While we lay in harbour, three ships of Sir Edward Hughes' squadron from
the East Indies came home and were paid off, the crew not only receiving
their pay, but large sums for prize-money. Scarcely had they dropped
their anchors than the ships were boarded by hundreds of harpies in all
shapes, eager to fleece the crew,--or rather, to win their confidence,
in order to fleece them as soon as they had received their hard-earned
wages. Pinchbeck watches, copper chains which passed for gold, huge
rings for the fingers and ears, trinkets of all sorts, and cutlery made
of tin, were pressed upon Jack as loans, to be paid for as soon as he
landed; and the moment he got his pay, no time was lost in commencing
the operation of fleecing him. Some sturdy fellows, who had been played
that trick often before, attempted to resist the importunities of their
pretended friends, and kept their hands in their pockets, turning
scornful glances on either side, as they rolled along; but most of them,
unless they could resist the grog-shop, were very soon doomed to fall
into more warily-laid traps.
Tom and I were on shore the day the _Hero_ was paid off, one of the
ships which had so often encountered the squadron of the French Admiral
de Soufryen. The whole of Portsmouth was in an uproar. We met dozens
of stout fellows rolling along, with massive chains hung from their
fobs, rings on their fingers, their heads adorned with lovelocks,
pigtails, and earrings, with female companions hung on to each of their
arms, rolling and shouting as they went, paying no respect to anybody
out of uniform, in the height of good humour as long as they could have
their way, but evidently ready to quarrel with any one whom they might
fancy wished to interfere with them.
At the door of one of the principal inns we found a couple of coaches,
with four horses each, prepared for starting, and surrounded by some
twenty or thirty seamen. Some quickly clambered up on the roof and into
the front seats, and others behind; those who had climbed outside
shouting out that the ship would be top-heavy if the rest did not stow
themselves away below, the last half-dozen or so got inside.
"Drive on, coachee," cried one of the men in front; "let's see how fast
your craft can move along."
The coachman smacked his whip, and off galloped the horses, the men
cheering and waving their hats at the same time, and throwing showers of
silver among the boys in the street, who had gathered to look on, and
who were soon engaged in a pretty scrimmage to pick up the coins thus
profusely bestowed on them. Tom and I could with difficulty refrain
from joining in the scramble.
The junior officers were at a paying-off dinner at the "Blue Posts," to
which Tom and I, and Nettleship, who afterwards joined us, were invited.
The wine of course flowed freely. Before the feast was over, the
larger number of the party scarcely knew what they were about.
At last it was proposed that we should sally forth, and out we went,
arm-in-arm, in good humour with ourselves, and ready for anything that
might turn up. One of the party commenced a sea-song, in the chorus of
which we all joined at the top of our voices, awaking the sleeping
inhabitants, who, however, were not unaccustomed to such interruptions
to their slumbers. We were becoming more and more uproarious, when we
encountered a party of watchmen in greatcoats, carrying lanterns and
rattles. Having been lately reprimanded for allowing disturbances in
the streets, they took it into their heads to disperse us, telling us in
no very courteous manner to return on board our ships. They were
received with shouts of laughter, and, as they still persisted in
interfering, our leader cried out--
"Charge them, lads."
At the word we rushed forward, scattering the old gentlemen right and
left.
"Chase them, boys! chase them!" cried our leader.
As they went up one street, and then down another, this was no easy
matter, and we became quickly dispersed.
"I say, Paddy, this sort of thing doesn't do," said Tom. "It may be all
very well for those fellows who are paid off, and are going home, but we
shall be getting into a row before long, and it would look foolish to
return on board with broken heads and black eyes."
Just then we met Nettleship, who had been looking for us, and who, being
perfectly sober, fully agreed with Tom. We accordingly directed our
course to the Point, where we knew we should find a boat to take us off.
Just as we were turning out of the High Street, however, we encountered
three of the guardians of the night who had been assailed by our party.
They instantly accused us of attacking them, and I fully expected that
we should be carried off into durance vile.
"How dare you say anything of that sort?" said Nettleship. "We belong
to the _Jason_, Lord Robert Altamont, and his lordship will take very
good care to bring you to justice should you venture to detain us. Make
way there. Let us pass."
The watchmen were overawed by his manner, and we walked steadily on.
Seeing that we were perfectly sober, they supposed that we did not
belong to the party, as they had at first fancied, and we reached the
water's edge without further interruption.
"You see the dangerous consequences of being in bad company," observed
Nettleship. "We might have been kept locked up all night, and had our
leave stopped for a month when we returned on board."
"But you joined us," said Tom.
"I know I did," said Nettleship, "and I am more to blame than you are,
in consequence of setting you so bad an example; but that does not
prevent me from reading you a lecture. It's easier to preach than to
practise."
"You are right, I see," said Tom; "and I am very glad we haven't lost
our senses, as most of the other fellows have done."
We roused up a waterman who was sleeping in the bottom of his boat, and
got on board the frigate in time to keep the middle watch.
Lord Robert Altamont being fond of amusing himself on shore, was willing
to allow his officers the same liberty, provided a sufficient number
remained on board to maintain the discipline of the ship, for which he
was at all times a great stickler.
"You have never been in London, Paddy," said Nettleship to me one day.
"I have some business that calls me up there. It's a legal affair, and
if I am successful it will add some fifty pounds or more a year to my
mother's income. I have obtained leave, and if you like to accompany
me, I'll ask leave for you to go, and promise to take charge of you."
It was not likely that I should refuse such an offer, and, leave being
obtained, we set off by the coach as Nettleship intended. We had inside
places, for there was only room outside for four persons besides the
coachman, and on the hinder part, on a little box of his own, sat the
guard, arrayed in a scarlet coat, a three-cornered hat, a brace of
pistols in his belt, a hanger by his side suspended by a sash over his
shoulder, while a couple of blunderbusses were stuck into cases on
either side of him ready to his hand.
"Why does the man carry all these arms?" Tasked.
"If he didn't, the chances are that the coach, when passing over
Hounslow Heath, would be attacked by highwaymen or footpads, and the
passengers robbed, if not murdered," answered Nettleship. "As it is,
occasionally some bold fellows stop the coach and cry, `Your money or
your lives,' and the guard is either shot down or thinks it wise not to
interfere, and the passengers have to deliver up their purses."
"I hope that sort of thing won't happen to us," I said.
"When they look in and see two naval officers, with a brace of pistols
and swords by their sides, the highwaymen will probably ride on. They
are generally, I fancy, arrant cowards, and prefer pillaging old
dowagers, who are likely to afford good booty without any risk," said
Nettleship.
Notwithstanding Nettleship's assertions, I half expected to be stopped,
but we reached London in safety. When he had time Nettleship
accompanied me about to see the sights, but when he was engaged I had to
go out by myself, and consequently very often lost my way. I always,
however, managed to get back to our lodgings without having to obtain a
guide. I will not here describe the adventures I met with. As,
according to Nettleship's advice, I looked upon every one who spoke to
me as a rogue, I escaped being fleeced, as some of my shipmates were who
ventured into the metropolis by themselves. Our leave had nearly
expired, and we had to be down at Portsmouth the following evening.
When we went to the coach office to secure our places, we were told that
the whole coach had been engaged, it was supposed by a gentleman who was
going to take down his family.
"But we must go," said Nettleship to me, "even if we travel in the boot,
for I've not got money enough left to pay for posting, and I should not
like to expend it so even if I had."
We waited until the coach drove up to the office, expecting to see a
dignified gentleman with his wife and daughters inside, and his sons and
servants on the outside. What was our surprise, then, to behold only a
jovial Jack Tar, with his arms akimbo, seated on the roof, looking as
dignified and independent as the Sultan on his throne.
"Come, there's plenty of room," I said to Nettleship. "No one else
seems to be coming; the gentleman who took the coach has probably
delayed his journey."
Nettleship put the question to the coachman.
"There's the gentleman who's taken the coach," he replied, pointing with
his thumb over his shoulder. "He says it's his, and that no one else is
to ride, inside or out. He has paid his money, and we can't interfere."
All this time Jack was regarding us with supercilious glances. I felt
very indignant, and proposed opening the door and getting inside,
whatever the seaman might say, but the doors were locked, and the
shutters drawn up.
"That will never do," observed Nettleship. "Let me tackle him, though
it won't do to give him soft sawder. I say, my man, you lately belonged
to the _Hero_, didn't you?" he asked.
"Yes, I did, but I'm free of her now," answered Jack.
"You fought some pretty smart actions in her, I've a notion. We have
heard speak of them. My young messmate and I were out in the West
Indies, and belonged to the _Liffy_. She ran ashore. Then we joined
the old _Cerberus_, which went down in the Atlantic; and then we went on
board the _Hector_, which fought the two French frigates. We had a
narrow squeak for our lives, for she went the way of our former ship.
And now we belong to the _Jason_, and shall have to keep the middle
watch to-night, which is what you'll not have to do, I fancy. Now if we
overstay our leave and don't get down, you know what the consequences
will be."
"I've some notion of it," said Jack. "What is it you're driving at?"
"If you'll just let us get inside your coach we'll say you're a mighty
good fellow; and if you don't, we'll leave you to call yourself what you
think you would be," answered Nettleship.
"Come, I like an outspoken fellow," said Jack. "Jump in, youngsters;
I'll give you a passage down, and nothing to pay for it. You guard
there, with your long horn, open the door and let the young gentlemen
in, but mind you, you take up nobody else, not if the First Lord and all
the Admiralty come and axe for places."