Year: 1874

I


Eclipses, comets, and extraordinary
high tides can be predicted with ac-
curacy; there even seems to be prob
ability that in time the weather will
also strike its flag to science, and
that means will be found of olsen
tangling the conflicting influences
which send an aneroid up and down.
But in the art of foretelling the prob
able current of public enthusiasm
there is no sign of progress. The
keenest observer of human nature
can no more guess whether the ca
reer of any particular suitor, explor-
er, or criminal will simply appear in
the newspapers and excite no more
attention, or will be generally taken
up as a matter of national impor-
tance, than the merest tyro can. 1t
was more than a million to one that
Robert Jetfrey's wrongs would re-
main unnoticed, or raise but feeble
and passing interest. He became a
popular idol, however, representa-
tive victim of the press-gang system,
and the tyrannical customs which
naturally grew out of it, and SO a
very curious story has been handed
down to us.


In 1907 a privateer named the
Lord Nelson was fitted at Polpero
in Cornwall, a place famous for its
hardy race of smugglers; the entire
population being brought up to look
upon coast st-guardsmen as natural en-
emies, who might be killed with as
good conscience as though they
were Frenchmen. The profits Of
privateering were often greater even
than those of smuggling, and the
Lord Nelson had no trouble in gath
ering together a first-rate crew.
Amongst them was man who had
been brought up as blacksmith, but
had found both excitement and profit
in an occasional sea-trip, and indeed
was as good at the tiller as at the
forge, perhaps trifie better. The
name of this amphibious Cornishman
was Robert Jeffrey, and his career as
a privateersman was a short one; for
the Lord Nilsson, at the very COM
mencement of her cruise was forced
to put into Falmouth, where she
was boarded bya press-gang. 1t was
a perfectly illegal proceeding; the
press-gang had no more right to take
a man out of the Lord Nelson than
you or l have to break into a house
and take the plate-basket. But at
the commencement Of this century
private rights were very little re-
spected where the public service was
concerned, unless the person whom
it proposed to injure had plenty of
money or political influence. Rob
ert Jeffrey had neither, and he was
carried on board II. M. S. Recruit,
and was converted into a man-ot-
war's-man quite against his will, and
in defiance of his clear and undoubt-
ed protection.


The commander of the Recruit was
a young officer, at that time well
known in the navy as a reckless,
selfwilled, passionate man, the fol
bles Of whose nature were forced and
exasperated by despotic powers and
drinking habits. As if his normal
thirst were not enough, he was now
sent to cruise in the Caribbean Sea,
where the heat of the sun whetted it
to such an extent that he was seldom
or ever sober, the mildest potation
that he used to qucnch it being
spruce-beer, of which he always kept
a cask on tap in his private cabin.
Before he had been on board many
days, Jeffrey's proficiency as smith
was discovered, and he was made
armorer's mate. So that there was
a fair chance of making his enforced
trip pretty profitable, and, returning
after few months to his native
place, with pocketful ofprize-money
after all. But an unfortunate group
of circumstances got in the way.
The Captain was not the only thirsty
man in the ship; his armorer's mate,
for example, occasionally had a
drought upon him, which was con-
siderably aggravated by the extreme
hot weather and the small allowance
of water served out daily, for the
ship was running short of that treas
ure which we never prize while we
have it. During this state Of affairs,
Jeffrey was sent SO execute some job
in the Captains cabin, and, being
left alone with the barrel Of spruce
beer, he began to ogle it. There was
a drinking cup, which had been used,
lying very handy; the Captain was
on deck; no one could see him; he
was very thirsty. He snatched up
the cup, and desisted from his work
a moment to draw off half a pint and
toss it down. Very good it was, and
very refreshing; if stolen waters are
sweet, what must purloined spruce
beer be? Presently another drink
was taken, with equal success. A
third, however, was spoiled by the
thick and wrathful voice of the Cap.
tain, who had come below unheard,
in time to witness this outrageous
act of daring presumption. 1t would
burn hole in the paper to write
down Captain Lakes remarks upon
the occasion. Seventy years ago all
gentlemen swore little; naval Off
GERS swore very much, increasing in
vehemence as they rose in rank; men
in liquor swore, as at the present day,
hardest of all. You may imagine,