LOOKING SEAWARD AGAIN

by

Sir WALTER RUNCIMAN, Bart. , Author of _The Shellback's Progress_, _Windjammers and Sea Tramps_, etc. 

London: Walter Scott Publishing Co. Ltd. 

1907. 

TOMY WIFETHESE FRAGMENTSARE AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 

PREFACE. 

The following tales have been told to some few men and women by thefireside. The stories themselves only claim to be unvarnished mattersof fact; and I may repeat here what I said in a previous volume, thatmy object has not been to strain after literary effect or style. Mytoo early desertion of home-life to graduate in the harsh andwhimsical discipline of sailing-vessels in the days when they hadstill some years to live and "carry on" ere steam took the wind out oftheir sails, precluded such studies as are natural to the embryo manof letters. But the circumstances that told against mere study did notprevent my preserving many memories of my sojourns ashore and voyagesin distant seas. I mention this fact, not as an apology, but as anexplanation which I hope may commend itself to the amiable reader. 

WALTER RUNCIMAN. 

_3rd December_ 1907. 

CONTENTS. 

THROUGH TORPEDOES AND ICEFAIR TRADE AND FOUL PLAYSMUGGLERS OF THE ROCKA PASHA BEFORE PLEVNAA RUSSIAN PORT IN THE 'SIXTIES"DUTCHY" AND HIS CHIEF

Through Torpedoes and Ice

"Osman the Victorious, " as Skobeleff called the matchless Turkishpasha, had kept the Russian hordes at bay for one hundred andforty-two days. Never in the annals of warfare had the world beheldsuch unexpected military genius, combined with stubborn endurance, aswas shown during the siege of Plevna. On December 10th, 1877, Osmancame out and made a desperate struggle to break through the Russianlines; but after four hours' hard fighting the Turks sent up the whiteflag, and boisterous cheering swelled over the snow-clad land when itbecame known that the greatest Turkish general of modern times hadsurrendered. His little army of Bashi-Bazouks had annihilated morethan one Siberian battalion. The Russian loss was forty thousand, andthe Turkish thirty thousand. Had Suleiman and the other Turkishgenerals shown the same stubborn spirit as Osman, the Russian armywould never have been permitted to cross the Balkans, much less reachConstantinople. [1] But after the fall of Plevna the resistance of theTurkish army was feeble, and the Muscovites were not long in pitchingtheir camp at San Stefano. Indeed, a rumour got abroad one night thatthe Russians were in the suburbs of Constantinople. This roused theindignation of the English jingoes to such a pitch that the greatJewish Premier, with the dash that characterized his career, gaveperemptory orders for the British fleet to proceed, with or withoutleave, through the Dardanelles, and if any resistance was shown tosilence the forts. Russia protested and threatened, and Turkey winkeda stern objection, but Lord Beaconsfield was firm, and suitablearrangements were arrived at between the Powers. 

Bismarck offered his services as mediator, and suggested that aEuropean Congress should be held at Berlin to discuss the contents ofthe Treaty of San Stefano. This was agreed to, and Lord Beaconsfield, accompanied by Lord Salisbury, were the British representatives at theCongress. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary drove a hardand favourable bargain for Turkey and for Britain. Turkey, it isneedless to say, got the worst of it; but, considering her crushingdefeat, came well out of the settlement. Cyprus was ceded to theBritish, to be used as a naval station, and subsequent experience hasproved the wisdom of this acquisition. Lord Beaconsfield proclaimed toa tumultuous crowd on the occasion of his return to London that he hadbrought back "peace with honour. " This was the acme of the greatJew's fame. It looked as though he could have done anything he likedwith the British people, so that it is no wonder that the old man losthis balance when such homage was paid him by that section of thepublic which was smitten with his picturesque and audaciouspersonality. 

Naturally, his policy impregnated Russia with a strong anti-Britishfeeling, and it was said that her activity in running up earthworksand apparently impregnable fortifications was in anticipation ofDisraeli declaring war and ordering the fleet to bombard the Crimeanports; hence, too, in addition to the strong fortifications, torpedomines were laid for miles along the seaboard, and every possible meansand opportunity were taken to make it widely known that the Black Seawas one deadly mine-field. The Press on all sides was, as usual, brimful of reports of the most alarmist nature--these, of course, forthe most part extravagant and inaccurate rumours. Nor did the RussianPress minimize accounts of the terrible devastation that was wroughton unarmed trespassers who came within the zone of terror. I readtwice of my own rapid and complete destruction. There is no doubt thatmines were laid, though both their capacity for destruction and thenumber of them was very much exaggerated. 

From the end of ---- outer breakwater to beyond the ---- there was aline of mines which left between the land and them a channel less thanhalf a mile wide. A gunboat with torpedo pilots aboard was moored atthe south end, and vessels prior to the war and during the armisticewere compelled to take a pilot in and out; but no vessel was allowedto pass in or out from sunset to sunrise. A gunboat was also stationedoutside the inner breakwater. A large fleet of steamers had beenattracted by the high freights, inflated by the war fever thatpermeated Europe at that time, and also because the season was faradvanced, and merchants were anxious to get their stuff shipped incase hostilities broke out. The heavy snowstorms had made the roadsalmost impassable, but in spite of great difficulties the loading wascarried on; slowly, it is true, but with dogged perseverance. Thefrost had become keen, and large floes of ice were rushed down thereaches by the swift current. Booms were moored outside the vessels toprotect them, but these were constantly being carried away, and not alittle damage was done. A consultation amongst the captains was heldas to the advisability of leaving with what cargoes they had aboard, but only two decided to start on the following morning. Some of theothers said they could force their way through six inches of ice, andwould risk waiting to receive their whole cargo. Accordingly, as soonas it was daylight one of the captains who had made all arrangementsto leave gave orders to unmoor. The other had changed his mind, andfell in with the views of the majority. The captain of the_Claverhouse_, however, got underweigh, but before getting very farhis engineer reported that the hot-well cover had broken in two. Itwas temporarily repaired, and she got along famously until they cameto a bend in the river where there was much packed ice. For two hoursmanoeuvring continued without any appreciable result. At last the bigmass began to move, and a navigable channel was opened, which enabledthe vessel to make slow though risky progress through a field ofmoving ice. 

The anchorage at ---- was reached before darkness set in, and a vesselwhich had left four days previously was observed to be ashore, withthe ice drifting up against her port side, forcing her farther on tothe bank. Signals were hoisted offering assistance, but before thereply could be made a blinding snowstorm came on, which lasted allthrough the night. The next morning, at daylight, signals were againmade by the _Claverhouse_ to the stranded vessel asking if they wouldaccept assistance. The reply came, "I want lighters. " The crew werejettisoning the cargo of wheat on to the ice as it flowed past, butthe more they lightened the farther the vessel was forced on to thebank by the rushing current. The master of the _Claverhouse_, observing the critical position, sent a boat away with a small line. A communication was effected, but not without great difficulty. Themaster of the _Aureola_ was worn out with anxiety and want of rest, for his vessel had been ashore for forty-eight hours. He very wiselyaccepted the assistance which had opportunely come to him. A tow-ropewas attached to the small line, and by this means a thick tow-line wasgot aboard, and she was dragged off the bank; then orders wereunaccountably given to cut the tow-rope. This very nearly resulted ina more serious disaster, as the engineers in the confusion kept theengines going astern, and the rope drifting with the current, becameentangled round the propeller. If the anchor and chains had not heldthe great strain that was put on them, she would have gone ashoreagain in a worse position, and inevitably have broken her back. As itwas, the propeller was cleared in about a couple of hours. The captainof the _Aureola_ was not well acquainted with the locality, andarranged that he should follow the other steamer to----. Suitableplans and signals were settled, and both vessels weighed anchor andproceeded as fast through the ice as was compatible with safety. Onceout of the narrows and clear of the obstruction, the engines were putat full speed and kept going until they were forced to slow down onaccount of the snow squalls, which obscured everything. The sea hadbecome rough, and the utmost resources of the commanders were taxed intheir efforts to navigate the coast and yet keep together. They gropedtheir way until ---- town lights were visible. It was then seen thatthe gunboat anchored at the south end of the mine-field was signallingto them to stop; but still they went slowly on, feeling their way bythe lead, while those aboard the gunboat began to fire rockets withexciting rapidity. Regardless of the warning, the two steamers kept ontheir way until they got to the anchorage, when the warship was hiddenfrom view. 

It was past midnight; and although the crews of both vessels had gonethrough a severe ordeal of physical endurance, they were each anxiousto hear what the other had to say about the events of the lastforty-eight hours, which were beset with peril, and had culminated byboldly running into the anchorage over the mines in defiance of theregulations--to say nothing of the danger of being blown up, or themysterious prospect of Siberia! The captain of the _Aureola_ wasgreatly perturbed, and he promptly ordered his gig to be manned totake him to the _Claverhouse_. On getting aboard, he reproached hisfriend for leading him into what might prove a serious scrape. The twomen talked long of the exciting doings of the day and the policy thatshould be adopted on the morrow, when they would be confronted withofficials that were not over well-disposed to British subjects. Theyfully realized that the case would have to be managed with greatastuteness, so they bethought themselves of one of the cleverest andmost popular men in----, and sent a message to him asking his help. His name need not be mentioned; he is long since dead, and it issufficient to say that he was an educated Maltese, and held a kind ofmagnetic influence over the harbour authorities. The Admiral was anamiable man in an ordinary way, and susceptible to the temptationsthat beset officials in these places; but the _Claverhouse's_ offencewas no common one, nor could it be approached in an ordinary way ofspeech. 

On going ashore, the captains were ushered into the presence of theinfuriated official who was to decide their destiny. He fumed andfoamed savagely, and whenever an attempt was made to speak hisparoxysms became inhuman. Their Maltese friend had come to their aid, and was waiting patiently for the storm to subside, so that he couldexplain how it happened that the regulations came to be broken. Thingslooked black until Mr. C---- began to speak in Russian. It took himsome time to get the great man pacified, and as soon as that wasaccomplished he said to the master of the _Claverhouse_--"You knowthat you could be sent to Siberia or less. How am I to explain it? Whydid you not keep at sea all night? There is only one thing that willsave you. "

"Well, then, " responded the captain of the _Claverhouse_, "let thatone thing be arranged; but let me also state the cause of our breakingthe law. We could have kept the sea quite well had we known exactlywhere we were, but we could see nothing, and had to navigate by takingsoundings, and as soon as we got into seven fathoms the water becamesmooth, and, fearing we might run aground, the anchor was let go. Asfor the rockets that were fired by the gunboat, we had passed the lineof torpedoes before our attention was attracted by the firing. TheAdmiral himself could not have avoided it. Surely he cannot think wedeliberately ran into the anchorage?"

"That is just what he does think, " said Mr. C----. "What am I to do?"

"Settle on the best terms, " said the captain. 

At this point two officers took the captains to another room, and theywere locked in. An hour afterwards Mr. C---- came to them and said--

"I have managed to get him quietened down. You have had a narrowsqueak. It took me a long time to get him to speak of liberating you, and now I am requested to bring you to him so that you may be severelyreprimanded. He talked of gaol, and sending you out of the country forever, and inflicting a heavy fine; but that stage has passed, so comewith me. "

When they were ushered into the Admiral's presence he frowned severelyat them. Russian officers and high officials always expect you totremble when they administer a rebuke. Needless to say, the receptionwas harsh. There was a good deal of long stride, prancing from one endof the room to the other, vehement talk in Russian, and wildgesticulation. The Maltese told the somewhat callous captains that theAdmiral declared the next Englishman that attempted such a thing, ifhe were not blown up, would have to be shot. An example must be made. The genial intermediary interjected with apparent sternness--

"Captains, you must apologize for the crime you have committed, and bethankful that you are going to be dealt leniently with. The Admiralis right: you deserved to be blown up with your ship. But apologizesuitably, and leave the rest to me. "

All but the last sentence was interpreted to the gallant official. Anapology was made, and silently accepted; but the real penalty was notdisclosed to the captains until afterwards, and then it was keptsecret by them and by the two contracting parties. The two commanders, when being congratulated on their release, said they did not know whatall the fuss was about. They had done no harm to anybody, and ifhostilities were resumed they hoped the Turks would wipe the Russiansoff the field, and so on. 

Three stirring months passed before the _Claverhouse_ returned to----. When she arrived at the gunboat guarding the torpedo channel, she took a pilot, and proceeded into the harbour in a law-abidingmanner, while her captain, audibly and inaudibly, declaimed against aGovernment whose barbarous notions led them to impose restrictionsthat caused expense and interrupted the normal process of navigation. "What right have these beastly Russians to hamper British shippinglike this?"

When the captain landed he was met by several friends, who cheerfullyinquired if he had found another new channel into the port. Hejokingly retorted--

"No; but I might have to find a new one out. "

He was solemnly advised not to attempt it. The Admiral, whom heoccasionally met, was unusually cordial, and this attitude of courtesywas ungrudgingly reciprocated. One evening the captain wished to visita friend of his, whose vessel lay at the forts. The sentry asked himto retire. He refused to move, and commenced to harangue the soldierin a language he supposed to be Russian. There must have beensomething wrong about it, for after a few words of conversation thesentry rushed at him with the bayonet fixed, and but for the swiftnessof his heels there might have been a tragedy. He immediately called atthe Admiral's office, informed him of what had occurred, andrequested that he should be escorted where he desired to go. Anofficer was sent with him, and when they got to the sentry the officerspoke to the man in a heated tone, and then slapped him on the facewith the flat of his hand. The captain asked why he had struck thesentry. The officer replied--

"Because he told me you had used some Russian language to him thatcaused him to believe you were a suspicious character. I told him hewas a fool, and that you were a friend of mine and of the Admiral. Youwill have no more trouble. "

A _douceur_ was slipped into the willing hand, and on the returnjourney another was given to the poor sentry, who showed a meeknessand gratitude that was nearly pathetic. 

On the following day there was a sensational rumour that the armisticewould be raised and hostilities between the two belligerents resumed. At the forts and at the military quarters of the city there was muchactivity. The troops were being reviewed by one of the Grand Dukes, and there were evidences of conscription everywhere. Aboard thewarships the flutter was quite noticeable, and the frequentcommunications between them and the shore augured trouble. Merchants, agents, and captains displayed unusual energy to complete theirengagements. A strongly-worded order was handed to the captains of thefew vessels still remaining in port that, on penalty of being sunk bythe warships or blown up by torpedoes, no vessel was to go out of theport after sundown at 6 p. M. 

On the second day after this instruction was given the loading of the_Claverhouse's_ cargo was completed. A gentleman sent a noterequesting the captain to see him, and not to remove the stagingbetween his vessel and the quay, as it would be required to carry outan important shipment which would be of great benefit to himself andall concerned. Negotiations were opened, and were briefly asfollows:--This estimable Briton had been approached by a person ofgreat astuteness and easy integrity, who was neither an Englishman nora Turk, to engage at all costs a steamer to take bullocks on deck toa certain unnamed destination. The freight would be paid before thecattle were shipped, but the vessel would have to sail that night, anda large sum would be paid for running that risk. 

"State your price, " said the genial agent; "anything within reasonwill be paid. "

The captain was as eager to do a deal as his new acquaintance, thoughhe pleaded the almost impossible task of running out of the portwithout being observed, and if observed the inevitable consequence ofbeing sunk, probably with all on board. The agent, having in mind hisown considerable interest, played discreetly on the vanity of thecommander, and laughed at the notion of an astute person like himallowing himself to be trapped; appealed to his nationality, and theglory of having run out of a port that was severely blockaded. Thecaptain cut this flow of greasy oratory short by stating that for themoment he was thinking of the amount of hard cash he was going to get, and not of the glory. 

"I know what I will have to do, and I think I know how it will haveto be done; but first let us fix the amount I am to have for doing it. My price is £----. Do you agree?"

"Yes, " said the agent; "though it's a bit stiff. But the animals mustgo forward. "

The captain did not expect so sudden a confirmation, and remarked, "Ifancy I have not put sufficient value on the services I am to carryout; but I have given my word, and will keep it. "

In due course the money was handed over in British gold. The cattlewere taken aboard, and just as the sun was setting the moorings werecast off, and the vessel proceeded to the outer harbour and anchored. The chief mate was instructed to put as little chain as possible out, and the engineer was told to have a good head of steam at a certainhour. Meanwhile, the captain proceeded to the city to clear his ship, and at the stated hour he was stealthily rowed alongside. The pawls ofthe windlass were muffled, and the anchor was hove noiselessly up byhand; the engines were set easy ahead, and as soon as she was on hercourse the telegraph rang "full speed. " She had not proceeded farbefore a shot was fired from the inner gunboat, which landed alongsidethe starboard quarter. The chief officer called from the forecastlehead--

"They are firing at us--hadn't you better stop?"

"Stop, be d----d! Do you want to be hung or sent to the Siberianmines?"

The next shot fell short of the stern. They now came thick and heavy, but the _Claverhouse_ by this time was racing away, and was quicklyout of range. The most critical time arrived when she was rushedheadlong over the line of torpedoes; and as soon as the outer gunboatwas opened clear of the breakwater, she, too, commenced to fire. Oncethe line of mines was safely passed, the course was set to hug theland. The firing from the torpedo gunboat was wildly inaccurate, nevera shot coming within fathoms of their target, and soon the littlesteamer was far beyond the reach of the Tsar's guns. 

Her captain had no faith in the report industriously circulated thatthe Crimean coast and the Black Sea were impenetrably mined, so heproceeded gaily on his voyage, shaking hands with himself for havingsucceeded in running the gauntlet without a single man being hurt, orthe breaking of a rope-yarn. The crew were boisterously proud of thenight's exploit. They knew that no pecuniary benefit would be derivedby them, and were content to believe that they had been parties to adashing piece of devil-may-care work. The average British sailor ofthat period loved to be in a scrape, and revelled in the sport ofdoing any daring act to get out of it. It never occurred to thecaptain that his crew might jib at the thought of undertaking soperilous a course. He had been reared in the courage of the class towhich he belonged, and his confidence in the loyalty of his men wasnot shaken by the thoughtless interjection of the chief officer, who, in a shameful moment asked him to turn back after the first shot wasfired. He had no time to think of that senseless advice when it wasgiven, but it may be taken for granted the cautious mate did not addto his popularity with the crew. He had commanded large sailingvessels in the Australian passenger trade, and this was his firstvoyage in steam. The new life, with all its varied sensationalisms, was a mystery to him, and this little incident did not increase hisbelief in the wisdom of his change from sail to steam. He explainedthat the thought of what he regarded as inevitable disaster caused himto spontaneously call out that they were firing. 

"Besides, " he continued, "I don't like the business; so I'll resign myposition and go back to sailing vessels again, on the completion ofthe voyage. "

The captain reminded him of the fine spirit of enterprise thatprevailed amongst the crew; only in a lesser degree, perhaps, thanthat which caused Nelson under different circumstances to say of hissailors, "They really mind shot no more than peas. "

"Nelson may have said that, and our crew may have a fine spirit ofwholesale daring, but I don't like to be mixed up with either theenterprise or the shot, " retorted the reflective officer; and Idaresay if the captain were asked for an opinion now he would bedisposed to take the mate's view. 

The thought of being pursued kept up a quiet excitement. The vesselwas pressed through the water at her maximum speed and arrived at herfirst destination without any mishap to herself or the deck cargo, which was landed expeditiously. She then continued on her voyage. Onarrival at the discharging port, a letter was received from the ownerscomplimenting the captain on the success of an undertaking which wouldcontribute so considerably to the profits of the voyage, and at thesame time calling his attention to a newspaper cutting. An officialtelegram to the English Press stated that "_A British steamer, nameunknown, in attempting to run out of ---- harbour over the torpedolines, was warned and fired upon by a Russian warship which wasguarding the harbour. The steamer refused to stop. She was shelled, and in crossing the mine zone the vessel, with her crew, was blown toatoms!_" This was a sensational piece of news to read of one's self. 

Two years elapsed before the captain again steamed into ---- harbour. He expected to meet his old friend the Admiral, and a few otherRussian gentlemen in whom his interest was centred; but they hadeither gone to their rest or had been removed. It seemed as though theincident that caused so much commotion at the time had passed out ofrecollection. Indeed, there seemed quite a new order of things. Newofficials were there. The gunboats were removed from their familiarstations. The torpedoes that had been the dread of navigators had beenlifted, and it was commonly reported that many of them were loadedwith sand. No signs were visible of there having been war defencesthat were meant to be regarded as impregnable--and it is not to bedenied the earthworks justified that opinion. There were whisperingsthat when those in high places discovered what some of the mines werecharged with, the persons responsible for the laying of the mineswere seized; and tradition has it that an impromptu scaffold had beenerected outside the town, and every one of the suspects hanged withouttrial--and merely on the suspicion that they knew of, even if they hadnot contributed to, the treacherous act. In the light of the horrorsthat are occurring in Russia at the present time, it is not improbablethat there was treachery; and that when it was discovered, suspicioncentred on certain persons, who were, in accordance with Muscoviteautocracy, dispatched without ceremony, guilty or not guilty. 

"Ah!" said Mr. C---- to the captain, who had just finished describinghis last departure from ---- Harbour, "you may thank your stars thatthe torpedoes were loaded with sand or some other rubbish, or youwouldn't have been here this day. The officers were in a great fury atthe wires not operating when you were running out, and themen--submarines, I think, they are called--who were behind theearthworks were knocked about badly. They came to my place to get toknow the name of the vessel, but I bamboozled them, and gave themcigars and vodka, and they weren't long in forgetting about what hadhappened. I think there is no doubt about your being the cause ofhaving the mines raised, as, to my certain knowledge, they tried toexplode them the day after you left the port, and very few of themwent off. Things were kept a bit quiet, but I can always get to knowwhat is going on, and if the gunboats had been properly handled thatnight it would have been all up with you. "

"But, " said the captain, "what on earth is the use of talking thatway! They were not properly handled, and here I am. And what I want toknow is this: do you think there will be any more about it, now thewar is over, and old Pumper Nichol [the Admiral] and his friends arenot here?"

"I don't know, " said his friend. "You never can tell what these slyrascals are thinking or doing; but I will know as soon as there areany indications. If I had been you, I wouldn't have come out here sosoon; or, at least, have first made sure that all danger was over. Butnever mind; we'll soon smuggle you off, if we can get the slightesthint. 'Palm oil squares the yards, ' as the old sailors used to say, and nobody has had more experience of that than I. "

"Does G----d and old J----b know about the affair?"

"I think they are bound to, though they may have forgotten. Anyhow, they are absolutely loyal, and may be depended upon if their aid iscalled into requisition. Do you know they had to clear out of thecountry with their families, and nearly every English family had to dothe same?"

"Well, Patrovish C----, " said the captain, "they may seize thesteamer, but they will never be allowed to seize me, even should it belegal to do so, now the war is at an end. "

"What do they care about what is legal, " said Patrovish. "If it suitstheir purpose, and those in authority learn what took place, therewill be no scruples about doing anything. My advice is to keep quietand cool-headed, and I feel almost certain you won't be interferedwith. But there comes Yaunie. Hear what he says. "

This gentleman was a Greek pilot, who had previously been a boatswainaboard a Greek sailing-vessel. He saw an excellent opening at thebeginning of the steamship era to add to his income, so commenced abusiness which flourished so well that his riches were the envy of alarge residential public, to say nothing of the seafaring itinerantswho swarmed in and out of the port. He spoke English with a Levantineaccent. Physically, he was a fine-looking, well-built man, whocommanded attention and respect from everybody. He was on excellentterms with the port authorities, and with sea captains, and deemed itpart of a well thought-out policy to share with popular shrewdness aportion of his takings. His benevolence was more partially showntowards the officials than to those from whom he derived his income;but because of his geniality, and--mostly, I should say--on account ofhis generosity, he was well liked by both sections of people. He wasquite uneducated, and, like most clever men who have this misfortune, he had great natural gifts. His memory was prodigious, and he investedhis savings with the judgment of an expert, keeping mental accountswith startling accuracy; but, notwithstanding this, his memory neverretained anything he conceived it to be policy to forget. When askedhis opinion as to whether there was any likelihood of anything morebeing heard of the captain's running out of the harbour and over thetorpedoes, he suggestively put his finger to his mouth, and said--

"I can know nothing, but I tink it is over. " And shrugging his broadshoulders, he 'cutely remarked, "Some dead, some maybe Siberia, and"--with a significant smile he lowered his voice to awhisper--"some, maybe, 'fraid to say anything because for many reason. Yes, I tink finis; but if not, den you trust me to help. I knows thesepeople, and some of dem knows me. "

Yaunie was taken fully into the confidence of the captain andPatrovish, and when he took his leave they felt sure that to have himas a friend was of great value in the event of the affair beingresurrected. The captain had renewed many old friendships, and spenthis evenings in the hospitable homes of an English colony whosekindness is unequalled anywhere. Unlike most English families whosettle in foreign countries, they retained a great many of theirnational customs in food, and also in their mode of life generally. Ofcourse the extremes of climate have to be considered, but all theirhomes preserve their British atmosphere. 

The _Claverhouse_ had nearly completed loading, and the kindlyemissaries of her captain had reported nothing of a disturbingcharacter, until one morning a steamer came in and was mooredalongside the _Claverhouse_. Yaunie was the pilot, and aftercompleting his work he went aboard the _Claverhouse_ and asked to seethe captain. 

"He is not astir yet, " said the steward. 

"I must speak with him at once, " said Yaunie. 

The captain, overhearing the conversation, called out, "All right, come to my room. "

"Well, Yaunie, what news this morning?" asked the captain. 

"Ah, it is very bad news, " replied Yaunie. "That fool Farquarson, "pointing to where the other steamer lay, "speaks all the time aboutwhat happened when you went from the port without permission. He saythat he was aboard the gunboat asking for a torpedo channel-pilot, andthat he could not get one because they were firing at you all thetime. They asked him the name of the steamer, but he told some other. I say to him he was wrong, but he say no; and he will jabb, as youcall it. "

"Well, Yaunie, what's to be done? What is the remedy?"

"What's to be done--I don' know what you call the other. I say, getthe steamer loaded quick and away. I don' tink trouble, but O Chresto!his tong go like steam-winch, and you much better Black Sea dan here. "

"Very excellent advice, Yaunie. Now let us go on deck. "

A sudden inspiration came to the captain, which caused him toexclaim--

"Yaunie, I'll ask him to eat with us. This is our English mode ofsettling obstacles, and making and retaining friendships. Don't youthink it a good suggestion?"

"Do anything you like. Give him the Sacrament, but keep him quiet. Heis very dangerous now. "

The captain of the other steamer was on deck, and as soon as he gothis eye on them he bellowed out in terms of unjustifiablefamiliarity--

"Hallo, old fellow, how are ye? So they've not sent ye to the silvermines yet?"

"No, " smartly retorted the captain, with some warmth, "they've not, orI wouldn't have been here. But they d--d soon will if you don't keepyour mouth shut!"

Without heeding what was said to him, the distinguished commander ofthe new-comer slapped his thigh vigorously with his right hand, andlaughed out--

"By Joshua, you were in a tight corner, and will never be nearerbeing popped! [sunk]. They were furious at me, and would have blownall England up because I said I didn't know who it was. "

"Oh, " said the _Claverhouse's_ commander, "that is old history. Comeaboard and have breakfast with me. "

"All right, " said Farquarson, "I'll have a wash up, and then come. Butwhat a darned funny thing not to blow you up with the mines. I justsaid to my mate, they are a lot of lazy beasts, or there's somethingwrong with the wires. But the mate said, 'No; he's taken themunawares. ' 'Unawares be d----d!' said I; 'he's not taken these gunboatchaps unawares, for I couldn't get them to stop firing. '"

"He's off again!" interjected Yaunie. 

"All right, all right!" replied the impatient captain to his volublecompatriot. "Come to breakfast as quick as you can, there's a goodfellow. "

Farquarson got to the companion-way--_i. E. _ the entrance to thecabin--and was about to make some further remarks when the captain ofthe _Claverhouse_ said to Yaunie, "Let's go below, for God's sake! Aslong as he sees us he'll keep on. "

When they got into the cabin, the burly pilot was almost inarticulate. All he could say was--

"My goodness, what a tong! He must be dangerous to his owners. I havenever see such a tong. "

In due course the irrepressible person appeared, and was received withprofessional cordiality. He had no sooner taken his seat at the tablethan he became convulsed with laughter, slapped his hand on the table, and shouted--

"By Cocker, I'll never forget it! The rage of them Russians, and theway they blazed away their shot, and it never going within miles ofwhere you were! Miles, mind you!"

Yaunie and his friend looked at each other in savage despair, as hepersisted in reeling off quantities of disconnected incoherencies. Butrelief to his perturbed friends came when the steward placed thebreakfast on the table. He stopped the flow of narration, andexclaimed--

"Ah! that's what I like--dry hash and a bit of ham with an egg or two. I was just saying to my mate--who's as big a born fool as ever drankwhisky--there's not a better meal made at sea than dry hash. "

By this time his mouth was full, and it was difficult to know what hewished to convey. His eating was quite as boundless as his talk, though he could not do both at once. Having finished a good soundplate of hash, he passed his plate along for some ham and eggs, andasked his host if he did not observe what a good appetite he hadcompared with what he used to have. 

"Yes, " said the captain, in blissful ignorance of what he was saying. "Your appetite was never very good. I'm glad to see you making such agood breakfast. "

"Well, you know, " replied the guest, "the worst of me is, I appear tobe unsociable when I'm eating, as I cannot both eat and talk. "

"Go on eating, then, " said the host. 

"Yes, go on eatin', " responded Yaunie. "You had a long passage, andmust be hungry. "

"Quite right, " replied the guest, with his mouth full. "I'm glad youdon't think me uncivil, but as I say, I like my breakfast better thanmost meals, and I can only do one thing at a time. My wife always saysI must have been born either eating or talking. "

He laughed heartily at this little domestic joke, and proceeded withthe putting in of the "bunker coals, " as he called it. The captain ofthe _Claverhouse_ and the pilot had purposely lingered over their mealto keep him company. He observed this, and effusively asked them notto mind him a bit, and to leave the table if they wanted to. Afterexpressing a few unreal excuses for their apparent rudeness, they wereprevailed upon to go into the state-room, where the captain solemnlyconveyed to Yaunie that he never thought he would live to have imposedupon him such humiliation. 

"I hope the brute will have an apoplectic fit!" said he. 

Yaunie did not quite understand all that was said, but knew it meantsome form of obliquy, and replied, "Yes, and I hope so too. "

As soon as Farquarson had finished eating, he straightway came to thestate-room and assured his host that he never remembered enjoying abreakfast so much. 

"Let's have a cigar, " said he, "to soothe my nerves a bit. "

This was given him. He lit up, and was proceeding to discuss themerits of good feeding with great volubility when his harangue wassnapped by a request from his host to "cut it, " as he wished to have ayarn with him about a matter which was of great importance to himself. "In short, I wish you to be most careful not to attract attention tome by any friendly comment about that affair of two years ago. No onewho is in office now would appear to have any suspicion of what tookplace; or if they do, it is obvious they are not desirous of openingthe question up again. But should it be brought prominently beforethem, they will have to do something, and it may make it very awkwardfor me. Now, what I want you to do for me is this: never mention theincident again. I am sure you would not intentionally do anything thatwould jeopardize my safety, and I feel that I have only to ask and youwill give me your word not to do it. "

Farquarson jumped to his feet, gripped the hand of the captain in asailorly fashion, and said--

"On my Masonic honour, I swear never to breathe again what you havewarned me against, and I'm glad you told me. I might innocently havegot you into a nasty mess. It never struck me when I was bawling outto you that there was danger. But between ourselves, it was a bitthick your dashing out of the 'impregnable port, ' as they called it, and expectin' to get off scot-free, I have often spun long twistersabout it, and you can bet it was always made attractive. "

"I feel sure you would do that, Farquarson, as you were always a goodstory-teller. "

This encouraging flattery switched his mind with eager interest on toa subject quite irrelevant to the one which had engaged theirattention so long. 

"Yes, " said he, with a self-satisfied smile, "that's true. But talkingabout yarns, you remember when I was with Milburn's, running toHamburg? The old gentleman asked me to take a few overmen a trip. Theybelonged to some mine he was interested in. By the time we gotoutside, and got the decks cleared up, it was dark, and the watch wasset. The look-out man went on to the topgallant forecastle, and I waswalking from side to side of the bridge when one of the miners camerunning up, and in great excitement he said--

"'Captain, for God's sake gan doon to the cabin and pacify them!They're playin' nap, and they've faalen oot amang theirselves, andthere's fair almighty hell gannin' on. Aa's sure if ye divvent getthem pacified ther'll be morder!'

"'My good man, ' I said, 'I cannot leave the bridge. '

"'Ye canna' leave the bridge! What for, then?'

"'Because, ' I said, 'I must keep a look-out and see that that man onthe forecastle-head does the same. If he were to see me leave thebridge, the chances are he would get careless and sit down and go tosleep, and we might run into something, and probably sink ourselves orsomebody else and lose a lot of lives. '

"By this time I heard loud voices and awful oaths coming from theafter-end of the ship, so says I, 'This must be put a stop to, but Icannot leave here without somebody takin' my place. You must take it, and walk across and across as I am doing, so that that fellow on thelook-out will think it's me. '

"'Aa'm not pertikler what aa dee, mister, if ye ony get thordifferences settled before ye come up. Aa nivor heerd sic swearin'. '

"'Very well, ' said I; 'you do what I've told you to do. Walk steadilyto and fro, and I'll go and see what can be done. '

"When I got down below they were still wrangling, but I soon madepeace with them, and they asked me to have a hand with them. I had alook on deck. It was a fine moonlight night, and nothing seemed to bein the way, so I began to play, and forgot all about the fellow on thebridge, and everything else for that matter, until I heard four bellsgo. This reminded me, so I stopped short, went on to the poop, and theother fellows came up with me. I was chaffing them about their row, and I heard the look-out man call out, 'A red light on the port bow, sir!' I saw we were going a long way clear, so took no notice; but theminer on the bridge increased his pace. In less than a minute thelook-out man called out again, 'A red light on the port bow, ' and gotno answer. I thought to myself, 'What's going to be the upshot ofthis?' when the man called out again, sharply this time, 'A red lighton the port bow!' The miner quite excitedly shouted at the top of hisvoice, 'Blaw the b----y thing oot, then, and let's hear ne mair abootit!'"

At this conclusion the two captains laughed heartily, and so didYaunie. Then all at once Farquarson began as suddenly as he had leftoff--

"Now, let us make up our minds never to broach running the gauntletagain in Russian waters, for they're devils to listen, and you neverknow where they are. Why, I've seen them at the time of the warcrawlin' and sneakin' about all over, lying on the sofa in thebilliard-rooms, and come and ask you to play in good English. Sometimes the impudent villains would come and barefacedly sit down atthe same table where you were having a meal, and begin speakin' andget you to say something disrespectful about Russia and their Tzar, and lots of poor fellows were asked to leave the country for it. Talkabout despotism and bribery! Well, I've seen some of their goings on. What did they do when the poor Turks that were taken prisoners whenPlevna fell marched into Reval? A few of us cheered them, and theRussians got quite annoyed about it, and hustled us about as though wewere common thieves, and threatened to run us into their filthy gaol. My word, how things have altered since the days when you could kill aRussian and nobody cared a brass button! But now--well, there's noword to express it. "

"Ah! they're a cruel, merciless lot, " interjected Captain S--; "but Ithink you are getting excited, Farquarson, so you better cease talkingabout them. "

"It is time I was getting up to the city. They are rattling it intoher. She'll be loaded in a jiffy, and I've much to do. "

"Very well, " said the bluff skipper, "get away. And it's understoodthat mum's the word; but mind you're not through the wood yet. What doyou say, Yaunie?"

"I say you no speak so loud or so much. It is better not. "

"Very well, old skin-the-goat, " said Farquarson playfully; "I supposeI am a bit noisy. "

He then jumped aboard his vessel, and invited the trusty pilot tofollow him so that they might work out a scheme that would thwart anypossibility of a raid being made on the _Claverhouse_. He pridedhimself on being fertile in strategy, and certainly his notions werenot those of an ordinary person. His confidences were given to Yauniewithout any reserve. First, he suggested inveigling the raiders fromS----'s vessel to his own, getting them down below and filling themfull of champagne or whisky, whichever they preferred; and in theevent of their remaining on board his friend's ship, they were to bemade drunk there, and that being accomplished, the vessel was to beunmoored and taken to sea with them aboard, and they were to be landedor cast adrift in an open boat. The recital of these dare-devilpropositions caused Yaunie's face to wear a careworn look, and whenasked what he thought of it he said--

"Well, I try to tink, bit it is impossible. You speak what cannothappen. If you do what you say, how can you come back here? No, no;that must not be. I have better plan. No trouble, no get drunk, no runoff with officers, no put him in boat; but leave it me: I settleeveryting, suppose trouble come. "

"Agreed again, old cockaloram. I'm only saying what I'd do. As I saidbefore, you can do as you like, but I prefer giving these fellows'what cheer!' I says again, what business have they to interfere withEnglishmen carryin' on their business in their own way? I say they hadno right to put a blockade on, and England should see that hersubjects are duly protected. "

This eloquent pronouncement of patriotism, with comic gesture added, excited the fiery dissent of the critical Levantine. 

"Yes!" he retorted; "you tink everyting foreign should be for English. You swagger off with other people's country and say, 'This mine. ' Youlike old J----b and G----d; they speak all the time same as you. English, English, everyting English! an' I say what for you stay? IGreek, an' I stay because Russia better for me. "

This was said partly in jest and partly in good-natured earnestness, for Yaunie was a student of English characteristics. Farquarsonexplained that he would have to go to the Custom-house, and then tosee his agents. Yaunie, with a significant look and gesture, warnedhim not to speak too much to port officers, bade him good-morning, said he would call back again in the afternoon, jumped on to the stageand went ashore. 

It was late in the afternoon before Captain S---- got down to thedocks. His steamer was loaded and ready for sea. At the quay, close tothe stern of the vessel, Mrs. C----, with her daughter, was seated ina drosky. She explained that they had come to say good-bye, and toconvey a message from Patrovish that he, Yaunie, and some officerswere aboard Captain Farquarson's vessel. "He commissioned me to saythat you were to slip out of the harbour quietly to avoid trouble, ashe had reason to believe that there was something going on, and youmight be stopped. Meanwhile, they are doing some entertaining for yourbenefit, so I will not detain you longer. Good-bye, and we hope to seeyou again soon. "

The captain made haste aboard, and gave instructions to cast off themoorings. The _Claverhouse_ glided quietly out of the harbour, and inless than an hour she was steaming fall speed towards the Bosphorus. The two captains did not meet again for several months, and when theydid, Farquarson gave a vivid account of the development and ultimatesuccess of what he termed the plot to extricate S---- from thepossibility of being detained or heavily fined. 

"I assure you, " said he, "they were on the scent. They asked if I wasthe man who was on the gunboat when the English steamer ran over themines. I swore by all that was holy that I didn't know what they weretalking about. Then Yaunie and Patrovish asked them in Russian to havesome refreshment aboard my ship, and they kicked up a devil of a rowwhen they found you had gone without saying good-bye. Yaunie swore itwas to cheat the pilotage, and Patrovish said he couldn't havebelieved it of you. I said you always were a bowdikite, and that youwere putting on 'side. ' The Russians were very jolly. They had athimbleful or two of whisky, which made them talk a lot. We had a goodlaugh after they went away, and Patrovish said it was a good job youwere gone, because they would have been sure to have caused trouble. Yaunie wasn't sure, but I was on C----'s side, for, I said, why didthey mention the gunboat to me, if they didn't mean anything?"

"Whatever their intentions were, " rejoined Captain S----, "theprecautions you took to checkmate were successful, and I am muchobliged for the trouble you took after you realized the danger. I mustalways be grateful to you for that; and the next time you go outthere, thank my two friends for their important share in it, and sayto Patrovish that his own and his wife's wish to see me soon back ismuch appreciated, but my present plans are such that I will not beable to visit Russia for a long time to come, and it may be I nevershall again. "

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: How came it to pass that the Russians were allowed tocross the Balkans? How was it that they were allowed to takepossession so easily of the Schipka Pass? Did the personages who sosoon afterwards disappeared mysteriously and were never heard of againyield up this stronghold to the possessors of a golden key? PoorTurkey!]

Fair Trade and Foul Play

Smuggling at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and right up tothe middle of it, was rampant, and was regarded as a wholesomeprofession by those who carried it on. They called it "fair trade, "and looked upon those whose duty it was to destroy it with an aversionthat oftentimes culminated in murderous conflict. The seafaringportion of this strange body of men, in characteristic contrast totheir "landlubber" accomplices, never at any time, or under anycircumstances, tried to conceal what their profession was. They wereproud to be known as smugglers; whereas their shore colleagues, manyof whom were gentry, or offshoots from it, adopted every possiblemeans to turn suspicion from themselves when the preventive men wereon the scent. Smugglers of that day were adroit tacticians; they hadtheir signs just as Freemasons or any other craft have theirs. Thepursuit was exciting, and the romance of it attracted men and women ofgentle as well as of humble birth into its ranks. The men who mannedthe luggers were sailors who knew every bay and nook round the coast. They made heroic speeches expressive of their contempt for death. Theytalked boldly of powder magazines, and of blowing themselves and anyone else up who put them into a tight corner; and there are instanceson record that this was actually done. Be that as it may, they hadgreat organizing skill and not a little business ability, whilst intheir combination of strategy and valour they were unsurpassed. Inmany ways they were akin to pirates, though it could never be saidthat they went outside their own particular business--_i. E. _, theywere not predatory buccaneers who murdered first and plunderedafterwards. They believed, as I have said, their calling to be aslegitimate as any other form of trading. Their doctrine was that itwas the Government that acted illegally, and not themselves. It wasnot surprising, therefore, that the system should take so long a timeto wipe out, notwithstanding the rigid way in which the wholecoastline of the British Isles was guarded. Much has been writtenabout the desperate ways of these men, but no accurate estimate can beformed by the present generation of the extent of the system, and themethods adopted to carry it on. Romance has gone far, but rarely toofar, in describing it; and to really know it as it was you must havelived in its atmosphere, or have taken part, either for or against, inits attractions. One of the greatest ambitions of my early boyhooddays comes to me now. I had resolved that when I grew up I wouldsecretly leave my home and join some smuggling lugger. Happily for me, the luggers had disappeared before I grew up. 

Here is an authentic instance of professional attachment and pride. When I was quite a small boy a brig ran on to the rocks beneath myfather's house. The captain was a fine, rollicking, sailorly-lookingman, with a fascinating manner. He often came to our house during hisstay in the locality, and one of the first things he told my parentswas that in his younger days he was a smuggler, and had had manyencounters with Deal coastguards. He spoke sadly of the way the"trade" was ruined by Government intervention, and said that he hadnever been really settled or happy since he was driven out of thebusiness, and had to take service in the merchant navy for a living. He was asked if he would like to go back to it again. 

"Go back to it again!" said he; "I wish I could! There is nothing tofill its place in the whole world. But that is done for now. Oh! whatgood money we used to make, and what narrow squeaks we had of beingcaptured or killed. "

It seems incredible that so great a change should have taken place inso short a time, considering that these sea-rovers were so firmlypersuaded that their profession was as lawful as any other, and thatthey were persecuted and hounded to death by a set of whippersnapperswho made insufferable laws! The system became so gigantic in the earlypart of last century that the Government had to appeal to the Navy, and a large number of officers and men were landed on the coast ofKent and Sussex, where a strict blockade was enforced. Later, asemi-civilian force under the control of the Customs was formed. Thiswas called the "Preventive Water Guard, " and subsequently it wentunder the new title of "Preventive Coastguard. " The duties werearduous and risky. The men never went forth unless armed with a bigdagger-stick and a flint-lock pistol, both of which were notinfrequently used with effect. Owing to the dangerous character of theoccupation, a high wage and pension was offered as an inducement tojoin the service; at least, the wage and pension were considered verygood at the time. The men, however, rarely had decent houses to livein. Their uniform was rather like that of a naval officer. They wouldhave disdained wearing the garb of the present-day coastguard. Theirtraining in most cases consisted in service aboard a Revenue cutterfor a few months before being appointed to a station. Many of thesemen were tradesmen who had never been to sea at all, and often weremen of education and sterling character. For the most part theseeducated men were Wesleyans--or "Ranters, " as they were called--andnot a few were local preachers, and some of them were well versed intheology. They were stationed usually eight miles apart, right alongthe coast, and their ordinary duty was to meet each other half-way andexchange despatches. This gave the religious section opportunities ofcomparing experiences and discussing the faith that was in them. Iknew one who spoke and taught French and Latin, another who could makean accurate abstract of Bishop Butler's _Analogy_ from cover to cover, and another who became possessed of a small schooner, which made him afortune while he was still in the service. The wives of these threecoastguardsmen were quite as well informed and as ardent religionistsas themselves, and took a common interest in books, educationalmatters, and in each other's home affairs. Their homes were alwaysneat and clean, and the children were disciplined into a rigid, methodical life. It is a remarkable fact that the sons of each ofthese men have all risen to high positions in commerce, literature, art, and politics, and those that still survive are proud toacknowledge that they owe their position to the splendid example andbeautiful home-life which they were taught to live when children. Guarding the coast was not the only occupation of the PreventiveCoastguard. 

There arose in 1848 a manning difficulty in the Navy, which became sograve that the large force of disciplined men employed in protectingthe revenue were drilled in gunnery to fit them for sea service. Manyof them were called out to serve aboard ship during the war withRussia in 1854. One of the grievances in the service was theirritating and unfair policy of the Board of Customs in constantlymoving the men from one station to another. In many instances thehardships constituted a public scandal. Adequate recompense was nevermade for this breaking-up of their little homes, and frequently whenthey arrived at some outlandish coast village there was no provisionmade for housing them. I know of several instances where families werebeholden to the generosity of the villagers or farmers for lodgingsuntil a house was found. During the interval their furniture wasstored in some dirty stable or store. It was not an uncommon thing forthese poor fellows to be removed, with their families, from one end ofEngland to the other two or three times in a year, at the behest of anuneasy bureaucratic commander-in-chief who knew little, and probablycared less, about the domestic hardships incurred. From Holy Island orSpital to Deal in those days of transit by sea was a greater and morehazardous voyage than that of Liverpool to New York to-day. Thefollowing story may give some idea of their life as they then livedit. 

A group of fishermen stood at the north end of the row, watching asmart cutter that was beating from the north against a strong S. S. E. Wind and heavy sea, which broke heavily on the beach and over anoutlying reef of rocks which forms a natural breakwater and sheltersthe fishermen's cobles from the strong winds that blow in from the seaduring the winter months. The cutter tacked close in to the north endof the ridge several times during the forenoon. Her appearance wasthat of a Government vessel, and her commander evidently wished tocommunicate with the shore. When the ensign was hoisted to the maingaff, the onlookers knew that she did not belong to the merchantservice. The simple people who inhabited this district were concernedabout the intentions of what they regarded as a mysterious visitor, and the firing of a small cannon from the taffrail did not lessentheir perplexity. At last the national flag was hauled up and down, and the squire, who had come from his mansion amongst the woods, toldthe fishermen that those aboard the cutter were really asking for aboat to be sent to them. 

The flood tide had covered the rocks. A volunteer crew of five finespecimens of English manhood were promptly got together, and a largecoble was wheeled down the beach and launched into the breaking sea. They struggled with accustomed doggedness until they had passed themost critical part of the bay and got safely within speaking distanceof the vessel. Two good-looking fellows in naval uniform stood on thequarter-deck, and one of these, the commander, asked the fishermen totake one of his officers ashore. To this they readily agreed, thoughthey said it would be most difficult to land, as it was much safer togo off than come in, but they would risk that. The officer jumped intothe boat, the rope was slipped, and then commenced a struggle betweenthe endurance and skill of the hardy fishermen on the one hand and theangry cross seas which threatened to toss the boat and its occupantsto destruction on the other. The officer suggested that the reefsshould be let out of the sail to rush her over the dangerous corner ofthe entrance. 

"I have used this plan often, " said he, "and it always succeeded. "

The coxswain demurred, although these men are very skilled in thehandling of their boats; but at last he was prevailed upon by his crewto allow the officer to try the experiment. The latter only agreed todo so on condition that he was in no way interfered with, and hisorders were strictly carried out. Up went the close-reefed lug; theoccupants were instructed to lie low to windward, the men at the mainsheet were ordered in a quiet, cool manner to ease off and haul in asnecessity required. In a few minutes they had reached the crucialpoint. The men began to express anxiety, when amid the shrill song ofthe wind and the noise of the breaking seas, the man now in chargecalled out with commanding vigour--

"Steady your nerves, boys! I know quite well how to handle her. "

The helmsman had barely finished his appeal when the combers began tocurl up in rapid succession; the mass of water threatened to overwhelmthe rushing craft, but she was manipulated with such fine seamanshipthat only the spray lashed over her in smothering clouds. Suddenlyorders were given to stand by to lower the sail, and in another minutethe helm was put down to bring the boat head to sea and wind. The sailwas lowered, oars shipped, and she was manoeuvred stern on to thebeach. As soon as she struck, a rush to help was made by those who hadwatched with feverish anxiety the passage through the broken water, lest the frail craft should be overturned and all aboard drowned. Arope was bent on to the stern, and the crowd quickly hauled the cobleaway from the heavy surf into safety. At this point, an elderlygentleman, tall, with a long, shaggy beard and bushy grey hair, whichmight have been a wig, rode up on a brown mare. His appearance anddemeanour stamped him with the characteristics of a real old countrygentleman, who put on what sailors would call an insufferable amountof "side. " He promptly introduced himself to the officer as the Lordof the Manor, giving his name as Crawshaw. 

The naval man gave his as Thomas Turnbull, and explained that he wassent to organize some system of resistance to the smuggling that wasbeing carried on along that part of the coast. Mr. Crawshawvolunteered assistance, and hinted that the task would be rendered allthe more arduous as he would not only have the smugglers to deal with, but their accomplices, the fisher-folk and farmers. After a few weeks'experience, it was quite obvious that the squire was right, and inview of this, Thomas Turnbull sent for his wife and six children, andsettled down to his work in real earnest. 

The intimation that the new-comer was a religious man, and couldpreach and pray, soon spread through the villages, and large numbersflocked to see and hear him. Many came out of pure curiosity, and someto mock and jeer, but these seldom succeeded in setting at defiancethe great power that was behind the preacher. He was of commandingpresence; his face, as some of the villagers used to say, was good tolook at, and the message that he delivered to his audience came withirresistible force, which broke the spirit of some of the mostdetermined obstructers, and turned many into friends, and a few eveninto saints. The fisher-folk did not take kindly to him, and so strongwas their opposition that they threatened many times to take his life. Their savage ignorance would have unnerved and discouraged a lesspowerful personality, but this man seemed to be buoyed up by hisbelief that it was God's work and he was only the instrument incarrying it out. He was often warned of the violence that wasthreatened towards him, but the intimation never disturbed hisinherent belief that no earthly power could break through the cordonthat protected him; and so he continued his work, temporal andspiritual, undisturbed by the threats of a class whom he wasdetermined to civilize, and, "with God's help, Christianize. " Theprocess was long, the methods of resistance wicked. 

Jimmy Stone, one of the worst scoundrels in the district, had labouredto persecute Turnbull, and to break up the meetings for months past. He tyrannized over men and brutally maltreated women, and hisblasphemy was terrible to listen to. It was during one of hisoutbursts of wrath against the "Ranter" preacher that he was suddenlystaggered by Turnbull going up to him, laying his hand on hisshoulder, and admonishing him to refrain from such shocking conduct. He attempted to seize the preacher by the throat, and I fear at thisjuncture Turnbull forsook for a little his usual attitude ofequanimity, for before the giant knew where he was he lay on theground, stunned by a left-hander. The preacher was an awkward customerto deal with, and it would seem as though he did not entirely trust toDivine interposition when hands were laid on him. His tormentor lay, ahumiliated heap, at his feet. Never in Jimmy's life had any one daredto resent his attacks in this way. He could not understand it, and wasovercome more by superstition and a fear of Turnbull's reputedsupernatural aids than by real fear of his physical powers. Turnbullordered the bully to stand up, and warned him against experimentingon strangers. He then, in quaint, old-world phraseology, the outcomeof much deep reading of Butler, Baxter, and Jeremy Taylor, and whollywithout cant or affectation, went on to say--

"I intend to let you off lightly on this occasion, but if I hear ofyou practising any injustice or in any way giving annoyance to yourneighbours again, I shall deem it my duty to teach you a salutarylesson. Now, bear in mind what I say to you; and remember that theAlmighty may visit you with His wrath. It may be that He will send toyour house affliction, and even make it desolate by taking some onefrom you whom you love. Or He may see that the only way of checkingthe course of your wickedness is to have you laid aside with sickness. It is probable that He will smite you by taking away from your evilinfluence some of your children. God is very merciful to littlechildren when they are in the hands of brutes like you. Go away fromme! and ponder over what I have said. "

Jimmy slouched off, muttering vengeance against the Almighty if Hedared to interfere with his bairns, and, as an addendum, he vividlyportrayed the violent death of Turnbull. He slunk listlessly into hiscottage, tumbled on to a seat, and was lost in meditation. Jenny, hiswife, tremulously asked what ailed him. She was alarmed at his subduedmanner; she had never known him come into the house without bullyingand using blasphemous language to her and the children, and oftentimesthis was accompanied by blows that well-nigh killed her and them; andyet she stood loyally by him whenever he needed a friend. Suddenly hejumped to his feet, and as though he had become possessed of aninspiration, broke silence by vigorously exclaiming to his wife thathe had settled the manner of the "Ranter" preacher's death. 

"Aa'll catch him some neet betwixt here and the burn [stream], andfinish him. That'll stop his taak aboot the Almighty takin' ma bairnsfrae me!"

Jimmy's idea was that Turnbull was in communion with the Almighty forthe removal of his children, and if he were put out of the way therewould be an end to it. Jenny was no less ignorant than her husband, and therefore no less superstitious about meddling with thismysterious person who had come amongst them and wrought suchextraordinary changes in the lives of many of her class. She doubtedthe wisdom of killing the preacher, as she had heard that these peoplelived after they were killed, and might wreak more terrible vengeancewhen their lives assumed another form. She urged her husband to leavewell alone; not because she in any way differed from his views inregard to Turnbull's preaching and his attitude generally towardsevil-doers, or objected to his being put to death; but she preferredsome person other than her husband should do it. Hence, she disagreedwith his policy, and he in turn raged at her for taking sides againsthim. 

"This interloper's spyin' into everythin' we dee and say, " said he. "We had nee taak aboot religion afore he cum, and noo there's nowtbut religion spoken, so that we can hardly get a man or a woman t' deeany trootin' inside the limit; an' when we dee get a chance we hev t'put wor catches into th' oven, for feor him or his gang gan sneakin'aboot and faal in wi' summat they hae nee reet t' see. Forbye that, within the last few months he's driven the smugglers off the coast, and deprived us o' monny an honest soverin' in helpin' them t' andtheor stuff. And then he's got the gob t' tell me that if aa divventchange me ways, the Almighty'll dee God knaw's what tiv us! He'll myeksickness cum, and mebbies tyek sum o' th' bairns frae us. It'll bewarse for him if harm cums t' th' bairns, or me either! Aa tell't himthat this mornin', an' aa said he might tell his Almighty that hetaaked see much aboot, if he liked. "

Jenny secretly disapproved of carrying retaliation any further, butdared not openly say another word in favour of her views, for, as sheafterwards said, "Aa was afeared ye might kill me afore ye got achance o' killin' the preacher. "

Mr. Turnbull knew what Jimmy's intentions were, and purposely puthimself in his way, so that he might say a cheery word to him inpassing; but he never got more than a grunt in response. He knew thatthis wild creature was in league with a gang of the most desperatesmugglers that the "Preventer men" had to contend with. No landing, however, had been seriously attempted during the time that Turnbullhad been at the station. Craft had been sighted and signals exchanged, and then the suspected craft disappeared for weeks. The men whoguarded the coast knew these buccaneers had emissaries, and could havelaid hands on them, but preferred to catch them red-handed. 

After weeks of close watching and waiting, information was passedalong the coast that a landing would take place close to the spotwhere Turnbull now lived with his wife and children. Men from all thestations extending over a radius of fifty miles were summoned to meetat a certain point at eleven o'clock on a certain night. Trustedcivilians had been drafted into the service for the occasion; and soaccurate was the information given, that within a couple of hours ofthe time several boat-loads of contraband were landed above high-watermark. Three carts came along, and while the process of transhippinginto them was going on, the "Preventer" men, led by Turnbull, quietlycame from their concealment, and with a sudden rush surrounded thesmugglers. Those of their accomplices who had smelt the scent ofbattle fled behind the hills, and got clean away. One of the cartsattempted to bolt, but a shower of shot targeted into the horsesperemptorily stopped that move, and the drivers were easily captured. The smugglers fought like polecats, but received no help from the fewaccomplices who had not escaped. These, either from fear or policy, orboth, did not attempt to extricate themselves or lend their support toa lost cause. It was common knowledge that smugglers drew lots as towho had to escape if severe fighting or capture became inevitable, andthe battle became the more fierce in order to cover the escape ofthose few. They did not all succeed in getting off in their boat, butit was estimated half a dozen might have done so. The rest, somethinglike a score, were ultimately overpowered, sent to prison and tried inthe good old style, and sentenced to transportation to the criminaldumping-ground of Western Australia. 

The notorious Jimmy Stone on that memorable moaning night wasdisguised, but that did not prevent him being detected while renderingassistance to land and convey the contraband on to the beach and intothe carts. One of the Government men was indiscreet enough to shout"James Stone, you are my prisoner!" and almost before the words wereout of his mouth Jimmy dropped a keg of gin on to him and fled. Thecompanions of the stunned man were too busy with the other cut-throatsto follow Jimmy, or to see in what direction he had gone. It was onlyafter the conflict was over that they were reminded that this lawlessfisherman had escaped, and must at all costs be captured and broughtto justice. A party was selected to search for him. They knew that hemust be hiding in some of the hollows where the thick clusters ofbents and bracken would give him cover. Some of the party had strayedfrom the central group, and were talking of Jimmy's prowess andastuteness, and wondering where he was concealed, when they suddenlycame across a man with his head and part of his body up a rabbit-hole. He was asking in subdued tones, "Are the ---- gyen yet?" and one ofthe party, in the same tone of voice and the same dialect and languageas he had used, cautioned him not to speak too loud, as they werestill hovering about. 

"My God!" said he, "when aa get oot o' this mess aa'll hae ma revengeon that Ranter. " And becoming impatient, he began to curse at hissupposed friend for advising him to put his head in a rabbit-hole, vigorously announcing that he wished his ---- head was there insteadof his own. "Aa cud hae run if ye hadn't persuaded me t' hide heor. "

"Hae patience!" responded the voice from without. 

"Patience be d----!" said he; "Aa wish aa had them ---- Governmentmen heor. Aa wad make short work o' them, the ---- rascals!"

"Whisht, " said his companion; "they're comin' this way!"

In a few seconds Jimmy's posterior became the subject of some vigorousthrashing. He was dragged, yelling, from his retreat, and confrontedwith the men he had so recently sworn to murder. They asked if he wasJimmy Stone. He replied in the affirmative, and added--

"Aa thowt it was Jack Dent aa was taakin' tee. He cum heor wiv us. "

"Where is he now?" inquired the officer. 

"Hoo am aa t' knaa?" said Jimmy; "but the Lord help him when aa deecum across him. He's betrayed me. Nivvor more will aa put me heed in arabbit-hole!"

His soliloquy was cut short by his captors putting his hands in ironsand conveying him to where their colleagues were; and Jimmy would havebeen included amongst the convicts but for the magnanimousintercession of Turnbull, who informed his captors that they were toleave Jimmy to him. He was working out a scheme whereby his knowledgewould be invaluable to the Service. So James was not sent to theColonies. 

A well-known farmer, who was accustomed to make friendly calls on theTurnbull family, was caught in the act of bolting with a cartload ofunlawful merchandise. He was sent to Australia, but not as a convict. Turnbull had found some useful purpose for him also, and he wasadvised to get out of the country, lest it became too hot for him. 

A couple of ladies had attracted special attention; not that they werebellicose, but because in consequence of their abnormal bulk theycreated some suspicion that they had concealed beneath theircrinolines more than their ordinary form. They were askedunchivalrously to undo their clothing, and with comic dignity andsuperb self-possession they defiantly declined. They were then told inthe name of the Queen that if they did not undress voluntarily itwould have to be done for them, whereupon they adopted the old dodgeof weeping and calling themselves unprotected women, whose characterswere being assailed by men whom it was not safe for females to beamongst, making the sandy hollows resound with their artificialshrieks and sobs; but it was all to no purpose. Their skirts wereexamined, and there were found boxes of cigars, packets of tobacco, and bottles of gin, all hooked in methodical order to an ingeniousarrangement connected with the skirt. These ladies were proved to beon familiar terms with the red-capped gentlemen who were defraudingthe Revenue, and not infrequently shooting down its guardians. 

One of these women was the sister of Jimmy Stone, and the other hiswife, and it would have gone hard with them had Turnbull not conceivedthe humane idea of reclaiming and ultimately drafting them into theService. He convinced his colleagues that they would be invaluableadjutants. They would take a deal of taming, as there was little todistinguish them from a species of wild animal. He requested thatthey should be handed over to him for the purpose of trying theexperiment. The women and Jimmy were locked up in separate rooms inthe Old Tower for a week. Turnbull visited them daily, and detected oneach visit the growth of penitence; his little talks had penetratedtheir stony, vicious natures, until at last they broke down and humblysolicited pardon and release, which was granted under well-definedconditions. There was much talk in the village about the leniencyextended to the fishers. Tom Hitchings, the cartman, declared thatthey should have been sent to the Colonies, the same as the othersmugglers; and Ted Robson said transportation was too good apunishment, they ought to have been shot or bayonetted, and had anyother person but a ranter preacher been in charge it would have beendone. 

"How de we knaa, Tom, " said Ted, "that them fiends o' smugglers winnotrise oot o' theor beds in the deed hoor o' the neet and break into worhomes and cut wor throats afore we're awake? We helped te catch them, whaat for shouldn't we hev some say aboot theor punishment?"

"That's whaat aa says, " replied Tom. "But ye'll heor o' some queerthings happenin' varry syen. He'll be hevvin' his meetin's in Jenny'shoose, and Jimmy'll be preachin' afore lang. Ther'll be fine scenes ifit's not throttled i' the bud. "

"Get away, man, " said Ned; "they're the biggest blackguards roond thecountryside, and they'll steal, rob, or morder, whichivver comeshandiest. What d'ye think that fellow Jimmy did once? A ship was inthe offin'. She had distress signals flyin'. He could get neebody teman a boat but women; the men wadn't hev onythin' te dee wiv him, sohis awn wife, Ailsie's Jenny, Nanny Dent, and Peggy Story went. Theypulled the boat through monster seas, and the brute was cursin' at thewomen aal the way until they gat alangside, when the captain said, 'Maship's sinkin'. ' The crew were telled to jump into the boat smart, andas syen as the captain said, 'We're aal heor, ' Jimmy sprang aboardlike a cat, cast the boat adrift, shooted to his wife, 'She's mine!Pull the ---- ashore, and then come off and we'll take her in!' Thecaptain saa the trick and demanded to be taken back, but Jenny felledhim with the tiller, and threatened to slay onny of the others. Theywere nearly ashore when the captain exclaimed, 'She's not his; Sancho, the dog, has been left behind!' The crew were landed, and the boatwent back to the ship. The women gat aboard, and asked Jimmy if he hadseen a dog. He said, 'There's nee dog heor; the ship's wors, ' and theysay he fand the dog on the floor and that he put it ower-board. Now, there's a born convict for ye! An' they tell me, him and his women gatthe ship safely into port, and the folk shooted, 'Bravo, Jimmy Stone!'They said he was a hard swearer, but a brave, clever fellow, and aasaid when aa hard it, 'Whaat aboot the dog?' The ship was selled, andJimmy gat summit--whaat de they caal it--salvage, aa think. They sayhe's worth lots o' money. "

"But whaat did they say aboot the dog?" said Tom. 

"Wey, the captain said the dog was left as a safeguard against bein'boarded and claimed as a derelict; but Jimmy swore that the dog wasn'tthere when he gat aboard, and neebody saa what becam' on't, and so thematter rests. They often say te him, 'Whe tossed the dog ower board?'and aa believe he's nearly mordered half a dozen big men for sayin'sic things. "

"Eh, man, " said Tom pensively, "what a grand Christian gentleman he'llmake!"

Shortly after Jimmy's release from the Old Tower, his youngest childsuccumbed to the ravages of a malignant fever. He and his wife weredistracted, as, in spite of their pagan instincts and habits, theirdevotion to their offspring was a passion. They remembered Mr. Turnbull appealing to them to flee from the wrath to come by amendingtheir ways, lest something terrible befell themselves or theirchildren, and instead of the recollection of this warning kindlingstrong demonstrations of resentment against the lay preacher now, Jenny implored her husband to run over the moor and get Mr. Turnbullto come and administer comfort to them. 

"He'll give us the sacrament, and pray for us at the bedside were thedeed bairn lies. "

Jimmy was dazed at the suggestion. He could not quite bring himself togive up the idea of some day renewing his former habits of aiding thesmugglers, and of doing a bit of poaching. He was quite frank instating to his wife that he feared if Turnbull came and prayed withthem he would get him to join the chapel folk, and there would be nomore poaching or smuggling after that. 

"And see what a loss it wad be tiv us. But, " said he, "to tell thetruth, aa hev been for prayin' mesel ever since the bairn tuck bad, but then aa thowt it was cowardly to ask help when aa was indifficulties and nivvor at ony other time. So I didn't dee 't. "

Jenny interjected that at the risk of being led to join theMethodists, and throwing over all thought of joining in any morelawlessness, he must go to the village and ask Mr. Turnbull to come. 

"I feel somethin' forcin' me to this, Jimmy; so get away and be quickback. "

And as James felt the same throbbing impulse, off he went, and withinan hour presented his petition to Mr. Turnbull, who received him inhis usual kind way, which caused the redoubtable ruffian to melt intotears, and volubly to confess all his murderous intentions towards theman he now believed to be the only agency on earth that could give himcomfort. 

The two men started at once for the bereaved home. The first part ofthe journey was tramped in solemn meditation. At last Jimmy brokesilence by asking his companion if he thought God had taken his childfrom him as a punishment for his sins. Turnbull said--

"Well, James, I believe your heavenly Father has some work for you todo. He has often warned you of the wrath to come by confronting youwith danger at sea; and only a short time since you were caught in theact of committing a crime, and narrowly escaped being banished to apenal settlement, and He mercifully used a friend as an instrument tosave you from this degradation. But you still maintained the spiritof defiance, and were a law unto yourself. The Almighty saw thatdrastic measures would have to be taken to break down your wilfulopposition. Your child was stricken with illness, and still you wenton cursing God and man; and then in His wondrous compassion for youand hundreds of other men and women to whom I believe He has plannedyou shall carry the message of peace, He has taken your child in orderthat you may be saved. He knew that was the only way of bringing youto see the great plan of salvation, and to save your innocent littlegirl from growing up in a heathenish home, where there was no beauty, no kindness, no good example, no God. I beseech you to surrenderyourself at once. Remember, the Spirit will not always strive withyou, and if you chase it away now it may never return. "

That night, kneeling by the side of his dead child, Jimmy implored Godto be merciful to him, and professed to have experienced the greattransition from death unto life. Now, Jimmy, though quite uneducated, had an intellectual head and great natural gifts, and when he wascareful he spoke with amazing correctness. He commenced to take partin the prayer meetings at once, and having a good memory, he picked upall the stock phrases and used them vigorously. Being an apt pupil, hesoon learned to read, and then commenced one of the most extraordinaryreligious campaigns that has ever been witnessed in that part of GreatBritain. Hundreds of men and women were led to change their lives bythis rugged, uncultured, but natural preacher. A certain number of hisown class viciously persecuted him for years, and none more so thanhis own wife. It seemed as though Hell had been let loose on him, andyet he went on undisturbed, steadfastly believing that he was theagent of the living God to carry the message of truth to the heathen. His old enemy Turnbull had become his fast friend, from whom he soughtand received much help and many acts of kindness. He owed theconversion of his wife and many of his persecutors to thisspiritually-minded man, and it was remarkable that nearly all theworst characters who were "brought in" opened their doors whenever hewanted to have a prayer meeting or a preaching service, and the roomswere always packed with people. 

Attracted by the originality of the converted fisherman, a few youngpeople belonging to the better families in the locality gatheredtogether to witness what they imagined would be mere burlesque. Therewas only standing room behind the kitchen bed for them, and there wasanything but an air of sanctity amongst that portion of hiscongregation. Jimmy's pulpit style was peculiar. He was flashing outeloquent phrases that were not commonly used in the orthodox pulpit. As he warmed to his work he broke out in rhyme--"Yes, brothers andsisters, there was little brother Paal, the very best of aal, laiddown his life, " etc. His use of biblical names was quite eccentric, which caused the undevotional members of his audience to sniggeraudibly. Without seeming to heed the irreverence, Jimmy pursued hisimpassioned diatribe and smote unbelievers hip and thigh, in languagethat was not conventional, or even relevant to the subject of hisdiscourse. The sniggering had developed into suppressed laughter, andJames suddenly stopped the even flow of his oratory, brought his giantfist down on the deal table and sent everything flying. Ladies'dresses were more or less damaged by candle grease; but the coolerheads prevented an outbreak of panic by getting the candles relightedand put on to the table. Then in reverent tones they asked thepreacher, who stood apparently unmoved, to proceed with the service;so Jimmie gave out the verse of a hymn which he thought would besuitable to the occasion. (Methodists always did that when the lightswent out or the preacher stuck. )

In the good old days, when village Methodism was quivering withspiritual life, and pouring its converts into the cities and towns ofEngland to teach the simple gospel of the Founder of our Faith, without any artificial fringes being attached to it, they were toopoor, and perhaps too conscious of the superiority of the realGod-given vocal capacity, to have anything to do with what many ofthem believed to be artificial aids to religion. It was a fine sightto see the leader of the songsters shut his eyes, clap his hands, andwith strong nasal blasts--which resembled the drone of the immortalinstrument that is the terror of the English and the glory of theScottish people--"raise the hymn, " while, as the others joined in thesinging, the volume of sound swelled louder and louder, until thewhole congregation were entranced by the power of their ownperformance. 

I give the words of the verse which Jimmy asked to be sung. Here theyare--

 "Come on, my partners in distress, My comrades through the wilderness, Who still your bodies feel; Awhile forget your griefs and fears, And look beyond this vale of tears To that celestial hill. "

This was sung with appropriate vigour over and over again. It is verydifficult to stop a real country Methodist when the power of song ison him, and on occasions such as this they generally break offgradually, until only one or two irrepressible enthusiasts are leftsinging, and these have to be brought to the consciousness of time andthe propriety of things by being pulled down into their seats. Jimmywished to proceed with his rebuke to the persons who had been thecause of the diversion, so he put a peremptory stop to the vocalistsby telling them to "sit doon, and listen to God's ambassador. " He thenresumed his address by stating that when his fist knocked the candlesoff the table he was "nearly givin' way to temptation. In fact, " saidhe, "I was just on the point of usin' profane language to the mockersand scoffers of the sarvent of the livin' God. I mean them parvarselads and lasses aback o' the bed theor. "

"Amen!" interjected several saintly voices. 

"But, hallelujah!" resumed James, "aa felt God was ha'd'en me back!"

"Glory!" shouted Adam Jefferson. 

"Yes, ma brethren and sistors. Aa cum amang ye t' seek and t' savesinners that repenteth; rich or poor, it makes nee difference to menor ma Maister, for hasn't He said 'where two or three are mettegithor in Ma Name, there am I in the midst'?"

"Bless Him!" cried Nannie Dent, a late accomplice of the smugglers. 

Jimmy's rebuke to the offenders was delivered with boisterousearnestness, but the comic phrasing of it created irrepressiblehilarity, and they had to leave the room. The preacher, in his closingremarks, reminded his hearers that he was once a black-hearted rascal, drinking, swearing, stealing, poaching, smuggling, and but for themercy of God he might have added to his other crimes that of murder. Ashudder went through the congregation when "murder" was uttered, andtheir minds were obviously centred on the derelict vessel and the dog, which Jimmy was suspected of doing away with. 

"Ah!" whispered Sam Taylor, the butler, "he should never have venturedon that affair. Folks are varra queer, and whether it is true or not, they like sensation and scandal. "

As though he had been gifted with prescience, Jimmy continued--"Aa canfeel whaat ye are thinking aboot, but it's not true. This is the manaa threatened te kill, " pointing at Turnbull. "And now let us bow oorheads in solemn, silent prayor for a few minutes, and ask forgivenessfor oor past and daily sins. And aa want ye to join with me in askingfor pardon and speedy repentance to be sent tiv a porson that belangste the gentry of this district, but whe hes been, and is noo engagedin trafficking in wickedness. May the Lord bring him to His footstoolof mercy before he is nabbed, as aa was. "

These remarks, with the exhilarating petition, caused an amount ofirreverent speculation as to who was the person alluded to. Theservice was brought to a close without any evidences of spiritualemotion such as had characterized previous meetings, and the peopleproceeded in groups to their respective homes filled with fertilecuriosity, and a sinister suspicion as to who the sinful person wasthat Jimmy had so fervently prayed for. But only one person who heardthe rugged deliverance fixed her mind on him that was guilty, and sheresolved to keep her thoughts a secret, for reasons that will beexplained hereafter. Meanwhile, many innocent men were suspected, andgossip ran rampant. Jimmy, when asked whom he meant, was piouslyreticent, and merely answered--

"That is a matter that concerns God and mysel'! The time may come whenhe'll accuse hissel'. Aa'm prayin' mornin', noon, and night, that thestrings of his heart may be broken, and that a penitent condition ofmind may take possession of him, and in the fulness of a new borth hemay cry aloud, 'O Lord, once I was blind, noo I see!'"

When Thomas Turnbull and his wife arrived home, they found the youngermembers of their family in an excited state of hilarity. The youngestdaughter was mimicking Jimmy perfectly, and had her brothers andsister in fits of laughter. Their father could not refrain fromjoining in the fun, but the mother was quiet and pensive, and gotrather huffed when her husband chided her in his good-humoured waywith being indifferent to the happy surroundings. Poor woman, she wastroubled about Jimmy's prayer, and thought it irreligious to be joyousin the midst of such dark mystery. 

The following afternoon, Mrs. Turnbull paid a visit to Mrs. Clarkson, who listened with eager interest to the account of the meeting, andwhen the words of the closing prayer were conveyed an anxious lookcame over her countenance, and she made an effort to change thesubject, without, however, preventing Mrs. Turnbull from detecting herconfusion. 

"Let us talk of something else; I do not like, " said she, "conversingabout sensational things; it makes me nervous. And if I were you, Iwould try to forget what has been said to you about importantpersonages being involved in lawless traffic. It will only make youunhappy, and serve no good purpose. If there is anything of the sortgoing on, it will be discovered, and those that are guilty will bebrought to justice. "

Mrs. Turnbull did not pursue the subject any farther, but the sad, pained look of her hostess became fixed in her memory. She could notshake the conviction from her that Mrs. Clarkson was haunted by thedread of some one belonging to herself having some connection withJimmy's prayer. 

Mrs. Turnbull paid frequent visits to the farm, and one winter eveningshe happened to be there when a violent snowstorm made the groundimpassable, so she was prevailed upon to stay until the following day. The household consisted of Mrs. Clarkson, her sister, and two nieces, who were very pleased to have the company of a woman who was so fullof information and reminiscence. Her mother was said to have been thedaughter of a Scottish law-lord's son, who was disinherited because hewas thought to have married beneath his station--that is, instead ofmarrying the lady selected by his father from his own class, who hadnothing in common with him, he had chosen and fixed his affections ona lady outside his rank, who was talented, had high intellectual andreligious qualities, and good looks, but was financially poor. Mrs. Turnbull had excited the curiosity of the two young ladies by relatingthis part of her history, and they were naturally eager to hear more. With that object in view, they asked their aunt to allow her to sleepin their room, and the request was granted. The good lady, however, had said all that she intended to say about herself, andnotwithstanding the ingenious and persuasive requests of her youngfriends, she stood steadfastly to her resolve. She talked to themabout the farm and their aunt and cousins, and her own family, and thereligious work that was being carried on, but never another word aboutherself or her ancestry could be drawn from her. Perhaps it was thatshe considered it scarcely wise to discuss romance with young girls. And so they talked themselves out about other things, and then went tosleep. 

Early in the morning, Mrs. Turnbull was awakened by what she took tobe a door slamming. She got up with the intention of closing it, andthen heard voices talking, sometimes in an ordinary tone, but for themost part in an excited whisper. She listened, with the bedroom doorajar, and heard the voice of Mrs. Clarkson say--

"If you do not dissociate yourself from these wicked men you will cometo grief. You are supposed to be in Australia. Indeed, it may be thatMr. Turnbull has his suspicion even now that I am harbouring anaccomplice of the men whose trade is smuggling, and who try to get ridof those who prevent them carrying it on. I beseech you to cutyourself adrift from that other man, who, I believe, has you under hisinfluence, and who, I feel sure, is associated with this gang oflawbreakers. "

At this stage, Mrs. Turnbull could not restrain the desire to cough. She did try to subdue it, but Mrs. Clarkson's companion whispered toher--

"Whist! I hear some one on the landing. "

"Do not fear, " said Mrs. Clarkson; "it is only the wind making noisesthrough the trees. "

But her companion knew better, so not another word was spoken. 

The next morning Mrs. Clarkson looked worried, but she was quiteaffable with her guest, who acted her part without giving theslightest suspicion of having overheard the little nocturnalconversation. 

Immediately after breakfast, Mrs. Turnbull bade farewell to thefamily, and was soon in the thick of domestic matters in her own home. That night's experience at the Dean Farm settled the destiny ofseveral families. The information unwittingly gleaned and discreetlyused, led to far-reaching consequences to the district, and to allthose involved. 

It was well known that the smugglers had places of concealment otherthan the accommodation gratuitously given them by certain farmers. Thesecret of the real cave's whereabouts was successfully kept, but oneof those accidents that often come to disturb the current of humanaffairs led to an important discovery. 

 * * * * *

Softly the night wind blew over a glassy sea. The sound of therippling water on the reef of rocks and on the sandy beach had aweird, melancholy effect. Then came the dull noise of muffled oarscommingling with the cawing of the gull and hollow surging of thewaters into the Fairy Rocks. There was neither moon nor stars visible, but in the bay the experienced eye could discern the mysteriouslugger. There she lay, hove to, or anchored below the Dean House, which could be seen peeping out between two sandy hills. A dimlight--which, to the uninformed, would have conveyed the impression ofa light in a cottage window, but which was really a signal to thesmugglers that the coast was clear--flickered in a line with the sandyvalley; and, in truth, the quietude of the night betokened all waswell. The landing was successfully made without interruption, and themen gaily entered on the task of transporting the cargo to itsdestination, believing, as they had a right to believe, that a bighaul would be stored without a single hitch in the process. Theaccomplices scattered after their work was done, and the sailorsreturned to their vessel, no doubt well satisfied with the night'senterprise. But notwithstanding the many scouts they sent out, theywere quite oblivious of the fact that their movements had been closelywatched. Sail was set, and the sneaking craft crept out into theillimitable darkness, having apparently completed its work unseen byunfriendly eyes. There was not a little talk round the countrysideabout the landing that had taken place without any one in authority tocheck its progress. Wise, knowing people said it was timidity, andothers attributed it to indifference to the public service; the truthbeing, it was neither the one nor the other. It was, in fact, acarefully-planned scheme to discover exactly where the mysterious cavewas situated; and although in spite of exhaustive search the entranceto it could not be found, they had got a clue to its locality. Avigorous policy of exploration was inaugurated, but after many weeksof toil the operations were abandoned without the mystery having beenpenetrated. It was thought that time and opportunity would solve theproblem, but how it was to be solved no one knew. There was, indeed, great speculation as to what might happen should another landing beattempted, but month after month passed without any indication ofthis, and the little population had settled down to a dull monotony. Except for a casual reference to the stirring times, the smugglers andtheir emissaries were apparently all but forgotten. The Preventive menwere secretly as much on the alert as when the smugglers were mostactive. They purposely adopted an apparent indifference with the ideaof luring the rovers into over-confidence. Each party took intoaccount the possibility of being betrayed. In all secretive illegalsocieties there are suspects. Jimmy Stone having changed his mode oflife, suspicion fell very naturally on him; but though he sometimesdarkly hinted at the identity and the secrets of his late allies, hewas never known to definitely divulge anything that would incriminatethem. The nephew of Mrs. Clarkson was another marked man, as was alsoa friend of his. The former had been very little heard of in thoseparts since the night that his aunt implored him to give up hisassociates. The last that was really seen of Lawrence and his friend, they were drinking together in a public-house, and a few days aftersome of their torn and blood-stained clothes were found in a lonelyhedged-in lane close by the moor. This dreaded place was called the"Mugger's Lonnin" by the country-folk, owing to its being acamping-ground for the gipsies, and from end to end it was prolific ofbramble-berries and other wild fruit. When the children went duringthe summer months to gather these they were always accompanied by afew grown-up people, as it was believed that many terrible tragedieshad happened there. The discovery of the clothes and the patches ofblood right in the middle of the lonnin was indicative of a foulmurder having taken place, and the bodies dragged along the grass tosome place of concealment. Search parties were formed, bloodhoundswere called into requisition, but no trace of the murdered lads'bodies could be found, and for many months this supposed terriblecrime was sealed in mystery. A few people were callous enough to saythat they were convinced that no murder had taken place, but thesewere very unpopular. The greater part of the small colony likedsensation, and nursed this one assiduously until an almost greatercame to hand by it leaking out that the two men had been expeditiouslysent to Australia, and that the blood on their clothes was not theirown, but that of a sheep which had been killed for the purpose ofmisleading. This exciting revelation lead to important issues. Werethey really alive and in Australia? Had they been bribed to reveal thesecrets of their former friends, or was it dread of capture thatcaused them to be sent out of the country? These were some of theoutspoken conjectures that flowed with ever-increasing imagination. The real facts never became known, but the tales of these stirringtimes have been handed down in more or less hyperbolic form. It may befairly assumed that Thomas Turnbull got reliable information from somesource which he was never known to disclose, and having got it, hehastened to use it judiciously and to advantage. 

The entrance to the cave was at last found at a spot where he and hiscomrades had many times traversed. It was so ingeniously concealedthat they might have searched until the day of doom, and it couldnever have been found but for the agency that conveyed him to thespot. Tradition speaks of it being a long subterranean passage, running east to west, and opening out close to a road that was quiteaccessible to carts. It was honeycombed with compartments, and socarefully were they constructed that only the initiated could havediscovered their locality. Some of the cells still containedquantities of contraband, so that the Board of Customs made a goodhaul. 

Turnbull frequently rubbed shoulders with men and women who eloquentlydeclaimed against the smugglers and their allies. He knew these peoplewere in the inner circle of the traffic. He realized also that it wasnot good policy to let them see that he knew that they were merelyacting a part. He might some day have to make use of them. There wasa section who never disguised their antipathy to him. They saw thatthrough him the day of smuggling on that part of the coast waswell-nigh over--if not over altogether. It was he who had been theinstrument of emptying the vaults of treasure which they regarded aslegitimately theirs, and closing them to further enterprise. It was, in fact, the system that he represented that was paralyzing theirhonest efforts of contributing to their means of subsistence! Thesewere only some of the many indictments proclaimed against him and hiscolleagues. The aggrieved ones strolled about with an air of injuredvirtue, and their ferocious looks and veiled threats at the intruderas he passed along betokened the belief in their prescriptive right toplunder the Revenue. I think it is Macaulay who says that "no man isso merciless as he who is under a strong self-delusion. "

The seizure of the storehouse gave a staggering blow to the"fair-traders, " but it did not prevent them from making anotherdesperate attempt to land their wares, and also to have their revengeby destroying a few of her Majesty's servants. On dark nights the hornlanterns were seen about the links, the flare-light flashed across thesea, and the curlew's shrill call was heard. These signs were nowknown to the Preventive staff; but they also had their signs and theirmeans of conveying news, so that when the low, sneaking black luggeragain appeared, they were ready for the fray. 

There she was, snugly anchored in the sleepy bay. The first boat-loadhad left her side. The slow, dull sound of the horses' hoofs vibratedthrough the hollows, and the night wind from the fields of sleep blewsoftly over the rustling bents, causing a weird, peaceful lullaby. Theboat's bow is run on to the beach, a dozen or more men jump from herinto the water and haul her up as far as the weight of the cargo willallow. They then commence to discharge. Again the curlew's call isheard, again the sharp flare-light is seen; but no aid comes. Thecargo is landed at high-water mark; they realize something is wrong, and hesitate whether to re-ship or re-embark without it. They are soondisillusioned. A horse gallops madly from the south. The rider shoutsat the top of his voice, "Run, sailors, run! Treachery!" and thenheads his horse full speed in the direction he came from, and is soonlost to view. The men push their boat into the sea, and row with alltheir might towards the vessel. Bullets from a score of muskets whizover their heads; but they are accustomed to this, and lay their backsinto the oars with increased vigour. Meanwhile, a coble sails almostpeacefully alongside their ill-fated craft. In an instant a crowd ofconcealed men rush aboard and call out, "Surrender!" But smugglerswere not given to surrender when merely requested, so a hand-to-handfight took place. The butt-end of muskets were freely used, and tosome purpose. There was no heroic effort to get at the powdermagazine, so that they might blow themselves and everybody else up. 

The lugger was in undisputed possession of the Revenue men before theboat from the shore reached her. They, too, were quickly disposed of, after a short, angry, though feeble resistance. Stringent precautionswere taken to prevent any blowing-up exploits. The whole gang werewell secured against that, and any other hostile outbreaks. Thishaving been done to the satisfaction of the officer in charge, theanchor was weighed, a course was shaped towards the south, and thelast of the low, black, romantic luggers, with their gallant crews, passed away, never more to be seen on this part of the coast. 

Recognition of the deeds done by the dauntless heroes of that age inthe Government service was very scanty. It may be they did not expectit. In that case they were rarely disappointed. Thomas Turnbull seemsto have got his reward in being allowed to remain on the station untilthe time came to retire on a pension. He went about his routine workwith placid regularity, and devoted what leisure he had to wideninghis reading, which consisted mainly of history, theology, and Burns'spoems. He was never known to miss his class-meeting, and travelledeight miles each way to keep his pulpit appointments on Sundays. Hesometimes entertained his family and the young folk that visited themby relating his experiences with the smugglers, but his greatestpleasure was in holding religious meetings in one or other of thefishers' cottages. In this he was gratuitously aided by Jimmy Stone, who entered into his work with energy, zeal, and oftentimes amazingresource. Jimmy had developed a form of religious mania, insisting onthe theory that he was, as a preacher, a direct descendant of theApostles. This assumption severely taxed the Christian virtues of thelittle society. Turnbull, who had a keen sense of humour, viewed thenew situation with intense amusement, and always excused the foiblesof his old convert up to the time of leaving the district to end hisown eventful career within easy reach of his family, who were allgrown-up and doing well. Jimmy did not long survive him, but he livedlong enough to see the passing away of that spiritual wave that hadchanged his whole life. 

Many years after, an ugly incident broke the spell of monotony in thevillage. A hideous-looking creature came to it and addressed himselfto a fisherman. His voice was that of a drunkard. He was dirty, hiseyes were bleared, and the cunning, shifty look betokened a long lifeof vicious habits. He wished to know when Mrs. Clarkson died, whereall her relations that lived round about her were, to whom the estateswere sold, and whom the money they realized went to; what had becomeof Turnbull and his family, and how long was it since the smugglerswere driven off the coast? These questions were only meagrelyanswered, as the man he inquired of belonged to another generation, and there were only very few left who knew anything of the period orthe people that he desired information about. The following day thebody of a man, supposed to be a tramp, was found in a barn. He hadleft evidence of his identity, and when it was discovered that thestranger was Stephen Lawrence, Mrs. Clarkson's nephew, the once flashyyoung gentleman who controlled her estates, and who had been sentabroad when grave suspicion rested upon him of being seriouslyinvolved in pecuniary defalcations, it created a fresh sensation, andrevived all the old stories of bygone days. He had come to die withinthe shadow of the home in which he was so indulgently reared, and hisremains were buried by those who knew not of him. It was probablythrough him and Melbourne that the secret locality of the cave andother valuable information which led up to the final conflict anddefeat of the smugglers became known. 

The "Mugger's Lonnin, " all blazing with red and yellow flowers andlong silvery grass growing wild, and covering the mysteries that liebeneath, is still there. The superstitions regarding its history stillexist. The sandhills, capped with the rustling, silky bents, lookingdown into the bay, are still there. The thrilling sea winds come andgo, and the music of the shells on the beach is whispering as before, but the shrill wail of the curlew is never sounded from knoll to knollnow. The horn lantern is not seen by the roadsides, nor the quickflashlight that signalled the coast was clear; and the rattle of thehorses' hoofs on the stones during the mystic night is never nowheard. There is nothing to indicate, in fact, that this lonely, superbpiece of England was once (not so long ago) a great centre of illicittrading. The smuggler and Revenue man have disappeared, and the scenesof their successes or failures, daring, comic, and sometimes tragic, are undisturbed save by nature's sights and sounds. Man-o'-war sailors(fine fellows though they be), with ribboned caps, and trousers thatflap like sails of a ship tacking, have replaced the trim, gentlemanlike civilian of old. Some of the latter are still rememberedwith affection, and even veneration, by people who were young when thelast of them passed away. 

Smugglers of the Rock

Captain S---- was a man of enterprise, and never lost an opportunityof scheming to supplement the freight of the vessel he commanded. Hiscommon phrase was, "Look for business, and you'll meet it on theroad. " He was well known all over the Mediterranean, and had done muchtrade with the Spanish ports, so that he got to know a good deal aboutthe character and methods of their business. On one occasion, atGibraltar, a deputation of traders, as they called themselves, madehim a proposition that was startling in its remunerative dimensions. 

"I presume, " said the captain, "this business which you are goodenough to put before me is sound; there is no humbug about it?"

"Not one bit, captain. You undertake to do certain work for which wepay you before starting. "

It was arranged that he should wire from his last port of call whenpassing down the Mediterranean. He fixed his mind on the amount he wasto receive, and did not inquire too closely into the character of thebusiness. He would have been virtuously indignant if any one hadhinted that he was capable of going beyond the limits of sternrectitude, although he admitted the undertaking to be extraordinary, otherwise he would not have been so well paid for it. His knowledge ofcharacter told him that he was going to do business with a squad ofrascals who knew no moral law, and yet the fascination of excitingenterprise held him in its grip. So it came to pass that he sent histelegram announcing approximately when he might be expected atGibraltar, and asking them to have all in readiness against hisarrival. In the early morning of the eighth day after leaving Malta, the steamer crept from under the Great Rock into the beautiful bay, and was promptly boarded by a few gentlemen of effusive manners whowere greatly concerned about the health of Captain S----. The latterrequested them to cease their chatter and to get to business. 

"Are the craft ready?" said he. 

"Oh yes, " replied the Rock-scorpions; "but you will have to wait untildark before they can be brought from their moorings. "

This was agreed to. The captain put his vessel alongside the coalhulk, and by noon the required bunker coal had been shipped, andthrough the kindness of the captain of the hulk she was allowed toremain alongside until darkness set in, on the plea of repairs beingdone to defective machinery. She was then slowly moved towards threefeluccas which lay waiting in the bay. The night was still, and themoon shone bright and made the sea silvery by its reflection; but alarge halo encircled it, and the seamen knew that foreboded stormyweather. "Telegraph boys" were coming up from the west very swiftly. There was to be trouble outside Cape Spartel, and they were anxious toget through the stream before the gale had developed strength. A boatcame alongside. Two Levantines stepped aboard. The captain said--

"So you have come at last. Have you got the money with you? Let mehave no wriggling, or I will have you put over the side and steam awaywithout your merchandize. "

"No, no, capitan, you must not do that! Come to the charthouse and youshall be paid at once. "

After three-fourths of the agreed sum had been counted out thepaymaster stuck, and said, "Capitan, you must be satisfied. We arepoor men like yourself. "

In an instant the captain was out of the charthouse _with his money_, and went on to the upper bridge and called out to his officers to seethe gentlemen into their boat. They pleaded to him to come into thecharthouse again, and every cent due to him would be handed overaccording to agreement. 

"I did not mean what I said to be taken seriously, " said the financialagent. 

"But I did, " replied the captain. "And take notice that if youwriggle again I will make short work of this business. "

The balance of freight was handed over without further demur, and thecraft taken in tow as arranged. It was urged that the heaviest ladenof the three lighters should tow astern of the others. The engineswere set easy ahead. The two scorpions were asked to get into theirboat quickly. They wished the captain good luck, and gave himinstructions to steer over to the African side of the gut, as thecurrent was easier there. He was warned in true Levantine eloquence, and with an accent and tone that indicated anxiety for the success ofthe project, to look sharply after the "wolves" when they got offTarifa, for this is the narrowest part of the entrance to theMediterranean. It was clear that this traffic welcomed no publicity. 

The _C----_ was soon plunging into a strong westerly swell, thoughthere was as yet but little wind. They had got Tarifa abeam, when thelook-out man reported a small vessel three points on the starboardbow. In a few more minutes the "wolves" announced themselves by a fewsmall shot rattled against the smoke stack. Orders were given to thesecond officer to go aft with a hatchet, and when the signal was givenhe had to snap the tow-rope of the last felucca. All hands wereordered to lie low--_i. E. _, lie under shelter of the bulwarks. Thecaptain and chief officer took shelter on the port side of thecharthouse. The vessel's course was altered, but being so far over onthe African coast there was not much room to play on. The firing wasstill directed at the funnel, though at times it was erratic. One ofthe seamen shouted, "I'm hit!" In an instant the captain blew hiswhistle, and the tow-line of No. 3 craft was cut. The steamer's speedincreased, though it did not much matter so far as getting out of thefire zone was concerned, as the Spanish _Costaguardia's_ attentionbecame fixed on the abandoned craft. 

"My God!" soliloquized the chief mate, "the Rock-scorpions are right. They have pounced upon the derelict like wolves. I almost wish I wasthere to see the effect when they realize they have been fooled, andthey find that that craft is loaded with stones. It was just done inthe nick of time; they might have compelled us to heave to. "

"I would never have done that, " said the captain. "I knew they wouldnot risk being defeated in their object when they saw so excellent aprize thrown at them. "

"They are setting the sail, " observed the officer. 

"Yes, " responded the captain. "The gentlemen will find one of theircraft anchored in Gibraltar Bay to-morrow morning, and may be thewhole three. I do not like the look of it; both the wind and sea aremaking. I hope we may be able to reach to the westward of TrafalgarBay before it gets worse. "

Instructions were given to have the wounded seaman brought to thesaloon, and it was found that he was not seriously injured. After thewound was dressed, orders were given to set the regular watch. Littleprogress was made during the night, owing to the heavy west wind. Bysix the following morning she was just a little west of Cape Spartel, and the wind had increased to a heavy gale. The engines had to beslowed down in order to save the two little vessels from being draggedunder water; indeed, as it was, their hulls were sometimes buried. Thecaptain saw that he was in for a tragedy if the craft were kept intow. He did not like to slip them, as it meant certain capture, andwhile he was thinking out the wisest and best course to pursue, theproblem was solved by the people aboard the feluccas letting go thetow-line, and the last that was seen of them was that they wereheading towards the Spanish coast with small storm sails set. 

Captain S----'s vessel had a severe passage, and on arrival inFalmouth he went to an hotel. In the course of the evening he wasrelating the incidents of the voyage, as was the custom with orthodoxcaptains on arrival in port, and of course he included his experienceswith the Rock-scorpions and their feluccas. Before he had completedthe tale, the proprietor interposed by reading as follows from ashipping paper:--

 "Information was conveyed to the Spanish Customs Authority that a British steamer had run out of Gibraltar Bay with three feluccas laden with manufactured tobacco destined for Cadiz. She was to be intercepted at Tarifa by the coastguards, and the craft with their cargo were to have been seized. When she got to Tarifa the coastguards fired at her. The third lighter was slipped, boarded by the officials and their men, and taken behind the Rock, when it was discovered on removing the hatches that she was laden with stones. The other two parted their tow-ropes, and were driven through the Gut and captured. These were laden with tobacco. The stone-laden craft was obviously intended as a decoy, and but for the heavy gale that came on, the other two would have succeeded in reaching their destination. "

A few months later, Captain S---- entered Gibraltar Bay, and wasboarded by the chief commissioner of the last enterprise, accompaniedby a friend, who was introduced as being engaged in "our" trade. 

"Ah, " said the former in genuine Rock-scorpion dialect, "The last wasa great disaster; but it has never been said that you did not do allthat was possible to carry out your contract properly. If there hadbeen any appearance of not doing so, my friend and I would not havesaid that Captain S---- is the very man to carry out our new affair, which is doubly better than the other. "

"Well, shut up about that, " said the captain. "Come to the point. Whatis it you wish me to do?"

"Ah! capitan, but for the knowledge we have of your ability, and theaffection my friends and myself have for you, we would have hesitatedto show you this token of our much esteem. "

"Shut up!" interjected the sailor. "I don't want a display of prettynothings. I want business. "

"Oh! capitan, why do you say such things when we are so anxious to putsomething your way. I tell you there are thousands of men that wouldbe glad to have your chance. The job we have is this: three feluccasare lying up in the harbour laden with tobacco. Tonight you must lieoff the town without anchoring, and they will be brought alongside. You must take the cargo aboard, and proceed off Amonti Pomoron. Apilot and interpreter will go with you, and you must not go near theland until darkness comes on, when craft showing signals which thepilot understands will be there to meet you and have men to transhipthe cargo into lighters. You will have £400 for doing this--half incash before leaving, and the other half on arrival at Amonti. Thetransaction will be quite straight. "

"It seems to me so uncommonly like a huge smuggling affair, that Icannot entertain it, " replied S----. 

"No, no! my dear capitan; here you are mistaken. We would not ask sucha thing of you. How can it be smuggling? The cargo is put aboard inneutral waters; you take it off the coast of Spain and deliver it asarranged. You get your money, and know nothing more about it. How canthat be smuggling?"

"Well, " said the captain, "it has nothing to do with me where thestuff comes from, or where it is going to. If you will give me fivehundred pounds, all cash, before leaving here, I will agree to takeit. "

The Rock-scorpion gasped--

"What, five hundred pounds! Capitan, now do be reasonable. I tell youno other man would get the half of what you are offered. "

"Very well, then, " replied the captain, "it is off. Give it to theperson who will do it for half. "

"Certainly not; that is not what I mean, " said the commissioner. "Howcan I face my friends with such news after all I have said to themabout you? They will form a bad opinion of both you and myself. "

"Oh! d---- both you and your friends. Get over the side, or I'll helpyou. "

"Well, Capitan S----, I have never seen a man in such a temperbefore. "

"Oh, go to----!"

"Oh no, no, capitan; don't say that. I cannot tell my friends ofthis. "

"I wouldn't take your stuff for a thousand pounds now, " said thecaptain. 

"Forgive me, my best friend. I did not mean to be offensive; you havemisunderstood my meaning. I will give you five hundred pounds, thoughI know I will have to pay one hundred out of my own purse. It is veryhard. "

The captain hesitated, but was overcome by the thought of making solarge a clean profit without involving any material loss of time. Inless than an hour after darkness came on the cargo was being putaboard with amazing facility. The first lighter was nearly discharged, when the captain asked the agent to pay the freight. This gentleman, with many greasy apologies, informed him that he had only half of themoney with him. He could not get his friends to agree to pay allbefore starting, "but they will agree to pay half here and the otherhalf as soon as the lighters come to you at Amonti. " "Very well, then; I won't take another bale in, and will steam away at once. "

"But, " said the cunning Rock-scorpion, "you have a lighter of goodsaboard. You are very dreadful for talking about running away with it. "

"You make me sick, " said the captain, with a killing look of scorn. 

"Capitan, you say queer things to your best friends. Now, I tell youwhat I will do: I will on my own responsibility give you in cashtwo-thirds now, and the other third I pledge myself will be paid atAmonti. It would be a scandal to all concerned to allow it to drop atthe present time. "

"Scandal be d----d!" replied the commander. "You're a fine lot to talkabout scandal--you who would rob Jesus Christ of his shoe-strings. "

"Capitan, you do me wrong; I would never do the things you say. "

"Stump up the dross like a man, then, and don't stand whining therelike a sucking turkey craving for pity, " retorted Captain S----. Alook of injured piety came over the old rascal's face, who was playinga game of Levantine jugglery, subtle and crafty. 

"Ah, " said he, "I am so sorry. Indeed, I cannot express my grief thatyou should have changed in so short a time from the kind, generouscapitan of old times long ago to the very cruel, disobliging person ofthis minute, who calls me names and refuses to reciprocate kindnessfor kindness. I think my friends will say that I tell lies, which theywould not think of me, when I tell them that you have become moroseand disobliging. They will stare and say that my judgment has beendeceived. But to show my trust in you, nevertheless, I will, as I havesaid, give you two-thirds cash, and the other third you will be paidat your destination. No other man in Gibraltar would do the same; butwe are old friends who have done business together before--notprofitable, but still it was business, very hard business. Come, now, capitan, do be reasonable, and do not look at me as though you wouldlike to strike my face with your fist. "

The captain had been standing in a reflective mood during theRock-scorpion's harangue, obviously reviewing the whole position andthe policy that should be adopted. He was dubious as to the wisdom ofaccepting the terms offered; but seeing that the risk to him was lessthan it was to them, he spontaneously replied--

"Agreed! But I warn _you_, and you must intimate the warning to yourfriends, if there is any attempt at deceiving me, or any reluctanceshown at the other end to pay the balance of freight, I will steam offwith the merchandise and the men you propose sending with me, and Idon't care to say what will become of them. "

"Shake hands, " said the wily agent; "and I give you my word of honour, which everybody trusts but you since you came this time, that therewill be no trouble made. Now come to the charthouse and take over thecash. "

This formality was speedily accomplished, though not without a furtherattempt to reduce the cash payment on the plea that it would endangerhis professional reputation in the eyes of his commercial friends. 

"I care nothing for your reputation, " murmured the candid sailor. "What I want is two-thirds freight, so stump it all up, or I will haveit taken from you and then hoist you into your boat. "

Whereupon the agent became afflicted with grief at his dear friend'sthreatened cruelty. 

"Really, my best friend, I must not give way here, but I will shedtears when I get to my silent home, and speak with myself of thechange that has come to your mind. "

"Don't you bother about shedding tears; you see that your friends playthe game, " said the inexorable captain. "I will carry out my part;but, by heavens! if your people don't carry out theirs, you shall allpay dearly for it. "

"You are too excited on this occasion, my dear capitan, and for this Iam sorry, as I like to see you as usual. I tell you if they do notplay the fair way, I will be responsible and be very vexed. "

"Shut up, you blatherskite; the cargo is all aboard. Get into yourboat quick, and remember what I have said to you when you can overcomethe effects of your wriggling and dodging. Your cargo can only bedelivered on one condition. Keep in mind what it is. Begone, and neverlet me see your evil countenance again. "

Thus spoke the enterprising commander, who had begun to realize thathe was having dealings with a gang whom he would have to fight inorder to get his own. The engines were put at full speed, and kept atthat until she was fifty miles north-west of Cape Spartel, when theywere slowed so that she might not arrive before the appointed time. Asthe vessel trailed sinuously over the quiet sea, the captain'sthoughts were centred on material things and the reception he waslikely to have on meeting the men his mind's eye pictured ascut-throat ruffians. He had several conferences with the interpreter, whose look and speech he regarded as a revelation of villainy. He wastall and slim, with ricketty legs, dark shifty eyes, a low recedingforehead, and a mouth and chin that indicated the animal. The captainfelt instinctively the approach of trouble, and frankly told thewretch, who he knew was deceiving him, that every bale of tobaccowould be held until after the freight was paid over in goldsovereigns; and with an air of ostentatious authority he gaveinstructions to have all the muskets and revolvers loaded and ready incase they should be required. The hideous scoundrel fixed his eye onthe captain, and with ironic accent intimated he could not help beingfilled with concern when he heard the orders given to prepare thefirearms. 

"Capitan, we are not pirates; we are respectable men carrying on arespectable trade. You need not prepare anything; we are honesttradesmen. "

The captain laughed heartily at this comic assurance of fidelity, andfelt convinced that a deep impression had been made, as theinterpreter shortly after was seen vigorously conversing with his twocompatriots. The one had been introduced as the representative of theowner of the cargo, and the other the pilot, whose business it was todirect the captain to that part of the coast where the craft wasawaiting the vessel's arrival. The treacherous dusk was casting itsshadows over them, and had brought with it a weird sound of themoaning wind. The crew stood in little knots, talking earnestly toeach other. Obviously they conversed of the night's work, and all thegrave possibilities that lay in front of them. For the most part theywore an anxious look on their faces, but there was one there whose eyewas full of sparkling fun, and whose face beamed with a self-satisfiedexpectation of exhilarating dangers. The captain called him to thebridge, and gave him some specific orders as to how he was to act whencertain signals were given. The chaste and simple motto of "the blowfirst and jaw afterwards" guided him, and he was only profane whendiscipline demanded it. His superstitious tendencies were in anordinary way an anxiety to him, but on the night in question the onlysigns he gave of being affected in this way was by the half coherentremark to the captain that he did not like to hear the shrill wail ofthe wind through the rigging; "it seems to be speaking to us of sometrouble near at hand. " Suddenly the interpreter called out, "I see thefeluccas. " In a moment all thought of the wail of the wind haddisappeared, and this fine athletic seaman was commanding his men likea hero. He had been told by his captain that there would more thanlikely be rough work to do, and he prepared for it with a skill andvigour that left no doubt as to how his instructions would be carriedout. "Give the signal at the proper time, " said he, "and leave therest to me. " A shipwrecked crew was being taken home in the steamer, and these, together with her own crew, made the number lookformidable, and although they were never requested to give assistance, they offered it in case of need. Undoubtedly the addition to theordinary crew had a moral effect upon the Spaniards. 

The craft came alongside, and her crew jumped aboard and commenced tohandle the bales. They were peremptorily stopped by the captaingiving instructions that not a single bale was to be allowed to passinto the lighters until the freight was paid and he had given orders. Soon there was a carnival of foes. The captain called to theinterpreter to bring the man with the money to the saloon. Theinterpreter came but not the man. The former said the money was comingon the second lighter, but the one alongside must be loaded and sentaway first. 

"No, no!" interposed the captain; "no money, no bales. " He would waituntil the second lighter came, which could easily be placed alongsideastern of the first one. In a short time number two came, and wasmoored as directed. A large number of men jumped aboard from bothcraft. The captain again called out to bring the man with the money, and again no one turned up but the interpreter. This time he wasdefiant. He put his back against the saloon side, folded his arms andbegan--

"Capitan, you see the number of people aboard your vessel. They cantake her from you, if they so wish it. I tell you frankly we have nomoney; but, by God! we must and shall have the tobacco. "

The captain had been reared amidst a race of men who had imbued himwith the importance of hitting decisively and with promptness, whenconfronted with situations which demanded physical action. In aninstant he had hold of the scoundrel, who, he was convinced now, wasthe leader of a plot to take the cargo by force. Under peremptorycompulsion, the Levantine was rushed on deck, informed that he hadmiscalculated with whom he had to deal, and that any one who attemptedto carry out his threat would be fired upon. 

"I give you fair warning there shall be no half measures, and Icommand you to inform your friends what I have said; and also state tothem that as soon as I have been paid my freight, they will not onlybe allowed to have the cargo, but I will instruct my crew to assist inthe transhipment. "

It never will be known now what this plant of grace intimatedprecisely to his colleagues, but the general impression was at thetime that the captain's message had not been conveyed verbatim. Soonthe babble of tongues charged the air and gave an impression ofBedlam. The captain had resolved upon a course of action which wasstrenuous. He had given certain orders to the chief engineer, and wasstanding on the lower bridge reviewing the situation, when the secondofficer came up to him and said in a whisper--

"The Spaniards are all armed to the teeth, sir. "

"All right, " said the captain, "they will soon be disarmed. Meanwhile, as a precaution, put our men on their guard. This business must becarried through vigorously, and with dash. "

At this juncture the interpreter, apparently with the intention ofbreaking the deadlock, attempted to come on the bridge, and was warnedif he put his foot on the ladder he (the captain) would jump on top ofhim. He did so, and the next moment he was flattened on the deck. TheSpaniards, in great excitement, surrounded the two. At last, one ofthe shipwrecked men spoke to them in Spanish, and the master askedhim if he could really speak Spanish. He replied in the affirmative. 

"Then, " said the captain, "translate to these men that I do not wishto hold the cargo, but that my agreement was for the freight to bepaid immediately the craft came alongside. "

This pronouncement seemed to make an impression, but they stillcoveted and cavilled for the goods. They endeavoured to persuade themaster of the steamer, who had gone on to the bridge again, to anchor, and the money would be brought off in the morning. He prevaricatedwith them, and at the same time told the chief engineer secretly toput the engines easy ahead. She was brought head on to the sea, andthe wind having risen, a nasty swell came with it, which caused thelighters to jump and put jerky strains on their moorings. A few oftheir crew jumped aboard, and were trying to pass additional ropesaround the rigging of the steamer when the captain blew his whistle. In an instant the tow-rope of the forward lighter was cut; then it wasthat the Spaniards realized what was happening. They remonstratedwith the captain; they shouted to each other excitedly; those that hadnot got aboard the feluccas flew along the deck and jumped, one afterthe other, on to their vessel as she swung round. Another shrillwhistle, and the last rope of lighter No. 2 was snapped. Captain S----called out to the interpreter, who was pleading piteously to allowthem to have only some of the cargo, to jump at once if he did notwish to lose his passage, and to be taken away with the steamer. Hequickly realized his true position, and sprang over the stern. It wassupposed that he was picked up by one of the craft. They thencommenced to fire wildly from the feluccas, but little harm was done, and in a brief time the steamer had travelled far outside the range oftheir guns, and was heading towards Cape St. Vincent, with the wholeof the contraband aboard of a value of something like £5000. Thequestion of how it was to be disposed of was a problem not easilysolved. The first thought was to take it to Lisbon. This idea havingbroken down, the next thought was one of the Channel Islands (Jerseyor Guernsey). This also, for specific reasons, gave way. It was thendecided to take it to the port of discharge of the ordinary cargo; butafter calculating all the trouble, the payment of duty, time lost, andpossible legal technicalities, the captain resolved that the best andcleanest way of disposing of it was to jettison the whole of it. Thisdecision brought him into sharp conflict with his chief officer, whoentirely disagreed with such a course. 

"Is it for this, " he said, "that we risked being shot and having thesteamer seized and confiscated? The tobacco belongs to us by right ofconquest, as well as by moral right, and it will be an abomination tothrow it overboard. Even if we make only a thousand pounds out of it, it is always something; but to put it into the sea would be sinfulbeyond description. I cannot bring myself to be a party to such athing. "

The decision of the captain was irrevocable, in spite of thepersuasive eloquence of a deputation of the crew and engineers. So, after passing the Burlings, orders were given to cut the bales, savethe packing, and shovel the tobacco overboard. This very nearly causedopen revolt, but the captain made a few tactful statements which hadgood effect. He presented a case that could not be controverted, andthey yielded to the inevitable. The jettisoning commenced with badgrace, and a continual growl was kept up until the captain himself wasovercome by the sight of the beautiful tobacco being thrown away. Hecalled a halt, after persuading himself that a new idea might bepresented to the mind as time went on, which would show how a profitcould be made without risking any vital interest; but this onlyendured for a couple of days. No really sound idea came, and so thework of destruction was resumed until only half a dozen bales wereleft, and it was resolved to hold these whatever happened. The matewas a sailor of the old school, and clung to the grog and tobaccotraditions of the eighteenth century. He might have forgiven thepurveyors of defective food, but if bad grog and tobacco weresupplied there was no forgiveness for that, here or hereafter! Hebelieved in the crew being served with grog whenever they were calledupon to do extra work, such as shortening sail or setting it, andalthough he never allowed smoking when on duty, or expectoration onthe quarter-deck, a skilful seaman was all the more popular with himif he chewed. His opinion was that they did better work, and more ofit, when they rolled a quid about in their mouths. If his attentionwas called to a small boy who was practising the habit, apride-of-race smile would come into his face, and his laughing eyesindicated the joy it was giving him. Then he would say, "Thank God, the race is not becoming extinct. I have always hope of a youngsterturning out satisfactorily if he works well and chews well. " As amatter of fact, his conviction was that a boy or man who adopted thepractice did so instinctively because they were born sailors, and weretrue types of British manhood. Indeed, he regarded manhood as strictlyconfined to his own class, though on many occasions I have seenvolcanic evidences of shattered faith. It was not so much the moneyvalue of the tobacco, but the _racial affection he had for it_ thatcaused him to feel indignant at the suggestion of it being thrown tothe waves. 

The second day subsequent to this conflict, it was the first mate'safternoon watch below. He had partaken of his midday meal, and went tothe bridge to have a smoke. As he looked down at the bales of goods, he said to the second mate--

"However the thought of destroying that beautiful stuff can haveentered the mind of man I cannot fathom. I think I have got himpersuaded to leave well alone. It must be nothing short of starklunacy. "

And the two men were agreed that had their captain _been as short ofit as they_ had been one time and another he would not talk suchfoolishness. The chief mate intimated that he was going to have a nap, but that his mind was torn with presentiment which he could not speakabout calmly. At four o'clock when he came on deck he was made awareof what had taken place during his watch below, whereupon he lapsedinto a kind of inarticulate stupor, and could not speak theunutterable. He placed his right hand on his brow, and then on hisleft breast, and stood gazing at the long Atlantic rollers, which hadthe appearance of an uneven reef of rocks. The stage of stupor andgrief was superseded by that of resigned indignation. He plaintivelycalled out--

"Well, I'll--be--teetotally--d----d! Miles of sea to be paved withthat beautiful tobacco! Retribution will come to somebody; and, bythunder! it should come with a clattering vengeance. I will neverforget the sight as long as I have breath. "

The captain came up to him, and seeing that his mind was centred onwhat he regarded as not only a calamity but a crime, he was so muchamused at his ludicrously pathetic appearance that he laughinglyrepeated--

"Oh, for the touch of a vanished hand, and the sound of a voice thatis still. "

The inappropriate words were merely used as a piece of chaff, but Mr. S---- was not in a chaffing mood, so he retorted that he did not seewhere the humour came in, and there was nothing to laugh at, and soon. He then walked on to the bridge, and he and the captain were noton friendly speaking terms any more during the voyage. 

At midnight on the sixth day after parting company from the Spaniards, the vessel was hove to to take a pilot aboard. Captain S---- took himaside as soon as he boarded, and asked him in an undertone if he everdid anything in the contraband line. He held up his hands as though hewere horrified at the suggestion, and exclaimed--

"Not for the world, captain!"

"Very well, " replied the captain; "you go below, and I will join youin a minute or two, after giving orders to the steward to make tea forus. "

As a matter of fact, he remained behind to give orders to the mate tothrow overboard the remaining six bales, which was a further trial tothe grief-stricken officer; and having done this the captain joinedthe pilot, and entered into conversation with him. The two men werenot long in discovering that they each belonged to the brotherhood ofFreemasons. This put them on easy terms at once, and encouraged thepilot to inquire into the meaning of the words spoken to him onboarding. 

"I do not quite know how I stand in relation to that, " said thecaptain. "Indeed, I am perplexed as to the plan I ought to adopt. Somany difficulties confront me as the scheme of development goes on;but so far as I have been able to work out the problem, I think myattitude must be straightforward, and that I should make a fullvoluntary statement to the authorities. Meanwhile, if you pledge meyour Masonic honour to keep it a secret until I have made it public, Iwill tell you the whole story. "

The undertaking was readily given, and long before the whole story wastold, the pilot's Christian virtues had broken down. At frequentintervals while the narrative was being told he interjected, "Oh! whydidn't you tell me?" His mind was transfixed. Then the processes ofit became confused. The vision of wealth and the reckless squanderingof some of it took possession of him, and with uncontrolled zeal hecalled out--

"My God! what a story! O captain, why didn't you tell me what it wasat once, and not waste time? Let us get to work without delay. I willundertake to land what you have got on an island and share theproceeds with you. "

"Too late, too late, my friend. You have thrown away an opportunitywhich may never come to you again, " replied the master, with amischievous twinkle in his eye. "Transactions of this kind are donespontaneously and with vigour--they are not to be dreamed about. "

"I admit my error, captain; but, oh! how was I to know? Surely you donot mean to tell me that the balance of the tobacco has been thrownoverboard since I came here?"

"Yes, it is all gone. We do not hesitate when we face the inevitable, no matter what the sacrifice may be. "

"Well, I'm blowed!" soliloquized the pilot. "It will take me sometime to get over this little bit of history. "

"I daresay, " said the captain; "but it is time you took charge--she isnow within your jurisdiction. What do you say to going on the bridge?You will find the chief officer there, with whom you may condole, ifit be safe for a stranger to speak of so delicate a subject to him. You will, perhaps, find him stupefied with grief and shame at theunpatriotic conduct of his commander, and I daresay his language willimpress you with the venerable traditions cherished by his class whenthings are supposed to have gone wrong. "

The pilot greeted the chief officer cordially, but did not receive avery polite response to his attempts to draw him into conversationabout his recent experiences, and was cut short in a sailorly fashionby being told if he wanted any information about experiences, as hecalled them, to go and ask "that ---- fool of a skipper about it. "

"I have had a little conversation with him, " replied the pilot; "andit does seem to me extraordinary--and if I were not here I mightalmost say an outrage--that no other course could be found than uttersacrifice. "

"Oh, don't talk to me!" exclaimed the vivacious mate, in a flood ofpassion. "You call it extraordinary and an outrage! Is that a propername for such wickedness? You ask me what I think of it? I tell you Icannot think. You talk about outrage! I say, sir, it is joiningoutrage to injustice, and I cannot believe that any other than afrozen-souled fool would have done it. There is not a glimmering ofcommon-sense in it. The wonder is that he didn't take it back to thescoundrels, for pity's sake!"

This outburst of withering scorn encouraged the pilot to ask what thesailors thought of it. 

"Go and ask them, if you want to hear something you've never heardbefore. "

The captain, who was in the charthouse, could not help hearing theseinteresting opinions of himself, nor could he help enjoying the ruggedhumour of them. His mate had his peculiarities, but he never doubtedhis loyalty to himself, and he was sure that on reflection he wouldcome to see the wisdom of disentanglement. He went on to the bridge asthough all was serene, asked a few questions of the pilot, and settleddown until the vessel arrived at her discharging port. 

On landing, a message-boy told him there was a telegram at the officefor him. He eagerly asked if he knew where it was from. The boyreplied, "Gibraltar. " He requested the messenger to get it for him, and found it was from the agent who shipped the tobacco, the purportof it being to offer him £500 to bring it back, and intimating that aletter was on the way. When this came to hand, it explainedexhaustively the reason the freight was not paid as agreed, and boldlyaccused the port authorities and officials of having organized a plotin order to accomplish their own evil ends. This precious document wassigned by the writer, and, needless to say, was not replied to. As anecessary protection to himself, the master had a declaration signedby the whole of the crew, stating that they had no tobacco concealedor in their possession other than that shown to the Custom-houseofficers. 

As is usual after a vessel arrives in a home port, and is properlymoored and decks cleared up, the crew go aft, draw a portion of theirwages, and then go ashore. They had a fine tale to relate, and it maybe taken for granted that no incident connected therewith lost any ofits flavour in the process of narration. It would appear that thesailors got drunk and "peached" in a most grotesque way. They declaredthat although much of the contraband had been disposed of, this wasonly done as a blind, and that there were tons beneath the iron oreand in the peaks and bunkers, and all over the vessel. The storyspread, and grew as it was passed along, until it became the mostcolossal smuggling enterprise ever known in the country. The captaincame on board at noon on the day following the arrival, and found alarge number of Custom-house officers on board. Some were in the holdsdigging vigorously at the ore with picks and shovels. Their coatswere off, and their shirt sleeves doubled up. Others were on deckready for action, but the chief mate prevented them going into theforepeak, which caused both suspicion and irritation. The captain gavethem permission. Two went forth full of hope and confidence that theywere on the point of reaping their reward. They had no sooner got downthan indescribable cries for God to help them were heard. A rush wasmade to see what had happened. The lights were out, and nothing wasvisible. They groped their way to the peak ladder, and were nearlydead with fright when they reached the deck. When they hadsufficiently recovered, they said that there was something in the peakalive, which kept butting up against them. They were sure it wasn't aman, and that it must be something evil. An Irish sailor stood closeby laughing and jeering at them, and in genuine brogue he charged themwith being haunted by their own "evil deeds. "

"You had no business there, " said he, "and to prove to you that I amright I'll swear divil a thing is there in the peak but cargo gearand other stores. I'll go down myself and face the evil one you talkabout. "

And down he went, but the fright of the officers was feeble to theIrishman's. He shrieked and flew on deck shouting, "Be God, you'reright, he's there!"

The chief mate suspected what it was, but was not keen on going downhimself or ordering any one else to do so, so the anchor light waslowered down and shone upon the captain's pet goat. It had been longaboard for the purpose of supplying milk to the captain and his wife. The peak hatch had been off, and Nannie, accustomed to go wherever shepleased, strayed into the darkness and tumbled down. The incidentstopped all work for a time, and created a lot of good-humoured chaff. The Irishman was especially droll, and endeavoured to carry it off byswearing he knew it was the goat, but he wanted some other fellow tohave a go at it. "But no fear, " said he; "every one of them was dyingwith funk. "

After a time the captain thought it right to disillusion the officerin charge, and going up to him asked the meaning of the raid. 

"Well, " replied the officer, "we have information that there is alarge quantity of tobacco aboard, and that some of it is in theforepeak, but most of it is about a couple of feet below the ironore. "

The captain replied, "We had a lot of it a few days since, but thereis not a leaf aboard now that I know of. Every particle has beenthrown overboard. Let me reassure you on this point. "

"But, " said the officer, "what about the packing? My men have comeacross a large quantity. "

"That is very true, " said the commander; "the packing is the onlything we saved. Now get your men ashore, there's a good fellow. Youare only working them to death for no earthly reason. "

"But the sailors say the tobacco was emptied out of the packing andcovered over with ore. "

"Well, if you believe the sailors and you don't believe me, go ondigging. I can only repeat, the search is futile. "

"Very well, " replied the disconcerted official, "I shall withdraw allmy men but two, who must remain to watch and make sure of there beingno concealment. Not that I disbelieve you. It is merely a formalprecaution which I hope you will think nothing of. "

The whole affair had been reported to the Collector of Customs, andthe master was informed that all things considered, the best thing hadbeen done in ridding himself of an awkward encumbrance. In a few daysan emissary of the Gibraltar syndicate had an interview with thecaptain, and then disappeared. It was said that he was stronglyadvised to disappear, lest he should be detained by legal authority. 

The owner received the freight paid in advance with obvious pleasure, like a good, Christian gentleman; but the intelligence of how it wasearned and the disastrous conclusion of the undertaking was listenedto with studied gravity. A sermon on the danger of little sins suchas covetousness and the growing love of money was impressivelypreached. The owner was convinced that if ever the gentlemen involvedin this little transaction got the opportunity they would take themaster's life, so in the goodness of his heart he determined that thevessel should not call there for coal until the spirit of vengeancehad had ample time to cool down. 

More than twelve months had elapsed since these affairs occurred, whenthe owner was offered a charter from the Black Sea, but one of theunalterable conditions was that the vessel should call at Gibraltarfor orders. The captain strongly urged his owner not to lose so good acharter because of his anxiety for him, but he was obdurate until thecaptain said--

"Then I shall have to resign my command. I cannot go on like this anylonger. "

"If you make this the alternative, then I must give way; but theresponsibility is yours alone, " was the reply. 

The charter was signed, and on a fine summer day two months after, the_C----_ let go her anchor in Gibraltar Harbour to await her orders. Atall, fine-looking man came aboard to solicit business of a legitimatecharacter. He spoke English with fluency and an almost correct accent. The captain knew he had some business connection with the syndicate, but did not give him any reason to suppose he had this knowledge. Hewas cognisant of the characteristics of these people, and determinedthat his safety was in assuming an injured attitude, and making aslashing attack on the blackguards who had done him so much harm. Excepting for a slight humorous twist in the corner of his mouth, Mr. ---- received the onslaught with perfect equanimity. The captain askedif he knew the rascal P----. 

"Yes, " said he, "I know him. He is a bad lot, and I advise you neverto trust him again. But if you wish me to, I will convey to him whatyou say; and I think you would be perfectly justified in carrying outyour intention. " (The intention was to horsewhip him publicly. )

The following morning the captain landed with his wife and family, andboldly walked past the resorts of the men who he had reason tobelieve were on his track. He kept his hand on the revolver which wasin his trouser-pocket, and the sound of every foot behind him seemedto be a message of warning. This ordeal went on for four days, andnever a sign of the dreaded assassins was seen. On the afternoon ofthe fifth day he was walking down towards the boat-landing to go onboard, when his eye came in contact with the interpreter and the wholegang that were concerned in the tobacco enterprise. There was a lookof murder on their villainous faces, which the captain said wouldhaunt him to his dying day. He spontaneously and without thought saidto his wife, who walked beside him--

"I see the smugglers. Don't look!"

But it came so suddenly upon her that she could not restrain thetemptation of seeing them, and the impression of their malignant lookshad a lasting effect on her. When they reached the boat, the gentlemanwho had boarded her on arrival was there. He drew the captain aside, and whispered that he was being shadowed, and urged that a doublewatch be kept at the entrance to the cabin. As a matter of policy thecaptain assumed an air of defiance. He promised a sanguinary receptionfor them if they attempted to come near his vessel, and he believes tothis day that this alone was the means of preventing an attack. 

Next morning orders were brought off, and no time was lost in weighinganchor and clearing out, and he has never visited the place since. 

A Pasha before Plevna

The Eastern Question was ablaze. Mr. Gladstone had published his "bagand baggage" pamphlet, and made his Blackheath speech in September1876. Both are memorable for the strong feelings they generated forand against the object of his attack. Benjamin Disraeli had become theEarl of Beaconsfield, and had made his bellicose and Judaical speechat the Lord Mayor's Banquet. The fleet had been ordered to Besika Bay, and the metropolitan Press was busy backing Turkish saintliness forall it was worth. The Black Sea ports were crowded with steamers, anda great rush was made to get them loaded before hostilities broke out. In a few days there were but two vessels left in ---- Harbour. Thelast cart-loads of grain in bags were being shipped. The vessel washeld by a slip-rope at bow and stern, and as soon as she was loadedthey let go, and the pilot took her to the outer harbour and anchored. The captain went to the town to clear his ship and sign bills oflading, and great exertions were made by his agents and himself tohave this smartly done so that he could sail before darkness set in. After his business was done, he came to the landing and was about toget into his boat when a gentleman stepped up to him, and in anundertone said--

"Come to my office; I have something important to communicate to you. Don't, for God's sake, open your lips here. The very stones feel as ifthey were spying at me. "

The captain hesitated, but his friend whispered--

"You must come; it is urgent, and it will be made worth your while. "

Whereupon the cautious commander fell like a slaughtered lamb. Theywere soon alone within the four walls of a sumptuously-furnishedprivate office. 

"What's the game?" asked the impatient captain, uneasily. 

"This is it, " said his friend, coming close up to him and speaking ina low voice: "I have a secret job for you. "

"Is there danger attached to it?" asked the captain. 

"Yes, a good deal, " replied his friend; "and I have chosen you to doit, because I know you will carry it out successfully if you'll takethe risk. "

"That's all very well, " responded the captain, "but I don't care tooverburden myself with danger and risk of confiscation, without I'mhandsomely recompensed for it. "

"Hush!" said his friend, nervously; "I think I hear voices. If we areoverheard by any one, we may be betrayed and pounced upon at anymoment. "

After listening, he was reassured, and intimated that the worthyskipper would be well rewarded. 

"That entirely alters the question, " said the captain. "How much am Ito have, and what is it you wish me to do?"

"You are to have two hundred and fifty pounds if you succeed ingetting a distinguished Turkish pasha and his suite from here, andland them at Scutari. "

"What!" exclaimed the commander. "Do you expect me to run the gauntletwith a Turkish pasha for two hundred and fifty pounds? Why, his headis worth thousands, to say nothing about the danger I run of having myship confiscated, and myself sent to Siberia. Do not let us wastetime. I will risk it for a thousand pounds, and put my state-room athis disposal. "

The agent demurred, but the captain was for some time obdurate. However, seven hundred and fifty for the owners with two hundred forthe captain was, after keen negotiation, agreed upon. It was furtherarranged that the steamer was not to sail until after midnight, sothat the risk of stoppage would be lessened, and in rowing off as soonas it came dark, the oars were to be muffled. 

"Leave these matters to me, " said the captain. "How many passengersare there?"

"Six, " said the agent. "They are in hiding. I will undertake to bringthem aboard, with their baggage, in good time. Extreme care must beused in getting them away, as we may be watched. I have had to use'palm oil' liberally, but even that may not prevent their betrayal andarrest. "

"Well, then, " said the shrewd commander, "under these circumstances Imust have my freight before the risk actually begins. "

It took some time for the agent to make up his mind to part with themoney in advance, but the captain intimated that unless it was paid atonce he would throw the business up. This promptly settled the matter, and a pledge was given by the enterprising captain to relax no effortor dash--"Combined with caution, " said the agent--to fulfil hisimportant mission. At 10 p. M. , he was rowed alongside the steamerwithout having been interrupted or spoken to from the guardship or thesentries at the forts. After the gig was hoisted to the davits, thechief officer and chief engineer were asked to go to the saloon, wherespecific instructions were given as to the mode of procedure. Theanchor was to be hove short at once very quietly. All lights had to beput out or blinded, and a full head of steam up at the hour ofsailing. The officers were made aware of the job that had beenundertaken, and relished the excitement of it. At 11. 30 thepassengers, with a large amount of baggage, came alongside and weretaken aboard; and as a double precaution, the distinguished pasha andhis attendants went down the forepeak until the vessel got outside. Their goods were put into the upper side-bunkers, and a woodenbulkhead put up to obscure them from view in case the vessel wasboarded before getting clear. At midnight the anchor was weighed, andthe steamer slipped out into the Black Sea. Every ounce of steam wasused to make speed, and she was soon into safety so far as distancecould help her. 

The passengers, composed of the pasha, his priest, cook, interpreter, and servant, were then brought from their hiding-place and taken tothe captain's private room. The vessel by this time was enveloped in adense black fog. The first blast of the steam whistle startled theparty, and the panic-stricken interpreter rushed on to the bridge. Ina confusion of languages he implored the captain to say whether therewas danger, and begged him to come to his master and his priest andreassure them that the whistle was being blown to let passing vesselsknow of their whereabouts and the course they were steering. 

"Ah, " said he, "my master is a brave, clever soldier; but like mostsoldiers, he does not know anything about the sea, and was inconsequence uneasy when he heard the shrill sound of the whistle. Indeed, it made him change colour; he thought it might be a Russianprivateer demanding you to stop. And the priest did not wait oneminute; he went on to his knees and bowed his head in prayer, and thepasha ordered me to come to you quick. You must not think that I wasnervous, captain; I was very excited only. "

"Very well, " replied the captain, smiling. "You may call itexcitement, but I should call it white funk, the way you conductedyourself on my bridge. Why, you spoke every language in the universe!"

"Ah, that was not funk, captain; that was what you call confusion, caused by anxiety for that brave soldier in your cabin, and hisspiritual adviser. Besides, captain, how can you speak to one of yourown countrymen in this fashion, and accuse him of talking so manytongues! I am a Maltese, and have interpreted for many years for mygood friend, Osman Pasha. "

"What!" cried the captain. "Is this the Turkish patriot, Osman Pasha?"

"Now, captain, _you_ are excited; but I do not say that you speak manylanguages. Keep cool, and I will tell you. It is not Osman, but it isvery near him, being his lieutenant or aide-de-camp. "

"Is it Suleiman?"

"No, it is not. "

"Then who the devil is it? By Jupiter! I believe it _is_ Osman. "

"I dare not tell you his name; he has been reconnoitring, and has hadnarrow escapes. "

"That's not what I want to know. Tell me straight away--is it OsmanPasha, or is it not?"

"Captain, " said the wily interpreter, "this is a secret mission. Icannot tell secrets that may get us all into trouble; but I willinform you that you will hear of this warrior during the next fewmonths. I must ask you to come and see him. He cannot speak one wordof English. Bring your chart, as he is sure to ask you to point out tohim exactly our position. "

The captain followed the interpreter into the presence of amajestic-looking person, who saluted him with kindly dignity. His facewore a thoughtful appearance; his eyes were penetrating, and under amassive forehead there rested well-developed eyebrows, betokening keenobservation. His chin and nose were strong, and altogether his generallooks, if not handsome, were comely. He gave the commander a real, big-hearted grip of the hand, which settled the question of friendshipfor him at once. Sailors detest a "grisly shake of the flipper. " Likesand dislikes are invariably fixed by this test. The pasha wasexceedingly cordial; asked, through his interpreter, all sorts ofquestions about the British Government, British statesmen, admirals, and generals, and the Army and Navy; but, above all, he was anxiousto hear whether the British people were for or against Turkey. He wasaware that Disraeli was with his nation, and regretted the attitude ofGladstone. He said poor Turkey had many enemies, and when the captaintold him that he thought the bulk of the British people were in favourof Disraeli's policy, he held out his hand again in token ofappreciation. The captain spoke very frankly about the Bulgarianatrocities, and the bad policy of the Turkish Government with hersubject races. The pasha admitted that reforms ought to be given, butheld that the Balkan insurrections were encouraged by Russia in orderto ultimately get hold of Constantinople. 

"My Government, " said he, "is a better Government than that of Russia. We do not treat our people worse than she does hers. Are there noatrocities committed in Russia proper, in Siberia, in Poland? Why doesMr. Gladstone not demand that Russia shall give reforms to hersubject races? Is it because she is big, and near to India, and callsherself a Christian nation? We are Mohammedans; and our religionteaches honesty, cleanness, sobriety, devotion to our God and hisprophet Mahomet, and we adhere to it. Does the Russian adhere to hisreligion, which I admit, if carried out, is as good as ours? I thinkour consistency is superior to theirs, and the extent of our crueltyno worse, though I do not justify it. But do you think that theServians, Armenians, Herzegovinians, Montenegrins, and Bulgarians aresaints? Do you think that the Turkish people and Governors have notbeen provoked to retaliation? There may have been excesses, but no onewho knows the different races will say that the Turks are all bad, orthat the subject races are all good. "

He then requested to be shown the position of the steamer on thechart, asked if there was any danger of collision if the fogcontinued, and hoped she was steaming full speed, as he must get toConstantinople without delay. The captain informed him that so long ashe heard the whistle going the fog was still on, and it might becomenecessary to ease down as she drew towards the regular track ofvessels; and when the danger of collision was explained to him, heagreed that it was necessary to guard against it, but asked throughhis interpreter that he should be shown the chart every four hours, which was agreed. The interpreter then intimated that the priest wouldhold a service previous to retiring to rest, and during the passagethey would be held before and after every meal. The food, cookingutensils, and cook were provided by themselves. They would not eat thefood of Christians, or use their utensils for the purpose of preparingit. In fact, what with the weird, shrill wail of their "yahing"prayers, the intolerable smell of their cooking, the smoke from their"hubblebubbles, " and a perpetual run of messages coming from the pasha(while he was awake) to the officer in charge, they became somewhat ofa nuisance before the first twenty-four hours had expired. Theofficers could not get their proper rest, which caused them to feeljustified in becoming profane, and wishing the Turkish windpipeswould snap. 

The fog lifted, as it generally does, a little before noon, on the dayafter sailing, and an accurate latitude was got; but during theafternoon it shut down blacker than ever. The engines had to beslowed, and the whistle was constantly going. The pasha's anxiety toget to his destination was giving him constant worry, and he becamemore and more troublesome. The interpreter explained that the Sultanwas waiting to consult his master about the plan of campaign, andother military matters, and that the delay was making the pashaimpatient; but in spite of annoying pressure, the captain refused todepart from the wise precaution of going slow while the fog lasted. Atmidnight it cleared up a little, and the engines were put at fullspeed until 8 a. M. The following morning, when they ran into a bank offog again. The speed was slackened to dead slow, and as she wasnearing the Bosphorus land the lead was kept going; but, owing to thegreat depth of water, sounding is little guide towards keepingvessels clear of the rocks of that steep and iron-bound coast. Currents run with rapid irregularity, and in no part of the world isnavigation more treacherous than there. According to the reckoning, the vessel was within four miles of the entrance to the Bosphorus, butno prudent navigator would have risked going farther until he couldsee his way; so orders were given to stop her. This brought moreurgent messages from the pasha. As the day wore on and the mist stillcontinued, all hope of getting into the Bosphorus had disappeared. Thepasha sent for the captain, and said he must be at Constantinople thatevening. 

"Well, " said the captain to the interpreter, "tell your master that ifthe Sultan and all his concubines were to ask me to go ahead I wouldhave to refuse. "

Then he proceeded to point out the dangers on the chart. This did notappeal to the pasha's military understanding. What he wanted was to belanded somewhere, and he did not regard running the vessel ashore withany disastrous consequences to himself until he was assured that therocks were so steep that even in a calm the vessel might sink in deepwater and everybody be drowned. 

"Anyhow, " said the captain, "I'm not going to try it on; so you mustinform your master of my definite decision. He cannot be more anxiousthan I am. I've scarcely closed my eyes since we left, and if thiscontinues I must face another night of it. "

He then went on to the bridge, and had only been there about half anhour when his persistent passenger approached him beseechingly, stating that the pasha would give a hundred pounds if he was landedthat night. 

"I would not attempt such a thing for twenty hundred, " said thecaptain. 

"Will nothing tempt you, then, to run a risk?" asked the interpreter. 

"Nothing but the clearing away of the fog, " replied the commander. 

He then commenced to walk the bridge, and pondered over the experiencehe was having, wrestling with himself as to the amount of risk heshould run. He called the second officer to him, and gave him ordersto go aloft to the foretopgallant mast-head and see if he could makeanything out. The officer was in the act of jumping into the riggingwhen a Turkish schooner sailed close alongside and was soon out ofsight. The captain knew then that he was in the vicinity of theentrance, and set the engines easy ahead. The second mate, after beingat the mast-head about ten minutes, shouted--

"I see over the top of the fog a lighthouse or tower on the port bow. I can see no land. "

When he was asked if he could see anything on the starboard bow, hisanswer came in the negative. The captain, fearing lest he might besteering into the false Bosphorus, which is a treacherous deep bightthat has been the death-trap of many a ship's crew, gave orders tostop her while he ran aloft to verify the officer's report and scanover the mist for some landmark to guide him in navigating in theright direction. He had only been a few minutes at the mast-head whenhe discerned the white lighthouse on the starboard bow. There was nodoubt now that these were the Bosphorus lighthouses, and the vesselwas heading right for the centre. The captain asked if they could seeanything from the deck. The chief mate replied that he could scarcelysee the forecastle head, so dense was the fog. The master shouted thathe would navigate the steamer from the topgallant-yard, and gaveinstructions to go slow ahead, and to keep a vigilant look-out forpassing vessels. Half an hour's steaming brought them abreast of thelighthouses, when suddenly they glided into beautiful, clear weather. The scene was phenomenal. Not a speck of fog was to be seen ahead ofthe vessel, while astern there stood a great black pall, as though onehad drawn a curtain across the harbour entrance. 

After the papers had been landed at Kavak, the pasha and interpretercame to the bridge and asked for a few minutes' talk with the captain, who was in excellent temper at having cut through the fog and saveddaylight through the narrow waters. The pasha was dressed gorgeously, and many decorations adorned his uniform. He shook the proud commanderwarmly by the hand, and through his interpreter gratefully thanked himfor carrying himself and his suite safely to their destination. He didnot undervalue the great danger of having them aboard in the event ofbeing chased and captured, nor did he under-estimate the risk that hadbeen run in steaming into dangerous waters during a dense fog; and inorder that the captain might be assured of his grateful appreciation, he begged to hand him two hundred Turkish pounds for himself. Aftersuitably offering his thanks for so generous a gift, the captain againasked the interpreter the name of the distinguished general he had hadthe honour of carrying as a passenger, and was again told that suchquestions could not be answered. 

Before the sun had sunk beneath the horizon, they had reached Scutari;and in order that the passengers might be disembarked comfortably, theanchor was dropped. Caiques came alongside for them and for theirbaggage. The captain went to the gangway to see the pasha safely intothe boat, and to say his _adieux_ to him. After he had got safelyseated in the caique, and the interpreter was about to follow, thecommander held out his hand to him and said--

"Before bidding good-bye, may I again venture to ask if I have had thehonour of conveying Osman Pasha to Constantinople, or whom I haveconveyed?"

The interpreter, with an air of injured pride, drew himself up to hisfull height, and said--

"Captain, I have told you not to ask such things. Good-day. "

But that was how one of the heroes of Plevna made his first Englishally by sea. 

A Russian Port in the 'Sixties

My first visit to Russia was at the age of thirteen. I was servingaboard a smart brig that had just come from the Guano Islands in theIndian Ocean. The captain and officers belonged to the "swell" type ofseaman of that period. The former has just passed away at the age ofeighty-four. He was in his younger days a terror to those who servedunder him, and a despot who knew no pity. In an ordinary way he wasmost careful not to lower the dignity of his chief officer in the eyesof the crew, but wherever his self-interest was concerned he did notstick at trivialities. I have a vivid recollection of a verypicturesque passage of words being exchanged between him and hisfirst mate. The officer had been commanded to go ashore in thelongboat at 5 a. M. On the morning after arrival for the labourers whowere required to assist the sailors to discharge the cargo. Theinfuriated mate asked his commander if he took him for a "procurator"of Russian serfs, and reminded him that his certificate of competencywas a qualification for certain duties which he was willing toperform; but as this did not come within the scope of them, he wouldsee him to blazes before he would stoop to the level of becoming theengager of a drove of Russian convicts. 

"What is it coming to, " said he, "that a chief mate should berequested to take charge of a boat-load of fellows who wouldn't be fitto live in our country? The boatswain is the proper man to do thiskind of work, and if you cannot trust him to select the lousierascals, then go yourself!"

These harsh words affected the captain so much that he becameinarticulate with passion; but when he had somewhat recovered, thesplendour of his jerky vocabulary could be heard far beyond theprecincts of the cabin. He declared that his authority had never beenoutraged in such a fashion before, and with the air of an autocratordered the mate to his berth until the morrow, when he would have toappear before the British Consul. 

The officer's pride was injured, his temper was up, and he began tosuitably libel everybody. Her Majesty's representative was the objectof much vituperation, and a rather brilliant harangue was brought to aclose by the officer stating that he would go and see the bloomingConsul, and say some straight things to him. With a final flourish hecalled out at the top of his voice, disdainfully--

"Who the h---- is he?"

The next morning at ten o'clock the captain gave orders to row himashore. The mate wore a humbler appearance than on the previous day:meditation had mellowed him. He stepped into the boat beside hiscommander, but was told with icy dignity that the boy would take himashore in the cook's lurky. No greater insult could have been offeredto an officer. The Consul at that time was Walter Maynard, a charmingman whom I knew well years afterwards. Although I only heard odds andends of what transpired, I feel sure the advice given was in themate's interests, and made him see his objection from another point ofview. He did not take kindly to bringing the labourers off, but hesullenly commenced from that day to do it. 

Coal cargoes were at that time jumped out of the hold with four ropesbent on to one called a runner, which was rove through a coal ginfastened on to the end of a derrick composed of two studdingsail boomslashed together, and steps were rigged with studdingsail yards andoars. The arrangement had the appearance of a gate, and was fixed atan angle. Four men gave one sharp pull with the whip ropes, and thenjumped from the step on to the deck. The men in the hold changedplaces with the whips every two hours. It was really an exciting thingto witness the whipping out of coal cargoes. It may be seen even nowin some ports of the United Kingdom, but the winch has largely takenthe place of this athletic process. Most captains supplied rum orvodka liberally, with a view to expediting dispatch, and did notscruple to log and fine those seamen who acquired a craving foralcohol, and misconducted themselves in consequence when they gotliberty to go ashore. Nobody was more severe on the men who committeda breach of discipline than those who, for their own profit, hadtaught them to drink. 

The poor, wretched Russians who were employed aboard English and othervessels were treated with a cruelty that was hideous. Before theemancipation of the serfs by the Emperor Alexander II. In 1861, it wasnot an uncommon occurrence for captains and officers and seamen tomaltreat them, knock them on the head, and then pass their bodies overthe side of the vessel into the Mole. One of the first things Iremember hearing in a Russian port was a savage mate swearing at somelabourers and threatening to throw them overboard. It is noexaggeration to say that almost every day dead bodies came to thesurface and were taken to the "Bran" Wharf or to the mortuary, withnever a word of inquiry as to how they came by their end, though itwas well known that there had been foul play. It is true they wereawful thieves, very dirty, very lazy, and very provoking, and it wasbecause the officers were unable to get redress that they took the lawinto their own hands. It is incredible that such a condition of thingswas allowed to exist. 

A stock phrase even to this day of predatory Russians is, "Knetcrawlim, tackem"--_i. E. _, "I have not stolen, I have only taken. " Theyhave a pronounced conviction that there is a difference betweenstealing and taking. Tradition has it that a humorous seaman ages agoconveyed this form of distinction to them, and it has stuck to themever since. Another peculiarity of the race is that they wear the samelarge grey coat in the summer as they do in the winter; they aretaught to believe that what keeps out cold keeps out heat. When theytake drink they never stop until they are dead drunk, then they lieanywhere about the streets and quays. The police, who are not muchbetter, use them very cruelly. During the Russo-Turkish war hundredsof the common soldiers, who are similar to the common labourer, werefound lying on the battle-field, presumably dead, when it was foundthey were only dead drunk. I was told by a doctor, who went rightthrough the campaign, that it was customary to fill the "soldads, " asthey are called, previous to a battle, with vodka. The lower order ofRussians must be hardy, or they could never stand the extremes of coldand heat, and the terrible food they have to eat. They are notlong-lived. I cannot recall ever having seen a very old Russianlabourer. 

The emancipation of the serfs was a great grievance to the old seamen, who looked back to the days when they could with impunity chastise orfinish a serf without a feeling of reproach. After the emancipation itbecame a terror to have them aboard ship. Many a mate has been heavilyfined and locked up in a pestilential cell for merely shoving afellow who was caught in the act of stealing, or found skulking, ordeliberately refusing to work properly. Labourers, in fact, became aherd of blackmailers, and were encouraged in it by some agency orother, who shared the plunder. One old captain, with an expression ofsadness on his face, told me, on my first visit to Cronstadt since Iwas a boy, that everything had changed for the worse. 

"At one time, " said he, "you never got up of a morning without seeinga few dead Russians floating about. You could chuck them overboard ifyou liked, and nobody interfered. Many a time I've put one over theside. But now you dare not whisper, much less touch them. "

The general opinion amongst English seamen, from the master downwards, was that a great injustice had been done to us by the Decree ofLiberation. 

On one occasion I lay alongside a Yankee ship which was loading flax. Work had ceased for breakfast. I saw the chief officer on the poop, said "Good morning" to him, and asked him how the loading was goingon. 

"Well, " said he, "it goes not so bad, but we've had an accident thismorning which stopped us for nearly an hour. There were three or fourbales of flax slung in the hatchway; the slings slipped, and the balesfell right on a dozen Russians. "

"That is very serious, " I said. "Did it kill them?"

"No, " drawled he, with a slow smile; "it didn't exactly kill them, butI guess it has flattened them out some. "

The "Bran" Wharf was then a large pontoon, with dwelling accommodationfor Custom-house officers and harbour officials. It was moored just atthe entrance to the dock or mole, and was in charge of an official whoregulated the berthing of vessels. This man was originally a boatswainaboard a Russian warship. He was illiterate, but very clever, so muchso that great power was put into his hands; indeed, he became quite aspowerful in his way as his Imperial Majesty himself. Everyconceivable complaint and petty dispute was taken to him, and it wassoon found that it could be settled in a way that did not involve afine or imprisonment. In fact, there were occasions when a favouriteEnglish captain or mate asked this official's aid in getting theRussians to work properly. He would, if agreeably disposed, comeaboard, spit, stamp, and swear at the men in a most picturesque way, and if he had had a glass or two of grog, or wanted one, and thecaptain or mate made a very bad report, he would lash the skulkerswith a piece of rope. When he was finished there was no more need forcomplaint. This notorious person was called Tom the Boatswain. He drewvery fine distinctions as to whom he favoured with his countenance andhis chastening rod. For obvious reasons, he loathed a Swede and aNorwegian. In truth, he told me himself that Englishmen were "dobra"(good), and that Norwegians and Swedes were "knet dobra. " He spoke apeculiar kind of English, with a fascinating accent, and when he wenthis rounds in the early morning, rowed by two uniformed sailors, studied respect was paid to him. His invitations to breakfast, or tohave a glass of brandy (which he preferred to whisky), indicated theesteem, fear, or amount of favours inspired by him. He in turnendeavoured to pay a hurried visit to each of his guests, ostensiblyto see that their vessels were properly berthed, and the men workingproperly, but really to test the generosity of the captains, whoseldom let him go without a "douceur, " which was sometimessatisfactory. He was accustomed, when asked to have refreshment, torequest that his two men should have a nip also. One morning hevisited a favourite captain who had arranged with his mate to actliberally towards the men. His stay in the cabin was prolonged, andwhen he came on deck and called for the boat, his devoted henchmen didnot come forth. He looked over the quarter-deck, and was thrown intofrenzy by seeing them both lying speechless, their bodies in thebottom, and their legs sticking up on the seats of the boat. He gotinto her, kicked the two occupants freely without producing from themany appreciable symptoms of life, and then finally rowed himself backto the "Bran" Wharf. The two culprits were compulsory teetotalersafter that. 

Their master went on accumulating roubles, which, under Russian law, Tom could not invest in his own name, and perhaps he had personalreasons for secrecy. He did not allow the amount of his wealth to beknown to gentlemen who might have relieved him of the anxiety ofwatching over it. But, alas! there came a period of great trial toTom. That portion of the "Bran" Wharf where the roubles were concealedtook fire. The occupants had to fly for their lives, and soon thewhole fabric was burnt to the water's edge. Another pontoon waserected in its place, and Tom put in command; but before he had timeto replace the fortune he had lost, he was superseded by a navalofficer, and his roubles were taken from him. I believe his dismissalwas brought about by one of the countrymen to whom he had such astrong aversion making a complaint to the Governor about hispartiality to Englishmen. Great sympathy was secretly extended to poorTom by his English friends, but the loss of his position and hiswealth broke his heart, and he only survived the blow for a few weeks. 

In addition to controlling the berthing of vessels, and keeping theharbour free from confusion, it was Tom's duty to see that no fires orlights were allowed either by day or night, and, as these rigid ruleswere frequently broken, his "hush money" very largely contributed tohis already affluent income. Nor did his removal affect theacquisitiveness of his successor, who loyally followed in hisfootsteps. As soon as a sailing-vessel arrived in the Roads, thegalley fire had to be put out before she was allowed to come into theMole. All cooking was done ashore at a cookhouse that was loathsomelydirty. A heavy charge was made for the use of the place, and also forthe hire of the cook's lurky, a flat-bottomed kind of boat constructedof rough planks. These boats were invariably so leaky that on thepassage to and from the shore they became half-foil of water, and thefood was frequently spoiled in consequence. But, even if all wentright, the crews often had to partake of badly cooked, cold rations. Many a meal was lost altogether, and once or twice a poor cook whocould not swim was drowned by the boat filling and capsizing. Thefrail craft of this kind were of curious shape, and only a person whohad the knack could row them. No more comical sport could be witnessedthan the lurky race which was held every season. Many of the cooksnever acquired the art of rowing straight, and whenever they put aspurt on the lurky would run amuck in consequence of beingflat-bottomed and having no keel. Then the carnival of collisions, capsizing of boats, and rescuing of their occupants began. Somedisdained assistance, and heroically tried to right their erratic"dug-outs. " It would be impossible to draw a true picture of thesescreamingly funny incidents, but be it remembered they were allsailor-cooks who took part in the sport, and the riotous joy theyderived therefrom was always a pleasant memory, and kept them fordays in good temper for carrying out the pilgrimage to and from thecookhouse. 

The popular English idea is that there are only two classes inRussia--viz. , the upper and lower; but this is quite a mistake. Therehas always been a thrifty shopkeeping and artisan class, which may becalled their middle lower class. Then there is a class that comesbetween them and the common labourer. Nearly all the shopkeepers thatcarry on business at Cronstadt, Riga, and other Northern Russian portsduring the summer have their real homes in Moscow, and mostly allspeak a little English. There are also the boatmen, who are awell-behaved, well-dressed lot of men, whose homes are in Archangel. They, as well as the tradesmen, come every spring, and leave when theport closes in the autumn. In the sailing-ship days each of thegreengrocers--as they were called, though they sold all kinds ofstores besides--had their connection. Every afternoon, between fourand six, batches of captains were to be found seated in agreengrocer's shop having a glass of tea with a piece of lemon in it. It was then they spun their yarns in detail about their passages, their owners, their mates, their crews, and their loading anddischarging. If their vessels were unchartered they discussed thattoo, but whenever they got authority from their owners to charter onthe best possible terms they became reticent and sly with each other. To exchange views as to the rate that should be accepted would havebeen regarded as a decided token of business incapacity. Supposing twocaptains had their vessels unchartered, each would give instructionsto be called early in the morning, that they might go in the firstboat to St. Petersburg, and neither would know what the otherintended. When they met aboard the passenger boat they would lie toeach other grotesquely about what was taking them to town. If theywere unsuccessful in fixing, they rarely disclosed what had beenoffered; and this would go on for days, until they had to fix; thenthey would draw closer to each other, and relate in the most minutefashion the history of all the negotiations, and how cleverly theyhad gained this or that advantage over the charterers; whereas, intruth, their agents or brokers had great trouble in getting some ofthem to understand the precise nature of the business that was beingnegotiated. The following is an instance. 

Mr. James Young, of South Shields, whose many vessels weredistinguished by having a frying-pan at the foretopgallant or royalmast-head, had a brig at Cronstadt which had been waiting unloaded forsome days. Her master was one of the old illiterate class. His peaceof mind was much disturbed at Mr. Young's indifference. At last he gota telegram asking him to wire the best freights offering. He proceededto St. Petersburg, bounced into Mr. Charles Maynard's office, andintroduced himself as Mark Gaze, one of Jimmy Young's skippers. 

"Well, " said Mr. Maynard, in his polite way, "and what can I do foryou, Captain Gaze?"

"Dee for me, sorr? Wire the aad villain that she's been lyin' a weekdischarged. "

"Yes, " said the broker, writing down something very different. "Andwhat else?"

"Tell him, " said Mark, "te fetch the aad keel back te the Gut, and lethor lie and rot wheor he can see hor!"

"Very good, " said Maynard, still waiting; "and what else?"

"Whaat else? Oh, tell him to gan to h----, and say Mark Gaze says see. Ask him whaat the blazes he means be runnin' the risk of gettin' horfrozzen in. Say aa'll seun be at Shields owerland, if he dizzen't mindwhaat he's aboot. "

"Well, now, " said the agent, "I think we have got to the bottom ofthings. We'll send this telegram off; but before it goes, would youlike me to read it to you?"

"For God's sake send the d---- thing away!" said Mark. "And tell himte come and tyek the aad beast hyem hissel; or, if he likes, aa'll runhor on te Hogland for him. "

"Well, you do seem to understand your owner and speak plainly to him. I should think he knows he has got an excellent master who looksafter his interest. "

"Interest! What diz he knaa aboot interest? He knaas mair aboot theWest Docks. Understand him, d'ye say? If aa divvent, thor's neebody inhis employ diz. Aa've been forty-five years wiv him and his fethortegithor. Aa sarved me time wiv him. He dorsent say a word, or aa'dtell him to take his ship to h---- wiv him. "

"That is really capital, " said the much amused agent. "Now, what doyou say, captain, if we have some light refreshment and a cigar?"

"Ay, that's what aa caal business. But aa nivvor tyek leetrefreshment. Ma drink is brandy or whisky neat, " said Captain Gaze, his face beaming with good-nature. 

They proceeded to a restaurant, and when they got nicely settled downwith their drinks and smokes, the skipper remarked--

"Aa wonder what Jimmie waad say if he could see Mark Gaze sittin' in ahotel hevvin' his whisky and smokin' a cigar?"

"I should think, " said Mr. Maynard, "he would raise your wages, orgive you command of a larger ship. " And then there was heartylaughter. 

Captain Gaze had a profound dislike to Russians, and more than oncenarrowly escaped severe punishment for showing it. I have often heardhim swearing frightfully at the men passing deals from the lightersinto the bow ports of his vessel, and declaring that God Almighty musthave had little on hand when he put them on earth. Certainly he wouldhave considered it an act of gross injustice if, having killed ordrowned any of them, he had been punished for it. 

Mark did not know anything about history that was written in books. Heonly knew that which had occurred in his own time, and the crude bitshe had heard talked of amongst his own class. He, and those who werehis shipmates and contemporaries during the Russian War, believed thata great act of cowardice and bad treatment had been committed in notallowing Charlie Napier to blow the forts down and take possession ofCronstadt. [2] They knew nothing of the circumstances that led to thewithdrawal of the fleet, but their inherent belief was that a dirtytrick had been served on Charlie, and Russians, irrespective of class, were told whenever an opportunity occurred, that they should neverneglect to thank Heaven that the British Government was so generous asto refrain from blowing them into space. 

At Cronstadt, after the introduction of steam, it became a custom forstevedores' runners, and representatives and vendors of othercommodities, to have their boats outside the Mole at three and fouro'clock in the morning during the summer. The captain of each vessel, as soon as she was slowed down or anchored, was canvassed vigorouslyby each of the competitors. One morning, the representative of DealYard No. 6, who was an ex-English captain, came into sharp conflictwith a Russian competitor. The latter rudely interrupted theex-captain while he was complimenting a friend who had just arrived onhaving made a smart passage. All captains like to be told they havemade a smart passage, but the ardent advocate of Deal Yard No. 6 keptwelcoming his friend at great length, obviously to prevent the otherrunners from getting a word at the new arrival. There arose a revoltagainst him, headed by a person who was always supposed to be aRussian, but who spoke English more correctly than his Englishcompetitor. The ex-captain was somewhat corpulent. He was short, andhad a plump, good-natured face which suggested that he was not abigoted teetotaler; he had a suit of clothes on that did not conveythe idea of a West-end tailor; his dialect was broad Yorkshire, andhis conversational capacity interminable. The representative of No. 10Deal Yard undertook to stop his flow of rhetoric by calling out, "Stop it, old baggy breeches! Give other people a chance!" But he paidno heed, and did not even break the thread of his talk until thecaptain of the steamer began to walk towards the companion-way, whenhe stopped short and said, "Well, I suppose I'm to book you for No. 6?" and then there was a clamour. The whole of the runners wished toget their word in before the captain definitely promised, but theywere too late. No. 6 had got it; but instead of accepting his successmodestly, he was so elated at having taken away an order from anotheryard, that he stood up in his boat and congratulated himself on beingan Englishman. 

"No use you fellows coming off here when I'm awake; and, you bet, I'malways awake when there's any Muscovite backstairs gentlemen about. "

As the boats were being rowed into the Mole again, some one asked whohad got the ship. The Russian competitor, who was angry at the workbeing taken from his master, called out, "Bags has got her, thedrunken old sneak!"

Bags lost no time in letting fly an oar at him, the yoke and rudderquickly following. His vengeance was let loose, and he poured forth astream of quarter-deck language at the top of his voice. His phraseswere dazzling in ingenuity, and amid much laughter and applause heurged his hearers to keep at a distance from the fellow who had daredto insult an English shipmaster. 

"Or you will get some passengers that will keep you busy. They--_he_--calls them _peoches_, but we English call them _lice_!"

This sally caused immense amusement, not so much for what was said asfor his dramatic style of saying it. His antagonist retorted that hehad been turned out of England for bad language and bad behaviour, andhe would have him turned out of Russia also. This nearly choked theold mariner with rage. He roared out--

"Did I, an English shipmaster, ever think that I would come to this, to be insulted by a Russian serf? I will let the Government know thatan Englishman has been insulted. I will lay the iniquities of thisRussian system of rascality before Benjamin Disraeli. I knows him; andif he is the man I takes him for, he won't stand any nonsense when itcomes to insulting English subjects. He has brought the Indian troopsfrom India for that purpose, and when the honour of England is atstake he will send the fleet into the Baltic, and neither your shipsnor your forts will prevent his orders to blow Cronstadt down aboutyour blooming ears being carried out. I know where your torpedoes andmines are, and Disraeli has confidence in me showing them the road tovictory. The British Lion never draws back!"

The Russian deal-yard man, to whom this harangue was particularlydirected, went to the Governor on landing, and stated what the rough, weather-beaten old sailor had been saying. The Governor communicatedwith the authorities at St. Petersburg, and an order came to have theold Englishman banished from Cronstadt and Russia for ever withintwenty-four hours. The poor creature had made a home for himself inCronstadt, his wife and four children being with him. The blow was sosharp and unexpected, it stupefied him. His first thought was hisfamily, but there was little or no time for thought or preparation. Hehad either to be got away or concealed. A liberal distribution ofroubles at the instigation of many sympathizers made it possible forhim to be put aboard an English steamer, and a week after hisbanishment was supposed to have taken effect he sailed from Cronstadt, a ruined and broken-hearted man. The old sailor's grief for the harmhis wayward conduct had done to his wife and family was quitepathetic, and so far as kindness could appease the mental anguish hewas having to endure it was ungrudgingly extended to him, and when heleft Cronstadt he left behind him a host of sympathizers who regardedthe punishment as odious. 

The fact of any public official listening to a miscreant who told thestory of a stevedores' row, to which he himself had been a party, andseriously believing that the threats, however extravagant andbellicose, of a verbose old sailor could be a national danger, is, onthe face of it, so ludicrous that the English reader may easily doubtthe accuracy of such an incident; and yet it is true. 

 * * * * *

In other days I used occasionally to meet members of the Russianrevolutionary party at my brother's home in London. They were all menand women of education and refinement. The first time I met them thelate Robert Louis Stevenson (who generally used the window as a meansof exit instead of the door), William Henley, George Collins (editorof the _Schoolmaster_), and, I think, Mr. Wright (author of _theJourneyman Engineer_) were there. The talk was very brilliant. Mybrother, who was a charming conversationalist, kept his visitorsfascinated with anecdotes about Carlyle and John Ruskin, whom he knewwell. They spoke, too, about the unsigned articles which they wereeach contributing to a paper called the _London_, and their criticismof each other's work was very lively. But to me the most touchingincident of the afternoon was the story told by one of therevolutionary party about Sophie Peroffsky, who mounted the scaffoldwith four of her friends, kissed and encouraged them with cheeringwords until the time came that they should be executed. He relatedalso a touching and detailed story of little Marie Soubitine, whorefused to purchase her own safety by uttering a word to betray herfriends, and was kept lingering in an underground dungeon for threeyears, at the end of which she was sent off to Siberia, and died onthe road. No amount of torture could make her betray her friends. Theyspoke of Antonoff, who was subjected to the thumbscrew, had red-hotwires thrust under his nails, and when his torturers gave him a littlerespite he would scratch on his plate cipher signals to his comrades. 

The account of the cause and origin of the revolutionary movement andits subsequent history, which sparkled with heroic deeds, was told ina quiet, unostentatious manner. I had just come from Russia. I hadbeen much in that country, and thought I knew a great deal about itand the sinister system of government that breeds revolutionaries; butthe tales of cruel, senseless despotism told by these people made meshudder with horror. I had been accustomed to abhor and look uponNihilists as a scoundrelly gang of lawless butchers, but I found themthe most cultured of patriots, loving their country, though detestingthe barbarous system of government which had driven them and thousandsof their compatriots from the land and friends they loved, and fromthe estates they owned, into resigned and determined agitation forpopular government and the amelioration of their people. The upholdersof this despotic system of government are now engaged in alife-and-death struggle, and all civilized nations are looking forwardto the time when, for the first time in its history, Right and notMight shall prevail in Russia. It has been said, "Happy is the nationthat has no history. " Russia knows this to her cost, for her historyis being made every day, with all the horrible accompaniments ofmassacres, injustice, and tyranny. Only it should be remembered thatthe fight must be between tyranny and liberty, and that the Russianpeasant must work out his own salvation. This may be--nay, mustbe--the work of years, but England's sympathy will be with the workersfor freedom. English feeling on the matter was well expressed by thestatesman who had the courage to say publicly, "Long live the Duma!"and every Englishman will in his heart of hearts applaud any effortsmade to secure constitutional government. 

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 2: Napier was a great favourite with his sailors, notwithstanding his apparent harshness to them at times. Whenever hewanted a dash made on a strong position, he inspired them with a furyof enthusiasm by giving the word of command incisively, and thenadding as an addendum, "Now, off you go, you damned rascals, andexterminate them. " This was a form of endearment, and they knew it. ]

"Dutchy" and his Chief

A handsome barque lay at the quay of a South Wales port, ready tosail, and waiting only for the flood tide. Her name was the _Pacific_, and she was commanded by a person of laborious dignity. His officerswere selected to meet the tastes and ambitions of their captain, whosename was John Kickem. I have said before it was customary in thosedays for crowds of people to congregate on the quays or dock sides towatch the departure of vessels. Some came out of curiosity, but manywere the relatives and friends of different members of the crew whowished to say their _adieux_, and to listen to the sombre singing ofthe chanties as the men mastheaded the topsail yards, or catted andfished the anchors. These vessels were known as copper-ore-men. Theywere usually manned with picked able seamen and three apprentices. Inthis instance they were all fine specimens of English manhood. It wasno ordinary sight to witness the display of bunting as it stretchedfrom royal truck to rail, and the grotesque love-making of theseafarers as they hugged and kissed their wives and sweethearts overand over again with amazing rapidity. One of the favourite songs whichthey delighted to sing on such auspicious occasions was rendered withtouching pathos--

 "Sing good-bye to Sal, and good-bye to Sue; Away Rio! And you that are list'ning, good-bye to you; For we're bound to Rio Grande! And away Rio, aye Rio! Sing fare ye well, my bonny young girl, We're bound to Rio Grande. "

It didn't matter, of course, where they were bound to, this ditty wasthe farewell song; and it always had the desired effect of meltingthe bystanders, especially the females, though Jack himself showed noreally soft emotion. Not that they were not sentimental, but theirsseemed always to be a frolicsome sentimentality. 

The eldest apprentice of the _Pacific_ was in his eighteenth year. Hewas a fine, broad-shouldered, fair-haired, medium-sized youth. He hadbeen dividing his attentions amongst a number of girl admirers, andwas told to come aboard to unmoor and give the tug the tow-rope. Whilethese orders were being carried out the lad caught sight of a younggirl who had just arrived in a great state of excitement. She wasdressed in dazzling finery, and carrying something in a basket. Theboy sprang on to the dock wall, and created much merriment with hiselephantine caresses. They shouted to him from the vessel to jumpaboard or he would lose his passage. He made a running spring for themain rigging as she was being towed from her berth. A wild cheer wentup from the crowd when they saw the smart thing that had been done, and that he was safe. The devoted female who had caused him to dare somuch, in the luxuriance of grief, shouted to him--

"Good-bye, Jim! You've always been a rare good pal to a girl. Takecare of yourself; and mind, no sweethearts at every port!" The lattercommunication was made almost inarticulate with sobbing. Her lastwords were, "Don't forget, Jim!" To which he replied, "You bet, Iwon't!"

Soon the attractive craft, and her equally attractive crew were lostsight of amidst the haze of the gathering night. A quiet, easterly airwas fitfully blowing in the Channel, and when full sail was set, thepilot and tug left. All night she trailed sinuously over the peacefulsea, and as the cold dawn was breaking she slid past the south end ofLundy Island with a freshening breeze at her stern. In a few days thenorth-east trade winds which blow gently over the bosom of the oceanwere reached, and every stitch of canvas was hung up. The sailors hadgot over their monotony, and began to entertain themselves during thedog-watches from six to eight. The imperious commander was never happyhimself, and was angry at the sight of mirth in anybody. He forthwithcommenced a system that was well calculated to breed revolt, and whichdid ultimately do so. Orders were given that there were to be noafternoon watches below, and all hands were to be kept at work until 6p. M. In addition to this petty tyranny, the crew were put on theirbare whack of everything, including water; and so the dreary days andnights passed on until Cape Horn was reached. They had long realizedthat the burden of their song should be "Good-day, bad day, God sendSunday. " The weather was stormy off the Horn, and nearly a month wasspent in fruitless attempts to get round. The spirit had been knockedout of the officers and crew by senseless bullying and wickedpersecution. They had no heart left to put into their work, otherwisethe vessel would have got past this boisterous region in half thetime. At last she arrived at Iquique, and, like all ill-conditionedcreatures who have been born wrong and have polecat natures, thecaptain blamed the hapless officers and crew for the long passage, andin order to punish the poor innocent fellows, he refused to them bothmoney and liberty to go ashore. Treatment of such a character couldonly have one ending--and that was mutiny, if not murder; and yet thissenseless fellow, in defiance of all human law, kept on goading themto it. He was warned by a catspaw (whom even despised bullies can havein their pay) that the forecastle was a hotbed of murderous intent, and that for his own safety he should give the men liberty to goashore, and advance them what money they required. 

"Let them revolt!" said he. "I will soon have them where they deserveto be, the rascals. Let them, if they dare, disturb me in my cabin, and I'll riddle them with lead. If they want to go ashore, let them gowithout liberty; but if they do, their wages will be forfeited, and Iwill have them put in prison. "

A policy of this kind was the more remarkable, as even if the men weredriven to desertion it was impossible to fill their places at anythinglike the same wages, or with the same material. The available handswere either not sailors at all, or if they were, they belonged to thecriminal class that feared neither God nor man, and knew no law orpity except that which was unto themselves. On the other hand, thisvessel was manned with the cream of British seamen, who would havedared anything for their captain and owners had they been treated aswas their right. He had run the length of human forbearance. The crewstruck. They demanded to see the British Consul, and submit theirgrievances to him. Sometimes this authority is but a poor tribunal toappeal to when real discrimination is to be determined. On thisoccasion the seamen were fortunate in getting a sympathetic verdict, and the captain got what he deserved--a good trouncing for histreatment of them. They were willing to sign off the articles, and hewas plainly told that they must either be paid their wages in full, orhe undertake to carry out the conditions of engagement in a propermanner. "And I must warn you, " said the irate official of the BritishGovernment, "if you drive these men out of your ship, you may expectno assistance from me in collecting another crew. The men are right, and you are wrong. "

The captain was in a state of sullen passion at the turn things hadtaken against him. He said that he would decide the following daywhether the proper course for him to take, now that his authority hadbeen broken, was to pay the men off or not. On the morrow heintimated his decision to pay them off. Poor creature, it would havebeen well for him and all connected with this doomed vessel had heswallowed his pride and resolved to behave in a rational way to hiscrew. The places of respectable men were filled with human reptiles ofvarious nationalities--criminals, every one of them. He must havepersuaded himself that his despotism would have fuller play with theseforeigners, whose savage vengeance was destined to shock the wholecivilized world with their awful butchery. The apprentices andofficers did not take kindly to the changed condition of things. Theyinstinctively felt that they were to become associated with a gang of-, and hoped that something would transpire to prevent thishappening. An opportunity was given the oldest apprentice in anunexpected way. The captain had ordered his gig to be ashore to takehim aboard at a certain time at night. The boat was there before thecaptain, and as he was so long in coming the boat's crew went for awalk ashore. The great man came down and had to wait a few minutes forhis men. This caused him to become abusive, which the oldestapprentice, James Leigh, resented by using some longshore adjectives. The master seized the foothold of the stroke oar and threw it at thelad, and when they got aboard the captain again attempted to strikehim, but the lad let fly, and did considerable damage in a rough andtumble way to the bully, who was now like a wild beast. James wasultimately overpowered and got a bad beating. He thereupon determinedto run away, and he laid his plans accordingly. In a few days he wasfar away from the sea in a safe, hospitable hiding-place, with somefriends who knew his family at home, and the _Pacific_ had sailed longbefore he reached the coast again. 

After a few months' travelling about, picking up jobs here and there, he was brought in contact with a rich old Spaniard who owned a leakyold barque which was employed in the coasting trade. The captain ofher was a Dutchman who spoke English very imperfectly, and what he didknow was spoken with a nasal Yankee twang. It was a habit, as well asbeing thought an accomplishment in those days, as it is in these, toaffect American dialect and adopt their slang and mannerisms in orderto convey an impression of importance. Even a brief visit to thecountry, or a single passage in a Yankee ship was sufficient to turn ahitherto humble fellow into an insufferable imitator. It was obviousthe skipper had been a good deal on the Spanish Main, as he spoketheir language with a fluency that left no doubt as to what he hadbeen doing for many years. He was discovered at a time when the ownerwas in much need of some one to take charge of his vessel, as she didnot attract the highest order of captain. The Dutchman had no Board ofTrade master or mate certificate; he was merely a sailor. James Leighwas discovered in pretty much the same way as the captain, and theowner took a strong liking to him at the outset. He was good to lookat, and gifted with a bright intelligence which made him attractive, besides having the advantage of knowing something about navigation. The chief mate's berth was offered to him and accepted. Furthermore, it was suggested that he should visit and stay at the owner's house, whenever the vessel was in port and his services were not requiredaboard, and seeing that he was not yet eighteen, he felt flattered atthe distinction that had been thrust upon him. Perhaps he accepted theinvitation all the more readily as he was informed by his employerthat he had two daughters that would like to make his acquaintance. 

The first voyage was to Coronel and back with coal to Iquique. Mr. Leigh, as he was now addressed by everybody, on the ship or ashore, had intimated to his commander that he liked his berth for theprospects that might open up to him, but he didn't relish the thoughtof having to pump so continuously; whereupon Captain Vandertallenwinked hard at him, and strongly urged that it should be put up with, and to keep his eye on the girls who were to inherit their father'sfortune. 

"I tink, " said he, "I vill marry de one and you vill have de other. "

"I don't know about that, " retorted James Leigh. "You see I've a girlat home, and somehow I thinks a lot about her. But a bit of moneymakes a difference; I must think it over. "

Quarterdeck etiquette was not observed between the two men. Thecaptain addressed his first officer as Jim, and Jim addressed hiscaptain as "Dutchy. " This familiarity was arrived at soon after theycame together, owing to a strong difference of opinion on some pointof seamanship which had to do with the way a topgallant sail ought tobe taken in without running any risk of splitting it. The quarrel wasfurious. Jim had called his commander "a blithering, fat-headedDutchman, not fit to have charge of a dung barge, much less asquare-rigged ship. Captain Kickem of the _Pacific_ would not havecarried you as ballast. "

Vandertallen was almost inarticulate. He frothed out--

"Yes, an' you he vould not carry at all; you too much chick. RememberI the captain, and I vill discharge you at first port. "

"Oh, you go to h----!"

"No, I vill not go to h----. I'll just stay here, and you can go to----. You jist a boy. "

"All right, Dutchy, " replied the refractory mate; "you'll want mebefore I want you. "

And this was a correct prediction, as, a few days later, Dutchy losthimself, and was obliged to come to his mate and ask the true positionof the vessel. 

"I am not captain, " said he. "Do it yourself; you are a very cleverfellow. "

"No, no, " said Vandertallen; "you know better dan me. Let us befriends, Jim. I call you Jim; you call me Dutchy, or vat you like. "

"All right, then, " said James Leigh. "If that is to be the way, I'lltell you where you are, and if you had run in the same direction otherfour hours you would have been ashore on the Island of Mocha. "

"Vair is dat?" said Vandertallen, nervously. 

"For Heaven's sake don't ask such silly questions, " said the mate. "You are miles out of your reckoning. "

"Vell, I'm d----!" said the amazed skipper. "Den you must do dereckonin' now, Jim. "

"That's all very well, Dutchy, but if I have to do the navigation I amentitled to share the pay. "

"Vary vell, " replied his captain, "dat agree. "

So henceforth they were co-partners in everything--wages, perquisites, and position; and they never again got out of theirreckoning. It was obvious James was first favourite with the crew, and after the first voyage the veteran owner showed his markedapproval. Jim was allowed to do just as he pleased. The daughters werecharmed with him, and frequently visited the vessel with their fatherwhen the officers could not get conveniently to their home. A strongand growing attachment was quite apparent so far as the girls wereconcerned. There seemed to be a preference with both of them for thefirst mate, who, in turn, fixed his affections on the youngest. Hiscomrade was not quite satisfied with being so frequently ignored, soremonstrated with Jim to stick to one, and he would stick to theother; but the ladies having to be taken into account, it did not workat all smoothly, as each desired to have Mr. Leigh, and before it wassettled the sisters had a violent tiff, which brought about the climaxand made it possible for negotiations to be carried on in favour of asettlement. The father selected the elder girl for Vandertallen, andthe younger was fixed on Leigh, who threw himself into the vortex offlirtation with youthful ardour. He thought at one time of marryingand settling down in Chili, and undoubtedly the owner and daughtergave encouragement to this idea. 

But letters began to arrive from home, which had an unsettling effecton him. He was afraid to give his confidence to the captain lest hemight break faith with him, but in truth his mind and heart werecentred on a picturesque spot on the side of a Welsh hill, and in thatlittle home there was one who longed to have him back. Indeed, she hadwritten to say that if he did not come soon to her she would come tohim. These communications revived all the old feelings of affection inhis breast, and he resolved to tear himself away from the environmentwhich had gripped him like a vice. The old Spaniard kept hintingmarriage to him each time he paid a visit to the superb villa, but herefused to be drawn into anything definite. As he said--

"The place is getting too hot for me. I must face it sooner or laterif I am not to permanently settle in Chili. Once married it is allover with me. I will have loads of money, but am I sure it will bringhappiness? I think I must say that I lean towards a daughter of mynative land, who may not have wealth, but who has all the attributesthat appeal to me. In a few days I must decide. "

These were some of the thoughts occupying Jim's mind as the leaky oldark lounged her way along the coast. The captain, on the other hand, talked freely to his mate as to his own thoughts, prompted no doubt byclose companionship and the idea of becoming brothers-in-law. He toldLeigh that both of them would be very wealthy some day, but Jim kepthis counsel. He had resolved that if the subject was mentioned by theSpaniard again he would make himself scarce. 

On their arrival at Iquique, Leigh received more letters from home. Hewent to the owner's house, and in the course of the evening the oldgentleman asked him right out to marry his daughter. Mr. Leigh wasconfused, and said he would like to save a little more money. 

"Never mind the money. You will have plenty of that, " said the father. 

It was duly arranged that the wedding should take place at the end ofthe next trip, and on the strength of that there was much rejoicing atthe villa, in which James Leigh heartily joined. He was pressed tostay all night with the happy family, but he said that he could not doso, owing to pressing official duties; so he bade his usual _adieux_, and slipped out into the balmy night and made his way aboard thevessel. He packed his belongings in a bag, woke the captain, who wasasleep in his berth, shook hands with him, and said--

"Good-bye, Dutchy. _You_ can do what you blessed well like, but I amoff. "

And before the captain had recovered from his sleepy amazement hismate had slipped over the side into a boat. That was the last Dutchyever saw of his prospective brother-in-law. 

James Leigh stowed himself away aboard a Yankee full-riggedpacket-ship which had to sail the following morning, and when thecoast was clear he made his appearance. He was subjected for a time tothat brutal treatment which at one time disgraced the Americanmercantile marine, [3] but being a smart young fellow who could do thework of a competent seaman, and handle his "dukes" with aptitude, theofficers began to show partiality towards him, and before many days hebecame quite a favourite with them and with the captain. To hissurprise, when the vessel had been at Philadelphia a few days, he wasasked to qualify for the second officer's berth. He received thecompliment with modest reserve, but his inward pride gave him troubleto control. This was a position of no mean order even to men farbeyond _his_ years, but the thought of serving as an officer under themagic Stars and Stripes was more fascinating than any pride he had inthe size of the vessel. A life of slash and dash was just the kind ofexperience that appealed to a full-blooded rip like Jim Leigh, so thathe needed no persuading to take the offer, and adapt himself withfervour to the new conditions, which invested him with theknuckle-duster, the belaying pin, and the six-shooter. The _BettySharp_ was chartered for London instead of the Far East, as wasexpected, and twenty days after passing Cape Henry she entered theThames; but even in that short time the sprightly officer had madequite a name for himself, by his methods of training and taming aheterogeneous team of packet rats. 

As the vessel was being hauled into the Millwall Docks, spectatorswere attracted by the disfigured condition of many of the crew. Agentleman came aboard to solicit business, and after a few preliminaryremarks he said--

"Pardon me, captain, but I cannot help noticing that some of yoursailors look as though there had been fighting. Did they mutiny?"

"Well, no; it was not exactly mutiny, but it was getting near to it. "

"It must have been an anxious time for you, sir, " continued thevisitor. 

"Well, no; I guess I was not anxious at all, for my officers wentabout their rough work with some muscular vigour. The war-paint wassoon put on and the rebellion squashed out of them. The chief officer, understand, is an old hand at the game; and that there young fellow, the second officer, takes to the business kindly. So we'll get alongright away. "

When the vessel was moored and the decks cleared up, the secondofficer and the boatswain asked the captain's permission to go ashorefor the evening. This was granted, with a strong admonition to keepstraight and return aboard sober. The boatswain was a short, thick-setman, with no education, but a sailor all over in his habits, manner, and conversation, and was just the kind of person to have as acompanion if there was any trouble about. The two sailors were likeschoolboys on a holiday. They were well received by their friends, male and female. In the West of London both were objects of interest, and told their tales with unfailing exaggeration. The boatswain wasespecially attractive, owing to his rugged personality and hisunaffected manner. His sanguinary tales of American packet-ship lifewere much canvassed for, and being a good story-teller, he embellishedthem with incidents that gave them a fine finishing touch. He wasasked by some young ladies if he had ever done any courting. 

"Oh yes, " said he; "I have mixed a lot of that up with other things. The very last time I was stranded in Chili I got on courting a girlwhose mother kept a bit of an hotel, and I was getting on famously, when one day the old lady told me I wasn't to come about her houseafter her daughter; but I kept on going in a sort of secret way, andone night I was sitting in what you would call the kitchen, and theold girl sneaked in with a great big stick. I saw the fury in her eye. She made a go for me. I couldn't get out, so I bobbed under afour-legged wooden table, picked it up on my shoulders, and tried toprotect my legs as much as I could. The girl screamed, and rushed toopen the door, and then called out for me to run. I didn't need anytelling. I rushed out, the old witch laying on the table with all hermight until I got out of her reach. And that is the way I am here, because I shipped at once aboard the _Betty Sharp_, for fear I mightbe copped and put in choky by the old fiend. "

"Have you heard from your sweetheart since?" asked one of the ladies. 

"No, " said Jack the boatswain; "nor I don't want to. I'll soon getanother where they knows how to treat genuine sweetheartin'. "

Jim Leigh at this point said--

"Now then 'Shortlegs, ' we must be going. I've heard that yarn fiftytimes. "

"Yes, _you_ have; but these here ladies haven't. "

"Quite right, " said the ladies. "And we would like you to continuetelling some more of your love experiences on the Spanish Main. "

Jack, however, said--

"Well, not to-night. Jim wants to get away. I'll come some othertime. "

The two sailors then left and made their way back to the docks, and asthey approached the East End a fog which had been hanging over becameso dense that they could not see where they were, and after gropingabout for a couple of hours they ran against a house which had a lightin the window. Jim rapped at the door, and a man presented himself. Hewas only partially clad. His voice and dialect left no doubt as to thelocality they were in. 

"Wot yer doin' of 'ere this time o' night? 'Ave yer come to rob someo' these yere 'ouses, or wot's yer gime?"

Mr. Leigh was a talkative person, and hastened to explain where theywere going, and that they could not find their way. The man asked thetwo officers in, and presented them to a woman who sat by the firewith a shawl over her shoulders. She was young, and seemed to be ofthe gipsy type; tall, handsome features, jet black hair, sparklingeyes and eyebrows; and when she asked them to be seated, her voice andaccent gave the impression of a lady. She chatted quite freely to thesailors about their profession and the countries they had visited, which led them to suppose that the lady was a great traveller. She, however, told them that her knowledge was derived from books. Shortlegs was mute. While the others talked he was closelyscrutinizing the surroundings. Their host was a tall, well-set man, with shifty, evil-looking eyes that were kept busy, as was his tongue. After they had been in the house some time, he asked them if theywished to stay all night. 

"We don't want ter press yer, but if yer like we've got a comfortableroom. But ye'll both 'ave to sleep in one bed. "

"We don't mind that, " said James Leigh. "Show us where it is. "

They bade the lady good morning, as it was 2 a. M. , and they wereescorted upstairs to a moderately-furnished room with an iron bed, wooden washstand, wardrobe, two chairs, and canvased floor. 

"Well, do you think it'll do?" asked the host. 

"Yes, " replied James, in a jaunty way. "We've slept in many a worseplace than this, Shorty, haven't we? See that we're called at six inthe morning, gov'nor. "

"That's all right, " said the shifty-eyed host; "we're early birds, weare, in this 'ere 'ouse. We goes to bed early too. Wot'll ye 'ave forbreakfast?"

"Never mind breakfast; we'll get that when we get aboard, " repliedLeigh. "Good-night; it's very good of you to put us up. "

The host remarked that he was pleased to do a kindness to anybody, butespecially to sailors, and then he slid out of the room. Shortlegswatched him downstairs, then closed the door. When he looked round hissecond officer was half undressed. He whispered to him not to undress, and that if he knew as much about bugs as he did he would need notelling. 

"Oh! d---- the bugs and everything else. I'm in for a good nap. "

"Well, " said Shortlegs, "you may do as you like, but I'm a-going tokeep my clothes on. "

Jim, however, did not heed his companion's advice; he undressed, jumped into bed, and was soon asleep. Shortlegs sat smoking his pipefor a while, then rose and commenced a survey of the room. He lookedunder the bed, into a cupboard, behind the curtains, and then sat downand pondered over their strange experience. At last he pulled hisboots and coat off, and was preparing to get into bed, when itoccurred to him that he had not examined the wardrobe; so he jumpedup, opened the door, stood gazing at the inside, closed the door, went to the bed, shook his mate into consciousness, and speaking in aloud whisper, he said--

"Jim, for God's sake get up!"

"What for?" said Jim. 

"Because there's a dead 'un in the wardrobe, " replied Shortlegs. 

"A what?" asked Mr. Leigh. 

"A corpse, " responded his companion. 

"Go on, don't talk such rot!"

"Very well, look for yourself, " said the boatswain, who again openedthe door, and exposed the dead body to view. James Leigh turned pallidand almost inarticulate. He could only touch his friend on theshoulder, and utter--

"My God, where are we? What shall we do with the corpse?"

Visions of being had up for murder had seized him. But he was quicklypulled up by his more discreet shipmate, who told him to ceasespeaking, allow the dead 'un to remain where he was, keep their bootsoff, open the window quietly, see how far it was to drop or to lowerthemselves down with the bedclothes. This being done, they found theplan of escape impracticable without being "nabbed, " so they took thebold resolve of going out as they had come in, with their boots on. Before they had got half-way down the stairs they heard suppressedconversation. It was evident they were detected. 

"Use your knuckle-duster, Jim, if necessary, and charge them withmurder, " whispered Shortlegs. 

"You leave that to me, Shorty; I'm going to get out of this. "

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the room door, which wasajar, opened, and the man who showed them upstairs stood before them. He was in his sleeping clothes. They requested him to open the outerdoor and let them out, as they did not desire to remain any longer inthe house. He asked why they were leaving comfortable lodgings onsuch a night. Jim being the spokesman, said they didn't like sleepingwith corpses, and raising his voice with nervous courage, declaredthat if the door was not immediately opened he would stand a goodchance of being put in the wardrobe where the other poor devil was. The wretched bully, shivering with passion and sudden fear, made agrab at Jim, and in an instant he was lying on the floor, and the twosailors opened the door and stepped out into the cold fog. 

"My God, what an experience!" said Shorty. "What a lucky thing Ilooked in the wardrobe. We might have been given up to the police asthe murderers; and that lady, as we thought, what a demon she must beto be connected with such. "

"My dear fellow, " said the second mate, "don't say anything wrongagainst the lady. How do we know but she is a prisoner, or in some waybeholden to the rascal. What a strange thing she never appeared. Iwonder if she was there. She must have been, as we heard voices. "

"That's right enough, " said the boatswain; "but was it her voice?"

"I never thought of that, Shorty. What d'ye say if we go back and tryand learn more about this mysterious affair?"

"Not me, " said Shorty; "I've had enough of this kind of experience. "

"But, " remonstrated the officer, "suppose the lady is in captivity?"

"Never mind that, boss. I don't care if there were twenty blessedwomen in captivity. I'm not going back, because I thinks the lady isin the swim. "

"Nonsense, Shorts. She is an educated woman!"

"Yes; and I've heard, boss, of educated women doin' funny things. Howd'ye know but it's her husband that's in the wardrobe, gov'nor? No, no; I knows some of these 'ere ladies, and I'm not a-going to mixmyself up with them. And if you takes my advice you'll stick to me andget aboard as soon as we can. And keep this 'ere affair mum, or we mayhave a visit from some of her Majesty's detectives. "

"Well, " ejaculated James Leigh, "it is a mystery, and must remain suchso far as we are concerned. But I am tempted to tell the police, as Ifeel certain that woman cannot be there of her own free will. "

"Woman be d----d, boss! How do you know, as I said before, that she'snot at the bottom of it? You never knew an affair like this that awoman had not her hand in it; and if you are going to giveinformation, don't introduce your humble servant, who has his ownideas of this 'ere person. "

The young fellows had talked on ever since they left the tomb of thedead, unheeding the direction in which they were going. When the fogcleared they found themselves amidst the East End slums, environed byall that was villainous. They were not long in winding their wayaboard the _Betty Sharp_. The night's exploits made a deep impressionon James Leigh; it caused him to review the Bohemian career he hadlived ever since he ran away from the _Pacific_ in Chili. He resolvedto pay a visit to his home in Wales, as he was so near, and in spiteof strong protestations on the part of the captain he resigned hispost. There was great rejoicing in the little village when heunexpectedly made his appearance. The news of the mutiny aboard the_Pacific_, and the tragic end of the captain, officers, and part ofthe crew preceded him. His family had blamed him for leaving atIquique. They now said he had been guided by a strange but mercifulProvidence to his old home. He told the eager listeners of the familycircle many tales of daring adventure as they sat in the cosy room bythe fire, but whenever the gruesome figure of the dead man in thewardrobe crossed his mind he became reticent and pensive. Theselapses did not go unnoticed, and he was often pressed for the cause ofso sudden a change from mirth to sullen silence. 

"I will tell you what it is, " said he; "a corpse is the cause. "

And then he told them all about it. James Leigh's change of life, manner, and habits dated from the dreaded night when he saw with hisown eyes the ghastly figure of what he believed to be a murdered man. From being a roving, reckless, devil-may-care sailor, he settled intoa steady, ambitious, capable man. He married a Welsh girl after hisown heart, and forgot all about the daughter of the old Spaniard, who, if subsequent accounts were correct, pined for his return to Chili. Mrs. Leigh resented any allusion to the Spanish maiden. She alwaysreminded her husband that people should marry their own countrywomen, and that instead of thinking of her he should be using his mind inattaining that knowledge that would enable him to reach the height ofhis profession. He was not long in satisfying the lady's ambition andhis own. In less than five years from leaving the Yankee ship he wasin command of a smart, up-to-date English steamer, trading betweenMozambique and Zanzibar, trafficking in slaves and other merchandise. He made heaps of money for his owners, and was gifted with an aptitudefor never neglecting himself in matters of finance. In due course thetrade collapsed, and he was ordered to bring his vessel home. By thistime his savings from several sources had accumulated to a decentlittle fortune, and with it he resolved to start business on his ownaccount. He sought the aid of a few friends, and was enabled topurchase a small steamer. It was while he was on a visit to thismuch-boasted-of craft that he came across Shorty at a fair outsideCardiff. The rugged ex-boatswain had a machine for trying strength, and asked him to have a go. Captain Leigh recognized his old shipmateby a defect in his speech, and made himself known. Shorty was filledwith delight, and would have given him the whole show. He rushed off, called out to a lady who was attending to the machine, and brought herto be introduced. 

"This is my bit o' cracklen, Jim. She's a good 'un, she is. Now, don'tye be a-fallin' in love with her, James, as you used to with the othergirls out in Chili, ancetera, ancetera. Don't ye reckonize her? Don'tye remember that fine hotel we landed in, and the wardrobe and one ortwo other incidents?"

"I do, " said Captain James Leigh; "but surely this is not?"

"Yes, it is, " said the proud husband. "It's she, isn't it, chubby?"

The lady merely nodded her head and smiled. 

"Then what have you been doing, Shorty, all these years?"

"This, " said he, pointing to the show. "I never got over the 'orror ofthat night, so I made my mind up not to go a rovin' agen; and this'ere girl, that I thought so badly of, 'as helped me to make a livin'ever since I came across her. Very queer, you was right; she was sorto' confined to the 'ouse, but had nothin' to do with the corpse. Shedidn't know of it until I told her. "

"My God! don't talk of it, Shorts. I cannot bear to think of it evennow. But how did you pick her up?"

"At the docks, " said John Shorts. "She came to look for us, and I tookon with her and got married. "

"You must have had a strong belief in her. "

"Yes; and so would you if you knew her as I do. I'd trust my money, and my life, and everything with her. D'ye see that waggon of mats andbaskets? That's her department; started on her own 'ook. My word, she's a daisy. "

"Well, Shorty, I'm delighted to see you. And now I must be going. Youseem quite happy. "

"Happy, " said the boatswain, "that's not a name for it. It's 'eaven onearth this 'ere thing, " looking and pointing at his wife. Breaking offquickly, he said, "'Ave ye ever heard from Chili, Jim?"

"Oh yes, " said he; "I had a letter only the other day from Dutchy. Theold owner died, and left all his money to his two daughters andDutchy, who married the eldest. "

"That's a bit thick, isn't it, Jim--for that fat Dutchman to gowandering about the Spanish Main doin' all sorts of things, and thenfall on his feet like this?"

"Well, " said Jim, "you have fallen on your feet, so you say; and I'msure I have. "

"That's right, " said Shorts. "I wasn't thinken' that the wife wasstandin' by. "

The lady quietly smiled, shook hands with her husband's late chum, andwalked off towards her caravan. Captain Leigh endeavoured to drawShorty to tell him about his wife, but the old sailor evaded all hisquestions. 

"Well, " said Leigh, "this has been a joyful meeting to me, and if wenever met again, God bless you!"

"The same to you, Jim, " said Shorts. "Good-bye, old chap. "

The two men never did meet again. James Leigh is now a prosperousmerchant, and may be seen any day in a smart-cut "frocker" and silkhat, having his lunch at a bar, surrounded with kindred spirits, telling his wonderful tales--some truthful, others well padded, butall interesting. 

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 3: It may be said in passing that America at that period, and for some years later, supplied Great Britain and other nationswith the finest and fastest ships afloat, large and small. TheAmericans have always had a reputation of doing things on a largescale. Unmistakably their vessels were bad to beat. Their crews werewell paid and well fed. They had the best cooks and stewards in theworld; but the inadequacy of their manning, and the cruel treatment ofthe poor wretches who composed the crew, was a national disgrace. AnAmerican vessel with a mediocre crew aboard was nothing short of ahell afloat, and even with an average lot of men it was little better, unless they had the courage and the capacity to straighten theofficers out, which was sometimes done with salutary effect. ]