The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-03-02

"Near shave, thatr' says the Captain,
coolly; but miss is as good as a
mile, anyhow
Away, away, past green, sunny slopes
chequered with massive buttresses OF
gray rock; past steep, crumbling ridges,
on which tiny black goats are hanging
like flies; past cool, sheltered inlets
sleeping in floating shadow; till at
length the struggling white streets and
tumble-down Notifications of Gallipoli
start up suddenly along grassy head
land in front of them, in the glory of
the evening sunlight.
A wild clamor of mingled outcries
along the shore-a passing vision of
dark, fierce faces and hurrying figures,
and weapons brandished in vain menace
an Intellectual crackle of musketry
from the nearest angle of the wall-and
then the last peril is past, and before
them lies the open sea. AS they round
the point, the English cabin-boy-a lad
after Capt. Marryatt's own heart
springs up on the bulwarks, and shouts
to the baffled assistants:
Good-by, Johnny! Any message
for Constantinople?"
And the daring band, echoing the
taunt with a shout of laughter, sweep
by toward the point where, opening out
broad and bright between the receding
shores, lies the smooth surface of the
Sea of MarmOra.
Night overtakes them as they enter
it; but Capt. Elphinstone is not here for
the first time; he holds his course I'M
swervingly through the darkness, with
but one thought in his mind-to rea6sl
Constantinople. All night the brave
southwesterly wind fills their sails, as
if cheering them on; and with the first
CLEAN of sunrise they pass the green
curving shores of Princes Islands, "
and see before them, outspread for
many miles along the blue shining sea,
the serried roofs and tall white nina
rets and stated y mosques and countless
palaces Of imperial Constantinople.
AT this early hour but few persons
are yet abroad but the sight of the ter
rible Russian flag suffices to arouse the
whole capital. Not a gun mounted on
the seward batteries not regiment
in fighting order-the enemy's first ship
already in sight, and the rest doubtless
close behind--well may Constantinople
tremble! Within less than half an hour
every street leading down to the harbor
is one roaring swarm of struggling fig
ures and convulsed faces, livid with
fear or black with rage; and mingled
uproar of cries of dismay, savage curses
on the Moscow" wild prayers to Al
lab and the Prophet, and bloodthirsty
yells for the heads of the Grand Vizier
and his officers rend the very air.
And then, in the midst of all the mad
dening din, are heard the quick, stern
tones of Capt. Elphinstone's voice:
"Nikolai! bring me up bottle of
rum and some sugar and hot water
sharpn'
The Greek steward, himself an old
privateersman, obeys with a grin of I'M
feigned delight on his Scared faces and
the crew, clustered on the forecastle,
bend forward to see their leader drink
his toast in the teeth of all CONSTANT
nople. The grog is mixed with an I'M
faltering hand; the Captain rises from
his seat, and, turning toward the raging
thousands that line the shore, shouts,
at the full pitch of his mighty voice:
"Success to Old England and her
navy, and may every Turkish lubber 90
straight to the bottom"
He drains the tumbler as he speaks,
and, tlinging it scornfully toward the in
furiated Turks, calls to his lieutenant:
"Now, Mr.. Dugdale, put her head
about and off we go again"
"What! without giving 'em even one
broadside, sir?" says the surprised Off
GER.
Whats the good of killing poor
beggars who can't resist?" answers the
stout-hearted sailor; besides, dye
think I'm going to do the Russians work
for 'em, if they haven't the pluck to do
it themselves? The minute | see that
old porpoise of an Admiral again, I'll
just chuck my commission in his face
I'm not going to serve any longer with
a pack of lubbers who daren't take a
good chance when it's offered them"
Capt Elphinstone kept his word, and
the Russian navy saw him no more.
Little did the supplemented hero think
that he had done deed whose fame
should endure forever; and as little
could he foresee that it would be sur
passed, a century later, by another sea-
man on the opposite side of the world,
whose name was Admiral Farragut.-
CdSSeWS Mdgazine.