The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-04-08
TALES OF THE BORDERS
THE SEA SKIRMIsH.

The boa'wain, piping. Loudly ihunder.-
/ To your quarters { re and aft
The great guns sponge prepare for wonders
while my lafs, the winds ab1f.
With grape We can nine Founders rattle
Naval heroes fight and sing
I He tha' bravely tails in battle
Noby s. rYes his 7 ince or king.
-.ScI Song
The days Of war are now gone by, and
the events consequent upon them have now
b:come but as the " tales Of other years -
while those who were then the principal
agents ln carrying on hostile operations
have either gone the way of all the earth or
rfmain as the connecting links between the
ltst race and the present. But the time
will never come when the naval history Of
Great Britain shall not be that on which
BritOns look with the greatest interest :
aand certainly if there is one page in our
history more than another calculated to af-
tSrd pleasure, and, we may add, profit to
the reader, it is that which records the
alatchless achievements of our daring tars
during the last French war How many
2re the accounts of storms and battles, OF
sardsbps and perils undergone, which, in
tbe days of our bovhood, We were accus-
somed to hear from the mouths of old tars
iow no more. and whose memories are
preserved only in the recollectiOns Of lev
Of their old associates
There still stands on the east side Of the
village of T-a whtewashed house. at
the door of which hangs huge ship, indi-
eating that this is the village ale house.
iThis house in our early days was the resort
pf some half dozen old sailors, who had re-
| tired, after their best years had been spent
IN their cOupGIy vieS, &c srevi their
days in their native village. At The door
Of =" The Ship " as the ale house was called,
stood an immense ash tree, the wide spread
IAng branches Of which, covered with foliage,
afforded i'll summer an agreeable shade
from the heat Of the sun. Under this tree
"a long seat was placed, in front Of which
| tstOod a white FIR table, upon which rested
| the Jugs of foaming ale with which those
who chose we're wont to regale themselves
That seat is still there, and we hope it will
remain for ages. 1t was the constant resort
of the old tars already mentioned, and
there, with their jug Of ale and their never
falling pipe were they wont to fight their
battles over again Many of the yarns
which we then heard we have since forgot
ten some OF them, however, still survive
10 our recollection. One of these we shall
communicate, if not in the vely words in
which it was delivered, vet in substance, to
the reader.
| If spectator were to stand on almost
any part Of the sea coast of Great Britain
and cast bis eyes over the sea, he would be
hold numerous white specks upon tbe
ocean, passing in every direction. These
| specks he knows to be vessels, freighted
with stores of various descriptions, and des-
tined to various ports, to supply the def
cheney in certain articles existing in one
place from the superabundance of another.
These vessels, in our day, creep along their
respective ways without fear OF mOlestatIoD.
| The case was different, however, at the time
in which our story begins. Then it was
necessary for several vessels bound for the
same port to be armed for defence, and to
sail in company, for the sake of mutual pro
lection from the assaults Of French priya-
teers, who frequently attacked and captured
merchantmen, consigning their crews to the
horrors Of a French prison.
1t was on beautiful morning in June
that three Of the smacks which ply between
London and Berwick were living in the
Thames with the signal for sailing at their
topmast heads The sails were all lOOsened
from the lashingS which had bound them
down whilst in harbor,- whilst the sailors
were all busily employed in preparations for
hosting them to the breeze. At the com
mand of the masters the mainsails rose slow
" from the large folds into which they had
been compressed the gaffs were alternately
elevated aud depressed, as the strength of
the scamcn was applied % the peak y main
haul, ards, whilst the lars employee IN such
operations beloved out il cultural sounds
their favorte song of q chccrily. i At
length toe command to belay vas given,
ana the mainsalls were stretched Ia their full
dimcn-i ions, whilst the cry Of 9 Cloar away
TIE gafl topsail there " was responded to
by the oh crful ''Ay, ay, sir" Of the sail
ors. A couple Of younkers flew up the
rigging of each smack with the agility of
monkeys, 70 execute the order
" All clear :" shouted out voice from
the crosstrees.
"Then. hoist away, my lads - cried the
master. And the long, tspering sails rose
up to their places
w Sheet them home, ard helay all -
bawled out the captain. And the tOpsail-
sheet was fastened to the Delaying pins.
Clap on The jib-Out haul - was the
next ordyr, which was as speedily yyed
And the ample iib was also extended 10 the
breeze, whilst some Of the sailors were al
the same time employed in housing down
the bobstay, which secured the bow
spirit from yielding too far to the influence
Of the jib.
All now seemed ready for starting The
ropes were coiled up out Of the way, anC
the smacks held to the wharf by a single
rope he pilot was also on board and th'
sailors we're wondering what could be th'
reason why the word was not given to cas-
off, Minute after minute, however, rollet
on, and still no order, whilst the sailors
leaning against the bulwarks, we're whilin!
Z away the time in trying to divine the caus
Of delay At last voices we're heard tror
be two sternmost smacks, bailing the on