Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-20
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
The Metropolitan Magazine introduces to Us
the following new character in the excellent sto
~ Of " Peter Simple"
THE LYING CAPTAIN.

HE LYING CAPTAIN.
Captain Kearney certainly dealt in the marvel.
lous to admiration, and really told his stories
with such earnestness, that actually believe that
he thought he was telling the truth. Never was
there such an instance Of confirmed habit Tel.
ling a story Of cutting out expedition, he said,
I" The French captain would have fallen BY nv
hand, but just as levelied my musket. a bail
came, and cut OF the cock of the lock as clean as
if it vas done with koife- very remarkable
instance" observed he.
- Not equa! to what occurred in ship was
in," replied the first lieutenant, " when the Sc.
cond lieutenant was grazed BY grape shot,
which cut of one Of his whiskers, and turning
round his head to ascertain what was the matter,
another grape shot came and took off the other
Now that's what call close shave"
:. Yes" replied Captain Kearney, "very close
indeed. ii 1t we're true; but you'll excuse me, Mr..
Phillott, but you sometimes tell strange stories.
do not mind 1t myself, but the example is not
good to NY young relation here, Mr., Simple"
"Captan Kearney;" replied the first Lieute-
nant, laughing very immoderately; do you know
what the pot called the kettle7''
"No, sir. do not" returned the captain, with
offended dignity. A." Mr. Simple will you take
glass Of wine!"
/ thought that this little brouilerie would have
checked the captain; it did so, but only for few
minutes, when he again commenced The first
lieutenant observed that it would be necessary to
let water into the ship every morning and pump
il out, to avoid the smell Of the bilge water -
| There are worse smells than bilge water" re-
piled the captain. "What do you think of
whole ships company being nearly poisoned with
otto Of rosess Yet that occurred to me when in
the Mediterranean. mean off Smyrna, look
Ing out for French ship, that was to sail to
France. with pasta on Board, as ambassador
knew she would be good prize, and was look
ing sharp out, when one morning we discovered
her on the lee bow. We made all sail, but she
walked away from Us. bearing gradually till we
were both before the wind and at night lost sight
of her. As knew she was bound to Marseilles,
l made all sail to fall in with her again. The
wind was light and variable; but five days after
words, as laid in @y cot, just before daylight.
| smelt what, snuffing at it three or four times,
knew to be otto Of roses. sent for the officer
of the watch and asked him il there was any
thing in sight. He replied thst there was not;
| ordered him to sweep the horizon with his
| glass, and look we'll out to wndward. AZ the
wind freshened the smell became more powerful.
l ordered him to get the royal yards across, and
have all ready to make sail, for knew that the
Turk must be near Us. At daylight there he was,
Just three miles ahead in the winds eye. But
although he beat US going free, he was no match
for US on wind, and before noon we had pos.
session of him and all his harem. By-the-by,
could tell YOU a good story about the ladies. She
was very valuable prize and among other things.
she had a psncheon OF otto Ut roses on board"
"Whew!" cried the first lieutenant. e" What!
whole puncheoD?"
"Yes," replied the captain, "a Turkish pun
cheon-not quite SO large, perhaps, as ours, on
board; their weights and measures are different.
I took out most of the valnables into the brig
commanded-ab 10000 sequius-carpets-
and among the rest, this cask Of otto Of roses,
which we had smelt three miles of. We had
it safe on board, when the mate Of the hold, not
singing it properly, it fell to the spirit room
with run, and was stove to pieces. Never was
such scene; my first lieutenant and several
men on deck tainted; and the men in the hold
were brought no Iifeiess; it was sometime before
they were recovered. We let the water into the
brig, and pumped it out, but nothing would take
awav the smell, which was so overpowering, that
before could get to Malta had forty men on
the sick list. When | arrived there turned
the mate out of the service for his careless.
ness. 1t was not until after having smoked the
brig and 6udins that Of little use. after having
sunk her for three weeks, that the smell was at
all bearable; but even when eradcated, aud the ad.
miral sent the brig home, and she was sold out
OF the service-they could do NOTHING with her
at the dock yards. She was broken up and
bought by the people at Brighton and Tunbridse
wells, who used her timbers for turning fancy ar
ticles, which, smelling as they did. strong Of
otto Of roses. proved very profitable (!3