- end_line
- 13749
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:36.278Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 13679
- text
- Twenty-four hours after—at the next evening quarters—the Captain’s eye
was observed to wander along the men at their guns—not a beard was
shaven!
When the drum beat the retreat, the Boatswain—now attended by all four
of his mates, to give additional solemnity to the announcement—repeated
the previous day’s order, and concluded by saying, that twenty-four
hours would be given for all to acquiesce.
But the second day passed, and at quarters, untouched, every beard
bristled on its chin. Forthwith Captain Claret summoned the midshipmen,
who, receiving his orders, hurried to the various divisions of the
guns, and communicated them to the Lieutenants respectively stationed
over divisions.
The officer commanding mine turned upon us, and said, “Men, if tomorrow
night I find any of you with long hair, or whiskers of a standard
violating the Navy regulations, the names of such offenders shall be
put down on the report.”
The affair had now assumed a most serious aspect. The Captain was in
earnest. The excitement increased ten-fold; and a great many of the
older seamen, exasperated to the uttermost, talked about _knocking of
duty_ till the obnoxious mandate was revoked. I thought it impossible
that they would seriously think of such a folly; but there is no
knowing what man-of-war’s-men will sometimes do, under
provocation—witness Parker and the Nore.
That same night, when the first watch was set, the men in a body drove
the two boatswain’s mates from their stations at the fore and main
hatchways, and unshipped the ladders; thus cutting off all
communication between the gun and spar decks, forward of the main-mast.
Mad Jack had the trumpet; and no sooner was this incipient mutiny
reported to him, than he jumped right down among the mob, and
fearlessly mingling with them, exclaimed, “What do you mean, men? don’t
be fools! This is no way to get what you want. Turn to, my lads, turn
to! Boatswain’s mate, ship that ladder! So! up you tumble, now, my
hearties! away you go!”
His gallant, off-handed, confident manner, recognising no attempt at
mutiny, operated upon the sailors like magic.
They _tumbled up_, as commanded; and for the rest of that night
contented themselves with privately fulminating their displeasure
against the Captain, and publicly emblazoning every anchor-button on
the coat of admired Mad jack.
Captain Claret happened to be taking a nap in his cabin at the moment
of the disturbance; and it was quelled so soon that he knew nothing of
it till it was officially reported to him. It was afterward rumoured
through the ship that he reprimanded Mad Jack for acting as he did. He
maintained that he should at once have summoned the marines, and
charged upon the “mutineers.” But if the sayings imputed to the Captain
were true, he nevertheless refrained from subsequently noticing the
disturbance, or attempting to seek out and punish the ringleaders. This
was but wise; for there are times when even the most potent governor
must wink at transgression in order to preserve the laws inviolate for
the future. And great care is to be taken, by timely management, to
avert an incontestable act of mutiny, and so prevent men from being
roused, by their own consciousness of transgression, into all the fury
of an unbounded insurrection. _Then_ for the time, both soldiers and
sailors are irresistible; as even the valour of Caesar was made to
know, and the prudence of Germanicus, when their legions rebelled. And
not all the concessions of Earl Spencer, as First lord of the
Admiralty, nor the threats and entreaties of Lord Bridport, the Admiral
of the Fleet—no, nor his gracious Majesty’s plenary pardon in
prospective, could prevail upon the Spithead mutineers (when at last
fairly lashed up to the mark) to succumb, until deserted by their own
mess-mates, and a handful was left in the breach.
- title
- Chunk 3