- description
- # Israel is kidnapped into naval service.
## Overview
This subsection, titled "Israel is kidnapped into naval service.", details a pivotal moment in the narrative where the protagonist, Israel, is forcibly conscripted into the British navy. It is part of Chapter XIII of the text and was extracted from the file `israel_potter.txt`.
## Context
This event occurs within the broader context of Chapter XIII, titled "HIS ESCAPE FROM THE HOUSE, WITH VARIOUS ADVENTURES FOLLOWING." The narrative follows Israel's previous encounter with a stranger who invited him to a house of entertainment, as described in the preceding subsection. The entire text is part of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection.
## Contents
The subsection describes how Israel is tricked and then physically forced into naval service by two men, acting on behalf of a "crimp" or recruiter. He is taken to the inn and then into the service of King George III. Israel protests his capture, asserting he is not English, but his captors dismiss his claims, stating that the English fleet is full of foreigners. This section ends with Israel's forceful induction into the navy, setting the stage for his subsequent adventures at sea, as detailed in the following subsection, "Israel finds himself at Portsmouth and a foretopman on a ship."
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:45.968Z
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- description_title
- Israel is kidnapped into naval service.
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- 3682
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- 2026-01-30T20:47:55.385Z
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- 3667
- text
- And beckoning very quietly to two brawny fellows, in a trice Israel
found himself kidnapped into the naval service of the magnanimous old
gentleman of Kew Gardens—his Royal Majesty, George III.—“Hands off!”
said Israel, fiercely, as the two men pinioned him.
“Reglar game-cock,” said the cousinly-looking man. “I must get three
guineas for cribbing him. Pleasant voyage to ye, my friend,” and,
leaving Israel a prisoner, the crimp, buttoning his coat, sauntered
leisurely out of the inn.
“I’m no Englishman,” roared Israel, in a foam.
“Oh! that’s the old story,” grinned his jailers. “Come along. There’s
no Englishman in the English fleet. All foreigners. You may take their
own word for it.”
- title
- Israel is kidnapped into naval service.