards below, the wide and wan- dering river precipitated itself over a bed of rugged and broken rocks, filling the whole val- ley with its liquid and J^olian murmurs; while the jackdaw and starling, occasionally dislodged by the village urchins from the ivy-mantled turrets of an old castle near to the fall, flit through the spray sent up by the flood. Not far from the ruins of the castle was a modern-built house, surrounded by the little property that was now left to the once prodigal Dunstanville. Here, for the future, he deter- mirifed to reside, and educate his two sons, George and Morland. In this age of wisdom, when every body knows every thing, it may appear somewhat presumptuous, in an amphibious kind of person- age, to enter on a subject which half the old maids, bachelors, and childless beings of Chris- tendom have quill-beaten for the last century, — THE CAPTAIN. 21 education ! education ! education ! But to be brief, and speak most royally, know, gentle reader, that little as can be said which is new on such a subject, yet being inclined to think a sketch essential to our present purpose, the only apology we offer is, the warning of the contents of the following dull, rudimental chapter. THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER II. It is the sad complaint, and almost true, Whate'er we write, we bring forth nothing new. BEATTIE. Mr. Dunstanville soon imbibed a taste for the retirement necessity now obliged him to adopt, and eventually found more satisfaction in the improvement of his little property, con- tributing to the comforts of his poor neighbours, and educating his children, than in all " the fruitless fopperies of life"" in which he had hi- therto been engaged. With respect to his boys, instead of treating them as playthings, he turned his attention to the early formation of their minds ; anxious, by salutary precautions, to prevent their receiving erroneous impressions. THE CAPTAIN. ^ The servants were strictly forbidden to tell them ghost or other stories, and ordered to refer their inquiries on most subjects to their father and tutor, in whose society their time was generally spent. A strict principle of obedience was exacted, and a command was not to be repeated. All their toys had some useful tendency, as it was considered that play might be so directed as to conduce to improvement, not by stoical restric- tions, but by a proper tact in arrangements likely to attract the fancy and direct the cu> riosity of the boys to useful subjects. No falsehood or fiction was ever allowed to be repeated to them ;- fable and metaphor v/ere alike avoided, till their understandings were sufficiently ripened by the study of facts, toge- ther with their tutor's instructions, to enable them to distinguish poetical fiction from truth, and give to allegory its right value. Their education, in short, partook more of an explanation of real and important circum- 24 THE NIGHT WATCH. Stances, than an encouragement of the imagina- tion, and the languages they were taught were gained from works of truth, history, &c. and not of fiction ; as their father preferred their minds being stored with solid information to elegant accomplishments. Mr. Dunstanville considered, that as man was not intended to be a wild animal, the sooner the reins were put upon every thing that tended to make him so, the better; and with this view he endeavoured to unite instruction and recreation, not believing that foolery alone was precious to children ; and eventually they were as much interested in the amusements which their in- structors had judiciously won them to adopt, as those which the wilderness of their own ima- ginations would have suggested. With the aid of old Pearce, a privileged gar- dener, and the help of Ramrod, a favourite shooting-pony, they were instructed to cultivate an acre of ground given to them for that pur- pose, and soon learned the manner and turns of THE CAPTAIN. 25 preparing the land, sowing, and reaping, as well as the names and qualities of the grains, grasses, vegetables, and shrubs, better than volumes would have taught them. They built with their own hands a shed for Ramrod, after a good model; and made the bricks, prepared the lime, felled and sawed the wood, with no other assistance than Pearce. In their walks, they were told the names and qualities of the different trees, and encouraged to collect stones, flowers, and occasionally in- sects, to compare with the specimens in their father's museum, or drawings in their books. Their real names were then ascertained, and no others allowed to be used ; while their pecu- liarities being explained, ideal properties of every kind were rejected. \ When they had been curious in observing the ant-heaps, the history of that industrious insect was referred to ; and when the twittering but lazy sparrow was seen to take possession of the swallow's nest, their attention was di« VOL. I. c 26 THE NIGHT WATCH. rected to the laudable efforts of the bird of summer, to dislodge or destroy the intruder by building him up. If the hollow note of the cuckoo was heard, the evening did not pass away without their learning that it was the tone of a nefarious bird, which had left the charge of its offspring to others. - When the speckled trout dashed at the gild- ed insects floating in the stream, when the bees left their hives, or the grubs took wing, or when the shades of evening began to dim the landscape and show the pale glowworm, all these beautiful objects tended to their amuse- ment and instruction. Neither did the wary fox, stealing from the wood among the timid hares and bleating lambs, escape their observa- tion ; nor the startled pheasant, fluttering from the stubble to seek shelter in the heart of the forest among the cooing woodpigeons. The habits of the leather- winged bat, the moaning owl, the droning beetle, and other THE CAPTAIN. 27 birds and insects of night, were known to them, serving at once to amuse and keep their minds in a useful and pleasurable train of thought. As the wonderful works of Nature became more and more interesting to them, some of the principal phenomena of philosophy, such as electricity, magnetism, chemistry, &c. were mimicked by miniature experiments; they were taught to apply their knowledge to prac- tical purposes; for, understanding some of the first principles of mechanics, they made the rude attempt of boyhood to construct useful machines. By means of a small orrery, they gained a general notion of the planetary system, and knew the most remarkable constellations of the northern hemisphere; besides occasionally re- gulating the house clock by noting the time a known star passed the slit in the window-shutter in successive nights, and comparing the inter- vals shown by the clock. It was a maxim with Mr. Dunstanville, that c 2 28 THE NIGHT WATCH. his children should be as little unemployed as possible. Out of doors, they were taught to fish, shoot, and ride ; within, they had bat- tledores and shuttlecocks, foils, and wooden swords, to exercise themselves with ; and in their quiet hours, books, useful pieces of machinery, Sec. to refer to. Their duty towards their neighbours was not neglected : they were taken to see the charitable institutions for suffering humanity, in the neigh- bouring towns, and contributed to the relief of the poor in their own immediate vicinity ; be- sides being taught some wholesome lessons of morality, by visiting the prisons. Let it not be supposed, that their's was an education without religion : morning and even- ing saw them praying for support to that Al- mighty Being, to whom they were taught to look for protection, not only as the great first cause of those wonderful objects of nature which were continually displaying themselves, and confounding all human reason to account THE CAPTAIN. 29 for, but as one who had deigned to reveal his will to man, and given his only Son as a pro- pitiation for transgression, and as an example of perfection, through whose mediation they were alone to look for salvation. The Scriptures were explained to them, so far as a finite and imperfect being may or can be supposed to comprehend the ordinations of infinite wisdom. Morland on one occasion said to his father, that it was impossible for him to believe that which he did not understand ; on which the astonished parent, who pretended to no more theology than what his own observation of na- ture and experience had taught him, asked his son what he did understand. " Do you believe that you exist, and that you can move your foot ?" he continued : to which Morland re- plied in the affirmative. " Then pray tell me how it is you exist, and why your foot moves at the command of your inclination; how life is given to a worm, or foliage to the trees ; why that so THE NIGHT WATCH. blade of grass withers and another springs up ? Can your understanding decypher how the sun, the moon, and stars were formed, how they are poised in the planetary system, how this great earth of our's is put in motion, and wheels round with the mighty oceans clinging to its sides ? That these things are, is certain ; but why they are, we know not. It is true that men occasion- ally discover what they term laws, by which cer- tain phenomena are governed; such attempts do honour to human reason : but it is profana- tion to speak of the efforts and ingenuity of the wisest man, in comparison with the immutable works and laws of God. No words can express, no thoughts conceive, our utter insignificance under such a comparison." These conversations produced a salutary ef- fect, and Morland had ample opportunities of proving their truth in his passage through life, where his deepest researches convinced him how little it was in the power of man to know, and made him look with awe on the Creator of THE CAPTAIN. 31 such Stupendous and incomprehensible works. But to conclude our remarks on their moral and intellectual discipline, their education was car- ried on, not as perfecting them in any one science, but storing the mind with facts which left it free to use them with advantage in after- life. $% THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER III. Latin I grant, and college breeding, And some school commonplace of reading. LLOYD. Contrary to the usual custom of deve- loping character progressively, it is considered more in unison with the design of this book, to sketch at once a few of the persons con- nected with the history contained in it. Although Mr. Dunstanville's habits had become so retired that his visitors were few, yet he was not only well known but highly respected by all classes of inhabitants in the neighbourhood. His chief companion was Mr. Felix Barnes, the tutor to his boys and curate of the parish. Mr. Barnes was a man of ex- tensive information, and more kind and bene- THE CAPTAIN. 38 volent than his peculiar manners seemed to indicate. He had been so much accustomed to college and literary society, that the conversa- tion of men of fashion, and the gossip of the day, was a downright bore to him ; and in return, he was considered one of that brutal species, by all those who delighted not in the derivation of words, the properties of a triangle, the beauties of botany, or the merits of the hot Huttonian, or wet Wernerian theories. Indeed, it was astonishing with what agrimonia, dode- candria, digynia, and other enormous weapons he used to pull to pieces the beauties of a little flower ; not to say a word of the facility with which he shivered the scapula of the very globe itself into fragments of primitive rocks, secon- dary formations, and alluvial deposits. Perhaps it is not surprising that Mr. Barnes should be laughed at by the many, for making use of abstruse terms to explain simple subjects ; but he consoled himself with a motto from Swift :— c 5 S4 THE NIGHT WATCH. " On me when dimces are satiric, I take it for a panegyi'ic." The nearest neighbours of Mr. Dunstanville, were Mr. Rickets and Lady Lovel. Dorville Rickets, Esq. was the son of one of those worldl}^, disgusting old men who on the very verge of the tomb chuckle at the mention of their juvenile vices, and smile at the sprout- ing sins of their children. His mother was a lady by title, and a tweedle-dum tweedle-dee in- sipid simpleton by reputation. She was born on the 14th of February 1747, and died on the 1st of April 1810. Her last words were, " As the Duchess and myself entered the room, her Grace looking uncommonly brilliant, uncom- monly brilliant, indeed !" Her husband depart- ed this life in the ides of March following the death of his wife, leaving Dorville heir to his property and his folly. Dorville Rickets was a good racket and cricket player, a first-rate rake, a neat horse- jockey, a polished gambler, and an inimitable THE CAPTAIN. SS sportsman. He despised every thing that was not Oxford or orthodox, knew something of Greek, and quoted law and Latin. He was of old MennePs opinion, and, for any tiling he saw, all foreigners were fools ; consi- dered no books equal to Homer and Horace — detested every thing foreign — loved champagne, burgundy, and brandy — maintained that Eng- land derived no good by foreign trade — insisted that the navy could not be manned without keeping up the number of our merchant ships — wore a coat of Saxony wool, smoked Havan- nah cigars, and thought cayenne and caviare an exquisite relish. He was what is tailed a jolly fellow : gave good dinners, cursed, blackguarded, and knew how to drink the King, damn the Pope, and cry tallyho ; besides, he was a magistrate, and had a peculiar pleasure in white breeches, topped boots, " upper Benjamin, and broad-brimmed castor.'" He talked long and loud at judicial dinners ; and then retired to wind up his day with blasphemous imprecations, loud clamour, w^ THE NIGHT WATCH, and drunken laughs : — such was Dorville Rickets. Lady Lovel and her daughter were but sum- mer residents at their antiquated mansion, which was situated a few miles distant from Dunstan- ville's, and where she entertained sumptuously the guests she invited to pass away the tedium, till party and Parliament-time should call her to the gay capital, and those scenes which long habit had endeared to her. She usually flew south before the first north- ern gale that stripped the trees of their foliage, as she had no notion of passing *' the summer months of October, November, and December in lovely retirement." She had been handsome, — the world consi- dered her so still : how could it be otherwise ? she was a rich widow of rank, left with the sole charge of her property and daughter. Her person may be delineated in three well- known words — " fat, fair, and forty ;" but her character, though upon the whole a common THE CAPTAIN. tSfp one, requires a longer description. She was agreeable in her manners to persons of her own rank, condescending beyond measure to those whose inferiority of station could not be doubt- ed ; but the intermediate classes were, to use her Ladyship's own words, "dull, stupid, pre- tending people, absolute bores," an equivocal designation particularly favoured by her Lady- ship. Her business was pleasure, and she de- spised all attempts at gentility in people whose pleasure was business. She exclaimed against all finery, but wore the most costly diamonds at balls. She hated the sight of rough and cracked fingers, and all her servants wore white cotton gloves. Her Ladyship's antipathy to foreigners was similar to her Armiger neighbour's ; and she protested her disgust at any thing even of foreign extraction, but loved the King and his graceful bow, dancing, and prayer. She, how- ever, was of good report, attended church on Sundays, subscribed to public charities, gave 38 THE NIGHT WATCH. soup to the poor, condemned all dissenters from the church, and all the evangelical in it ; and as for the over righteous, as she called them, she had no idea of them. " Poo ! poo! stuff!" she used to say, *' mere ranters and canters !" and off her Ladyship would gallop to some more charming subject. She was one of those good Christians who are never violent but when contradicted, never angry but when their incli- nations are thwarted : her religion, indeed, was only doubted on one occasion, when, returning from sacrament, she positively *' wished a cer- tain bishop at Old Nick," in order that a large, heavy, lordly prebend near to her might jump, not into his shoes, but his sleeves. Lady Lovel had many suitors : but she was a woman of the world, preferring the admira- tion of the many to the love of one ; and liking respect, flattery, and power more than the en- dearments of conjugal affection, she had, con- trary to the general inclinations of the sex, de- termined never again to enter into the state of matrimony. THE CAPTAIN. 39 There was a nice balance in her behaviour towards her admirers, a kind of suaviter in modo in her manners, which kept hope flutter- ing on the wing rather than bidding it begone. She was not exactly ** Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man''s Hero," but just such as to show the possibility rather than probability of her becoming so. She was however wor- shipped for her wealth, courted for her hospi- tality, and flattered by the gay world for the bi'illiancy of her town parties. Notwithstanding Lady Lovel's prejudices against dissenters, her agent, factor, or facto- tum, was no other than Obadiah Sims, a man of substance, and of serpentine and interrogatory conversation. A goodly personage of the se- condary formation, as Mr. Barnes would say, though it was shrewdly suspected that '* ego" had not escaped his vocabulary. Nevertheless, De- borah his wife looked much upon him; and when their persons were near to each other, they resembled two hornless and approaching cres- cents. They were a heavy pair, having a fat, 40 THE NIGHT WATCH. sensual aptitude for the satisfactions of their being. Contrary to the custom of his fraternity, Obadiah had learned to nod — nay, to bow: they were small nods and little bows, it is true, but they were as proportionably measured by the distance of his vertebras from the centre of gravity, according to the wealth and rank of the person spoken to, as if they had been on a much more profound scale. Obadiah had received advice from his father, that if he were questioned as to his faith, pro- fession, capacity, or country, to answer unto them, that he was rich ; and in order that he might not lie thereunto, he gathered to him- self various attributes of the world and the flesh, and prospered therein, to the great satis- faction of Deborah his wife. Charlotte, the only child and heiress of Lady Lovel, was then an interesting girl of thirteen, educating under the charge of a sensible and accomplished governess; who, though not out of love with genius, because the Devil was THE CAPTAIN. 43 clever, and ability sometimes made the worse appear the better cause, yet considered a true sense of rehgion and moral duties to be supe- rior to all other acquirements, and watched carefully over the mind of her pupil, while she received private instructions from the best masters, during her Ladyship's stay in town. This system was recommended by her de- ceased lord, who believed that boarding-school accomplishments were dearly purchased by boarding-school tricks ; and was convinced that modesty and good sense were infinitely more precious than blandishments to attract the eye and win the imagination. The reader must, if he pleases, suppose the characters of the other people in the neighbourhood such " As the chameleon, who is known To have no colours of his own. But borrows from his neighbour's hue His white or black, his green or blue ; And struts as much in ready light. Which credit gives him upon sight. As if the rainbow were in tail Settled on him and his heirs male." 42 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER IV. Gather the rose-buds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying ; And that same flower that blooms to-day, To-morrow shall be dying. Herrick. The world might suppose that Mr. Dunstan- ville could not do better than besiege the rich widow and repair his fortunes ; yet he, as well as Lady Lovel, had his prejudices against a second essay on the holy estate, and although he occa- sionally visited her Ladyship, his family were but little known to her, except through the means of Obadiah or some other of her de- pendents, who on market days exchanged ideas with the privileged Pearce, labouring under " boiled beef and carrots," and a horn of the THE CAPTAIN. 43 butler''s best, which, together with Old Peggy, his master and the boys, he loved dearly. Pride, though high in public, sometimes descends to its parent root, meanness, in private. Lady Lovel was not exempt from this failing ; and listened secretly to the stories of particular servants, respecting her neighbours' concerns, with a complacency she would scorn to admit to tlie world. Obadiah knew how to be acceptable unto her Ladyship, and became mellifluous under the in- fluence of the pleasure of pleasing ; for which purpose, the morning after market days usually found him an hour longer in the presence of his mistress. It was on one of these occasions that he had, unseen by the world, doffed his hat and bent his body alike against its natural curvature and his own creed, on entering Lady Lovel's sanctum sanctorum. " Well, Mr. Sims,'' said her Ladyship, (for well was her word of audience,) " these papers 44 THE NIGHT WATCH. appear all' correct.'" — '* Yes, my Lady, of course," answered the man of business. — " But what news is there in town, Mr. Sims .^" — " None in particular," answered Mr. Sims, "except that Master Pearce did make known unto me that one of the youths of George Dunstanville was to be sent into the Sovereign's service by sea, and th^ it is proposed he should quit his father''s dwelhng forthwith. Pearce reporteth that he is a quiet youth, and that the oldest is fittest for the King, he being a less sober and more sprightly person." " I have not heard of Mr. Dunstanville late- ly," said Lady Lovel. " He abideth much within the chambers of his own house," replied Obadiah, " and in- structeth his seed in a godly way, with the aid of Felix Barnes, who continueth to dig in the bowels of the earth in search of the knowledge of this world ; but it seemeth unto me there is little but vanity to be gained thereby.*' " And Mr. Rickets ?" said Lady Lovel. THE CAPTAIN. 45 ** He runneth on four wheels in his unseem- ly ways," continued the Quaker, " and taketh delight in swearing, strong drink, and vain rai- ment." " And Sarah Marsh ?" interrupted her Lady- ship. " The harlot hath departed from her dwell- ing, and no one knoweth whither she is gone." While her Ladyship was thus engaged, ob- serving persons riding up the avenue, she dis- missed Obadiah, and proceeded to one of the morning-rooms, where Charlotte and her gover^ ness were at their daily occupations. The group on horseback was no other than the Dunstanvilles, advancing at a brisk rate towards the house ; while Carlo, a favourite spaniel, jumped and barked at Ramrod's nose, as the playful animal snorted, pranced, and threw up his head, to the great delight of his young rider. Morland had, for the last twelve months, been destined for the Navy, and his education 46 THE KIGHT WATCH. directed to the minor branches of mathematics and nautical astronomy, which were neces- sary in that profession, and the day of his departure being fixed, Mr. Dunstanville took that opportunity of calling with his boys on his neighbours. They alighted at the mansion, and were presently ushered into a very handsome room, where Lady Lovel was seated on a sofa, with a table before her, interspersed with books, let- ters, &c. while her daughter and governess were engaged with drawing utensils near the window. The meeting of the party was as courteous, friendly, and agreeable, as the every things and nothings of salutation could be supposed to make it : and when they were seated, Lady Lovel had not finished telling Mr. Dunstan- ville that it was an age since she had either seen or heard of him ; indeed, that he had been a perfect hermit, but a bad neighbour ; and that she hoped this visit augured better for her. THE CAPTAIN. 47 " I have brought Morland to pay his re- spects to your Ladyship previous to his de- parture," said Mr. Dunstanville. " He leaves to-morrow, to join the ship his uncle commands.'' " Oh ! Captain , his mother's brother, I presume," said Lady Lovel. " I remember him in town; a very agreeable man. I am sorry to hear you are to lose the society of one of your sons so soon, and presume the other will shortly go to Eton ; but pray, Mr. Dunstan- ville, do us the favour to dine here to-day. Lord and Lady Seemington are here, whom you remember, and two or three other friends ; indeed, you must stay." Mr. Dunstanville assented to the proposal ; and after having given the necessary orders to his servant, returned to the conversation with Lady Lovel. " I have just been much amused with my housemaid," said her Ladyship, " who, by the way, was several years in your service, Mr. Dunstanville." 4S THE NIGHT WATCH. " What is her name ?" asked Mr. Dunstan- ville. " Oh ! Sally Biddikin," said the boys, laugh- ing. " A very excellent servant, I assure you, Lady Level ; she left me only on account of her father's illness. My boys ought to be grate- ful to her for all the care and nursing she so long and willingly bestowed upon them." " She has," continued Lady Lovel, " a particular habit of designating people of title by the first letter of their names, which she occasionally pronounces most ludicrously. She asked me this morning " if my Lord and Lady S. or Ass (as she said) would choose a fire in their bed -room ?" The party laughed, and Lady Lovel pro- ceeded. " Jpropos, Mr. D. : do you remember what a curious description Mrs. Dunstanville''s bro- ther gave of Lord Seemington's maiden speech in Parliament — that is, before his Lordship came to the title .?" THE CAPTAIN. 49 " Not in the least r answered Mr. Dunstan- ville. " Not in the least!" ejaculated the voluble lady, " — not 6f his small face peeping out be- tween an immense pair of whiskers, like an owl in an ivy-bush ; hoo — hooing such particularly pretty parables as not only astonished the house, but some of his constituents who were in the gallery; but, alas ! they were propor. tionally disappointed afterwards to find there was nothing in him.'" " I had forgotten it entirely," replied Mr. Dunstanville. " I have been told that latterly they coughed whenever he rose," continued Lady Lovel ; " and that now he is in the Upper House, the Lords, though they are more mannerly, are not less inattentive ; but, I assure you. Lord Seeming- ton is the best-natured man in the world, and cares nothing for all this.*" A bell presently summoned the party to dress for dinner ; and they soon separated VOL. 1. D 50 THE NIGHT wXtCH. — some going to their rooms, thinking the day too short ; others, too long — much too long. The toilette of boys is an example for men, — hastily completed, and never considered a mo- ment longer than the accomplishment of it:~ Morland was ready before his brother, and was proceeding along the gallery towards the staircase, when Sally Biddikin, aware that her young master, as she still called him, (and loved to tell how she had nursed and fondled him,) was about to leave his home, peeped out of one of the bedchamber doors, to bid him good bye as he passed. " And so you 're going to leave your good father, Master Morland ?" said Sally, as he recognized her ; " And when do you go then r" " To-morrow," answered Morland. " Bless us, to-morrow !" said Sally, looking down ; '' then I shall not see you again. Master Morland : " and suddenly, as if by some unac- countable impulse, she flung her arms around his neck, and kissed him with her rosy lips, and looked at him, and kissed him again. " Hea- THE CAPTAIN. 51 ven bless you, my pretty boy !" said she, as if she had been really his mother : then instantly recollecting that he was no longer a child, but a grown handsome boy, she held in her arms, she turned as red as. scarlet, loosened her em- brace, and ran away to hide herself in the chamber from which she had come, Morland was not a little disconcerted at this warm and unexpected farewell ; and when he entered the drawing-room, his face was of quite as deep a hue as poor Sally's. Howbeit, he said not a word of this most maternal hug. Dinner was presently announced, and the company proceeded to the dining-room, where, after the dulness of the first course was over, the conversation became general and amusing. Lady Lovel was in a high flow of spirits, and the good style in which the sumptuous repast was served up, together with the exquisite wines, contributed to put the sportsmen in good humour, who were at first a little clouded with the baneful punctuality which caused them to ar- rive at table in time for cold fish and tepid soup. LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF ILUfWiS 52 THE NIGHT WATCH. Lord Seemington had cropped his whiskers ; but he talked, trifled, and tattled as usual, till the party were of the Commons' opinion, " that there was nothing in him/"* Perhaps there is not a more delightful sen- sation, or more rational pleasure, than that which is derived by a parent's observing the combined effect of education and common sense of his pro- geny, and Mr. Dunstanville had that gratifica- tion on the present occasion. The evening passed most agreeably ; and while the Dunstan- villes took leave, pleased with their visit, the party were loud in praise of the two fine boys ; in which Lady Lovell cordially agreed, with the English qualifying remark of, but — except — ^however — it was a thousand pities that Mrs. Dunstanville, that poor, dear, departed creature, should so soon have ruined the fortune of so amiable a man, who now had but little to live on, and was obliged to be eternally cooped up in the country. THE fAPTAlN. 53 CHAPTER V. Where'er I roam, whatever realms I see, JMy heart, untravell'd, -^fondly turns to thee , Still to my brother turns, with ceaseless paio, And drags at each remove a length'ning chain. GOLDSMITH. It is usual for those who are intended for officers of the navy to leave their homes, at the a^e of thirteen, — a period of life at which most boys are glad to escape from Latin and Greek, to visit countries they have heard or read of, little dreaming that in some of his Majesty's ships they are likely to be pushed on in their learning, as well as their voyage, not under the influence of unpleasing calms, but by fresh breezes and occasional storms. 54 THE NIGHT WATCH. The Naval College at Portsmouth was not then so generally known as it is now ; and Mr. Dunstanville had detained his son at his studies till he was nearly fifteen years of age. The morning, however, arrived when Morland was to bid adieu to a father and a brother, to whom he was attached by every tie that could render separation painful. Let those who choose laugh at the insigni- ficant sentimental sufferings of youth ; but let them not forget that they frequently have the advantage over the torments of afterlife, as bearing a reproachless, and even satisfactory repetition. We believe no person is quite happy at leav- ing home ; for, whatever that home is, the feel- ings go with the song, " there is no place like it:" besides, it has been truly said, that leaving any spot under a possibility of its being for the last time, occasions feelings of regret. Old Pearce opened the gate, but turned away his head when uttering a humble blessing to THE CAPTAIN. 55 his young master, as the vehicle passed ; and it is not surprising when Morland's native village was suddenly hid by the thick foliage of a wood, that the tear which had been gathering in his eye when taking leave of his brother, found means to escape, — nor that home should be the picture present to his mind for many a succeed- ing day. The windings of the river, and its woodclad banks — the rippling of the streams — the old tower — the busy mill— the ferry- boat plying, the coy and rosy country girl quizzed by the leathercased woodman, the loquacious gardener, and the oracular black- smith, seemed to be, still before his eyes ; while the church steeple appearing through the trees — the pigeons flittering from tower to tower — the neatly built cottages with their little gar- dens — nay, the village children, and the barking curs, — were alike remembered in this homely picture. At the nearest post-town Morland took his place in the mail for the seaport, whence he 56 THE NIGHT WATCH. was to procure a passage in a merchant vessel to join the ship which his uncle commanded. His travelling companions were two English- men and a Hollander : one of the former wrapt up in true invulnerable British taciturnity ; and the other much of the same cast, except a few questions which he put to the regular-built Dutchman in the opposite corner. " You have been in London ?"" " Ya !" replied Meinherr to this interroga- tory assertion. " And what do you think of St. Paul's ?" '■ I do not moach see in it.*" *' Westminster Abbey, then .?" " Sufficiently well.'' " Did you see the Thames, the bridges, and the myriads of vessels of all nations that are in the port of London .?" " I do tink dere is little water vary in de river." " Did you see Covent Garden and Drury THE CAPTAIN. 5T Lane theatres, and the Opera-house, and the brilliant company assembled there ?" " Ya, but de stage is small vary." <4 Were you at any large parties at the west- end of the town ?" " Oh, ya ! hot vary, full vary, tired vary." " And what do you think of the English- women ?" " Not moach. Oh, ho ! I wish my wife was here !" Except a laugh at these truly Dutch re- marks, the journey of more than a hundred miles passed in uninterrupted and unpleasing tranquillity. On the day after the mail's arrival at the seaport, Morland embarked in a merchant ves- sel ; and during his short passage by sea to join his ship, suffice it to say, he suffered the horrors of that most nauseous and irksome sensation, that acme of marine purgatory, sea- sickness. 58 THE NIGHT WATCH. It was one of those bright days which gild the calendar of the northern summer, when our young hero first beheld " the Wooden Walls of Old England," moored in line-of-battle in Yarmouth roads. The tops of their tall masts first presented the appearance of a plantation pencilled on the horizon, which, on approach- ing, swelled gradually into the dimensions of a forest, till the attention became exclusively riveted on the huge floating fortresses, which, like the stately oak of which they were built, showed at once strength and beauty. The black tiers of cannon bristling along their che- quered sides, the busy throng flitting about in the performance of various duties, the occa- sional gleams from the bright arms of the ma- rines on the upper-deck, the distant sound of music, and the triumphant flag which floated in the breeze, were all new and surprising ob- jects to Morland ; and as the little vessel in which he was passenger, sailed under the stern of a seventy-four gun ship, and saluted the THE CAPTAIN. 59 curling pendant (that sweeping emblem of dominion which decorates the tallest mast of his Majesty's ships) by a graceful bow of sail, he was at once struck by comparison with the enormous size of the object before him; while the diminutive appearance of the men who were aloft, and the number of officers in diffe- rent uniforms near the flag-staff, busied with their telescopes on the scene around, at once confirmed him in his wonder. *' That ship,'" said the master of the vessel, " fought at the Nile ; and the other, which is at anchor ahead of her, is one of the French ships that was taken there."' An ioiagination much less enthusiastic than Moi land's must have been affected at such striking records of victory : every officer and man seemed at once to be identified with this great battle, and nothing short of the most icy constitution could feel less than proud of his country on such an occasion. Our young hero — for we must needs call him 60 THE NIGHT WATCH. SO, in conformance with custom, though he was doomed to bear more crooked names — was pro- vided with letters of introduction to the port- Admiral, in case his uncle's ship should be at sea : this, however, was not necessary, as his Majesty's ship-« was one of those he had seen with sO much surprise. The following af- ternoon he embarked in a boat, which, making sail from the jetty, was soon alongside of the line-of- battle ship commanded by his uncle. Scrambling up the side, he presently arrived on the quarterdeck, where numerous officers were pacing to and fro between lines of heavy car- ronades, which pointed on the ocean. The front of the poop was decorated with boarding-pikes, cutlasses, tomahawks, and fire- buckets, fancifully arranged on each side of the royal arms, which ornamented the centre. Be- hind these the band was playing, though the musical sounds were occasionally drowned by the clatter of the marine's muskets, who were exercising on the poop. The sails, which had THE CAPTAIN. 6^1 been loosed to dry, were fluttering unrestrained in the breeze ; and Morland's ideas being some- what bewildered by the novelty of the scene, when the midshipman at the gangway asked his commands, it was only in a kind of " mezza voce" that he replied, he was come to join the ship. This being reported to the first lieu- tenant, who was then calling the boatswain's mate to pipe " furl sails," he said, "• Hoist him in,'*' and took no farther notice till the sails were furled — an evolution which astonished Morland more than all he had seen. A general bustle seemed to prevail through the ship : the fore- ladders clattered with men as they ran to their stations, and the after ones with officer?. •* Man the rigging !'*"' was scarcely uttered, when the shrouds were thickly studded with men ; and at the words " Way, aloft !" they ran up the rope- ladders with the activity of cats, till they found themselves on a level with the huge horizontal beams from which the sails were suspended, where waiting the word, " Trice up lay out !" 6S THE NIGHT WATCH, trusting their lives to a single rope,* they spread themselves out to the very points of the yards with inconceivable alacrity, and gathered up the trembling sails with so much neatness, that in a few minutes scarcely a yard of canvass could be seen. When Morland cast his eyes aloft, and beheld upwards of two hundred men in so precarious a situation at such a stupendous height, employed as if they were in the most perfect security, he conceived no mean idea of their courage, and was quite confounded at the precision with which the movements were accomplished amidst a scene of apparent confusion, and yet, to him, mixed with a kind of incomprehensible order ; for every man seemed to know his station, though much bustle prevailed before he got at it ; and each rope appeared known, to have a name and use, though dangling among a mul- titude of others. The sails being secured in their hempen * 'riie fool-ropes. THE CAPTAIN. 63 bonds, the yards squared, the ropes taut and their ends coiled up like snakes, a fife playing " Oh, the Roast Beef of Old England,'' accom- panied by a drum, indicated the ward-room dinner, to which the commissioned officers de- scended : and shortly afterwards the steward of the mess arrived with " the officers' compli- ments to Morland, and would be glad of his company to dinner ;" which invitation he of course accepted. It may be necessary to state, that the ward- room of a seventy-four is a long, narrow apart- ment on the main-deck, terminated by windows looking on to the sea, and separated from the guns on each side of it by canvass bulkheads, which form the officers'* sleeping-cabins, in each of which is a cannon. To this place Morland followed the steward, and took a seat prepared for him on the left of the president, who was at the head of a long table, at which about a dozen officers in different uniforms were seated. The clergyman had just finished grace, and the 64 THE NIGHT WATCK. masticatory amusements commenced and ended with much good-humour and hilarity. The cloth being removed, the King's health was drank, while the band played the national an- them, and continued at intervals to amuse the company with other airs. It was not till the sunset gun was fired, the ensign wafted past the windows as it descended from the staff, and the rattle of drums and fifes resounded from the forecastle, that the party broke up; when the first-lieutenant sent for Mr. Peters, the ca- terer of the starboard birth, and desired him to oo-der a hammock to be slung, and introduce the youngster to the mess. Peters made his appearance in a somewhat threadbare blue coat, edged with a binding that had once been white, but its hue was now be- come variegated from the service it had seen in the holds. He was a soured fellow, whose friends had no interest ; but, notwithstanding, he had a slight notion of the " sal sapit omnia*' system ; and had heard, that when people in THE CAPTAIN. 65 office " spoke foreign," or in parables, " Don- nez-moi le sel, et je vous passerai le poivre,''' was almost reduced to a proverb among them : yet he still hoped promotion might come in battle, though he had been thirteen years a midship- man, and had passed his qualifying examina- tion for lieutenant more than half that time. 66 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER VT. MISERIES OF OLD MIDSHIPMEN. See what it is to be a hero ! MoiiLAND followed this hero of the orlop and dread of the afterguard and mizentop-men, to the dark but merry regions of the cockpit. As they descended from deck to deck, he was not less astonished at the immense size of the ship and the long tiers of cannon levelled along each side, than at the multitude of sailors and marines scattered among these tremendous bat- teries. On entering the cockpit, their ears were assailed by a confusion of noises ; but, descend- ing from the day, they could see but little by the dull gleam of the sentinel's lamp. THE CAPTAIN. 67 Before they reached the door of the mess place, Peters tumbled over a trunk, which had evidently been placed in his way for the pur- pose, as a loud laugh accompanied his fall. He swore at considerable length at certain per- sonages with short and long names, some of whom, though decked with honourable titles in the Court Calendar^ received appellations of the most questionable purport; as he vowed ven- geance on the clews of their hammocks, if not up by seven bells in the morning. This was succeeded by another laugh, and " Bravo, Peter !" (for they sent the s to prison) accompanied by a hat thrown with malice pre- pense, which struck him on the head as he opened the birth-door over which he presided. Two lights burned dimly in the heated at- mosphere of a close cabin, showing as motley a scene as could well be imagined in so small a space. At the sides of the cabin were dirks and swords, on the handles of which hung a few 68 THE KIGHT WATCH. Stray cocked hats. Two open buffets, filled with glasses and broken crockery, faced the door, the caterer's seat being in the centre ; over which was suspended the rules of the mess. Quad and Quammino, two black servants, occu- pied a narrow place next the ship''s side, called the wing, the secret lodgings of dishclouts and dirty tableclotlis, where the rustling of the waves against the ship's side could be distinctly heard, indicating the head to be on a level with the surface of the sea. The company assembled in this submarine abode consisted of twelve " young gentlemen," as they are denominated, though more than one of them approached the age of thirty. They all ranked in the class of petty officers, and the assistant-surgeon among the rest. One midshipman was playing the violin, or " the violent," as his messmates called it; ano- ther the flute ; two were occupied at the chess- board ; one working a tide out of John Hamil- ton Moore ; and another drawing a pipe and THE CAPTAIM. 69 glass of grog in the hands of the rudely en- graved personage who is found on the frontis- piece of that old navigation book. Three youngsters, weary with their last watch, were endeavouring to sleep with their heads on the table ; while a fourth tickled their ears with a quill, or burnt them with lighted paper ; and the twelfth was a midshipman of the watch, with his hat on and a cup in his hand, asking Quad for wine ; but he departed on the appear- ance of Peters, who cursed him for a young skulker, and bid him *' scud on deck/' " Saunders," said Peters, as he addressed himself to the discordant catgut-scraper, " here's another of your countrymen caught in the bur- goo tub, and brought from the land o' cakes with a smack load of doctors' mates; or, as Diachylon will have it, surgeons'* assistants." " I am not a Scotchman," said Morland. No one, however, paid the least attention to him ; and Saunders struck up, in a broad accent, accompanied by his screeching instrument — 70 THE NIGHT WATCH. " On guttling the English their praises bestow, And boast of their courage to roast beef they owe ; Of brose let a Scotchman the excellence show ; Oh, the kail brose of Old Scotland ! and oh^ the Old Scottish, kail brose!" " Erin ma vourneen, Erin go bragh .'" cried Paddy :— * This music crept by me upon the waters ; Allaying both their fury and my passion With its sweet air/ '' " Oh, you sentimental bogtrotter i" says one, raising his head from the table ; while the unmoved and unmoving flute-player conti- nued to hiss " Dearest Ellen." He was a Welshman. "It is three bells," cried Peter, whose in- subordination of stomach was evinced by his hallooing to Quammino to lay the cloth. *' Clear the decks, youngsters !" said he. This was signal enough; and a piece of biscuit, shot witli considerable precision, levelled sundry knights and bishops, while both the disconsolate players insisted on the best of the game. THE CAPTAIN. 71 The tablecloth was quickly thrown over, and an immediate drumming commenced on the plates, which put Quammino in bodily fear till he produced the beef. Little notice was taken of Morland, save that he was informed he was a young bear, — that all his sorrows were to come ; and he was helped first, for the first and last time. The evening passed away amidst noise and jokes; and after supper, when the party were tired of singing " Here's a health to jolly Bacchus!'' "Fire in the Cockpit!" "Needles and Pins," to which many improvisatores added choruses, they had recourse to the game of Able Wackets. It is commenced by playing cards, which cards are named the Good Books ; the table, the Board of Green Cloth ; the hand, the flip- per; the light, the glim, &c., and whoever misnames any of these is detected by the word "watch." The delinquent's flipper isthen demand- ed : his crime is repeated by each person, who 79 THE NIGHT WATCH. strikes him a severe blow, with a twisted and knotted handkerchief, on the hand ; — swearing is also watched; — and as these blows are not easily borne without irritation, the good books are scarcely required more than to commence the game. When Morland retired to his hammock he found his sheets reefed, i. e. made up into a round, and to him inextricable ball. In the middle of the night however, when sleep had reconciled liim to his blankets and the strangeness of his hammock, he came suddenly to the deck, bed and bedding ; and, awakened by the clatter of shot about him, on examination found two twenty-four pounders in his bed, the foot of which was now on the deck, and the clothes scattered about the cockpit. The sentinel as- sisted to hang up his hammock, instructed him to let the reef out of his sheets, and promis- ing to protect him from farther molestation during the watch, he slept soundly -till the morning, when Peters was loud in his calls THE CAPTAIN. 73 to the lazy Mids, " to rouse out ;'" and the dozy Muzzy, who had the middle watch, and was the perpetrator of the nocturnal mischief on Mor- land's hammock, was actually cut down in a similar manner by Peters, justified by virtue of his office. It was Sunday morning, and no sooner were the hammocks neatly arranged on the margins of the upper bulwarks, than the lower decks underwent a thorough cleansing by means of the holy stone system ; a scouring operation per- formed by men in a kneeling position with sand and stones, which gives a dry and white ap- pearance to the decks^ The upper parts of the ship had been washed, the ropes fancifully coiled down, and every part of the rigging was in the neatest order. After breakfast, the word v/as passed to muster at six bells (eleven o'clock) ; and many of the Mids having neglected to decorate their persons till near that time, blacking and brushes were flying about — boots lost — cocked-hats VOL. 1. E 74 THE NIGHT WATCH. astray — dirks not to be found — towels hid — soap stolen— sentinel refusing to pipeclay waist- coats and weekly accounts* — when suddenly the drummer was called to beat to divisions, and there was a clattering of chest lids over a confusion of uniforms and cleansing apparatus, which merits the delineative appellation of a midshipman's chest, where every thing is upper- most and nothing at hand. It was at such a time that Scud the messen- ger arrived, to say '' the captain was coming." Morland had not yet seen his uncle, as he did not reside on board while the ship was in har- bour; he therefore repaired to the quarter-deck with the other midshipmen. A guard of marines was drawn up on the opposite side of the deck to that which the boat was expected, where the lieutenants, master, surgeon, purser, and marine officers were pacing ; while the master's-mates, midshipmen, * Tlie name given to the white patch on the collar of a Midshipman's coat. THE CAPTAIN. 75 warrant officers, surgeons' assistants, and clerks, occupied the other portion of the deck near the guard. The boatswain stood close to the sentinel on the gangway, and as the bowman of the neatly painted barge spun his oar in the air, laid it in, and stood erect in the bow with the boat-hook, the boatswain ^ave a loud pipe, and four boys ran down the side with red covered ropes, becketed to the upper bulwark, the first lieutenant walked to the gangway, and the rest of the officers faced that way. As Captain * ^ * * * appeared on the deck, the sentinel and guard presented arms, the boatswain piped,^ and the officers lifted their hats, which the captain returned by uncover- ing, and looking politely round, ordered the guard to be dismissed. There are few situations more despotic in their nature than a captain of a ship of war, for although he is subject to, and governed by the same laws as every man and officer in the fleet, yet he is, as it were, the head of the law in his E 2 w THE NIGHT WATCH. own little dominions, and cannot, according to regulation, be accused by his inferiors, except through himself. It is true, he is in duty bound to forward such accusation to the admi- ral, under whom he serves ; but it is scarcely necessary to say more on his absolute dominion than to notice the power he has to flog any of his crew without their being tried by a court-mar- tial — a power so great that perhaps it is ex- traordinary we do not find it more frequently abused by whim, passion, and prejudice. Whether the degrading punishment of flog- ging is necessary to the maintenance of good discipline, it remains for those who have marked, as well as those who have experienced its effects, to determine. In the humane and cultivated mind there can be but one opinion on the subject; but it is melancholy to know, that even among men who have suff'ered under the lash, many are found advocates for its use ; and it is no new senti- ment among sailors who have served on board THE CAPTAIN. 77 ships of war to declare they could not be kept in order witliout rioo-mnrr. It must hv admitted that it is an abasing sentiment, and imbibed by ignorance, for it will scarcely be denied that a free and martial spirit may be broken by a slavisli motive to action ; and it is to be hoped that education will do as much for sailors as others, and render such severe laws altogether unnecessary. Morland was received in the kindest man- ner, but he had not been an inattentive observer of the deep respect which was paid to his uncle; and when the drums beat to divisions, and he noticed him inspecting upwards of 500 men, ranged in lines along the different decks by the guns, he felt rather awed than pleased at the presence of one who seemed to hold so many in strict obedience. The quarter-deck was now screened in by flags ; benches and chairs were arranged for the officers and men ; and a high table, covered with a union jack, served as a reading-desk for the 78 THE NIGHT WATCH. clergyman, while the band occupied the front of the poop. A pendant was hoisted at the peak, no boats were allowed to come near, and as the heavy ship rode majestically over the tide, her seamen assembled in prayer. Morland was deeply impressed with this ce- remony, which was performed according to the ritual of the Church of England ; and when the band played psalm — — , and a few strong voices repeated the sublime words, '' Let Israel trust in God, No bounds his mercy knows/' &c. he felt most forcibly the beauty and pathos of that holy religion he had been taught, free alike from the mummery of superstition, and the cold, calculating presumption of worldly philosophy. THE CAPTAIN. 79 CHAPTER VII. Vice must be vice, virtue be virtue still. Though thousands rail at good, and practise ill. CHURCHILL. Know, gentle reader, that the pertinacious determination to adhere to a settled plan, pre- vents us passing over the Captain''s advice to his nephew. So soon as divine worship was finished, the Captain sent for Morland into his cabin. " You will find in this ship," said he, " much to astonish you, Morland ; and thrown as you now are among a set of young men and boys, who, in a private point of view, may be said to act entirely for themselves, a few words of ad- vice cannot be amiss to you. 80 THE NIGHT WATCH. " Among those with whom you are about to associate there are (in despite of all that can be done to the contrary) some with much vice, and who laugh and scofF at religion and every other principle, save that which contributes to their own pleasure, aggrandizement, vanity, or selfishness. " These may be easily distinguished by their licentious conduct, an apparent contempt for their profession, and a general incorrect beha- viour. You will find others, too, who will mock with considerable wit every sentiment of pa- triotism ; but you must not take all this in earnest, for, believe me, there is not one of them but is more or less proud of his country, and, at heart, glories in serving under her flag. " A lack of rational occupation often leads to this kind of folly ; therefore, I advise you, when duty permits, to proceed in those acquirements which your father has so judiciously pointed out. " You are now entered into an honourable THE CAPTAIN. $lc, profession ; endeavour to gain a meritorious name in it ; and, remember, that can only be accomplished by attention, industry, and per- severance. " You will have occasion to observe, that although the British navy is governed but by one code of laws and regulations, yet the dif- ferent modes of administering them produce the most obvious effects on the interior regu- lations of every different ship, clearly showing how much may be effected by a wise and judi- cious commander. '' He may be compared to the nminspring of a watch, or the -balance of a chronometer, which, when justly tempered, produces the most admirable and regular effect on the whole complex machinery, reducing the result of its motions to a certainty. " Those officers in his Majesty's service who liave had an opportunity of witnessing good as well as bad discipline, cannot be at a loss ta determine, that the former is produced by a E 5 0» THE NIGHT WATCH. decided conduct in those in command, grounded upon judicious regulations and arrangements, systematically observed and executed, together with a just, impartial, and equitable admi- nistration of the laws of the service ; and that the latter is the result of indecision and indif- ference, combined with an unwise, capricious, and oftentimes severe enforcement of bad re- gulations : for it cannot be denied that severity, when injudiciously directed, increases the evil which it is intended to cure. " There is no profession or sphere of life where strict obedience is more necessary than in the navy, from the commander-in-chief down to the humblest individual in the fleet ; indeed, without it, all is confusion and irregularity; and there are but too many fatal instances on record, where the neglect.of it has been followed by the loss of ship, fame, and life. '' The obedience which is most conducive to the acceleration of public duty, is not of that passive description which is produced by the fear of punishment ; but it is founded upon a THE CAPTAIN. 83 sense and conviction that it is absolutely neces- sary, and from a just estimation of the respect due to those who are placed in superior situ- ations, for the purpose of directing the efforts of the public service in a proper channel ; and this leads me to a very important, tliough cer- tainly a difficult subject, namely, the motives for performing your duty. '' Although I would have you endeavour to gain the approbation and esteem of your supe- riors, by proper and laudable efforts in perform- ing the duties of your station, as well as in be- coming and respectful behaviour towards them ; yet you must be -careful that their personal commendation does not become your chief motive of action, because you may find, during your professional career, those whose personal approbation may be valueless; while, on the other hand, if you take your motive of duty from the principles which your father has been so careful to instruct you in, there is no pos- sibility of its ever failing you. " In saying so much, however, I must warn 84 THE NIGHT WATCH. you against presumption, obstinacy, and self- conceit ; and request you will bear in mind, that on professional subjects, the opinions of your superiors, from their long experience, must al- ways be entitled to the greatest respect ; and remember, that although there may be times when you cannot conscientiously give your judgment up to others, yet let not that affect your obedience. " Perform the duties allotted to you with promptness, recollecting that you are a hnk in the chain of discipline ; and if you do not bear your proportionate strain, mechanically speak- ing, you distress the rest, and morally, you steal the strength of others, besides being answerable for all the baneful and contagious influence of bad example ; and, whether you command a boat or a ship, do that which is allotted to 3^ou first, and never risk the failure of a whole plan for the sake of personal distinc- tion. This is not said with the idea of pre- scribing certain bounds to your exertions, for THE CAPTAIN. 85 you cannot do too much for your country ; but merely to warn you against that species of gal- lant folly which sacrifices public good for par- ticular notice. " Perhaps in no profession more than the Navy, is theory subject to prejudicial opinions; and this, because it is known to be entirely useless, without a combination of practical knowledge ; on that account, however, we should be blamable to neglect the trite ad- vice of a scientific signpost, which points out the nearest, best, and safest road to professional skill ; besides, the tree of science is now flou- rishing almost throughout the world, and it would ill become the naval heroes of England to linger in its shade ! " We have a schoolmaster on board, who will instruct you in navigation and the necessary branches of mathematics applicable to nautical astronomy ; but, in your leisure hours, I wish you to inform yourself on general subjects, and, for this purpose, I present you with an Ency- 86 THE NIGHT WATCH. eloped ia, as a book of reference, from which you will derive mach more correct information than from hearsay ; and I shall always feel happy in directing you in the choice of other works that may be necessary for you in acquir- ing a knowledge of hydrograph}^, naval tactics, and the modern languages. *' And now for the practical part of your profession. I hope you will perceive, in the discipline of this ship, something worth remem- bering in your professional career. " By the contempt of some officers for the more trivial duties of their profession, those of greater importance are brought into disrepute, and by that means the public duty retarded. On this head it may be sufficient to remark, that the fewer orders which are given the bet- ter ; provided they comprehend, clearly and dis- tinctly, all that is necessary for the purpose to which they may be directed : but no command, however trivial, should be allowed to pass by, without its strictest fulfilment ; for it is better THE CAPTAIN. 87 not to issue an order, than, by permitting the non-obedience of it, to bring the whole code of regulations, and even personal commands, into contempt. '* I shall expect a strict attention to the sys- tem of gunnery and seamanship, which will be frequently displayed before you, and also to the interior regulations of cleanliness and order* " I should recommend to your notice the advantage of always giving the word of com- mand in the same terms ; and I wish you to encourage alacrity and spirit, by an example of activity and obedience in your own sta- tion. " 1 hope also that you will soon become ac- quainted with the minutia of the boatswain's, gunner's, and carpenter's departments ; for this, instead of being beneath your notice as an officer, is absolutely necessary to a complete know- ledge of your profession, for it is a bad descrip- tion of vanity which causes the slovenly per- formance of duty. I shall not only expect you 88 THE NIGHT WATCH. to be able to manoeuvre a ship, a knowledge you will gain by constant observation and ex- perience, but I shall insist on your knowing how to rig a mast, handle a gun, cut a sail, build a boat, stow a hold, and to be personally an adept in all the exercises with small arms. "- I trust you will pay particular attention to the manner of stationing the men ; and that you will understand the complete system of disci- pline, in such a practical way, as will enable you to see the necessity and appreciate the merits of it. " You may quickly comprehend the laws, and must soon understand the customs of the service; and I hope a due attention to those acquirements which I have pointed out to you, will control your thoughts in a laudable and useful channel, and prevent you from contract- ing vicious, foolish, or idle habits. " Your father has instructed you so well in your religious and moral principles, as to leave me little to say on those subjects. I have had THE CAPTAIN. 89 some experience, however ; and, believe me, no bad man can continue to the end to be a brave one. It is true, that liis animal courage may keep him up for a while in his character to the eyes of the world, but there is a time when that must fail him ; whereas, a good man runs no such risk, inasmuch as the soul is of supe- rior and longer duration than the body. * Cowards die many deaths ; the brave live on.' This is the fate of the good, who are alone the truly brave. "It frequently happens that ridicule, in which there is little merit and no reason, is the most difficult to be withstood. But fear not the appellation of a psalm-singer, or Methodist, terms often ironically applied to persons who are no more than strict observers of good principles. He that fails in his duty to God, will as surely neglect it towards man. " With respect to your moral conduct, let that justice and honour which is founded upon your religion be your guide. 90 THE NIGHT WATCH. " Never condescend to do a mean thing ; the moment you do so, you will become miserable; and beware of every description of falsehood, or exaggeration, in your conversation ; for, be- sides being in itself degrading and contemptible, it leads to every kind of vice. The govern- ment of your temper is strictly necessary to the observance of justice; and ever remember you are not serving to gratify your own pas- sions, but that it is your duty to exert your- self to the utmost for the public good ; and when your country's government shall raise you to distinction and command, recollect those whose fate it is to serve in subordinate situa- tions, and while your ' no' is said with courtesy, and your * yes' with pleasure, be considerate in administering to their comforts in every way vhich I appeal to Paddy ; and the mono- poly on souchong being likely to expire, we shall have it better and cheaper. Why then, I would ask, ought our expenditure to be greater than in the year 1793 .' {Hear, hear! and a lartgh.) I, for one, will not consent to con- tinue Peter in his office until he shall have shown us clearly, why such additional expenditure has taken place, {Hear, hear!) and until I perceive a disposition for economical reform. As we had no dinners to-day, we may have still less to-morrow. {Cheers!) Goths, what do you laugh at ? did you never hear of Sir Isaac Newton's numbers_, less than nothing? {Cheers.) If we go on increasing our expenditure, when we have nothing to expend, [loud cheers !) we shall be obliged to draw on the empty substan- tiality of Peter's purse, {Hear, hear !) to avoid which dreadful alternative, I give my firm sup- port to Muzzy's proposition." Gruff begged to observe, that gentlemen on both sides seemed to indulge in their own peculiar music, which to him was entirely out of time and tune, as they had liot said one word about roast beef and plum puddings — things essential to their very existence — things to which he had long been accustomed and would continue to have in despite of all new-fan- COCKPIT CHRONICLE. 145 gled notions, and as there had been no such good stuflF to-day, he would supportMuzzy's motion. Boco rose, hem'd, havv'd, but brought forth nothing. Several other abortive mem- bers were coughed down to rise no more ; and then Fire Eater, who had eaten nothing since breakfast, struck his fist upon the table for attention. "By the reckonings, guessings, and calculations which have been entered into by the different speakers, we might suppose our- selves on the other side of the Atlantic ; but here [DieuMerci!) we wish for no discrepant rec- koners, no vituperant guessers,uo tergiversating calculators. " I would as soon trust a Pa- nang* a sa Philadelphia lawyer : the latter confounds the head, and the former breaks it at once, and there 's an end on 't. Let Peter stand forth and answer, why there is no dinner to-day ?" Here the reluctant Peter said, to-day's allowance was drawn yesterday ; and no advance would be made, although he had used his best entreaties witli the per- * A bamboo cane is jocularly called a Panaug lawyer. VOL. I. son at the head of the victualling department. *' If the fellow," continued Fire Eater, *' can give no rea- sonable answer, let him not only be brought to book but to the stake. Strip him, I say, of the emblems of his office, which, if we trust to Mr. Smudge's rea- soning, may still jingle in his emp- ty pocket. {Cheers!) I repeat, if Peter be found deficient, seize him, depose him, punish him." Here Peter made his escape, and the laws, which were sus- pended over his chair, were torn down and burnt in the snuffer- stand, amidst the triumphant shouts of the revolutionists, and a Well-regulated mess became a scene of confusion. The following day six mem- bers were chosen to conduct the affairs, in which republican state, we are sorry to say, it still i-eniains. HOME NEWS. ATROCIOUS OUTRAGE. It is with the deepest feelings of sympathy that we communi- cate the particulars of the atro- cious outrage committed on the person and property of Patrick Donnavan, Esq. of the Marines, II 146 COCKPIT CHRONICLE. at the dead hour of midnight, on Monday last. Patrick, on this direful night, had retired to bed, and lay, as he was wont to do, like a good harmless dormant lump of clay, fast locked in the arms of Mor- pheus. His cot was under the shade of the sentinel's lamp ; but the hardened villains cozened the soldier from his post, and perpe- trated the blackest deed that ever soiled our pages. A large bucketful of black varnish and tar was poured in upon the inoffensive carcase of the unhappy man ; but we shall conclude the horrid description in his own words, uttered this morning before the chief-ma- gistrate. " I was asleep, fast asleep, in bed in my cabin, wlieu all on a sudden I felt, I don*t know how, half-choked, half-suffocated, and deprived of all my senses but smelling, and that source of sen- sibility seemed only stuffed with poison. I tried to move, and when I succeeded, I found my pillow glued, as it were, to the back of my head. I stretched out my hands to clear my mouth, eyes, nose, and ears, when I heard a kind of rustling, like elephants among the reeds of a jungle, succeeded by smothered bursts of fiendlike laughter ; and a hissing voice then said, ** Oh the Galoot ! now 's the time, his eyes are full, finish the work !" at which there was a general splash that converged about my head, and I was actually afloat. Was this a deadly dream or real death ? — The voice, the rustling, the fall, and the inauspicious vessel that was left in my bed, proclaimed the rest ; and. Sir, as this is a most unheard-of outrage to be committed on one holding a commission, I hope that endea- vours will be used to discover and punish the perpetrators." We are sorry to add, that no clue was left by which to trate the ruffians, and we have little hopes of any of them turning king's evidence. All that could be discovered were foot-marks on the cockpit-ladder outlined by tar and varnish. No property was stolen, nor can we assign any reason for the act ; it has how- ever been suggested to us, by a correspondent, that Patrick had retired to bed unshaven, and that Neptune's officer deputy may be fairly suspected. COCKPIT CHRONICLE. 147 MULTUM IN PARVO. It is strongly reported that the king has, by accident, become acquainted with tlie blind-hookey system carried on in the upper house, and that the antique red- coated personage who is said to have lost in one night all the prize-money he gained during the war, is in deep disgrace at Court. It is rumoured that a matrimo- nial affair is on the tapis, between the Honourable ap Shenkin, ap Shone, ap jNIorgan, ap Owen, TaiFy, a descendant of Owen Glendower, and a Cambrian dam- sel, a relative of Caractacus. 'Hiis circumstance may account for the result of Mr. Taffy's lu- nar observations being out four degrees in longitude, as it was the distance between Lima and the Virgin Spike which he ought to have obseiTed ; but it is con- jectured he mistook Venus for the latter star. It is now firmly believed, that our Lad of the Fancy, Gliff, is a relation of Cribb, from numerous gladiatorial emblems having been found in his possession. The political intrigues of Smudge and the wary Scot, aided by the hotheaded Fire Eater and the mellifluous Paddy, ever seek- ing happiness in a row, together with the growling Gruff, anxious to be miserable, and supported by a powerful faction, have suc- ceeded in deposing our amiable little Caterer, Peter the Great, who is observed to be pining from the effects of his late aerial eleva- tion, and subsequent fall from authority in those submarine dominions where he had so long and honourably presided. Tim is in mourning for the loss of the grog bottle, the heart of which was broken during the rebellion, and that inoffensive weed, that nettle of the Cockpit, Muzzy, being either mad, mi- serable, or in love, now makes verses, and has sent a consola- toiy epistle to him, of which the following is a part : — *' Oh, weep not, weep not ! o'er thy darling's doom ; Black Jack shall all his mellow influence shed. And give thy wanting cheek its wonted bloom ; Thy nose its old concomitant sweet red." A young Boatswain's store- room was discovered, on Satur- day last, in the starboard pocket of Thomas Pipes, containing marline, ratline stuff, points, H 2 148 COCKPIT CHRONICLE. sennit, twine, two foxes, a server, and a marlin spike ; and regula- tions have been adopted to pj-e- vent any future embezzlement of His Majesty's stores. A cartridge-paper hat was, on the same day, discovered under the dark envelope of an old black handkerchief on the pericranium of Mr. Wad, who, on being ques- tioned on the subject, said, " he always wished to be light-headed in hot climates." Mr. Chips has fallen under the suspicion of Government, his ser- vant having been seen with can- vass slippers soled with scupper leather. The three worthies before mentioned, are respectfully warn- ed against assembling together in t.ie neighbourhood of the Maga- zine, as from the phosphoric in- fluence of their prominent fea- tures,the safety of the community might be endangered. Copy of an original letter writ- ten by a seaman, who was under sentence of death, for having, in a Jit of drunkenness , struck an officer. D.:ar Jack, Drunkenness is the forerunner of mankind. I was in regard to that ere thing called licker when I struck the officer of the watch. I have been tried, and am to be hanged. So no more, at present, from your old shipmate, Jekry We stated in our last number, that Mr. Gleaner, alias Mr. Nip- cheese, was, in one instance, ac- cused of mistaking his pocket for his mouth. We have the autho- rity of the accuser to apologize to that gentleman, as his intention was merely to remark that there were many unsentimental Glean- ers in his (Mr. Nipcheese's) pro- fession. JTe calculate, that i\\e^^ ginwine" intelligence which, u^on^'inquer- ry," we received from the Ame- rican ship, last Tuesday, viz. — "That the Flushing Fleet had sur- rendered, and that they guessed many of them were already in the Downs," should be reckoned among the rest of the '^pretty particular, considerable'" bucket- fuls of Yankee phenomena, caught during the cruize. STRANGE SIGNIFICATIONS OF LETTERS, WORDS, AND SENTENCES. (Continued from our last ) Modesty — A backwardness in coming forward. COCKPIT CHRONICLE. 149 *' Nervous — A cloak under which physicians hide their igno- rance." Breaking your Mind — Speak- ing it. Gentleman — A stiff-necked per- sonage well versed in monosylla- bles and the three cuts, " celes- tial," " terrestrial," and " di- rect ;" together with the inimi- table lisp, and irresistible *' How doo! Damn me! 'Pon honour !" and the rest of the Corinthian ejaculations. D.D. — Dismal Dunce : one knowing how to put the Pope in purgatory. M.D. — Male Demon ; a person enveloped in a nervous cloak spangled with blue pills. LL. D. — Legal Legerdemain Delayer ; also, Lurking Litigious Delinquent. M.P. — Mere Post. Soldier — A satanic servant, a mindless beau, one clad in red and lace, alias a fop. Sailor — A silly soul, one who wears blue raiment, alias a fool. Speaking through the Nose — viz. when it is stopped. (To be continued.) THEATRICALS. '< The Stage I chose, a suhject fair and free: 'Tisyour's — 'tis mine — 'tis pub- lic property. All common ewhibitions open lie^ For praise or censure, to the pub- lic eye." Churchill. "The players are come," and we rejoice at the circumstance ; but it would be ill discharging our duty to the public, were we not to offer the criticism drawn from actual observation of last night's performances of the co- medy " A Cure for the Heart- ache." We beg leave distinctly to dis- claim all personal feeling on this occasion ; but it is a duty we owe to the community, to throw out hints for the improvement of their amusements, and we shall not shrink from the task at present, but proceed with the characters in the order they are announced in the playbills. Mr. Paddy, as Sir H. Stanley, was a blundering piece of per- formance ; that gentleman having entirely mistaken the character of an old English Baronet for a broken-down Irishman, with a smothering at his heart. Besides, 150 COCKPIT CHRONICLE. he did not seem to remember one word of his part when he ap- peared on the stage, as we dis- tinctly heard his reiterated tones to the prompter, — *' And what's the next, now ?" The character of Charles Stan- ley was very ill sustained by Mr. Saunders. I'here is something so uncouth, coarse, and vulgar iu his Caledonian diction, some- thing so formal and awkward in his gait, as to be altogether in- compatible with our ideas of the manners and character of a gen- tleman. His meeting with his Feyther was a cold, calculating, Mr. Sycophant-kind of acting ; and that with his Ealen, as he emphatically called her, wasj»oor, voA-rah poor, the worst compli- ment, we apprehend, that can be offered to a native of the *^ Land o' Cakes." The character of Mr. Vortex was well performed by Mr. Smudge, which we certainly an- ticipated from his known calcu- lating capacity. Mr. Fire Eater, as Young Ra- pid, was quicker than any kind of Rapid we ever saw, thought, or heard of. We suspect that he is continually under the in- fluence of a galvanic battery, as his pronunciation was nothing but a sudden and successive smat- tering of unintelligible sounds. Mr. Peters's performance of the character of Old Rapid was slow, heavy, and dull to a de- gree ; and that is no bad compli- ment at an age when others are usually retiring from the stage. But we earnestly recommend him for the future not to aspire to any character above that of a candle-snuffer, lest the patience of the public may be worn out, and doom him to severer censure than that which (poor man !) we are inclined to inflict on him. If Mr. Tague could speak any thing but Irish, he would per- form well. Mr. Longshanks was a very unbecoming, lank, and lean Eng- lish farmer. We hope never to see his face or his legs again. Mr. Crookshanks performed Heartley as if he had no heart ; and Browse was a most brazen piece of acting. We recommend Miss Gliff to pay more attention to her dress. Her bust resembled that of a loose, slovenly, stayless matron, more than that of a plump, pleas- ing girl : besides, her charms were so unfixed, as occasionally COCKPIT CHRONICLE. 151 to appear all on one side. Her cap, too, was of an infamous colour, and her hands should have been covered, as they hung dangling, (to use a vulgar simile,) like two legs of mutton, by her side. In short, they were threat- ening weapons for a young lady, and would have frightened any less sinewy lover than her Charles (Mr. Saunders). Miss Taffy performed all Miss Voi'tex's fine and fashionable airs with "uncommonly comic" taste ; but we have similar objections to the style of her dress, as those we have made to that of Miss Gliff. Besides, both ladies' pet- ticoats were too short, and dis- played most unfeminine-looking legs. Miss Boco, as Jessy Oatfand, was the worst of the female per- foiTuance — a conceited piece of stuff, indeed. Her wig, too, turned half round during the first act. We advise her to think less of herself, to look less at the audience, to expect less admiration, and she will gain more applause. Mr. Tim and others performed their grovelling parts as waiters. servants, landlord, barber, &c., tolerably well ; at least, they did not disappoint the expectations of the audience, who predicted as much from the known fitne.ss of their parts to their persons. We cannot take leave of the subject without congratulating our readers on the arrival of such an amusing group of diverting vagabonds among us ; and we hope, by their progressive im- provement, they will ere long merit a just tribute of approba- tion. NOTICE TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. Want of room tliis week pre- vents us inserting many valuable communications, which we take this means of gratefully acknow- ledging ; but they shall appear in our following number ; par- ticularly the affecting advertise- ment of the disconsolate widow, and a variety of most interesting information on trials, tricks, births, burglaries, marriages, murders, dress, duels, and dances. 152 THE NIGHT WATCH. The critique on the play, like some of those written on performers of more celebrity, was altogether premature, as, unfortunately for the reputation of the critic, the performance was interrupted by a squall during the second act. The theatre was conveniently fitted up on one side of the main-deck, and the flags of different colours gave its partitions an air of cheerfulness, while the painted canvass scenes did credit to the officer artists. Although the^ stage was distinctly within hearing distance of those at the break of the quarter-deck, yet at the commencement no interruption was apprehended, as both wind and weather were fair, " but gales occasionally break in upon the serenity of the summer sea," and soon the voices of the officer of the watch, the midship- man, and the quartermaster, gave portentous evidence of an approaching breeze, forming a strange medley with the speeches of the players. Ellen had dropped the letter, and was saying THE CAPTAIN. 153 *' Then every thing is possible, Oh, Love !'"* when a strong voice above sounded, " Mind your weather-hehn." Vortex. — Nay, don't you abuse poor Cupid, his conduct has been perfectly parliamentary : self-interest has made the little gentleman move over to the other side." Ellen. — Heavens ! should this be — Foice above. — LufF! Servant. — Young Mr. Stanley, Sir. Ellen. — My soul sinks within me. Voice above. — She 's all in the wind forward. Sir. Miss Vortex. — Upon my honour, my dear ! you had better— Voice above. — Brail up the driver. Ellen. — I thank you, madam; hold, no; with your permission, I '11 — ■■ Voice above. — Mind your steerage ! Miss Vortex. — Just as you please ; what a triumph ! Oh, how uncommon dehcious ! Voice above. — Near ! near ! H 5 154 THE NIGHT WATCH. Enter Charles Stanley. Miss Fortex. — How he 's struck ! Vortex, Exceedingly. Chas. Stanley. — What can this mean ! — madam — madam, the confusion — that— that — that^ — Voice above. — Let go the top-gallant-sheets — clew up — way aloft. Miss Vortex. — I must cheer him with a smile. Voices above. — One, two, three, haul ! Charles^ seeing Ellen. — Ah ! what heaven of brightness breaks in upon me ! Lovely Miss Vortex, can I believe my happiness ! will those arms receive me ? Voice above. — Thus, very well, thus ! Ellen. — Oh, Charles, the sufferings my heart underwent this moment, and the joy it now feels, are such I cannot speak ! Voice above. — No nearer ! Miss For lex. — Nabob ! nabob ! Voice above. — Mind your weather-helm ! Vortex. — What ^s the matter ? Voice above. — The ship ^s in the wind again. Sir ! THE CAPTAIN. 155 Miss Vortex. — The matter ! won't you re- sent this ? Poke above. — Boatswain's mate ! Vortex. — Oh dear, not I ! Miss Vortex. — Will you bear an insult ? Vortex. — My physicians order me not to mind being insulted at all : nothing is to pro- voke me ! roice above. — Boatswain's mate, send the after-guard aft .' Miss Vortex. — Provoke you ! If I were a man, I would — oh ! Voice above. — Crutch the driver-boom ! Vortex. — I don't like his looks, he seems a desperate "^ Voice above. — Boatswain's mate ! Miss Vortex. — What do you mean to do? Voice above. — Turn the hands up, reef top- sails ! Before the topsails were reefed, the breeze freshened, and the remainder of the performance was postponed. 156 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER XII. If ancient fabrics nod, and threat to fall, To patch their flaws and buttress up their wall, Tlius far 'tis duty : but here fix the mark, For all beyond it is to touch the ark. DRYDEN. Nothing of any moment occurred on their passage to England, save that the Orlopean re- gions were a continued scene of confusion. Tired of a republican government, the frivo- lous wishing for change and the ambitious for distinction, there was a succession of caterers elected and deposed. Fire Eater, who had the bump of destructiveness ; Smudge, that of number strongly developed ; Crookshanks, that of order ; and Muzzy, that of disorder, were THE CAPTAIN. 157 successively elected to the chair, and as quickly voted out of it : faction succeeded faction, till, after Taffy, Saunders, and Tim had resigned, it fell into the hands of blundering Paddy, who good-naturedly paved the way for another bit of a row. The ship, on her arrival in England, was paid off, and it was thought advisable that Morland should be placed in a frigate, as being the most active and desirable class of ships to serve in at that period of the war, when the fleets of the enemy which had not been taken or destroyed, were blocked up in their ports. The frigate in which our hero served, had not been long in the Baltic till he assisted in cutting out a merchant vessel, of which he be- came prize-master ; a most responsible situation, which led him to use all the skill and discretion he was master of, to navigate so valuable a prize across the wide and perilous seas. In truth, it was a noble, though no uncommon sight to see mere boys, in charge of large ships, IBS THE NIGHT WATCH. conducting them with admirable dexterity through the danojers of the ocean. Morland and his prize arrived safely in an English port, where, with the most satisfactory and exulting feelings at having been successful in the performance of his duty, he received the admiration of the young and commendations of the older part of the community, and in due course of time returned to his ship. One cir- cumstance of his passage to join the homeward- bound convoy, must not be omitted. He had the honour of reporting his arrival to the Com- mander-in-Chief, whose flag was flying on board the Victory — that Victory, which he had seen so gallantly sailing into battle at Trafalgar; that Victory, on whose tall masts the memora- ble signal was displayed ; and as he stepped upon the deck, and walked over the marked plank where the great hero had fallen, it seem- ed to say, " Remember to imitate the patriot whose life-blood was shed on this spot.'' During the long and protracted war which THE CAPTAIN. 159 Europe, swayed by that brilliant meteor of am- bition, Napoleon, levied against *' the nation of shopkeepers,"" it was not the least surprising part of the influence and credit of Great Bri- tain, to see the flags of almost all these hostile countries flying in her ports, sanctioned by the Licence System — a policy favourable to ava- rice, but destructive to patriotism. The tri- coloured flag was alone faithful to its cause, and alone excluded from our harbours ; while in the northern regions our fleets protected the mer- cenary hoards of merchantmen through the very heart-streams of their own country, to enrich and give resources to England, who was carrying on a war against them and the cause they had espoused. Our powerful fleets had swept the seas, or at least had left little upon them that could offer opposition ; and it was at such a period of the war, that the ac- tive officers of cruising ships were induced to equip boats for a kind of desultory warfare, in order to keep alive the spirit and enterprise of 160 THE NTGHT WATCH. their daring crews, who were ever ready to ex- ecute the bold projects of their commanders ; while it frequently happens that more lives are lost in these depredatory excursions, than in battles more known to fame and the world. It was on one of these little expeditions, that the boat which Morland commanded, for the purpose of cutting out a merchant vessel, was wrecked on one of the numerous uninhabited islands which margin the northern side of the Gulf of Finland. In summer, the scenery of this little sea is indeed beautiful ; but in winter, its shores are dark and dreary, and its waves tempestuous. Two boats, one commanded by a lieutenant, the other by Morland, had been equipped with four days* provisions, and departed from the frigate in the morning, in quest of a mer- chant vessel of which they had information. Their ship was now no longer to be seen, but a long chain of small woody islands, without a human habitation, or a curl of smoke over the THE CAPTAIN. 161 foliage that could indicate it, lay before them : all that told of a living being, was a solitary fishing skiff, whose white sail, by the distant woods, gleamed hke a lost feather on the green herbage. Although it was autumn, the vegetation had not yet changed its colour ; for in these regions the winter comes suddenly, and the furious blast tears the unripened foliage from the branches, leaving the trees with but a few strag- gling leaves, to tell of their beauty, and fade with the season. As the boats approached the coast, the clouds on the western horizon displayed a troubled appearance, and as they rose, eclipsed the sun, which sent a dusky light through their lucid fleeces. The gilded day-scene was now overcast, and a distant rippling on the water harbingered a gust of wind, which curled the surface into brisk waves as it advanced. The boats began to heel to their canvass — 162 THE NIGHT WATCH. the sheets were let fly to a squall — the sails were lowered and reefed, and a course was again shaped towards the islands, as there was no safety in keeping the sea, or contending with the fury of the elements in these tender barks. It became unusually dark and thick — the boats separated — vivid flashes of lightning shot through the troubled and gloomy atmosphere, and loud peals of thunder succeeded. The wind increased, and the rain fell in torrents : — Morland's boat flew swiftly through the now foaming sea, the masts trembling with every shock of the fractious waves, which had risen with the wind to a fearful height. The drenched crew sat anxiously looking for the land ; when, on a sudden, the two bowmen called out, " Breakers ahead ! hard a-star- board !" The boat answered the helm quickly, but was scarcely before the wind, when a sudden and violent shock flung every man from his seat ; the masts fell, and the next towering wave broke in upon its victims. There was an THE CAPTAIN. 163 instant struggle for life. Some trusted exclu- sively to their strength, others grasped the oars and masts, and were swept before the boisterous surge towards the low woody island, which they now for the first time saw, and from which the reef projected. Morland and six others reached the shore, where, bruised, wet, and worn out, the sum of their horror was com- plete in observing (without the possibility of averting it) the fate of their four shipmates. Agonizing sight ! three had already sunk to rise no more ; but the fourth was within twenty yards of the beach. He struggled long and boldly, till finding liis strength exhausted, he made one convulsive stretch towards the land^ — splashed, struggled, grasped at a hat that was near him, and then sank with a piteous groan, till the wave gurgled over his head, and his hair floated among the bubbles sent up by his last breath. The island on which they had been thrown was small, and soon explored : it contained 164 THE NIGHT WATCH. not the vestige of a habitation, and presented no shelter but the trees. It was at such a time that our young hero found the advantage of the practical efforts his father had taught him to make. A spot the least exposed to the wind was fixed upon for a hut — and as employment in every situa- tion is preferable to brooding over misfortunes, they immediately commenced to tie the tops of some young trees together with the bark ; then wove their branches in the intermediate spaces, and hastily covered it with the long grass, which the island produced in abundance. In this dreary habitation, through which the moonbeams occasionally shot their cold gleams, they crouched, wet and hungry, till the morn- ing, occasionally walking out to the bleak strand, on which the sea was still beating heavily. As the day dawned, the rain ceased, the \vind moderated, and the sea became less boisterous. It proved, as they expected, that the boat had THE CAPTAIN. 165 been wrecked on one of the outer islands which skirted the Finland side of the Gulf. The remains of the boat were still visible on the reef of rocks, and one of their dead companions had been washed on the shore ; him they buried under the shade of a birch- tree, and his initials were cut on its bark. As hunger began to assail them, Morland's knowledge of the qualities of the roots of the wild plants was of much service ; but this could not long avail them in so small a place ; and as in these tideless seas nothing was to be expected by waiting, it was resolved to at- tempt to reach the wreck by means of a small raft, constructed with the boat's masts and oars, which had been washed by the waves upon the beach. Our young hero and two men, seated in the centre of this frail float, which only kept them half above water, impelled themselves along by a pair of oars, and accomplished the arduous undertaking. 166 THE NIGHT WATCH. The boat, however, had been so much shat- tered, that little could be saved, except a few planks, some wet powder, several cutlasses and pistols, and, what was at that time more accept- able, a small portion of beef and biscuit, to- gether with a keg of rum, which had not been dislodged from the after-lockers. With these they returned to their companions, who heartily rejoiced even at their partial success. Fire seemed now the great essential, and the flints of the pistols produced the desired sparks on some dry fungus which the island afforded, kindled the shavings of a plank, and the smoke arose from their solitary abode. Having cautiously refreshed themselves with part of their provisions, and dried their clothes, it was determined they should set about con- structing a raft sufiiciently large to convey them all from island to island, till they should meet with an inhabited place. Another day elapsed before the raft was com- pleted : it was made of the stoutest timber the THE CAPTAIN. 167 island produced, together with the planks saved from the wreck. Their greatest difficulty was in boring holes for the wooden pins by which the beams were secured at each corner : this, however, they ef- fected by means of their cutlasses, which had already served the purpose of axes. By fixing four crutches on the margins, they were enabled to use as many oars ; but after their best endeavours their bark was frail : not- withstanding which, and the circumstances of their forlorn situation, they had still hopes of eluding the Russian gun-boats which prowled about the coast, by forcibly or secretly seizing on the first fishing yaul they met with. Every thing being ready, they took leave of their miserable hut, embarked their scanty store on the raft of their own construction, and steer- ed slowly away from the island, towards others in the direction of the mainland. There w^as a gleam of dehght on every coun- tenance at the success of their project, as well 168 THE NIGHT WATCH. as at the novelty of their situation ; and if the result of labour is ever sweet — they certainly experienced it at this time, in having by their own exertions overcome difficulty and threat- ened danger. There was, however, enough peril remaining in their situation, to direct all eyes in pursuit of the habitations of man ; and as they passed each rock, or turned the bend of an island, anxious curiosity, and vague conjec- tures about the appearance of distant objects, were common to them all. It was a bright morning in the month of September when they set out ; and it is impos- sible to conceive a more fresh and beautiful scene than that which presented itself in pass- ing the little islands, whose indentations formed in miniature all those peculiar beauties of har- bours, bays, and promontories, which delight the eye on a larger scale. Winding amongst this labyrinth of islands, each turn presented new views ; but as the day advanced, they became blank, when ascertained THE CAPTAIN. 169 to contain no object that indicated a human dwelling. The wind had died away gradually as the sun attained towards the meridian, and at last it became perfectly calm ; when, to their inex- pressible delight, they observed a spiral column of smoke, curling erect over a wood not more than a mile distant. Towards this they immediately steered, and, rounding a promontory, entered a little bay which was fronted by an island, on which stood a wooden cottage, built of the trunks of trees, laid horizontally upon each other. On the shore were a number of nets and fishing-lines, distended between two rugged poles; while a broad-beamed, sharp-bowed boat lay moored to the beach. As the raft approached this solitary place, the poor inhabitants ran to the threshold of their cabin, to gaze at such an unusual appearance. — Presently a stout, flaxen-headed man, in loose trowsers, large boots, grey jerkin, and a weather- VOL. I. I 170 THE NIGHT WATCH. beaten hat, advanced inquiringly towards the shore, with a gait that sufficiently displayed surprise and fear ; while an elderly woman and beautiful rosy-cheeked girl, tremblingly oc- cupied their original position at the door. Poor harmless people — even here. Nature had given them something to fear ! The appearance of the raft gave them con- fidence in the story of the wreck, which was related in signs, mutters, gesticulations, child's language, and all manner of diminutive, as well as hard words, that English is capable of being tortured into; but the appearance of arms created suspicion ; besides, Ben Mot, the cock- swain, had already forgotten his troubles, and commenced to make love to the Finland Hebe — who, quite unconscious of the meaning of *' deary, darling, duckky," (the only soft words ever known in Ben's amatory vocabulary,) felt no little alarm at his less equivocal, but more un- ceremonious practical addresses. THE CAPTAIX. 171 CHAPTER XIII. I have done. As you have done; that's what 1 can; induc'd As you have been ; that 's for my country : He, that has but effected his good vvill, Hath overta'en mine act. SHAKSFEARE. Though Finland then, as now, legally apper- tained to Russia, yej: Nature, truer to her divi- sions than governments, has implanted a dislike of Russian control in the hearts of the Fin- landers, and, on the fisherman being made to understand that the party wished to re£ich a vessel in a harbour not far distant, he consented to take them all in his boat, and land them the same evening on an island adjoining to it. This being accomphshed, Morland and his 172 THE NIGHT WATCH. thick wood, on the narrow footpath which was pointed out by the fisherman, as leading to a position from whence the harbour alluded to could be seen. Their guide, on leaving them, had said it was only a league to the place ; but this, as most other undefined traveller's distances, seemed, like distant objects, to enlarge as they advanced. The grey shades of evening had commenced to shed their quiet influence on the ''glimmer- ing landscape," when the little party reached the wished-for spot, from whence they per- ceived the masts of a vessel peeping above a ridge of coppice-wood that margined the shore. It was now determined that Morland, and his trustworthy cockswain, Ben Mot, should creep down among the underwood, close to the beach, and reconnoitre. Ben, who was a spirited and expert seaman, and moreover a great favourite, from his known perseverance and good-humour under all dif- THE CAPTAIN. 173 ficulties, no sooner heard the proposition, than he hitched up his trowsers with a peculiar jerk — rolled the quid in his mouth — felt the pistol by hiss side — laughed at the damp pow- der — drew his cutlass a little out of the scab- bard, and leaving his comrades with a broad grin, 1 oiled along after his young commander through the wood. Arrived at the declivity of the little hill, they distinctly saw there was only a galliot in the harbour ; but, from an undulation in the woodland, it was impossible to discern what they had to expect on the beach. " Down on all-fours. Mot," said Morland, " and let us ascertain perfectly what we have to trust to."" They accordingly crawled on their hands and knees, among the broom and underwood, till they were within fifty yards of the water, and clearly saw that the harbour only contained one vessel, and that a wooden storehouse and two small skiffs were all that graced the beach. " What think you of this .?" said Morland. 174 THE NIGHT WATCH. " It's a regular built go. Sir," replied Ben. " Go, then, and bring the rest of the men cautiously here, and we will lie in wait for a fair opportunity," said Morland ; who soon af- terwards saw his men crawling, one after an- other, among the shrubs and grass, and place themselves by his side. It was arranged that they should wait till the crew of the vessel^ whose voices were distinctly heard from where they lay in am- bush, should go below to their evening meal, and then board her in the skiffs. " Yes," said Ben to his companions, " we '11 board her in the smoke, my boys ; though, by my faith, I think there will little come from my pistol !" The evening advanced, the crout bell rang. " Make ready, men !" said Morland. " Look out ! Now 's our time, they 're all below ! Down to the beach, and launch the skiffs — four in one, three in the other, and make for THE CAPTAIN. 175 the main channels. She will be ours in ten minutes !" That short space of time had scarcely elapsed when both skiffs were alongside the vessel. A man who just then came on deck gave the alarm, but it was too late. The deck was gained, the fore and main-hatches were thrown down, and the captain of the vessel, as he was about to step on the quarter- deck, met the muzzle of Ben's pistol, which flashing, or rather fizzing, in the pan, the re- solute tar fetched the unfortunate skipper such a blow with the barrel in the face, that he fell bleeding and rattling down the ladder he had so boldly ascended, and the after-hatch was instantly secured. The galliot was now in their possession, but they appeared to be quite landlocked, without knowing any thing of the navigation. " Hoist the vessel's own colours at the fore, for a pilot," said Morland ; " some stray fisherman may chance to see it. Loose the 176 THE NIGHT WATCH. topsail, jib, and mizen ; there is a fine breeze, and if no pilot arrives, we must run all risks : the passage must lie to the S.E." A fisherman, however, did arrive. His boat was cut adrift, and he was made to understand, by various determined gestures, and Ben's most persuasive, though speechless pistol, that if he did not steer the vessel safely out, he would be shot on the spot. The longboat was brought alongside, and, man by man, the prisoners, to the number of eight, were put into it with two oars, and then sent adrift. The sails were set, the cable cut, and the vessel, swinging briskly round, was steered away by the trembling pilot through the intri- cate passages of this dangerous coast. The captors had numerous hardships and difficulties to contend with in these narrow seas, fretted as they were by dangerous rocks, and now foaming again under the influence of another equinoctial gale ; but, suffice it to say, THE CAPTAIN. 177 the vessel was conducted safely to the frigate, and Morland highly commended for his zeal and perseverance, not only by his captain, but by every officer on board, and especially the lieutenant, under whose command he had been dispatched, and who had also returned successful. The enthusiastic greetings of his messmates must not be forgotten, nor the delight they seemed to experience at the un- adorned tale, which was told many times before they left the regions of the Baltic. Note. — Lest the reader should think this an overdrawn or Quixotic picture of naval enterprize, the author begs to in- form him, that, during the war, he witnessed the capture of two merchant vessels, their joint number of men amounting to sixteen, by a similar force, and with as little bloodshed as that described above. Such success, like that of robbers, is often derived from panic rendering the astonished crews, like frightened families, easy victims to the audacious plunderers. I 5 178 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER XiV. Auspicious Hope ! in thy sweet garden grow. Wreaths for each toil, a charm for every woe. CAMPBELL. The remaining part of Morland Dunstan- ville's servitude as midshipman was passed in most active employment against the enemies of his country, and at the - expiration of his sixth year in that capacity, he proceeded on board H. M, S. Gladiator, to be examined, as to his professional qualifications, by three of the senior post-captains of the fleet at Portsmouth. That morning of anxiety arrived, and we are not quite sure whether Morland had de- termined never again to return to his ship, THE CAPTAIJJ. 179 if he should happen to be rejected ; be this as it may, as he walked the deck his thoughts were flitting about from region to region, from element to element, and even from one planet to another. He was practising plane, Merca- tor*s, and traverse sailing, working single and double altitudes, calculating the tides, and solving the lunar problems ; moreover, he moored and unmoored, rigged masts, reefed topsails, tacked and wore, made and shortened sail, and manoeuvred a ship in the various situations in which she might be placed, till his soliloquy was broken by the appearance of one of his fellow-candidates who had been rejected, and informed him it was now his turn to put his knowledge and experience to the test. Morland was accordingly ushered in, along with his logs and certificates, and no very agreeable feelings. His journals were neatly written, and inter- spersed with views of headlands and occasional 180 THE NIGHT WATCH. hydrographical remarks on harbours, &c., which, with his strongly commendatory certificates, procured him a favourable reception, and he passed his examination with considerable credit. Six years'* experience in a cockpit is a tolerable good test of patience and perseverance ; and at the expiration of the seventh, Morland, remembering the fate of poor Peters, began to feel sore in anticipating a similar disconsolate lot, and wrote to his father to that effect. His parent had not been idle on the subject ; but as Mr. Dunstanville " had retired from life,*" to use the expression of one of his ex- quisite friends, not under the most brilliant auspices, many persons with whom he had formerly lived on the best and most intimate terms, somehow or other feigned, or actually did forget, that they were liable to be applied to on fair grounds by such a person. The gradation of answers to himself and friends was somewhat peculiar. One was a cool, sir-like epistle, acknowledging the receipt of his letter, ** without having any farther in- THE CAPTAIN. 181 struct! ons relative to the request contained in it ;" another was in the civil, complimentary style — " that the claims of Mr. Morland Dun- stanville should be taken into consideration at a proper opportunity ;" another assured a "dear sir/' "that a note had been made of Mr. Morland Dunstanville"'s name, and that his services should not fail to be noticed at a very early period ;" and another, " that Mr. M. Dunstanville's name had been inserted on the list of candidates for promotion." Mr. Dunstanville, although he was consi- dered out of the world, had seen enough of it to view these promissory notes as very unpro- mising things ; and wrote to a friend in the metropolis, who had less power, but more sin- cerity, to know the best means to be adopted to gain the desired end. This friend answered him as follows : — " Dear Dunstanville, " On making the necessary inquiries about your son's promotion, and stating to a friend 182 THE NIGHT WATCH. of mine in office the answers you had received to applications made on that subject, he can- didly told me, that he did not believe Morland's name was on any list that indicated his being nearer to promotion than the first day he passed his examination ; but, as they have so many lists, and so many applications, you had better inquire if your son has omitted any of the necessary forms; as a facetious naval ac- quaintance told me the other day, that there was some talk of adopting a proposed plan to examine them, touching their qualifications as gentlemen; — such as, 'What's your father?' ' What'^s your mother?' &c. — very awkward questions, indeed, to many : — but, seriously, I can give you no other advice about your son's advancement, than that which may be conveyed by altering a word in the old man's well-known worldly warning to his child : — ' Get interest, my son; honestly, if you can ; but get interest. " Yours, evcT, " Chas. Oakley." THE CAPTAIN. 183 It is not for us to presume what description of machinery had been at work; but, a few months afterwards, Morland was gratified by the receipt of a long, large-sealed, half-printed, half-written letter, officially informing him of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant ; and, about the same period, Mr. Dunstanville re- ceived various " My dear Sir" kind of very faithful notes from every person who had written the least, or most unmeaning raake-be- heve applications for his son's promotion, en- closing, of course, the most satisfactory answer, and we are not quite sure but each of the applicants actually , ',' Made such a sinner of his memory To credit his own lie," and did believe he was individually the cause of the pleasing resuU. Morland received his commission and took the oath of allegiance at the same time with four others. AVhen the party was assembled to " utterly 184 THE NIGHT WATCH. abhor and detest the damnable doctrine of popery,'"* &c. to save time, each person was desired to repeat after the first, whose name we shall suppose to be John Smith, and who very gravely began, " I, John Smith," when the second, whose name was Thomas somebody or another, doubtlessly impressed with his deep knowledge of this doctrine, repeated verbatim, sure enough, '* I, John Smith," but a warning smile of correction prevented a farther volcanic denunciation of the tenets of the poor Pope. Morland had the good fortune to be appoint- ed to a frigate ; and after several fruitless cruises, they fell in with, and, at the end of a sharp action, captured an enemy's ship of supe- rior force, which they brought to that magni- ficent seaport — Plymouth. THE CAPTAIN. 185 CHAPTER XV. Oh ! these are looks and tones which dart An instant sunsliine through the heart. MOORE. A FEW days after their arrival, there was a ball, which most of the officers of the ship at- tended. These scenes of revelry, during the war, were of a brilliant description, as well from the peo- ple of fashion who occasionally visited their military and naval friends, as from the various uniforms of the persons belonging to these pro- fessions. The action of the frigate, like every battle great or small, became the table-talk of the day. And when the captain and officers of the victo- rious ship entered the ball-room, the band 186 THE KIGHT WATCH. played " Rule Britannia," which drew the eyes of the company towards them ; and it is but honest to suppose they felt proud of the marked respect which was shown to them. Morland, who had received a sabre wound in his left arm, while in the act of boarding, which was still unhealed, had been over-persuaded to quit the sick list and venture on the amuse- ments of the evening, along with his brother officers; but he was obliged, from pain, to retire early. On his way to the door, he encountered a group, in which two persons, like some graceful objects in a landscape, seemed to rivet the at- tention. They were ladies^ one whose " beau jours''' were gone — while those of the others ap- peared but commencing ; and as he passed, his regards, like those who were near them, were arrested by the very lovely though delicate per- son of the younger. A gleam of pleasure shot across his mind. It was not love, however, for he slept soundly ; but in the morning still the impression haunted him, THE CAPTAIN. 187 " Like those fair forms which often pass us bye lu the world's crowd, too lovely to remain, Creatures of light, we never see again." The day was ushered in by those gentle showers, which, while they milden the climate and feed the luxuriant vegetation, make it pro- verbial that you cannot do wrong by always carrying an umbrella in Devonshire. The messmates dined together, and with all the buoyant feelings of successful patriots, glorying in their country, drank deeply to the health of their King. Morland, whose wound prevented him from joining in the present conviviality, and who, ac- cording to his brother officer's account was occa- sionally of the melancholy genus, loving solitary perambulations, was left to take his evening walk alone, in the beautiful environs of the town. Chance led him in the direction of that well- known place. Ivy Bridge ; a road famed for the equestrian exhibitions of the maritime tribes, the ditches of which being exceedingly fami- 188 THE NIGHT WATCH. liar with their persons, and the wheels of their chariots. Our hero had not proceeded far from the town, before he observed two ladies walking a short distance in advance, followed by their car- riage, and was about to pass them, where a cross-road opened into the main turnpike, when a large dog, foaming at the mouth, pursuing a straightforward, sullen course, directly in the line of the ladies, sprung suddenly at the younger, and fastened upon her clothes. Morland, who was using his sword as a walking-stick, instantly drew it from the scabbard, rushed forward, and with one blow nearly severed the head of the animal from the body, before he could disen- tangle his teeth from the garments, or make another attempt to bite. Ere the ladies could reach the carriage, their ears were assailed by the cry of " Mad dog ! Mad dog!"" and presently a number of boys and countrymen arrived at the spot, armed with pitchforks and staves, shouting and ranting in a THE CAPTAIN. 189 manner to leave some doubt whether the mad creature had not been mistaken. The alarm of the ladies was extreme, which the information derived from those canine per- secutors, '' that the dog had bitten a child in his way through the village,"*' did not tend to appease. In their agitation they had not observed the blood which trickled down the waistcoat of the person who had struck so sure a blow in their behalf, but it now caught the eye of Lady Lovel and her daughter, for it was no other, and the very persons who had attracted his attention on leaving the ball-room. " You have suffered for us, Sir," said her Ladyship ; " pray allow us to convey you to your hotel, and, now that I have i-ecovered a little from my alarm, to offer you my warmest thanks for your timely aid." Morland, who in his haste had struck at the animal rather across his body, had driven his arm from the sling, and opened the wound 190 THE NIGHT WATCH. afresh, gladly accepted the offer, and seated himself opposite the ladies in the carriage, which now drove towards the town. Seven years had worked such changes in the appearance of all the party, that they had no recollection of each other, till Lady Lovel " begged to know to whom she was indebted for such an effec- tive rescue.*" " My name is Dunstanville.'' " Morland Dunstanville !" interrupted her Ladyship ; " how strange !"' while she offered her hand, and repeated her thanks, in the most friendly manner ; and . the soft eyes of Char- lotte were bent with compassion on the now pallid countenance of Morland, who, in turn, became aware that it was Lady Lovel and her daughter in whose society he was. " Our temporary residence," said Lady Lovel, " (for you must know we are merely on a tour,) is nearer than your hotel ; you must, therefore, allow me to take you there, in order that you may have the immediate assistance of a surgeon." THE CAP IAIN. 191 The coachman was accordingly directed to proceed to the house, where a surgeon soon arrived, dressed the wound, and recommended quiet ; while Lady Lovel, who had all the warm, though less constant compassion of her sex, kindly offered to accommodate him. He then wrote to his captain, informing him of his mishap, and requesting another day's leave of absence. This done, he enjoyed one of those de- lightful evenings which happen but seldom during life. The consciousness of having been of service to a fellow-creature, the unexpected meeting with a person who knew his family, the revival of past occurrences, jthe indescribable delight a sailor feels in the society of the fair sex, after a long absence from his country, his friends, and his home, rendered the few hours be- fore they retired to rest, one of those periods which soften down the austerities of existence, and leave a charm on the memory which passes away but with life. He learned from Lady Lovcl, that for the last two years she had been moving about from place 192 THE NIGHT WATCH. to place, on account of the health of her daughter, who, though not exactly an invalid, was by no means strong, and change of air was essential ; besides, her father had requested she might not be introduced into fashionable life till she was twenty, — an age she had now just attained. There was much of that ease, gentleness, and sensibility about Charlotte"'s manner, which an uncertain state of health and a good disposition render so interesting; but lest my readers should be more particular, and require to know something of her person, I must inform them she was of the middle stature, rather slender, of a fair complexion, and soft blue eyes, with hair of a darker hue than usually belongs to the blonde, and a face of the Grecian order. Her education having been altogether private, she had imbibed a serious rather than a gay turn of mind, studying more to make herself useful than agreeable, though, by the excellency of her motive^ she captivated more than the study of the latter could have accomplished. THE CAPTAIN. 19^ With a highly-cultivated mind, her manners were natural and void of affectation, by knowing more than ordinarily falls to the share of her sex; she was fully aware how little, after all, it Avas in the power of human beings to know, which rendered her unassuming and retired in her deportment. She was not blind to her pa- rent's foibles ; but, in avoiding them, she was still a devout, dutiful, and good daughter. The conversation naturally led to inquiries relative to Morland's employment since he left home ; and many of those events related in this book were briefly mentioned. Under all circumstances, it is not surprising that Charlotte should feel highly interested in the history of a person who had so lately saved her from the most dreadful misery at the risk of his own safety, as well as from the peculiar situation in which he was then placed. In the morning, the captain of the frigate and the surgeon called to inquire after their shipmate ; and while the latter retired to dress VOL. I. K 194 THE NIGHT WATCH. his wound. Lady Lovel had a long conversation with the captain, on the subject of her guest. " Mr. Dunstanville seems a very pleasing young man," said Lady Lovel; " we owe him much, for his timely interference yesterday. The rencounter is somewhat extraordinary, as his father is a country neighbour of ours, a very excellent person, though a recluse."" " I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Dunstanville's father," replied the Captain, " but his uncle is one of the best and bravest men in his Majesty'^s service ; and his nephew, our young friend, bids fair to be like him ; for, I assure your Ladyship, there is not a more gallant fellow in the fleet. His messmates think him a httle melancholy, probably from his studious disposition, as, when off duty, he is continually at his books ; but there is not one of them who does not retain the highest respect for his character. He is steady and persevering, and though so quiet in his manners, when occasion requires, he shows the highest spirit, and is one of the THE CAPTAIN. 195 most honourable creatures that can exist ; in- deed, I never met with a more promising young officer." " I shall certainly repeat this flattering ac- count to Mr. Dunstanville, when I meet him/ said her Ladyship. " You cannot tell him too rnuch," replied the Captain ; " I speak from actual observa- tion, and should be proud of such a son."*^ The two messmates now returned to the room, which broke off the conference, and the captain soon afterwards departed, having granted Morland twenty-four hours' leave of absence. This day passed not less agreeably than the previous evening ; and after a drive in the neigh- bourhood, they returned to a late dinner in high spirits, mutually pleased with each other's so- ciety. Coffee had just been served, when, with a single tap at the door, a messenger from the frigate was announced, bringing a letter to Mor- K 2 196 THE NIGHT WATCH, land, which had arrived by the post that morn- ing, as also a note from his captain. He had been expecting to hear from his fa- ther ; therefore, did not pay much attention to the superscription, or the hue of the seal, as he broke it open. But before he had finished the first page, his hand trembled, the tears flowed down his cheeks, and he left the room. Lady Lovel and her daughter, naturally concluding that something had happened to his family, waited till he should think proper to communicate the distressing intelligence. Late in the evening he came down and in- formed them his father had died a week ago, and that the frigate had been ordered, by a te- legraphic message, to repair immediately to Portsmouth, and would sail in the forenoon of the morrow ; therefore, he should be obliged to leave them early in the morning : and thanking her Ladyship and her fair daughter for their kind attention, he took leave of them, and re- tired for the night. THE CAPTAIN. 197 "This is, indeed, a distressing circumstance, Charlotte,"" said I^ady Lovel, when the door had closed. " Wounded and heart-broken, to be obliged to embark in all the arduous duties of his profession. Let breakfast be ordered early, and also the carriage to take him to the port.'' Morland wrote a short reply to his brother's distressing communication ; and, after a sleep- less night, descended to take a hasty repast and depart. He had finished his melancholy meal, and was on his way to the door, when he encountered Charlotte, who was descending the stairs, at her usual hour. They were too near each other to pass un- heeded ; and Morland was deeply affected as he took her proffered hand, and gazed on her mild, but now agitated countenance. A broken and hasty exclamation of " farewell !" was all that he could utter; and, as if afraid to trust his feelings, he hurried to the door, and in a few 198 THE NIGHT WATCH, hours was on board the frigate, which sailed for Portsmouth, and was there paid off. This afforded Morland an opportunity to visit his native village, but all its well-remembered beauties seemed to be clad in mourning. The meeting of the brothers was painful in the ex- treme ; and as they wandered about the seques- tered spot, the sorrowful countenance of the vil- lagers did but remind them that their father was dead ; — every thing, in short, seemed to say with the Poet — " The landscape glows with beauty still ; But ah! as o'er the scene we range. The stedfast grove and changeless rill Seem to have undergone a change ; And though of all the earth, I ween. They in our eyes most fair remain. Yet nought 'raid all so sweet is seen. So bright and beautiful as then." THE CAPTAIN. 199 CHAPTER XVI. By land, by water, they renew the charge. They stop the chariot, and they board the barge. Pope. Before the two brothers had recovered their spirits, the time arrived for George to depart for Oxford, and Morland was appointed to a ship on the American station. It was about this period, when all Europe was involved in war, that America stepped into the Hsts against England, and, notwithstanding the division of opinions respecting such a war, both in her senate and among her people, pro- secuted the hostile design with intrepidity and spirit. Her scattered and vagrant inhabitants defended her cities with courage, while her pig- 200 THE NIGHT WATCH, my fleet performed wonders against her de- spising adversary. Their partial success awoke our navy from the dream of confidence in its mighty name, and aroused our politicians to take such active steps against this distant, same-tongued foe, as were most likely to en- sure the defence of our immense colonial fron- tier, and the strict blockade of so extensive a coast. We do not intend to follow our hero through his amphibious career in that desultory war- fare which has been both commended and con- demned in this country — a war which, though not complete with those great and striking events which rivet the attention of the world, was nevertheless, to those concerned in its exe- cution, a most harassing, anxious, and severe service. The troops, unused to continual landings and re-embarkations, suffered more from the ele- ments than the enemy ; while the seamen, in their turn, had to endure all the pedestrian fa- THE CAPTAIN. 201 tigues of a campaign, frequently acting as sub- stitutes for horses, to drag the cannon over the rough and heavy roads. In traversing an enemy's country during war, the mind is naturally so much bent on the great object to be accomplished, that little can be said of its localities by warriors harassed by incessant duties. There are seasons, however, both by sea and land, when the mind has leisure to contemplate objects around, nor is it possible that such ex- traordinary and exciting circumstances should altogether escape the memory. Few will forget the hour when the benighted ship approached the shores of America, her sails sleeping with the gentle side-wind, preg- nant with the sweet odours of young vegetation, when no duty but watchfulness was astir ; or when she steered her steady course up the sea- like rivers of the New World, her expectant crew gazing on the wild and flowery shores of a wilderness of coast. Who but will remem- K 5 202 THE NIGHT WATCH. ber the harassed boats'* crews, distant from their ships, and wearied at the oar, riding out the dark and stormy night ; while mangled soldiers and wounded shipmates, unsheltered from its fury, groaned by their sides ? Can the soldier forget the wood-skirted field of his ene- my, or the thrilling sounds of the bugle, when, shaking off the dew, the forming lines marched from their resting-place, with martial music, which mingled with the mists of the morning ? Can he forget the hollow blasts and pelting showers that shook the forests ? or the roaring cattle driven in for food, which awoke the camp with their bellowings, at the swift glances of lightning flitting through the tempest ? It is impossible ! But we leave the narration of these scenes to an active partaker in them. There is nothing more delightful in a foreign country than the receipt of home news, which feeling is augmented by distance and difficul- ties. No sooner is a ship of war or a packet from England known to be coming in, than THE CAPTAIN. 203 every telescope from the upper-deck, and all eyes from the lower port-holes, are directed to- wards her. The hearts of fathers, sons, bro- thers, and lovers, beat to the glad suggestions of memory ; and even Jack on the top chest, turns his eyes to her well-rigged masts, painted sides, and new sails ; and knowing at once from whence she comes, an expectant grin plays over his iron countenance with hopes of news from his sweetheart. '* For you sae douce, ye sneer at this, Ye 're nought but senseless asses, O; Tlie wisest man the warl e'er saw. He dearly looed the lasses, O !'* Morland had been eighteen months on the American station, when a packet brought him the following letter from his brother George. ** London, April 2d. " Dear Morland, " I am now quite recovered from the effects of the broken rib I got in the last noc- ^04 THE NIGHT WATCH. tiirnal row with those ' doey-goey bruteSj' * the Raff; at Oxford. " When I was down, and groaning from the heavy blow, our friend Riley, who planned the whole affair, came with the old joke, saying, ' Didn't I tell you how I would bring you out of it. now r " The Lovels are in town, — we are on the best possible terms. I went to Almack's with them last night, through the interest of Mr. Di Pal- piti, who is a constant visitor at her Ladyship's, and who takes ' tatite pene* to make himself agreeable, though Mr. Seemington is most fa- voured by Lady Lovel. " We Oxonians, though great beaux in our own ideas, {ecce signum,) the very ' elite of the world,' as we have been called, are thought nothing of, I assure you, in this great foolery. We are positively looked upon as mere foplets, young Goths, or toothpicking tommies, quite insignificant fractions among so many stars and garters. I envy some of your bronze naval THE CAPTAIN. 205 and military men, tlie dauntless independent sang-froid with which they stalk about, and look and laugh at every body. By the way, there is an uncommonly pretty, lively, curious, agreeable girl staying with Lady Lovel at present, and whom I have known for some time ; she is niece to the late Lady Rickets, and sister to poor Louisa, who ran away with the Count de Souris. I don't know whether you were in England at the time ; but no sooner had the libidinous and bewitching Count insinuated himself into matrimony with her, and pocketed her cash, than he kept a mistress in the same house, married again, — and, to add to the posthumous respectability of the family, his public examination for bigamy and swindhng appeared in the newspapers the same week as his wife's death. Julia is sister to poor Lou- isa. I found her yesterday morning sighing over her album, which is a great curiosity, I assure you. The whole heathen mythology is upset on the first page: — there you behold 206 THE NIGHT WATCH. Neptune playing dominos. Mars sucking Cou- telets de mouton^ and Vulcan embroidering virgin petticoats, &c. &c. &c. She is a great lover of poets and poetry, and her book contains, as she says, verses in the real autogra- phy of half the literary lions at liberty. There you have ' love and roses,' ' bucklers,' ' blue eyes,' and 'battles;' here, 'curious Cupids,' 'Charity,' and 'variegated Venuses ;' there ' Roman ruins,"* ' Religion,' ' Greece,' green leaves,' and more ' Seasons' than ever Thomp- son had any notion of; besides, lots of songs, sentiments, waltzes, prayers, and quadrilles, together with a variety of effusions on Goths, Vandals, and sundry other natural curiosities, wound up by the very last verses of the very first poet in the world. But Juha is, I fear, d. terrible flirt — a sure sign she has little mind and no religion ; and although you know, Morland, I am a sad fellow, and a bit of a heathen, yet a woman without religion is, I think, the most pitiable thing on earth, and little worthy of THE CAPTAIN. 207 trust. After this you will hardly expect what I am going to tell you. I found Julia, as I said, sighing, but she smiled immediately on my entrance (alas ! that I have been told she casts smiles and very significant looks on every man-being who is introduced to her) : but I thought the one she bestowed on me, was the sweetest, by far the sweetest ! My vanity was flattered ; I made her an offer, was accepted, and, before I left the room, kissed the prettiest lips that ever man pressed. Impudent fellow that I was ! I blush to think of it, and really begin to fancy I am desperately in love. Julia, however, whose fortune is good, has but a poor bargain in me; for, besides my other extrava- gances, I lost next year"'s rent to her cousin Rickets last week: I told her this, but she generously said it was not of the slightest con- sequence. " On my way to the hotel, I called on a friend, intending to communicate my success. He happened to be out of the room at the time, S08 THE NIGHT WATCH. and I took up a book which was on the table, to amuse myself till he made his appearance; but judge of my sentiments, on reading words of something like the following purport : ' Who seduced Adam?' * Who fettered Samson?' ' Who contaminated David's sanctity ?' ' Who duped Solomon ?' ' Who perplexed Job more than Satan himself?' 'In whom is wickedness innate, according to Hippocrates V ' Who devises iniquity when alone, according to Li- berius ?' ' Who did Hesiod say was born to punish the human race ?' ' Whose testimony on account of levity did the Jews reject?' ' Who did Socrates say was the source of all evils?' 'Whom did St. Chrysostom call the most dangerous animals, burthens of sorrow, tempters, domestic evils, desirable sins, sweet torments ?' * Whom did Origen call the head sin, the Devil's weapon, the banishment from Paradise ?' * Whose hatred did St. Gregory say was more to be dreaded than the Devil's ?' ' Who is it, of whom it is written, that at THE CAPTAIN. {209 church and in the street they appear like angels, at home plagues, necessary evils — owls at the window, magpies at the door, toys for fools, coarse sieves for money, rocks for one"'s pa- tience, and gargling whirlpools for reason ?' ' Who is it the Christians have excluded from the pulpit, philosophers from the schools, law- yers from the bar, and Mahometans from Pa- radise ?' &c. &c. &c., and I assure you, Morland, this is but a part of the violent tirade that was written on the subject, in a very few pages of the little volume. But not all thatstufF, together with the black records of the Courts of Law and Lords, will frighten me from matrimony. I am persuad- ed that a woman will become, through kindness and attention, just what man chooses to make her ; as the old proverb has it : ' A good hus- band makes a good wife;' though it is dread- fully vulgar to quote any such common maxims, since the word adage has come into fashion ; but, joking aside, (or at least to put it there,) I shall endeavour to become good myself, and then 210 THE NIGHT WATCH. make Julia so. Upon my conscience, Morland, she is a pretty creature ! — Yes ! I must have a wife. It is very natural, isn'^t it ? ' Time on, my boy, the hour runs through the roughest day.' " Charlotte Lovel is grown a most interesting girl; report says she is to be married to Mr. Seemington, who is unremitting in his attentions. Independently of her large fortune, Charlotte would be a prize to any man — she does so much good, and in such a quiet unpretending way, so unlike those superlative pieces of sham which are often more appreciated than persons of real feeling. After such a panegyric, you perhaps might suppose that I was in love with her : not in the least, I assure you ; for although I believe there is a secret love of virtue and excellence in most dispositions, yet it is one of the ' bizarreries' of my nature to have followed an object very different from Charlotte Lovel. Apropos, Master Morland, were it not for Seemington*s pointed atten- THE CAPTAIN. Sll tions, sanctioned by her mother, I should think Charlotte was your ' aiguille aimantee,coristante mais agitee,' by the very particular inquiries she makes after you ; and when I showed her the part of your letter, where you alluded to ' Lady Lovel and her interesting daughter's kindness to you,' she blushed more than your words seemed to call for: — but do not let me lead you astray, my dear fellow ; for although there is nothing encouraging in Charlotte's manner to Mr. Seemington, yet her mother, who is bent upon the match, will leave nothing undone to accomplish it. " I am not sorry to get away from old bookworms and young literary grubs, and upon the whole am enjoying myself tolerably. Rickets is in town, and going it at a precious pace. I heard from our worthy tutor a few days ago — the scientific work which has cost him so many years' deep and laborious re- search cannot be sold to any advantage. He says, the booksellers, callous to his feelings, 212 THE NIGHT WATCH. bargain for it as they would for a leg of mutton in the market ; and that the coarse taste of the age causes them to look for fun in the manuscript, as the greasy multitude look for fat in the mutton, before they think of purchasing it. What fun for poor Mr. Barnes ! I think, eventually, you will teach the Americans that their strength is not quite equal to their audacity. Some persons have an idea that America will, at a future period, prove a thorn in the side of England ; to me, the idea seems almost as preposterous as the simile in which it is expressed. Neither a large bundle of liberty, nor a large bundle of people, can be always held together by the hand of custom. At present, America is merely a nation of merchants and seamen, and may annoy us sufficiently in that way ; but as the population increases, and wealth is acquired, the love of distinction will be generated, partial power produced, exclusive control demanded, and they will quarrel and split, probably much to THE CAPTAIN. 213 their own advantage and to the good of others ; for not all the beauty of their free constitution can alter the naturally frail constitution of man. May every success and blessing attend you, Morland ! Yours affectionately, George Dunstanville." It is not to be supposed that Morland received this letter unmoved, knowing, as he did, that his brother's character was a mixture of good* sense and folly, and susceptible of such sudden impulses as might lead him into serious difficul- ties. George was (to repeat Obadiah Sims' words) " a less sober and more sprightly per- son than Morland ;" and, according to the said worthy individual's opinion, "more fit for the King.**' George had grown to manhood, with manners that appeared to treat life as a co- medy : while Morland, accustomed to severe service, continual danger, and all the afflict- ing scenes of war, had imbibed a firm, though 214 THE NIGHT WATCH. somewhat melancholy demeanour. He conti- nued to serve abroad till the olive branch of Peace was spread over Europe, and eventually extended its pacific influence to the Western Continent. America once more shook hands with her insulted parent, and the ship in which our hero served was ordered to England, where he was shortly afterwards, through the interest of his uncle and other friends, promoted to the rank of commander : and now for a word on naval pro- motions. It has been said, and with great truth, " that there is much begging in the honourable pro- fessions;"" and in none more than the navy, where there is ample opportunity afforded for the practice of any mendicatory propensities, between the rise from midshipman to post-cap- tain. Be it known, that these applications are considered nothing derogatory, and, provided you behave well, and get on the list of posts, if you happen to have any methusalastic pro- THE CAPTAIN. 215 perties, there may be some chance of your reaching the list of rear-admirals, when you will have the honour to be as far as ever in the rear of independence. Besides the 191 admirals, vice-admirals, and rear-admirals of the red, white, and blue squad- rons of his Majesty's fleet ; when we consider that there are 806 post-captains, 844 comman- ders, and 3692 Heutenants, whose promotions and appointments have mostly been solicited for, and obtained as favours ; it will readily ap- pear that there is no department under Govern- ment where patronage may be more extensively used for political or party purposes, than at the Admiralty. That it is so used, to the entire exclusion of just claims, far be it from us to in- sinuate. Every one knows that the Board of Admiralty consists of a first lord,* two sea lords, and two lay lords, as they are termed, together with a secretary, and second secre- *This was ofcour.se written when the duties of lord high- admiral were executed by commission. 216 THE NIGHT WATCH. tary, &c. That these distinguished persons have their friends, is certain ; that they wish to serve them, is natural ; and that they do serve them, is probable ; but that they always do so, at the expense of justice and their own inte- grity, it is utterly impossible to believe of any set of men whatever, much less of those of ex- perience, rank, education, character, and talent. Let us not, however, be understood to say, that in the British navy *' There is no tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.*' But while the young naval officer is exerting himself to the utmost to establish fair claims to promotion, let not his friends forget to look at the state-politic of society, nor dream that their civic influence is unavailing in naval mat- ters; rather let them use every honourable means to procure proper applications in favour of the professional views of their progeny, lest, perchance, the full tide being THE CAPTAIN. 217 ** Neglected, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries." And, lest their children should die, like poor Peters the caterer, midshipmen at the age of thirty. •* And you, my naval friends, who have ho- nestly and faithfully served your country, — though distanced in the race for professional distinction, — let not envy touch your hearts, nor deign to enlist yourselves under the ban- ners of faction. Keep fast hold of the honour you have gained by serving from principle, and let the poet's meed of praise apply to you, along with " T'/^e noble few ! who here unbending stand Beneath life's pressure, yet bear up awhile. And what your bounded view, which only saw A little part, deem'd evil, is no more ; The storms of wintry Time will quickly pass, And one unbounded spring encircle all." VOL. 1. 218 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER XVII. There 's a bower of roses by Bendemeer's stream, And the nightiugale sings round it all the day long : In the time of ray childhood, 'twas like a sweet dream To sit in the roses and hear the birds' song. That bower and its roses I never forget ; But oft, when alone in the bloom of the year, I think is the nightingale singing there yet ? Are the roses still bright by the calm Bendemeer ? MOORE. Youth, like an evergreen, flourishes on the grateful soil of memory to the last ; and tlie recollections of our younger days, like those of the first and fairest season of the- year, cheer the wintry time of old age when the summer and autumnal tints are forgotten. There are few who live so entirely for the present, or are so indifferent to the past, as to obliterate com- THE CAPTAIN. 219 pletely the recollections of their boyhood, when the freshness of the heart extracted delight from every thing around. A favourite dog or bird, a graceful shrub, or a sequestered tree, a myrtle, or the stump of an old oak — objects animate or inanimate, often haunt the imagination through life; and the notes of a nursery song sometimes extract a tear from eyes that never wept amidst the bloody and distressing scenes of war. IMorland had the happiness to meet his bro- ther George in London, and they spent many pleasing days together in the revival of the scenes of their youth, occasionally intermixed with melancholy reflections on the incidents which had occurred in their family. George was still the same gay fellow, looking forward to be united in a few months to his Julia, who, far from breaking off the engagement on account of his debts, had liberally offered to pay them out of her fortune, which was ample. This generosity had worked a great change for the better in the disposition of her lover, and he L 2 220 THE NIGHT WATCH. set off for the country to arrange matters, full of the most prudential resolutions. On George's departure, Morland became a member of one of those Clubs which have all the merit of keeping bachelors from taverns, and married men of small incomes from their wives and families, — and where good society, a long bill of fare, and economical entertainment, are to be met with in elegant and well-arranged sa- loons, frequented alike by the valiant, the gay, the hippish, the bilious, the idle and ingenious, officers and gentlemen, " stirred up by weather and wants,'" who are in best humour about seven in the evening. A professional man seldom enters one of these convenient rendezvous without meeting friends, messmates, or acquaintance. Soldiers and sailors are to be heard relating incidents of their martial lives ; and travellers, anecdotes of their perambulations. Such recollections were frequently observed to draw the cork of the best champagne, to THE CAPTAIN. 221 open the miser's purse, unbend the philoso- pher's gravity, and move the lawyer to a smile. The sleek merchant, under such influence, ceases to remember his goods, and the doctor the good he is to do ; then smile not, gentle reader, that the soldier should forget his wounds — the sailor, storms — and that, in such enthusiastic meetings, they should seem for the moment contented and happy. The brilliant and voluptuous scenes of fa- shion, to which Morland's family connexions gave him the entree, might have proved some- what seductive to minds that gladly escape from duty to pleasure ; but to the reflecting and sound at heart, as well as to the satiated voluptuary, there are times when, ** Of all dull things, the dullest is festivity, With change of dance, chalked floors, and chandeliers. Tormenting with tyrannical activity Your unprotected eyes and passive ears." It was with such occasional feelings that our hero enjoyed the first, relished the second, and 222 THE NIGHT WATCH. tolerated the last part of the spring in London, and was at one of those hot, crowded parties, where the blossoms of English nobility were giving the finishing touch to the beauty which had withered with the season. Some succeeded in their efforts to be lively ; but by far the greater number yawned, gaped, and lounged about with irksome feelings and manners, in vain endeavouring to rouse them- selves from apathy, by swallowing cold and re- freshing things ; but their spirits, instead of being invigorated, lay buiied in melted ice. Tired of the party, Morland gladly accepted the invitation of a lady, with whom he was ac- quainted, to accompany her to the Opera, along with her son, a youth of seventeen, and her niece, a pretty girl somewhat older, and more- over an heiress. Here, instead of noise and hot rooms, they had quietness and a private box, and en- joyed music mixed with enough trash to set off some of the most touching passages that ever harmony and melody produced. THE CAPTAIN. The Opera finlslied,- they left the young " Roues," and old voluptuaries, to be enrap- tured with the graceful indecencies of the dance, and all those stretches, jumps, and. spiral t\\drls, which are wont to call forth the applause of men of taste. As they were proceeding through the lobby, towards the door, Morland escorting the aunt, preceded by the younger couple, a very su- perb-looking beau, apparently carrying more wine than manners, staggered against his young friend, and then most impertinently ogled the frightened girl who held his arm, ejaculating to a mustached personage near him, " A devilish pretty creature, 'pon my soul, George !'* Mor- land, nettled at such impertinence and ill- breeding, stepped forward, and taking him by the arm, which still held his gold-mounted glass to his eye, he pulled it down, and desired him to desist from such intrusion. The en- raged beau was proceeding in the use of violent threats, when the police, who are never more active, watchful, and zealous, than when ac- S24 THE NIGHT WATCH. commodating persons of distinction, very pro- perly interrupted the disputants, who hastily exchanged cards; and Morland, after seeing the ladies to their carriage, retired to the hotel, where, a little before one in the morning, Lord Frederick Merton, in mustaches, was an-- nounced. Lord Frederick was a member of a good- natured family, who had the method of being in debt from generation to generation, and whose motto was, '' toujour s gai^ toujour s loyal -^^ but, on the present occasion, he came with a grave message from the Honourable Mr. Brandenburg, demanding an apology, or a meeting in the morning. Morland immediately referred him to his friend, Captain Rochdale, who was then in his apartments, and to whom he had communi- cated the whole affair. Rochdale, who was a person of high connexions, aristocratical notions, and blunt manners, instantly determined that Mr. Brandenburg was the aggressor, conse- THE CAPTAIN. 225 quently rather intitled to punishment than an apology, and ** certainly none he should have from any friend of his," Lord Frederick therefore departed, having named " six in the morning, in the hollow behind Primrose Hill, where the footpaths branch towards Hampstcad and Highgate." " Who is this Mr. Brandenburg V inquired Morland, when Lord Frederick had left the room. " I will tell you in a few words," replied Rochdale : — '* He is one of those licensed liber- tines of high life, who, to rescue their name from oblivion, strive to place it on the records of vice and valour, by setting the fashion in seduction, dress, and duels. You'll do the community a particular service, Dunstanville, by working an eyelet hole in him. I ""d willingly change places with you for the purpose, as he shot a friend of mine. He likes the sport for notoriety's sake, and is, moreover, a great black- guard ; but as he's blood, and you must, for L 5 THE NIGHT WATCH. the honour of the profession, fight him, I '11 go and prepare my pistols. Good night ; I shall wake you in time i'"* and so saying, the captain left his friend to soliloquize over his situation. In mentally considering the subject of duel- ling, Morland at first thought correctly of this worst of feudal legacies of our ancestors. " The person," he argued to himself, " who risks a great deal to prove nothing, is justly termed a fool ; a truly wise man would there- fore never fight a duel ; and a truly brave and good one would have no occasion to do so, be- cause it requires more moral courage to refuse than to accept a challenge. Duelling is con- sequently to be attributed to the animal and more contemptible part of our nature, to a weakness which prefers the opinion of society to principle, worldly fame to future glory. " The brightest honour of a good man is to fulfil the laws of God, and respect those of a free country. The duty of a Christian is to suf- fer patiently. Killing a fellow- creature neither proves the guilt or innocence of the parties con- THE CAPTAIN. 227 cerned. It is too true," (continued he, musing to himself,) " this system is the means of awing the turbulent, polishing the indifferent, and occa- sionally of keeping society within those bounds commonly designated good manners ; but still there is no merit in fighting a duel, as it proves nothing ; and every-day occurrences show that the debauchee, the hypocrite, the infidel, the seducer, the drunkard, the liar, and the fool, can pull a trigger. Even the very coward can stand forth on such an occasion ; for al- though honour and charity place the myriads of erring balls which are sent whizzing ob- liquely from trembling lumps of mortality at twelve paces to the account of windage or hu- manity, common sense occasionally takes leave to place the obliquity to fear. " There are some cases, however," thought Morland, " in which duelling seems but a de- fence of property ; but even then can the death of a villain restore the chastity of a wife, or the honour of a sister ? But what if an officer is termed a coward, or a liar," thought he, as he THE NIGHT WATCH. commenced a wrong train of reasoning : " cou- rage and truth are necessary to the maintenance of his professional character ; deprive him of either, and he is rendered unfit for his situation. The laws of the service and the country, it is true, condemn duelling ; but men, custom, and society, hold these laws so cheap, that the per- son who refuses to fight a duel is scouted. What are such laws then, when not support- ed by the opinion of society ? mere words — therefore, I am obliged to fight."" Thus, though Morland condemned resenting the more aggravated cases of insult and injury, he, like many others, deceived himself by false arguments, making his own case an exception ; and, as a last miserable argumentative subter- fuge, had recourse to the beautiful, but often abused and misapplied sentiment, *' Who steals my purse, steals trash ; 'tis somethhig, nothing ; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands ; But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed." THE CAPTAIN. 229 This finished the contemplation of the harass- ing subject, and a rap at the door announced Captain Rochdale with " those levellers of all odds'" — the pistols, and leaves us only to ex- claim, '' Poor human nature !" 230 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER XVIII. Bigoted to this idol, we disclaim Rest, health, and ease, for nothing but a name. POPE. The morning had dawned, the air was clear, still, and balmy, and there was a ruddy fresh- ness on the cheek of the labourers, as they pur- sued their way to their daily occupations, in that most beautiful of London pleasure-grounds, the Regent's Park. The scene was yet uninterrupted by the gay, but idle multitude, which flock to the cockney mountain as the day advances. The nearer outlines of the great metropolis, free from smoke, could be distinctly traced, and the city seemed still buried in repose. The mist, hang- THE CAPTAIN. 231 ing over the distant hills, gave a soft and tran- quil hue to the landscape, corresponding well with the solemn silence that now reigned over a spot containing, perhaps, more dead and living inhabitants than any other capital in the world. There was much in this silence. As the chaise in which Morland and his friend were seated rattled through the streets, now deserted by all but dogs and watchmen, feelings of compunc- tion occasionally entered the mind of our hero, as he recollected the unfortunate affair he was engaged in, and glanced at the instruments of death which lay beside him. Arrived near the foot of the hill, they left the vehicle to the charge of the coachman, who, though shrewdly suspecting their purpose, remained a quiet spectator, it being a maxim with him ''never to spoil sport." They presently reached the summit of the rising ground, from whence they perceived three persons approaching hastily through the fresh and dripping grass, towards the appointed spot. 232 THE NIGHT WATCH. As they came near. Lord Frederick and Mr. Brandenburg were recognized, the latter gen- tleman pulling out his watch, and .saying " Punctual to a minute ! no shycock ! — ask his second, Frederick, if his friend still determines not to apologize for the push he gave me last night." Lord Frederick immediately walked towards Captain Rochdale, and demanded to know if Captain Dunstanville still persevered in his obstinacy not to make an apology. " My friend's opinions," replied Rochdale, " are not liable to sudden chancres — his senti- CD ments are the same as last night ; and if my notion on the subject is worth any thing, I tell you candidly, I think Mr. Brandenburg de- served more than he received. There,'' con- tinued the unaccommodating captain, "'tis level to the East and West : the sun is napping, and there is no advantage in hght : which side do you choose for Mr. Brandenburg ? measure the ground and we shall be content." His Lordship now stepped out twelve very THE CAPTAIN. 233 humane paces, and Mr. Brandenburg walked to the position at which his second stopped, Mor- land taking that from which he had proceeded. The pistols had been already taken from their cases and loaded by the seconds, ** Here, Dunstanville," said Captain Rochdale, presenting one of his Manton's, " take that, 'tis a fellow that never deceived me. Cast your eye to the right, and when I let fall my hand- kerchief, fire ! 'tis the signal agreed upon." Lord Frederick having performed a similar office to Mr. Brandenburg, took a station a few yards distant from the captain, who then raised his handkerchief with a steady hand. The eyes of the principals were intently fixed upon him ; — the bloody signal fell suddenly, and was instantly followed by the flashes and reports of the pistols. As the smoke blew away from Morland's face, he observed his adversary's weapon fall from his hand, and before his second could reach him, he staggered back a few paces, then placed his left hand on his breast, and with a countenance 234 THE NIGHT WATCH. writhing with sudden pain, he cast his eyes on heaven and fell to the earth. The surgeon who was in attendance now ran to his assistance; while Captain Rochdale, whose nerves were never known to be shaken on any occasion whatever, merely exclaimed, "Pinked!" and walking quietly to the spot to know if any thing more was to be done, he returned to Morland, saying, " The doctor thinks you have done him, and it is time for us to be off." " Take me where you will," replied his heart- stricken friend ; " but first let me have Branden- burg's forgiveness." " My good fellow !" said the Captain, " he can neither see nor speak ; but do you, as we used to say at school, ' crede te habere et habes."^ The ball, which had struck Mr. Brandenburg in his right shoulder so near to the body, caused such a profuse flow of blood and severe pain, as left much doubt as to the result, and he was borne in an almost lifeless state to his carriage. Morland, after requesting the surgeon to in- THE CAPTAIN. 235 form him of the result bjr a letter addressed to the care of his agent, stepped into the chaise with the captain, who, on their arrival at their hotel, suggested their immediate departure for Dover, and thence to Calais, '" till the thing," as he called it, " should blow over.** Our hero's mind was in agonies at the un- happy termination of this affair, and he could not help contrasting his present painful feelings as victor, to the enthusiasm he had experienced when successful in the cause of his country. He would now have given the world to have been enabled to recall the act which was to entail the bitterest repentance during the re- mainder of his existence. " Fool that I was I" he inwardly exclaimed, " to purchase misery by the folly of preserving a name which can now give me no pleasure ; a name which, even if it were pleasing in the sight of man, is detestable to God, and to myself. — Oh! horrible, horrible!" Two days after their arrival at Calais, Mor- land was not made more easy by the affair in S36 THE NIGHT WATCH. which he had been unhappily engaged being men- tioned in the newspapers, under the head of " a fatal duel." Captain Rochdale, whose despotic and aristocratical family failings had been nursed Tather than checked in the naval profession, came to Morland with the newspaper in his hand, swearing "it was enough to drive a man of honour mad, and put duelHng out of fashion for ever. Here," says he, "is an account of a meeting between two statesmen ; that is well enough; then follows our's ; but what, think you, comes next ? — ' On Monday an affair of honour took place between Mr. W. (?'. e. double you) an attorney'*s clerk, and Mr. H. (or Ache) a sur- geon's apprentice. The parties having ex- changed harmless shots, the affair was amicably settled. The dispute is supposed to have arisen respecting the favour of Angelina, a well-known beauty at the bar.' " This is not all : — ' The same day a meet- ing took place between Mr. L. a linendraper, and Mr. T. a grocer ; the disagreement arising THE CAPTAIN. 237 out of the settlement of their sundry accounts. The parties, having been members of a volun- teer corps, used his Majesty's pistols on the occasion; but, whether from windage or other fortuitous circumstances common at such times, three rounds were fired without effect, when Mr. Froth, the pastrycook, switched in, cooked the matter up, and the parties dined together afterwards at the Blue Boar.' " This is an infernal bore ! is it not ?''' ex- claimed the Captain. " Here we are on the lists with six-and-eightpenny quill-drivers and mortar-beating, tape - measuring, tea- dealing scoundrels ! 'Tis enough to put honour to shame. I '11 lay by my Joe Manton's, and for ever swear that the signification of pop, pop, is fop, fop." *' My mind is made up," said Morland ; '' not from th'ese remarks with which you are so net- tled, but from a sense of right and wrong, and in obedience to a distinct command of Chris- tianity. Nothing shall induce me to fight ano- S38 THE NIGHT WATCH. ther duel ; and I sincerely hope Brandenburg will recover, or I shall be a miserable man. Besides, after all, Rochdale, there is nothing more faulty and scarcely more ludicrous in the persons of whom you have been reading, fighting duels, than the members of our profession, or those in higher stations of life. They fought, I suppose, from some imaginary feelings of honour, and we do the same ; but, upon reflection, we may all be considered fools for risking our lives to prove nothing. There can be no real honour in any action which is positively wrong." The following week Morland, relieved by a letter from the surgeon, informing him that Mr. Brandenburg was out of danger, and gra- dually recovering his spirits and tranquiUity of mind, set out with Captain Rochdale on a short tour in France. Rather than follow Lady Lovel through her annual changes of residence, to exclaim in the country about all the enchanting things in town, and in town about the delights of the dear THE CAPTAIN. 239 country, &c. &c., we prefer hearing of our ru- ral acquaintance through a much more humble channel; namely, the elegant correspondence of our communicative, honest friend, Sally Bid- dikin, which continued to be carried on with the same loving, evermore unto death kind of feelings towards Sir Jerry Tryal's dairymaid. '' Dear Dolly, " A scuttle-full of thanks to you for all the news you sent me about Sir Jerry, his family, and the sarvants. My Lady's house has been full o^' company ever since the Hellection be- gan — and there's Mr. Bull calHng Mr. Fisher shark, and Mr. Fisher so calling Mr. Bull box, that they says hell take the cozv and be off ; but Robert says it is all the pot and the kettle, whilk are both black as black, blustering, boil- ing, and gluttering on every hand that tries to take them off; but he says they 're both nat- trels if they thinks to hox the people with their froth. Now that's tickler clever of Robert: 240 THE NIGHT WATCH. and there 's Robert's son, what is a nattrel in a nuther way, is going to the Mick-Nick's Instate, and tho' he is what he is, he 's been a Lancasteran Bell, and has larned to write in the sand, and knows fielassoyfie, and I 'ze sure on 't he '11 puzzle the great uns, for I never hard no sense come from em. " They says, as how, the kirnel of the mil- lishee is hav'n a sored resented to un, for his gallant and weterian sarvices in the war, tho' he 's never been out of the land, never a bit on im ; and the captain of the wolluntears has gotten a candle and brass for the very same thing ; and the farmers has given Mr. Obadiah Sims a bit of plate for the tickler hand-sum man- ner he always deceived the Rants. — Lud ! Lud ! Robert says he '11 never clean plate more ! " And there 's the carpenter and the black- smith, and Luke Snip and the cobler, going to join the clubs, to get law and as much mo- ney as they likes for their work, and their wives have all on 'em got silk gowns. Luke THE CATTAIN. 241 says he ""ll never touch thimniel or needle under a ginney ; and there 's our gardener got the real goolden premum for a pumpkin, such a big un ! — and there's Mister Barns, good man as he is, what no body understands, still talk- ing about his stony primitives and secondaries, and his Ant Luvian's curis world ; and there 's Mister George Dunstanville at home, and I knowed he would get no good at Hoakford, for Robert says he never talks no sense yet, but laughs at every thing and every body, and cares nothing for nobody : but they says he 's to be marrowed to a lady of fortin. He 's far over much still with- Mr. Ricketts, for Will the wallet hard him tell him that he 'd larn him to go the pace. " Lud, lud ! they says Mr. Rickets is riggarly through his fortin, and more than through it, for he's up to his years in debt; and there's gage upon gage on his land, though he still keeps it, and rants and rattles away as afore- said, and that's tickler curis : but he'll have his VOL. I. M 242 THE KIGHT WATCH. run, you'll see if he hasn't, as I always telled you ; but I 'm going to let you into a tickler secret. My young lady's made, Feebee, what is far over fond of Will the wallet — but that 's between ourselves, — says her young mistress she is sure is in love with dear Master Morland, the whilk they saw at Plymouth a man grown ; for she is so tickler curis in asking about ships, and never sleeps now, Feebee says, in windy weather — and Feebee saw a tear drop from her young mistress's eye upon the newspaper one day, and she was maised and took up the paper afterwards — and sure enough, there she saw dear Master Morland's name all blotted. I'ze not sure, if peace lasts and they comes into one and nother's company but there'll be matrimonial Himin between um ; but such a deliked parson as my lady's young lady, is not a bit fit fort, I'ze sure Dolly : but lud ! lud ! that I should live to hear the day that dear Master Morland had fitten and killed a man in a dool ! Mercy on us ! I'll not believe it though THE CAPTAIN. 243 the papers say so, and everybody says so. It would be a pity if he couldn't have quietness on land, after fighting on the sea, though I wish he had done with it ; for if he was to come off with a wooden leg and all them there sort of things, it would be tickler hard for my lady's young lady. " Robert's son, (what is a nattrel, but don't tell him so,) will put my Mem Random to you next thursday week — so now I am no more at present, from your ever and ever till death, Sally Biddikin. *'' P. S. Mercy on' us ! mercy on us ! mercy on us ! there's a man just told us that Mister George Dunstanville is— no, no, I'll not say it, I cannot — will not — believe. It shall not be — but — I am in such a quandary, Dolly!" The ambiguity of the preceding expressions will be explained by the following account of a scene similar to those with which it is probable 244 THE NIGHT WATCH. many of our readers are either familiar by re- lation or actual participation. How many descriptions of the chase have been written since the days of Sommerville, it is impossible to say ; and there is no knowing how many more may be produced, since they are so much in fashion. It is true, they are all full of hounds, horses and huntsmen ; but, as no two foxes run the same way, it is not intended to offer any apology for the following account. It was a fine fresh spring morning, when the hunt met early on the western side of a deep craggy dell, through which ran a turbu- lent but narrow stream, rioting among the frag- ments of rocks which formed its rugged bed. The sides of this northern picturesque fox- cover were interspersed with dwarf oak, beech, birch, and hazel, bottomed by brambles, briars, and occasional patches of furze, the favourite haunts of the wary fox, when barred from his more secure retreat in the earths near the foot of the crags. The whippers-in had already reached their THE CAPTAIN. 245 Stations at sundry angles about the wood, where, and on the bridge at the upper end of the vale, sportsmen were collecting from differ- ent quarters. Young lordlings, squires, and farmer foplets, in smart red coats, were seen in all directions, patting the smooth, dappled, shining skins of their prancing '' bits of blood,'''* and occasionally casting a satisfactory glance over their snowwhite breeches and jet-polished boots; while the more experienced sportsmen, in well-stained frocks, slunk about the cover in desperate array, mounted on horses accustomed to the work, whose very elegant, sober mien and action told at -once, to use Mr. Rickets' words, that " they could go the pace." Neither let us forget the old Lords, and the venerable and more humble aspirants to the chase, who hobbled about the cover with hearts elate, on quiet Pontacks and Dobbins, amidst groups of grinning, enthusiastic pedestrians, who loudly insisted that the fox would go with the wind, which of course was on their side. There was a glow of health and pleasure 246 THE KIGHT WATCH. on every countenance. The motley- coloured houndvS arrived, and stood gazing at the wood. The master of the hunt, an exquisite and vete- ran piece of " varment^'' made his appearance. " Good morning to ye, gentlemen,'' said he, raising himself in his stirrups and looking joy- fully around ; then holding up his hand, and calling the attention of the hounds by a well- known " Oh, ho ! — over ! over !" and they dashed through the thorny margin of the dell, and were out of sight in an instant. Presently they were seen as if upon " a doubt- ful drag," rustling and working their way up the opposite side of the vale. Soon they were observed feathering up the declivity towards the foot of a projecting crag. The octave note of Ringwood was first heard — "Ringwood !" hal- looed the noble huntsman, — and the other hounds were seen dashing towards the sound, brushing away the dew from the green-liveried brambles and dripping wild-briars. "Ring- wood !" called the master of the hunt, as the THE CAPTAIN. 247 cry of the leading hound was again heard, and the horses snorted and pricked up their ears. Then followed the deeper note of another hound — succeeded by another, another, and another, till the joyous thrilling gamut of the whole pack burst through the wood, and " Hark, to Ringwood V was the cry. *' Tally- ho r was echoed from the opposite side, and away burst Reynard at full view, amidst the echoing notes of hounds and horn, mingHng with the view-hollo and loud shouts of joy, M^hich rang" through the vale. *' Now, my brave youths Stripp'd for the chace, give all your souls to joy ; See how their coursers, than the mountain roe More fleet, the verdant carpet skim ; thick clouds Snorting they breathe ; their shining hoofs scarce print The grass unbruised : with emulation fired. They strain to leave the field, top the barr'd gate. O'er tlie deep ditch exulting bound, and bru.sh The thorny twining hedge: the riders bend, Indulge their speed, or moderate their rage. Where are their sorrows, disappointments, wrongs. Vexations, sickness, cares ? All, all are gone, And with the panting winds lag far behind.'* J^48 THE NIGHT WATCH. Stop ! gentle reader ; there is a trampling .of horses down the declivity, towards the foam- ing eddies of the stream, at the bottom of the dell. George Dunstanville had arrived at its margin — the cry of the hounds was drowned by its noise among the shelving rocks — the sides were steep: Rickets had crossed, nor looked behind; George assayed to follow his example; but the furious steed, galled by the spur, made a desperate plunge into the centre of the rush- ing waters, and fell mutilated among the foam ; throwing at the same moment his unfortunate rider with sudden violence against a sharp- edged rock on the opposite side. The blow was but too fatal : his head, which had sustained it, lay upon the rock bathed in gore, while the rest of his body was drenched in the furious stream ; and as life departed, the right hand, which in the first agonies of pain had seized a shrub in the cleft of the rock, re- leased its grasp, and sunk into the water by his side. THE CAPTAIN. 249 George's body was conveyed home by some countrymen who happened to pass near the spot shortly after the fatal catastrophe. As they entered the park-gate, they were met by old Pearce, accompanied by poor Carlo. The old domestic wept, and the dog howled piteously, then, as well as when the bell tolled for his funeral. The accident had little effect on the mem- bers of the hunt: they killed their fox. dined, and got drunk together. Some, blessed with fat contentedness, sat blinking, smiling, smudg- ing, and enjoying all the peculiar delights of becoming inebriated quietly ; while others finish- ed the matter more quickly over broiled bones, devils, and blue ruin,— singing Nancy Dawson, reeling, staggering, hicupping, and hunting to bed,—" To 'im !" " haiet !" " Hark't, Ring- wood !" "eyaf "Merrylass!" "Lifter! Oh, hoo !" " away !'' " Tallyho !" " poor George !' *' woo woop P' M 5 250 THE NIGHT WATCH. (( CHAPTER XIX. Arbre charmant;, qui me rappelles, Ceux ou Maman grava son nom ! Ruisseaux limpides, beaux vallons, En vous voyant, je cherche Estelle : O souvenir cruelle et doux ! Laissez-moi_, laissez-moi_, que me voulez-vous ?" It was not till Morland arrived in England, which was more than a month after the death of his brother, that he heard of the melan- choly event, by a letter from his steady and worthy friend, Mr. Barnes, who, instead of addressing his communications to the care of Morland's agent, had directed it to the hotel, where it remained till his return. By a note of a later date from his reverend friend, he learned that his brother's funeral had THE CAPTAIN. 251 taken place ; but that it would be necessary for him to hasten to the country, in order to ar- range certain matters respecting the property, which he, Mr. Barnes, did not think prudent to communicate by letter. Morland's health was so much affected by his late anxiety, and the distressing intelligence of his brother's death, that he was not enabled to leave his room for several weeks afterwards ; but, so soon as he was convalescent, set out on his melancholy errand to the country. Clad in deep mourning, and absorbed in the most gloomy reflections, he alighted from the mail at the end of the road which led to his native village, and pursued his way thither on foot. His rap at the door was answered by the bark of Carlo ; and as old Pearce opened it, the faithful animal jumped, fawned, and wagged his tail with all the strength age had left him ; while the tears flowed down the wrinkled cheeks of the old domestic, as he showed his young 252 THE NIGHT WATCH. master into the room from whence poor George departed, on the fatal morning, to return no more. With the aid of Mr, Barnes, the papers re- lative to the estate were examined, together with George's private accounts, memorandums, &c., from which it appeared that there were so many outstanding debts, and such numerous pressing applications having been made from the creditors, that Morland resolved on its im- mediate sale, reserving only the house and the lawn. From his tutor he also learned, that Mr. Rickets was ruined by his extravagance, and, on his going to London, had been arrested, and was now in prison. Each successive visit Morland paid to his home was more gloom}' than the last — the sight of every familiar object more painful ; — and he wandered, day after day, about the se- cluded grounds with much such feelings as the poet describes : — THE CAPTAIN. 253 When I remember all The friends so linked together, I've seen around me fall Like leaves in wintry weather, I feel like one Who treads alone Some banquet-hall deserted, Whose lights are fled, Whose garlands dead, And all but me departed ! ITius in tlie stilly night. Ere slumber's chain has bound me. Sad memory brings the light Of other days around me." Lady Lovel and her daughter, who were now residing at their country-seat, had seen the newspaper report of the duel ; and also, by one of those confidential epistolary communica- tions, whose contents are passed from relation to friend, from friend to acquaintance, and from acquaintance to various other confiding persons lower in the amiable gamut of society, as positive secrets, had heard that Captain Dunstanville would shortly lead to the hyme. neal altar the accomplished (and beautiful of 954 THE NIGHT WATCH. course) lady, in whose presence the late quarrel took place. This epistle was given to Char- lotte to read, who very unconsciously perused it twice, and then folded it up the wrong way before returning it to her mother. George Dunstanville had latterly been in the habit of visiting the Lovels frequently, and his sudden death, combined with the circumstance of his engagement to Julia, had affected them much ; which feelings, Morland'*s absence from his brother's funeral, on account of the unfor- tunate affair in which he was at that time en- gaged, did not tend to ameliorate. They knew nothing of our hero's arrival in the neighbour- hood ; but Lady Lovel, having observed the estate advertised for sale, determined in her morning's drive to inquire the cause, of Mr. Barnes; and they were proceeding down the vale for that purpose, when perceiving a person, whom they took for the curate, musing near the river, they ahghted from the carriage, and walked down the footpath towards him. THE CAPTAIN. 2$5 The noise of the stream, rippling among the pebbles, prevented their footsteps being heard ; and it was not till a voice uttered the name of Mr. Barnes, that Morland started from his re- very, turned suddenly round, and saw Lady Lovel and her daughter. The recognition was easy, though his emaci- ated countenance and careworn features might have puzzled them in any other place. " Our meeting, like our parting," said Mor- land, (after having received the friendly greet- ing of the ladies,) " is to me accompanied by so many painful circumstances, that I am as little able to speak to ypu now, as when I last bid you adieu at Plymouth." " We are heartily sorry for this sudden in- terruption," replied Lady Lovel; " but, in truth, we took you for Mr. Barnes : allow me, how- ever, the privilege of an old friend, and pray, so soon as your spirits will admit, come to us for a few days — it will do you good." It is difficult to say whether Morland or 256 THE NIGHT WATCH. Charlotte was most affected by this sudden meeting ; but few words passed on their way to the vehicle, which drove off when the ladies had entered. " How pale and unhappy poor Captain Dun- stanville looks !"" said Lady Lovel to her daughter, as they journeyed homeward ; " there is something so distressing in the events which have taken place, tliat I cannot help feeling deeply for him." '' He is indeed much to be pitied,*" repHed Charlotte ; " and when I look at him, I can scarcely suppose any fiery passion could debase such a person, or urge him to lift his hand to murder a fellow-creature ; and yet the news- papers assert, and his appearance confirms the report of his duel. But then the death of his brother !" " Poh ! poh ! my dear !'' said Lady Love] ; *' depend upon it, the mildest-looking men are always the most determined ; but as to debasing himself, as you call it, by fighting a due), it THE CAPTAIN. 257 is no more than a man of fashion or spirit, and especially belonging to an honourable profes- sion, was obliged to do ; the world think the more of him for it." "But can the world clear the conscience?" replied Charlotte, " or impart any of its smiles to the heart stricken with repentance for break- ing the laws of God ?" " Oh ! repentance is quite another thing, Charlotte," said Lady Lovel, whose mind (to which, if her countenance was a true barometer) hovered, at that moment, between maternal ap- probation of rectitude, and sentiments of a less worthy nature, imbibed by habit and prejudice in favour of a world she had relished, and still clung to as her all. " Do you know any thing of the lady men- tioned in the letter you received ?" asked Char- lotte, without turning her face towards her mother. " Nothing," returned Lady Lovel, " except that she is reported to be rich and handsome ; ^58 THE NIGHT WATCH. and, for Captain Dunstanville's sake, I hope the report may be true."" '* What age is she ?" asked Charlotte. " Twenty, or a little more ; perhaps about your own age, though she has been out these two seasons, and, I am told, has had several ad- vantageous offers in point of connexion ; and^ with her fortune, that is infinitely preferable to marrying the rich plebeian I pointed out to you before we left town; for these kind of people are always inflicted, you know, with a disagree- able kind of stupid conscious inferiority.'' The vehicle having reached the door of the mansion put an end to the conversation, and Charlotte retired to her room uneasy at she did not know what ; and while gazing on the beau- tiful landscape from her window, she was at last surprised by tears dimming all its beauties. Morland, having decided on a plan for the arrangement of his brother''s affairs, called at the mansion for the purpose of apprising Lady Lovel that he would pass a few days of the fol- THE CAPTAIN. 259 lowing week with her, when he received a second series of thanks for the service he had rendered the ladies at Plymouth, " for," said Lady Lovel, " the child who was bitten by the dog, after showing those strange and unaccountable symp- toms of abhorrence to liquids, actually became afflicted with that most dreadful of maladies, hydrophobia, and died." "Had it not been," replied Morland, "for the pecuhar symptoms you mention, and that the unfortunate sufferer was a child, I should have been tempted to believe that its madness was occasioned by fear and the workings of the imagination, as the poor dog's might well have been by the roaring of the violent crew which followed him." Lady Lovel, whose curiosity could not remain long dormant, now took up the newspaper which lay on the table, and turning to the advertisement of the estate, before alluded to, said, "Excuse me, Captain Dunstanville, for ask- ing if that is done by your authority ?" 260 THE NIGHT WATCH. Morland coloured deeply, but in a minute afterwards replied, " It certainly is ; and as I can have no wish to keep my motive secret from my friends, I will frankly tell you, it was so encumbered as to be valueless to me."" " How ! valueless to you, Captain Dunstan- ville ? You are not answerable for others' debts." " Pardon me the explanation," said Morland : " debts have been contracted, I have decided on paying them ; and, ere this, the estate, except the house and the lawn, for which I have a lingering family predilection, has another owner." " Oh," said Lady Lovel, ** that accounts for Sims'* absence to-day ; for there is not a sale within twenty miles but he attends, and yet I am not aware that he buys any thing." Morland now took his leave, having received a most pressing invitation to spend some time with his kind friends. At dinner that day, the conversation turned on the unfortunate affairs of the Dunstanvilles. " Poor George !" said one of the party to Lady THE CAPTAIN. S6l Lovel : " he was a gay youth, exceedingly quick, but somewhat corrupted by that clever knot of vipers he met at College, He has ruined his brother, whose conduct in selling the estate is more than any one expected ; and, though le- gally he had no right to pay many of the debts, he has sacrificed every thing to good and honest principles ; and the estate is now the property of that very singular and secondary formation," as Mr. Barnes would say, * Obadiah Sims."* " "Sims! Sims! Sims l" ejaculated her Lady- ship; "Sims had no orders from me to purchase it." " But Sims has bought it for himself, my Lady." "Sims! Sims! Sims!" again exclaimed Lady Lovel ; " Sims have money! Sims purchase an estate ! Sims est coquin, I fear." " Whom does your Ladyship mean ?^' said the former speaker. " I mean my agent, Mr. Sims," replied Lady Lovel : " where could he get the money ? It is very extraordinary!" S62 THE NIGHT WATCH. *' There are many ways and many means of getting money," said Lord Seemington, " but I am really glad to hear so good an account of Captain Dunstanville. He had nearly been of much service to the comm unity, the other day, by ridding it of that nuisance, Brandenburg; but the fellow is unfortunately recovered, though now as civil as an orange, and something of that jealous complexion. I hope it is true that Miss M * * * looks upon Dunstanville with such a favourable eye as is reported, for she is a very excellent creature/' When Morland arrived at Lady LovePs on the day appointed, the company had all de- parted, for her Ladyship was not wanting in consideration for the feehngs of her guest ; and as she really felt she owed some good- will to our hero, his stay in her hospitable mansion was rendered agreeable by every means in her power. There was a certain seriousness in Char- lotte's manner and conversation, added to a ^THE CAPTAIN. . 263 naturally thoughtful disposition, which, under our hero's present circumstances had an irre- sistible charm ; and it is not surprising that reciprocal feelings of esteem should spring out of their frequent interchange of sentiments du- ring their daily walks and rides in company with Lady Lovel. Morland very soon looked upon Charlotte as the most amiable, sensible, nay beautiful girl he had ever seen; and Charlotte, from the first, thouglit Morland a very superior person ; be- sides, the service he had seen in the cause of his country, his honourable conduct towards George's creditors, and the severe losses and trials to which he had been subjected, rendered him most attractive to her ; but, the imagina- tion ever sensitive when the affections are con- cerned, Dunstanville thought he occasionally perceived a kind of distrust in her manner towards him, and, without considering the pro- priety or impropriety of asking questions on such subjects, (for, notwithstanding his admira- 264 THE NIGHT WATCH. tion, he was not yet aware that his sentiments were those of love,) he availed himself of an opportunity, when Lady Lovel passed the morn- ing in her own room, of making inquiries on the subject. The most social of all meals is an English breakfast, where health, refreshed by rest, brings her natural flow of spirits into friendly converse ; and Charlotte was presiding at the cheerful- looking well-furnished board, when Morland commenced the conversation by say- ing, " You will probably think it very odd, and possibly impertinent, when 1 tell you I occa- sionally observe something like distrust towards me, — certainly not always, but incidentally, — and I am anxious to know the cause. Have I offended you ?" Charlotte blushed deeply at the discovery of her sentiments by her manner; but, unwilling to let this opportunity pass without having an explanation on a subject which frequently in- truded itself on her mind, she said, " You have THE CAPTAIN. ^65 not offended me, Captain Dun&tan\ille ; but, I own, I sometimes feel a secret horror on the subject of your duel." '' If you knew," replied Dunstanville, " how much I have suffered on that account, you would rather pity than condemn me, and I don't think any circumstance would induce me to fight another ; for it is a resolution I made when under the tormenting thought that I was the murderer of Mr. Brandenburg — a term which, on examination, I was obliged to apply to myself. But Brandenburg, I am rejoiced to say, is recovered, and I can now tell you every particular with coolness." " Pray do !" replied Charlotte, with some eagerness. Our hero then related the circumstances, which are already known to the reader, adding, as some palliation, that as he had reason to respect the ladies with whom he was at the Opera, though certainly not one more than another, as had been falsely reported, he felt VOL. I. N ^66 THE NIGHT WATCH. himself bound to protect them from insult ; and hearing afterwards of the notorious charac- ter of Mr. Brandenburg, who doubtlessly would have calumniated his name, had he refused to give him a meeting, he acted according to the advice of Captain Rochdale, "in order to preserve that which, you may be sure, on every account is dear to me, — my character; but, I am bound to say, the method I took is neither justifiable by the laws of God or man." *' I am rejoiced to hear you think so justly on the subject," said Charlotte; "for though the world may think better of you for having done so, yet you will allow the world is not the best judge in all cases." Morland could not help feeling that his expla- nation had dispelled every appearance of dis- trust in the lovely girl, whose conversation and conduct attached him more and more; while Charlotte had, during the elucidation, heard more than she asked respecting the ladies at THE CAPTAIN. S67 the Opera, though not more than she wished, and evidently appeared happier than usual. By one of those sudden turns of mind pecu- liar to some constitutions, the ensuing day our hero was led to reflect on the awkward dilemma he was placing himself in by his growing attach- ment, nay decided love, for the interesting crea- ture, in whose society he seemed to forget every thing else ; and it was this circumstance that led him to examine how far he was justified in indulg- ing such an attachment. Lady Lovel was known to favour the pretensions of Mr. Seemington, and as he had no rank or property to compete with that gentleman, a refusal from the mother would be certain ; besides, an offer at that time, under the present circumstances of his situation, was quite out of the question, and at any pe- riod, he had enough family pride to render a refusal bitterly degrading. For some time he hesitated with the most conflicting emotions ; but at last determined to depart, and again seek employment in his profession. N 2 268 THE NIGHT WATCH. In order to avoid all inquiries, he resolved not to acquaint his hostess till his tilbury was at the door the following morning, though his restless and agitated appearance did not escape Charlotte's observation ; and when the vehicle did arrive at the appointed hour, the very means he had taken to avoid explanation, or telling a falsehood, were those likely to draw him into much the same sort of thing — evasion. Charlotte stood motionless when he announced his intention to leave, and Lady Lovel exclaim- ed, "Why so suddenly, Captain Dunstanville?" Morland, forgetting that this was a natural question, depart how he might, had prepared no answer, but stammered and looked silly. Naturally averse to falsehood and evasion, in taking Lady liOvePs hand, he said — "The truth would offend you, and falsehood would offend us both ; therefore, pardon me any explanation ; but be assured of my gratitude for your kind- ness and that of your daughter, to whom I must also say adieu ; and pressing the hand of THE CAPTAIN. 269 Charlotte, he hurried to the vehicle, the wheels of which were soon heard rustling among the gravel of the avenue which led away from the house. " This is very strange conduct in Captain Dunstanville," said Lady Lovel. " He has just said enough not to be misunderstood, and, at the same time, leaving a sufficient mystery not to im- plicate himself. There is about him, too, a pro- voking openness which defies evasion ; and then he is so determined, that he no sooner resolves than acts. Yet I am sure, Charlotte, you feel nothing more than friendship towards him ; — besides, you know, my dear, Mr. Seemington has been very attentive to you, and I trust you will be grateful." " Do not — do not. Mamma, ask me to be unworthy of you ; I never can love Mr. Seem- ington !"" " Well, well," said Lady Lovel, '* time, my dear, will alter your opinion, no doubt ; there is no hurry, you know :"" and so saying, she S70 THE NIGHT WATCH. shut the door after her with a much quicker motion than usual, leaving her daughter to meditate on her very significant expressions. Previous to Morland's leaving his own house for the metropolis, he was visited by Mr. Oba- diah Sims, in order to arrange about the pay- ment for, and conveyance of, the estate. This being done, that portly personage was at liberty to converse on other matters ; and, turn- ing to Mr. Barnes, he said, " Behold a vain and sinful epistle which thy servant received before the sun had risen from the chambers of the East. Verily, it is the work of the unfaithful ; yea, it springeth from the hands of one Brady, a disbeliever, a man inflicted with an evil spirit. Oh ! peradventure I will punish the d d rascal." Obadiah, instantly recollecting that he had committed himself before human eyes, blushed as much as an already scarlet face would allow, and, groaning, turned away, leaving the following letter in the hands of Mr. Barnes: — THE CAPTAIN. 271 ** Even so, old one syllable, " Thou hast let the Farm to the son of thy brother Gabriel's handmaid, who likewise bear- eth thy four-lettered name. " Oh, Obadiah Sims ! Obadiah Sims ! How couldst thou be guilty of thy integrity, yea of corruption ! Verily, I will expose thy vanity and sinfulness before thy governess, and thy name shall be no more mighty among her servants. " Deborah, thy spouse, shall join in thy sor- row ; for the seedsman shall no longer garnish her chambers with rare shrubs, and sweet smell- ing flowers. The butler shall shake all the wine that thou orderest unto thy mistress, and the cook shall spoil the fish, the flesh, and the fowl, which Cometh by thy commands. " Thy flocks shall no longer feed without feu or fief on the green pastures of thy neighbour, nor shall the slayer of cattle furnish thy board unrewarded. Young cattle shall not be found in thy fields, nor horses in thy stables, without thy governess knowing how they came; nor shall 27^ THE NIGHT WATCH. she any more be ignorant of thy corruption, through the gold and silver vanities which ght- tereth about thy house ; and perad venture thou shalt not go leasing the grounds of thy betters. " Thou four-lettered, two-faced, fat, vat, malt and hop, old butt ! Thou monosyllabled yea — nay, old sinner, why didst thou ever lend thy ear unto flattery ? thy heart unto corrup- tion, and thy hands unto iniquity ?'* While Morland and Mr. Barnes smiled at the contents of this letter, which had been evidently indited from similar motives to those which it professed to condemn, Obadiah, whose ears had never been accustomed to other sounds than those of praise and adulation from Lady LoveFs tenants, shuffled about, turned the money over in his pocket, looked down and around, expressing all the symptoms of very question- able uneasiness, and then took his leave. After which, Morland set out on his journey to the metropolis. THE CAPTAIN. 27S CHAPTER XX. But now I am returned, and that war thoughts Have left theu- places vacant, in their rooms Come thronging soft and delicate desires, All prompting me how fair young Hero is ! SHAKSPEARE. The journey of our hero to London, though undertaken from the best motives, was not of the most pleasant description. Pride, principle, love, and honour, struggled in his bosom. Some- times he thought of returning, but duty said no. Then he endeavoured to dispel such thoughts as inconsistent with his situation, and likely to be prej udicial to the person he loved ; again and again he determined to write to Lady Lovel, either to consummate his wishes, or put an end n5 ^74 THE NIGHT WATCH. to any hopes he might entertain respecting her daughter : this, however, he did not do ; but, im- mediately on his arrival in town, set about pro- curing employment in his profession. Europe was now at peace, though internal political conflicts raged in the Cabinets of her Kings. The Council of England, steadier than the rest, retained its place by the side of the So- vereign ; but the men in office, after the civil si- tuations at the dijfFerent Continental courts had been filled up, finding their patronage decrease, necessarily abridged their favour in proportion to the reductions in the two professions of arms. It was at such a period that Dunstanville and his uncle were in one of the waiting-rooms at the Admiralty. Their cards were sent up, and they had been some time noticing the meeting of friends, wi- dows in attendance, listening to the office-bells and porters'* tongues, and occasionally jostled by officers thinking a speech while practising tra- verse sailing, till tired of these scenes and dis- THE CAPTAIN. 9176 appointed countenances, they had commenced to seek amusement on the scribbled walls, with " Patience on a lee cathead smiling at a wet swab,"" " Interest against the field ; ten to one against service," &c. when they were summoned to an interview with a man in office. His demeanour was civil in the extreme ; but a disciple of Lavater would have immediately pronounced him a most impenetrable personage, predetermined to rid himself of any request in the politest way possible. Though he practised no absolute cheatery of language to deceive with false hopes, the uncle and nephew were dismissed as they entered, with a smile, not having gained a single point. — ** Too young for this" — " too old for that"" — " no pre- cedent for the other" — " no power" — " appoint- ment filled up" — " against an established rule" — " patronage all rests with the Premier" — " cannot say" — " no doubt" — " services well known" — "noted" — "very deserving" — "peace'* — " perseverance" — " hope" — " time" — " yes" _-" no"— exit. 276 THE NIGHT WATCH. Morland was not one of those who had im- bibed a common prejudice and contempt for some ideal incapacity in persons about the fountain-head of naval affairs, because they were not all sailors, but he looked upon them as they really were — like other men, with their virtues, their vices, and their vanities, — nay, even their hobbies ; he therefore tried other channels of application. Many wrote the civilest possible notes, and received the civilest possible replies ; but none of his friends, who had sufficient power to warrant the expectation of their request being complied with, would ask a positive or political favour ; and thus convinced of the little chance he had of farther advancement in his profession, he determined on a tour to the Continent. One thing remained yet to be done before he left England. Among the papers of his brother he found a note from Mr. Rickets, requesting the payment of a considerable sum which George had lost to him at play, mentioning, at THE CAPTAIN. 277 the same time, that he was in danger of being arrested, " not having any trumps in his hand." Although the debt was incurred by gambling, Morland determined to see Mr. Rickets, know- ing that he was in one of the prisons in the metropolis. This unfortunate young man had indeed strayed from the moral path to the very last step of degradation. In the outset of life, what with the evil example of his parents, the enthusiasm of some, and the cold calcula- ting indifference of others towards religion, he had been disgusted, and ran through life without any principle to guide him; — nay, latterly, he openly proclaimed '* that he lived but to procure himself agreeable sensations." For a time, notwithstanding his corrupt mo- tives and shameful profligacy, his generous, open disposition procured him friends and favour with the world ; but when misfortune visited him, he found that " he had built his house on the sand," and there was none to S78 THE NIGHT WATCH. save him from that ruin which a tissue of licentiousness had brought upon him ; and, frantic with conflicting sensations of pride, grief, and disgrace, he gave himself up to despair. Reader ! hast thou ever witnessed the afflicting scenes common to the interior of a prison ? Hast thou ever heard or felt thy heart sink at the clanking of irons and barring of heavy doors, and the voices of villains telling the tales of their crimes ? Hast thou ever seen the maniac laugh or wild stare of the convicted? Hast thou ever encountered one look of guilty despair, or seen the bitter tear starting from the eyes of the prisoner, whose misfortunes, and not his crimes, have brought him to such a place ? If thou hast, sure am I, thou never hast passed the dusky walls of the Fleet, or read " Remem- ber the poor debtors," without feeling a secret gloom steal over thy mind, at the conception of the heartrending, degrading picture of the in- terior. But it was not in the Fleet Prison that THE CAPTAIN. 2T9 Morland found Mr. Rickets, but in a place equally gloomy and secure, and alike the abode of criminals of every description. Morland was shown into the wretched apart- ment allotted to the miserable Rickets, who was sick and in bed ; but, though awake, was entirely unconscious of any person being near him. On a small table, near to the bed, lay a Bible, together with the following paper, which ap- peared to have been blotted with tears, as the words had been written : — "Oh horrible, horrible place ! CoiapanionSj pleasures, world, where are ye now ? Health, liberty, — alas ! no more to me ! And must I die ? My dizzy senses fail And tell me so. And shall I be no more ? No ! no ! But what ? Oh, too convincing thought ! Oh, dreadful doom ! Cursed be the direful hour, When, all impassion 'd with life's gaudy scenes, 1 yielded up Truth's monitor, and slid Into the flow'ry paths of vice ! But ah ! How poisonous ! the very end and object Of existence burled in a dream — A wild and frenzied vision of deception. 280 THE NIGHT WATCH. Calm paths of peace ! religion, virtue, Mock'd at by me, till now, alas ! too late- Power, wealth, e'en science, how mean ! how useless ! That cannot teach us better how to die. Nor raark'st the way (lie still, thou conscious soul !) Unto a better world." Before Rickets'* attention was drawn towards his visitor, Morland had time to contemplate the object before him. How changed since he last saw him ! He who, in the freshness of health, and prime of manhood, seemed to hold both God and man at defiance — he, who so lately was known in all the riotous glitter and vain show of sensual life, lay stretched on the bed of death, pale, diseased, beautiless ; like a weed which had flourished in wild and rank luxuriance, suddenly cut down and decayed. The vanities of life had passed away, " even as a shadow.""* He appeared almost breathless, speechless, and motionless. The once manly traits of his countenance were sunk, and oc- casionally distorted, as with mental agony. His form was withered, and his eye had lost all THE CAPTAIN. 281 its lustre. " Oh ! Dunstanville !" said he, dis- covering who was near him, — and he hid his face with his pale thin hand — " this is kind, in- deed ! I have been deserted," he continued, with earnest but tremulous articulation, and deserved- ly deserted, by all who knew me ; — for I have gone from thoughtlessness to folly, from folly to sin, till all my faculties have been absorbed in guilt. Most dreadful ! — most agonizing state ! Oh ! Dunstanville ! will God forgive me?" He here raised himself in his bed, as if anxious to proceed ; but his eyes sent forth a glassy dim expression of some inward emotion, and he sunk on his pillow to rise no more. The arrangements which Morland made on this melancholy occasion were highly honour- able to him as a man ; but, as they are not connected with the remainder of this history, we shall proceed with him to the Continent. 58S THE >31GHT WATCH. CHAPTER XXI. I live not iu myself, but 1 become Portion of that around me. BYRON. A French author has said it is pleasant to have a travelling companion, if it were only to enable one to say, " Voila line belle campagne.'''' Certainly to travel with a person of our own nation is the most likely mode to produce pleasure, but not instruction. Englishmen are naturally too exclusive under such circumstan- ces, and do not mix sufficiently with foreigners to rid themselves of national prejudices ; where- as, being without such a companion, they are forced into company, and do not judge of the whole picture of society by occasional glances. THE CAPTAIN. 283 There is something, too, to be gained in the way of independence, by a man being left to act entirely for himself in a strange land. If the traveller is young, a tutor may be advan- tageous ; but, in the name of every thing agree- able, let him have more qualifications than Latin and Greek. Our hero pursued his tour through France and Italy, and saw every thing that every body had written about, and much more than he could have wished to see; viz., many of his own country people moral-breaking with Pa- risian levity, law-breaking with Roman indul- gence, and Sabbath-breaking with all the energy of a Neapolitan mob ; besides some old gentle- men chuckling, and young ladies tittering, at certain marble effigies, which the unrestrained licentiousness of heathen genius devised to out- rage Nature. Summer had commenced when Morland finished his tour in Italy, and he gladly escaped from the parched plains on the eastern side of 284 THE NIGHT WATCH. the Alps, to enjoy the Swiss mountain air and the beauties of that happy, indescribable country. He had already arrived among the Alps, and was pursuing his way down a deep and cloudy vale in Savoy, called the Maurienne. The air was fresh and cool, the sun was up, but hidden from the valleys by the lofty emi- nences which formed them. The morning mist was rising, while the gusts of wind which swept over the summits, or down the rugged chasms of the Alps, dashed it away, and showed the dark mountains in all their majesty. Cheered by the sight, Morland, with the freedom of a pedestrian, digressed from the road, and entered one of those little chapels, which, like marks to Heaven, are hung upon the moun- tain side. The peasantry were already assembled at their matins. He took his place among the men, who occupied one side of the aisle ; and it was impossible for him not to feel the power THE CAPTAIN. 285 of devotion among these poor and humble Christians, worshipping the Great God of the Universe amidst some of his mightiest works. As the day advanced, he journeyed onwards, reflecting on the state of the poor inhabitants, who, during the protracted war, had been sub- ject to all the miseries and corruptions attend- ant on the passage of great armies through their country, helpless and unprotected, sub- ject alike to witness and to suffer calamities, from which they could not defend them- selves. He had walked over the devastated spot where a mightier hand than man's had visited this suffering people with a still greater afflic- tion — a spot where, on the 12th of June 1796, a mountain had slipped from its founda- tion and buried the entire inhabitants of a village in its dreadful ruin, — and was returning to the town of Aiguebelle, convinced of the inability of man's reason to decipher the ways ^H6 THE NIGHT WATCH. of an all-wise Providence, when his attention was attracted by a remarkably sweet voice, accompanied by a guitar, proceeding from the centre of a group of poor " cretins and goi- trecV people. * * It is well known in several parts of Switzerland, especially in the Canton of the Valley, that many of the in- habitants are afflicted with the loathsome disease or defor- mity called the Goitres. It shows itself by large lumps on the throat, which sometimes arrive at such a size, as to give to the person the appearance of having two heads. The causes which have been assigned for this disagreeable appen- dage are various. Some travellers considered it peculiar to valleys which run from East to West ; but common observation entirely sets aside such an opinion. Others have attributed it to the ex- treme crudity of the snow-water, which they drink ; and some believe that it arises from breathing the damp, foggy air con- densed in valleys situated between high mountains, or from the unwholesome exhalations of marshy grounds. The natives, although aware of all the peculiarities in which the disease shows itself, are equally undecided as to its cause. Cretinage, or idiotism and deformity combined, to which many of these poor people are also subject, has not been more successfully explained. The manner of swaddling and nursing their infants during winter, in close rooms near hot stoves, has been suggested as THE CAPTAIN. 287 Dunstanville sat down on a stone at a short distance from them, and listened with great attention to the air *' Dolce Concento,'*' accom- panied by words at once harmonizing with the people and their situation. The poor but handsome songstress had just finished '* Soyez sensible, sensible k nos peines ; O laissez-nous ! O laissez-nous, la liberte !" and received a few sous, when Morland, rising to depart, on turning round, involuntarily started at the sight of Lady Lovel and her daughter, who, attracted by the same sweet voice, had stopped ,to listen, on their way to view the " Ecroulement de Terre,'''' and, by one of those freaks of fortune, were almost at the likely to produce it ; while some of the natives think the frequent intermarriage of families increases the malady. In some instances it would seem almost constitutional, although various cases occur where the parents are afflicted and their children are not. The author was informed by a native, that seventy-five and ninety were not uncommon ages for the healthy inhabitants of the Valley ; but few afflicted in the manner described, reached the age of sixty. 288 THE NIGHT WATCH. elbow of a person whom they had least reason to expect, and whom the mother was most anxious to avoid. Charlotte was so much affected by the sud- denness of the meeting, that she would have fallen to the ground, had not Morland, per- ceiving her emotion, caught her in his arms — a circumstance which rendered him almost as nervous as the lovely burthen he sustained. On Charlotte recovering, it is much easier to imagine than describe her feelings ; and on per- ceiving by whose arm she was supported, her pale cheeks became suffused with tears and blushes. Lady Lovel regarded this meeting with sur- prise and agitation. The suddenness and pecu- liarity of it gave her no time to form resolutions ; while the surrounding scenery, the music, and the poor people, had softened her sentiments to a tone when a known face was by no means dis- agreeable ; besides, as she had not quarrelled with Morland, there was no difficulty in behav- THE CAPTAIN. 289 ing politely, though the whole party felt ill at ease in each other'^s presence. As they walked through the main street, from the centre of which the dark and high moun- tain tops were seen frowning over the houses. Lady Lovel proceeded to question Morland as to the route he was pursuing, and seemed a little astonished to find that he intended to leave Aiguebelle at daylight the following morning, for Switzerland. " You are doubtless surprised to see us here. Captain Dunstanville," said she, "espe- cially knowing my antipathy to foreigners. But Charlotte's health has been so precarious for the last twelve months, that her medical attendant advised me to cheat the winter in Italy ; and in order not to travel too late in the season, you perceive our journey has been com- menced in good time : but unless we find some- thing more of comfort than we have yet done, in the way of accommodation, I am inclined to think the mild air of Devonshire, with every VOL. I. o ^90 THE NIGHT WATCH. thing English about us, would have been bet- ter than encountering that continued fatigue and bustle of travelling, so wearisome to an invalid. Indeed, I am so convinced of it, that I am almost inclined to retrace my steps from here." Morland, who had remarked and was evi- dently hurt at the great change in Charlotte's appearance, counselled them, as they had pro- ceeded so far, to give Italy a trial, as change of air and scene, amidst objects which could not fail to interest, might prove of great service. Charlotte spoke not a word on the way to the inn, and retired to her apartment on enter- ing it ; while Lady Lovel invited Dunstanville to pass the remainder of the evening with them, introducing him, at the same time, to her bro- ther, whom, though rather infirm, she had pre- vailed on to accompany her. This old beau was neatness personified : his appearance ill according with the comfortless apartment they now inhabited, between which, THE CAPTAIN. 291 his snuff-box, and a little stray powder, which now and then escaped from his hair, his attention ap- peared to be divided. Our hero passed the eve- ning in that anxious state of mind which hovers between pleasure and pain, being more depend- ent on the past and future, than the present; and having determined to quit the place as early as possible, he retired restless and uneasy, at what he now began to consider this unfortunate meeting, which opened all the wounds of his mind afresh. Lady Lovel, who had not been anxious " to marry her daughter" very young (as the Court circles naturalize it) had nevertheless, on the offer of Mr. Seemington, carried mamma's privilege so far in the prosecution of her views, as to alarm the mind and endanger the health of her daughter ; to repair which, she had quitted England for a while, disappointed at the failure of her schemes, but still with the feelings and affection of a mother. Whether from caprice, which has no reason- o 2 292 THE NIGHT WATCH. able motive for action, or from the natural re- luctance natives of the same country feel to quit each other in a foreign land, we shall not venture to determine, but Lady Lovel certainly did consult her brother about invit- ing Captain Dunstanville to accompany them to Turin. " If," rephed the old beau, " you can make your mind up that Charlotte is to become his wife, (and I see no reason against it, as her fortune is ample, and he is of a good family,) do so ; but if, on the contrary, your determination in favour of Mr. Seemington still continues, it would be cruelty to all par- ties to bring them together, for I have seen enough to convince me of the cause of Char- lotte's indisposition and refusal." It was long before Lady Lovel co.uld bring herself to do any thing ; at last, she did write a very civil note to Morland, who sat in his own room, miserable and anxious for daylight that he might depart. The change of prospects which the little THE CAPTAIN. SD3 billet opened to him, banished all sleep from his pillow, though never night passed more happily, and when the servant announced break- fast, he had been long prepared. When he entered the room the party was al- ready assembled, and the manner of salutation spoke every explanation that was necessary. Three months afterwards, Charlotte's health being restored, she was united to Morland Dun- stanville; and on their return to England, his paternal estate was purchased from Obadiah Sims, who, though corn had fallen ten shillings per quarter since he bought the property, yet perad venture, as an old friend, he would only receive two thousand more than he gave, " Yea, verily, it was moderate, cojfisidering the improve- ment of the times !'' Ben Mot, whom they met with out of em- ployment, won the heart of Sally Biddikin, who, though she, mercy on us ! was horrified at the idea of " dear Master Morland's killing a man," listened to Ben's stories of the wars, " loved 294 THE NIGHT WATCH. him for the dangers he had past," and married the gallant sailor, who now acts as pilot on aquatic excursions. Old Pearce sits in the corner of his cottage, occasionally indulging in a horn of the " but- ler's best ;" while Peggy, knitting by his side, listens to the thousand-time-told tales of his master and the boys. Julia, who all but died when George Dun- stanville was killed, married Di Palpi ti before the expiration of twelve months, and is of course, as she looks, every thing ! Mr. Barnes still frequents the table of his pupil, and continues to descant on the peculia- rities of the calyx, corolla, stamen, pistil, peri- cardium, recepticle, &c. &c. &c. ; while the af- fectionate pair, glad to promote the welfare of others, seem to enjoy as much felicity as falls to the lot of mortals : the wife delighted to assist in the benevolent plans of the husband ; the husband anxious to make his wife happy and THE CAPTAIN. 295 for any thing we know to the contrary, old Ramrod may be running on the lawn, ready to carry another young Dunstanville, who will be taught by precept and example, ** That virtue alone is happiness below." THE MASTER IMPRESSMENT. Hast thou, which art but air, a touch of feeling Of their afflictions ? and shall not myself, One of their kind, that relish all as sharply Passion as thej-, be kindlier mov'd than thou art ? SHAKSPEARE. O O THE MASTER, CHAPTER I. A FIRST-WATCH STORY. I see men's judgments are A parcel of their fortune. SHAKSPEARE. It was the beginning of a first-watch in the month of September, 1807, when Harold, a young, active lieutenant, and Cramer, the master, a steady, melancholy-looking person, ascended from the ward-room of His Majesty's ship * * * *, which lay at anchor among tlie victorious, and part of the captive fleet in Co- penhagen Roads. No longer the voice of com- 300 THE NIGHT WATCH. mand was heard on the decks of the captured ships, nor the loud creaking of the blocks as the heavy yards ascended to their places. The bustle and merriment of the seamen, glorying in the work of equipment, and the hasty conference of officers, as they passed to and fro on the floating platforms, had ceased with the day. There was still light enough, however, to observe the broken lines of the suburbs, the citadel, and the long rows of buildings and low batteries, that fronted the sea. The steeples of the majestic churches were dimly penciled on the retreating shades of light, and the ruins of the noble spire, which had fallen a prey to the fury of the rockets, were just distinguishable; but the gleam of arms was no longer to be seen on the ramparts, nor the British flag playing in the breeze. The notes of the bugle were hushed, and no sound was heard save the voice of the wary sentinels, who, at intervals, proclaimed security THE MASTER. 801 throughout the port, where night had com- menced its reign. The master was not one of those who took the absence of civiHty for the presence of sea- manship, but bore about him the quiet de- meanour of a good sailor and sensible trust- worthy man, while the lieutenant did not allow his good spirits to master his good feeling, nor sacrificed the gem of friendship to the gibe of familiarity. " Why do you look so sad, Cramer," said Harold, " at this season of victory ? To be sure it is rather a curious system of taking a fleet — a little sudden or so — what we should call ' Hob- son's choice,' or ' club-law,' but there is no knowing what one man may do, on information that another is sharpening his knife to cut his throat : but it is no business of yours or mine ; we are here to obey. I thought by your coun- tenance this morning, that our bustle and success had banished some of the melancholy 302 THE NIGHT WATCH. 'A'hich, by the pale glare of that drowsy senti- nel's lamp under the poop, I see you have again relapsed into." *' You would scarcely guess the true cause of my mirth this morning,'" said Cramer ; " it was at the form referred to at page 192 of the Naval Instructions,* wherein masters are di- rected to make observations on the ' religion, government, disposition, and language' of the inhabitants of the countries they visit. What shall I say of the Danes ?*" " Why, 'faith ! Cramer, you may mark it down in true log-book brevity, that they stood it out well against Nelson, and that one of their young officers, in a floating battery, whose co- lours were shot away, hoisted a soldier's jacket, and fought till force overcame all hope. Set it down also, that they are a pale, yellow-haired, active brood of men, living on sandy islands; poor but proud, vindictive but powerless, having * A new code of instructions has lately been issued to His Majesty's Fleet. THE MASTER. 303 a particular respect for hares, rabbits, and the cat tribe ; that they are tolerable sailors and soldiers, that would not disgrace the army of Fontinbras; and as for neighbours, that ' Carnalia' is a sound that resounds from Helsin- burg to Elsinore, from Elsinore to Helsinburg." " But their religion and morals, Harold ?" " Why those are dispensed with in war-time, I believe : but if you are particularly at a loss, do as barren-brained personages like myself have done before you — take up an old book, and if you can manage to catch an idea, so much the better. Few men are really learned, and all are coxcombs in their way : besides, learned personages like you and me, who read much," continued Harold, laughing, " cannot be supposed to forget every thing we do read ; so that, when the ideas of obsolete authors and ours are knocking each other about in our brains, you will perceive it is quite a chance which we make use of, depending entirely upon that which is shoved out first." 304j the night watch. CHAPTER II. The ranlv is but tlie guinea's stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that. BURNS. It is a peculiarity of some minds, never to dwell on the present : to be, as it were, involun- tarily led from the contemplation or enjoyment of reality, to the world of hope or fiction ; while others escape from the most exciting events to recollections of the past, as if all actuality were tiresome or disgusting. Gentle reader, if any comical thoughts ever assailed you in church, or cadaverous ones at a ball, you will not be surprised at the conversation of the two messmates, whose minds digressed from THE MASTER. 305 the scenes around them to things and places at a distance. Thought is quicker than motion, and travels faster than light. Harold's was in an instant across the German Ocean : '* I hope," said he, " my mother will not forget to use all her influence with the people in power for my promotion. There is nothing like petticoat interest, you may be sure, Cramer : — if a petticoat lost Mark Antony the world, surely it may gain Master Harold a commission ! But, alack ! my mother is no Cleo- patra, though my sister might pass for one." "I think,"' said Cramer, "you are lucky to be advanced so far already," " Why, as I am one of those younger sons of an old family, who have but the choice of the pulpit, cockpit, or parapet, I see no great luck in holding a Lieutenant's commis- sion at the age of twenty-two, especially as I could have had more comfort, less responsi- S06 THE NIGHT WATCH. bility, and more pleasure, in the enjoyment of the fortune I am by birth entitled to, in any situation on land." "But what do your birth and fortune do for the country or the service, Harold ? Your fortune is probably derived from the country ; and by that means you are more bound, even by selfishness, to protect it ; not only with your money, but your person : and, on these grounds, you may possibly think you would act better and deserve more than others. But if others act as well, and serve longer than you, from motives of gain, distinction, or patriotism, which they may have in common with yourself, — who then really deserves most from his Country ?"" " If we sacrifice more, and run the same risks," replied Harold, '* surely the preference should be ours." " Yes," said Cramer, " if you serve as long and as well, and admit that there must be such a thing as preference ; but if you serve for honour and distinction in a public service, and THE MASTER. B07 I will not suppose you influenced by other mo- tives, gain it fairly, and not to the prejudice of those who are more deservhig."''' " But our education and habits," answered Harold, " as well as our rank in society, add to the respectability of the service." " If your education," said Cramer, "im- proves the scientific departments of the service, or if habits and rank in society benefit the prac- tical branches, then, indeed, you may be more deserving — but not until then ! What does your Country gain from you more than others in the day of battle ? I remember two copy head-lines we had at school — * Honour and shame from no condition rise ; Act well your part, there all the honour lies/ " But it is all nonsense talking, Harold! While men are men, there will be prejudices and pre- ferences, — yes, as long as the word 'opinion' remains in the dictionary." " Well, opinion is an arbitrary thing, Cra- mer ; and respectability, I suppose, is founded 308 THE NIGHT WATCH. on it. I will tell you what our family is, and it is called, I assure you, highly respectable : — " My mother (for, you know, we must al- ways speak of the ladies first,) is, what I once knocked a dandy down for saying she was, ' a blowsy lump of mortality.' She is, moreover, rich and proud, seldom driving out without four horses; and while in town, no matter to which part she is going, her coach- man has standing orders to pass Bond-street and St. James's, provided it is dayhght. To her inferiors she is a storm, to her equals a gentle breeze, and to her superiors a perfect zephyr. She is a woman of the world, who swears, prays, and weeps at intervals. When she gives dinners, her table is the most sump- tuous of the metropolis; and she usually con- trives to display the game, as well as uneat- able bagatelles, from her estate, to considera- ble advantage. Her best, though she only calls it her most particular good joke, is an ceconomical dish, (I will not venture to call it THE MASTER. 309 by so familiar a name as a round of beef!) which she had seen at three successive suppers in Edinburgh, and the poor woman is the joke of half the noble and simple, the dandies, epi- cures, and gourmands who feed at her table. " My sister is a very beautiful creature, and *o amiable and interesting, that she becomes just whatever the society she is in chooses, being one uninterrupted diurnal smile ; and for any thing I know to the contrary, dreams in the same sweet manner. She plays, sings, and paints, speaks French and Italian, and talks from reviews and other periodicals, with the greatest fluency ; and moreover discusses the beauty of a flower, the fate of a nation, and the charm of a well-arranged toilette, with the same irresistible complacency. She had heard or read somewhere that Madame de Stael had pourtrayed one of the bloodiest scenes of the French Revolution, and described her little dog " Sylphide, blonde comme une hlondine,'' in the same page, and laughed in the prettiest manner 310 THE NIGHT WATCH. possible at this display of national character ; yet in the last letter I received from her, she was most miserable and exceedingly delighted in the small space of two lines : miserable at the death of a dear dear friend, and exceedingly delighted with the brilliant party she attended the same night. When in France, she danced and played cards on Sundays, but now regu- larly attends church ; and, in the true spirit of Christianity, has sighs, smiles, tears, and tunes for all : but I love the dear silly creature well, and I hope one day or other to hear that com- mon sense has caught hold of her. ^' My father is a person whose sentiments are always in possession of the Ministry, which put me in possession of a commission, after I had passed my examination. When a candi- date for a seat in Parliament, to the people he was every thing ; when elected — nothing : but they still shout for him, and for ale and all things. "There is no accounting for the hopes of a THE MASTER. 311 family of high respectability, Cramer. Pos- sibly, on my arrival in England, I may find myself a captain, my mother a lady, and my sister a duchess."" " I wish you success with all my heart," said Cramer, *' and I will repay you with a sketch of my life, at some other time. It is late — good-night ! — a dry watch to you." 312 THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER III. Then tower'd the masts, the canvass swell'd on high. And waving streamers floated in the sky. FALCONER. A WEEK after the former conversation had taken place, the whole of the Danish fleet were equipped, and lugged forth from their har- bour-moorings to the roads. The troops were embarked, and a gun, fired on board the flag- ship, called the attention of the fleet to the signal for a division to weigh. In a minute, similar flags were displayed by the repea ting- ships, while their guns echoed the command, and the ready-answering pendants flew at the mast-heads of the squadron. The shrill notes of the boatswains' pipes were now heard, a THE MASTER. S13 contagious bustle spread along the- line, and soon distant music was heard through the fleet, as the men hove round the clattering capstans. Loud voices soon proclaimed, " Short," — and " Loose sails," was the word. The read}' seamen sprung into the riggings which shook as they hurried aloft, and laying out on the yards, waited the word of command. A sudden gleam of light, such as strikes the senses with its brilliancy after a dark shower, shot forth from the now-unobscured sun, and displayed the fleet in the act of loosing sails ; the men could be distinctly seen on the yards, and their white trowsers gleamed in the bright light. At the word, the sails, released from their hempen bondage, fluttered in the breeze, the anchors were dragged to the bows, the forest of masts was crowded with a graceful press of sail, and, with ensigns and pendants flying, the victorious and captive fleet sailed down the Sound. Each ship, as they passed the Royal Tower VOL. I. p 314 THE NIGHT WATCH. of Helsinburg, thundered forth a salute to the Swedish flag, and the guns of the captured ships repeated the humiUating roar. A death- like silence seemed to pervade the frowning tur- rets of Elsinore Castle as the strength of the nation passed away. They were now proceeding down the Kat- tegat, that little boisterous sea which is con- tinually wrangling with its shores, when the master, having taken the bearings of the land, and finished measuring the log-line, was joined by Harold on the poop, to listen to the sketch of his life, which he had promised him. " Every one can master grief but he that has it." " I am, by nature, Harold, one of those people the world uncharitably call ' Bristol hogs,' but I assure you, they are not more swinish than their neighbours, and their environs are much too beautiful to be the paradise of pigs. "I too was born of what tradespeople, in THE MASTER. 315 tJmr way, call respectable parents, who gave me, as far as it went, the best education the town could afford. I was always fond of read- ing, especially voyages and travels, and had no objection to stories of love or war ; but nothing took my fancy more than the verbal history of the sailors' lives, full of perils and pranks, and I listened to every story of danger and wreck with a kind of feeling, as if I wished to suffer it, for the joy that was to follow; and long before misfortune had reduced my parents to the class of poor people, I asked their permis- sion to go to sea, — they refused, and I ran away. " They kept, at that time, a kind of shop, where every body used to buy every thing; but, from a sort of monopoly among the wealthier in trade, (which, although it makes a town appear to suffer less in great commer- cial emergencies, yet, in the end, produces a sort of consumption which terminates more fatally) my parents fell victims, and were ^16 THE NIGHT WATCH. elevated to a garret, from which they were only lately lowered. " I was an only son, possibly a spoiled one, and as wild as a March hare. I had fixed on a ship in which I knew one of the apprentices, and when she left the floating harbour, and was drifting down between Lee Woods and St. Vincent's Rocks, I went on board in a boat. The vessel^ I knew, was short of men, and the master shipped me under the name of Richard Williams. I found him to be a man who had been soured by misfortune, and discontented with himself; for he had been at one time employed in the Negro traffick, and still boasted of it, as if wishing to convince himself that the blacks were really brutes ; but all would not do ; for after his loud roaring laughs at the distresses of the captive sufferers, there was a ghastly hue came over him, and he turned sometimes as surly as a bear, sometimes as furious as a mad bull. He made me cabin-boy, and though I was as THE MASTER. 317 sick as any miserable soul could be, was forced to go aloft in all weathers. Before we had round- ed the Lizard, for the ship was bound to London, one morning, (after having been up most of the night, and drenched with the spray,) I was getting some bread out of the locker, when happening to look at a book which lay open near me, I fixed my eyes on my favourite Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday, till I fell asleep with one hand in the locker, and the other on Master Friday's black countenance. Presently the master came down, and finding me in that position, belaboured me with the end of a rope, tilL my shoulders were swollen and seamed with blue stripes. He swore that he would make me ' smell death,' and surely left its mark upon me. " When we arrived in London, I ran away from the ship, and entered on board a vessel bound to the Baltic, in which ship I served three years, and became a tolerable seaman. " On our last homeward bound voyage, we SIS THE NIGHT WATCH. had a fair wind through the Sound ; but ar- riving at Elsinore late in the evening, we were obliged to anchor in order that the master might go on shore to the custom-house. It is a bad custom, Harold, for this lost us our passage ; for although the wind blew from the southward all night, yet we had scarcely weighed and got into the Kattegat in the morn- ing, when we were caught by a north easter, which, had we been further advanced, would have taken us out of the Sleeve and across the North Sea, but as it was, drove us back to Elsi- nore : there we remained for a week, and then, buffeting about for another in the Kattegat, we were at last obliged to take shelter in Nor- way from the westerly gales." " I have often thought," said Harold, " that the Sound List is obtained by unsound policy : surely the Danish Government would not think its dignity hurt, or its rights infringed, by the saving of human life and property ; especially if their finances were benefited by it : and cer- THE JklASTER. 819 tainly, British merchants had better pay double duty on passing the Sound, than have their ships detained in late seasons, to the greatest risk of their loss altogether. You know, Cramer, that every hour is of the greatest consequence there : and could not the duties be paid to the Danish consuls at the ports from which they clear out? Besides, they might still have a cheek upon them, by every master being obliged to leave a certificate on board the guard-ship, from such consul, and which would not detain the ships : I hope, when we are again at peace with Den- mark, our Government will look to it." THE NIGHT WATCH. CHAPTER IV. Cease, rude Boreas ! blustering railer. List, ye landsmen ! all to me ; Messmates, hear a brother sailor Sing the dangers of the sea. OLD SONG. " The detention before alluded to, brought us into the dreary month of November. The high mountains were already covered with snow, and the ice in the harbour warned us to be gone, or remain there for the winter. We put to sea with a light breeze from the eastward ; but before we had got twenty miles to the north- ward of the Naze, it died away in light drifting showers of snow, and left our sails flapping against the masts, and our ropes feathered with frost work. As the sun went down, the snow THE MASTER. 321 ceased, and a dark cloud, fringed with wild white, arose in the west — while a gentle ripple on the heaving, oily-looking sea, heralded a breeze from that direction, which before morn- ing ripened into a strong gale. " The ship was in no very safe situation, as we could not fetch the mouth of the Sleeve on one tack, nor weather the Norwegian land on the other. " At three o'clock in the morning, it was dark and dreary ; the wind was still unabated, and showers of sleet whistled through the rigging. " Nothing could be seen around us but the flying spray, topping the furious waves, that threatened to break on board of us at every surge ; for we were obliged to carry a press of sail, to keep the ship to windward. "All hands were on deck : the ship lurched heavily in the hollow of the waves, and the very masts shook, when their wild and curling tops struck the bow. " The mainsail flew in tatters, and at that mo- THE NIGHT WATCH. ment a loud crack was heard forward : the bow- sprit had risen a foot from its place ; the gam- moning, which was rotten, had given way ; the masts were in danger : the helm was instant- ly put a- weather, the ship flew before the wind, the foresail was hauled up, the runners and tackles were boused up to the stem, and a hawser passed out of the hawseholes over the bowsprit: this saved the masts, and the ship was again brought to the wind. " We knew that we must have run several miles to leeward while the bowsprit was secur- ing ; but the loss of our masts there, would have been death to us, for we then heard the roar- ing of the breakers against the iron-bound coast. As daylight broke, red and fiery streaks with vnnd galls were seen among the clouds, and the rugged mountains of Norway, fleeced in white, were just showing their towering peaks above the misty curtain which hung over the horizon to the eastward. All eyes gazed with horror at a sight which, in security, would have been THE MASTER. 393 magnificent. Drenched with the spray, cold and weary as we were, still some hopes remain- ed, that our dispatch in securing the bowsprit had kept us further to windward, but when the veil of mist passed away, all the perils of our situation came full upon our view. " The steep black rocks, frowning over the boiling surf, threw up the liquid element in mad gambols, till the oblique rays of light reflected an iris in the spray: but the sun seemed to shine to show, and not to relieve us from danger. " Our sails were all that we had to trust to : another mainsail was bent and set, and the mas- ter, with a stout man, took the helm, watching every surge to ease the ship as she rose. At each curling wave, all eyes seemed to turn in- stinctively first to the masts, then to the coast, and then to the deck : no one looked at the other, not a word was spoken, and nothing was heard around us but the wild winds, the rush of waters, and the screaming of the sea-gulls in our wake. 324 THE NIGHT WATCH. " The ship plunged violently, and made but little way. A few minutes were to decide — we were within a hundred yards of the weather- most rock, which occasionally showed its dark head above the furious sea that rushed over it. " It was an awful moment : we had got into that long swell which usually precedes the tre- mendous break of a heavy wave on a rock — a few minutes more were to rank us with the living or the dead. Each man raised himself up, grasping firmer the rope by which he held, as if willing to lighten the ship by poising him- self in the air, till the wave sunk back from the rock, and the vessel glided into the hollow of the sea — no shock — another heave, and we were all clear. " That day taught me, Harold, to use every effort, — and hope to the last* As the Sleeve was now open, we felt ourselves comparatively safe, and the next morning, the wind veering round to the North-East, we were induced to keep the sea and steer homeward. THE MASTEll. !fe5 " During winter, gale succeeds on gale in these northern seas ; the waves are scarcely re- leased from their stormy tumults in one direc- tion, till they are thrown in furious contention in another; there is no rest, as you know, Harold, night or day, for sailors that navigate them ; and in less than forty-eight hours we were as com- pletely lashed by a north-eastern gale, as we had so lately been by that from the westward. " There is nothing disagreeable in scudding before the storm, with plenty of sea-room and. a tight ship ; but oui*'s was leaky, and laboured heavily, even before the wind. " We had no observation on the sun for two days, and were steering east, expecting to make the May lighthouse in the morning, when, in the middle-watch of a dark, snowy, and tem- pestuous night, the look-out man called out, " A light ahead V " In the interval between the snow showers we saw another, but were scarcely confirmed in the opinion that there were really two lights, as VOL. I. Q 326 THJi NIGHT WATCH. they were nearly in a line with each other, and both revolved, when suddenly the man on the forecastle cried, ' Breakers right ahead ! hard a-port !' The ship answered the helm quickly as she flew over the tops of the surge, but the next instant she struck, with such fury that the masts went crash by the board, and the waves made a clean breach over us. " To tell you more of our wreck would be to tell you what I don't know ; for, on coming to my senses, I found myself much bruised and lying on a rock, with two others. " As the morning dawned, we found that the rock on which we were, appertained to the outer- most of two groups of rocky islands, which stretched in a chain from the mainland, being intersected and some partially covered by the tide at high water. On the outer group was a lighthouse, and on the island next to the land were two more, and an old tower. The majes- tic castle that stood on a sand-covered rock near the shore, backed by the distant inland Cheviots, THE MASTER. 327 the little harbour, castellated fort, with the remains of an old abbey to the north-west, and the dim and distant ruins of a castle on a rocky promontory to the south, at once indicated that it was the Farn Islands, on the coast of Northumberland, on which we had been wrecked, and that the Knayestone was the fatal rock ; but how we came on to the higher and steeper ones adjoining it, is more than I can tell, except it was by parts of the masts and mangled tackling that were strewed about among the seaweed on the rocks near to us# The master and all the crew, except three, had perished. The hull of the ship was nowhere to be seen, and our sole companions were the sea-birds, which screamed about over our heads. *' Before noon the storm abated, and boats came from Holy Island to our relief. " We were not sorry to leave the cormorants, seals, terns, and bitterns, for better cheer in Bambro' Castle ; and embarking in a sharp bowed, flat-bottomed, long-ruddered coble, we THE NIGHT WATCH. sailed along the margin of the bleak and de- sert rocks, passing St. Cuthbert's Tower and the still boiling Churn,* and with unshipped rudder, landed stern-foremost on the flat beach under the battlements of the Castle. '* No sooner had we escaped one danger, and were hospitably treated within the walls of that charitable establishment, than perils of a differ- ent nature began to assail our minds, and the dread of impressment instigated us to depart immediately." * A chasm, or cavity, in the rock, with a hole at top, through which the water is forced to a great height in strong northerly gales, forming a beautiful _;V? d'eau. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. LONDON : PRINTED BY S. AND R. RENTLEY, DORSET-STREET. r^ UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 3 0112 052950166 m^