Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-12-07
NELSON'S FIGHTING MEN.
tsnd Few Picasurer rnd Enced Death
Nifh IA .IrNI

'hG rev Pleasures rnd Enced Death
with IA jest.
OF The wooden walls CT England"
The great sailing ships n which Admi-
raj Nelson won his victories, and OF the
men who worked them, Il critic writes:
Though beautiful TO behold and tcrri
bic 10 fight with. those old memo war
were more often than not abodes o.
tyranny and wretchellness. The vlo
lence Of The press gangs. which seized
men OF all ages and occupations, was
bnt q prelude 10 the oppression that
followed. Decent men were herded in.
discriminatory with ruiilars. the rights
OF free horn Englishmen were rrdely
snatchcd from thc,n--for them thence.
forward there was no law save til.
WIZ OF the captain ana The dread arti-
Giles OF war. Shore going leave was
noneXistcnt the food WAS atrocious
and scanty. puEishments were barbar.
ous and the only thing served out with
any llberality was rum. on Which the
men got drunk and then were logged
for that offcnse at the gratinss next
morning.
few pleasures save the prospect OF
hot fight and his daily pint OF rum.
But 10 these must be added tho vain.
glorious satisfaction he took IN his
clothes. When rugged out IN his best
he frequently wore rings in his cars and
silver buckles on his low shoes, his
short biuc jacket would be decorated
With gold buttons ana colored ribbons
scwed down the seams TO give an addi-
| uonai gayety. his waistcoat might be
red or canary, and n black silk hand
kerchief would be kpottcd loosely
round his throat. AS the finishing
touch his hair would he ha.lging In a
cue down lis back. The broad collars
were first worn as protection against
The grease and ponatum used in dress.
| Ing the piGtaii.
But all these frippcries were dis.
carded when the guns were cast loose
from their lashings and the linstocks
were lighted. 1t was the custom OF the
men when going into action 10 strip 10
the waist. They took their bla elk silk
handkerchlcfs and bound them very
| tightly round their heads over their
ears. so that The roar OF the guns might
not deafen them for life. 1t was re-
! married. that men going into action al
ways wore sullen frown, however
merry they were in their talk.
methods followed In that day were
eurlously primitive and toilsome, but
the results were undoubtedly satisfac-
tory save to the nameless and number
less sailors who met grim death OH the
black and blood stained decks or In the
dark horror OF the cockpit. That those
hardy and careless men often faced
death or disablemcnt with n Jest OF q
cheer only renders their unconscious
her0ism the more impressive."-Chica-
20 News.
Some secret EurinIs.
Aiaric, king Of the Nisigoths and thei!
victorious leader, was buried about
1000 years ago by his soldiers In tho
bed OF the river Busento, in southern
Italy. They first turned the waters in.
10 another channel and. after buryinc
/ Their chief and his treasures, let them
how BACK again. His grave was dug
by prisoners, who were all afterwara
| put 10 death, so that the Romans might
never find his grave.
Attila, King OF the Huns, was buried
a. -. 453 on wide plain In three COT.
hns-one OF gold, one OF silver and the
third of iron. In his case. too, all the
PRISONERS who were compelled to dig
'iis grave were Immediately killed.
| Another 8ecret burla, IN later history
was that Of Fernando dc Soto. the dis
coverer OF the Mississippi, whose cor.
lin was sunk at midnight In the middle
OF the broad stream 10 conceal his
death from, the natives. who mad been
toid that he was an Immortal child o.
the sun.