Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-08-17

which might occur to the public service if he
should be compelled to leave the port and
resume his cruise with his complement OF
seamen incomplete The consequence was
that instructions were issued forthwith to the
commanders of press-gangs to press every
man who could be found in the streets OF
Halifax, wearing a blue jacket, into his maj
esty's service. T., F
On the evening his arrival, Captain Grim
shaw received a pressing invitation from the
Governor of Nova Scotia to pass the evening
at the government mansion, where some i'm.
portant event was to be celebrated by a hall
at which it was expected all the beauty and
fashion in Halifax would be present But
the grim commander Of the Artaxeryes, who
held all balls but cannon-balls in utter con-
tempt and was familiar with no other fancy
dance then the double-shufae, which he could
execute with admirable skill, excused him.
self on the ground that he had important
official business to transact that evening
which would admit no delay. The fact was
that Captain Grimshaw, true to his early
tastes, hadmadeuphsm mindto take ga cruise
in Halifax on his own hook.
He went on board his ship and in due time
rugged himself out in the neat and becoming
costume of a sailor in the merchant ser
vice. And he made manly appearance
without his cpaulettes, embroidered coat, and
cooked hat; sporting simple blue jacket,
duck trowscrs, white stockings pumps, ban
dana ncckkerchicf and glazed hat. Almost
any Captain would have shipped him as an
cable seaman without asking questions
He carefully covered his costume by wrap
ping himself with boat cloak, and about
nine o clock in the evening stepped into his
gig, and was soon landed on the quay,
Handing his cloak to his faithful cox vain,
who grinned intelligence, and ordering him
to wait at the landing place until his return,
Grilnshaw walked briskly up the wharf and
wended his way towards that portion of the
city where sailors most do congregate--a
section which he had visited many years
since, and whose latitude and longitude he
well remembered. ~ e. b
In his walk he encountered couple of
blue jackets, bound in the same direction,
and Grimshaw, hailing them as .'shpmates, :"
entered into conversation, and asked them
various questions about the number of mcr-
chant ships in port, the number of sailors
ashore, and other matters connected with
their vocation, to which they replied evasivc-
ly, and eyeing their new companion some
what suspiciously, asked him if he belonged
to any ship import. s Tva. =
eyes," said Grimshaw with apparent
frankness, " belong to the ship Nonsuch,
Captain Cooke, which arrived here this af
ternoon, having been chased into the harbor
by a Yankee privateer.'
The men expressed some surprise at this
statement, inasmuch as they had heard moth
ing of the arrival of such ship They said
nothing further, being evidently shy of their
stalwart companion, and under some pretext,
soon after left him, when he turned aside
and entered house Of entertainment, where
he heard the sound of music and the shouts
of mirth and jollity. ...... .. -'......
Grimshaw was in his glory. He called for
something to drink, joked with the landlady,
| frolicked with the guests, treated all hands,
and was in the act of attempting the inge-
NOUS hornpipe known as the "Highland
Fling" to the great admiration of the spec
tators, when his saltatory flourshes were in
terupted oy the entrance of three or four
sailors, who surveyed him for few moments
with looks ofintense disgust and indignation
At length one Of them, thick-set, burly
looking follow with big whiskers and bushy
eyebrows and fierce expression on his
features which plainly meant mischief adj
dressing Grimshaw in hoarse, croaking
voice, at the same time twitching his elbow,
said, "you Mr. Nonsuch have a word to
say to you !"
Well, say away then!' replied Grmshaw
| in tone and manner not the most courteous
and conciliatory.
What have to say had better be said
outside the house, rejoined the peremptory
| tar. as..r....a
"No place like the present. exclaimed
Grimshaw, casting his eyes on the group
which had just entered, among whom he rec
ognized the two sailors he had fallen in with
in his walk. Ify you have anything on your
mind, bowse it out with watch tackle at
once"
$50 will," replied Jack. "Shipmates
this fellow that's cutting such shines Is the
leader OF press gang just come ashore from
the three-dccker that anchored in the outer
roads. llc'sa snake in the grass, a vagabond
of spy, shipmates, who only wants to throw
you off your guard, and then he will pounce
upon you with his gang which is lying to
somewhere to windward, and draw you
aboard that ovcrgrown hulk, where you will
find plenty Of fighting, free use of the cat
and the colt, and precious little grog"
The mirth which was rapidly growing fast
and furious, was changed by this pithy har-
rangue into storm Of indignation, which
was not allayed when Captain Grirnshaw,
thrown off his guard by the lbcllous charges,
roared out !" You lie, you rascal; grog is
served out every day, and no man gets a fog
ging on board the Artaxcrxes That don't de-
serve it -
No more was needed to prove the truth OF
Jacks charges. A great uproar ensued.-
The sailors gathered around Grinshaw. ex-
nraS sinp in hn nncf hot ,,,annn,, :, Il,