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- 8630
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- CHAPTER LIV.
“THE PEOPLE” ARE GIVEN “LIBERTY.”
Whenever, in intervals of mild benevolence, or yielding to mere politic
dictates, Kings and Commodores relax the yoke of servitude, they should
see to it well that the concession seem not too sudden or unqualified;
for, in the commoner’s estimation, that might argue feebleness or fear.
Hence it was, perhaps, that, though noble Jack had carried the day
captive in his audience at the mast, yet more than thirty-six hours
elapsed ere anything official was heard of the “liberty” his shipmates
so earnestly coveted. Some of the people began to growl and grumble.
“It’s turned out all gammon, Jack,” said one.
“Blast the Commodore!” cried another, “he bamboozled you, Jack.”
“Lay on your oars a while,” answered Jack, “and we shall see; we’ve
struck for liberty, and liberty we’ll have! I’m your tribune, boys; I’m
your Rienzi. The Commodore must keep his word.”
Next day, about breakfast-time, a mighty whistling and piping was heard
at the main-hatchway, and presently the boatswain’s voice was heard:
“D’ye hear there, fore and aft! all you starboard-quarter watch! get
ready to go ashore on liberty!”
In a paroxysm of delight, a young mizzen-top-man, standing by at the
time, whipped the tarpaulin from his head, and smashed it like a
pancake on the deck. “Liberty!” he shouted, leaping down into the
berth-deck after his bag.
At the appointed hour, the quarter-watch mustered round the capstan, at
which stood our old First Lord of the Treasury and Pay-Master-General,
the Purser, with several goodly buck-skin bags of dollars, piled up on
the capstan. He helped us all round to half a handful or so, and then
the boats were manned, and, like so many Esterhazys, we were pulled
ashore by our shipmates. All their lives lords may live in listless
state; but give the commoners a holiday, and they outlord the Commodore
himself.
The ship’s company were divided into four sections or quarter-watches,
only one of which were on shore at a time, the rest remaining to
garrison the frigate—the term of liberty for each being twenty-four
hours.
With Jack Chase and a few other discreet and gentlemanly top-men, I
went ashore on the first day, with the first quarter-watch. Our own
little party had a charming time; we saw many fine sights; fell in—as
all sailors must—with dashing adventures. But, though not a few good
chapters might be written on this head, I must again forbear; for in
this book I have nothing to do with the shore further than to glance at
it, now and then, from the water; my man-of-war world alone must supply
me with the staple of my matter; I have taken an oath to keep afloat to
the last letter of my narrative.
Had they all been as punctual as Jack Chase’s party, the whole
quarter-watch of liberty-men had been safe on board the frigate at the
expiration of the twenty-four hours. But this was not the case; and
during the entire day succeeding, the midshipmen and others were
engaged in ferreting them out of their hiding-places on shore, and
bringing them off in scattered detachments to the ship.
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