Naval Adventures during Thirty-five Years' Service

Front matter

A7OL. I. LONDON : rniNTEIl BV SAMUEL BENTLEY, Dorset Street, Fleet Street. DURING THIRTY-FIVE YEARS' SERVICE BV LIEUT. W. BOWERS, R.N. O'er the glad waters osthe dark blue sea, Our thoughts as boundless and our souls as free, Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam, Survey our empire and behold our home ! These are our realms, uo limi^B to their sway— Our flag the sceptre all who meet obey. Byron. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1833.

Preface

. That " Truth is sometimes more wonderful than Fiction," is a truism long since recognised by the philosopher and traveller ; and, however incredible some portion of the following pages may appear, I can solemnly aver, be their me rits or demerits otherwise what they may, that they have at least been written with a scrupu lous regard to truth, and I may also add, with out any feeling of ill-will or personality to any individual or party. If on some subjects feel ing deeply, — " For I cannot but remember such things were, and were most sad for me," — VI

PREFACE.

. if the regrets of a painful retrospection may have excited me to express myself strongly; I trust to the indulgence of the candid read er, who will doubtless make some allowance for disappointments, misfortunes, and an up hill struggle through life, quite sufficient to irritate and sour a much greater philosopher than myself. A portion of the narrative was written some time ago, solely for the amusement, and at the express desire of an amiable family, from whom during an acquaintance of thirty years I have experienced the warmest and most steady friend ship. Though frequently urged by various individuals to publish — my humble name and fortunes would probably never have claimed the public attention, but for the accidental meeting of an old friend and messmate, who, deeming the history of my adventures sufficiently interesting (if not to edify) at least to amuse, kindly undertook to assist me in the

PREFACE.

. VII compilation from my journals, my various rough notes and MS. papers for the press. Unfortunately, some of the former having been lost with my effects, by shipwreck, I have been under the necessity of supplying their con tents from memory which will account for any apparent imperfection or want of connexion in the narrative. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I

Infant days — Friends better than Kindred — Embark on board a Greenlandman — Early Impressions — Monkey Tricks — Arctic Scenery — Return to my native place — Vanity checked- — School-boy Pranks — Rencontre and Consequences — Bound Apprentice to a Mediterranean Trader — Hardships and severe Treatment — Captain — Mate — Falmouth — Con voy — England's Wooden Walls — Gibraltar —Leghorn — Pleasing Anticipations — Disappointment..— Surprise — French Privateer — French Politesse — Sketches — Capture — Civil Requisition — Metamorphose — Consequences of Intemperance — Agreeable Surprise — A Companion in Misfortune — Chase — Another — Recaptured — Arrival at Cork — Uncle George Page X CONTENTS.

Chapter II

An Adventure — Crossing top-gallant yards — Juvenile Agility and its Consequences — Enter on board a West Indiaman — Juve nile Independence — Madeira — Chase — Captured by two French Frigates, Le Thetis and La Pens^e— Comfortable Lodging- Economy of a French Man-of-war — Sickness and dreadful Mortality — Tyrannical action — Republican Fraternization — National pretensions and their vindication — Guadaloupe — A French Prison — Vanguard Seventy-four — A British Tar in 1794 — Ward-room Officers on a Foreign Station — Remarks on Discipline — Hints on the same — Moral Character of Sea men — Attack on Porto Rico — The Lower Deck before an Action — Whimsical ruse of an Enemy — Surprise . . Page 26

Chapter III

Homeward-bound — Land Sharks — Mother Bennett — A Friend in need — Water-spouts — Return to my native place — Forlorn situation and feelings — Join the Brest Fleet — -Expedition forty four gun Frigate — Baltic Expedition — Revel — Wild Russians — Nip and the Commissary — Club Law — Join Gorgon — Sail for West Indies — Juno thirty-two — Boat cruising — Dignity Ball, and Nocturnal Adventure — Effects of excess — Whimsi cal ruse — Severe Action with two Privateers — Captured — Spanish Prison — Release — Melancholy and heroic end of my friend Lieutenant C . — Peace — Return to England CONTENTS. XI Paid off — Extortions practised on Seamen — Reflections there on — Join a South-Sea-man — Passage to the Pacific — Arrival at Rio Janeiro — Desertion of several of the Crew — -Boisterous Passage round Cape Horn — Talcuhuana — A fortunate Accident — Agreeable Acquaintance — Donna Francesca Serana Page 50

Chapter IV

Sperm Whale-fishery — Perilous Occupation — Terrible Mon ster — Whale-boats — Attack on the Sperm Whale — Process of making Oil — The Black Whale — Greenland Fishery — Maternal affection of the Whale — Ice Archipelago — Lobos Islands — Seal catching — Habits — Tumbez — Chatham Island — Green Turtle — Terrapin — Maria Islands — Navi gation along the Coast — Catholic Mission — Ceros Islands — Sea Elephants — Short Allowance — Life in a South- Sea-man — Bill of Fare at the different Islands — Gallapagos — Bandaras — Boobies — Singular mode of Fishing — Low water in the Slop-room — Moccassins — Singular effect of animal decomposition — Gulf of California — Quibo — Severe Gale 76

Chapter V

Weather-beaten Crew — Point St. Helena — Albemarle Island — Grand eruption of the Volcano of Narborough Island — De scription and habits of the Terrapin — Talcuhuana — Spanish Treachery — Cannonaded by the Forts — Captured — Spanish CONTENTS. XII Dungeon — Fatal effects of Drunkenness — Spanish Charity — A Friend in need — Escape — Donna Madalena — Jealousy — Surprise — Attack and Recapture — An agreeable Companion — Second Escape ..... Page 101

Chapter VI

Join a Spanish Trader — Valparaiso — Voyage to Lima — Baldivia— Fracas — Once more a Prisoner — Callao — Fortress — Dungeon— Casa Matis — Companions in Captivity — Affecting Epitaph and Inscription on Prison Walls — Interesting Nar rative of a Prisoner — An Escape planned — Operations — De scription of Fortress — Difficulties — Overcome — Perilous En terprise — Escape — Recapture of Comrades — Comfortable Lodgings — Critical Situation — Faithful Host — Enter on board a Spanish Ship — Mutiny of the Ships John and James — Join an American Ship — Passage Home — Madeira — Cap tured by a Guernsey Privateer — Destitute Condition — Cruise and Return to Port . . . . .117

Chapter VII

Adrift in a Storm— Faith ofa Privateer's-man— A Contraban dier — Perilous Life — Summoned to London — Knights of the Buskin— Voyage in a Smack — Pressgang — Influence of Habit — Join a Seventy-four — An odd Fish — Quarter-deck compa risons — An Interview— A hopeful Set — Cruise off Ferrol— Zeal CONTENTS. XIII — Rescue a drowning Man, and nearly drowned myself — A fortunate Youth — A Lubber — A G ale — Critical Situation — Desperate undertaking to rescue an Individual from destruc tion — Dull Cruising — Honest Contractors — Delicate Fare — The last Pig — Cockpit Joke . . . Page 145

Chapter VIII

P— seventy-four — The Captain — First-lieutenant — Ward room — Cockpit — Laws and Usages — Cockpit Discipline — Il lustrations — A Spooney— A Pugilist — Contumacy — A Hint to Novices — Illustrations: — A Jerry Sneak — The Sneak entrapped — Promotion long deferred — A Cockpit Character — Reclaim ing a Drunkard — An odd Fish — A Fire-leg — A Bed of Roses 174

Chapter IX

Return to Port — Inspection osthe Fleet— A Trim Ship — Lu dicrous Disaster — An enraged Admiral — Channel Fleet — Gale — Fleet in Danger — Old Steady — Swipers — Solid reasoning — North Sea Fleet — Blockade — Passing Day at So merset House — Rigid Examination — Partiality — Reward of Merit— Discharge— Royal Billy . . .193

Chapter X

Voyage to West Indies — English Harbour — Abercrombie seventy-four — A Quiz — Useful Officers — Admiralty Midship- CONTENTS. men — Flag Ship — Blue-light Club — Carrying on the War — A Smoker — Yellow Jack — Expedition to Guadaloupe — Attack and Capture — An agreeable Rencontre — Unexpected Cruise — A Tartar — A Chase — A Friend in need a Friend indeed — Another — Neptune ninety-eight — On my Beam ends — Skilful Surgery — Its results — Effects of Disappoint ment — Long looked-for come at last — All aback — A knowing Hand — A ruse — Borough Interest — Unfair play — Nautical Prodigality ..... Page 211

Chapter XI

Ten-gun Brigs — Remarks on — A zealous Officer — Hints to Navigators — Chase and Capture of two Vessels — A Gale — Scilly — Shipwreck — A God-send — Channel cruising — Interesting Chase — Another — A Prize — Keen cruising — Boarding under sail — A Hint — A Capture — A Catastrophe — Chase and Cap ture of Le Revenant — American War — Interesting Chase — A trim Craft — A Seizure — A Boaster silenced — Chase of a Frenchman — Disastrous Shipwreck and Destruction of Crew — Captain La Pelletier ..... 241

Chapter XII

Recapture— The Reindeer — Particulars of her Capture—Gal lantry and melancholy Death of Captain Manners— Suspicious Rencontre — American War — Mistaken Policy — Nantes Cordial Reception— The Cafe— Fracas— A deserted Ship— A CONTENTS. XV Wreck — Critical Situation — Narrow Escape — Illness — Phy sical effects of good fortune — Peace — Paid off — Y ten-gun Brig — The rendezvous — Sergeant Kite — Relaxed Discipline — Looking out for Smugglers — Boat Cruising— Perilous Service — Narrow Escape — Superseded — Pans — National Prejudices — Havre de Grace — Justin's Table-d'hote — Controversy — French Officer . . . . . .272 NAVAL ADVENTURES.

Chapter I

Infant Days — Friends better than Kindred — Embark on Board a Greenlandman — Early Impressions — Monkey Tricks — Arctic Scenery — Return to my native Place — Vanity checked- — School-boy Pranks — Rencontre and Consequences — Bound Apprentice to a Mediterranean Trader — Hardships and severe Treatment — Captain — Mate — Falmouth — Convoy — England's Wooden Walls — Gibraltar — Leghorn — Pleasing Anticipations — Disappointment — Surprise — French Privateer — French Politesse — Sketches — Capture — Civil Requisition — -A Metamorphose — Consequences of Intemperance — Agreeable Surprise — A Companion in Misfortune — Chace — Another — Recaptured — Arrival at Cork — Uncle George. I WAS born in Liverpool, on the anniversary of the memorable Gunpowder-plot, in the year 1784. I was only ten months old when I lost my father, who, having served in the navy VOL. 1.

B FRIENDS BETTER THAN KINDRED. during the American war, was washed over board with several others by a heavy sea striking the ship on a passage from Charles town, South Carolina, to Liverpool. Before I had completed my tenth year, I had the still greater misfortune to lose my mother, a tender and affectionate parent, whose solicitude for my welfare knew no remission, and who, out of a slender pittance in the shape of a pension, had done her best to give me a decent education, but whose maternal endeavours to cultivate " the young idea" were, I much fear, not a little counteracted by a somewhat too adventurous and truant disposition. The only relation I knew anything of was an uncle by my mother's side residing in Man chester, whom I had never seen but once, and whom, as he had never given himself any con cern about either of us, I naturally thought little about.

For this coolness and neglect I was, however, amply consoled by the kindness and friendship of one of our neighbours, who had FIRST EMBARKATION. 3 been an old shipmate of my father's, and to whom, from my earliest infancy, an instinctive affection had prompted me to transfer the consanguineous title so little merited by my kinsman. This worthy man having no children, took charge of me, and at my earnest desire, though I was only eleven years old, took me with him on a voyage to the Polar regions, in the ship Whale, Captain Nixon, in March 1795. Besides that trying ordeal of marine novices, the sea-sickness — alone of a nature, and in my case of a duration, not easily to be .forgotten — the novelty and incidents of this my coup dYessai, the bustle and excitement of our dangerous avocations, now struggling with the elements, anon conflicting with the no less redoubtable leviathans of the ocean, and now and then the white polar bear ; the wild arctic scenery, a floating archipelago of a thousand crystal islands, their snowy peaks of every shape and size scintillating in the long protracted sunny day of many weeks: — all were B EARLY IMPRESSIONS. calculated to make a vivid and permanent im pression on my youthful and ardent fancy.

Among other means of driving away ennui was one which, though less unexceptionable than my other pursuits, furnished me some times, saute de mieux, with a never-failing source of amusement ; this was in the person of one of my shipmates, an old and eccentric French doctor, whose grotesque and soupe-maigre vi sage and whole appearance to this day remind ing me of Shakspeare's shrivelled apothecary, with his broken dialect and odd ways, irre sistibly suggested fun ; and poor old Moulin was accordingly the butt for many a joke and unthinking urchin prank. Returning to Liverpool, at the conclusion of a successful voyage, in the month of November, I felt myself not a little proud when I jumped on shore among a number of my old school fellows and playmates, completely equipped en matelot, with my black fur cap, manufactured out of the skin of a fox killed during one of my RETURN TO LIVERPOOL. 5 excursions on Cherry Island, and which I recollect in no small degree helped to console and divert my attention from a violent and painful attack of colic brought on by imprudently cramming myself with wild sorrel.

My pride, however, received a check on finding myself obliged to resume my studies, and feeling once more the weight of my old master's cane ; but this revulsion was evanescent, and I soon found that neither the day's disasters nor " the low ering aspect of his morning face" had terrors any longer for me. I had seen some service, and the rope's end, handspike, or the master's ponderous fist, had taught me to consider the rattan, ferule, or birch-twigs, " trifles light as air :" undaunted, I had already stared in the face things far more appalling than the angry visage of an irritated pedant, and fancied myself a giant among pigmies as, in the midst of my older compeers, I laughed defiance at his angry denunciations for my idleness and mischievous pranks. SCHOOL-BOY PRANKS. No sooner had my uncle started on a voyage to the Baltic, than, taking French leave, I began to absent myself from school.

Sallying forth to the docks with two or three of my chums, whom I had generally sufficient ad dress to seduce, I was in the acme of my glory in showing off. to the poor admiring boys — among whom I strutted like a bantam-cock — my feats of agility and seamanship. This con duct, as may be supposed, was not passively tolerated, and I came in for several sound thrashings ; till at length, proving incorrigible in matters of academical discipline, my poor aunt — over whom I now entirely got the whip hand, but who, however, did not spare remon strance — unwillingly submitted to my expressed determination never more to enter the school. Henceforth the only books I looked into, and over which I was never tired of dreaming, were Robinson Crusoe, Philip Quarle, Robert Boyle, or " the surprising adventures and hair-breadth escapes" of other mariners.

These took such AN APPRENTICE. 7 possession of my imagination, that, but for an accident breaking in on my reveries, I might have become a marine Quixote. One day, as it was my custom, whenever I could indulge it, to visit homeward-bound ves sels, I fell in with an old schoolfellow, apprentice on board the brig Mary from the Mediter ranean, which was discharging her cargo of fruit. His conversation, and the luscious ap pearance of figs, raisins, currants, &c. at once determined me to visit, if possible, this garden of so many sweets ; and I found no difficulty in getting shipped on trial for the next voyage, with the option at its conclusion, if both parties were satisfied, of my binding myself an appren tice for seven years. My poor aunt, who really loved me as much as if I had been her own, willingly would have dissuaded me from leaving her ; but, knowing my stubborn unconquerable will, she acquiesced, giving me her blessing, as good an outfit as she could afford, a whacking cake of gingerbread, and some tea and sugar — SEVERE TREATMENT. — articles in those days forming no inconsiderable luxuries in the bills of fare of merchant seamen.

We sailed in February 1796, but, owing to continued westerly gales, were six months on the passage. No part of my eventful life has presented a parallel to the hardships and suffering I endured at this period. Dry clothes or bedding were out of the question. The master, a miserable, selfish old wretch, half starved us ; and the mate, a raw, hard-a-weather Shields man, as rough and unfeeling as the keen north-westers which had furnished his ill favoured, weather-beaten visage with their cordage, took good care that the grass should not grow under our feet. Many a sousing of cold brine, which has made my jaws rattle again, have I received at the hands of this hero, when caught nodding at my post on the lee cat-head, where I was stationed to look-out for the Wolf Rock, on many a bitter winter's night, while striving against the adverse gale FALMOUTH.

THE CONVOY. 9 in its neighbourhood. On these occasions, like a real Turk, he never failed to accompany his shower-bath with a sound shampooing of three quarters, to restore the checked or impeded cir culation, and which I must own seldom failed in restoring the temperature of my frame. At St. Mary's, Scilly, into which we were driven, our crew of four men, dissatisfied with their ill treatment, having been kept on a scanty allowance of salt provision, without spirits, deserted. From a gun-brig — like ourselves wind-bound — we received four men, who de voured in one week as much as their prede cessors had been allowed in a month; — a just retribution on old skin-flint, thought I. Fi nally, we reached our rendezvous, Falmouth, and in St. Maur's Creek were fain to wait until our patience and provisions were ex hausted.

At length the wind setting in to the eastward, brought with it the long ex pected object of our wishes, the convoy. It was already the beginning of May, when b5 DEPARTURE FROM FALMOUTH. early one fine morning this event was an nounced by the thundering of the signal guns in the offing, and shortly after the appearance of a smart frigate off the harbour's mouth, set us all in motion, and it was not long before we were stemming the wave outside. Nothing of combined art and nature is more imposing, or calculated to excite a sensation more in tense, than the spectacle that all at once burst upon us on issuing from the port. From the calm and quiet of a mill-pond, we were suddenly launched into the animated movement of a fleet of a thousand sail, in all the bustle of leave-taking and final arrangement.

It was a scene calculated to arouse the most phleg matic, to awaken the enthusiasm of the coldest. For my own part, not being of either of these temperaments, and never having seen a man of-war, nor so great a number of ships before, the first coup-dYœil, as we rounded the point, produced an almost electrical effect. In all the pomp and circumstance of war, England's wooden walls. 11 their well-arranged batteries bristling defiance from their burnished sides, and from time to time thundering forth their imperious mandates ; St. George's banner proudly waving over their lofty sterns, their streaming pendants and numerous signal-flags floating from their towering mast-heads ; ten of " Britain's best bulwarks," hne-of-battle ships, led the van. Not far astern of these, two symmetrical lines of lofty ships, in warlike attitude and trim, vyeing with their proud protectors, proclaimed them to be Company's armed traders ; while far and wide as the eye could scan, West Indiamen, South Sea whalers, Levanters, and others ; the better sailors taking it coolly under their topsails, the logs crowding every stitch they could spread, were seen pell-mell clustering together in orderly confusion.

From time to time a dashing frigate, comet-like, ranging with eccentric orbit from flank to flank, from van to rear, visiting every part of the constellated mass, was seen under a crowd of sail repeating APPEARANCE OF THE FLEET. and enforcing signals, hailing some, admonish ing or bullying others ; and now and then des patching a messenger from a twenty-four pounder among the unfortunate laggers. Here and there, to diversify, and if possible, give more animation to the picture, innumerable small craft, pilot, and bum-boats, fishing smacks and others, might be seen whisking about like birds in a forest, or bearing to the shore many a sorrow-stricken heart, that had sobbed forth its last adieus to friends or kindred they might never see again ; while ever and anon a stream of delicious music from the different bands osthe men-of-war, melting away in dulcet cadence on the gale, increased the interest of the magnificent tout ensemble.

The weather was delightful. The convoy, as I said before, consisted of one thousand sail of merchant ships, forming the outward bound trade to every quarter of the globe, escorted by ten ships of the line (four of three decks), fourteen frigates, and smaller craft in proportion. GIBRALTAR. Shortly after joining the convoy, the whole bore up, and made sail with a fair wind. Nothing of moment occurred until we arrived off Cape Finisterre, where the Mediterranean ships and others separated according to their respective destinations. Passing close under Cape St. Vincent with the former, we in a few days entered the gut of Gibraltar ; but the wind still remaining in the east, we had to beat into the bay in the night, furious squalls rushing down from the rock, and " making all grin again ;" by one of which, although every sail was clewed up, we were laid on our beam ends, and were not a little glad when we reached the anchorage close under the Spanish shore.

When morning broke, I was delighted with the novelty and beauty of the scene. The im posing appearance of the rock, one huge battery bristling with cannon, contrasted with the luxuriant verdure of the Spanish side, covered with neat hamlets, with the " Spanish trum- RECONCILED TO HIS VESSEL. peters,"* so characteristic of this quarter of Spain, performing in all directions, made a vivid impression, and so much was I in the humour to be pleased, that I almost thought with the sentimental parson, " they were the sweetest notes I ever heard." So true it is, that there is a time when the alchymy of the mind " can double even the sweetness of a flower." I had now become reconciled to the vessel. A more genial chmate, the certainty of plenty of fruit, to make up for old skin-flint's short commons, and lastly, the favour of my late tyrant, the mate, into whose good graces, see ing my activity and alacrity, I had gradually crept, consoled me for many pains and privations.

Under the auspices of the latter I was taught to reef and steer, knot, splice, and heave the lead ; so that I soon became a good practical seaman. Warping to our proper anchorage, we passed four or five days pleasantly enough, receiving * The sailors' soubriquet for jackass. CORSICA. — LEGHORN. 15 an abundant supply of fruit, wine, and vege tables, from the Spanish and Barbary coasts. On the fifth day from our arrival we sailed with the convoy for Corsica and Leghorn. The weather continued fine, with light and variable winds. On our way we looked into Santa Fiorenza Bay, where we remained a few days, receiving on board a few sheep, which, but for their horns and wool, I should have sworn were fleyed greyhounds. Hence, resuming our voyage, we reached Leghorn the next day, mooring in the outer, or great mole.

Here we discharged, and commenced taking in our homeward-bound cargo. But the sudden arrival of the French army interrupted this operation, and compelled us to shift our berth to the outer roads, where we contrived to com plete our lading. Although I was too young, and too unreflecting, to appreciate fully the agremens of this and other delightful places we touched at along the coast, the recollections of the smiling PLEASING ANTICIPATIONS. shores and sunny days, (to understand the lux ury of which it is necessary to be soaked a few months previously, as I had been, in the frozen brine of the Channel, or coast of Greenland, and dried in a bitter north-wester,) with, more than all, the delicious fruits and other good things, recur with vivid pleasure to my mind. Sailing from Leghorn with the convoy, we touched at Corsica and Gibraltar, passed the Gut, and reached the chops of the Channel without any occurrence of interest.

All seemed to promise a prosperous conclusion to the voyage, and, under the influence of the pleas ing anticipations of seamen homeward-bound, we were reckoning (without our hosts un luckily) the hours, and calculating the distance to " the high blue western land," when, one foggy dark night, having lost sight of the convoy, the morning found us dependant on our own navigation and resources, with neither of which old Squeeze, or any of us, had over burthened ourselves. We however groped our DISAPPOINTMENT. way by lead and line as well as we could all the next day ; and at night, not knowing well where we were, hove the vessel to.* The following morning we again bore up, feeling our way cautiously under easy sail, and about noon descrying what we took for a Mount's Bay or St. Ives' fishing-smack, lugger rigged, stood towards her, dreaming only of inquiring the road, asking the news, and get ting plenty of fresh fish.

We had barely however reached within hail, when a dirty, tri-coloured rag, about the size of an ordinary pocket-handkerchief, and a volley of musketry right into us, somewhat abruptly changed the current of our lucubrations, and saved us the • In those days, when the tender mercies of Providence stood in lieu of a lunar observation, and a chip thrown over the bows (the navigator judging osthe rate by his pace in keeping up with it) performed the office of the log, few masters of ships, save East Indiamen, were overburthened with professional science ; several, indeed, to whom the lives and property of thousands were intrusted, I have known so illiterate that they could scarcely write a legible hand, or solve a common problem in the elementary parts of arithmetic. FRENCH POLITESSE trouble of further interrogatories.

The skipper, frightened out of what few wits he had, ran below; but the mate and crew, two of whom were old men-of-war's men, determined on trying a chance for it, trimmed the sails, and hauling to the wind, stood away from the enemy, not without hopes, as our craft was a tolerable sailer, of escaping. These, however, were of short duration. The lugger gained rapidly on us; and taking his station on our weather quarter, began to pepper us with grape from two six-pounders and musketry; our gallant commander all the while roaring out from below to heave-to. This, however, the mate, a real true-blue son of Neptune, as brave as a lion, paid not the least attention to, starting neither tack nor sheet; until, perceiving the Frenchman was preparing to board, he coolly laid the main-topsail to the mast, and with the foresight of an old campaigner, anti cipating the banyan days he was likely to en counter among the " Crapeaux," as Jack calls SKETCHES. 19 them, and wisely determining to fortify his inner man accordingly, he ran to the caboose, and seizing a half-roasted quarter of pork, intended for the cabin dinner, seated himself on the deck, and regardless of the musketry, and the sacres of the impatient Frenchman, who had been hailing till he was hoarse, to hoist out the boat, commenced the process of mastication.

When, by the assistance of the crew, the joint had been pretty well transform ed into sausage meat, the only boat we had was hastily launched over the lee gunwale. Either by accident or design, this operation was so slovenly performed, that in taking the water she instantly filled, and capsized. This brought another volley from the lugger ; when, perceiving that there was no other alternative, an old rotten tub of a punt, as leaky as a sieve, was bundled overboard, which, half full ' of water, was soon alongside, and with it six of the most ill-looking cut-throats I ever beheld. The leader of these, a huge, terrific monster CAPTURE. of a fellow, six feet high, rigged in a shaggy black bearskin cap, blue fearnought jacket and trowsers, with a visage so buried in dirty black whiskers and hair, that no part of it could be seen but two fierce dark eyes, and some large irregular yellow tusks, jumping up the side, in broken English, demanded the captain.