Travel, War, and Shipwreck

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BOOKS OF TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE. One Volume, with Map, scarlet cloth, 15... The Crimean Campaign with the Connaught Rangers, 1864-5-6. By Lieut.-Colonel Nathaniel Steevens, late 88th (Connaught Rangers). *' A welcome addition to the military history of England." — United Service Gazette. One Volume, Crown Svo, cloth, price \is. Pictures of the Past : Memories of Men I Have Met, and Sights I Have Seen. By Francis H. Grundv, CE. Contains personal recollections of Patrick Branwell Bronte, Leigh Hunt and his family, George Henry Lewes, George Parker Bidder, George Stephenson, and many other celebrities, and gives besides descriptions of very varied experiences in Australia. Two Volumes, Crown Svo, cloth, gilt tops, price i_>j. The Secret of the Sands ; or, The Water Lily and her Crew. A Nautical Novel.

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By LieuL-CoL A- W. Drayson, R.A. Illustrated. Sixth thousand. GRIFFITH & FARRAN, Corner of St Paul's Churchyard, London. BY PARKER GILLMORE. AUTHOR OF "THE GREAT THIRST LAND," " PRAIRIE AND FOREST," " GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE," "AFLOAT AND ASHORE," ETC., ETC, ETC. GRIFFITH & FARRAN, Corner of St Paul's Churchyard, London. 1880. The Rights of Translation and Reproduction are reserved. CONTENTS. PAGE

Chapter I. Captain Cinnamon And Lieutenant Swan

In the year 1850 there lived near the coast in the county of Northumberland an elderly naval Lieutenant. He was a fine specimen of his class at the time. He could swear a little, drink a little, smoke a little, and spin yarns innumerable. Although it was many years since he had been afloat, his old habits still prevailed in him, so that he talked of the first floor as " aloft," and the cellars as the " hold," the windows were " ports," the stair-case was the " gangway," and all people who did not follow the sea were either " land lubbers" or " land sharks ;" still he never spoke in bitterness against any one, save, on rare occasions, when he had taken an extra glass of toddy. The Lords of the Admiralty would then possibly get just the least bit of his mind. This is scarcely to be wondered at, for if medals and report spoke true, this old son of Neptune had been a most gallant officer, had performed very daring feats in numerous cutting-out expeditions on the coasts of Spain and France, as well as among the West Indian Islands.

His most intimate friend was Captain Cinnamon, of the Marines. As their respective residences were A only about two miles apart they met almost daily ; and there was a standing agreement that they should pass two nights a week in each other's society. In general appearance these two old cronies were very much alike ; it is doubtful if there was a pound of difference between them in weight, and it would have taken a fine judge of colour to decide between their complexions which was the more florid. However marvellous might be the yarn spun by either, it was listened to by the other without doubt, if not without interruption. They had a standing rule of having always the same food on the same days : thus if the days were long enough to extend their walk after dinner till they should meet, the salutation would invariably be " Hullo, Cinnamon !

" or " Hullo, Swan ! " " How did you enjoy your salt beef and greens ?" Then, and not till then, politics would be touched upon, and if there happened to be any naval news it was invariably decided, after discussing it, that the service was going emphatically to the devil. Both the houses of the two gentlemen were exactly alike. They had a wide verandah running the entire length of the front, and from each verandah there was an extensive view of the German ocean. The style of architecture was such as is to be seen at the present day on both shores of Chesapeake Bay, in fact all along the southern sea-board of the United States. This is easily accounted for by the circumstance of both having done duty for some years on the Halifax and West India station. In front of these dwellings was a carriage drive, just sufficiently wide for a conveyance to turn upon, and beyond it a plot of grass about twenty-five yards wide, in the centre of which was a flagstaff, at whose truck a flag floated in all weathers from sunrise till sunset.

This piece of bunting was, as a rule, a Union Jack in very disreputable condition, but on the anniver saries of victories won by our fleet, a grand one, magnificent in the brilliancy of its colours, was substituted ; on two occasions in each year the brighter banner was hung half-mast high; these were, the anniversaries of the death of Nelson and of Collingwood. It was a goodly sight of a summer evening to see these two old warriors sitting on the verandah with a table between them, on which was a decanter of old Jamaica rum, two tumblers, two glasses, a large snuffbox, and a tobacco jar, for our veterans were addicted ta tobacco in both forms. Long clay pipes, called " Alder mans," were those they always smoked, and as the curl ing smoke wreathed itself over their heads, there was an expression in each of their weather-beaten faces which said as plainly as words, " I am enjoying the ease I have earned."

" Time for a fresh glass," says Lieutenant Swan. " Time for a fresh glass," repeats Captain Cinnamon. And both pour out exactly the same quantity of rum, and add to it precisely an equal measure of water. These worthies, in fact, drunk exactly the same quantity, each sip being imbibed apparently at the same moment, for they always seemed to exhaust and replenish their glasses at the same time ; it would be hard, indeed, to say if they did not pursue exactly the same course with their tobacco and snuff. "Come, Swan," says Captain Cinnamon, "tell me that story about the First Lord and the snuff, it's a month at least since I heard it, and I want to have a laugh." "Yes, I believe it is a month. Heigh-ho! who v.-.juld have thought it? Well, here goes, provided always you will give your exploits in the mud when your fellows landed to take that battery."

This arrangement being assented to, Lieutenant Swan, after settling himself in the most comfortable position he could select, laid down his pipe. and. blowing his n'>se, commenced. "When I was third lieutenant on board the Are thusa, we were stationed on the Halifax and West Jndia station — that is, as you know, we spent the winter in the islands to escape the ice, and the summer in Halifax to escape yellow jack, at such times as we were not cruising along the coast of the United States, which was at least two months out of three. Lord! bow it does blow along the whole of that coast from Cape Hatteras to Cape Race, all the year round, except in the summer months ! " Here the Captain gave an assenting nod. " It was about the end of October, and the weather was hazy but calm. I had just come on deck after lunch, when an orderly informed me that my presence was required by the Captain.

I was not a bit nervous in going down the companion, for you see. Cinnamon. I hadn't been up to any larks lately; and it's ever a guilty con science that makes us cowards." Here the Captain gave another approving nod. "Well, our captain told me that, from information he had received, there was no doubt that there was in these waters a small fore and aft schooner-rigged privateer, which had lately been playing the very mischief with our commerce along the coast of New Brunswick, and as the weather was thick and calm I had better take my boat, silently run along the coast for twenty or more miles, and, if she was not too formidable, use my utmost efforts for her destruction or capture. ' If firing should be re ported,' he added, ' I will send you assistance. Under any circumstance, unless it should come on a gale of wind, you will find us here at noon the day after to morrow.

Mr Swan, I would not give you this im portant duty if I had not great confidence in your dis cretion and courage.' These are the very words he said — the very words." Here came two approving nods from Cinnamon. " Now, off my lad, and the quicker the better ; but not a word to any one of what your business is." " A few minutes after my boat was piped away, and ten minutes from the time my interview with the Cap tain terminated, the frigate was out of sight in the haze. " An hour and a half's pull brought us within sight of the shore, when, as I turned our boat's head to the westward, I cautioned the crew to keep their ears open. and not to speak a word above a whisper. There was little need of this, for there was not a man among them who didn't know that we were likely to have work on hand soon.

Those were the days to be at sea, and no mistake ; those were the times when an officer had to command sailors, and not a lot of land-lubbers ; the service had not gone to the devil then." The worthy narrator was becoming more and more excited, while his companion nodded and nodded again with more and more emphasis. "We hugged the coast all that night, and still the weather was mild, with scarcely a cat's-paw upon the water. Just before break of day we pulled into a cove for the double purpose of letting the crew have an opportunity of cooking breakfast, and of enabling me to survey the coast from the nearest high ground. Beyond a point six miles off I made out with my glass the spars of a craft exactly such as we were after ; and, judging from their appear ance, I concluded she must be about one hundred and fifty tons burden.

From her peak hung the Yankee flag, so whether she was the right schooner or not, she could not be a wrong one, for we were at war then with the United States. I said nothing to the men about what I had discovered, but told them that, as there might be work to do after sunset, they had better rest awhile, but on no account to leave the boat. I then returned to my point of observation, but as the haze had thickened, I was unable to see more of her. As this schooner was a larger one than I had anticipated, I resolved to wait till dark, and take her by surprise. Nothing like surprise and night work to equalise num bers—nothing like it." And the Captain nodded his approval. " As soon as the light suited, we again got afloat, and made the best of our way across the intervening bay. When only a mile more had to be pulled, I ordered the crew to lie on their oars and look to their arms.

Every man-jack of them knew what this meant, and if one could have seen their faces, he would have noted the true pluck, the devil-may-care expression, that told there was not one among them that would not have gone to Davy Jones' locker sooner than show the white feather. There never were, and never will be, such sailors as our fleet was manned with in those days." Here came in sundry nods from the listener. " Or officers either," said the Captain. Or officers either," echoed the Lieutenant. We've had but two glasses," observed Cinnamon. " But one," said the Lieutenant. " Then make it one," rejoined the Marine. So they replenished their glasses and pipes, and took an interval ; after which, the stereotyped question was asked, "Where did I leave off?" "Where the boat's crew looked to their arms, prepared for action."

"So I did; good!" I — who, as the reader will find, was privileged by my position to be often a silent par taker in these interviews — always regarded this question as a test of the attention the auditor had been paying to the story. " ' Now, my hearties, at it again ! not a word for your lives ; in ten minutes more you may sing God save the King till you are black in the throat." "At this time I noticed that the breeze was springing up. It was light still ; but I did not like it, for it was northerly, making this a lea shore. But there was no time to think. Fifty yards ahead loomed the schooner ; closer to her we drew ; twenty-five yards only severed us, when the watch hailed, ' Give way, my lads, and the devil take the last on her decks!' It was a beautiful sight to see how the lads went at her — beautiful — no such sights to be seen now-a-days ; never, no more !

" " Never, no more," — and both nodded their heads together in mournful reflection. " In a moment we were fast alongside ; in another, half the boat's crew were on the schooner's deck, fighting a way for the rest to follow ; and how the Yankees fought, though half of them were just as they had turned out of their bunks, but we hammered at them, two blows for one. No asking for quarter : no giving it. It was the nicest little thing in the shape of a fight ever an eye looked on. There never was a fairer, never a prettier; for, you see, we were just about man to man, and — well — bless, those Yankees, they can fight, they can!" And the old Captain emphatically approved with his head this assertion. " I'm thirsty, comrade !" " So am I." "It's only two tumblers we have had?" enquiringly asked the Lieutenant.

"Only two.' "As I was saying, they fought like the very mis chief, and we were doing little better than holding our own, when I got a clip on the head that nearly brought me down,— here's the scar still— but in an instant I had turned round on the fellow that did it — for, you see, I was engaged hammer and tongs with another of them,— and, by Jove! it was a nigger, as black as ebony. I made a couple of cuts at him, but he could handle a cutlass as well as I could, and the Lord knows how it would have ended, but that the Coxswain gave him a back-hander that tumbled him into the scuppers. Over ten minutes the fight lasted, before we drove the sons of sea cooks below the hatches, and we should not have done it then, but for our having taken them by surprise. We had two, and they had four, killed, with a heavy bill of wounded on both sides.

" Over an hour had passed in providing for the com forts both of friends and foes. When I came on deck, I found that it had commenced to blow hard, with every indication of a heavy northerly gale, so there was no thing for it but to trip anchor and make sail. "All that night we beat to and fro ; and a worse sea I have seldom seen. At daybreak the gale freshened to such an extent that yard after yard of canvass had to be taken in, so we found there was nothing for it but to turn tail and run for shelter. " On my chart was marked a river with ten feet of water on the bar. As far as I could judge, it lay about due south. After an hour's scudding, we made it, when I cracked on plenty of sail and steered straight at it. A succession of heavy bumps, a crash of timber as the masts go by the board, and, thank God, we are again in smooth water.

Comrade, it was a near pinch ; if we had drawn one foot more water, every man-jack of us would have been food for the fishes, every man jack of us." Here the two old gentlemen affectionately squeezed each other's hands across the table, then pro ceeded leisurely to replenish their glasses without asking questions as to the number they had previously imbibed. "Comrade, we have had some near shaves in our lives." Yes, Swan, we have." Men don't now-a-days have to go through the like." No; they don't." "An hour after we had entered the river, winter com menced in earnest. A heavy fall of snow was added to the terrific gale that was raging, and the temperature fell many degrees below freezing point. If we had been an hour later, we could not have found out our present harbour. " The wounded suffered much, for we had no one among us who had the slightest knowledge of surgery ; but, be it said to the credit of both friends and foes, all submitted to their misfortunes without murmur.

"For a week the terrific weather continued, but at length gave way to the most charming of all winters, that of Canada. After the storm had passed off, the Indians of the neighbourhood, Micmacks by tribe, found us out and supplied us with fresh meat. One of them could speak English a little, for he had been many times in Halifax, so I made an arrangement with him to take a despatch to the governor describing our position and the circumstances that had led to it, at the same time begging him to use all efforts for our immediate release. It was while waiting for an answer to this message that I discovered that wonderful snuff, wonderful though I say it," here both the old gentlemen laughed together as if their sides would split. " Come, fill your glass, Captain ; this will only be the third."

CAPTAIN CINNAMON AND LIEUTENANT SWAN. I I " Fourth," says the marine. " We'll make it three," and without dissent they made it three. " This snuff, you see, I first found out by seeing the Indians use it. I tried it, and for pungency never met its equal." " Yes, that's the truth ; the first time you gave it to me I nearly sneezed my head off. In fact, I thought I never should have stopped sneezing." "By Jove, I shall never forget it." " Nor shall I." And both laughed at their recollections of the story. " After some enquiry I found it was made from a root which abounds everywhere in the woods of Nova Scotia, and which, when ground to powder by a peculiar process, makes the snuff, whose wonderful pungency you have experienced." "And so have the Duke and the First Lord," an swered the Captain ; at which they both laughed again.

" I thought at the time, I had made a most valuable discovery, and I should think so still, if people could only be induced to give up their prejudices and take to my snuff, instead of snuffing tobacco." " Well, comrade, why don't you set the example ? " For the reason I mentioned, — prejudice. I am no less subject to that weakness than my fellowmen." "Evidently," and both took a pinch out ofthe mull that was on the table, and laughed over the idea of gull ing the public. " After I had been placed on the shelf some years, having only half-pay, barely sufficient to keep soul and body together " " Barely enough, indeed." "It struck me that I might add to my income by introducing my Nova Scotia snuff; so I sent to a friend in Canada to forward me one or two hundred pounds' weight of the root.

With due care I had them prepared according to the process I had learned, and then endeavoured to get some snuff dealers to bring the article before the public. All had but one answer — ' Get one of the Royal Family, some leading nobleman of fashion, or some other distinguished person, to patro nise it, and your fortune is made.' Now, as I could obtain neither of the former two, I at last thought, after I had pondered the subject over, of the First Lord of the Admiralty, who, as I knew by reputation, was an inveterate snuffer. But how was I to approach him on such a subject ? for I hated to go near Whitehall even when in commission. At length it struck me that my dear old patron, formerly the Captain of the Arethusa, who had for many years been an Admiral, would be the very person to give me a good introduction, as he must be a favourite with the authorities, being then in command of the Channel squadron.

" My request was at once complied with, and many were the kind expressions contained in the Admiral's letter of the appreciation he held me in as an officer. This document was duly forwarded to the Admiralty, together with a letter stating the purport of my visit, and containing a request to know when I might be CAPTAIN CINNAMON AND LIEUTENANT SWAN. I 3 honoured with an interview. In due time was received an answer, and an early date named. " Punctually to the appointed moment I arrived, but I was kept waiting quite two hours in the ante-room. This I did not mind, for the time passed pleasantly enough in the contemplation of my future fortune. " At length the usher showed me into the august presence ; he was a little man, very stout, with a short neck, a pimply face, and a very red complexion.

While I was producing my snuff-box, another gentle man entered the room from an opposite door ; he was very tall and thin, and had an exceedingly bald head and an aquiline nose. As soon as he made his ap pearance, the First Lord called out, ' Ah ! your Grace, just in time ; you are actually, I may say, in luck. Lieutenant Swan (making a gradual motion of the head towards me) has brought with him from abroad a new snuff, the most delicious and refreshing that has ever been introduced into the country.' To get a First Lord was something, but with a Duke for a patron, my fortune was assuredly made." " Look here," said the Captain, " just halt a bit ; I have two reasons for asking you to do so. In the first place, I want to have a quiet laugh in anticipation ; secondly, Don't you think it advisable we should fill our glasses ?

" " Certainly I do ; for if we fill them now they will be ready for use when I have finished my yarn." That important operation having been performed, and the worthy Captain having resumed his gravity, Lieutenant Swan continued his narrative — "I carefully opened the box which had previous y been highly perfumed. The First Lord took it, smelt, and handed it to his Grace, who did likewise. ' A very pleasant flavour,' said the one. ' Extremely,' said the other Then each took a pinch. For a few seconds both appeared highly pleased with the result ; but soon one, then the other, commenced to sneeze, gently at first, but as time lapsed more and more rapidly and violently, till both continued giving vent to one inces sant series of sneezes. The First Lord buried his face in the sofa ; his Grace threw himself back in an arm chair.

From one I flew to the other. The former was black in the face, the latter covered with perspiration, and still they kept up the most incessant sneezing. What to do I knew not. There was no water in the room ; I was about to ring the bell for some, when in trooped a dozen of servants. I heard the First Lord say, with a sneeze between each word, 'Secure the scoundrel.' Such a hint was not to be neglected. I seized my hat, darted from the room, rushed down the stairs, taking three at a time, and never looked back till I was across Westminster Bridge. Indeed, I did not feel safe then, and for weeks after I expected daily to hear that I had been deprived of my half-pay. " Since that day I have never been inside the Admi ralty, and if I live a hundred years I never intend to be, although my snuff-box, a very handsome one, which had been the property of my grandfather, is there, for aught I know, to this day.

" My kind friend the Admiral wrote to me in terms such as implied that I had betrayed his confidence. I was much grieved at this, and sent him an apology, which he was good enough to accept. "I could not understand how my admirable snuff, which I still esteem so valuable a discovery, became so pungent. To put it to the test, I wished to discover if it had the same effect on others ; so I gave the land lord of the ' Ship and Anchor ' a pinch. He was a very tall and stout man, and I can assure you that his sneezes were so terrific that they shook the ornaments off the mantelpiece, and they were so protracted that his wife rushed into the room to learn the cause. When she had done so, she attacked me with a broom ; the boots and waiter came to her support. I was again obliged to fly, and my wounded pride has compelled me ever since to give up a favourite haunt.

" To this moment I am confident it is prejudice that has done it all, and nothing more. It does not make me sneeze so." " No, Swan, it does not, for your nose, I suspect, is copper-lined ; but, Lord bless your soul, I should like to have seen you between the First and Second Lords, and afterwards coming down the staircase." And the Captain of Marines and the Lieutenant of the Navy laughed, and laughed again, till it was pro nounced time to fill up their glasses.

Chapter II. Boyhood's Days

WHEN the reader of the preceding chapter is informed that the narrator is the only son of Lieutenant Swan, he will not be surprised to learn that I had been completely spoiled by my father and his bosom friend the Captain, and that I got generally my own way in everything. It is true that I had been for some time a pupil of the grammar school, but my attendance was almost nominal, for if it was spring or summer, and the day was suitable for fishing, by the river side I was certain to be found ; if winter, and there was shooting or ice, I would be in the company of the neighbouring Baronet's game keepers, or doing the intricacies of inside and outside turns upon my skates. At length my want of attention to my classes became so glaring that the dominie, good man, thought he ought to remonstrate with my father on the subject, especially as it was setting such a per nicious example to the other scholars.

With this inten tion, he interviewed the old gentleman, and stated his reasons for doing so. However, Mr Swan could not see matters in the same light, and informed the worthy schoolmaster that my mother, who died a long time ago, had been consumptive, and that he was afraid I had the germs of the same disease. "Consumption!" exclaimed the schoolmaster indie: nantly. " Consumption, do you say, fiddle-sticks ! more likely he is suffering from over-consumption of victuals." Now, this was about as unfortunate an answer as could have been made to my father, for he saw in it not only an attempt to dictate how I should be brought up, but a slighting insinuation levelled at the sufficiency of his knowledge of the world. So, ringing the bell, he ordered the servant to open the door for Mr Rudiman, and informed the zealous advocate of education that his school should no longer be troubled with my presence.

Shortly after this a council was held between Captain Cinnamon and my father as to what steps should be taken for the furtherance of my education. "A boarding-school," suggested the former. "No;" answered the latter. "No; that would never do." "Why?" interrogates the Captain. " For this reason ; you see he is a high-spirited lad, so half the time he would be engaged in licking his companions, or getting licked by them ; to the former I would not object — to the latter I do most decidedly." " No; it would never do for our Jack to get licked — never do. I have it. Sergeant Trenchman, late of the Royal Engineers, that fine specimen of an old soldier, who has lately come to reside in the village, would make the youngster a capital tutor ; the non-commissioned officers of his corps are a very intelligent, well-educated body of men."