The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-05
ORIGINAL SKETCHES OF NAVAL LIFE
THE EXECUTION AT SEA

A
| Header, hast ever visited the Island oil
Minorca, m the Mediterranean Hast ever
ia'n 10 inc beautiful, smooth, placid and lake
IKE hnrhor OF Port Mahon II thou art a
naval oiiicer, a yankee iiinemnt citizen of the
world-either sailor or amphibious animal
and hast not, during thy adventurous pursuits,
visited that home Of the American seaman |;
that winter station Of the American squadron
IN the Mediterranean, then hast all thy pere-
grinaiions throughout this terraqueous globe,
during the standing part Of thy existence, gone
Tor naught; for thou can'st have no con-
ception Of home in a foreign cline, of
strangers welcome in stranger land.
Before my minds eye now is pictured the
CLASSY waters Of that original port-so clear,
so lucid, that you can see the keels of the
largest sized vessels, as they lay sleeping, as
u were, on the surface. And then so perfectly
sale are all those who take shelter in that hill
surrounded harbor, from the ravages Of the
WINDY god, whose location is in the Gulf Of
Lyons, that have often wondered how il was
that The imbecile government Of Spain hath
SO long retained il from her "soi disant"
friend, the island-monopozer, Jack lngla-
Terra. But, as yet, she has done SO; and the
dark-eyed brunettes-the lovely Island Seno-
ritas welcome to their shores, f" con mucho
gusio" the officers aud crew Of the American
Man-of-War, more iervently than those Of
any other nation.
In the year --, some little misunder-
standing occurred between Johnny Crapeau
and Brother jonathan, about something /; and
from the beligerant lpquacity Of Johnny, and
the determined perinacity OF Jonathan, it was
anticipated that the result would be side-cut
between two Of the most stubborn nations of
this obdurate world Of ours. We had returned
to Port Mahon in the TALL of that year, latter
performing the summers cruize il the A,chi-
pelago, &C., where we found the Commo-
dore, who, much to our dissatisfaction, gave
Us to understand that we must prepare our
selves forthwith to leave our s, cure retreat to
cruize in the Bay Of Gibraltar and outside the
Straits, lest we should be caught napping by
our quandam friend and ancient crony, John
as-aioresaid. With aorrowiul hearts, we took
tender farewell de fodos las Senoriias de
.Hahon, hove our anchor apeak aud got under
weigh for the Rock, where, and ut Lisbon,
Cadiz, and other places in those attitudes we
spent the winter.
Ealy the following spring, we learned,
officially, what we had long anticipated, that
all difficulties had been amicably adjusted be-
tween France aud America. Once more we
weighed anchor for our head quarters, with
the joyful certainty of meeting with those
smiling faces who are ever ready to receive
the sea-farer with open arms; an estimable
consideration in the life Of sailor.
On our arrival at our port, we found our
Commodore and the other vessels composing
the squadron already at anchor, and stripping
for refil out. As soon as our own frigale
had swung to her anchor, we received our
orders to commence Immediately reftting for
the summer crnize. Without delay our ship,
like the others, was stripped to girtline, and
the work of repairing was carried on so
dexterously, that in less than week wewere
all-a-taunto, and ready for sea- As is GUS
tomary on such occasions, The crews of the
different vessels were then allowed TO go on
shore in quarter watches, and that privilege is
thought by men-or-wars- men worthy Of ju-
biee and they enjoy it to the utmost.
On board one Of the vessels were two
young men, neither Of whom could number
twenty years on his liie's calendar They
had long been together, and were fast and in
innate friends. They were stationed in the
same top; performed their duty in The same
watch; turned into each others hammock
messed on the same plank, and were insepa-
rabe compan ons. When it came the turn
of the quarter watch in which they were sta.
Toned to avail themselves of the privilege
granted, and their numbers were made, las a
blue jacket would term it) they were seen
standing together fitted in every respect "lo
mismo !" in blue jackets, white trOwsers, and
neat tarpauhn hats. Two finer specimens of
the sea-iaring Genus Homo, it would be diff
cult to select.
Twenty -four hours was the allotted term Of
their liberty, and with joyful hearts and light
and buoyant spirits, they passed over the
gangway into the boats which were to
convey them to the shore; and, as is very
unfortunately the custom with sailors when
not under restraint, the tine was spent in
every kind of debauchery. Among the
number on shore were the twoyoung sail
ors, who compose the threads oithis yarn.
They were too easily persuaded TO join
in the drunken revelry, and at daylight
next morning, they sailed out of one of the
miserable sinks Of vice and infamv, reek-
ing with the fumes of the poison, which they
had been all night long imbibng. Deriously
intoxicated, with brain on fire, they stupidity
re-led as they bent their way towards George
town. Too inebriated to proceed far on the
road, they, by mutual consent, reclined under
an overhanging precipice, where they were
soon snoring in death-like slumber But
few minutes elapsed ere one of them awoke
maddened with horrors-his eyes were glaz-
ed-his teeth chartered, and his whole frame
shook convnlsively; he knew not where he
was, or from whence he came, or the friend
who still slumbered beside him. 1t occurred
to him, however, las he afterwards sadly that
his friend was foe, who lay there watching
to murder him; he therefore arose to his feet,
tottered a few PAGES, lifted the fragment of
rock, staggered back to where his imagined
foe lay sleeping, and deliberately mashed his