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- 11824
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:36.274Z
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- structure-extraction-lambda
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- 11754
- text
- It is, however, while laying in port that gambling most thrives in a
man-of-war. Then the men frequently practice their dark deeds in the
light of the day, and the additional guards which, at such times, they
deem indispensable, are not unworthy of note. More especially, their
extra precautions in engaging the services of several spies,
necessitate a considerable expenditure, so that, in port, the diversion
of gambling rises to the dignity of a nabob luxury.
During the day the master-at-arms and his corporals are continually
prowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities. At one
time, for example, you see Leggs switching his magisterial rattan, and
lurking round the fore-mast on the spar-deck; the next moment, perhaps,
he is three decks down, out of sight, prowling among the cable-tiers.
Just so with his master, and Pounce his coadjutor; they are here,
there, and everywhere, seemingly gifted with ubiquity.
In order successfully to carry on their proceedings by day, the
gamblers must see to it that each of these constables is relentlessly
dogged wherever he goes; so that, in case of his approach toward the
spot where themselves are engaged, they may be warned of the fact in
time to make good their escape. Accordingly, light and active scouts
are selected to follow the constable about. From their youthful
alertness and activity, the boys of the mizzen-top are generally chosen
for this purpose.
But this is not all. Onboard of most men-of-war there is a set of sly,
knavish foxes among the crew, destitute of every principle of honour,
and on a par with Irish informers. In man-of-war parlance, they come
under the denomination of _fancy-men_ and _white-mice_, They are called
_fancy-men_ because, from their zeal in craftily reporting offenders,
they are presumed to be regarded with high favour by some of the
officers. Though it is seldom that these informers can be certainly
individualised, so secret and subtle are they in laying their
information, yet certain of the crew, and especially certain of the
marines, are invariably suspected to be _fancy-men_ and _white-mice_,
and are accordingly more or less hated by their comrades.
Now, in addition to having an eye on the master-at-arms and his aids,
the day-gamblers must see to it, that every person suspected of being a
_white-mouse_ or _fancy-man_, is like-wise dogged wherever he goes.
Additional scouts are retained constantly to snuff at their trail. But
the mysteries of man-of-war vice are wonderful; and it is now to be
recorded, that, from long habit and observation, and familiarity with
the _guardo moves_ and _manoeuvres_ of a frigate, the master-at-arms
and his aids can almost invariably tell when any gambling is going on
by day; though, in the crowded vessel, abounding in decks, tops, dark
places, and outlandish corners of all sorts, they may not be able to
pounce upon the identical spot where the gamblers are hidden.
During the period that Bland was suspended from his office as
master-at-arms, a person who, among the sailors, went by the name of
Sneak, having been long suspected to have been a _white-mouse_, was put
in Bland’s place. He proved a hangdog, sidelong catch-thief, but gifted
with a marvellous perseverance in ferreting out culprits; following in
their track like an inevitable Cuba blood-hound, with his noiseless
nose. When disconcerted, however, you sometimes heard his bay.
“The muffled dice are somewhere around,” Sneak would say to his aids;
“there are them three chaps, there, been dogging me about for the last
half-hour. I say, Pounce, has any one been scouting around _you_ this
morning?”
“Four on ’em,” says Pounce. “I know’d it; I know’d the muffled dice was
rattlin’!”
“Leggs!” says the master-at-arms to his other aid, “Leggs, how is it
with _you_—any spies?”
“Ten on’ em,” says Leggs. “There’s one on ’em now—that fellow stitching
a hat.”
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