"To some people, mate,' said the stranger, I readily believes it is ugly and loathsome enough, seeing as how it will make a devil of a hole in the purses of most of 'em; to others again, who like ourselves, must stand in the breach and brave the squall, it is both disagreeable and dangerous; but what then?-to the great bulk of us, who will reap the fruit of that daring and difficulty, it is a matter of the very highest importance. There are few, if any, mate, in the whole versal Fleet, however quiet and tame they may be at present, who will not brighten up and chime in for snacks as soon as the battle's over.

Oh, devilish so so, indeed,' said the stranger. All our fellows, from the highest to the lowest, don't appear to know what they're about-they grant one think to-day, and deny it to-morrow. You never saw such a set; for they're all round the compass in the course of twenty-four hours, and will stand to nothing. It was our opinion, that they waited to see how the Government would bring you up.'

"In faith, my dear fellow, there's nothing more likely,' observed Morris, smiling; and if that there's the case, you've got a pretty long journey to devilish little purpose, seeing the news of to-day will be there long before you.'

"Oh, as to that, mate,' said the stranger, it is nothing; we are too seriously bent on the attainment of our object to pass a single thought about any trouble it may cost us. And although the news will be there before us, I'm very doubtful it will get but small belief before we reach the Nore again, which we at present mean to do as speedily as we can.'

"Why, man alive, you don't mean to set off again to-morrow?' asked Morris.

"If God grants health, we must,' said the stranger.

"Oho, my brave fellow, if it's a must business, I've not a syllable more to say,' said Morris.

"The supper waits you, gents,' said the smiling waiter, bowing as he entered the room.

Ah, very well, my lad,' said

Morris. Now, my dear fellows, I'd advise you to retire and refresh yourselves comfortably, for sure you must require it. You can join us at your own convenience-when we will tell you all about it.'

"We must certainly thank you all, my brave lads, for your kind hospitality,' said the elder stranger, rising, and shall as frankly avail ourselves of it. Come, Gregory, let us go, mate.' "The younger seaman rose, and both immediately left the room.

6

Well, my hearties,' said Jack Morris, what is to be done in this unlucky affair? I'm sure, I wish from my soul they'd a let us alone for a night-thof I can't blame the poor fellows either. You all heard them say they must get under weigh to-morrow. -Now, I'm really at a loss what's to be done; for we've neither time nor opportunity to night, were we willing, seeing every paper we have is left on board.'

"Why, what needs you bother your pate about that, Morris?' cried Mark Turner. If they can't wait until we are ready for them, why, I should suppose they must just go and carry with them what everybody knows. As you say, nothing can be done to-night now, even although we were willing, so what's the use of disturbing our harmony any more about the matter? It is no fault of ours, since it is quite impossible we could be prepared for them, when we didn't even know of their journey here at all. Besides, you know, you and Adams must go up yourselves shortly to the Nore, and as you can then take all the proper papers with you, why that will put all to rights again."

"Now, would it not answer the purpose equally well, mates,' cried Tom Allen, were we just to detain these lads here to-morrow, and then furnish them with every document and paper of our proceedings we judged necessary? For my own part, I think it would; and I think it would also be treating these delegates with a confidence and a dignity becoming the trust reposed in them by the large portion of the Fleet who sent them down, and render the heavy expense of Morris and Adams' journey up entirely unnecessary. I'll bet any money their instructions say as much, though Jack Morris hasn't been polite enough to satisfy any one but himself.'

"Oho! you're there, are you,

friend Tommy!' cried Jack Morris, smiling; I cry you mercy, my good-humoured customer, for it was certainly a monstrous overlook of mine. I had the presumption, you must know, mates, to think at one time this evening that here we were to have nothing at all to do with speechifying and consulting, but were met to be merry, and amuse one another with a stave. But friend Tom, you see, seems to think other

Fleet at the Nore, are sent down to you, to learn the state of progress of the measures you have taken to enforce the means of ameliorating the condition of the British seamen in general. You will therefore please to give them every necessary information, and particularly what you mean to do in future, that we may in all matters agree in our actions. I am, Sir,

Yours, &c.

to the devil with your councilCome, mates, push round the harmony; Mosley, strike up, my

brave fellow.'

“Come, come, my good souls,' cried Mortis to the band, belay your warbling for a short time. As it appears you're heartily sick of councilboards and speechifying, which I'm devilish happy to see, allow me, mates, to make a small amends for my rascally ill manners by reading to you the note which the old boy handed me. It would appear to have excited a great curiosity in Tom Allen, and mayhap may have done the same to others; it will be far better, therefore, to read it out at once, and to be done with it.

If I had known that Tom's curiosity was half so much roused, he or any other of you might have seen it long ago, without half of the nitty that's been made on't; but no! that be d-d, that would have been too manly and open for Tom; instead of that, he must wheel round and round, so cunningly and sneakingly, to gain a paltry nobody-cares about point, which he might have made at once by a bold request. Pshaw! I'm completely ashamed of such ill-natured doings! However, here is their instructions, my lads, as friend Tommy is pleased to call them-and pretty instructions you'll think them, I'll be sworn-listen, if you please

'NORE, 12th May, 1797. To the PRESIDENT of the DELEGATES of the CHANNEL FLEET. 'SIR, that's the handle of my Sunday's name, you must know, my lads -hem- The bearers hereof, to wit, Charles M'Arthy and William Gregory, being regular Delegates from the

RICHARD PARKER, President.'

'And so ends the ditty-the instructions I mean-which, upon my soul, my brave fellows, I did think so very unimportant, that I confess me I was very careless about disturbing you with them at all to-night, whatever I might have done to-morrow. This, however, it would now appear, won't please— we must tack about once more, it seems, and stand away for Botheration-bay again-so, since I've been dragged forward in this lousy manner, d'ye see, and been almost compelled to read to you what some are pleased to call these fine fellows' instructions

why, there they are-in God's name, let every one on you read for himself, and tell us at once what's to be done.'

"Why, what the blazes can you do to-night, Jack,' cried Mark Turner again, even thof you were willing? If the lads must go to-morrow, why, let them, and have done with it ;-it is all of the less consequence, you know, seeing that you and Adams will follow them so rapidly.'

"Ah, but, my dear fellow, Turner,' said Morris, 'recollect the terrible expense.'

"Bah!' cried Turner, the expense be d-d:-there's not a soul in the Fleet will ever think a moment on the subject.'

"I don't know that, my hearty,' returned Morris, when it appears to be thought on already.'

"Well, well, it may be so,' said Turner, but I'll just tell you, Jack, once and for all, a small bit of my mind. You and Adams, mark me, were long ago publicly appointed to go to the Nore, to give the lads there a full account of all we had done, and how we had settled; and Potts and Ruly were to go to Plymouth on the same commission. Now, if you think proper to flinch from these orders, now

it has come to the push, I insist, for the honour of the Fleet, that we have a new election immediately.'

"Why, what a murder of a hubbleshow,' cried Dennis Lawley, 'you're after making about nothing at all at all! For my own part, darlings, I've heard never a syllabub of refusal come from the mouths of any of the four we've appointed yet-and sure there's never an occasion for electioneering till that's the case. Bah!-to the devil with all such complate botheration !—give me grog and music, my darlings!"

6

"All that I've yet heard said, my lads,' cried Tom Allen, returning to the charge, with the delegates' letter open in his hand, convinces me more and more that in what I've observed I'm right. To be sure I've got plenty of jaw from severals present; but this, d'ye see, shan't deter me an instant from doing what I consider proper and right. And what have I got all this lubberly cheek for, I'd wish to know?—why, simply because I wish to see the honour of the Fleet and its delegates maintained. I openly confess I do so; and I repeat, that by supplying these delegates now in the house with every proper information, the expense of such long journeys as you have now in view is completely unnecessary. There will be no shine, to be sure, and less sporting of these paltry white favours; but what of that? you will have the money they cost you in your trowsers' pockets for better purposes; and by the confidence you repose in their messengers, you will be all the abler to show your country and the whole world, the high respect you have for your brothers at the Nore, and the anxiety and zeal you feel in their welfare. I again repeat, my lads, that all this can be better done here, while we are all present, than by the sending any two of our number up to the Nore-even were they such highflying lawyers as Jack Morris seems to think himself. What am I, or any one here, to know what he may think proper to report to them? You put it in his power to say just what he pleases -much or little, right or wrong, as the humour takes him at the moment. I, for one, am for no such doings; the delegates, by this letter, are expressly sent for information from us-we are all present, and I say, let them have

it.

Besides, there is another request made in this letter, which, although very likely another object of their journey, has been bitherto studiously kept in the dark-It is here plainly and earnestly wished, that you should particularly inform them what you mean to do in future?-As a delegate, and as representing as spirited and able a ship's company as ever a one on you, I wish you all to say what is your answer to this question?'

"A very simple one indeed, Tom,' answered Morris gravely. 'In future, as I take it, we mean to do our duty.'

"That is your opinion, mayhap, Jack,' said Allen sneeringly; but is it the opinion of the present company?'

"Yes, yes,' roared about twenty at once ;-while others impatiently cried, Pshaw, belay, Tom, belay !'

"And do you mean to give this as the answer of the Fleet?' cried Allen.

"Undoubtedly,' was the answer. "Then, my lads,' cried the undaunted fellow, I will belay-I will, however, give you a one, two, three drag-ay, and a hurrah too, before I go-for I will say, and I shall repeat, both in my own name, and the seven hundred smart fellows I represent, that I completely dissent from you all-that such an answer is not that of the Channel Fleet-that it shall never be sanctioned while I am

"Sit down, Tom, sit down!—Turn him out, turn him out!—and, Music, play up!-were now the various clamours of the whole company-some of the more zealous of whom were actually on their feet to put their threats in execution, when Allen, shoving away his chair, and eyeing fiercely the whole company, said

"'Ware force, mates! 'ware force! The first fellow that lays his nippers on me, by G-, I'll fell him like a bullock, were he my brother.-I said, and I'll boldly repeat it, that if you give such an answer, you don't speak the sentiments of the seamen of the Channel Fleet, but have basely deserted them for a few yards of white favours, a supper, and a blowout of grog and music. They shan't, however, have that to say of me no-Tom Allen belongs to the Mars, and he glories in her-for she and I, I know, shall be ruled in respect

to an answer like that, just exactly as we find our greatly be-praised promises realized. You may do as likes you, mates-good night!'-So saying, and snatching up his hat, which he dismantled of its white knot in a trice, he immediately left the room, and shortly afterwards the house.

"So completely striking was the effect of this bold and hurried exit, that the whole present seemed to be in a state of silent wonderment, and for some time after little was to be heard but a desultory remark muttered here and there.

"My eye!' cried Charles Derry, 'what a red-hot shot of a fellow that there Allen must be surely!-Why, d-n me, if he didn't bounce off like a Congreve rocket !'

"Bah!' said Jem Melvin, 'a saucy, conceited, chitter-chattering fool;whose tongue must be ever pippering and frippering like an overdone doeboy in the cook's coppers !-To the devil with him, I say!-A pretty fellow, indeed, to have the cheek to call honest Jack Morris a lawyer,—a man, so help me, mate, who has more brains in his great toe, than Allen has in all his carcase.'

"Tis a pity, poor fellow, after all,' cried Jack Saunders; for I firmly believes it his only failing. I've known him now, mate, a 'number of years, and I've ever seen it the case, that as soon as Tom got a little heated with grog, then, my boy, he'd commence a spouting about some'at directly. He's a brave fellow, however, and a good seaman.'

"Why, there's no one will deny that, matey,' answered Melvin. 'But what the devil was the use of his speechifying to-night of all the days in the year, unless it were in the honest way of a jovial stave or two? I assure you I'm cursedly disappointed; for I expected some rare fun, particularly after I heard how handsomely old First of June had tipped them the rhino.'

66 6 Hush, Melvin,' cried Mark Turner,' and turn your eyes to the head of the table yonder. D'ye twig him -I see by the curl of Morris's black eyes that he's either bent on fun or mischief. Ay, up he gets-now for it,

mates.'

"Order, order! my fine fellows,' said the President, rising, we're losing time completely. As I think,

VOL. XIX.

we've had enough of botheration for a night, we'll douce it till a fitter opportunity. Let us now make all sail for the land of delight-let the glass, and the catch, and the toast go round; and make ourselves as happy and merry as we possibly can. It is now hard on the middle watch, and I expect our visitors every moment 'twould be a shocking affair, I'm sure, for them to catch us squabbling like a parcel of children, instead of trowling the bowl to a merry chaunt, as every one would expect.Come, Mosely, my heart of oak, set your warblers to work, and give us a something or other, while I think of a stave!'

"This proposal was received with three cheers-the band struck up a favourite air, and, in a few minutes, every angry feeling was subdued, and every heart elate with good humour.

Here we go, my hearties!
If luck don't desert us,
Trifles shall not part us-

Yo ho! pull away!—
See the foe, we're nearing,
Laughing, pointing, jeering,
Careless, never fearing,

But they'll gain the day!-
But we'll soon convince them
We're the boys won't flinch them,
But carry them and clinch them-

Glory!-pull away!'

"At this appropriate and animating chorus, the whole assembled voices, accompanied by the music, were loudly and actively employed, when the room door was suddenly shoved wide open, and discovered the laughing countenance of Master Coxswain Wigley, accompanied by fat Carey, the butler, and the delegates from the Nore. Perry had just got enough to put him in glorious trim for fun, for in an instant, my boy, he was quite at home-chimed in with the chorus in a trice, (for you must know it was originally Perry's own song, who had learned it to almost all the boats-crews of the fleet,) and, as soon as it came to be time to carry on with another stave, faith, on he went with it, Davies, in a good, strong, clear pipe, while Jack Morris,

4 R

good soul, threw himself back in his chair, in an ungovernable fit of laughter-the joke being, that instead of going on with the second stave, he commenced with the very last :XXIV.

Rowing to the landing,
There you see her standing,
Who has the commanding

Of your heart, the stay!-
"Oh," she cries, "my true love!
Is it really, you, love?
To your faithful Sue, love,
Haste thee, come away."
Too good for refusing,
I stand no longer musing.
But jump ashore to Susan-

Coil up, and belay.

"Ha, ha, ha!' roared Jack Morris, as soon as the chaunt was concluded. -'Why, Wigley, you're the devil's own bird, and as mad a fellow as ever! However, I must thank you certainly for helping me out so famously with the Two Dozen, although you've left out the guts of 'em.'

"Ah, well, my heart!' cried Wigley, that's what many an honest fel. low wouldn't complain of, I'll be sworn, thof the guts were left out of them oftener than it is.-But confound all dozens, and the fellows that first invented them!-Let's be merry while we're here, for Heaven knows when we may have such another happy opportunity. Mr President, a bumper, if you please here's-Short allowance, nine-water grog, an empty pocket, and the never a friend to all the enemies of the Fleet, both at home and abroad! -Come, my hearts, with six times three, and off she goes.'

"The cheers were given with genuine spirit, while the band struck up Cheerly, cheerly, my jolly boys!

"But in truth, Davies, were I to go on, I could never have done with that thrice happy night, which was worth a whole existence of others; and the remembrance of which, although many years have passed and gone, is still as strongly imprinted on my memory as thof it had happened but t'other day. I shall only farther say, then, that under the guidance of Wigley, who was the life and soul of the party, the song and the laugh went round, and we carried on in the highest style, until the returning day-light warned us to knock off. The most of our companions betook themselves to a temporary repose; but, for my part, sleep was out of the question. Adjourning

to a small upper apartment, in company with Wigley, Carey, and Morris, I thought myself far better employed in talking over the occurrences of the day, and laughing at some good jokes raised by Wigley, at the expense of the hard rubs, as well as pleasures, of other years. In this select confab, you may be sure, our intended cruise to the Nore was not forgotten; and regarding it, Wigley gave us complete satisfaction. He said, he, from the first, had so far entered into the spirit of it, that on his return with his letter from the Fleet, seeing how highly pleased his Lordship was with the perusal of it, he had ventured to have some talk about the journey with him, and from what he then, and had since said, he hadn't a doubt but he'd get him to grant us every assistance and protection that was necessary, in the course of that or the following day. Meantime, he advised us to get all our matters settled on board-such as seeing our clothes and hammocks stowed away, you know, getting the necessary papers, cash, and all that-' And then,' says he, 'when you are all ready, and come on shore, just give a call at the Governor's house, and if I'm gone, as probably I may, Carey here will have everything ready waiting you as far as I am concerned. He will also tell you where to find me in London, and I dare say will do everything in his power to serve you.' To all this Carey warmly agreed; and thus you see matters were all at once finally agreed on. The morning by this time was pretty far advanced, and the increasing noise and bustle of the streets began to put us in mind of something to eat; but all our entreaties, compliments, and smiles, could prevail on neither to stop, so, with mutual good wishes of success, and a promise to see them again as soon as we landed, we were at last compelled reluctantly to part.

"On going down stairs to breakfast we were happy to find a full muster of all hands; and with the exception of a few of the more delicate complaining of headaches, which made an application to mine host's cordials indispensable, the whole appeared to be little worse of the wear, and demolished the good things that were placed before them with an avidity and dexterity which did them honour. As soon as the table was cleared, Morris