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diff --git a/42138-0.txt b/42138-0.txt index 53729ab..2007f05 100644 --- a/42138-0.txt +++ b/42138-0.txt @@ -1,35 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pike & Cutlass, by George Gibbs - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Pike & Cutlass - Hero Tales of Our Navy - -Author: George Gibbs - -Release Date: February 20, 2013 [EBook #42138] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42138 *** Transcriber’s Note: italic text is denoted by _underscores_. @@ -6277,361 +6246,4 @@ have been retained, except as follows: End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pike & Cutlass, by George Gibbs -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - -***** This file should be named 42138-0.txt or 42138-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/1/3/42138/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Pike & Cutlass - Hero Tales of Our Navy - -Author: George Gibbs - -Release Date: February 20, 2013 [EBook #42138] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - -Transcriber's Note: italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - - - -PIKE & CUTLASS - -[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF THE "CONSTITUTION" - -Page 209] - - - - - PIKE & CUTLASS - - HERO TALES - OF - OUR NAVY - - WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED - BY GEORGE GIBBS - - [Illustration] - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - 1900 - - - Copyright, 1898 and 1899, by - THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY - - Copyright, 1899, by - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. - - - - - TO THE CADETS - OF THE - UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY - PAST, PRESENT, AND - FUTURE - - - - -NOTE - - -The writer expresses thanks for their courtesy to the editors of -"Lippincott's Magazine" and the editors of the "Saturday Evening Post," -of Philadelphia, in which periodicals several of these Hero Tales have -been printed. He also acknowledges his indebtedness for many valuable -historical facts to "Cooper's Naval History;" "History of the Navy," by -Edgar S. Maclay; "History of Our Navy," by John R. Spears; "Twelve Naval -Captains," by Molly Elliot Seawell; "American Naval Heroes," by John -Howard Brown; "Naval Actions of the War of 1812," by James Barnes; and -to many valuable works and papers in the archives of the Library of the -Navy Department at Washington. Thanks are due the Art Department of the -"Saturday Evening Post" and the Art Department of "Collier's Weekly" for -their permission to reprint many of the drawings herein. - - GEORGE GIBBS. - - August 15, 1899. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - The Effrontery of Paul Jones 7 - - HIS FIGHT WITH THE "DRAKE" AND DESCENT ON WHITEHAVEN - - A Struggle to the Death 24 - - PAUL JONES'S FIGHT WITH THE "SERAPIS" - - The Terrier and the Mastiff 34 - - NICHOLAS BIDDLE'S WONDERFUL FIGHT - - Decatur and the "Philadelphia" 46 - - The Biggest _Little_ Fight in Naval History 56 - - DECATUR AND THE TRIPOLITAN GUNBOATS - - A Double Encounter 73 - - STEWART AND THE "CYANE" AND "LEVANT" - - The "Constitution" and the "Guerriere" 90 - - The "Wasp" and the "Frolic" 106 - - The "Constitution" and the "Java" 117 - - The Last of the "Essex" 132 - - The Captain of the Maintop 148 - - Cushing and the "Albemarle" 158 - - Somers and the "Intrepid" 170 - - The Passing of the Old Navy 181 - - OLD SALTS AND NEW SAILORS. THE OLD SHIPS AND THE NEW - - Farragut in Mobile Bay 220 - - At the Naval Academy 231 - - Our Nation's New Heroes 248 - - Heroes of the Deep 274 - - OUR FISHING FLEET - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - The Escape of the "Constitution" _Frontispiece_ - - The Descent on Whitehaven 17 - - "Yard-arm to Yard-arm" 27 - - Decatur boards the "Philadelphia" 52 - - The Danger of the "Intrepid" 53 - - "No 'Dutch Courage' on _THIS_ Ship" 83 - - In the Tops of the "Constitution" 101 - - The "Constellation" and the "Vengeance" 155 - - The Smoking Hour 189 - - Neptune comes Aboard 191 - - Modern Sea Monsters in Action 204 - - The Admiral lashed to the Rigging 225 - - Reefing Top-sails 242 - - They did not touch Him and His Leg was saved 252 - - Her Last Duty 263 - - - - -THE EFFRONTERY OF PAUL JONES - - -In April, 1778, there were more than two-score of French ships-of-the-line -within easy sailing distance of the coast of England. They were tremendous -three-decked monsters, armed with tier upon tier of cannon, and it took -nearly a thousand officers and men to man each of them. They lay at -anchor in the harbors of France or sallied forth into the open sea to the -southward to prey upon the commerce of Great Britain. But grand as they -were, not one of them dared to do what John Paul Jones did in the little -Continental sloop of war "Ranger." By good seamanship, an element of -chance, and a reckless daring almost without precedent, he accomplished -under the very noses of the gold-laced French admirals what they had been -hemming and hawing about since the beginning of the war. - -Inaction weighed upon the mind of Paul Jones more heavily than the hardest -of labor. He had to be up and doing all the time, or trouble was brewing -for everybody on shipboard. So when he reached Nantes, France, and found -that the frigate which had been promised him was not forthcoming, he -determined, alone and unaided, to do with the little "Ranger" what he -was not yet destined to do with a bigger ship. No person but Paul Jones -would for a moment have considered such a desperate project as the one he -conceived. What the flower of the navy and chivalry of France had refused -to attempt was little short of suicide for the mad American. But Jones was -not cast in an ordinary mould. When he got to Brest, he made up his mind -once and for all, by one good fire of British shipping to put an end to -all the ship and town burnings in America. - -There was clanking of bit and chain as the anchor was hove up short on -the little craft. The officers and men of the great vessels of the French -fleet looked over the glistening water, warmed by the afternoon sun of -spring, and wondered where their impetuous harbor-mate was off to. A week -before, they knew Paul Jones had demanded that the French Admiral salute -the Continental flag which the "Ranger" wore for the first time. And they -had given those salutes right willingly, acknowledging publicly the nation -they had been helping in secret. They knew he was a man of determination, -and they wondered what the American was going to do. Some of them--the -younger ones--wished they too were aboard the dainty little craft, bound -out to sea under a man who feared nothing and dared everything. They heard -the whistles and hoarse calls of the bos'n as the men tumbled down from -aloft, the sheets flew home, and yards went up to their blocks with a -clatter and a rush that showed how willing were the hands at the tackles. -The tops'ls caught a fine breeze from the southward and, bracing up, the -"Ranger" flew down the harbor and around the point of Quiberon just as -the sun was setting behind the purple cloud-streaks along the line of -limitless ocean. Up the coast she moved, her bowsprit pointing fearlessly -to the north, where lay the Scilly Isles. The Frenchmen left behind in the -harbor looked enviously at the patch of gold, growing every moment more -indistinct in the fading light, and said "En voilà un brave!" - -The next day Jones left the Scilly Isles on his starboard quarter and -steered boldly up Saint George's Channel into the wide Irish Sea. The -merchantmen he boarded and captured or scuttled did not quite know what -to make of a man who feared so little that he looked into the eyes of the -lion sternly and even menacingly when one movement might have destroyed -him. These channel-men thought themselves secure, for such a venturesome -procedure as that of Paul Jones was contrary to all precedent. They -couldn't understand it at all until their vessels were burned and they -themselves were prisoners. Then they knew that they had been taken by -a man whose daring far surpassed that of the naval captains of England -and France. In plain sight of land he took a brig bound from Ireland -to Ostend. He didn't want to be bothered with prisoners, so he sent her -crew ashore in their own boat to tell the story of their escape. Then off -Dublin he took another ship, the "Lord Chatham," and sent her in charge -of a prize-crew down to Brest. - -Paul Jones had one great advantage. Nowadays, when the railway and -telegraph have brought all the people of the world closer together, such -a cruise would be impossible. The report would be sent at once to the -Admiralty, and two fleets, if necessary, would be despatched post-haste -to intercept him. But Paul Jones knew the value of the unexpected. And -although fortune favors the brave and the winds and waves seem always on -the side of the ablest navigators, he had made his calculations carefully. -He knew that unless an English fleet was at some point nearer than -Portsmouth he would have ample time to carry out his plans. - -He made up his mind before burning any shipping to capture, if possible, -the Earl of Selkirk, who lived on St. Mary's Isle, and to hold him as -a hostage. By this means he hoped to compel England to treat American -prisoners with humanity, according to the laws of war. But on the -twenty-first of April he picked up a fisherman who gave him information -which for the moment drove all thought of the Earl of Selkirk and the -shipping from his mind. Inside the harbor of Carrickfergus, where Belfast -is, lay a man-of-war of twenty guns, the "Drake," a large ship, with more -men than the "Ranger" carried. He would drop down alongside of her under -cover of the night and board her before her crew could tumble out of -their hammocks. Such an attempt in a fortified harbor of the enemy would -not have occurred to most men, but Paul Jones believed in achieving the -impossible. He waited until nightfall, and then, with a wind freshening -almost to a gale, sped up the harbor. The "Drake" lay well out in the -roadstead, her anchor lights only marking her position in the blackness -of the night. Carefully watching his time, Captain Jones stood forward -looking at the lights that showed how she swung to the tide. He kept full -headway on the "Ranger," until she could swing up into the wind almost -under the jib-boom of the Englishman. By dropping his anchor across the -chain of the "Drake" he hoped to swing down alongside, grapple, and board -before the crew were fairly awake. - -But this time he was destined to fail. Everything depended on the dropping -of the anchor at the proper time. His orders were not obeyed, for not -until the "Ranger" had drifted clear of the Englishman's chain did the -splash come. Then it was too late. Fortunately the watch on the "Drake" -were not suspicious. Had they been wider awake they would have had the -"Ranger" at their mercy, and Paul Jones might not have survived to fight -them a few days later. As it was, they only swore at the stupidity of the -Irish lubber they thought he was. Jones knew that his chance was gone, -and as soon as a strain came on the cable it was cut, and he filled away -to sea again. - -He now returned to his original plan of burning the shipping of some -important town. He decided on Whitehaven as his first objective point, and -the "Ranger," sailing leisurely over, dropped anchor in the outer harbor -during the following night. - -Whitehaven was a town of considerable importance in the Scottish and -North of England shipping trade. The inhabitants were for the greater part -sailors and others who made their living by the sea, and there was never -a time when the docks were not crowded with vessels, of all countries, -from the sloop to the full-rigged ship, discharging or taking on cargoes -which figured largely in England's commerce. At one side of the harbor lay -the town, and farther around to the left lay the docks where the shipping -was. Over two hundred vessels, large and small, lay there or out in the -roadstead. Two forts, mounting fifteen guns each, guarded the town. They -were adequately garrisoned, and it looked like a piece of desperate folly -to make the attempt upon a town directly under their guns. - -Paul Jones knew Whitehaven from his childhood. He remembered just where -the guard-houses were to be found, and knew how to force the entrance -to the barracks. By three o'clock in the morning he was ready to make -the assault. Two cutters with fifteen men in each, armed with cutlasses -and pistols, were all he took to do the work. With thirty men he went -fearlessly and confidently to intimidate the soldiers, spike the guns in -the forts, overawe the town, and burn the shipping! Lieutenant Wallingford -was given command of one of the cutters. His mission was to burn the -shipping to the left. The other cutter Paul Jones commanded himself, and -assumed the more hazardous duty of holding with his fifteen men the forts -and the town, until such a blaze should illumine the morning sky that all -England would know that the burning of Portland, Maine, was avenged. - -Quietly they pulled up towards the great stone dock, where the -shipping-houses were. The tide was very low as they moved past the -schooners and brigs in the harbor, many of them careened far over -on their sides, waiting for a rise in the tide to pull down to more -comfortable moorings. But the boats went by without challenge or notice, -and Wallingford's cutter had slipped away like a gray shadow in the -darkness. The first violet streaks of dawn were just beginning to throw -the shore-line to the east in hazy silhouette when they reached the -landing-place. - -The dawn was coming up quickly now, and Paul Jones led his fifteen men -at a run to the nearest fort. With cutlass in one hand and pistol in the -other, they dashed upon the first sentry. There was no time for stealth, -so they bore him down by sheer weight. The next one saw them coming, -but Jones locked him and the rest of them in the guard-house. Then he -proceeded to spike the guns. So quick was the work that not a shot was -fired. They were running towards the second fort before the soldiers were -quite sure what had happened. Even then they were too terrified to follow -in pursuit. As the gallant band ran towards the other fort they got a -clear view of the harbor, a glimmering sheet of orange and violet, under -the morning glow. But strain his eyes as he might, their captain could -get no sign of Wallingford or his work. They dashed as desperately at -this fort as at the other and were equally successful, intimidating the -garrison and spiking every gun they could find. - -But what could be the trouble with Wallingford? Still seeing no blaze or -even spark among the shipping to the eastward, Paul Jones felt that the -main object of his descent upon the town was to prove a failure. So he -dashed down the street from the fort towards the dock, pistol in hand, -followed by his crew, who rolled along grinning at the ease with which -they had accomplished their work. One of them had a bad cut over the head -and the blood was staining his shoulder, but he didn't seem to mind it in -the least. To their surprise as they passed the houses the people began -coming out of their doors shaking their fists at and cursing them. They -grinned no longer, for they knew that some one had betrayed them. Jones -looked around for the fifteenth man. The fellow with the cut wiped some -blood from his cheek and said,-- - -"Dave Freeman, sir, he's gone!" - -Freeman was the traitor, then. - -But there was no time for parley or revenge. The mob was collecting -in the street they had left and soon would be down on the dock. Though -Wallingford failed, Paul Jones would not. He dashed into a house on the -dock, and seizing a burning brand went aboard one of the largest vessels -of the fleet. He hastily pulled together some straw and hatchway gratings -and soon had a roaring blaze. Then one of his men spilled a barrel of tar -in the midst of it to make the destruction more sure. - -[Illustration: THE DESCENT ON WHITEHAVEN] - -He had been so intent upon his work that he had not noticed the mob -that had gathered on the dock. The place seemed black with people, and -their number was increasing every minute. Then, leaving the work of -destruction to the others, he went down alone to face fifteen hundred -infuriated people with a single flint-lock pistol! Dave Freeman had done -his work well, for they seemed to pour from every street and doorway. -But Paul Jones was determined that the work should be finished, and -took a position where he could command the boat-landing and retreat of -his men. The people came down in a body to within twenty paces of Paul -Jones and then--stopped. There was something in the _look_ of the man -and the menacing black barrel that moved from one to the other that made -them quail and fall over each other to get out of range. Those in the -background swore and pushed gallantly, but the front rank was a line -of straw, and Paul Jones moved it with his old flint-lock as though a -Biscay wind-squall was striking it. For fifteen minutes and longer he -stood there, immovable, the master of the situation, the picture of the -intimidating power of one resolute man over a mob. Such another instance -is hardly to be found in history. - -When the black smoke rolled up from half a dozen vessels of the fleet, -Paul Jones's crew retreated in an orderly manner to the cutter. Jones -walked down the steps into the boat, covering the crowd the while. Then -his men leisurely rowed away, not a shot having been fired. It was not -until the cutter was well out into the bay that some of the bewildered -soldiers recovered sufficiently to load two cannon that Paul Jones had -overlooked. These they brought to bear upon the cutter dancing down in -the sunrise towards the "Ranger" and fired. The shot whistled wide of the -mark, and Jones, to show his contempt of such long-range courage, fired -only his pistol in return. - -But that was not the end of this remarkable cruise. Having failed to find -the Earl of Selkirk on St. Mary's Isle, Paul Jones squared away to the -southward, hoping to pick up another full-rigged ship off Dublin or to -meet with the "Drake" again. He knew that by this time the Admiralty was -well informed as to his whereabouts, and that before many hours had passed -he would be obliged to run the gauntlet of a whole line of British fire. -But he hated to be beaten at anything, and since the night when he failed -to grapple her had been burning to try conclusions yard-arm to yard-arm -with the "Drake." - -On the twenty-fourth of April, just two weeks after sailing from the -harbor of Brest, he hove to off the Lough of Belfast, where within the -harbor he could plainly see the tall spars of the Englishman swinging -at his anchorage. Paul Jones was puzzled at first to know how he was to -lure the "Drake" out to sea, for a battle under the lee of the land in -the harbor was not to be thought of. So he went about from one tack to -another, wearing ship and backing and filling, until the curiosity of the -English captain, Burdon, was thoroughly aroused, and he sent one of his -junior officers out in a cutter to find out who the stranger was. Jones -ran his guns in and manoeuvred so cleverly that the stern of the "Ranger" -was kept towards the boat until he was well aboard. The young officer -was rather suspicious, but, nothing daunted, pulled up to the gangway in -true man-o'-war style and went on deck. There he was met by an officer, -who courteously informed him that he was on board the Continental sloop -of war "Ranger," Captain Paul Jones, and that he and his boat's crew were -prisoners of war. - -In the meanwhile Captain Burdon, finding that his boat's crew did -not return, got up his anchor, shook out his sails, and cleared ship -for action. He was already suspicious, and too good a seaman to let -unpreparedness play any part in his actions. There was not very much -wind, and slowly the "Drake" bore down on the silent vessel which lay, -sails flapping idly as she rolled, on the swell of the Irish Sea. As the -afternoon drew on the wind almost failed, so that it was an hour before -sunset before the "Drake" could get within speaking range. Hardly a ripple -stirred the surface of the glassy swells, and the stillness was ominous -and oppressive. - -When within a cable's length of the "Ranger" Captain Burdon sent up his -colors. Captain Jones followed his lead in a moment by running up the -Stars and Stripes. - -Suddenly a voice, looming big and hoarse in the silence, came from the -"Drake,"-- - -"What ship is that?" - -Paul Jones mounted the hammock nettings and, putting his speaking-trumpet -to his lips, coolly replied,-- - -"The American Continental ship 'Ranger.' We have been waiting for you. -The sun is but little more than an hour from setting, and it is time to -begin." - -Then he turned and gave a low order to the man at the wheel, and the -"Ranger" wore around so that her broadside would bear. Paul Jones always -believed in striking the first blow. When they came before the wind the -word was passed, and a mass of flame seemed to leap clear across the -intervening water to the "Drake." The "Ranger" shuddered with the shock -and felt in a moment the crashing of the other's broadside through her -hull and rigging. The battle was on in earnest. Yard-arm to yard-arm they -went, drifting down the wind, and the deep thundering of the cannonade was -carried over to the Irish hills, where masses of people were watching the -smoke-enveloped duel. The sun sank low, touching the purple hilltops, a -golden ball that shed a ruddy glow over the scene and made the spectacle -seem a dream rather than reality. Still they fought on. - -It was a glorious fight--and as fair a one as history records. The "Drake" -pounded away at the "Ranger's" hull alone, while Jones was doing all he -could with his smaller pieces to cripple his enemy's rigging. First the -"Drake's" fore-tops'l yard was cut in two. The main dropped next, and the -mizzen gaff was shot away. For purposes of manoeuvring, the "Drake" was -useless and drifted down, her jib trailing in the water and her shrouds -and rigging dragging astern. She was almost a wreck. As she heeled over on -the swell, the gunners on the "Ranger" could see human blood mingling with -the water of the division tubs that came from her scuppers. The first flag -was shot away, but another was quickly run up to its place. In a moment -that too was shot away from the hoisting halyard and fell into the water -astern, where it trailed among the wreckage. But still she fought on. - -On the "Ranger" the loss had been comparatively slight. Lieutenant -Wallingford and one other man had been killed and there were five or -six wounded men in the cockpit. Jones seemed to be everywhere, but still -remained uninjured and directed the firing until the end. He saw that the -sharpshooters in his tops were doing terrific execution on the decks of -his adversary, and at last he saw the imposing figure of Captain Burdon -twist around for a second and then sink down to the deck. Another officer -fell, and in a moment above the crash of division firing and the rattle -of the musketry overhead he heard a cry for quarter. - -The battle was at an end in a little over an hour. It was almost as great -a victory as that of the "Bonhomme Richard" over the "Serapis." Paul -Jones's ship carried eighteen guns; the Englishman carried twenty. The -"Ranger" had one hundred and twenty-three men; the "Drake" had one hundred -and fifty-one and carried many volunteers besides. The "Ranger" lost two -killed and had six wounded; the "Drake" lost forty-two killed and wounded. -Against great odds John Paul Jones still remained victorious. - -The people on shore heard the cannonading cease and saw the great clouds -of gold-tinted smoke roll away to the south. There they saw the two -vessels locked as if in an embrace of death and a great cheer went up. -They thought the "Drake" invincible. The gray of twilight turned to black, -and the ships vanished like spectres in the darkness. But late that night -some fishermen in a boat came ashore with a sail from the store-room of -the "Drake." They said it had been given them by John Paul Jones. The -people knew then that the "Drake" had been captured. - -When the "Ranger" returned with her prizes to Brest, and his people told -the tale of Paul Jones's victory, France was electrified. Neither in -France nor in England would they at first believe it. France made him her -hero. England offered ten thousand guineas for his head. - - - - -A STRUGGLE TO THE DEATH - - -Never, since the beginning of time, has there been a fiercer sea-fight -than that between the "Bonhomme Richard" and the "Serapis." No struggle -has been more dogged--no victory greater. - -Three--four times during the night-long battle any other man than Paul -Jones would have struck his colors. His main-deck battery and crews blown -to pieces--his water-line gaping with wounds--his sides battered into -one great chasm--still he fought on. His prisoners released--his masts -tottering--his rudder gone--his ship afire below and aloft, his resistance -was the more desperate. The thought of surrender never occurred to him. - -After taking the "Drake" in a gallant fight, burning Whitehaven, and -terrorizing the whole British coast, Paul Jones went to Paris, where a -commission to the converted East Indiaman, the "Bonhomme Richard," awaited -him. Putting her in the best shape possible, he boldly steered across for -English waters. Paul Jones thirsted for larger game. - -When Captain Pearson, with the new frigate "Serapis," on a fine September -afternoon in 1779, sighted Paul Jones, he signalled his merchant convoy -to scatter, and piped all hands, who rushed jubilantly to quarters. The -opportunity of his life had come, for the capture of the rebel frigate -meant glory and a baronetcy. But he reckoned without his host. - -Across the oily waters came the cheery pipes of the boatswain's mate of -the "Richard" as Jones swung her up to meet her adversary, and Pearson -knew his task would not be an easy one. The wind fell so light that the -sun had sunk behind the light on Flamborough Head before the ships drifted -up to fighting distance, and it was dark before they were ready to come to -close quarters. On the "Bonhomme Richard," Jones's motley crew, stripped -to the waist, were drawn up at the guns, peering out through the ports at -the dark shadow on the starboard bow they were slowly overhauling. - -The decks were sanded, the hammocks piled around the wheel, and there at -the break of the poop stood the captain, trumpet in hand, turning now -and then to give an order to Richard Dale or his midshipmen, quiet and -composed, with the smile on his face men saw before the fight with the -"Drake." The clumsy hulk rolled to the ground-swell, and the creaking -of the masts and clamping of the sheet-blocks were all that broke the -silence of the night. No excitement was apparent, and the stillness seemed -the greater for an occasional laugh from the gunners, or the rattle of a -cutlass newly settled in its sheath. - -Then close aboard from out the blackness came a voice,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -Paul Jones moved to the lee mizzen-shrouds and slowly replied,-- - -"I can't hear what you say." - -He wanted all of his broadside to bear on the Englishman. - -"What ship is that? Answer, or I shall fire." - -The moment had arrived. For answer Jones leaned far over the rail of -the poop and passed the word. A sheet of flame flashed from one of the -"Richard's" after eighteen-pounders, followed by a terrific broadside -which quaked the rotten timbers of the "Richard" from stem to stern. At -the same time the guns of the "Serapis" were brought to bear, and her side -seemed a mass of flame. - -[Illustration: "YARD-ARM TO YARD-ARM"] - -On the "Richard," two of the eighteen-pounders burst at this first -broadside, killing their crews, heaving up the deck above, and driving -the men from the upper tier. The others cracked and were useless. In this -terrible situation Paul Jones knew the chances for victory were against -him, for he had thought his lower battery his mainstay in a broadside -fight. - -But if he felt daunted his men did not know it, for, amid the hurricane of -fire and roar of the guns, his ringing voice, forward, aft, everywhere, -told them that victory was still theirs for the gaining. He ordered all -of the men from the useless battery to the main deck; and it was well he -did so,--for so terrific was the fire that the six ports of the "Bonhomme -Richard" were blown into one, and the shot passed clear through the -ship, cutting away all but the supports of the deck above. No one but the -marines guarding the powder-monkeys were left there, but they stood firm -at their posts while the balls came whistling through and dropped into -the sea beyond. But the fire of Paul Jones's battery did not slacken for -a moment. There seemed to be two men to take the place of every man who -was killed, and he swept the crowded deck of the "Serapis" from cathead -to gallery. - -In the meanwhile, the "Serapis," having the wind of the "Richard," drew -ahead, and Pearson hauled his sheets to run across and rake Jones's -bows. But he miscalculated, and the American ran her boom over the stern -of the Englishman. For a moment neither ship could fire at the other, -and they hung together in silence, fast locked in a deadly embrace. -Jones's crew, eager to renew the battle, glared forward at the shimmering -battle-lanterns of the Englishman, cursing because their guns would not -bear. The smoke lifted, and Paul Jones, who was deftly training one of -his guns at the main-mast of the "Serapis," saw Pearson slowly climb up -on the rail. The silence had deceived the Englishman, and his voice came -clearly across the deck,-- - -"Have you struck?" - -A harsh laugh broke from the "Richard." - -"Struck!" Paul Jones's answer came in a roar that was heard from truck to -keelson. "I haven't begun to fight yet!" - -A cheer went up that drowned the rattle of the musketry from the tops, -and the fight went on. Swinging around again the jib-boom of the "Serapis" -came over the poop so that Paul Jones could touch it. Rushing to the mast, -he seized a hawser, and quickly taking several turns with it, lashed the -bowsprit of his enemy to his mizzen-rigging. Grappling-irons were dropped -over on the enemy--and the battle became a battle to the death. - -"Well done, lads; we've got her now." And Jones turned to his -nine-pounders, which renewed their fire. Both crews fought with the fury -of desperation. The men at the guns, stripped to the buff, grimed and -blackened with powder, worked with extraordinary quickness. Every shot -told. But the fire of the "Serapis" was deadly, and she soon silenced -every gun but Jones's two nine-pounders, which he still worked with dogged -perseverance. He sent Dale below to hurry up the powder charges. To his -horror Dale found that the master-at-arms, knowing the ship to be sinking, -had released a hundred English prisoners. The situation was terrifying. -With foes within and without, there seemed no hope. But Dale, with ready -wit, ordered the prisoners to the pumps and to fight the fire near the -magazine, telling them that their only hope of life lay in that. And at -it they went, until they dropped of sheer exhaustion. - -The doctor passed Dale as he rushed upon deck. "Sir," said he to Jones, -"the water is up to the lower deck, and we will sink with all hands in a -few minutes." - -Jones turned calmly to the doctor, as though surprised. "What, doctor," -said he, "would you have me strike to a drop of water? Here, help me get -this gun over." - -The surgeon ran below, but Jones got the gun over, and served it, too. - -To add to the horror of the situation, just at this moment a ball from a -new enemy came screaming just over the head of Paul Jones, and the wind -of it knocked off his hat. The carpenter, Stacy, ran up breathlessly. - -"My God, she's firing on us--the 'Alliance,' sir!" And the captain glanced -astern where the flashes marked the position of the crazy Landais, firing -on his own consort. - -If ever Paul Jones had an idea of hauling his colors, it must have been -at this moment. - -He had been struck on the head by a splinter, and the blood surged down -over his shoulder--but he didn't know it. - -Just then a fear-crazed wretch rushed past him, trying to find the -signal-halyards, crying wildly as he ran,-- - -"Quarter! For God's sake, quarter! Our ship is sinking!" - -Jones heard the words, and, turning quickly, he hurled an empty pistol at -the man, which struck him squarely between the eyes, knocking him headlong -down the hatch. - -Pearson heard the cry. "Do you call for quarter?" he shouted. - -For answer Paul Jones's nine-pounder cut away the rail on which he was -standing. - -Then came the turn in the fight. Horrible as had been the slaughter -on the "Richard," the quick flashes from his tops told Paul Jones that -his marines had not been placed aloft in vain. He saw the crew on the -spar-deck of his enemy fall one by one and men fleeing below for safety. -Raising his trumpet, he cheered his topmen to further efforts. In their -unceasing fire lay his only hope. - -One of them in his maintop with great deliberateness laid aside his -musket and picked up a leather bucket of hand grenades. Jones watched him -anxiously as, steadying himself, he slowly lay out along the foot-rope of -the main-yard. His captain knew what he meant to do. He reached the lift, -which was directly over the main hatch of the "Serapis." There he coolly -fastened his bucket to the sheet-block, and, taking careful aim, began -dropping his grenades down the open hatchway. The second one fell on a -row of exposed powder charges. The explosion that followed shook sea and -sky, and the air was filled with blackened corpses. The smoke came up in -a mighty cloud, and soon the forks of flame licked through it and up the -rigging. - -That was the supreme moment of Paul Jones's life, for he knew that victory -was his. - -The fire from the "Serapis" ceased as if by magic. The explosion had -blown a whole battery to eternity, and, as the smoke cleared a little, -he could see the figure of Pearson leaning against the pin-rail, almost -deserted, his few men running here and there, stricken mad with fear. Then -the English captain stumbled heavily, as though blind, over the slippery -deck towards the mizzen, where the flag had been nailed, and with his own -hands tore it frantically from the mast. - -A mighty victory for Paul Jones it was. But now, as the flames mounted -higher through the rifts of smoke, he could see at what a cost. His dead -lay piled upon the poop so that he could not get to the gangway. His -masts were shot through and through, and strained at the stays at every -lift of the bow. The fire, though beaten from the magazine, still burst -from the forward hatches, firing the tangled rigging and outlining them -in its lurid hues against the black beyond. The water had risen, and the -freshening breeze lashed the purple foam in at the lower-deck ports. For -hours the men fought against their new enemy; but towards five in the -morning their captain decided that no human power could save her. He then -began moving his wounded and prisoners to the "Serapis". - -The first gray streaks of dawn saw Paul Jones upon the poop of the -"Serapis," looking to the leeward, where the "Richard" lay rolling -heavily. Her flag, shot away again and again, had been replaced and -floated proudly from its staff. Lower and lower she sank into the water, -mortally wounded, a heavy swell washing in at the lower gun-ports. At -length, heaving her stern high in the air, her pennant fluttering a last -defiance to the captured "Serapis," she slowly disappeared, dying grandly -as she had lived. - -After Pearson's release, the British government offered ten thousand -guineas for Paul Jones, dead or alive. Forty-two British frigates chased -him and scoured the Channel; but Jones passed within sight of them, the -American flag flying at the mast, and reached France in safety, where -he became the hero of the hour. And so long as the Stars and Stripes fly -over American war-ships will the men who know hold up as their ideal of -a dogged warrior and gallant seaman the hero of Flamborough--Paul Jones. - - - - -THE TERRIER AND THE MASTIFF - - -The first of the great American captains to give his life to the cause -of liberty was Nicholas Biddle. And the action in which he lost it is the -finest example of daring and hardihood in the little known pages of naval -history. His part in that glorious action must ever remain unknown as to -its details since but five out of his crew remained alive to tell of it, -and we are chiefly indebted to the British accounts for the information -which has been handed down. - -Nicholas Biddle began his naval career by being shipwrecked on a desert -shoal at the age of thirteen. But being rescued, with his four companions, -at the end of two months, his ardor was so little dampened that as soon -as opportunity offered he immediately went forth in search of further -adventures on the sea. A war between England and Spain being imminent, -he went to London, and succeeded in getting a midshipman's warrant on the -ship of Captain--afterwards Admiral--Sterling. - -But just before the declaration of independence of his own country, -a voyage of discovery to the North Pole was proposed by the Royal -Geographical Society, and this opportunity seemed to hold forth infinitely -more possibilities for advancement than the daily port routine of a -British frigate of war. - -So, Admiral Sterling refusing Biddle's mild request to be transferred -to one of the vessels, the young man took it upon himself to doff -his gold-laced uniform and present himself upon the "Carcase" in very -shabby sailor clothes, upon which he was forthwith entered upon her -books as a sailor before the mast. He was in glorious company, though, -for Horatio Nelson--afterwards to be the greatest admiral England has -ever known--shared his humble lot as a jacky, although his prospects in -the service were more brilliant than Biddle's. The expedition, having -accomplished its purpose, returned to England in 1774, both young Nelson -and Biddle having been appointed coxswains for meritorious service. - -When hostilities in the United States began, Biddle, of course, resigned -from the British navy and offered his services to the Continental -Congress. His first commission was the command of the "Camden," a galley -fitted out by the State of Pennsylvania for the defence of the Delaware -River. He was then made a captain in the naval service, and took command -of the "Andrew Doria," of fourteen guns and one hundred and thirty men. - -Just before Commodore Hopkins's fleet hoisted anchor, Biddle had an -opportunity to show his intrepidity in a very personal way. Two men who -had deserted from his vessel had been taken and were placed in prison at -Lewistown. Biddle sent an officer and a squad of men ashore to bring them -off. But the officer returned to the ship and reported that the deserters -had joined with the other prisoners, and barricaded the door, swearing -that no man alive would take them. Biddle put on his side-arms and, taking -only a young midshipman with him, went at once to the prison. The door -was tightly barred from the inside, and the prisoners, led by one of the -deserters named Green, shook their fists and pointed their weapons at him. -Some of the more venturesome of the townsfolk, who only needed a resolute -leader, now smashed down the door at the naval officer's directions, and -Biddle, drawing both his pistols, quickly stepped within the opening. -Green stood in front of his ill-favored companions, his eye gleaming -villanously down the barrel of his flint-lock. Without moving his eye -from the man, and planting himself squarely in the doorway, Biddle said, -steadily,-- - -"Now, Green, if you don't take good aim, you are a dead man!" - -There was a moment's pause, after which the pistol fell a little, and -finally, under the resolute attitude of his captain, the fellow broke -down. He was completely awed, and at Biddle's command dropped his pistol -to the floor and allowed himself to be conducted to the ship. Their leader -cowed, the remainder of the prisoners permitted the Lewistown militia, -who had recovered from their fright, to come in and make them fast again. - -This incident had its moral effect upon his men, and never again, when -they learned to know him, was Biddle troubled with disaffection among his -crew. The fury with which they went into the fights that followed showed -how much he was a man after their own hearts. - -After Commodore Esek Hopkins's unsuccessful encounter with the British -fleet, the "Andrew Doria" put to sea and cruised off the coast of -Newfoundland. Biddle captured a prize laden with arms and ammunition, -which he carried to port, where they greatly strengthened Washington's -army, which was badly in need of supplies of all kinds. He captured a -transport and four hundred British soldiers, and made a great number of -merchant prizes. He would have taken more, but he only had five men left -aboard to take the "Doria" back to Philadelphia. - -The Congress had authorized the building of several new frigates, and one -of these, the "Randolph," of thirty-two guns, was just off the stocks. -Biddle was made commander of her, and set immediately about finishing -her and making her ready for sea. He had great difficulty in getting a -crew, as privateering, where the prizes were greater and ship actions less -frequent, proved more attractive to the adventurous spirits of the day. -Congress, however, drafted a number of men from the army, and the crew was -completed by the enlistment of volunteers from among the prisoners taken -on prizes. After many difficulties with this motley crew, Biddle at last -got to sea in February, 1777. - -The men of his old crew were with him to a man, but many of the volunteers -were shoal-water sailors, and his army recruits didn't know a sheet -from a buntline. So when he ran into a Hatteras gale a few days out, the -"Randolph" carried away her masts, and was altogether so uncomfortable a -wreck that the volunteers mutinied, and Biddle had a hard time getting -into Charleston harbor. He succeeded at last in refitting and in -instilling some of the man-of-war spirit into his crew, sailing at last -for the West Indies. Then his luck turned for the better, and he sighted -the English ship "True Briton," twenty guns, convoying three merchantmen. -Without accident he succeeded in taking them and in bringing all four -prizes safe and sound into Charleston harbor. This was the first capture -of the navy in the South, and, as the prizes were again liberally supplied -with arms, the capture was doubly welcome. So much did Congress appreciate -this affair that they had a medal struck off in Biddle's honor. The -British hearing of this exploit of the "Randolph," sent a fleet south, -and succeeded in blockading her at Charleston for a time. - -The State of South Carolina got ready a fleet in the hope of raising the -blockade, but before they could get to sea the Englishmen had disappeared. - -In February, 1778, Biddle went out with a little fleet composed of the -"General Moultrie," 18, the "Polly," 16, and the "Fair American," 14, -in search of the British squadron. But missing them, they only succeeded -in taking a few merchant vessels of the enemy. They boarded a number of -Dutch and French ships, and Biddle knew that before long they must fall -in with some of the enemy. To Captain Blake, who was dining with him, he -said, "I would not be surprised if my old ship should be out after us. As -to anything that carries her guns upon one deck, I think myself a match -for her." - -On the afternoon of the 7th of March, a sail was made out to windward, -and they sailed up to examine her. As she came down with the wind she was -made out to be square-rigged; but, bows on, she looked rather like a sloop -than a frigate. A short time later she could be made out more plainly a -man-of-war,--evidently of the enemy,--coming down speedily, and, from the -way she was sailing, able to out-foot any of the squadron. Biddle could -see that she stood well out of the water; but a small frigate might do -that. And if she was only a frigate of forty guns or under, he promised -himself a great battle that day. But if she were a ship of the line, not -only the "Randolph" but the smaller vessels were in great danger, for -nothing save a craft somewhere near her size could resist the broadsides -of the two heavy gun-tiers. - -He quickly made his resolution. Signalling to the fleet of cruisers -and prizes to go about, he himself took the deck and sent the little -"Randolph" boldly down towards the stranger. On she came, bowing -majestically over the water, never making a sign until nearing gunshot -distance, when the sound of the pipes and the calls on her deck showed -that she was clearing ship for action. Biddle had been prepared for an -hour. Now, as she came a little closer to the wind, the American captain -discovered what he had suspected--two long lines of muzzles running out -of her leeward ports. - -She was a line-of-battle-ship, then. - -He clinched his jaws and looked over his shoulder to where the prizes were -scurrying away in the gathering darkness. They at least would be safe. But -he did not shift his course a point, sailing on until the canvas of the -great ship seemed to tower far above the little spars of his own vessel. -The men of the "Randolph" were aghast at the action of their captain. To -them an English "Sixty-Four" was the epitome of all that was powerful upon -the seas. Biddle thought so, too; but there was nothing of timidity in -his voice as he bade his gunners stand by to train upon her. He knew that -this battle would be his last, for he resolved in those few moments that -he would not give up his ship while one plank of her remained above water. -The enemy might blow him out of the water and send him to the bottom, but -before she did it he would give them such a lesson in patriotism that the -world would not easily forget it. - -His men guessed something of what was in his mind, and by the time the big -ship hove close aboard they were keyed up to the fighting pitch, waiting -with the utmost impatience for the first shot to be fired. The dusk had -fallen, but the great loom of the sails of the English frigate showed -plainly as she came closer. They were scarcely a pistol-shot apart when -a figure on the Englishman mounted the hammock nettings aft, and a voice -came clearly across the water,-- - -"Ahoy, the frigate!" - -Biddle paused a moment to gain time, and then giving a word to his -division officers, lifted his speaking-trumpet,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -"His Britannic Majesty's ship-of-the-line 'Yarmouth,' Captain Vincent. -Who are you? Answer, or I will be compelled to fire." - -Another pause as Biddle directed the American colors to be run up to the -mast, and then said,-- - -"This is the American Continental ship 'Randolph,' Captain Biddle!" - -Without the pause of a second a tremendous broadside was poured into the -Englishman, and in a moment the battle was on. - -Biddle had gained a slight advantage in position by waiting as he did, and -the "Randolph's" broadsides did great execution on the crowded decks of -her adversary. But the "Yarmouth" men sprang to their guns, and in a few -moments were firing their tremendous broadside of thirty guns as fast as -they could be served and run out. - -On the "Randolph" Biddle's men were working well, but the crashing of the -shot and the flying splinters were terrific. In fifteen minutes the decks -were covered with the bodies of dead and dying men, and the surgeon and -his mate below in the cockpit, covered with blood, were laboring to help -such of those as could be aided, and the decks, in spite of the sand, were -so slippery that as the ship rolled it was difficult to stand upright upon -them. Many of the guns of one of the broadsides were disabled, and there -was not a gun that had a full crew to man it. - -Biddle walked to and fro from one battery to another, lending a word here -and a hand there, acting as sponger or tackle or handspikeman, wherever -he was most needed. The men fought with the energy of despair--the despair -of the dying. If they were to die, they would die hard, and the guns were -loaded as though they would fire as many times as they could in the short -time left them. The English aimed more deliberately. But when the dreaded -broadside came, it dealt a blow that shook the smaller ship from stem to -stern. - -Biddle, although badly wounded, refused to leave the deck, and, ordering a -stool to be placed where he could best direct the firing, sat calmly down, -though in great agony, and gave the orders to his officers, who repeated -them to the men. - - * * * * * - -It has never been discovered just what happened on the "Randolph." In -spite of her losses, she was keeping up her fire wonderfully, when, with -scarcely a warning of any kind, she blew up. - -The force of the explosion was so great that the ship split in two, and -sank immediately. The air was filled with guns, spars, and the blackened -bodies of men, many of which fell upon the deck of the "Yarmouth." An -American ensign, neatly rolled in a ball, ready to be sent aloft on the -"Randolph" if the others had been shot away, fell on the quarter-deck of -the Englishman unsinged. - -That national emblem was all, save a spar or two, that remained of the -"Randolph." Captain Biddle and three hundred and ten of her crew of three -hundred and fifteen were blown to pieces and drowned. Four days later the -"Yarmouth," cruising near the same place, discovered a piece of the wreck -to which five men, more dead than alive, had managed to cling. - -The "Randolph" was lost, but the "Yarmouth" was so badly cut up that -she could not follow the chase, and was obliged to lay to for repairs. -What, if any, difference there might have been had the "Randolph" not -been destroyed by explosion from within it is not easy to say; but all -authorities agree that the fight, while it lasted, was one of the most -determined in history. Captain Biddle at the time of his death was but -twenty-eight years old, and the infant navy and the colonies lost one of -their most intrepid officers and gallant seamen. - - - - -DECATUR AND THE "PHILADELPHIA" - - -It was on the deck of the "Enterprise," before Tripoli, in 1804. The crew -had been called aft, and Decatur, smiling, stood on his quarter-deck. - -"My men," said he, "the 'Philadelphia' is in the hands of the enemy. A -few days from now and we may see American guns turned against American -sailors. The commodore has given us permission to sail in and blow her -up. Will you go?" - -Into the air flew a hundred caps, and three wild American cheers were the -answer. - -"I can't take you all," he explained; "the expedition is a dangerous one. -We are going under the broadsides of the enemy, and I only want those of -you who are ready. Now, lads, any of you who are willing to go, take one -step aft." - -Without a second's pause the crew of the "Enterprise," to a man, stepped -out; then, fearful lest others should get in the front rank, came towards -the young commander in a body, elbowing and swearing at one another -lustily. - -Decatur smiled. With such a spirit there was nothing he might not -accomplish. He picked out sixty-two of his youngest and steadiest men, -each of them touching his tarry cap with a grateful "Thank'ee, sir," as -Decatur called his name. - -That afternoon they tumbled joyfully down into a captured ketch, -which had been named the "Intrepid," and, stores aboard, hoisted their -three-cornered sail for the harbor of Tripoli. As they hauled off, Decatur -went below to see that all his supplies and combustibles were stored, -when Midshipman Lawrence came towards him somewhere from the depths of -the fore-hold, pushing along by the scruff of the neck a youngster, who -was crying bitterly. - -"I found this stowaway, sir," said Lawrence, with a smile. - -"Please, sir," sobbed the boy, "don't send me back. I want to see this -'ere fight, and I ain't going to do no harm. Don't send me back, sir." - -Decatur had looked up with a fierce frown, but the anxiety on the lad's -face was pathetic, and he smiled in spite of himself. - -"You can go," he laughed, "but I'll put you in the brig--when we get back." - -On that six days' voyage to Tripoli the wind blew a hurricane, and the -masquerade of the American tars seemed likely to end in disaster, without -even a fight for their pains. But as they sighted the coast the sea -went down, and the arrangements were completed. The yellow sails of the -"Siren," their consort, hove again into sight, and by the afternoon of -the 16th of February the two vessels were bearing down upon the dark line -that lay shimmering purple under the haze of the southern sky. - -The sun dropped down, a ball of fire, into the western sea, and by eight -o'clock the towers of the bashaw's castle loomed dark against the amber -of the moonlit sky. To the left the stately spars of the doomed frigate -towered above the rigging in the harbor, and floating at her truck was -the hated insignia of the enemy. - -The piping northern breeze bellied the crazy sail of the ketch and sent -the green seas swashing under the high stern, speeding them good luck on -their hazardous venture. Catalano, the pilot, stood at the helm, swinging -the clumsy tiller to meet her as she swayed. By his side was a tall -figure, a white burnoose about his shoulders and a fez set jauntily on his -head--Decatur. Four others, in unspeakable Tripolitan costumes, lounged -about the deck or squatted cross-legged. But the delusion went no further. -For one of them, Reuben James, was puffing at a stubby black pipe, and -another spat vigorously to leeward. The others were below, lying along -the sides, sharpening their cutlasses. - -On they sped, Catalano heading her straight for the frigate. As the -harbor narrowed and the black forts came nearer, they could see the dusky -outlines of the sentries and the black muzzles that frowned on them from -the battlements. Over towards the east faint glimmers showed where the -town was, but the wind had now fallen low, and the lapping of the water -along the sides alone awoke the silence. A single light shone from the -forecastle of the frigate, where the anchor watch kept its quiet vigil. -She swung at a long cable, a proud prisoner amid the score of watchful -sentinels that encircled her. - -As placid as the scene about him, Decatur turned to the pilot and gave -a low order. The helm was shifted and the tiny vessel pointed for the -bowsprit of the "Philadelphia." Nearer and nearer they came, until -scarcely a cable's length separated them. They saw several turbaned heads, -and an officer leaned over the rail, puffing lazily at a cigarette. He -leisurely took the cigarette from his mouth, and his voice came across -the quiet water of the harbor,-- - -"Where do you come from?" he hailed. - -Catalano, the pilot, answered him in the lingua Franca of the East,-- - -"The ketch 'Stella,' from Malta. We lost our anchors and cables in the -gale, and would like to lie by during the night." - -The Tripolitan took another puff, and an ominous stir, quickly silenced, -was heard down in the hold of the ketch. It seemed an eternity before the -answer came,-- - -"Your request is unusual, but I will grant it," said the Tripolitan, at -last. "What ship is that in the offing?" - -The officer had seen the "Siren," which hovered outside the entrance of -the harbor. - -"The British ship 'Transfer,'" said Catalano, promptly. - -The ketch was slowly drifting down until a grappling-iron could almost -be thrown aboard. Right under the broadside she went, and a line of dark -heads peered over the rail at her as she gradually approached the bow. - -The chains of the frigate were now almost in the grasp of Reuben James, -on the forecastle, when the wind failed and a cat's-paw caught the ketch -aback. Down she drifted towards the terrible broadside. But at a sign -from Decatur the eager Lawrence and James got into a small boat and -carried a line to a ring-bolt at the frigate's bow. A boat put out from -the "Philadelphia" at the same time. But Lawrence coolly took the hawser -from the Tripolitan--"to save the gentleman trouble," he explained--and -brought it aboard the "Intrepid." A moment more, and the ketch was warping -down under the "Philadelphia's" quarter. It was a moment of dire peril. -The slightest suspicion, and they would be blown to pieces. - -Decatur leaned lightly against the rail, but his hand grasped his cutlass -under his robe so that the blood tingled in his nails and his muscles were -drawn and tense. Morris and Joseph Bainbridge stood at the rigging beside -him, trembling like greyhounds in leash. - -Suddenly they swung around and shot out from under the shadow into a -yellow patch of moonlight. The watchful eyes above the rail saw the anchor -and cables and the white jackets of the sailors below decks as they strove -to hide themselves in the shadows. One glance was enough. In an instant -the ship resounded with the thrilling cry, "Americano! Americano!" - -At the same moment the "Intrepid" ground up against the side of the -frigate. In an instant, as if by magic, she was alive with men. Throwing -off his disguise, and with a loud cry of "Boarders, away!" Decatur sprang -for the mizzen-chains. And now the hot blood of fighting leaped to their -brains. The long agony of suspense was over. Lawrence and Laws sprang for -the chain-plates and hauled themselves up. Decatur's foot slipped, and -Morris was the first on deck. Laws dashed at a port, pistols in hand. -Nothing could withstand the fury of the charge, and over the rail they -swarmed, cutlasses in teeth, jumping over the nettings, and down on the -heads of the Tripolitans below. Though Morris was first on deck, Decatur -lunged in ahead of him, bringing down the Tripolitan officer before he -could draw his sword. One of them aimed a pike at him, but he parried it -deftly, and Morris cut the fellow down with a blow that laid his shoulder -open from collar to elbow. - -Though surprised, the Tripolitans fought fiercely. They had won their -title of "the best hand-to-hand fighters in the world" in many a hard -pirate battle in the Mediterranean. Around the masts they rallied, -scimetars in hand, until they were cut or borne down by the fury of their -opponents. - -[Illustration: DECATUR BOARDS THE "PHILADELPHIA"] - -After the first order, not a word was spoken and not a shot was -fired. The Americans needed no orders. Over the quarter-deck they -swept--irresistible, clearing it in a trice. Overwhelmed by the fierce -onslaught, the Tripolitans fled for life, the sailors driving them up on -the forecastle and overboard in a mass, where their falling bodies sounded -like the splash of a ricochet. - -So swift was the work that in ten minutes no Tripolitans were left on the -deck of the frigate but the dead. Not a sailor had been killed. One man -had been slashed across the forehead, but he grinned through the blood -and fought the more fiercely. Then the watchers out on the "Siren" saw -a single rocket go high in the air, which was Decatur's signal that the -"Philadelphia" was again an American vessel. - -In the meanwhile the combustibles were handed up from the ketch with -incredible swiftness, and the work of destruction began. Midshipman Morris -and his crew had fought their way below to the cock-pit and had set a fire -there. But so swiftly did those above accomplish their work that he and -his men barely had time to escape. On reaching the upper deck, Decatur -found the flames pouring from the port-holes on both sides and flaring -up red and hungry to seize the tar-soaked shrouds. He gave the order to -abandon, and over the sides they tumbled as quickly as they had come. -Decatur was the last to leave the deck. All the men were over, and the -ketch was drifting clear, while around him the flames were pouring, their -hot breath overpowering him. But he made a jump for it and landed safely, -amid the cheers of his men. - -Then the great oars were got out, eight on a side, and pulling them as -only American sailor-men could or can, they swept out towards the "Siren." - -The Tripolitans ashore and on the gunboats had hastened to their guns, -and now, as the ketch was plainly seen, their batteries belched forth a -terrific storm of shot that flew across the water. The men bent their -backs splendidly to their work, jeering the while at the enemy as the -balls whistled by their heads or sent the foam splashing over them. Out -they went across the great crimson glare of the fire. It was magnificent. -The flames swept up the shrouds with a roar, catching the woodwork of -the tops and eating them as though they were tinder. She was ablaze from -water to truck, and all the heavens were alight,--aglow at the splendid -sacrifice. Then to the added roar of the batteries ashore came the -response from the guns of the flaming ship, which, heated by the fierce -flames, began to discharge themselves. But not all of them were fired so, -for in a second all eyes were dazzled by a blazing light, and they saw the -great hull suddenly burst open, with huge streaks of flame spurting from -between the parting timbers. Then came a roar that made the earth and sea -shudder. The fire had reached the magazine. - -[Illustration: THE DANGER OF THE "INTREPID"] - -The waves of it came out to the gallant crew, who, pausing in their work, -gave one last proof of their contempt of danger. Rising to their feet, -they gave three great American cheers that echoed back to the forts while -their guns thundered fruitlessly on. - -Decatur and his men were safe under the "Siren's" guns. - -Is it any wonder that Congress gave Decatur a sword and made him a -captain, or that Lord Nelson called this feat "the most daring act of any -age"? - - - - -THE BIGGEST _LITTLE_ FIGHT IN NAVAL HISTORY - - -It should have been renown enough for one man to have performed what -Nelson was pleased to call "the most daring act of any age." But the -capture of the "Philadelphia" only whetted Decatur's appetite for further -encounters. He was impetuous, bold even to rashness, and so dashing that -to his men he was irresistible. But behind it all--a thing rare in a man -of his peculiar calibre--there was the ability to consider judiciously -and to plan carefully as well as daringly to execute. His fierce temper -led him into many difficulties, but there was no cruelty behind it; and -the men who served with him, while they feared him, would have followed -him into the jaws of death, for they loved him as they loved no other -officer in the American service. Once while the frigate "Essex," Captain -Bainbridge, lay in the harbor at Barcelona, the officers of the American -vessel suffered many petty indignities at the instance of the officers -of the Spanish guardship. Having himself been subjected to a slight from -the Spanish commander, Lieutenant Decatur took the bull by the horns. He -bade his coxswain pull to the gangway of the Spaniard, and he went boldly -aboard. His lips were set, for he had resolved upon his own responsibility -to make an immediate precedent which would serve for all time. The Spanish -commander, most fortunately, was absent. But Decatur none the less strode -aft past the sentry to the gangway and, lifting his great voice so that -it resounded from truck to keelson, he shouted,-- - -"Tell your comandante that Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, of the 'Essex,' -declares him to be a scoundrelly coward, and if Lieutenant Decatur meets -him ashore he will cut his ears off." - -So among the men of the squadron Decatur came to be known as a man who -brooked nothing and dared everything. - -But when the crusty Preble took command in the Mediterranean he was not -over-impressed with the under-officers of his command. Not one of the -lieutenants was over twenty-four and none of those higher in authority had -turned thirty. Decatur and Somers were twenty-five; Charles Stewart was -only twenty-six, and Bainbridge the younger; Morris and Macdonough were -barely out of their teens. - -It was not the custom of the commander-in-chief to mince his words. -So sparing himself the delicacy of secluding himself behind the saving -bulkheads of the after-cabin he swore right roundly at his home government -for sending him what he was pleased to call "a parcel of d-- school-boys." -He was a martinet of the old style, and believed in the school of the -fo'c's'le, and not in young gentlemen whose friends at home sent them in -by the ports of the after-cabin. He held the youngsters aloof, and not -until he had tried them in every conceivable fashion would he consider -them in his councils. A year had passed, and Decatur, Morris, Bainbridge, -Macdonough, and Somers had helped to add glorious pages to naval history, -before the old man, with a smile to Colonel Lear, the consul, consented -to say,-- - -"Well, after all, colonel, they are very good school-boys!" - -Although Decatur's success in the destruction of the "Philadelphia" had -removed a dangerous auxiliary battery from the harbor of Tripoli, the -bashaw was far from overawed, and, with the officers and crew of the -"Philadelphia" as hostages, declined to consider any terms offered by -the Americans; and so it was resolved by Commodore Preble to make an -attempt upon the Tripolitan batteries and fleet. The Americans had the -"Constitution,"--"Old Ironsides,"--Commodore Preble, and six brigs and -schooners mounting twelve and sixteen guns each. Preble had also succeeded -in borrowing from "the most gracious king of the Sicilies," who was then -at war with the bashaw, two bomb-vessels and six single gunboats,--quite -a formidable little force of a hundred and thirty-four guns and about a -thousand men. - -It was not until the morning of the 3d of August, 1804, that the -weather, which had been very stormy, moderated sufficiently to allow -the squadron to approach the African coast. The gunboats were unwieldy -craft, flat-bottomed, and, as the sea made clean breeches over them, -they were a dozen times in danger of sinking. But by ten o'clock the sky -to the southward had lightened, and the heavy storm-clouds were blowing -away overhead to the westward. "Old Ironsides" shook the reefs out of -her topsails and, spreading her top-gallant-sails, she beat up for the -entrance of the harbor of Tripoli with two of the gunboats in tow. Her -tall spars, seeming almost to pierce the low-rolling clouds, towered far -above the little sticks of the "Siren" and "Nautilus," which bore down -directly in her wake. The sea had lashed out its fury, and, before the -little fleet had reached the reef, the gray had turned to green, and -here and there a line of amber showed where the mid-day sun was stealing -through. - -Stephen Decatur, on gunboat No. 4, had been given command of the left -division of three gunboats. Casting off the tow-lines from his larger -consorts, he got under weigh, and bore down for a rift between the reefs -at the eastern entrance to the harbor, where the Tripolitan fleet, cleared -for action, lay awaiting him. The wind was on his bow, and he was obliged -to hold a course close to the wind in order to weather the point. - -The gunboat lumbered uncertainly in the cross-sea, for she had no longer -the steady drag of the "Constitution's" hawser to steady her. The seas -came up under her flat bottom, and seemed to toss rather than swing -her into the hollows. She was at best an unsteady gun-platform, and -nice sail-trimming was an impossibility. But they got out their sweeps, -and that steadied her somewhat. Great volumes of spray flew over the -weather-bow as she soused her blunt nose into it, and the fair breeze sent -it shimmering down to leeward. - -Decatur stood aft by the helmsman, watching the quivering leeches, and -keeping her well up into the wind. Beside him stood his midshipmen, Thomas -Macdonough--afterwards to win a great victory of his own--and Joseph -Thorn. Both of them had smelt powder before, and Macdonough had been one -of the first on the deck of the ill-fated "Philadelphia." This was to be -a different sort of a fight from any they had seen. It was to be man to -man, where good play of cutlass and pike and youth and American grit might -mean victory. Defeat meant annihilation. But youth is good at a game of -life and death, and as they looked at Decatur there was never a moment's -fear of the result. They leaned against the rail to leeward, looking past -the foam boiling on the point to the spars of the African gunboats, and -their eyes were alight with eagerness for battle. - -The men were bending steadily to their sweeps. Most of them were stripped -to the waist, and Decatur looked along the line of sinewy arms and chests -with a glow of pride and confidence. There was no wavering anywhere in -the row of glistening faces. But they all knew the kind of pirates they -were going to meet,--reckless, treacherous devils, who loved blood as they -loved Allah,--the best hand-to-hand fighters in the Mediterranean. - -The ring of the cutlasses, loose-settled in their hangers, against the -butts of the boarding-pistols was clear above the sound of the row-locks -and the rush of the waters, while forward the catch of a song went up, -and they bent to their work the more merrily. - -As they came under the lee of the Tripolitan shore and the sea went down, -Decatur ordered the long iron six-pounder cast loose. They had provided -solid shot for long range at the batteries, and these were now brought up -and put conveniently on the fo'c's'le. But for the attack upon the vessels -of the fleet they loaded first with a bag of a thousand musket-balls. At -point-blank range Decatur judged that this would do tremendous execution -among the close-ranked mass of Tripolitans on the foreign vessels. His -idea was not to respond to the fire of the enemy, which would soon begin, -until close aboard, and then to go over the rail before they could recover -from their confusion. He felt that if they did not make a wreck of him and -batter up his sweeps he could get alongside. And once alongside, he knew -that his men would give a good account of themselves. - -But as they came up towards the point the wind shifted, and the head of -the gunboat payed off. Even with their work at the sweeps, he now knew -that it would be no easy matter for all the Americans to weather the -point, for two of them were well down to leeward. But his brother, James -Decatur, in gunboat No. 2, and Sailing-Master John Trippe, in gunboat No. -6, had kept well up to windward, and so he felt that he should be able to -count on at least these two. As they reached the line of breakers, one of -the gunboats to leeward, under Richard Somers, was obliged to go about, -and in a moment the two others followed. Then the young commanders of the -windward gunboats knew that if the attack was to be made they alone would -have the glory of the first onslaught. - -What Decatur feared most was that Preble, on the "Constitution," would -see how terribly they were overmatched and signal the recall. But as they -reached the point, Decatur resolutely turned his back to the flagship, -and, putting his helm up, set her nose boldly into the swash of the -entrance and headed for the gray line of vessels, three times his number, -which hauled up their anchors and came down, gallantly enough, to meet -him. - -There was very little sound upon the gunboat now. The wind being -favorable, the Americans shipped their sweeps, and sat watching the -largest of the Tripolitan vessels, which was bearing down upon them -rapidly. They saw a puff of white smoke from her fo'c's'le, and heard -the whistle of a shot, which, passing wide, ricochetted just abeam and -buried itself beyond. Thorn stood forward, waiting for the order to fire -his long gun. But Decatur gave no sign. He stood watching the lift of the -foresail, carefully noting the distance between the two vessels. Trippe -and James Decatur had each picked out an adversary, and were bearing down -as silently as he, in spite of the cannonade which now came from both the -vessels and batteries of the Turks. The shots were splashing all around -him, but nothing had been carried away, and the American jackies jeered -cheerfully at the wretched marksmanship. As the Tripolitans came nearer, -the Americans could see the black mass of men along the rails and catch -the glimmer of the yataghans. Then Decatur ordered his own men to seize -their pikes and draw their pistols and cutlasses. - -At the word from Decatur, Thorn began training the fo'c's'le gun, which -in the steadier sea would have a deadly effect. The distance was a matter -of yards now, and a shot came ploughing alongside that threw spray all -along the rail and nearly doused the match of the gunner of the fo'c's'le. -But not until he could see the whites of the eyes of his adversaries did -Decatur give the order to fire. As the big gun was discharged point-blank -into the thick of the crowded figures, Decatur shifted his helm quickly -and lay aboard the Tripolitan. So tremendous had been the execution of the -musket-balls, and so quickly had the manoeuvre been executed, that almost -before the Tripolitans were aware of it the Americans were upon them. The -few shots from the Turkish small arms had gone wild, but a fierce struggle -ensued before the Americans reached the deck. At last Decatur, followed -by Thorn, Macdonough, and twenty-two seamen, gained the fo'c's'le in a -body, and the Tripolitans retreated aft. - -The Tripolitan boat was divided amidships by an open hatchway, and for -a moment the opposing forces stopped to catch their breath, glaring at -one another across the opening. Decatur did not pause long. Giving them -a volley of pistol-bullets at close range, he dashed furiously down one -gangway, while Macdonough and Thorn went down the other, and, with a -cheer, cut down the remaining Turks or drove them overboard. A half-dozen -went down a forward hatch, and these were made prisoners. - -It was a short fight, with an inconsiderable loss to Decatur, but the -Tripolitan dead were strewn all over the decks, and the Turkish captain -was pierced by fourteen bullets. The Tripolitan flag was hauled down, and, -taking his prize in tow, Decatur put his men at the sweeps again, to move -farther out of the reach of the batteries. - -By this time James Decatur and John Trippe had got into the thick of it. -Following Stephen Decatur's example, they dashed boldly at the larger -of the bashaw's vessels, and, reserving their fire for close range, they -lay two of them aboard. John Trippe, Midshipman Henley, and nine seamen -had gained the deck of their adversary, when the vessels drifted apart, -and they were left alone on the deck of the enemy. But Trippe was the man -for the emergency. So rapidly did they charge the Turks that their very -audacity gave them the advantage, and Trippe finally succeeded in killing -the Tripolitan commander by running him through with a boarding-pike. They -fought with the energy of despair, and, although wounded and bleeding from -a dozen sabre-cuts, struggled on until their gunboat got alongside and -they were rescued by their comrades. - -But the story of the treachery of the Turkish captain and Stephen -Decatur's revenge for the death of his brother makes even the wonderful -defensive battle of Trippe seem small by comparison. - -James Decatur, having got well up with one of the largest of the -Tripolitan vessels, delivered so quick and telling a fire with his long -gun and musketry that the enemy immediately struck his colors. He hauled -alongside and clambered up and over the side of the gunboat to take -possession of her personally. As his head came up above the rail his men -saw the Turkish commander rush forward and aim his boarding-pistol at the -defenceless American. The bullet struck him fairly in the forehead, and -Decatur, with barely a sound, sank back into his boat. - -In their horror at the treachery of the Tripolitan, the Americans allowed -the boat to sheer off, and the Turk, getting out his sweeps, was soon -speeding away toward the protection of the batteries. - -Stephen Decatur, towing his prize to safety, had noted the gallant attack, -and had seen the striking of the Turkish colors. But not until an American -boat darted alongside of him did he hear the news of the treacherous -manner of his brother's death. The shock of the information for the moment -appalled him, but in the place of his grief there arose so fierce a rage -at the dastardly act that for a moment he was stricken dumb and senseless. -His men sprang quickly when at last he thundered out his orders. Deftly -casting off the tow-line of the prize, they hoisted all sail and jumped to -their sweeps as though their lives depended on it. Macdonough's gun-crew -were loading with solid shot this time, and, as soon as they got the -range, a ball went screaming down towards the fleeing Tripolitan. The men -at the sweeps needed little encouragement. They had heard the news, and -they loved James Decatur as they worshipped his brother, who stood aft, -his lips compressed, anxiously watching the chase. The water boiled under -the oar-blades as the clumsy hulk seemed to spring from one wave-crest -to another. Again the long gun spoke, and the canister struck the water -all about the Turkish vessel. The Tripolitans seemed disorganized, -for their oars no longer moved together and the blades were splashing -wildly. Another solid shot went flying, and Decatur smiled as he saw the -spray fly up under the enemy's counter. There would be no mercy for the -Tripolitans that day. Nearer and nearer they came, until the Turks, seeing -that further attempts at flight were useless, dropped their sweeps and -prepared to receive the Americans. They shifted their helm so that their -gun could bear, and the shot that followed tore a great rent in Decatur's -foresail. But the Americans heeded it little more than if it had been a -puff of wind, and pausing only to deliver another deadly discharge of the -musket-balls at point-blank range, Decatur swung in alongside under cover -of the smoke. - -As the vessels grated together, Decatur jumped for the Tripolitan rigging, -and, followed by his men, quickly gained the deck. Two Turks rushed at -Decatur, aiming vicious blows with their scimetars; but he parried them -skilfully with his pike, looking around him fiercely the while for the -captain. As he thought of his brother dying, or dead, he swore that no -American should engage the Turkish commander but himself. He had not long -to wait. They espied each other at about the same moment, and brushing -the intervening weapons aside, dashed upon each other furiously. - -Decatur was tall, and as active as a cat. His muscles were like steel, and -his rage seemed to give him the strength of a dozen. But the Mussulman -was a giant, the biggest man in the Tripolitan fleet, and a very demon -in power and viciousness. So strong was he, that as Decatur lunged at him -with his boarding-pike he succeeded in wrenching it from the hand of the -American, and so wonderfully quick that Decatur had hardly time to raise -his cutlass to parry the return. He barely caught it; but in doing so his -weapon broke off short at the hilt. The next lunge he partially warded -by stepping to one side; but the pike of the Mussulman in passing cut an -ugly wound in his arm and chest. Entirely defenceless, he now knew that -his only chance was at close quarters, so he sprang in below the guard of -the Turk and seized him around the waist, hoping to trip and stun him. But -the Tripolitan tore the arms away as though he had been a stripling, and, -seizing him by the throat, bore him by sheer weight to the deck, trying -the while to draw a yataghan. The American crew, seeing things going badly -with their young captain, fought in furiously, and in a moment the mass -of Americans and Tripolitans were fighting in one desperate, struggling, -smothering heap, above the prostrate bodies of their captains, neither of -whom could succeed in drawing a weapon. The Turk was the first to get his -dagger loose, but the American's death-like grasp held his wrist like a -vise, and kept him from striking the blow. Decatur saw another Turk just -beside him raise his yataghan high above his head, and he felt that he was -lost. But at this moment a sailor, named Reuben James, who loved Decatur -as though he were a brother, closed in quickly and caught on his own head -the blow intended for Decatur. Both his arms had been disabled, but he -asked nothing better than to lay down his life for his captain. - -In the meanwhile, without relinquishing his grip upon the Turk, Decatur -succeeded in drawing a pistol from the breast of his shirt, and, pressing -the muzzle near the heart of the Tripolitan, fired. As the muscles of -his adversary relaxed, the American managed to get upon one knee, and so -to his feet, stunned and bleeding, but still unsubdued. The Tripolitans, -disheartened by the loss of their leader, broke ground before the force -of the next attack and fled overboard or were cut down where they stood. - -The death of James Decatur was avenged. - -The other Tripolitan gunboats had scurried back to safety, so Decatur, -with his two prizes, made his way out towards the flagship unmolested. His -victory had cost him dearly. There was not a man who had not two or three -wounds from the scimetars, and some of them had cuts all over the body. -The decks were like a slaughter-pen and the scuppers were running blood. -But the bodies of the Tripolitans were ruthlessly cast overboard to the -sharks; and by the time the Americans had reached the "Constitution" the -decks had been scrubbed down and the wounded bandaged and roughly cared -for by those of their comrades who had fared less badly. - -Decatur, by virtue of his exploit in destroying the "Philadelphia," -already a post-captain at the age of twenty-five, could expect no further -immediate honors at the hands of the government; but then, as ever -afterwards, he craved nothing but a stanch ship and a gallant crew. The -service he could do his country was its own reward. - - - - -A DOUBLE ENCOUNTER - - -The old "Constitution" was out on the broad ocean again! And when the -news went forth that she had succeeded for the seventh time in running -the blockade of the British squadrons, deep was the chagrin of the -Admiralty. This Yankee frigate, still stanch and undefeated, had again and -again proved herself superior to everything afloat that was British; had -shown her heels, under Hull's masterly seamanship, to a whole squadron -during a chase that lasted three days; and had under Hull, and then -under Bainbridge, whipped both the "Guerriere" and the "Java," two of -their tidiest frigates, in an incredibly short time, with a trifling loss -both in men and rigging. She was invincible; and the title which she had -gained before Tripoli, under Commodore Preble, when the Mussulman shot -had hailed against her oaken timbers and dropped harmlessly into the sea -alongside, seemed more than ever to befit her. "Old Ironsides" was abroad -again, overhauled from royal to locker, with a crew of picked seamen and -a captain who had the confidence of the navy and the nation. - -Her hull had been made new, her canvas had come direct from the sail-lofts -at Boston, and her spars were the stanchest that the American forests -could afford. She carried thirty-one long 24-pounders and twenty short -32-pounders,--fifty-one guns in all, throwing six hundred and forty-four -pounds of actual weight of metal to a broadside. Her officers knew her -sailing qualities, and she was ballasted to a nicety, bowling along in a -top-gallant-stu'n-sail breeze at twelve knots an hour. - -The long list of her victories over their old-time foe had given her men a -confidence in the ship and themselves that attained almost the measure of -a faith; and, had the occasion presented itself, they would have been as -willing to match broadsides with a British seventy-four as with a frigate -of equal metal with themselves. They were a fine, hearty lot, these -jack-tars; and, as "Old Ironsides" left the green seas behind and ploughed -her bluff nose boldly through the darker surges of the broad Atlantic, -they vowed that the frigate's last action would not be her least. The -"Constitution" would not be dreaded by the British in vain. - -For dreaded she was among the officers of the British North Atlantic -squadron. As soon as it was discovered by the British Admiralty that -she had passed the blockade, instructions were at once given out and -passed from ship to ship to the end that every vessel of whatever class -which spoke another on the high seas should report whether or not she -had seen a vessel which looked like the "Constitution." By means of this -ocean telegraphy they hoped to discover the course and intention of the -great American, and finally to succeed in bringing her into action with -a British fleet. By this time they had learned their lesson. Single -frigates were given orders to avoid an encounter, while other frigates -were directed to hunt for her in pairs! - -Charles Stewart had been one of old Preble's "school-boy captains" before -Tripoli, the second in command. He had been one to suggest the expedition -to cut out or destroy the "Philadelphia," the envied command of which fell -to Decatur. But he won distinction enough before the batteries there, and -afterwards when he captured the French "Experiment," of a much heavier -force and armament than his own, in a brilliant little action. He had -entered the merchant service at thirteen, had been captain of a ship in -the India trade at nineteen, and thus from his boyhood had been schooled -in the finer points of rough-and-ready seamanship. - -He was born in Philadelphia, in 1778, at a time when the blood of -patriotism ran hot in the veins of the mothers as well as of the fathers -of the race, and he then imbibed the principles he afterwards stood for -so valiantly on sea and on land. On the frigate "United States," that -"nursery of heroes," he had for mess-mates Stephen Decatur and Richard -Somers; and Edward Preble gave him ideas of discipline that later stood -him in good stead. He was, like Decatur, of an impetuous disposition; -but he had learned what quick obedience meant to the service, and among -the men on the "Constitution" it was known that infractions of duty would -be quickly punished. The men tumbled quickly to the gear and handled the -guns so smartly that with his picked seamen Stewart had not been out of -sight of land a week before they attained a proficiency in manoeuvre rarely -surpassed on a man-of-war. It is related that once, having received an -order from a superior officer to sail with his ship immediately, Stewart -got under weigh, towing behind him his mainmast, which he had not had the -opportunity to step. - -Stewart was, of course, aware of the orders which had been issued by the -Admiralty, but with his ship in fine condition and provisioned for a long -cruise he feared nothing that floated, whether one ship or two. In fact, -just before leaving his young wife in Boston he had asked her what he -should bring her home. - -"A British frigate," said she, patriotically. - -"I will bring you two of them," he said, smiling. - -Stewart sailed to the southward, in the hope of falling in with some -vessels in the India trade. For two months, in spite of their fitness, -the men were daily exercised in all weathers at evolutions with the -sails and great guns, and part of the day was given to cutlass-work and -pistol-practice. No emergency drill was overlooked, and from reefing -topsails to sending up spare spars or setting stu'n-sails they moved -like the co-ordinated parts of a great machine. But one prize having been -taken, however, Stewart set his course for the coast of Europe, to seek -the lion, like Paul Jones, on his own cruising ground. - -On February 18, 1815, just two months after leaving Boston, the -"Constitution," being then near the Portuguese coast, sighted a large -sail, and immediately squared away in pursuit. But hardly were they set -on their new course before another sail hove up to leeward, and Stewart -quickly made down for her. Overhauling her shortly, she was discovered to -be the British merchant ship "Susan," which he seized as a prize and sent -back to Boston. Meanwhile the other sail, which afterwards proved to be -the "Elizabeth," 74, had disappeared. - -The following day the "Constitution" was holding a course to the southward -from the coast of Spain toward Madeira. A group of her officers stood -upon her quarter-deck, watching the scud flying to leeward. They were -rather a discontented lot. They had been to sea two months, and beyond -a few merchant prizes they had nothing to show for their cruise. It was -not like the luck of "Old Ironsides." What they craved was action to -put a confirmatory test to the metal they were so sure of. The fo'c's'le -was grumbling, too; and the men who had been in her when she fought the -"Guerriere" and the "Java" could no longer in safety boast of the glory -of those combats. - -Had they but known it, the "Elizabeth," 74, and the "Tiber," 38, in -command of Captain Dacres, who had lost the "Guerriere," were but a few -hours astern of them; and the "Leander," 50, the "Newcastle," 50, and the -"Acasta," 40, whom they had so skilfully eluded at Boston, were dashing -along from the westward in pursuit. The seas to the eastward, too, were -swarming with other frigates (in couples), who were seeking her no less -anxiously than she was seeking them. - -Stewart was not so easily disheartened as his officers. He knew that the -"Constitution" was in the very midst of the ships of the enemy. Had he -not known it he would not have been there. He came on deck during the -afternoon in a high good humor. He was a believer in presentiments, and -said, jovially,-- - -"The luck of the 'Constitution' isn't going to fail her this time, -gentlemen. I assure you that before the sun rises and sets again you will -be engaged in battle with the enemy, and it will not be with a single -ship." - -The morning of the next day dawned thick and cloudy. Though well to the -southward, the air was cold and damp. The wind was blowing sharply from -the northeast, and the choppy seas sent their gray crests pettishly or -angrily upward, where they split into foam and were carried down to mingle -with the blur of the fog to leeward. Occasionally, in the wind-squalls, -the rain pattered like hail against the bellying canvas and ran down into -the lee-clews, where it was caught as it fell and whipped out into the -sea beyond. - -Two or three officers paced the quarter-deck, looking now and then aloft -or to windward to see if the weather were clearing. Saving these, the -fellows at the wheel, and the watch on deck, all hands were below on the -gun-deck, polishing their arms or loitering in the warmth near the galley, -where the cooks were preparing the mid-day meal. - -During the morning watch, Stewart, for some reason which he was unable -to give, save an unaccountable impulse, changed the course and sent -the ship down sixty miles to the southwest. Shortly after noon the fog -fell lower, and so thinned out at the mast-head that the lookout on -the topsail-yard could soon see along its upper surface. At about one -o'clock the welcome sound of "Sail, ho!" came echoing down through the -open hatchways. While ordinarily the sighting of a sail so near the coast -has no great significance, Stewart's prediction of a battle had aroused -the men to a fever of impatience; and when they knew that a large sail, -apparently a frigate, had been raised and that the fog was lifting, the -watch below dropped their kits and tools and tumbled up on deck to have -a glimpse of the stranger. Here and there wider rifts appeared in the -fog-banks, and the midshipman of the watch, who climbed with a glass into -the foretop, soon made her out to be a frigate bearing about two points -on the port-bow. - -Stewart came up from below and immediately crowded on top-gallant-sails -and royals in pursuit. Before long the weather had cleared, so that they -could make out the horizon to windward, and from the deck could dimly -discern the hazy mass of the chase as she hung on the lee-bow, apparently -motionless. In less than an hour the man at the mast-head reported another -sail ahead of the first one, and noted that signals were being exchanged -between them. - -It was now almost a certainty that the vessels were those of the enemy. -Forward the men were slapping one another on the back, and rough jokes and -laughter resounded from the gun-deck, where the boys and stewards were -clearing away the mess-dishes and stowing away all gear, in preparation -for a possible action. On the quarter-deck wagers were freely offered on -the character of the vessels, which looked to be frigates of 50 and 38. -Stewart glanced aloft at the straining spars and smiled confidently. - -By this time the nearer frigate bore down within the range of the -glasses, and they could see that she was painted with double yellow -lines, and apparently cut for fifty guns. As it afterwards appeared, she -had a double gun-streak, false ports having been painted in her waist. -Lieutenant Ballard, who had been carefully examining her with his glasses, -remarked to the captain, who stood at his elbow, that she must at least -be a fifty-gun ship. Stewart, after a long look, suggested that she was -too small to be a ship of that class. "However," he continued, "be this -as it may, you know I have promised you a fight before the setting of -to-morrow's sun; and if we do not take it, now that it is offered, we may -not have another chance. We must flog them when we catch them, whether -she has one gun-deck or two." - -Signals were now constantly interchanged between the vessels, and by three -o'clock the "Constitution" had come so near that they were plainly made -out to be two small frigates, or a frigate and a sloop-of-war, both close -hauled on the starboard tack. The "Constitution," having the windward -gauge, now manoeuvred more carefully, and, hauling her sheets flat aft, -pointed up so as to keep the advantage of position. - -[Illustration: "NO 'DUTCH COURAGE' ON _THIS_ SHIP"] - -As the vessels came nearer and an action became certain, the stewards came -on deck with the grog-buckets, in accordance with the time-honored rule on -men-of-war by which the liquor is served before a fight. Instructions had -been given that, as the battle was to be with two ships, a double portion -of the drink should be served. But just as the stewards were about to -ladle it out an old quartermaster rolled down from forward, and saying, -"We don't want any 'Dutch courage' on _this_ ship," with a great kick sent -the bucket and its contents flying into the scuppers. - -About four o'clock the westernmost ship signalled her consort and bore -down to leeward to join her. The "Constitution" now set her stu'n-sails -and went bearing down after them at a strain that seemed to menace her -spars. She was rapidly drawing up with them when, just as she got well -within range of the long guns, there was a sharp crack far aloft and -the royal-mast snapped off at the cap. It was a doubtful moment, for -the Englishmen crowded on all sail to escape, and rapidly drew together, -flinging out their English ensigns as though in triumph. - -But they did not reckon on the superb seamanship of the "Constitution." In -a trice the men were aloft with their axes, the wreck was cleared away, -new gear was rove, and in half an hour a new mast was aloft and another -royal was spread to the breeze. - -But the ships had been enabled to close with each other, and Stewart -had lost the opportunity of attacking them separately. They made one -ineffectual effort to get the weather-gauge, but, finding that the -"Constitution" outpointed them, they settled back in line of battle and -cleared ship for action. Stewart immediately showed his colors and beat -to quarters. - -The fog had blown away and the sun had set behind a lowering bank of -clouds. The wind still blew briskly, but the "Constitution" only pitched -slightly, and offered a fairly steady platform for the guns, which were -now trained upon the nearest vessel, but a few hundred yards broad off the -port-bow. The darkness fell rapidly, and the moon came out from behind the -fast-flying cloud-bank and silvered the winter twilight, gleaming fitfully -on the restless water, a soft reproach upon the bloody work that was to -follow. - -At a few moments past six the long guns of the "Constitution's" -port-battery opened fire, and the battle was on. Both ships responded -quickly to the fire, and for fifteen minutes the firing was so rapid that -there was not a second's pause between the reverberations. The English -crews cheered loudly. But the gunners of the "Constitution" went on -grimly with their work, sponging and loading as though at target-practice, -content to hear the splintering of the timbers of the nearest vessel as -the double-shotted thirty-twos went crashing into her. Before long the -smoke became so thick that the gunners could not see their adversaries; -and Stewart, ordering the batteries to cease firing, drew ahead and -ranged abeam of the foremost ship, with his port-battery reloaded and -double-shotted. He waited until he was well alongside before giving the -order to fire, when he delivered such a terrible hail of round-shot, -grape, and canister that the enemy staggered and halted like an animal -mortally wounded. For the moment her battery was entirely silenced, and -during the lull they could hear the cries of the wounded as they were -carried below to the cockpit. The English cheered no longer. Another such -a broadside might have finished her; but before Stewart could repeat it -he saw that the other ship was luffing up so as to take a raking position -under the stern of the "Constitution." - -Nowhere did the wonderful presence of mind of Stewart and the splendid -seamanship of his crew show to better advantage than in the manoeuvre -which followed. He quickly braced his main- and mizzen-topsails flat to -the mast, let fly all forward, and actually backed down upon the other -enemy, who, instead of being able to rake the "Constitution," found her -emerging from the smoke abreast his bows in a position to effectually -rake _him_. The "Constitution's" guns by this time had all been reloaded, -and a terrific fire swept fore and aft along the decks of the Englishman, -tearing and splintering her decks and dismounting many of the guns of both -batteries. So terrible was the blow that she faltered and fell off. Before -she could recover from the first, another terrible broadside was poured -into her. - -The other vessel now tried to luff up and rake the "Constitution" from -the bows. But the American filled away immediately and let them have -her other broadside. Side by side the "Constitution" and the larger ship -sailed, firing individually and by battery as fast as they could sponge -and load. Here and there a shot would strike within the stout bulwarks of -the American; and one of these tore into the waist, killing two men and -smashing through a boat in which two tigers were chained. A sailor named -John Lancey, of Cape Ann, was carried below horribly mutilated. When the -surgeon told him he only had a few moments to live, he said, "Yes, sir, I -know it; but I only want to know that the ship has struck." Soon after, -when he heard the cheers at her surrender, he rose from his cot, and, -waving the stump of his blood-stained arm in the air, gasped out three -feeble cheers and fell back lifeless. - -Having silenced the larger vessel, Stewart immediately hurried to the -smaller one, which had been firing through the smoke at the gun-flashes. -The "Constitution" fell off, and, gathering headway, succeeded in getting -again across her stern, where she poured in two raking broadsides, which -practically cut her rigging to pieces. Returning to the larger vessel, -Stewart rounded to on her port-quarter and delivered broadside after -broadside with such a telling effect that at 6.50 she struck her colors. - -The other vessel having in a measure refitted, came down gallantly but -foolishly to the rescue of her consort. The "Constitution" met her with -another broadside, which she tried to return, and then spread all sail -to get away. But the American ship could outsail as well as outpoint her, -and under the continuous fire of the bow-chasers of the "Constitution" she -became practically helpless, and at about ten o'clock, when the dreaded -broadside was about to be put into play again, she surrendered. - -It was a wonderful battle. In a fight between one sailing-ship and two the -odds were four-fold on the side of the majority. For it was deemed next -to impossible to rake without being doubly raked in return. This obvious -disadvantage was turned by Stewart to his own account by what critics -throughout the world consider to be the finest manoeuvring ever known in -an American ship in action. He fought both his broadsides alternately, -and luffed, wore, or backed his great vessel as though she had been -a pleasure-boat. Neither of his adversaries succeeded in delivering -one telling raking broadside. She seemed to be playing with them, and -skilfully presented her reloaded guns to each vessel as it attempted to -get her at a disadvantage. - -The larger vessel was discovered to be the "Cyane," 32, Captain Gordon -Falcon, and the smaller one the sloop-of-war "Levant," 21, Captain George -Douglass. The "Constitution" had fifty-one guns, while the Englishmen had -fifty-three; but of the "Constitution's" crew four were killed and ten -wounded. On the "Cyane" and "Levant" thirty-five were killed and forty-two -were wounded. - -After the battle, while the two English captains were seated in Stewart's -cabin dining with their victor, a discussion arose between them in -regard to the part each had borne in the battle, while Stewart listened -composedly. Their words became warmer and warmer, and each accused the -other in plain terms of having been responsible for the loss of the -vessels. At a point when it seemed as though the bitterness of their -remarks bade fair to result in blows, Stewart arose and said, dryly,-- - -"Gentlemen, there is no use getting warm about it; it would have been all -the same, whatever you might have done. If you doubt that, I will put you -all on board again, and we can try it over." - -The invitation was declined in silence. - -For this gallant action Congress awarded Stewart a sword and a gold medal, -and "Old Ironsides" soon after the war was over was temporarily put out -of commission. Her day of fighting was over. But years after, refitted -and remodelled, she served her country in peace as gracefully as she had -served it gloriously in war. - - - - -THE "CONSTITUTION" AND THE "GUERRIERE" - - -By the exercise of remarkable seamanship Captain Hull had succeeded in -escaping from the British squadron, under Broke, off the Jersey coast. -But he came so near capture that the secretary of the navy succeeded -in frightening himself and the whole Cabinet at Washington into such a -state of timidity that, had they had their way, no war-vessel flying the -American flag would have been allowed to leave any Atlantic seaport and -put to sea. - -Captain Hull had carried the "Constitution" into Boston, where, if the -orders had reached him in time, the secretary would have peremptorily -bidden him to remain. But Hull was not in a humor to be inactive. What -he wanted was a fight, yard-arm to yard-arm, with a frigate of the enemy, -preferably the "Guerriere," Captain Richard Dacres, who had sailed boldly -up and down the coast with an open challenge to any frigate flying the -American flag. Though very warm personal friends ashore, both Hull and -Dacres had high opinions of the merits of their own vessels. Dacres voiced -the prevailing sentiment of the officers of his navy when he spoke of the -"Constitution" as a bunch of pine boards which the British would knock to -pieces in twenty minutes. Hull said little; but several months before war -was declared had met Dacres, and wagered him a cocked hat on the result -should the "Constitution" and the "Guerriere" ever meet. With the timidity -at home, neither he nor any American officers had much encouragement. -There was no confidence in the navy at this period, and the insults they -heard from abroad were not half so hard to bear as the thinly-veiled -indifference they met at home. - -But Hull knew he had a good ship and a good crew. He had trained them -himself, and he knew what they could do aloft and at the guns. Moreover, -he knew what he could do himself. The navy was small, but the men who -had smelt powder in the Revolution and before Tripoli were a stalwart -set and had done deeds of gallantry that had set the greatest admirals -of Europe by the ears. Many ingenious contrivances had been adopted, to -be now tried for the first time. Sights had been put upon the guns, and -the gun-captains knew better how to shoot than ever before. So, without -waiting for the orders from the secretary which he knew would hold him in -port indefinitely, Hull sailed on the first fair wind and uncompromisingly -put out to sea. If the orders came, he wouldn't be back to obey unless -he had captured a British frigate, or, at the very least, some merchant -prizes. If he _did not_ succeed, it meant that he might be hung or shot -for sailing without orders. But even this sword of Damocles did not deter -him. He would do his best, at any rate, and made a quiet seaman's petition -to the God of winds and seas to send him the "Guerriere." - -Thinking to find a better opportunity towards Halifax, where many British -men-of-war and merchantmen put in, Hull sailed to the northward, and -cruised as far as the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The frigate -"Spartan," 38, was in those waters; but after watching for her for some -days, he stood out to sea. On the 15th of August he sighted five vessels. -The "Constitution" set all sail and rapidly came up with them. Four -of them scattered, leaving the fifth, a brig, on fire. Hull made for -the largest of the others, and found her to be an English merchantman -in charge of an American prize-crew. The "Constitution" saved her from -capture at the hands of the other vessels. Before night another vessel was -overhauled, and she was found to be the American "Adeline," in the hands -of a prize-crew from the British "Avenger." One vessel was destroyed and -the other was sent to Boston in charge of Midshipman Madison and five men, -carrying the first suggestion of the brilliant news which was to follow. - -A few days later the "Constitution" chased and overhauled the American -privateer "Decatur," which, believing her to be an English cruiser, had -thrown overboard almost all of her guns. The captain of the privateer -had good news, though. He had sighted an English frigate the day before, -sailing southward under easy sail. Hull immediately set everything the -"Constitution" could carry and gave the quartermasters a course which -should enable him to come up with her by the following day. - -The next morning dawned clear, but the breezes fell light, and not -until the morning watch was there wind enough to send the American -frigate bowling along on her course under top-gallant-sails and royals. -Hull took the deck for awhile himself and sent lookouts to the fore- -and main-royal-yards to keep a sharp lookout. With moderate luck they -should catch up with her. And then Hull felt that he would make the -"Constitution" the most talked about ship afloat or else he would change -the timidity at the Navy Department into a panic for which there would be -some reason. - -If the ship were the "Guerriere," he promised himself a new hat. - -Not a sail hove in sight until towards two in the afternoon, when a -lookout aloft shouted, in a voice that was taken up by four hundred -throats on the spar- and gun-decks,-- - -"Sail ho!" - -In a moment the watch below came rushing up. So great was the excitement -that many of them went half-way to the tops, without orders or permission, -to view the stranger. In an hour the stronger glasses proved her plainly -to be a frigate, and the "Constitution" eased off her sheets, and with -the bit in her teeth boomed steadily down for her. For an hour the two -ships moved in this position, the stranger making no effort to escape -and leaving her colors, which were soon made out to be British, flying -in defiance. In fact, as soon as she discovered the "Constitution" to be -an American frigate she took in sail, laid her maintop-sail to the mast, -and silently awaited the approach. Hull sailed on until within about -three miles of the enemy, when he sent his light yards down, reefed his -topsails, and cleared ship for action. - -An American-built frigate was for the first time to test her stanchness -against a worthy representative of the mistress of the seas and "Terror -of the World." Most of the crew had never been in close action before. The -chase of the "Constitution" had tired their hearts less than their bodies, -for the firing of the British squadron had been at a very long range, and -there was never a time when their ship was in danger from the cannonading -of the enemy. There was not a qualm or a fear to be seen on the faces -either of grizzled seaman or powder-boy, and they went to quarters with -enthusiasm. - -But underlying it all there was a note of gravity. They were going to -bring an American ship into action with a frigate whose navy had scored -hundreds of victories over the vessels of all the great nations of the -earth. They half wondered at their audacity and that of their captain in -defying a frigate so redoubtable as the "Guerriere," for there seemed -no further doubt that it was she. But they looked up at Hull, who was -calmly pacing up and down the quarter-deck, taking a look now and then at -the enemy through his glass, and their confidence came back to them. The -excitement was intense, and one by one the men began throwing aside their -shirts and drawing in the buckles of their cutlass-hangers, most of the -gun-crews stripping themselves to the waist and casting aside their shoes -to avoid slipping on the decks when the blood began to flow. More than one -of them had his own private score to settle with the British navy. Many -of them had been at one time or another taken off American merchant-ships -and impressed into the service of the enemy, and some of them still bore -upon their backs the scars of the bloody lashes of the relentless "Cat." -The father of Captain Hull had died in the pest-ship "Jersey," in the -Revolution, and the other officers had all some grievances of their own -which made them look eagerly forward to the battle which they intended -should mean victory or death. - -On the "Guerriere" there was a feeling of unshaken confidence. That any -calamity to their ship could be expected from an American-built vessel, -manned by a crew collected haphazard among the merchant-ships of the -Atlantic harbors, never for a moment occurred to them. When the drum -beat to quarters, the men tumbled to their stations willingly enough, -with no more trepidation than if they were going to target-practice. -Captain Dacres summoned an American prisoner, the captain of the captured -merchant-brig "Betsy," and asked him what he thought of the vessel which -was approaching. The skipper ventured that she was undoubtedly an American -frigate. Captain Dacres replied with a smile,-- - -"She comes down a shade too boldly for an American." And then added, -"Well, the better he behaves the more honor we will have in taking him." - -As the "Constitution" bore down nearer, her ensign and jack flying -proudly, there could no longer be any doubt as to her nationality and -intentions, and he shouted to his crew, who stood at the guns,-- - -"There, my men, is a Yankee frigate. In forty-five minutes she is -certainly ours. Take her in fifteen, and I promise you four months' pay." - -Shortly after this Captain Hull was within two or three miles, and the -"Guerriere" opened fire on the "Constitution," to try the distance and -get the range. - -The shots fell short, but Hull took in his light sails and came down more -warily under topsails. The "Constitution" fired a broadside, but these -shots, too, dropped in the water between them. As he came nearer, the -"Guerriere" squared away, wearing first to port and then to starboard, -firing alternate broadsides and manoeuvring to avoid being raked. He wanted -to cripple the American's rigging from a distance, if possible. But the -shot all missed their mark, and the "Constitution" only replied with -her bow-guns. Hull soon saw that this manoeuvring might last the day out -without coming to close quarters, so he hoisted his top-gallant-sails and -made straight for the enemy. - -Now the shot of the Englishman began coming aboard. Some of the standing -rigging was cut away and the vessel was hulled several times. But the -men, having carefully reloaded, stood silently at their guns, looking out -through the ports at the "Guerriere," which, enveloped in smoke, kept up a -continuous fire. They looked anxiously at the short, stout, sturdy figure -of Captain Hull, but he continued pacing the quarter-deck, making no -sign that he was aware of the damage the shots were causing. In a moment -the report of "Nobody hurt yet, sir," ceased suddenly. A shot struck the -"Constitution's" starboard bulwarks up forward and sent a jagged hail of -splinters among the crew of two of the guns of the first division. Two men -were killed outright and one or two more were wounded by this shot, and -as their shipmates saw the men carried below to the cockpit they moved -uneasily, and several of the gun-captains wished to fire. Lieutenant -Morris now, with a view to quieting them, strode aft to the quarter-deck, -where Hull was still calmly pacing up and down, and said,-- - -"The enemy has killed two of our men. Shall we return it?" - -"Not yet, sir," replied the impenetrable Hull. - -Morris returned to his station. But there is nothing more disorganizing to -men than to be fired at and not have the opportunity of firing in return, -and they besought Morris again to give the permission. Twice more the -lieutenant went aft to the quarter-deck, and twice he got the same reply. -Hull, like Paul Jones, believed in great broadsides at close quarters. -This silence under galling fire was the greatest test of discipline an -American crew had ever had. For in the heat of battle a man forgets to be -afraid. That the men stood to it, speaks well for Hull's training. - -At last the "Constitution," which had been drawing closer and closer, drew -up to a position about forty yards off the "Guerriere's" port-quarter, -and Hull, waiting until his guns could all bear, stooped low, bursting -his breeches from knee to waistband in the excitement of the moment, and -gave vent to all the pent-up feelings of two hours in the hoarse order,-- - -"Now, boys, give it to them!" - -It was a well-directed broadside. - -The shots crashed along the line of bulwarks and sent showers of splinters -flying over her spar-deck. The ships were so close together that the -effect of those shots could be seen distinctly. Some of the splinters flew -as high as the mizzen-top, and instantly the English cheering ceased and -the shrieks and cries of the wounded rang out between the concussions. -Dacres now, for the first time, must have realized how great the honor -would be if he took the "Constitution." - -Nor did the action promise any sign of being over in fifteen minutes. -So well aimed were the American guns that in a short time the enemy's -main-yard was shot away, and he was otherwise damaged severely both -below and aloft. At a little after six a twenty-four pound shot went -through the "Guerriere's" mizzen-mast, and, swaying a moment, over it -fell to starboard, making a wreck and drag which impeded the Englishman's -manoeuvres. The seas pounded it against the sides of the ship and a hole -was knocked under her stern, through which she began taking water badly. -When the mizzen-mast fell, Hull threw off his hat, and shouted,-- - -"Hurrah, boys, we've made a brig of her!" - -[Illustration: IN THE TOPS OF THE "CONSTITUTION"] - -One of the seamen shouted back,-- - -"We'll make a sloop of her soon, sir!" - -And they did; for in a little while the foremast followed by the -board. The wreck trailing in the water astern acted as a rudder to the -"Guerriere," and she swung across the wind. The "Constitution" forged -ahead, and crossing her bows, poured in a raking broadside. Then swinging -round to port, she sent in another as effective as the first. The ships -were very close together, and a fire from a burning gun-wad broke out -in the cabin of the American ship. This was quickly put out, however, by -Lieutenant Hoffman of the after-gun division. - -Both captains now decided to board, and the men were massed on the -decks as they could be spared from the guns for the purpose. Dacres -was on the point of sending his men across his bowsprit, but, finding -the jackies of the "Constitution" ready to receive him, changed his -mind. The sharpshooters in the tops of both vessels were firing into -the black masses of men, and every shot told. Lieutenant Morris, on the -"Constitution," while attempting to take a few turns of rope around the -bowsprit of the "Guerriere," received a bullet through the body. William -S. Bush, the first lieutenant of marines, while standing on the taffrail -ready to board, was shot through the skull by a British marine, and -instantly killed. John C. Alwyn, the sailing-master, at the same time -received a ball through the shoulder. Captain Hull climbed up on the rail, -when a Yankee seaman, putting his arms around him, dragged him down and -out of danger. - -"Not with them swabs on," he said, pointing to Hull's big bullion -epaulettes. He would have been a certain mark for one of the sharpshooters -of the enemy. - -At about this time the flag of the "Constitution," which had been -nailed at the mizzen-truck, was shot down. But a young topman, named -Hogan, shinned up the spar far aloft, and, though fired at repeatedly -by the British marines, succeeded in replacing it amid the cheers of his -companions. - -On the "Guerriere" things were going badly. Captain Dacres had been shot -in the back by one of the American marines, but he pluckily remained -on deck. As the "Constitution" got clear again, both the mainmast and -foremast of the "Guerriere," which had been repeatedly cut by American -shot, went over with a crash, and she lay on the wave completely helpless. -This was less than half an hour after the "Constitution" sent in her -terrible broadside. - -The American ship drew off to a short distance to repair her damages, and -in less than an hour returned, and sent Lieutenant Read in a cutter to -discover if Captain Dacres had surrendered. - -Dacres's humiliation was complete, and he felt that further battle would -only be the butchery of his own brave fellows. - -Lieutenant Read hailed him to learn if he had surrendered. - -"I don't know that it would be prudent to continue the engagement any -longer." - -"Do I understand you to say that you have struck?" asked Read. - -"Not precisely; but I don't know that it would be worth while to fight -any longer." - -"If you cannot decide," said the American, "I will return aboard my ship -and resume the engagement." - -Dacres here called out hurriedly,-- - -"I am pretty much _hors de combat_ already. I have hardly men enough to -work a single gun and my ship is in a sinking condition." - -"I wish to know, sir," demanded Read peremptorily, "whether I am to -consider you as a prisoner of war or as an enemy. I have no time for -further parley." - -Dacres paused, and then said, brokenly, "I believe now there is no -alternative. If I could fight longer I would with pleasure, but I--I must -surrender." - -When Dacres went up the side of the "Constitution" to surrender his sword -he was treated in the manner befitting his rank by a generous enemy. -Captain Hull assisted him to the deck, saying, anxiously,-- - -"Dacres, give me your hand; I know you are hurt." And when the Englishman -extended his sword, hilt forward, in formal surrender, Hull said, -magnanimously,-- - -"No, no; I will not have the sword of a man who knows so well how to use -it. But"--and his eyes twinkled merrily--"but I'll thank you for that -hat." He had not forgotten the wager, if Dacres had. - -The transferring of prisoners was at once begun, for it was seen that the -"Guerriere" was a hopeless hulk, not fit to take to port. When this was -all completed and every article of value taken from her, she was blown -up, and the "Constitution" sailed for Boston. - -She arrived at an opportune time. For Detroit had been surrendered without -firing a shot in its defence, and the American arms on the Canadian -frontier had otherwise met with disastrous failure. The "Constitution," -gaily dressed in flags, came up the harbor amid the booming of cannon and -the wildest of excitement among the people. A banquet was given to the -officers in Faneuil Hall, and from that time the American navy gained a -prestige at home it has never since lost. Congress voted a gold medal to -Captain Hull, silver ones to the officers, and fifty thousand dollars as -a bonus to the crew. - -The statistics of the fight are as follows: - -The "Constitution" had fifty-five guns, the "Guerriere" forty-nine, -sending shot weighing approximately seven hundred and six hundred -pounds respectively. The "Constitution's" crew numbered four hundred and -sixty-eight; that of the "Guerriere" two hundred and sixty-three. The -"Constitution" lost seven killed and seven wounded, and the "Guerriere" -fifteen killed and sixty-three wounded. All authorities acknowledge -that, other things being equal, the discrepancy in metal and crews hardly -explains the difference in the condition of the vessels at the end of the -battle. - - - - -THE "WASP" AND THE "FROLIC" - - -The American frigates "Constitution," "Constellation," and "United -States" fought and won great battles where the metal and crews were equal -or nearly equal, and proved beyond a doubt the advantage of American -seamanship and gunnery over the British in the Naval War of 1812. But it -remained for the little sloop-of-war "Wasp," Captain Jacob Jones, to add -the final evidence of Yankee superiority. Her action with the "Frolic" -was fought under conditions so trying that it fairly ranks with the great -frigate actions of our naval history. - -The "Wasp" was only about one-sixth the size of the "Constitution." She -was about as big as the three-masted schooners which ply in and out of -our Atlantic seaports to-day, and only carried one hundred and forty men. -What she lacked in size she made up in personnel, and what she lacked in -ordnance she made up in precision of fire. They must have been fine Jack -tars and gallant fellows every one of them, for there was no chance for -skulkers in that fight. The vessel could not have been handled or the guns -served as they were with one man less. - -It was off Albemarle Sound, in the rough end of a Hatteras gale, with a -gun-platform which now rolled the gun-muzzles into the spume and then sent -them skyward half-way to the zenith. It is a wonder that the gunners could -hit anything at all; but almost every broadside told, and the hull of the -"Frolic" was again and again riddled and raked fore and aft. - -When the war broke out the "Wasp" was in European waters, carrying -despatches for the government. She was immediately recalled, and in -October, 1812, sailed from the Delaware to the southward and eastward -to get in the track of the British merchantmen in the West India trade. -On the 15th of October she ran into a gale of wind off the capes of the -Chesapeake, and lost her jib-boom and two men who were working on it at -the time. For two days and nights the little vessel tumbled about under -storm-sails, but Captain Jacob Jones was one of the best seamen in the -navy, and no further harm was done. On the night of the 17th the wind -moderated somewhat, though the seas still ran high. At about half-past -eleven a number of frigates were seen, and Captain Jones deeming it -imprudent to bear down nearer until day should show him who the strangers -were, sailed up to get the weather-gage and await the dawn. His forward -rigging was disabled, and he had no wish to take chances with an enemy of -greatly superior force. - -The dawn came up clear and cold, and, as the darkness lifted, the crew -of the "Wasp" could make out six fine merchantmen under convoy of a big -brig. The brig was about the same size as the "Wasp," and it was seen -that several of the merchantmen mounted from eleven to eighteen guns each. -Nevertheless, Jones sent his topmen aloft, and in a trice he had his light -yards on deck and his ship reefed down to fighting-canvas. The vessel was -rolling her bows half under, but the guns were cast loose and the decks -cleared for action. The brig, too, showed signs of animation. Her men -went aloft at about the same time as those of the "Wasp," and soon she -signalled her convoy to make all sail before the wind to escape. - -The sea was so high that it was eleven o'clock before the vessels came -within range of each other. Then on the English vessel the Spanish flag -was run up to the gaff. But the Americans nevertheless held on a course -which would soon bring the ships together. There were enough Englishmen -in those waters for Jones to take chances of her being one of the enemy. -By half-past eleven the ships were within speaking-distance,--two or three -hundred feet apart,--and Captain Jones mounted the mizzen-rigging, lifting -his voice so that it might be heard above the shrieking of the wind and -sea, and shouted through his trumpet,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -For answer the Spanish flag came down with a run, the British ensign -was hoisted, and a broadside was fired. Just then a squall keeled the -Englishman over to leeward, and the "Wasp" having the weather-gage, the -shots whistled harmlessly overhead and through the rigging. The Yankee -ship responded immediately. The gunners had been trained in all weathers -to fire as their own vessel was about to roll downward on the wave towards -their adversary. By this means the shots were more sure to go low in the -enemy's hull and to have the additional chance of the ricochet which would -strike a glancing blow. They waited a second or so for this opportunity, -and then sent their broadside of nine shots crashing through the hull of -the "Frolic." - -The tumbling of the vessel sent the guns rolling about, and the tacklemen -needed all their strength and skill to hold the guns in for serving and -out for firing. But they were in no hurry. They worked as slowly and as -surely as possible, taking every advantage of the roll of the vessel, -training and aiming deliberately, and then firing at will. The Englishmen -sent in three broadsides to two of the Yankees. But they fired from the -hollow on the upward roll of the vessel and most of their shots went high, -scarcely one of them striking the hull of the "Wasp." - -It is a wonderful thing to think even of these two little vessels, tossed -about like billets of wood, the playthings of the elements, fighting -a battle to the death with each other, ignoring the roaring of the sea -and the hissing of the water which now and again seemed to completely -engulf them in its foam. The waves came over the bows and waist of the -"Wasp," flooding the decks, overturning buckets and making division-tubs -a superfluity. Sometimes it dashed in at the leeward ports, dipping the -handles of the sponges and rammers, and even burying the muzzles of the -guns, which the next moment would be pointing at the main-truck of their -adversary. The powder-boys, wet to the waist, stumbled over the decks with -their powder-charges under their jackets, and, though buffeted about and -knocked down repeatedly, kept the men at the guns plentifully supplied -with ammunition. - -Although the British were firing rapidly and the shots were flying high, -they began doing great damage in the rigging of the American. A few -minutes after the battle was begun a shot from the "Frolic" struck the -maintop-mast of the "Wasp" just above the cap, and it fell forward across -the fore-braces, rendering the head-yards unmanageable for the rest of the -action. A few minutes later other shots struck the mizzen-top-gallant-mast -and the gaff, and soon almost every brace was shot away. The "Frolic" had -been hulled repeatedly, but aloft had only lost her gaff and head-braces. -In a quiet sea it would have been bad enough to lose the use of the sails, -but in a gale of wind manoeuvring became practically impossible. The wind -was blowing fiercely so both vessels drove on before it, keeping up the -cannonading whenever a gun would bear, and pouring in from the tops a fire -of musketry upon the officers and men upon the decks. - -The "Wasp," having squared forward by the dropping of her maintop-mast -across the fore-braces, no longer sailed on the wind, and in a moment drew -forward, gradually approaching across the bows of the "Frolic," which, -having lost the use of her head-sails, could not sheer off. Captain Jones -was quick to see his advantage, and ran the enemy's bowsprit between the -main- and mizzen-masts of the "Wasp." The vessels now began striking -and grinding against each other furiously, as though by a test of the -stanchness of their timbers to settle the battle between them. The men who -were loading two of the port broadside guns of the "Wasp" struck the bow -of the "Frolic" with their rammers and found themselves looking into the -forward ports of the enemy. The guns were loaded with grape, and after the -ships crashed together were fired directly through those forward ports of -the "Frolic," raking her from stem to stern in a frightful manner. - -The next wave tore the ships apart, and the "Wasp" forged ahead, -the bowsprit of the Englishman catching in the mizzen-shrouds, where -Lieutenant James Biddle and a party of officers and seamen were awaiting -the order to board. In this position the bowsprit of the "Frolic" was -pounding terribly upon the poop of the "Wasp." At every send of the waves -the bows of the Englishman would fall as the stern of the American rose, -and it seemed as though both ships would be torn to pieces. The men of the -"Wasp" had wished to board, the moment the ships had come together, and -crowded along the hammock-nettings hardly to be restrained. But Captain -Jones, knowing the advantage of his raking position, wanted to send in -another broadside. He called the men back to the guns, but they were too -intent upon their object. One brawny fellow, named Jack Lang, who had -been impressed into the British service, made a spring, and catching a -piece of gear, swung himself up on the bowsprit and clambered down alone, -his cutlass in his teeth, to the enemy's deck. The "Wasp's" men cheered -vigorously, and, leaving their guns, rushed aft to follow him. Captain -Jones, seeing that they would not be denied, then gave the order to -Lieutenant Biddle to board. - -Biddle, cutlass in hand, jumped upon the nettings to lead the men. -Midshipman Yorick Baker, being too small to clamber up alone, and seeing -Biddle's coat-tails flapping in the wind, seized hold of them, one in -each hand. He did not want to be left behind, and thought he might trust -to the impetuosity of his superior officer to land him successfully among -the first on the deck of the enemy. But just then a terrific lurch threw -Biddle off his balance, and they both came violently to the deck. They -were up again in a second, however, and with Lieutenant George W. Rogers -and a party of seamen finally reached the bowsprit of the "Frolic." - -Upon the fo'c's'le of the enemy stood Jack Lang, swinging to the motion -of the brig, his cutlass at his side, looking aft at a scene of carnage -that was hardly imaginable. All the fierceness had died out of him, for -he looked around at Biddle and grinned broadly. The decks were covered -with the dead and dying, who tossed about in the wash of bloody water -with every heave of the ship. The decks, masts, bulwarks, and rails were -torn to ribbons, huge jagged splinters projecting everywhere. Guns, tubs, -sponges, rammers, and solid shot were adrift, pounding from one side -of the wreck to the other. No one moved to secure them, for only half a -dozen men stood upright. At the wheel an old quartermaster, badly wounded, -swung grimly, ready to die at his post. Behind him an English lieutenant, -bleeding from ghastly wounds, clutched at a stanchion for support. Two -other officers stood near, and one or two jackies glared forward at the -Americans. There was no sign of resistance, and the wave of pity which -came over Biddle and his officers swept away all desire for battle. The -British flag was still flying. No one seemed to have the strength to -haul it down; so Biddle went aft and lowered it to the deck. In a few -moments the masts fell, and she lay a useless hulk wallowing upon the -waves, which, more sure of their prey, dashed against her torn sides, -widening the gashes made by her indomitable enemy, and at times making -clean breaches over her bulwarks, tearing loose her boats and otherwise -completing her destruction. - -Under the conditions, it seemed hardly credible that such injury could -have been inflicted in so short a time, for the battle had lasted only -forty-three minutes. The "Frolic" had twenty-two guns, while the "Wasp" -had only eighteen. The crew of the "Frolic" was less than of the "Wasp," -the best authorities estimating it at one hundred and ten, against one -hundred and thirty-eight of the "Wasp." But even here the great loss and -damage to the "Frolic" can be explained in no way save that the Americans -were superior gunners and seamen. The "Wasp" lost five killed and five -wounded, and these men were most of them shot while aloft trying to refit -gear. The "Frolic" lost fifteen killed and forty-seven wounded, making a -total of sixty-two against ten of the "Wasp." - -But Jacob Jones's victory was not to prove profitable, save in the great -moral influence it exercised in England and America. He placed a crew -upon the prize, and, having cleared away his wreck and refitted his -rigging, tried to make sail away after the fleet of merchantmen, which -by this time were nearly hull down on the horizon. But a great British -seventy-four, the "Poictiers," hove in sight, and before Jones could get -away he found himself under her guns a prisoner. Captain Beresford, of the -line-of-battle ship, took the sloop-of-war to Bermuda, and there a garbled -report of the action between Captain Whinyate's and Captain Jones's -vessels was written. But the American captain and his gallant crew were -soon exchanged, and returned home, where their victory had been given its -true value. They received twenty-five thousand dollars from Congress as -prize-money, and a gold medal was given to Captain Jones and a silver one -to each of the officers. The legislature of Pennsylvania gave Lieutenant -Biddle a sword for his gallantry. - - - - -THE "CONSTITUTION" AND THE "JAVA" - - -At the beginning of the war of 1812 there were but three first-class -frigates in our navy, and but five vessels of any description were -fit to go to sea. But the war with Tripoli and the gallant deeds of -the American officers had made the service popular with the public. In -March, 1812, an act was passed which appropriated money to put all these -vessels in condition to meet the enemy on a more equal footing, and a -naval committee was formed to deal with the emergency. Langdon Cheves -was appointed chairman, and he took hold of the great task of rebuilding -and regenerating the naval service with enthusiasm and good judgment. -The result was that the committee expressed the opinion "that it was the -true policy of the United States to build up a navy establishment, as the -cheapest, the safest, and the best protection to their sea-coast and to -their commerce, and that such an establishment was inseparably connected -with the future prosperity, safety, and glory of the country." - -When war was declared, the "Constitution" was in good condition, but -the "Chesapeake" and the "Constellation" were not seaworthy. These were -recommended to be immediately put in condition, and ten other frigates, -averaging thirty-eight guns each, to be built. There was no difficulty in -raising the crews for these vessels. Owing to the impressment of American -and other seamen into the British service, the Cross of St. George had -come to be so hated by the fishermen, coastwise sailors, and merchantmen -that they sailed, drove, or walked to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the -other places where the frigates were fitting out, eager to sign the -articles which made them American men-o'war's-men. They were not drafted -into the service like many of the British Jackies, at the point of the -pistol, but came because they wanted to, and because with the building up -of a new navy there came a chance to see the flag they hated trailed in -defeat. That and nothing else was the reason for the wonderful success of -American arms upon the sea during the war of 1812. The American officers, -smarting under past indignities to the service and to themselves, went -into the many actions with determination and enthusiasm, combined with -the experience of a rough-and-tumble sea,--experience which with anything -like an equal force meant either victory or absolute destruction. - -The "Constitution," under Hull, had escaped from the British squadron, -under Broke, off the Jersey coast, had defeated the frigate "Guerriere," -and in all her history had shown herself to be a lucky ship. William -Bainbridge had been given the command of the "Constellation," but, -arriving at Boston, Hull had found it necessary to give up his command, -and Bainbridge immediately applied for "Old Ironsides." - -The victories of the American frigates "Constitution" and "United States" -over the British "Guerriere" and "Macedonian" had aroused great enthusiasm -throughout the country, and the government had decided to change its -timorous policy. Hoping to draw some of the British vessels away from the -coast and cause them to be distributed over a wider horizon, expeditions -were arranged to strike the enemy at many distant points. Bainbridge's -orders were to sail for the Indian Ocean and capture or destroy as -many English merchant-vessels as possible. His squadron, besides the -"Constitution," 44, consisted of the "Essex," 32, Captain David Porter, -and the "Hornet," 18, Master-Commandant James Lawrence. Bainbridge and -Lawrence put to sea from Boston on the 26th of October, while Porter -left the Delaware on the 24th to rendezvous at Porto Praya, on the South -American coast. - -A few days later, H. M. S. "Java," a thirty-eight-gun frigate, -Captain Henry Lambert, having two merchant-ships under convoy, sailed -from Portsmouth, England, for India. She also had as passengers the -newly-appointed governor of India, Lieutenant-General Thomas Hislop, and -many naval and army officers, who were being carried out to their posts. - -The "Constitution," arriving at Porto Praya, and failing to find Porter -in the "Essex," put to sea again, stopping at Fernando de Noronha in -the hope of meeting her there. Lawrence, in the "Hornet," challenged the -British sloop-of-war "Bonne Citoyenne" to single combat; but her commander -declined, in view of the presence of the "Constitution." Bainbridge -wrote that he would not interfere, and pledged him his honor to give the -Englishman the opportunity to fight the "Hornet" to the death. Hoping to -bring the action about, Bainbridge sailed away, and remained four days. -But the British captain was determined not to fight, and Lawrence was thus -denied the opportunity he afterwards had with the ill-fated "Chesapeake." - -Near the end of December, 1812, the "Constitution" was cruising off -the coast of Brazil, about thirty miles from Bahia. The wind was light -from the northeast, and Bainbridge was moving under short sail. "Old -Ironsides," a ready sailer when in condition, had been off the stocks so -long and was so befouled by her stay in tropical waters that she moved -rather sluggishly, and had not the capacity for legging it that she had -when Hull had carried her from under the guns of the British squadron. -Her sails were patched and her rigging was old, but Bainbridge had done -all he could with her, and his men were full of confidence. She was -the "Constitution," and that was enough for them. They only wanted an -opportunity to repeat or surpass some of her previous exploits. - -They had not long to wait. At nine o'clock on the morning of December -29, the man at the fore-crosstrees passed the cry of "Sail-ho," and soon -from the deck two sails could be seen to the north, near the coast. They -were both made out to be full-rigged ships, one standing in cautiously -for the land and the other keeping a course out to sea, pushing down -gallantly under a full press of canvas. The one inshore was the American -ship "William," which had been captured by the British, and the other was -the "Java." The jackies who lined the nettings of the "Constitution" soon -discovered that their wishes were to be granted, for the larger ship was -evidently determined to come up, and could be nothing but a man-of-war -looking for a fight. - -By about eleven Captain Bainbridge took in his royals and went about -on the other tack. The Englishman was coming nearer now, and hoisted -the private signals, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, in succession. -Bainbridge hoisted the private signal of the day, and finding that it was -not answered, cleared ship for action immediately. Then, wishing to draw -his enemy from his consort, he set his mainsails and royals and stood out -to sea. The "Java" came up rapidly, and made sail in a parallel course. -Finding that the other ship did not follow, and desiring to make the other -vessel disclose her identity, Bainbridge showed his colors,--his broad -pennant at the main, the Stars and Stripes at the peak, another at the -maintop-gallant-mast, and the American jack at the fore. This was shortly -followed by his adversary, who hoisted an English ensign and displayed a -private signal. - -All this time the "Java" was rapidly gaining on the "Constitution," and -Bainbridge, finding that he was outsailed, took in his royals and went -about on the other tack, so as to pass within pistol-shot of the other. - -The "Constitution," still a mile to leeward, soon fired a shot across -the "Java's" bows to induce her to show her colors, which she had hauled -down again. This had the desired effect, for the bits of bunting went up -with a run, and a whole broadside was fired at the "Constitution." But -the range was too great for successful marksmanship, both these shots and -those fired by the "Constitution" in return dropping harmlessly alongside. - -By a little after two o'clock the frigates were within half a mile of each -other, and the action then began with great spirit. The Englishman got -the range first, and sent in a broadside which hulled the "Constitution" -and killed and wounded several of her men. It soon became evident to -Bainbridge that Captain Lambert's guns carried better than his own, -so began luffing up repeatedly in order to shorten the distance for an -effective broadside. He was sure of his marksmanship if once his men got -the range, for the same gun-captains were with him that had helped Hull -to her great victory over the "Guerriere." It was difficult to draw up, -as the Englishman was forging ahead with the evident desire to sail close -to the wind and keep the weather-gage at all hazards. The "Constitution" -could only luff up at opportune moments, for Lambert's position was one -which would enable him to rake the "Constitution" from stem to stern if -he luffed when the broadside was ready. But he edged up cautiously, and -soon the vessels were but musket-shot apart. A continuous fire now began, -and the wind being light, both vessels were soon so shrouded in smoke -that only at intervals could the gunners make out their adversaries. -Along they sailed, side by side, giving and receiving tremendous volleys. -About this time a solid shot went crashing along the quarter-deck of the -"Constitution" and, striking her wheel, smashed it to pieces. The gear had -been rove below, however, and the ship throughout the remainder of the -battle was steered by means of tackles on the berth-deck. The captain's -orders were shouted down through the after-hatch and repeated by a line -of midshipmen to the men at the tackles. - -Bainbridge, in full uniform, stood by the weather-rigging at the time -the disabling shot came aboard, and a small copper bolt drove through -the upper part of his leg, inflicting a bad wound. But fearing that if -he left the deck his men might lose some of the ardor with which they -were fighting, he would not go below though frequently urged so to do. -Instead of this he bound it up with his handkerchief, and remained at -his post, his epaulettes a fair mark for the sharpshooters in the tops -of the enemy. His men down in the waist of the "Constitution" looked now -and again at the imposing figure by the mizzen-mast, and bent to their -work with a will, firing as rapidly as their guns could be loaded. The -distance between the ships was now so short that all the smaller guns and -carronades could be used, and a rapid and well-directed fire was kept up -both upon the hull and the spars of their adversary. - -The "Java," by her superior sailing qualities, was enabled to reach well -forward on the "Constitution's" bow when she eased off her sheets to -round down across the bows of the American and rake. But Bainbridge, in -spite of the disadvantage of wrecked steering-gear, was too quick for -her. He put his helm up, and wore around in the smoke, thus keeping his -broadside presented. The Englishman at last succeeded in getting under -the "Constitution's" stern and pouring in a broadside at close range. But, -fortunately, comparatively little damage was done. The superiority of the -gunnery of the Americans, save for a few of the Englishman's well-directed -shots, had been from the first far superior to that of the Englishmen. The -fire of the "Java" was far less rapid and less careful than that of the -"Constitution." Had the gunnery been equal, the story of the fight would -have had a different ending. - -But the Americans labored under a great disadvantage, and Captain -Bainbridge, determined to close with the enemy at all hazards, put his -helm down and headed directly for the enemy, thus exposing himself to -a fore-and-aft fire, which might have been deadly. But for some reason -the Englishman failed to avail himself of this opportunity, only one -9-pounder being discharged. When near enough, the "Constitution" rounded -to alongside and delivered her entire starboard broadside, which crashed -through the timbers of the "Java" and sent the splinters flying along the -entire length of her bulwarks. The shrieks of the injured could be plainly -heard in the lulls in the firing, and soon the bowsprit and jib-boom of -the enemy were hanging down forward, where they lay, with the gear of the -head-sails and booms in a terrible tangle. With this misfortune the "Java" -lost her superiority in sailing, and this was the turn in the action. -Quickly availing himself of this advantage, Bainbridge again wore in the -smoke before Captain Lambert could discover his intentions, and, getting -under the "Java's" stern, poured in a rapid broadside, which swept the -decks from one end to the other, killing and wounding a score of men. Then -sailing around, he reloaded, and fired another broadside from a diagonal -position, which carried away the "Java's" foremast and otherwise wrecked -her. - -Captain Lambert, now finding his situation becoming desperate, determined -to close with the "Constitution" and board her. He tried to bear down -on her, but the loss of his head-yards and the wreck on his forecastle -made his vessel unwieldy, and only the stump of his bowsprit fouled the -mizzen-chains of the American vessel. The American topmen and marines -during this time were pouring a terrific fire of musketry into the mass of -men who had gathered forward on the English vessel. An American marine, -noting the epaulettes of Captain Lambert, took deliberate aim, and shot -him through the breast. Lambert fell to the deck, and Lieutenant Chads -assumed the command. The Englishmen, disheartened by the loss of their -captain, still fought pluckily, though the wreck of the gear forward and -the loss of their maintop-mast seriously impeded the handling of the guns. -At each discharge their sails and gear caught fire, and at one time the -"Java's" engaged broadside seemed a sheet of flame. At about four o'clock -her mizzen-mast, the last remaining spar aloft, came down, and she swung -on the waves entirely dismasted. It seemed impossible to continue the -action, as but half a dozen guns could be brought to bear. - -The "Constitution," finding the enemy almost silenced and practically at -her mercy, drew off to repair damages and re-reeve her gear. Bainbridge -had great confidence in the _look_ of the "Constitution," as, to all -outward appearances unharmed, she bore down again and placed herself in -a position to send in another broadside. His surmise was correct, for the -one flag which had remained aloft was hauled down before the firing could -be resumed. - -Lieutenant George Porter, of the "Constitution," was immediately -sent aboard the Englishman. As he reached the deck he found the -conditions there even worse than had been imagined by those aboard the -"Constitution." Many of the broadside guns were overturned, and, though -the wreck had been partially cleared away, the tangle of rigging was -still such that the remaining guns were practically useless. The dead and -wounded literally covered the decks, and as the lieutenant went aboard -the dead were being dropped overboard. The loss of her masts made her -roll heavily, and occasionally her broadside guns went under. Lambert -was mortally wounded. Lieutenant Chads, too, was badly hurt. When he -had assumed command, in spite of the fact that he knew his battle was -hopeless, he had tried to refit to meet the American when she came down -for the second time. He only struck his colors when he knew that further -resistance meant murder for his own brave men. The "Java" was a mere hulk, -and the hulk was a sieve. - -Comparison of the injuries of the "Java" and "Constitution" is -interesting. With the exception of her maintop-sail-yard, the -"Constitution" came out of the fight with every yard crossed and every -spar in position. The injuries to her hull were trifling. The "Java" had -every stick, one after another, shot out of her until nothing was left but -a few stumps. It might have been possible to have taken her into Bahia, -but Bainbridge thought himself too far away from home; and so, after the -prisoners and wounded had been removed to the "Constitution," a fuse was -laid, and the American got under weigh. Not long after a great volume of -smoke went up into the air, and a terrific explosion was heard as the last -of the "Java" sunk beneath the Southern Ocean. - -When the "Constitution" arrived at Bahia, Captain Lambert was carried -up on the quarter-deck, and lay near where Bainbridge, still suffering -acutely from his wounds, had been brought. Bainbridge was supported by -two of his officers as he came over to Lambert's cot, for he was very -weak from loss of blood. He carried in his hand the sword which the dying -Englishman had been obliged to surrender to him. Bainbridge put it down -beside him on his bed, saying,-- - -"The sword of so brave a man should never be taken from him." - -The two noble enemies grasped hands, and tears shone in the eyes of -both. A few days afterwards the Englishman was put on shore, where more -comfortable quarters were provided for him, but he failed rapidly, and -died five days after. - -The news of the capture of the "Java" created consternation in England. -The loss of the "Guerriere" and the "Macedonian" were thought to have been -ill-luck. But they now discovered an inkling of what they rightly learned -before the war was over,--that the navy of the United States, small as -it appeared, was a force which, man for man and gun for gun, could whip -anything afloat. - -When Bainbridge arrived in Boston he and his officers were met by a -large delegation of citizens, and many festivities and dinners were held -and given in their honor. The old "Constitution," rightly deserving -the attention of the government, was put in dry-dock to be thoroughly -overhauled. Of the five hundred merchantmen captured by Americans, she -had taken more than her share, and of the three frigates captured she had -taken two. - - - - -THE LAST OF THE "ESSEX" - - -When Captain David Porter in the "Essex" failed to meet Captain Bainbridge -in the "Constitution" off the Brazilian coast, and learned that the latter -had captured the "Java" and returned to the United States, he was free to -make his own plans and choose his own cruising-ground. - -He captured an English vessel or so, but his ambition was to make a voyage -which would result in the capture of as many vessels as could be manned -from the "Essex." He thought the matter over at length and then formulated -a plan which few other men would have thought of. No large war-vessel of -the American government had been in the South Pacific for some years, and -now the English whalers and merchantmen pursued their trade unmolested, -save by a few privateers which sailed haphazard in the waters along the -coast. David Porter decided to round the Horn, thus cutting himself off -from his nearest base of supplies, and live the best way he might off -vessels captured from the enemy. - -He knew that he could not hope for a hospitable reception at any port -he visited, but if he could keep his magazine and store-rooms supplied, -determined to capture or destroy every vessel flying the British flag in -those waters. - -He started on his long voyage at the end of January, 1813, during the -Southern summer season, when the gales and hurricanes in that region are -at their fiercest. He had not been at sea very long before the scurvy -broke out on the ship, and it was only by the most rigorous discipline -and cleanliness that the disease was kept under control. By the middle -of February the "Essex" reached the Cape, and, the weather having been -moderately free from squalls, they were congratulating themselves on -avoiding the usual dangers of those waters when a storm came up which in -a short time began to blow with hurricane force. Gale succeeded gale, -followed by intervals of calm, but nothing terrifying occurred until -towards the end of February, when a storm which exceeded all the others -in its fierceness began to blow. They were near a barren country, and, -even should they reach land, there was no possible chance of escaping -the slow torture of death from hunger and thirst. Great gray waves, -measuring hundreds of feet from crest to crest, swept them resistlessly -on towards the menacing shore, which could be seen dimly through the -driving spray frowning to leeward. Many of the waves broke clear over the -little frigate, knocking in her ports, opening her timbers, battering her -boats to pieces as they swung on the davits, and loosening her bowsprit -and other spars so that they threatened at each movement to go by the -board. The crew, weakened and disheartened by disease and the excess of -labor, lost heart and considered the "Essex" a doomed ship. David Glascoe -Farragut, then a midshipman aboard of her, afterwards wrote that never -before had he seen good seamen so paralyzed by fear at the mere terrors -of the sea. On the third day an enormous wave struck her fairly on the -weather-bow and broadside, and she went over on her beam ends, burying -her lee-bulwark in the foam. It looked for a moment as if she would -never right herself. The ports on the gun-deck were all stove in and she -seemed to be filling with water. The head-rails were swept away, and one -of the cutters was lifted bodily from the davits and smashed against the -wheel. The fellows there stood bravely at their posts, though thoroughly -terrified at the position of the ship. The water poured down below, and -the men on the gun-deck thought she was already plunging to the bottom. -The grizzly boatswain, crazy with fear, cried out in his terror,-- - -"The ship's broadside is stove in! We are sinking!" - -That was the greatest of their dangers, though, and better days were in -store for them. Early in March the "Essex" succeeded in reaching Mocha -Island, and the men, starved on half and quarter rations, were sent ashore -to hunt wild hogs and horses. These were shot in numbers and salted down -for food. The crew soon regained their health and spirits, and Porter -sailed away for Valparaiso, putting in there to refit his damaged rigging -and spars. - -And now began a cruise which is numbered among the most successful -in the country's history. Porter had been at sea but a few days when -he overhauled a Peruvian privateer, the "Nereyda." To his surprise, -twenty-four American sailors were found prisoners aboard of her. When -asked to explain, the Peruvian captain replied that as his country was -an ally of Great Britain, and that as war was soon to be declared between -Spain and America, he thought he would anticipate matters and be sure of -his prizes. Porter, in forcible English, explained the Peruvian's mistake, -and, to make the matter more clear, threw all his guns and ammunition -overboard, so that he might repent of his folly in a more diplomatic -condition. - -The Peruvian captain begrudgingly gave Porter a list of all the English -vessels in those waters. The first one captured was the whaler "Barclay." -On the 29th of April the "Essex" took the "Montezuma," with a cargo -of fourteen hundred barrels of whale-oil. Later in the same day the -"Georgiana" and the "Policy" were overhauled. These prizes, with their -cargoes, in England were worth half a million dollars; but, better than -money, they were plentifully supplied with ropes, spars, cordage, stores, -and ammunition, of which Porter still stood badly in need. - -Finding that the "Georgiana" was a fast sailer and pierced for eighteen -guns, Porter decided to make use of her as a cruiser, and, fitting her -up, placed Lieutenant Downes in command of her, with forty men for a -crew. Then the "Essex" took the "Atlantic" and the "Greenwich." With this -very respectable squadron Porter sailed for the mainland, Lieutenant -Downes in the "Georgiana" meanwhile capturing without great difficulty -the "Catharine" and the "Rose." A third vessel, the "Hector," fought -viciously, but was eventually secured after a stiff little battle. - -Young Farragut had been made the prize-master of the "Barclay." He was -only twelve years old, but Captain Porter, who was very fond of him, -was confident of his ability to bring the ship into port. The English -captain had been persuaded to act as navigator; but once out of sight of -the squadron he refused to sail for Valparaiso. He afterwards said it was -merely to frighten the boy. But the boy did not frighten at all. Instead -he called one of his best seamen to him and ordered sail made. Then he -told the captain that if he did not go below and stay there he would have -him thrown overboard. The Englishman retreated below precipitately, and -Farragut brought the ship safely in, a first proof of the courage and -skill he was to show in after-life. Few boys of twelve would have done it -even in those days when midshipmen soon became men regardless of age. - -The "Atlantic," being reckoned the fastest vessel of her kind afloat -in those waters, was now given to Downes, who had been promoted to -master-commandant, and renamed the "Essex Junior." She was given twenty -guns and sixty men, and soon proved her worth. All of this time Porter had -been self-supporting. Neither he nor his squadron had cost his government -a penny in money, and the prizes he captured, including the "Charlton," -"Seringapatam," "New Zealand," and "Sir Andrew Hammond," could not be -reckoned much short of a million and a half of dollars, a tremendous sum -in those days, when the pay of a captain of a naval vessel was only twelve -hundred dollars,--less than the pay of a boatswain to-day. - -But Porter grew tired of his easy victories over merchantmen and -privateers. He had succeeded in frightening the ships of the British -entirely from the ocean. His one ship, a small frigate, had complete -control in the South Pacific, and the Admiralty wondered at the skill -and ingenuity of a man who could manage his fleets so adroitly. They -determined to capture him; and two smart ships, the "Phoebe" and the -"Cherub," were sent out for this purpose. Porter heard of their coming, -and was willing enough to meet them if it were possible. He went to -Nukahiva, in the Marquesas Islands, to put the "Essex" in thorough repair -and give his men a rest. He remained there two months, sailing near the -end of the year 1813 for Valparaiso, with the hope of their meeting the -English cruisers. - -The "Essex" had been there but a month when the "Essex Junior," which -was cruising in the offing in anticipation of the arrival of the British -ships, signalled, "Two enemy's ships in sight." Half the crew of the -"Essex" were ashore enjoying sailor-men's liberty. Even if they all got -aboard, it was fair to assume that they would be in no condition to fight -should the Englishmen choose to violate the neutrality of the port by -firing on them. Porter immediately fired a gun and hoisted the recall -signal for all boats and men to return. The English captain, Hillyar, ran -the "Phoebe" on the wind straight for the "Essex," the "Cherub" following -closely. But when they reached the anchorage, the "Essex" was ready for -action and the crew were at their stations. The "Phoebe" went around under -the quarter of the "Essex," luffing up scarcely fifteen feet away. It -was an exciting moment. Hillyar could see the men at their guns, and his -ardor was perceptibly diminished. Had he given the order to fire then, -he would have been raked fore and aft, and the tale of this last fight of -the "Essex" might have had a different ending. - -As it was, he jumped upon the nettings, and said, with distinguished -politeness,-- - -"Captain Hillyar's compliments to Captain Porter, and hopes he is well." - -Porter _was_ well, but he was in no humor to bandy compliments. - -"Very well, I thank you," he replied; "but I hope you will not come too -near, for fear some accident might take place which would be disagreeable -to you." And at a wave of his hand the kedge-anchors and grappling-irons -were swung up to the yard-arms, ready to be dropped on the decks of -the enemy. The men swarmed along the nettings, ready to jump aboard the -Englishman as soon as she was close enough. - -But Hillyar, not liking the looks of things, changed his tone -considerably. He backed his yards hurriedly, and said in an excited -manner,-- - -"I had no intention of getting aboard of you. I assure you that if I fall -aboard it will be entirely accidental." - -"Well," said Porter, "you have no business where you are. If you touch a -rope-yarn of this ship I shall board instantly." - -Porter then hailed Downes on the "Essex Junior" and told him to be -prepared to repel the enemy. The vessels were in a position to be almost -at the mercy of the Americans. When the "Phoebe" ranged alongside, the -crews could see each other through the ports, and laughed and made -grimaces at one another. One young fellow in the "Essex," who had come -aboard drunk, stood at one of the guns, match in hand. He saw one of the -English jackies grinning at him. He was primed for a fight, and yelled -across,-- - -"I'll stop your making faces, my fine fellow." He leaned forward to -apply the match to the vent, and was only saved from firing it in time by -Lieutenant McKnight of the gun-division, who knocked him sprawling. Had -that gun been fired, the "Phoebe" would have been taken. - -There seems no doubt of Captain Hillyar's previous intention to try to -take the "Essex" as she lay, regardless of the neutrality. Captain Porter -would have been justified if he had fired at that time. - -But the Englishmen were willing to bide their time. Two more British ships -were expected, and they felt sure of their prey. - -A strange state of affairs now ensued. The officers meeting on shore -exchanged the proper courtesies, and strict orders were issued to the -men, who for a wonder were restrained from fighting. Porter flew from -his foremast a great white burgee, bearing the legend, "Free Trade and -Sailors' Rights." Captain Hillyar soon hoisted one in reply, "God and -Country: British Sailors' Best Rights. Traitors Offend Both." Porter then -had another painted, and sent it to the mizzen, which read, "God, Our -Country, and Liberty. Tyrants Offend Them." - -These amenities had the effect of making the crew eager for a speedy -settlement of the question. Once Captain Hillyar fired a gun in challenge; -but upon Porter's accepting it, the Englishman sailed down to his consort -the "Cherub," and Porter returned. The Englishman, in spite of his -challenge, was not willing to fight a single battle. - -Finally, Captain Porter, learning of the expected early arrival of the -"Tagus," 38, the "Raccoon," and two other ships, determined to put to sea -and there fight it out with the two frigates as best he might. The next -day, the 28th of March, 1814, a squall came up, and the "Essex" lost one -of her anchors and dragged the other out to sea. Not a moment was to be -lost in getting sail on the ship, for he saw a chance to sail between the -southwest point of the harbor and the enemy. Under close-reefed topsails -Porter made a course which seemed likely to carry him just where he wanted -to go, when a heavy squall struck the ship, carrying away the maintop-mast -and throwing the men who were aloft on the top-gallant-yard into the sea. - -This great misfortune at a time when there was at least a fighting chance -of getting away put a different aspect upon the chances of the "Essex." -Both English vessels immediately gave chase, and Porter, failing to make -his anchorage, ran for shore, to anchor there and fight it out to the last -drop of blood. The "Phoebe" and the "Cherub," bedecked with flags, came -booming down to where Porter awaited them, flying flags from the stumps of -his maintop-mast and at almost every point where he could run a halyard. - -At about four o'clock the "Phoebe" selected a position under the stern -of the "Essex," and opened fire at long range. The "Cherub" stood off -her bow. The fire of the "Phoebe" was terribly destructive, and few guns -from the "Essex" could be brought to bear upon her. The "Cherub" fared -differently; and, finding her position too hot, sailed around and took up -a position by her consort, where a tremendous fire was poured in. Captain -Porter, with great difficulty, had three of his long 12-pounders hauled -into his after-cabin, and at last succeeded in opening such a fierce -and well-aimed fire that the enemy wore about and increased the distance -between them. The "Phoebe" had three holes in her water-line, had lost the -use of her mainsail and jib, and had her fore-main- and mizzen-stays shot -away. Her bowsprit was badly wounded, and she had other injuries below. - -But the "Essex" was fighting against terrible odds. The springs on her -cables were again and again shot away and the crew were being killed -and wounded in great numbers. When the ships of the enemy returned and -opened a galling fire from such a position that it could not be returned -by the "Essex," Porter determined to assume the aggressive. But when he -attempted to make sail on his ship, he found that most of the running-gear -had been cut away, only his flying-jib could be spread to the winds. But, -nothing daunted, he cut his cable, and, spreading his tattered canvases -the best way he could, made down for the "Cherub" until within range -of the cannonades, where he gave the Englishman such a drubbing that he -took to his heels and got out of range altogether. The "Phoebe" managed to -keep her distance, and with her long guns kept sending in broadside after -broadside, which swept the decks of the doomed "Essex" and mowed her men -down like chaff. Captain Hillyar was taking no chances. - -The slaughter on the "Essex" was horrible. One gun was manned by three -crews, fifteen men being killed at it. Men were dying like sheep; but -those who remained at the guns, and even the wounded, had no thought of -surrender. A sailor named Bissley, a young Scotchman by birth, lost his -leg. He lifted himself, and said to some of his shipmates,-- - -"I hope I have proved myself worthy of the country of my adoption. I am -no longer of any use to you or her; so good-by." And before he could -be restrained he pushed himself through the port into the sea and was -drowned. - -Midshipman Farragut acted as captain's aid, quarter-gunner, powder-boy, -and anything that was required of him. He went below for some primers, -when the captain of a gun was struck full in the face by a sixteen-pound -shot, falling back upon the midshipman, spattering him with blood -and tumbling them both down the hatch together. The blow stunned the -midshipman for a moment; but when he recovered, he rushed again on deck. -Captain Porter, seeing him covered with blood, asked him if he were -wounded. - -"I believe not, sir." - -"Then, where are the primers?" - -This first brought him completely to his senses. He rushed below again and -brought the primers up. Captain Porter fell, stunned by the windage of a -shot, but got to his feet unaided. - -Though most other men would have surrendered the ship, Porter made up his -mind to run her towards the shore and beach her broadside on, fight until -the last and then blow her to pieces. An explosion occurred below and -a fire broke out in two places. The decks were so covered with dead and -dying that the men who remained upright could scarcely move among them. -The cockpit would hold not another wounded man, and the shots which came -in killed men who were under the surgeon's knife. Out of the two hundred -and fifty-five souls who began the fight only seventy-five, including -officers and boys, remained on the ship fit for duty. Many of the men, -thinking the ship was about to blow up, had jumped overboard and had -drowned or were struggling in the water in the attempt to swim to land. -The long-range shots of the enemy were striking her at every fire. The -Englishmen had the distance accurately and were battering her to pieces -as though at target-practice. - -Captain Porter, at last seeing that resistance was only a waste of life, -called his officers into consultation. But one, Lieutenant McKnight, could -respond, and at 6.20 P.M. the order was given to haul down the flag. - -When the British boarding-officer came over the side, the sight of the -carnage was so shocking that he had to lean against a gun for support. The -force of the "Essex" was forty-six guns and two hundred and fifty-five -men. That of the English, in conservative estimates, was seventy-three -guns and four hundred and twenty-one men. The English lost five killed -and ten wounded. The "Essex" fifty-eight killed, sixty-six wounded, and -thirty-one missing. - -Thus died the "Essex" in one of the bloodiest and most obstinate combats -on record. - - - - -THE CAPTAIN OF THE MAINTOP - - -James Jarvis was one of the "young gentlemen" on the "Constellation" -during the war with France. "Young gentlemen" was what the midshipmen -were called in the old naval service, and Jarvis was the youngest of them -all, being just thirteen at the time of the action with the "Vengeance." -He was the smallest officer aboard, and his most important duties were -those of passing the word from the quarter-deck forward, and taking his -station aloft in the maintop, where he was learning the mysteries of the -maze of gear which went through the lubber's-hole or belayed in the top. -He also stood at quarters with his diminutive sword drawn,--a smaller -edition of the lieutenants, who were allowed to wear one epaulette and -who could make a louder noise through the speaking-trumpet than Jarvis -could hope to for years. Down in the midshipmen's mess, by virtue of his -diminutive stature and tender years, he was not much interfered with by -Wederstrandt, Henry, Vandyke, and the bigger men. But he fought one or two -of the young gentlemen nearer his age, and, though frequently defeated, -stood up as strongly as possible for what he deemed his rights. He was -a manly little reefer, and up in the maintop, where he was stationed in -time of action, the men swore by him. He was sensible enough not to give -any orders without the professional opinion of one of the old jackies, -who always ventured it with a touch of the cap, a respectful "Sir," and -perhaps a half-concealed smile, which was more of interest than amusement. -Thirteen was rather a tender age at which to command men of fifty, but -the midshipmen of those days were not ordinary boys. They went out from -their comfortable homes aboard ships where men were even rougher and less -well-disciplined than they are to-day, and they had either to sink or -swim. It was Spartan treatment; but a year of it made men and sailors of -them or else sent them posting home to their mothers and sisters. - -Jarvis loved it, and did his duty like a man. He knew the lead of all -the gear on his mast, and kept his few pieces of brass-work aloft shining -like new. He kept the rigging in his top, even when there was no occasion -for it, coiled down as though for inspection, although nobody but the -topmen and yardmen ever had occasion to examine it. He was as active as a -monkey, and, scorning the "lubber's-hole," went over the futtock-shrouds -as smartly as any of the light-yardmen. - -The greatest and probably the only regret of midshipman Jarvis's short -life was that he had not joined the great frigate before she met and -defeated the "Insurgente" the year before. He wanted to be in a great -action. Nothing seemed to make him feel more of a man than when the long -18-pounders were fired in broadside at target-practice. If he had been -but a boy, instead of an officer with a gold-laced cap and a dirk and all -the dignities pertaining to those habiliments, he would have clapped his -hands and shouted for sheer joy. But the eyes of his men were upon him, -and so he stood watching the flight of the shots, and biting hard on his -lips he kept his composure. - -Captain Truxton, ever mindful of his midshipmen, had disposed them in -different parts of the ship with regard to their size and usefulness. -The older ones had been given gun-divisions, while the youngsters were -placed on the fo'c's'le or in the tops, where they might be of assistance, -but would more certainly be out of harm's way. Such a thought was not -suggested on the "Constellation." If it had been, little Jarvis would -probably have resigned immediately, or at the very least have burst into -unmanly tears. As it was, he felt that his post aloft was as important -as any on the ship, and he promised himself that if another Frenchman was -sighted he would stay there whether the mast were up or down. - -So, on the 1st of February, 1800, just about a year after the capture of -the "Insurgente," while they were bowling along under easy sail, about -fifteen miles off Basse Terre, a large sail, which appeared to be a French -frigate, was sighted to the southward. Jarvis went aloft two ratlines at -a time, his heart bounding with joy at the prospect of the chance of a -fight. - -On assuring himself that she was a large ship, Captain Truxton immediately -set all sail and took a course which soon brought her hull above the -horizon and showed the Americans beyond a doubt that she was a ship-of-war -of heavier metal than the "Constellation." Nothing daunted, Truxton bore -on his course until the gun-streaks of the other vessel could be plainly -seen. Instead of showing the same desire to speak, the stranger held on, -pointing a little off his course, as though anxious to avoid an encounter. - -But the breeze, which had been light, now died away altogether, and the -sea became calm. There the two great vessels drifted in sight of each -other all night and part of the following day, awaiting the wind which -would enable them to close. Jarvis was in a fever of impatience. A half -a dozen times he got permission from the officer of the deck, and with -a telescope almost as long as himself, clambered up to the main-royal -to report. There was but one opinion among the midshipmen who went -aloft,--she was a Frenchman. She _could not_ be anything else. - -About two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, up to the northward -they saw the ripple on the water of the wind they had been waiting for. -The sail-loosers flew aloft, and every sail was spread to catch it. Soon -the "Constellation" was pushing her way through the water, and the foam -was even flying from the wave-tops here and there. The chase had caught -the breeze at about the same time, and the Americans could see by the -line of white under her bow that she was beginning to leg it at a handsome -rate. But the "Constellation" was in excellent condition for a race, and -by degrees drew up on the other ship, which as they reached her was seen -to lie very low in the water, as though deep-laden. They were sure to -discover who she was before nightfall, so Truxton cleared his ship for -action. Jarvis went aloft to his top and saw the backstays lashed and the -preventer-braces securely hooked and rove. Extra muskets were carried up -into his top for the use of the jackies and marines when they should come -into close quarters, for then the fire of sharpshooters would be almost -as valuable as the shots of the great guns. - -Their work had been over an hour and the sun had set in a clear sky before -the "Constellation" drew up to gunshot distance. It was moonlight before -she came within effective range. The battle-lanterns were lit, and the -long row of lights on the Frenchman showed that he, too, was prepared -for fight. The sky was clear, and the moon, which was nearly at the full, -made the outlines of the vessels perfectly visible to the men at the guns. -Jarvis, from his post aloft, could plainly see the lines of heads along -the poop, and fancied that he could make out a midshipman almost as young -as he, who was clambering about the maintop of the other vessel. He heard -the beating of a drum and the sound of cheers as the Frenchmen moved to -their quarters. - -On the decks below there was not a sound. Truxton had given his men -their orders. There was to be no cheering until there was something to -cheer for. They were to await the order to fire until the enemy was close -aboard, and then, and not until then, was the broadside to be delivered. -The division-officers had gone about quietly repeating these commands -to the gun-captains, and there was nothing further to say. Only to wait -until the battle began. Jarvis repeated to his topmen, word for word, the -instructions he had received, that in their aim particular attention was -to be paid to the officers of the enemy. - -Soon a gun from the after-battery of the Frenchman was fired. This was -followed shortly by all the guns that would bear. Some of the shots -crashed into the hull of the "Constellation," and one of them killed -several men. The division-officers glanced appealingly to Truxton, in -the hope of the order to fire; but he merely held up his hand. Again the -broadside came, and men seemed to be falling everywhere. The strain below -and aloft was terrific. But the officers stood steadily, with a word of -encouragement here and there, and the men did not flinch. - -[Illustration: THE "CONSTELLATION" AND THE "VENGEANCE"] - -At last the "Constellation" came abreast the after-ports of the Frenchman, -and Truxton, throwing her off a little, so that all his broadside would -bear in a diagonal direction, loudly shouted the order to fire. - -The telling broadside was delivered, and the battle was on in earnest. -To those aloft the crash of the long eighteens into the hull of the -enemy at every other downward roll of the "Constellation" showed how -well the American gunners had learned to shoot, while the short bark of -the cannonades and the shrieks in the brief pauses from the decks of the -Frenchman told of the terrible effects of the fire among the enemy. The -guns of the Frenchman were well served and rapidly fired, but they were -aiming on the upward roll of the sea, and their shots went high. Several -balls from the smaller pieces had lodged in the foremast and mainmast, -and one had struck just below the futtock-band of the maintop, where -Jarvis was, and sent the splinters flying up and all about him. Yard-arm -to yard-arm they sailed for three long, bloody hours, until the firing -of the Frenchman gradually slackened and then stopped almost altogether. -The Americans had suffered less on the decks than aloft, and Jarvis's -topmen were employed most of the time in splicing and re-reeving gear. -The discharge of the "Constellation's" broadside-guns did not diminish -for a moment, and so fast was the firing that many of the guns became -overheated, and the men had to crawl out of the exposed ports to draw up -buckets of water to cool them. - -At about midnight Truxton managed to draw ahead of his adversary in the -smoke, and, taking a raking position, sent in such a broadside that the -Frenchman was silenced completely. - -Jarvis and the men in the maintop had little time to use their muskets. -Several long shots had struck the mast, and almost every shroud and -backstay had been carried away. As the "Constellation" bore down upon her -adversary to deal her the death-blow, the mast began swaying frightfully. -There was a cry from the men at Jarvis's side, and the marines and topmen -began dropping through the lubber's-hole, swinging themselves down the -sides of the swaying mast by whatever gear they could lay their hands to. - -Jarvis did not move. One of the older seamen took him by the shoulder and -urged him to go below. The mast was going, he said, and it meant certain -death to stay aloft. - -Little Jarvis smiled at him. "This is my post of duty," he replied, "and -I am going to stay here until ordered below." - -At this moment a terrific crackling was heard, and the old man-o'-warsman -went over the edge of the top. All the strain was on one or two of the -shrouds, and, just as he reached the deck, with a tremendous crash the -great mast went over the side. - -Jarvis had kept his promise to stay by his mast whether it was up or down. - -The Frenchman, not so badly injured aloft, took advantage of the condition -of the "Constellation," and, slowly making sail before the wreck was -cleared away, faded into the night. It was afterwards discovered that she -was the "Vengeance," of fifty-two guns. She succeeded in reaching Curaçoa -in a sinking condition. - -When the news of the fight reached home, Congress gave Truxton a medal -and a sword, and prize money to the officers and crew. - -For little Jarvis, the midshipman, who preferred to die at his post, -Congress passed a special resolution, which read: - -"_Resolved_, That the conduct of James Jarvis, a midshipman in said -frigate, who gloriously preferred certain death to an abandonment of -his post, is deserving of the highest praise, and that the loss of so -promising an officer is a subject of national regret." - -History does not show an instance of nobler self-sacrifice, and no such -honor as this special act of Congress was received by a boy before or -since. - - - - -CUSHING AND THE "ALBEMARLE" - - -Although the Civil War furnished many instances of conspicuous gallantry, -so many that most of them remain to-day comparatively unknown, none -was more notable than the torpedo exploit of Lieutenant William Barker -Cushing. There have been several similar expeditions in our naval -history. Before Tripoli, Richard Somers made the ill-fated attempt -with the "Intrepid," and in the war with Spain, Richmond Hobson sunk -the "Merrimac." There is no question that the personal and sentimental -aspects of these three hazardous enterprises are similar. All three men -were young, and each one knew that he took his life in his hands. Somers, -rather than be captured with his powder, destroyed both his ship and -himself. Hobson sunk the "Merrimac," but did not succeed in getting her -athwart the channel. Cushing, in a torpedo-launch, went under the guns of -the enemy, and escaped both death and imprisonment. On the enemy the moral -effect of all three exploits must have been the same. Professionally, -Cushing's exploit has just this distinction: he was successful. Like -Decatur in the recapture of the "Philadelphia," he carried out in every -detail the plans he had made. And upon his success the way was opened -for the Union fleet, and the hopes of the Confederates fled, for only two -seaports in the South--Charleston and Wilmington--remained open to them. - -After the great success of the "Merrimac" in Hampton Roads, the -Confederates determined to construct a vessel of similar design for use -in the Southern rivers and sounds. Under great difficulties they built -the "Albemarle" on the Roanoke River, and carried her into action almost -before the last rivet was driven. She was a formidable craft in those -days, and the shots from the vessels of the Northern fleet went harmlessly -against her iron sides to break and fly into a thousand pieces. On the -5th of May the "Albemarle" had another fight with a larger fleet of Union -vessels, which had gathered to hem in and disable her. During the action -the "Sassacus" saw an opportunity to ram her, and, going ahead at full -speed, struck the ram a terrific blow amidships. The bow of the "Sassacus" -was literally torn to pieces by the impact, and the "Albemarle," though -heeling over and in danger of sinking for a time, finally righted and -pulled out of the action uninjured, but by no means disabled. All of the -vessels of the squadron kept up a heavy fire upon her, but she went on to -her anchorage up the river, where a few repairs made her as good as ever. - -It looked to the Unionists as though the story of the "Merrimac" with -the "Congress" and the "Cumberland" was about to be repeated; that the -"Albemarle" in course of time would come down at her leisure and destroy -all Northern vessels in those waters. To make matters worse, the Unionists -learned that another vessel of a similar type was nearly completed, and -that the two vessels would attack at the same time,--a combination which, -with their consorts, seemed irresistible. Something had to be done if the -command of the sounds of the Carolinas was to remain with the navy of the -North. - -But during the summer of 1864 two steam launches rigged up as -torpedo-boats, the invention of Engineer J. L. Long, were fitted out at -New York and brought down through the canals to Albemarle Sound. The bows -of the boats were cut under and decked over, and the engines were so built -that when covered and moving at a low rate of speed they made little or -no noise. A spar ten or fifteen feet long, which carried a torpedo and a -firing attachment, projected forward over the bow, and a small howitzer -was also mounted forward where it would be useful to repel attack. - -The government had decided to make a night attempt on the "Albemarle," -and the honor of the command of the expedition was bestowed on Lieutenant -Cushing, who had half a dozen times before received the thanks of the -secretary of the navy for gallantry in action off Cape Fear River. - -The expedition was favored by the inactivity of the Confederates. The -"Albemarle" lay alongside the dock at Plymouth awaiting the completion of -her sister-ship, but this needless delay gave Cushing the opportunity he -wanted. - -The Confederates were fully aware of the plans of the Unionist's navy, and -a thousand soldiers remained to guard the "Albemarle" from land attack as -well as to act as sentries for a distance along the river bank. To provide -against torpedoes, a line of great cypress logs was boomed off her sides -at a distance of twenty to thirty feet, so that it seemed impossible to -come within striking distance. Besides this, the smaller guns of the ram -were trained up and down the river,--which here was but one hundred and -fifty yards wide,--to sweep the entire area over which the attacking party -had to pass. - -But Cushing, like Decatur, rejoiced at obstacles. He was only twenty-one, -but he carried a man's head on his broad shoulders, and the planning -of such an expedition down to the smallest detail was a task which he -entered into with judgment and enthusiasm, ingredients as rare as they -are necessary in such a desperate enterprise. - -After a week spent in preparation and experiment, the gunboat "Otsego" -brought the launch to the mouth of the river, where Cushing cast off and -pointed his bow toward Plymouth, towing a cutter full of armed men, who -were to capture, if possible, a Confederate guard,--which had been set -in a schooner near the sunken "Southfield,"--to prevent their giving the -alarm. But the expedition started badly, for the launch ran aground on -a bar. Before Cushing could float her again it was too late to make the -attempt. Cushing and his boat's crews then returned to the "Otsego." - -The next night was black and squally, with occasional showers of rain. -They could only make out the loom of the shore by straining their eyes -into the darkness. Cushing was as cool as though taking shore-liberty. As -he shook hands with the "Otsego's" officers he paused at the gangway to -say, with a laugh,-- - -"Well, here goes for another stripe or a coffin." - -They crept slowly up the river, keeping close to the bank, under the -shadow of the reeds and trees. The little engine, covered with tarpaulins, -made so little sound that the men in the cutter towing astern could hardly -hear it. There was not a sound except the plashing of the gusts of rain -and the ripple of the water as the little craft moved steadily on. Cushing -knew he must be passing some of the pickets now, so not a word even in -whispers was spoken. Every man had his duty and knew when to do it. Acting -Ensign William Howarth was aft at Cushing's side. Acting Master's Mate -John Woodman, who knew the river, was next to him. The other officers were -Acting Master's Mate Thomas S. Gay, Acting Assistant-Paymaster Francis H. -Swan, and Acting Third-Assistant-Engineers Charles L. Steever and William -Stotesbury. - -By half-past two A.M., about a mile below Plymouth, where the "Albemarle" -lay, they came upon the submerged "Southfield," and could just make out -the lines of the guard-schooner. The machinery of the launch was slowed, -almost stopped, for Cushing had decided to get by her if he could without -a fight. It was a moment of utmost anxiety, and every man was prepared for -the attack. But there was no sign of discovery from the schooners, and in -ten minutes the little expedition had passed up the river in safety. - -But only the first danger of discovery was over. Between the "Southfield" -and Plymouth the bank was guarded by a double line of sentries, and the -men in the boats, now moving more quickly, could see the red glare of -the smouldering fires reaching all the way to town. As they came to the -point beyond which the ram was lying, they found, to their delight, that -the fires which should have been brightly burning were smouldering in -the rain. There was no sign of a man to be made out anywhere, and Cushing -pushed on directly for the "Albemarle," which he could now see plainly as -she lay at the wharf, grim and menacing, but without a sign of life. - -Suddenly from the shore there came the sharp bark of a dog. To the ears -of Cushing and his men in the deep silence and anxiety of the moment it -sounded like the report of a Dahlgren. There was a cry from a sentry and a -challenge, followed by a musket-shot, and the bullet flew over the boats -and struck the water fifty feet away with a vicious _ping_ that sounded -not less loud than the report itself. There was another challenge, and in -a moment the cries came from everywhere. Other dogs began barking, and it -seemed as though the whole town was aroused. The sentries on both sides -of the stream threw inflammable material on the smouldering fires, and in -a moment the river was as bright as day. - -Realizing that further concealment was useless, Cushing himself cast off -the towline of the cutter, and telling the men in her to row for their -lives, gave the engineer the order, "Four bells, ahead full speed," -setting the nose of the launch directly for the ram. The sparks flew up -from her stack, and the dark water churned up in masses of foam under her -stern, as like a sentient thing she leaped forward on her deadly mission. -It was then that Cushing discovered for the first time the line of torpedo -booms which guarded the ram. In facing the musketry-fire and the great -guns of their enormous adversary the task of getting close enough to reach -her seemed impossible. - -Cushing knew that if he was to get over the log booms he must strike -them fair; then perhaps he could slide over within striking distance. He -shifted his helm, and making a wide sweep out into the stream, gathered -all the headway he could and came down into the very jaws of the great -monster. A tremendous volley from the shot-guns and muskets of the -sentries greeted them, and Paymaster Swan was wounded. Cushing received -a charge of buckshot in the back of his coat and had the sole of his shoe -torn off, but these were the only shots which took effect. - -Cushing here shouted, in a loud voice, "Leave the ram; we're going to blow -you up!" hoping to create a panic. But the Confederates continued firing, -and succeeded in getting in two howitzer-shots, one of which felled a -man by Cushing's side. At this moment, Gay, up forward in the launch, -took careful aim with the howitzer, and sent a charge in the midst of the -Confederate crew. Then with a slight jar the sled-like bow rose on the -boom. She balanced a second, and slid over within the enclosure, half full -of water, but within reaching distance. - -One of the great guns of the "Albemarle," a hundred-pounder, protruded -from a broadside port directly in front of them, and they could see the -gun-crew frantically training the gun and trying to depress the muzzle -enough to bear on them. It was a matter of seconds now. Who would fire -first? Cushing had lowered the torpedo-spar, and as soon as he had it well -under the overhang he detached it, then waited until he heard the torpedo -strike the hull, when he pulled the trigger-line. He was not a fraction -of a second too soon, for the two concussions were almost simultaneous. -There was a muffled roar from below the great vessel, and a column of -water shot out from under her as she lifted on the wave. The shock of the -hundred-pounder was terrific, and it seemed as if the frail launch had -been blown to pieces. But Cushing had been too quick for them. The charge -of canister passed a few feet over their heads and scattered in the river -beyond. - -The work of the gallant crew was done. Cushing had made a hole in the -"Albemarle" large enough to have driven a wagon through. The great -wave of the torpedo rose and went completely over the launch, swamping -her alongside and throwing her men into the water. All of them got to -the booms safely. Here Cushing paused a moment to throw off his outer -clothing, while the Confederates on the banks were shouting to the men to -surrender. Several of them, being unable to swim, did so; but Cushing, -calling to the others to follow him, plunged boldly into the water and -struck off down the stream. He was a powerful swimmer, but the night was -cold, and he knew that he could not keep up very long. But he swam for -half an hour, and he came upon Woodman in the middle of the stream, almost -exhausted. Though almost entirely fagged out himself, he tried to help the -mate towards the shore. Finding that he was being pulled down and unable -to save the other, Cushing struggled on, and reached the shoal water more -dead than alive. Here he lay among the reeds until dawn, when he learned -from a negro how complete had been his success. At last, after almost -twenty-four hours' exposure, he succeeded in finding one of the enemy's -deserted picket-skiffs, and managed under cover of the second night to -pull off to the Federal "Valley City," which he reached at eleven o'clock -at night, and was hauled aboard completely exhausted from his labor and -exposure. Only one other of his crew reached a place of safety. Woodman -and Samuel Higgins, the fireman, were drowned. The others went ashore and -surrendered or were captured. - -This service, because of the great benefit to the Union cause and the -daring manner in which it had been performed, made Cushing the hero of -the year. Congress passed a vote of thanks and promoted him to the rank -of lieutenant-commander, which he held until 1872, when he became a -commander. - -He did not long enjoy his honors, for two years later he died of brain -fever, in Washington, at the age of thirty-two. Had he lived he would have -been but fifty-six years of age at the outbreak of the war with Spain, -and would have been one of the ranking officers in active service of the -new navy. - - - - -SOMERS AND THE "INTREPID" - - -Among the young officers of Commodore Preble's squadron before Tripoli -there was a tall, dark, melancholy-looking fellow of about twenty-five. -His name was Richard Somers and his command was the "Nautilus," a little -schooner of twelve guns and a hundred men. He had been with Decatur -and Stewart, a junior officer on Commodore Barry's "United States" in -the war with Spain, and the friendship formed in those early days had -been cemented by a score of thrilling adventures which had drawn them -more closely together than brothers. Charles Stewart, before Decatur's -promotion to post-captain, had been the second in command to Preble, -and his vessel, the "Siren," had taken a prominent part in all the many -actions with the Tripolitan forts and gunboats. He was a year or so older -than his companions and had drifted a little away from them. But Decatur -and Somers were inseparable. Some bond outside of mere professional -sympathy and environment existed between them, and there seemed to be no -thought of the one that the other did not share. The difference in their -temperaments was marked. Decatur was bold, domineering, and impetuous. -Somers was quiet, mild, and ever avoided the quarrel which Decatur too -often sought. But under the quiet exterior men had found a will like iron -and the willingness to dare and do anything that came within the province -of his profession. He was thoughtful, but not so quiet that he could not -enter into the gayety of the mess; he was mild, but not so mild that he -would overlook shortcomings among his men or brook any slight upon his -office or his reputation. - -In the old days on the "United States" there happened an affair which -immediately established his reputation as an officer and a man. At first -he was not understood. His brother midshipmen, mistaking the reserve of -his manner for weakness, did not hesitate before they had been aboard with -him a month to take advantage of him in the steerage and on deck in every -possible way. Not only did they slight him, but, after the manner of the -cadet midshipman of recent years, they made him the butt of most of their -practical jokes below-decks. Somers stood it for a while in silence. He -dearly loved peace, and, beyond a good-humored protest, let everything -pass for what it was worth. But as the weeks went by and the bantering -continued, instead of laughing it off as before, Somers became more and -more quiet and self-contained. - -Decatur, ever humorous and mischief-making, had himself been one of the -worst to chaff his comrade; but he knew what Somers' silence meant, and -he desisted. He had been his school-mate in Philadelphia, and he had seen -that ominous quiet before. Decatur would have fought for him to the last -drop of his blood, but he felt that his comrade was well able to look out -for himself. - -Somers went about his duties quietly, never giving a sign that there was -anything upon his mind until the day before coming into port, then he went -to Decatur, and said,-- - -"Stephen, to-morrow I want you to go ashore with me, for I am going to -meet three men." - -The next afternoon a cutter containing Somers, Decatur, and three -midshipmen, with their seconds, went ashore and found a secluded spot upon -the beach where they would be free from interference. He had challenged -all three to fight at the same time and would take them in succession. - -In the first two duels Somers received two shots in the body, the latter -one of which caused him to sink upon the sand as though dangerously hurt; -but he rallied quickly, and, seeing that the third midshipman was standing -waiting to see if the battle could be continued, he tried to struggle to -his feet. He found he could not get up, and Decatur offered to take his -place and receive the fire of the third midshipman. But Somers, though -suffering greatly, was not to be deterred, and bade Decatur prop him up -in a sitting posture, in which position he exchanged shots with the third -man. Fortunately, none of the injuries resulted fatally, and in a few -weeks Somers was on deck again. He went about his duties as quietly as -before, but never after that did they call him milksop. - -It was Somers who led one division of the gunboats to attack the -Tripolitan fleet while Decatur was leading the other. Finding that he -could not reach them by the eastern entrance, he sailed into the northern -entrance of the harbor and single-handed boldly sent his little vessel -into the midst of five of the enemy. His gunboat was smaller than any one -of those of his adversaries; but so well was his long gun served and so -true was the fire of his musketry that he held them at bay for half an -hour, and not one of them succeeded in getting alongside of him to board. -They were all bearing straight down upon the rocks, though, and Somers -could not spare enough men from the guns to man his sweeps. But Preble, -on the "Constitution," saw his danger, and, coming up in time, sent a -broadside of grape among the pirates, and they got out their sweeps and -retreated, when, in spite of the doggedness of the defence, one united -attack would have made the victory theirs. But as they drew off, instead -of returning, as Preble wished, to the "Constitution," Somers pursued them -until within less than a cable's length of a twelve-gun battery, which -had not fired before for fear of damaging the fleeing Tripolitans. When -she opened fire at this close range the destruction of Somers's valiant -little vessel seemed inevitable. But by a lucky chance a bombard exploded -in the battery, blew up the platform, and drove the Tripolitans to cover. - -Before they could recover and train their guns, Somers managed to bring -his craft out in safety. In a later action, as Somers stood leaning -against a flag-staff on his little vessel, a shot came directly for him. -The officer saw it in time, and jumped aside to see the spar carried away -at just the spot where his head had been. He was spared for more deadly -work. - -While these many attacks were being made upon the gunboats and batteries, -the "Intrepid," in which Decatur had recaptured and destroyed the -"Philadelphia," was being rapidly prepared as a fire-ship. Their plan was -to load her with a hundred barrels of powder in bulk, with bags of grape -and solid shot, and under cover of the night explode her in the midst of -the Tripolitan war-vessels. Somers, who had been frequently in the harbor -of Tripoli and knew its reefs and rocks so that he could readily thread -his way through the narrow channels, asked for the opportunity to command -this expedition. But Decatur's success in boarding the "Philadelphia" -had raised the chivalry of every officer and man in the fleet to a point -rarely equalled in our own history, and Somers, while he did not begrudge -Decatur his two epaulettes, was filled with the passion to do a deed as -great, if not greater. They had been rivals since youth, and he felt that -now was the opportunity to attempt a great deed for his country, though -he and every man in the fleet knew that the chances of coming out alive -were but one in a hundred. Somers went to Commodore Preble and urged -his knowledge of the harbor as his chief claim to the service. It was an -honor that a half-dozen other men sought, and not until the old commodore -had weighed the chances fully did he at last agree to let Somers go. -But, before consenting, Preble repeatedly warned the young officer of -the desperate character of the work, and told him that on account of the -Napoleonic wars the Tripolitans were short of ammunition, and that so -much powder must not fall into the hands of the enemy. But Somers needed -no warning. A day or two afterwards, when the preparations were nearly -completed, Preble and some other officers were trying a fuse in the cabin -of the "Constitution." One of the officers, watch in hand, ventured the -opinion that it burned too long and might enable the enemy to put it out -before it exploded the magazine. Hearing this, Somers said, quietly,-- - -"I ask for no fuse at all." - -He was more gentle than ever in those last few days, and as he and Decatur -leaned over the hammock-nettings of "Old Ironsides," looking towards -the line of white where the sea was breaking over the outer roofs, the -melancholy look seemed to deepen and the far-away expression in his eyes -was of another world. Decatur knew that rather than give up his ship and -his powder, Somers would blow the ship and himself to eternity. - -When volunteers were called for, the desperateness of the enterprise -was fully explained; but the crew of the "Nautilus," Somers's own vessel -stepped forward to a man. He selected four,--James Simms, Thomas Tompline, -James Harris, and William Keith. From the "Constitution" he took William -Harrison, Robert Clark, Hugh McCormick, Jacob Williams, Peter Penner, and -Isaac Downes. Midshipman Henry Wadsworth (an uncle of the poet Longfellow) -was chosen as second in command. Midshipman Joseph Israel, having vainly -pleaded with Somers to be allowed to go, at the last moment smuggled -himself aboard the "Intrepid," and when discovered Somers had not the -heart to send him back. - -Decatur and Stewart went aboard the "Nautilus" on the evening that the -attempt had been planned. The three had been so closely united all their -lives that Stewart and Decatur felt the seriousness of the moment. Even -professionally the attempt seemed almost foolhardy, for several Tripolitan -vessels had come to anchor just within the entrance, and to pass them -even at night seemed an impossibility. Somers felt a premonition of his -impending catastrophe, for just as they were about to return to their own -vessels he took a ring from his finger and, breaking it into three pieces, -gave each of them a part, retaining the third for himself. - -As soon as the night fell the "Intrepid" cast off her lines and went -slowly up towards the harbor. The "Argus," the "Vixen," and the "Nautilus" -followed her, while shortly afterwards Stewart on the "Siren" became so -anxious that he followed, too. A haze that had come up when the sun went -down hung heavily over the water, and soon the lines of the fire-ship -became a mere gray blur against the dark coast-line beyond. The excitement -upon the guard-ships now became intense, and both officers and men climbed -the rigging and leaned out in the chains in the hope of being able to -follow the movements of the ketch. Midshipman Ridgley, on the "Nautilus," -by the aid of a powerful night-glass aloft, managed to follow her until -she got well within the harbor, and then she vanished. The suspense soon -became almost unbearable, for not a shot had been fired and not a sound -came from the direction in which she had gone. At about nine o'clock a -half-dozen cannon-shots could be plainly heard, and even the knowledge -that she had been discovered and was being fired on was a relief from the -awful silence. - -At about ten o'clock Stewart was standing at the gangway of the "Siren," -with Lieutenant Carrol, when the latter, craning his neck out into the -night, suddenly exclaimed,-- - -"Look! See the light!" - -Stewart saw away up the harbor a speck of light, as if from a lantern, -which moved rapidly, as though it were being carried by some one running -along a deck. Then it paused and disappeared from view. In a second a -tremendous flame shot up hundreds of feet into the air, and the glare -of it was so intense that it seemed close aboard. The flash and shock -were so stupendous that the guard-ships, though far out to sea, trembled -and shivered like the men who watched and were blinded. The sound of -the explosion which followed seemed to shake sea and sky. It was like a -hundred thunder-claps, and they could hear the echoes of it go rolling -down across the water until it was swallowed up in the silence of the -night. - -That was all. The officers and the men looked at one another in mute -horror. Could anything have lived in the area of that dreadful explosion? -The tension upon the men of the little fleet was almost at the breaking -point. Every eye was strained towards the harbor and every ear caught -eagerly at the faintest sound. Officers and men frequently asked one -another the question, "Have you heard anything yet?" with always the same -reply. - -The vessels beat to and fro between the harbor-entrances, firing rockets -and guns for the guidance of possible fugitives. And the doleful sound -of that gun made the silences the more depressing. All night long did the -fleet keep vigil, but not a shot, a voice, or even a splash came from the -harbor. - -With the first streaks of dawn the Americans were aloft with their -glasses. On the rocks at the northern entrance, through which the -"Intrepid" had passed, they saw a mast and fragments of vessels. When -the mist cleared they saw that one of the enemy's largest gunboats had -disappeared and two others were so badly shattered that they lay upon the -shore for repairs. - -The details of the occurrence were never actually known, but it is thought -that Somers, being laid aboard by three gunboats before actually in the -midst of the shipping, and feeling himself overpowered, fired his magazine -and destroyed himself and his own men in his avowed purpose not to be -taken by the enemy. - -Thus died Richard Somers, Henry Wadsworth, the midshipman, Joseph Israel, -and ten American seamen, whose names have been inscribed on the navy's -roll of fame. Nothing can dim the honor of a man who dies willingly for -his country. - - - - -THE PASSING OF THE OLD NAVY - - -OLD SALTS AND NEW SAILORS - -Since ballad-mongering began, the sea and the men who go down to it in -ships have been a fruitful theme; and the conventional song-singing, -horn-piping tar of the chanteys is a creature of fancy, pure and simple. - -Jack is as honest as any man. Aboard ship he goes about his duties -willingly, a creature of habit and environment, with a goodly respect for -his "old man" and the articles of war. Ashore he is an innocent,--a brand -for the burning, with a half-month's pay and a devouring thirst. - -Sailor-men all over the world are the same, and will be throughout all -time, except in so far as their life is improved by new conditions. Though -Jack aboard ship is the greatest grumbler in the world, ashore he loves -all the world, and likes to be taken for the sailor of the songs. In a -week he will spend the earnings of many months, and go back aboard ship, -sadder, perhaps, but never a wiser man. - -He seldom makes resolutions, however, and so, when anchor takes ground -again, his money leaves him with the same merry clink as before. Though -a Bohemian and a nomad, he does not silently steal away, like the Arab. -His goings, like his comings, are accompanied with much carousing and -song-singing; and the sweetheart he leaves gets to know that wiving is -not for him. With anchor atrip and helm alee, Jack mourns not, no matter -whither bound. - -The improved conditions on the modern men-of-war have changed things for -him somewhat, and, though still impregnated with old ideas, Jack is more -temperate, more fore-sighted, and more self-reliant than he once was. His -lapses of discipline and his falls from grace are less frequent than of -yore, for he has to keep an eye to windward if he expects to win any of -the benefits that are generously held out to the hard-working, sober, and -deserving. - -But the bitterness of the old days is barely disguised in the jollity of -the chanteys. However we take it, the sea-life is a hardship the like of -which no land-lubber knows. Stories of the trials of the merchant service -come to him now and then and open his eyes to the real conditions of the -service. - -Men are greater brutes at sea than ashore. The one-man power, absolute, -supreme in the old days, when all license was free and monarchies trod -heavily on weak necks, led men to deeds of violence and death, whenever -violence and death seemed the easiest methods of enforcing discipline. Men -were knocked down hatchways, struck with belaying-pins, made to toe the -seam on small provocation or on no provocation at all. The old-fashioned -sea-yarns of Captain Marryat ring true as far as they go, but they do not -go far enough. - -In England the great frigates were generally both under-manned and -badly victualled, and the cruises were long and sickening. The practice -of medicine had not reached the dignity of the precise science it is -to-day, and the surgeon's appliances were rude and roughly manipulated. -Anæsthetics were unknown, and after the battles, the slaughter in which -was sometimes terrific, many a poor chap was sent to his last account by -unwise amputation or bad treatment after the operation. - -The water frequently became putrid, and this, with the lack of fresh -vegetables and the over use of pork, brought on the disease called scurvy, -which oftentimes wiped out entire crews in its deadly ravages. Every year -thousands of men were carried off by it. A far greater number died from -the effects of scurvy than from the enemy's fire. Lieutenant Kelly says -that during the Seven Years' War but one thousand five hundred and twelve -seamen and marines were killed, but one hundred and thirty-three thousand -died of disease or were reported missing. Not until the beginning of this -century was this dreadful evil ameliorated. - -The evils of impressment and the work of the crimp and his gang--so -infamous in England--had no great vogue here, for the reason that, during -our wars of 1776 and 1812, the good seamen--coasters and fishermen, who -had suffered most from the Lion--were only too anxious to find a berth -on an American man-of-war, where they could do yeoman's service against -their cruel oppressor. - -"Keel-hauling" and the "cat" were relics of the barbarism of the old -English navy. Keel-hauling was an extreme punishment, for the unfortunate -rarely, if ever, survived the ordeal. In brief, it consisted in sending -the poor sailor-man on a voyage of discovery along the keel of the vessel. -Trussed like a fowl, he was lowered over the bows of the ship and hauled -along underneath her until he made his appearance at the stern, half or -wholly drowned, and terribly cut all over the body by the sea-growth on -the ship's bottom. He bled in every part from the cuts of the barnacles; -but "this was considered rather advantageous than otherwise, as the loss -of blood restored the patient, if he were not quite drowned, and the -consequence was that one out of three, it is said, have been known to -recover from their enforced submarine excursion." - -Think of it! Recovery was not anticipated, but if the victim got well, -the officer in command made no objection! Beside the brutality of these -old English navy bullies a barbarous Hottentot chief would be an angel of -mercy. - -Flogging and the use of the cat were abolished in the American navy -in 1805. This law meant the use of the cat-o'-nine tails as a regular -punishment, but did not prohibit blows to enforce immediate obedience. -Before that time it was a common practice for the punishment of minor -offences as well as the more serious ones. - -Flogging in the old days was an affair of much ceremony on board -men-of-war. The entire ship's company was piped on deck for the -punishment, and the culprit, stripped to the waist, was brought to the -mast. The boatswain's mate, cat in hand, stood by the side of a suspended -grating in the gangway, and the captain, officer of the deck, and the -surgeon took their posts opposite him. The offence and the sentence were -then read, and the stripes were administered on the bare back of the -offender, a petty officer standing by to count the blows of the lash, -while the doctor, with his hand on the victim's pulse, was ready to give -the danger signal when absolutely necessary. - -The men bore it in different ways. The old hands gritted their teeth -philosophically, but the younger men frequently shrieked in their agony as -the pitiless lash wound itself around the tender flesh, raising at first -livid red welts, and afterwards lacerating the flesh and tearing the back -into bloody seams. - -The effect upon the lookers-on was varied. The younger officers, newly -come from well-ordered English homes, frequently fainted at the sight. -But the horror of the spectacle soon died away, and before many weeks had -passed, with hardened looks, they stood on the quarter-deck and watched -the performance amusedly. Soon the spectacle got to be a part of their -life, and the jokes were many and the laughter loud at the victim's -expense. The greater the suffering the more pleasurable the excitement. - -Many yarns are spun of Jack's tricks to avoid the lash or to reduce to a -minimum the pain of the blows. Sometimes the men had their flogging served -to them regularly, but in small doses. To these the punishment lost its -rigor. For the boatswain's mate not infrequently disguised the force of -his blows, which came lightly enough, though the victim bawled vigorously -to keep up the deception, and in the "three- and four-dozen" cases he -sometimes tempered his blows to the physical condition of the sufferers, -who otherwise would have swooned with the pain. - -One Jacky, who thought himself wiser than his fellows, in order to escape -his next dozen, had a picture of a crucifix tattooed over the whole -surface of his back, and under it a legend, which intimated that blows -upon the image would be a sacrilege. When next he was brought before the -mast he showed it to the boatswain and his captain. The captain, a crusty -barnacle of the old harsh school, smiled grimly. - -"Don't desecrate the picture, bos'n," he said; "we will respect this -man's religious scruples. You may put on his shirt," he said, chuckling -to himself, "but remove his trousers, bos'n, and give him a dozen extra. -And lay them on religiously, bos'n." - -All this was in the older days, and it was never so bad in the American as -in the English navy. The middle period of the American navy, from before -the Civil War to the age of iron and steel cruisers, presents an entirely -different aspect in some ways. - -Illegal punishments were still inflicted, for there were always then, -as now, a certain percentage of ruffians forward who were amenable to -no discipline, and could be managed only by meeting them with their own -weapons. The "spread-eagle" and the ride on the "gray mare" were still -resorted to to compel obedience. - -They "spread-eagled" a man by tricing him up inside the rigging, taut -lines holding his arms and legs outstretched to the farthest shrouds, a -bight of rope passed around his body preventing too great a strain. He -was gagged, and so he could not answer back. - -The "gray mare" on which the obstreperous were forced to gallop was the -spanker-boom--the long spar that extends far over the water at the ship's -stern. By casting loose the sheets, the boom rolled briskly from side to -side, and the lonely horseman was forced in this perilous position to hold -himself by digging his nails into the soft wood or swinging to any of the -gear that flew into his reach. At best it was not a safe saddle, and a -rough sea made it worse than a bucking broncho. - -[Illustration: THE SMOKING HOUR] - -Paul Jones had a neat way of disciplining his midshipmen aloft. He would -go to the rail himself, and casting loose the halyards, let the yard go -down with a run, to the young gentleman's great discomfiture. - -But the life of the old salt was not all bitterness. It was not all -shore-leave, but there was skittles now and then for the deserving and -good-conduct men. Jack's pleasures were simple, as they are to-day. There -was never a crew that did not have its merry chanter and its flute, -fiddle, or guitar, or the twice-told tale of the ship's Methuselah to -entertain the dog-watches of the evening or the smoking-hour and make a -break in the dreary monotony of routine. - -On public holidays, when everything was snug at sea or in port, a glorious -skylark was the order of the afternoon. At the call of the bos'n's mate, -"All hands frolic," rigorous discipline was suspended, and the men turned -to with a will to make the day one to be talked about. Mast-head-races, -potato- and sack-races, climbing the greased pole, and rough horse-play -and man-handling filled the afternoon until hammocks were piped down -and the watch was set. Purses from the wardroom and prizes of rum and -tobacco--luxuries dear to Jack's heart--were the incentives to vigorous -athletics and rough buffoonery. The rigging was filled from netting to -top with the rough, jesting figures, and cheer upon cheer and laugh upon -laugh greeted a successful bout or fortunate sally. - -Jack is a child at the best of times and at the worst, and he takes his -pleasures with the zest of a boy of seven, laughing and making merry until -he falls to the deck from very weariness. And woe be at these merry times -to the shipmate who has no sense of humor. His day is a hideous one, -for he is hazed and bullied until he is forced in self-defence to seek -the seclusion granted by the nethermost part of the hold. A practical -joker always, when discipline is lax, Jack's boisterous humor knows no -restraint. - -The ceremony of "crossing the line," the boarding of the ship by Neptune -and his court, seems almost as old as ships, and is honored even to-day, -when much of the romantic seems to have passed out of sea-life. It is the -time when the deep-sea sailor has the better of his cousin of the coasts. -Every man who crossed the equator for the first time had to pay due honor -to the god of the seas. They exacted it, too, among the whalers when they -crossed the Arctic Circle. - -[Illustration: NEPTUNE COMES ABOARD] - -The wardroom usually bought off in rum, money, or tobacco, but forward -it was the roughest kind of rough man-handling; and the victims were -happy indeed when they got their deep-water credentials. The details of -procedure in this remarkable rite differed somewhat on different ships, -but the essential elements of play and torture were the same in all cases. - -The day before the line was to be reached both wardroom and forecastle -would receive a manifesto setting forth the intention of the god of the -seas to honor their poor craft and ordering all those who had not paid -tribute to him to gather forward to greet him as he came over the side. At -the hour appointed there was a commotion forward, and a figure, wearing -a pasteboard crown that surmounted a genial red face adorned with oakum -whiskers, made its appearance over the windward nettings and proclaimed -its identity as Neptune. Behind him was a motley crew in costumes of any -kind and all kinds--or no kind--who had girded itself for this ungentle -art of bull-baiting. The deep-water men intended to have an ample return -for what they themselves had suffered, not many years back, when they had -rounded the Horn or Cape of Good Hope. - -The unfortunates, stripped to the waist, were brought forward, one by one, -to be put through their paces. After a mock trial by the jury of buffoons, -the king ordered their punishment meted out in doses proportioned directly -to the popularity of the victims as shipmates. The old long boat, with -thwarts removed and a canvas lining, served as a ducking-pond. After -vigorous applications, of "slush,"--which is another name for ship's -grease,--or perhaps a toss in a hammock or a blanket, they were pitched -backward into the pool and given a thorough sousing, emerging somewhat the -worse for wear, but happy that the business was finally done for good and -all. - -To-day the roughest sort of bullying no longer takes place, and much of -the romance seems to have passed out of the custom. - -The punishments, too, have lost their severity. The "gray mare" swings to -an empty saddle, the "spread eagle" is a thing of the past, and the "cat" -is looked upon as a relic of barbarism. Things are not yet Pinafore-like, -but the cursing and man-handling are not what they used to be. There are -a few of the old-timers who still believe the "cat" a necessary evil, -and would like to see an occasional "spread eagle," but the more moderate -punishments of to-day have proved, save in a few hardened cases, that much -may be done if the morale of the service is high. - -The fact of the matter is, that the standard of the man behind the gun has -kept up with the marvellous advance of the ships and the ordnance. To-day, -the naval service of the United States is worthy of any seaman's metal. As -a mode of living, sea-faring on American men-of-war attracts as many good -men as any other trade. Machinists, electricians, carpenters, gunners, -and sail-makers, all have the chance of a good living, with prizes for -the honest and industrious. - -The seaman himself, in times of peace, may rise by faithful service to -a competency and a retiring pension more generous than that of any other -nation in the world. The discipline is the discipline of right relations -between superior and inferior men of sense, and the articles of war govern -as rigorously the cabin as the forecastle. Republican principles are -carried out, as far as they are compatible with perfect subordination, -and there exists no feeling between the parts of the ship, except in -extraordinary instances, but wholesome respect and convention. There is -little tyranny on the one side or insubordination on the other. - -The training of the young officer of the old navy was the training of -the larger school of the world. "Least squares" and "ballistics" were -not for him. He could muster a watch, bend and set a stun'sail, work out -a traverse, and pass a weather-earing; but he toyed not with the higher -mathematics, like the machine-made "young gentleman" of to-day. What he -knew of navigation he had picked haphazard, as best he might. - -At the age of twelve his career usually opened briskly in the thunder -of a hurricane or the slaughter of a battle, under conditions trying to -the souls of bronzed, bearded men. Physical and even mental training of -a certain kind he had, but the intellectual development of modern days -was missing. The American officer of the days before the Naval Academy -was founded was the result of rough conditions that Nature shaped to her -own ends with the only tools she had. Though these "boys" had not the -beautiful theory of the thing, they had its practice, and no better seamen -ever lived. - -At the beginning of the century, the crusty Preble, commodore of the -blockading fleet before Tripoli, was sent a consignment of these "boys" -to aid him in his work. The names of the "boys" were Decatur, Stewart, -Macdonough, Lawrence, and Perry. Excepting Decatur, who was twenty-six, -there was not one who was over twenty-four, and two or three of them were -under twenty. The commodore grew red in the face and swore mighty oaths -when he thought of the things he had to accomplish with the youngsters -under his command. But he found before long that though youth might be -inconvenient, it could not be considered as a reproach in their case. - -Decatur, with a volunteer crew, went under the guns at Tripoli, captured -and blew up the "Philadelphia" in a way that paled all deeds of gallantry -done before or since. The dreamy Somers went in with a fire-ship and -destroyed both the shipping and himself. In the hand-to-hand fights on -the gunboats, Lawrence, young Bainbridge, Stewart, and the others fought -and defeated the best hand-to-hand fighters of the Mediterranean. The Dey -of Algiers, when Decatur came before him to make terms of peace, stroked -his black beard and looked at the young hero curiously. "Why," he said, -"do they send over these young boys to treat with the older Powers?" - -When the war was over, Preble no longer grew red in the face or swore. He -loved his school-boys, and walked his quarter-deck with them arm-in-arm. -And they loved him for his very crustiness, for they knew that back of it -all was a man. - -These youthful heroes were not the only ones. Young Farragut, an infant -of twelve years, with an old "Shoot-if-you're-lucky," quelled a promising -mutiny. At eighteen Bainbridge did the same. Farragut, at thirteen, was -recommended for promotion to a lieutenancy he was too young to take. Perry -was about thirty when he won the victory of Erie. - -A youngster's character bears a certain definite relation to the times he -lives in. Skies blue and breezes light, he shapes his life's course with -no cares but the betterment of his mental condition. Baffling winds create -the sailor, and storm and stress bring out his greater capabilities. -The Spanish war has proved that heroes only slumber, and that the young -gentleman with the finely-tempered mind of an Annapolis training is -capable of the great things his father did. - -The blue-jacket of to-day has plenty of hard work to do, but he is as -comfortable as good food and sleeping accommodations, regular habits, and -good government can make him. As a class, the United States Jacky is more -contented, perhaps, than any other man of similar conditions. Unlike the -soldier, he does not even have to rough it very much, for wherever he goes -he takes his house with him. - -Jacky sleeps in a hammock strung upon hooks to the beams of the deck -above him. When he turns out, he lashes his hammock with its lashing, and -stores it in the nettings,--the troughs for the purpose at the sides of -the ship,--where it must stay until night. If Jack wants to sleep in the -meanwhile, he chooses the softest spot he can find on a steel-clad deck; -and he can sleep there, too, in the broad glare of daylight, a hundred -feet passing him, and the usual run of ship's calls and noises droning in -his ears. - -Jacky's food is provided by the government, while his superior of the -wardroom has to pay his own mess-bill. He is allowed, in addition to his -pay, the sum of nine dollars per month, and this must purchase everything, -except such luxuries as he may choose to buy from his pay. The ship's -paymaster is allowed a certain amount of money to furnish the supplies, -and between him and the ship's cook the problem is settled. At the end -of the month, if the amount served out is in excess of the computation -for rations, the brunt falls upon the "Jack-of-the-Dust,"--the assistant -to the paymaster's yeoman,--who has the work of accurately measuring the -rations which are given to the cook of the ship. - -The ship's cook receives from the government from twenty-five to -thirty-five dollars a month, according to the size of the ship, and, in -addition, certain money perquisites from the different messes, which gives -him a fair average. He has complete charge of the ship's galley and the -cooks of the messes, and must be able to concoct a dainty French dish for -the wardroom as well as the usual "salt horse" or "dog" for the Jacky. - -"Salt horse" is the sea-name for pork. "Dog" is soaked hardtack, mixed -with molasses and fried; and, though it is not pleasant twenty-nine days -out of the month, it is healthful, and tastes good to a hard-working -sailor with the salt of the sea producing a splendid appetite. - -The mess-tables hang by iron supports to the beams of the deck above, -and when the mess has been served and eaten,--as only Jack knows how to -eat,--they are triced up into their places, and all is cleaned and made -ship-shape in the twinkling of an eye. A half-hour is allowed for dinner, -and this time is kept sacred for Jack's use. A red pennant flies from the -yard-arm, that all may know that the sailor-man is eating and must not be -disturbed by any importunate or curious callers. - -In the dog-watches of the evening, after supper, from six to eight P.M., -the blue-jacket is given his leisure. It is then that pipes are smoked, -vigilance relaxed, boxing and wrestling bouts are in order, and Jacky -settles down for his rest after the day of labor. From somewhere down on -the gun-deck comes the tinkle of a guitar or banjo, and a tuneful, manly -voice sings the songs of France or Spain, and, better still, of beloved -America, for the shipmates. - -The sailor of to-day is also a soldier. Back in the days of Henry the -Eighth, when England first had a navy, the sailors only worked the ships. -The fighting was done by the soldiers. Later, when the ships were armed -with many guns and carried a greater spread of canvas, there was no space -for great companies of soldiers, and the sailors became gunners as well. -A few soldiers there were, but these did only sentry duty and performed -the duties of the ships's police. As such they were cordially hated by -the jackies. - -This antipathy has come down through the ages to the present day, -and marines are still looked on by the sailor-men as land-lubbers and -Johnnies--sea-people who have no mission upon the earth save to do all -the eating and very little of the rough work. - -The new navy has done much to change this feeling. The mission of the -marine is now a definite one. Always used as a sharpshooter, he now mans -the rapid-fire batteries, and even guns of a larger caliber. He has done -his work well, and the affair at Guantanamo has caused the sneer to fade -from the lip of the American sailor-man. Two of the ablest captains of our -navy, always the deadliest opponents of the marine corps, upon assuming -their latest commands, applied immediately for the largest complement of -marines that they could get. - -Any ship, old or new, is as frail as the crew that mans it. The strength -of any vessel varies directly with its discipline and personnel. Hull, -Jones, Decatur, Bainbridge, and Stewart, in the old days, knew with some -accuracy the forces they had to reckon with. Their guns were of simple -contrivance, and their men knew them as well as they knew how to reef -a topsail or smartly pass a weather-earing. They feared nothing so long -as they were confident of their captain. New and mysterious contrivances -for death-dealing were unknown to them, and hence the morale of the old -sea-battles was the morale only of strength and discipline. There were -no uncertain factors to reckon with, save the weight of metal and the -comparative training of the gun-crews. - -To-day the unknown plays a large part in warfare. Intricate appliances, -mysterious inventions, new types of torpedo-boats, and submarine vessels -form a new element to contend against and have a personal moral influence -upon the discipline of crews. To combat this new element of the unknown -and uncertain has required sailors and men of a different stripe from the -old. Where, in the old days, ignorance and all its accompanying evils held -sway over the mind of poor Jack, and made him a prey to superstition and -imagination, to-day, by dint of careful training of brain as well as body, -he has become a thinking creature of power and force of mind. He knows -in a general way the working of the great mechanical contrivances; and -in the fights that are to come, as well as those that have been, he will -show that the metal the American Jacky is made of rings true and stands -well the trial by fire. - - -THE OLD SHIPS AND THE NEW - -With much hitching of trousers and shifting of quid, the old longshoreman -will tell you that sea-life isn't at all what it once was. - -He will gaze out to sea, where the great iron machines are plying back -and forth, and a reminiscent sparkle will come into his eyes as he turns -to his lobster-pots and tells you how it was in the good days of clippers -and sailing-frigates, when sailor-men were sailor-men and not boiler-room -swabs, machine-made and steam-soaked. He will also yarn, with much d--ning -of his eyes (and yours), of how fair it was in the deck-watches of the -"Saucy Sally" barque, with everything drawing alow and aloft, grog and -'baccy a-plenty, and never a care but the hurry to spend the voyage-money. -And not till he's mumbled all his discontent will he haul his sheets and -give you right-of-way. - -He forgets, sheer hulk that he is, that he's been in dry-dock a generation -or more and that swift-moving Time has loosed his gear and dimmed his -binnacle-lights. Despite his ancient croaking, tricks at the wheel are -to-day as ably kept, eyes as sharp as his still peer into the dimness -over the forecastle, and the sea-lead takes as long a heave as in the -early sixties, when he hauled up to New York with a thousand dollars -in prize-money and a heart full for the business of spending it. It has -always been so. There has never been an age that has not had its carper -to tell you of the wonders that once were. - -Yet it was truly beautiful. With the tide on the ebb and the wind a-piping -free, never was a fairer sight than the Atlantic clipper as she picked -her speedy way through the shipping to the harbor's mouth; and nothing -so stately as the gallant frigate in her wake, with all sail set to -ga'n's'ls, her topsails bellying grandly to the quartering breeze, which -whipped the filmy wave-tops against her broad bows, under which the yellow -curl lapped merrily its greeting. The harbor clear and the capes abeam, -aloft flew the nimble sail-loosers. The royals and the stu'n-sails flapped -to the freshening wind, sheets went home with a run, and the yards flew -to their blocks. - -Then, her departure taken, like a gull she sped blithely on her course. -The rays of the afternoon sun gilded her snowy canvases until she looked -a thing of air and fairyland, not of reality. On she flew, her tall spars -dipping grandly to the swells--a stately farewell courtesy to the clipper, -hull down to leeward. On the decks the boatswain piped his cheerful note, -and everything came ship-shape and Bristol-fashion for the cruise. The -running-gear was neatly coiled for running, the guns secured for sea, -and the watches told off. The officer of the deck walked to and fro, -singing softly to himself, casting now and then a careful eye aloft to the -weather-leeches, which quivered like an aspen as the helmsman, leaning to -the slant of the deck, kept her well up to her work. - -And yet the poetry has not gone out of it all. The poetry of the -sailing-frigate was lyric. That of the steel battle-ship is Homeric. - -Nothing save a war of the elements has the power of a battle-ship in -action. Ten thousand tons of steel,--a mighty fortress churning speedily -through the water fills the spirit with wonder at the works of man and -makes any engine for his destruction a possibility. Away down below the -water-line a score or more of furnaces, white-heated, roar furiously under -the forced draught, and the monster engines move their ponderous arms -majestically, and in rhythm and harmony mask their awful strength. Before -the furnace-doors, blackened, half-naked stokers move, silhouetted against -the crimson glare, like grim phantoms of the Shades. The iron uprights and -tools are hot to their touch, the purple gases hiss and sputter in their -very faces, yet still they toil on, gasping for breath, their tongues -cleaving to their mouths, and their wet bodies steaming in the heat of it. - -[Illustration: MODERN SEA MONSTERS IN ACTION] - -The deck above gives no sign of the struggle below. Where, in the old -days, the sonorous trumpet rang out and the spar-deck was alive with the -watch who hurried to the pin-rail at the frequent call, now all is quiet. -Here and there bright work is polished, or a lookout passes a cheery call, -but nothing save the man at the wheel and the officer of the watch shows -the actual working of the ship. - -Seamanship, in the sense of sail-handling, is a thing of the past. Though -there is no officer in the navy who could not in an emergency handle -a square-rigger with the science of an old sea-captain, the man on the -bridge has now come to be first a tactician and after that a master of -steam and electricity. - -In the sea-battles of 1812 the captain was here, there, and everywhere in -the thickest of the fight, inspiring by his personal magnetism the men at -the guns. He was the soul of his ship. To-day the sea-battle is a one-man -battle. The captain is still the heart and soul of the ship, but his ends -are accomplished in a less personal way. His men need not see him. By the -touch of a finger he can perform every action necessary to carry his ship -to victory. He can see everything, do everything, and make his presence -everywhere felt by the mere operation of a set of electrical instruments -in front of him. - -The intricacies of his position are, in a way, increased. He may lose -a boiler, split a crank, or break an electrical connection, but the -beautiful subtleties of old-fashioned seamanship have no place whatever -on the modern war-ship. - -Let it not be understood that the handling of the great ocean fortress of -to-day may be mastered by any save a craftsman of the art. With plenty -of sea-room and a keen watch alow and aloft the trick is a simple one, -for the monster is only a speck in the infinity of sea and sky, and there -is never a fear save for a blow, or a ship, or a shore. But in close -manoeuvre, or in harbor, the problem is different. Ten thousand tons of -bulk cannot be turned and twisted on the heel with the swish and toss -of the wieldy clipper. Observant transpontine voyagers, who have watched -the gigantic liner warped out from her pier into a swift tide-way with a -leeward ebb, will tell you what a complicated and difficult thing it seems -to be. - -The captain of the battle-ship must be all that the merchant captain is, -and more besides. Mooring and slipping moorings should be an open book -to the naval officer, but his higher studies, the deeper intricacies of -the science of war, are mysteries for the merchant captain. All of it -is seamanship, of course. But to-day it is the seamanship of the bridled -elements, where strength is met by strength and steam and iron make wind -and wave as nothing. - -The perfection of the seamanship of the past was not in strength, but -in yielding, and the saltiest sea-captain was he who cajoled both ship -and sea to his bidding. The wind and waves, they say, are always on the -side of the ablest navigators, but it was rather a mysterious and subtle -knowledge of the habits and humors of God's sea and sky, and a sympathy -born of constant communion, which made both ship and captain a part of -the elements about them, and turned them into servants, and not masters. - -The naval captains of 1812 had learned this freemasonry of sea and sky, -and one incident--a typical one--will show it as no mere words can do. -Its characteristics are Yankee pluck and old-fashioned Yankee seamanship. - -The frigate "Constitution"--of glorious memory--in 1812 gave the British -squadron which surrounded her startling proof of the niceties of Yankee -seamanship. There never has been a race for such a stake, and never will -be. Had "Old Ironsides" been captured, there is no telling what would have -been the deadly effect on the American fortunes. It was the race for the -life of a nation. - -The "Constitution" was the country's hope and pride, and Captain Hull -knew it. He felt that "Old Ironsides" could never fail to do the work -required of her. So for four days and nights the old man towed her along, -the British frigates just out of range, until he showed clean heels to -the entire squadron. The ingenuity and deft manoeuvring of the chase has -no parallel in the history of this or any other country in the world. - -With hardly a catspaw of wind, Hull drifted into sight of the British -fleet off the Jersey coast. Before he knew it, they brought the wind up -with them, and his position was desperate. There were four frigates and -a ship-of-the-line spread out in a way to take advantage of any breath -of air. Hull called away his boats, and running lines to them, sent them -ahead to tow her as best they might. The British did still better, for -they concentrated the boats of the squadron on two ships, and gained -rapidly on the American. Hull cut ports over the stern, and ran two -18-pounders out of his cabin windows, where he began a continuous fire on -the enemy. The British ships shifted their helms and took up positions on -the quarters of the frigate, unable to approach too closely with their -boats for fear of the "Constitution's" stern-guns, which dropped their -hurtling shot under their very bows. - -The desperate game had only begun. Hull, finding that he had but one -hundred and fifty feet of water under him, decided to kedge her along. In -a few minutes the largest boat was rowing away ahead with a small anchor -on board, stretching out half a mile of cable. The anchor dropped, the men -hauled in roundly and walked away with the line at a smart pace. It was -heart-breaking work, but the speed of the ship was trebled. By the time -the vessel was warped up to the first anchor another one was ready for -her, and she clawed still further out of the enemy's reach. The British -did not at first discover the magic headway of the American, and not for -some time did they attempt to follow suit. - -Then a breeze came up. Hull hauled his yards to it, picked up his boats -without slacking sail, and went ahead. But hardly were the sails drawing -when the wind died away again. One of the ships came into range, and there -was nothing for it but to go back to the kedging. Three times did this -occur, the captain, with his eye on the dog-vane, jockeying her along as -a skipper would his racing-yacht. The men had now been at their quarters -for thirty-six hours without rest or sleep. But at the order they dropped -into the boats again, ready for anything. - -Another breeze sprang up now and held for two hours. Like logs the -sailor-men tumbled over on the decks, nearly dead for lack of sleep. On -the afternoon of the third day of the chase the "Constitution" lost the -wind and the enemy kept it. Back again to kedging they went, weary and -sick at heart. - -But relief was in sight. A great cloud hove up on the southeastern -horizon, and the black squall that followed was a Godsend to the -"Constitution" and her weary crew. Hull knew the Englishmen would not -like the looks of the squall. No more did he. But he kept his boats at -the towing, nevertheless. - -He stationed his men at the halyards and down-hauls, and had everything in -hand for the shock. He calmly watched the on-coming line of froth, growing -whiter every minute, while his officers came to him and begged him to take -in his sail. But wait he did until the first breath stirred his royals. -Then the shrill pipe of the boatswain called the boats alongside of the -"Constitution." - -They were not a moment too soon. As the men were hooking the tackles the -blast struck the ship. Over she heeled, almost on her beam ends, the boats -tossed up like feather-weights. The yards came down with a rush, and the -sails flew up to the quarter-blocks, though the wind seemed likely to blow -them out of the bolt-ropes. She righted herself in a moment, though, and -so cleverly had Hull watched his time that not a boat was lost. - -Among the enemy all was disorganization. Every sail was furled, and some -of their boats went adrift. Then, as the friendly rain and mist came down, -the wily Yankee spread his sails--not even furled--and sailed away on an -easy bowline at nine knots an hour. - -The race was won. Before the Englishmen could recover, Hull managed by -wetting his sails to make them hold the wind, and soon the enemy was but -a blur on his western horizon. Then the British gave it up. - -The superiority of Yankee seamanship was never more marked than in this -chase. The British had the wind, the advantage of position, the force, -and lacked only the wonderful skill and indomitable perseverance of the -American, who, with everything against him, never for a moment despaired -of pulling gallant "Old Ironsides" out of the reach of his slow-moving -enemy. - -The difficult manoeuvre of picking up his boats without backing a yard -or easing a sheet he repeated again and again, to the wonderment of his -adversaries, whose attempts in this direction failed every time they tried -it in a smart breeze. Hull's tactics at the coming of the squall were -hazardous, and under any other circumstances would have been suicidal. For -a skipper to have his boats two cable-lengths away from his ship, with his -royals flapping to the first shock of a squall, is bad seamanship. But if -tackles are hooked and men are safe aboard there is no marine feat like -it. - -The naval history of this country is full of such instances. Captain -Charles Stewart, on the same ship, did a wonderful thing. In his fight -with the "Cyane" and the "Levant" he delivered a broadside from both -batteries at the same time. Then, shifting his helm under cover of the -smoke, he backed his topsails and drew out sternward from the enemy's -fire, taking a new position, and delivering another broadside, which -brought about their surrender. - -The war-ship of fifty years ago was as different from the battle-ship -of to-day as a caravel from a torpedo-boat. With half the length and a -third the tonnage, the old "ship-of-the-line" had three times as many men -as the modern sea-fighter. Yet, with a thousand men aboard, she had work -for them all. More than two acres of canvas were to be handled, and over -a hundred guns were to be served, loaded, and fired. A thousand pieces -of running-gear were to be rove and manned. The huge topsails, weighing, -with their yards, many tons, needed on their halyards half a hundred -men. Great anchors were to be broken from their sandy holds, and the -capstan-bars, double-banked, hove around to the sound of the merry chantey -and deep-voiced trumpet. Homeward bound, the business of anchor-hoisting -turned into a mad scene, and many a rude jest and hoarse song turned the -crowded fo'c's'le into a carnival of jollity. - -In matters of routine and training the crews of the American frigates -differed little from those of England. The sailor-men of the United -States, though newer to the work of navigating the big ships, were smart -seamen, and could cross or bring down their light yards, send down their -masts, or clear for action with the oldest and very best of England's -men-o'war's-men. - -The ships themselves differed little in general construction. During the -war of 1812, of large frigates we possessed but the "Constitution," the -"President," and the "Constellation." Though built upon models patterned -after the accepted standards of the period, they were somewhat smaller -than the British vessels and usually carried a lighter armament. Their -unbroken list of victories during the war with England is remarkable when -one considers what the young nation was contending against, both at home -and abroad, and how little aid Congress had given the infant navy. - -It seems really wonderful how a large body of men, numbering from three -hundred to six hundred, and later a thousand or more, could find comfort -and a home from one year's end to another in a space only two hundred feet -long and fifty feet wide. - -But Jack is nowhere so comfortable as aboard ship. He is used to -prescribed limits, and crawls into his hammock at night happy that -the space is no greater. There is a companionship, he thinks, in close -quarters, and he likes them. - -In the old ships it was a matter of great importance to provide -comfortable quarters for the great crews they were obliged to carry. -In England, during the first years of the century, the complement of a -"Seventy-four" was five hundred and ninety, and even six hundred and -forty men. Hammocks seem to have been used during the reign of Queen -Elizabeth, when they were called "nets," probably because they were made -of rope-yarn. - -The officers were then, as now, given the after part of the ship. A wooden -bulkhead separated the cabins of the officers from the main-decks, where -the men lived, though when the ship was cleared for action the bulkheads -were taken down and all movable property both of officer and man was taken -below-deck. - -This gave a clean sweep of the deck from bow to stern. The steerage had -from two to six broadside-guns in it, and even the captain had to live -with a couple of brass stern-chasers and a broadsider or two. - -The grandest line-of-battle-ship ever built for this country was the old -"Pennsylvania." She was made of wood throughout, two hundred and twenty -feet long and fifty-eight feet beam, with a draft of twenty-five feet -of water and thirty-five hundred tons displacement,--just one-third of -that of the modern "Iowa." Eleven hundred men could swing their hammocks -on her wide decks, where no modern gun-carriages or steel compartments -broke the long sweep from the cabin forward. Her sides were of oak, with a -thickness of eighteen inches at the upper gun-ports and thirty-two inches -at the water-line, almost heavy enough at long range to resist the shot -of a modern rifle. Her sixteen inches were proof against her own fire at -a mile. On her three fighting-decks she carried sixteen 8-inch guns, the -heaviest they had in those days, and one hundred and four 32-pounders. Her -mainmast was over two hundred feet long, and with all sail set she could -leg it at twelve knots an hour. - -But compare her with the modern "Indiana." The "Pennsylvania" weighed less -than the armor of the "Indiana" alone. The "Indiana" has but sixteen guns, -against one hundred and twenty on the "Pennsylvania;" but that broadside -can send two tons of tempered steel at a single discharge. The old 8-inch -guns of the "Pennsylvania" could send a shell through fifteen inches of -oak at a distance of a mile--the equivalent of half an inch of steel. - -The range of a modern rifle is from five to twelve miles; the -penetration is almost anything you please in the way of steel armor. -The "Pennsylvania's" shells at point-blank range would hardly make a -perceptible dent in the "Indiana's" steel armor, and the old cast-iron -shot would roll harmlessly down the new ship's sides. But one explosive -shell from the "Indiana" would go through the "Pennsylvania" from stem to -stern, and would splinter and burn her beyond repair. - -The "Pennsylvania" cost the government, in 1837, nearly seven hundred -thousand dollars; a fabulous sum for a battle-ship in those days. The -"Indiana" cost three millions and a half,--only two hundred and fifty -thousand dollars less than the sum paid for that vast territory bought -from Napoleon, and known as the "Louisiana Purchase," and about half the -sum paid for the acquisition of Alaska from Russia. - -The statistics are interesting. According to official authority, in -putting this vessel together seven hundred tons of rivets alone were used. -About four hundred plans were made for the hull and about two hundred and -fifty plans and drawings were made for the engines. These would take a -force of one hundred men a year to complete. - -The engines and machinery alone weigh about nine hundred tons. The -smoke-stacks are about sixteen feet in diameter. Each of the main engines -is so enormous that under the great frames, in the economy of space and -construction, are two smaller engines, the sole mission of which is to -start the big ones. There are about sixty-six separate engines for various -purposes. The condensing-tubes, placed end to end, would cover a distance -of twelve miles. Thirty tons of water fill her boilers, which would stand -a pressure of one hundred and sixty pounds to the square inch. Three -dynamos provide the electricity,--a plant which would light a town of five -thousand inhabitants. There are twenty-one complete sets of speaking-tubes -and twenty-four telephone stations. - -The two great turrets are clad with nineteen inches of toughened steel. -In each of these turrets are two 13-inch guns. Each of these guns is about -fifty feet long and weighs sixty-one tons. There are eight 8-inch guns on -the superstructure, in sets of twos, and amidships on the main-deck are -four 6-inch rifles. In ten minutes, firing each 13-inch gun once in two -minutes, and using all the other guns at their full power, the "Indiana" -could fire about sixty tons of death-dealing metal. - -The millennium has not yet been reached, but such awful force makes -universal peace a possibility. What the immediate future holds forth in -naval architecture and gunnery is a matter which excites some curiosity, -for it almost seems as though perfection, according to the standard of the -end of the century, has been reached. And yet we already know of certain -changes, improvements, and inventions, the direct outcome of the Spanish -war, which are to be made on the vessels now contracted for, which affect -importantly the government of the ship; and so it may be that the next -twenty years will show as great an evolution as have the two decades just -past. - -But whatever the future may bring, it has been a marvellous and momentous -change from the old navy to the new. Since the "Monitor"-"Merrimac" fight -no country has been quicker to profit by the lessons of the victory of -iron over wood and steel over iron than the United States. - -But the navy that is, however glorious its achievements, can never dim the -glory of the navy that was, though sailor-men, old and new, know that in -a test of ship and ship, and man and man, the flag of this country will -continue to fly triumphant. - - - - -FARRAGUT IN MOBILE BAY - - -It was Friday, the 5th of August, 1864. The first violet streaks of dawn -stole through the purple clouds that the wind had tossed up during the -night. Admiral Farragut sat in his cabin, quietly sipping his tea, his -fleet-captain, Drayton, by his side. Through the open ports they could -see the dim masses of the ships of the fleet as, lashed two and two, they -stretched in a long line to seaward. The wind no longer blew, and the -shrill pipes and the creaking of the blocks as the light yards came down -echoed clearly across the silent water. - -"How is the wind, Drayton?" said the admiral, at last. - -Drayton walked to the port. - -"About west-sou'west, sir, I should say." - -The admiral smiled. - -"A good omen. Our smoke will blow over their batteries." - -He raised his cup, drained it, and set it back on its saucer. Then he rose -to his feet and walked slowly up and down the cabin, looking first at his -watch and then out through the starboard gallery, where the fleet lay. He -turned, his genial face all aglow in the cool light of the morning, and -reached to the table for his side-arms. - -The moment had arrived. - -"Well, Drayton," he said, "we might as well get under weigh." - -Drayton knew, and Farragut knew, that the momentous day before them -would decide the fate of the West Gulf and of the nation in the South. -It was the supreme moment in the admiral's career. But as he clasped his -sword-belt his hands were as firm as though on inspection. - -With a cheery "Aye, aye, sir," Drayton went out of the door and up the -companion, and soon the deck above resounded with the nimble feet as the -men sprang joyfully to quarters. Old Knowles, the quartermaster, deftly -sent his little ball of bunting, ready for an hour, to the yard-arm, and -in a moment the row of multi-colored flags, tipped with the glow of the -brightened east, fluttered proudly out into the morning breeze. - -Then the bright answering pennants flew up from all the vessels of the -fleet, and the black smoke poured from their dusky funnels as the white -water churned up behind them on their way into line. - -The admiral, on the quarter-deck, glass in hand, saw the black turrets of -the monitors, with their grim, shiny muzzles, drift slowly inland towards -the batteries, not a ripple showing behind them as they moved on their -deadly mission towards the frowning battlements of Fort Morgan. Ahead of -the "Hartford" was the broad stern of the "Brooklyn," as she churned her -way slowly onward, her smoke drifting in great clouds over her starboard -bow towards the water-batteries. Beside the admiral, one hand on the rail, -was Drayton, cool as though on a practice drill, and as he looked over -the swarthy backs that shone bare in the morning sun he knew well that -the flagship would give a good account of herself. - -Behind him stood Watson, Gates, McKinley, and Brownell, watching the -progress of the monitors. The calmness of the scene was sublime. Only -an occasional order to the tacklemen, given in a quiet voice by the -gun-captains, showed the deadly work ahead. - -As the "Hartford" drew into range, the admiral walked over to the main -rigging and clambered up into the shrouds; and his men below him at the -batteries lovingly watched their "old man" as step by step he mounted -to get a clearer view. They knew him for a gallant old sea-dog. They had -seen him steam past the batteries at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and they -smiled at his sternness at the capture of New Orleans, for they loved -him. But at Mobile they learned that he feared nothing above the ocean -or under it, if it stood in the way of the cause of his country. At this -point Farragut stood a few feet above Jouett, on the wheel-house of the -"Metacomet" alongside, and could hail the top above him, where Freeman, -his trusty pilot, gave him his soundings and bearings. - -At length the battle opened. A great puff of white smoke rolled along -the water from the turret of the "Tecumseh," and a yellow cloud of dust -above the water-batteries marked where the shot had struck. Fort Morgan -immediately replied, and, as the gunners got the range, the angry splash -of the shots as they skipped across the water came clearly to the crew -of the "Hartford," who stood at their guns silent and motionless. As -the shots rained about them and great white splinters were torn from the -nettings and flew across the decks, they only looked up at their admiral, -who, leaning slightly forward, was slowly scanning the breastworks. In his -face there was no impatience, no irritation, no sign of anxiety, and while -he could calmly wait, they could. The courage of the leader was reflected -in his men. It was the very perfection of human discipline. - -Would the order to fire never come? Already a fragment of shell had struck -a gun-captain in the breast, and they saw him carried past them, moaning -piteously. A shot had struck the foremast, and a jagged splinter from the -mainmast flew up and lodged in the rigging below where the admiral stood. -They saw him take the glass from his eyes, and, turning towards Captain -Drayton, hold up his hand. - -The guns, already trained, belched forth their iron greeting to the -gunboats, and the battle was on in earnest. Calm before, the men were -calmer now, and they went about their work as though at target practice. -The powder-boys flew like sprites, and the gunners sponged and loaded with -rapidity. It was as if each gun and its crew were parts of one mechanism. - -"Steady, boys, steady. Left tackle a little. So! so!" - -And then came another broadside, followed by an eager cheer as the enemy -were driven away from their water-battery. - -[Illustration: THE ADMIRAL LASHED TO THE RIGGING] - -As the smoke from the broadsides increased and obscured his view, the -admiral, ratline by ratline, ascended the rigging until he found himself -partly above the futtock bands and holding on to the futtock shrouds. -The watchful eye of Drayton saw him perched high up, all unconscious of -himself, thinking only of the great movements about him. A shock, and -he would be thrown into the sea. The captain gave an order to Knowles, -the quartermaster, who lay aloft briskly with a piece of lead-line. The -admiral did not even see him, and only when Knowles passed the line around -him did Farragut take his glasses down. "Never mind," said he, with a -smile, "I'm all right." But the quartermaster lashed him, nevertheless, -and lay below. - -Then from his lofty position the admiral saw a magnificent but terrible -thing. The monitor "Tecumseh" was up well with the fort, and drawing -slowly on, when, without a warning, a great column of water shot up under -her starboard bow. She heeled over to port and went down with every soul -on board. She had struck a torpedo. Captain Craven, in his eagerness to -engage the "Tennessee" in battle, had passed to the west of the fatal -buoy. - -This disaster was not immediately realized by the men. Some supposed the -"Tennessee" had been sunk, and cheer after cheer was taken up and echoed -along the line. - -But the admiral knew the danger that was coming. His anxiety was not -decreased when the "Brooklyn," just ahead of him, suddenly stopped. The -frown on his brows deepened, and loudly he hailed his pilot, Freeman, in -the top, a few feet above him,-- - -"What's the matter with the Brooklyn?" he shouted. "She must have plenty -of water there." - -Freeman's head appeared promptly at the lubber's hole. - -"Plenty and to spare, admiral," he answered. - -Then the admiral knew. Captain Alden had seen the "Tecumseh" go down, -and the heavy line of torpedoes across the channel made him pause. The -backing screw churned up the water, and the "Hartford" every moment was -bearing down on her. The vessels in the rear, pressing on those in the -van, created a terrible confusion, and in the uncertainty the batteries -of Farragut's ships ceased fire, while the whole of Mobile Point was a -living flame. Disaster was imminent. - -But not a second did Farragut pause. A harsh voice from the "Hartford" -broke the brief but ominous silence. - -"What's the trouble?" - -Then Alden's voice from the "Brooklyn" answered,-- - -"Torpedoes." - -"Damn the torpedoes!" shouted the admiral. "Four bells. Captain Drayton, -go ahead. Jouett, full speed." - -And the "Hartford" dashed forward, passed the "Brooklyn," and assumed the -head of the column. - -Over the line of mines they flew at full speed, and the men below could -hear them as they scraped along the hull. It was the one way out of the -difficulty, and a second's hesitation would have closed even this escape -from a frightful calamity. The admiral looked astern at the manoeuvring -of his vessels with a smile of satisfaction. It was a magnificent sight. -At first they appeared to be fouling each other in dire confusion, at the -mercy of the guns which still belched forth a merciless fire. But as the -"Hartford" dashed forward, one by one, as if by magic, they took their -places. And he knew a grand tactical movement had been accomplished. - -Nor did he forget the poor men of the "Tecumseh," struggling in the water -where their ship had gone down, but, going down the rigging, ordered -Jouett to lower a boat immediately and pick up the survivors. - -The "Hartford" was nearly a mile ahead before the line could be -straightened, and single-handed she fought the batteries and the gunboats, -making straight for Buchanan's invincible ram, the "Tennessee." Amid the -fire of shot and bursting shell the admiral walked calmly back to his -quarter-deck, giving a word of advice here and an order there. But soon -the other vessels were able to pour in a storm of shot and shell that -completely silenced the batteries. - -One by one he saw the gunboats sink, until only the "Tennessee" had to be -accounted for. The admiral tried to ram her, and the solid shot of his -broadsides rolled down her iron sides; but she slipped away, pouring in -a terrific fire at close range. She riddled the "Brooklyn," "Richmond," -and "Monongahela," all three of which dashed at her, bows on, at fearful -speed. The admiral again struck her a fearful blow, but apparently with -no effect whatever. - -The ram had one great advantage: she was surrounded by enemies and could -fire continually, while the Union vessels had to use the utmost care not -to fire into or collide with one another. An accident of this kind now -happened to Farragut's ship. The "Hartford" and the "Lackawanna" were both -making at full speed for the ram. The "Hartford" had the better position; -and the "Lackawanna," sheering off to avoid another ship, ran into the -quarter of the flagship, just where the admiral was standing, cutting her -down nearly to the water's edge. The shock of the impact nearly took him -off his feet, but in a moment he was climbing over the side to see what -damage had been done. - -His crew thought he was looking out for himself. Immediately there was a -cry, "Get the admiral out of the ship." The whole thought of his crew, -unmindful of themselves, was to get him to a place of safety. It was a -mere sudden impulse. But Farragut was not the man to look to himself. -Having satisfied himself that the "Hartford" could last, he again gave -the order, "Full speed," and set his prow again for the "Tennessee." - -But in the meanwhile the monitors had been hammering away at her with -their heavy shot. Her rudder and smoke-stack were shot away, and her -shutters jammed, and as the "Hartford" bore down upon her for the third -time she showed her white flag and surrendered. - -The "Hartford" was greatly cut up,--twenty-five killed and twenty-eight -wounded,--but the admiral had not a scratch to show for his deadly -encounters. He came on deck just as the poor fellows who had been killed -were being carefully laid out on the port side of the quarter-deck. - -"It was a great victory, Drayton," said he, sadly, "but----" - -And the men saw him turn aside, tears coursing down his cheeks. - -In truth, "there is nothing half so melancholy as a battle lost, except -a battle won." - - - - -AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY - - -In times like those we have but recently passed through, when the theories -and studies of thirty years are being put to tests of fire and the sword, -it is interesting to turn for a moment to our naval school at Annapolis, -where the officers who planned our campaigns, directed our battles and -our blockades, and commanded our ships were first trained to the serious -business of war. Though the years which have passed since 1861 have made -changes in the personnel system and appearance of the Naval Academy, the -city of Annapolis itself is the same sleepy, careless, happy-go-lucky town -of earlier days. - -Once a year, and only once, it rouses itself from its lethargy and assumes -an air of gayety and importance which it may not even have shown when it -earned for itself the title of "The Gayest Colonial Capital." During the -latter part of May and the first of June each train that pulls into the -ramshackle station bears a load of pretty young women,--sisters, cousins, -sweethearts,--who come for the two-weeks' exercises, when the naval cadets -are graduated, and for the June ball. It has been so since the founding of -the Naval Academy, and will be so as long as youngsters in brass buttons -are brought up to be professional heroes. - -In the old colonial days Annapolis was rich. There was an English -governor, and grouped about him were some of the oldest English families. -In the middle of the eighteenth century Annapolis had become refined, gay, -elegant, and even dissipated. - -Not only was Annapolis in these old days the most lucrative place in -the colonies for the practice of law, but it was the birthplace of such -lawyers as Daniel Dulaney, William Pinckney, Charles Carroll, and Reverdy -Johnson. In those days, too, after the Revolution, Charles Carroll of -Carrollton, the richest man in America, was one of the citizens. To-day, -while the descendants of some of these families are still in possession of -the homes of their forefathers, the seat of power and money of Maryland -has changed to the commercial capital, Baltimore. The centre of social -gayety, therefore, is to be found in the Naval Academy. - -The social feature of the life of the cadet must not be underestimated. -The youngsters who present themselves as candidates for admission, -appointed politically, come from all parts of the country, and represent -every shade of opinion and training in the United States. They are a -smaller image of the large mass of our people. The problem of bringing -these different natures into accord with the conditions which they must -face is no easy one; and the weeding-out process, which immediately -begins, is conducted by the superintendent--usually a captain in the -navy--and the officers under his command, under rules which have been -adopted after sixty years of previous administrations. - -There is an indefinable something in the organization of the place that -makes an indelible impression upon the mind of the candidate, and as he -enters upon his duties it does not take long to discover whether he is -mentally and personally fitted for the long task before him. It was said -in the old days that a seaman was born and not made. But modern warfare -has so changed the conditions that, while the officers of the navy must -always command men and have the instincts of the sailor, high mental -attainments are also the requisite, and those instincts can be formed by -experience and association. - -The course, then, in brief, is the training of the mind and the body, -the school of the soldier and sailor, and the school of the gentleman. -Here, then, is where the social influences of the Naval Academy are felt. -Politics, like misfortune, makes strange bedfellows, and the scion of -your Eastern banker may soon find himself detailed as the room-mate of the -most impecunious and unpretentious of Uncle Sam's younger sons. It is the -democracy of military training, in which every man's standing is governed -alone by his professional qualifications. Money or position can in no way -affect his life. His rise or fall depends entirely upon his own worth. - -To the young man fortunate enough to secure an early appointment from his -representative in Congress, his new home, in the month of May, presents -every attraction. From the moment he passes the gate, passes the marine -guards, his eye meets the beautifully kept lawns of the campus and -drill-ground, sweeping gradually down to the sea-wall on the north and -east sides, where the Severn River flows, stretching out to the blue -waters of Chesapeake Bay, only three miles from old Fort Severn. To the -left, as he enters, are the New Quarters and hospital. To the right, the -sacred precincts of "Lovers' Lane," into which he cannot go, under pain of -displeasure of his upper classmen, until he has passed through the first, -or "plebe," year, and this rule is stringent. - -To pass the examinations successfully the candidate must be physically -sound, and must have a knowledge of arithmetic, geography, United States -history, reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, and the first -principles of algebra. The number of appointees is limited by law to one -naval cadet for every member or delegate of the House of Representatives, -one for the District of Columbia, and ten at-large; the District of -Columbia and the at-large appointments being made by the President. The -course of the naval cadets is six years,--four years at the Naval Academy -and two years at sea,--at the expiration of which time the cadet returns -for the final graduation. - -The fourth-class man who enters in May has a certain advantage over the -September appointee, for he has the advantage of four months of practical -instruction, which hardens his muscles and gets his mind into excellent -shape for the harder work of the year. Having passed his examinations, -the youngster goes to the office of the superintendent, where he takes -the oath of allegiance which binds him to serve in the United States navy -eight years, including his time of probation at the Naval Academy, unless -sooner discharged. He deposits a sum of money for his books, and such -other amount as may be necessary for his outfit, and is put to no further -expense. - -His pay is five hundred dollars a year while at the Naval Academy, -but, while he acknowledges its receipt to the paymaster by signing the -pay-roll, he is furnished with only sufficient pocket-money to get along -on. This sum of money is microscopic, and is usually spent as soon as -received. Having procured his outfit from the storekeeper, he reports on -board the "Santee." The "Santee" is one of the old sailing-frigates in the -navy, and has for years been anchored at the naval dock as quarters for -cadets during the summer time and for practical instruction in the drill -of the old Dahlgrens. Here, too, is where the fractious cadets are placed -in durance. - -Until within a very few years the new fourth-class men were sent -upon the summer cruise of cadets, first on the "Dale," then on the -"Constellation" and the "Monongahela." But by a change in the curriculum -the May appointees in the fourth class do not take the summer cruise. The -"Monongahela," one summer, carried the line division of the first class, -the second class, and the third class. Before this change the life of the -"plebe" on the summer cruise was not a bed of roses. The cadets of the -third class, until recently "plebes" themselves, were prepared to wreak -upon their juniors all of the pent-up exuberance of the previous year. - -Hazing, in the old sense, has died away, and even the "running" of ten -years ago has been reduced to a minimum through the efforts of Captains -Ramsey, Sampson, and Phythian; but the "plebe" was made to step around in -a very lively manner, and to do most of the hauling on the heavy gear, -while the third-class men did the complaining. On the "Monongahela" the -first, second, and third classes are now, as in the old days, considered -as sailors, although a number of the blue-jackets are retained on the -vessel. The cadets do their share of the work, and perform all the -duties of men-of-war's-men except scrubbing, holy-stoning, and cleaning -brass-work. The lower-class men are divided into watches with the regular -blue-jackets, side by side with whom they assist in performing all the -evolutions in working the ship. - -The cruise which follows is usually a pleasant one. There is a lot of hard -work to do, and in a short while the hands and muscles get hard, the white -suits conveniently tarry, and the skins of the youngsters as brown as -leather. But the life has its compensations, for at Fortress Monroe they -get into their uniforms again and go ashore to the dances given there at -the time of their arrival and departure. - -Meanwhile the engineer division of the first class is off on a cruise to -visit the various navy-yards and docks of the Atlantic coast. Their course -of instruction differs from that of the cadets on the "Monongahela," -and they are shown the practical side of engineering work on sea-going -ships. Away down below the water-line of their vessel, in the stoke-hole, -engine-room, or boiler-room, covered with grease or coal-dust, they do all -the work of oilers, engineers, stokers, and mechanics, so as to be able -to know accurately all the duties of those men, and to be able to command -them in the years to come. - -In October the study-term begins, and the cadets are then given their -quarters for winter. Most of them are in the building known as the New -Quarters, while the others, cadet officers of the first class, are placed -in the Old Quarters. The subtle distinction in the titles of these two -sets of buildings is hardly appreciated at the Naval Academy, since they -have both been built for thirty or forty years, and are in a frightful -state of dilapidation. Two cadets of the same class are quartered in -each room, and the discipline of household, as well as of person, begins -immediately. Each room is plainly furnished, and contains two beds, two -wardrobes, two looking-glasses, two iron wash-stands, a common table, and -a broom. The charge of the room is taken by each cadet every other week, -and this cadet is responsible for its general order and cleanliness. -If the officer in charge should happen to inspect the quarters in his -absence, and find anything contrary to regulations, the cadet in charge -is the one who is reported at the next morning's formation, although his -room-mate may have been the delinquent. - -Throughout the year the reveille sounds at six o'clock. At a quarter -to seven is morning formation, roll-call, and inspection. The ranks -are opened, and the keen-eyed officer in charge, followed by the cadet -officer-of-the-day and his ominous scratch-pad, with keen eyes looks for -grease spots, specks of dust on blouses, tumbled hair, or unblackened -boots. After breakfast the sick-call is sounded, and cadets who are ill, -or who think they are, report to the hospital. At eight o'clock the study -begins, and lasts until half-past twelve. The cadets of each class are -divided into sections of from six to a dozen each, and at the bugle-call -are formed by sections and marched to their recitation-rooms for study. -The morning is divided into two parts, and each part is divided into two -periods, one for study and one for recitation. - -Briefly, the course of instruction is as follows: Fourth class, first -year: algebra, geometry, English, history of Greece and Rome, French, -naval history of the United States, Spanish. Third class, second year: -descriptive geometry, trigonometry, the Constitution of the United States, -analytical geometry, mechanical drawing, physics, and chemistry. Second -class, third year: seamanship, principles of mechanism, differential -calculus, integral calculus, physics, chemistry, mechanical drawing, and -navigation. First class, line division: seamanship and naval tactics, -ordnance and gunnery, theory and practice of navigation, hydrographic -surveying, least squares, applied mechanics, naval construction, -ballistics, armor, and torpedoes. The engineer division has marine -engines, boilers, machinery designing, mechanics, and naval construction. - -The first part of the course, it will be seen, deals with the simpler -branches of study. The plan is not to burden the mind of the cadet with -unnecessary knowledge, yet every branch which will directly, or even -indirectly, contribute to his ultimate efficiency has its place in the -curriculum. The end--the making of a thoroughly trained seaman--is kept -constantly in view. The simpler studies train the mind of the cadet to the -technical work which follows in the third and fourth years, and in those -two years he gets his principal technical and practical training. Each one -of the departments in which he studies has a head, usually a naval officer -above the rank of lieutenant-commander. All of these heads of departments, -with the superintendent and commandant of cadets, who is also head of the -Department of Discipline, form the Academic Board. The afternoon classes -begin at two and last till four, after which comes the afternoon drill, -which lasts until 5.30 and completes the daily duties. - -It does not seem with all this work as though the cadet had very much -time to himself, but the cadet is not unhappy. Wednesday and Saturday -afternoons are given over as recreation-hours, and football and baseball -with neighboring college teams bring crowds of visitors into the Academy. -The band plays upon the lawn, and the pathways are filled with fair -visitors, who walk with their respective heroes along the shady lanes. -Saturday night, too, during the winter, hops are given, sometimes by -officers and sometimes by cadets, and a gymnastic entertainment once a -year gives the cadets the opportunity to show their prowess in boxing, -fencing, and work on the gymnastic paraphernalia. - -Towards the end of May the annual exercises begin. The examinations -finished, the arrival of the Board of Visitors is announced by the booming -of cannons from the sea-wall. The cadets receive them on dress-parade, -and the work of showing their progress during the year is at once -begun. The Board of Visitors go out on one of the government tugs into -Chesapeake Bay, and there they see the upper-class men tack, wear-ship, -box, haul, and perform all the evolutions in a seamanlike manner on the -old "Monongahela." Light yards are swung across with the precision of -old men-of-war's-men; sails are reefed, furled, or set in an incomparably -short space of time; and the cadets are down from aloft for their target -practice. The target is towed out by a launch, anchored, and gun by gun, -battery by battery, division by division, or by broadside, the cadets -hammer away at it as though it were the vessel of a hostile power, more -often than not blowing it entirely to pieces. - -[Illustration: REEFING TOP-SAILS] - -Back again at the yard, they go through with their drill as infantry -or artillery; and last, but not least, comes the drill by companies for -the honor of bearing the Naval Academy flag during the coming year. The -judges in this competition are usually army officers, and every movement -is carefully watched and marked. The captain of each company, before going -to this drill, selects its sponsor,--a very pretty girl, who, the drill -over, presents the flag to the victorious company amid loud cheers from -the whole battalion. - -The exercises are over. The cadet of the first class is now ready to be -graduated. Companies are formed up in hollow square, and the secretary -of the navy in the centre, with a pleasant word to each, presents the -diplomas to the graduates amid cheers from the companies. As quickly as -he can the first-class man goes to his quarters and shifts into his new -uniform, and comes back to the campus for the congratulations of his -friends. That night the June ball takes place, and the graduate bids -farewell to his old associations and goes out into the world. - -Few articles that have been written about the Naval Academy have given -anything of the personal side of the life of the cadet,--the side of his -life that is an escape-valve from books and drills. There was a time, -years ago, when smoking was permitted by the superintendent, and this is -how the privilege was granted: One night, in January, 1879, an alarm of -fire was sounded just before ten o'clock. The cadets, then nearly ready -for turning in, appeared in all sorts of costumes, but reported promptly -in the hall. When the battalion was assembled at fire-quarters, word -passed that there was a fire in the city and they were expected to aid. - -With a cheer the cadets dashed to the engines, and, in spite of the cold -and their scanty costumes, rushed out to the State-House circle, where -seven or eight buildings were all ablaze. - -It was found that the hydrants could not supply enough water, so the cadet -officers immediately took charge and ran a line of hose to the river. -Four houses were already past help, but attention was immediately directed -towards saving the others. - -In order to save three buildings it was found necessary to pull one of -these burning structures down. A heavy chain was passed through the doors -and one of the windows, which was manned by the cadets and townsfolk, and -the building was in a short time demolished. In some unaccountable way, -after part of the building had been pulled down, the chain was unshackled, -and the townsfolk, who were now manning it, shot half-way up the street. -So the cadets, in spite of their hard work, could always find time for -skylarking. One officer, who was not very much liked, received the full -force of the hose, which was in charge of two cadets, directly under the -chin. Of course, apologies were in order, but the officer had to go home. -At four o'clock in the morning the cadets, wet and tired out, returned to -their quarters. - -The next day they found that it was generally considered that they had -not only saved the buildings but the greater part of the business portion -of the town, as the wind had shifted, and the part of the town towards -the harbor would have been completely destroyed. At formation the order -of the superintendent was read. It said that, "Whereas, the cadets had -shown great bravery in the performance of their duty the night before, -and had conducted themselves in a creditable manner, the superintendent -desired to express his appreciation and grant to them the privilege of -using tobacco." Ten minutes after breakfast there was not a man in the -battalion of nearly four hundred who was not puffing away furiously on -pipe, cigar, or cigarette, although not an ounce of tobacco had been drawn -from the stock of the storekeeper. Whence it came is a mystery. - -The privilege was taken away in 1881; and though to-day there is no -smoking allowed, and smoking is considered one of the most serious -offences, yet it is safe to say that in many a secret nook this contraband -is safely hid from the eye of the officer in charge. In the old days, -after taps, or lights out, poker-parties were the order of the night. -The windows and transoms were covered with blankets, and every ray was -hidden from the eye of the zealous officer and watchman. But to-day -the discipline is different, and the cadet, to pass the rigorous mental -examination, has no time to transgress the written and unwritten law. - -There are, of course, many criticisms from various quarters as to the -methods of instruction at the Naval Academy, but it is not desirable -to make rapid changes, in spite of new conditions, in a course that has -proved successful for many years. It is asked that if cadets are to man -steamships without sails, what is the use of educating them to officer -sailing-vessels? What was the necessity of building the "Bancroft," if she -was not to be used for the practice-cruises of the cadets? Why has it been -proposed to build wooden vessels for their instruction? The superintendent -of the Naval Academy, Captain Cooper, Secretary Herbert, and Secretary -Long have contended that officer-like qualities can best be attained by -experience in sailing-vessels. They believe that intrepidity and alertness -come from the old school of sailing-ships. - -On the other hand, many of the older officers believe that there is too -much book-learning at the Academy and too little practical instruction; -but most of them are willing to admit that the naval officer of to-day -must be a scientific man to properly meet requirements of modern ships, -and that he cannot acquit himself properly unless he has a complete -theoretical training. It is certain that the cadet graduated now from the -Naval Academy is thoroughly trained in his profession. He has never yet -been shown deficient in knowledge of any duty which he has been called -upon to perform, nor incapable of mastering the intricate parts of modern -ships. Considering the age at which he leaves the Academy, he is better -educated in his profession than the college graduate, and is also trained -in those qualities for command which make the American naval service what -it is to-day. He goes forth thoroughly equipped for his life-work. - - - - -OUR NATION'S NEW HEROES - - -The great General Grant, when a cadet, went through his course at West -Point with one foot out of the Academy and the other in. So curiously -deficient was he in all the arts and sciences which theory insists must -go to make the perfect soldier that he was always in the "Immortals." - -"Immortals" is the name of the section at the foot of the class, admission -to whose profane cult means small marks and the possible privilege of -resigning at the end of the half-year. Immortals is a neat contraction of -"Les Immortals,"--that is, lazy mortals. Immortal Grant became, but not -in the way the academic reports of the time would have indicated. - -This has proved true again and again among the graduates of the Naval -Academy, as well as those of West Point. Though the "child is father to -the man" in general tendencies and character, it does not follow that -mere mental attainments are an indication of great genius in the practical -operation of the great military professions. Works of the brain and works -of the body and spirit are two things; and though the finely-ordered mind -controls to a degree both body and spirit, no such mechanism can ever -accomplish great deeds in which heart and spirit are needed, though it -may plan the details with a nicety to challenge criticism. A combination -of all these qualities is rare, for the bookworm is seldom an enthusiast -on any subject which gets very far away from his theories. - - -DOES SCHOLARSHIP COUNT IN WAR? - -The Spanish war has shown that it is not always the men who stand at the -heads of their classes who lead in the more practical duties of ship and -camp. Admiral Sampson, one of the greatest thinkers and most profound -students in the navy, as a boy and as a man always led in everything he -undertook; but, on the other hand, Hobson, though one of the leaders of -his class at Annapolis, was demure and retiring, hardly the man one would -select to lead a forlorn hope into the jaws of death. - -One may go through the list man for man, and find as many backward in -their studies as those who have carved high niches for themselves in the -Academy records. - -No proposition could cover the situation in a general way, for, after -all, the men we have heard from were perhaps only lucky,--lucky in being -chosen as the instruments of the result. There are hundreds--thousands--of -officers in the service, some brilliant, some wise, some brave, some -strong, as good as they, who have lacked only opportunity. The singling -out of any names for special mention seems an injustice to them,--"the -heroes of the heart." - - -TAYLOR AND EVANS AS SCHOOL-MATES - -Forty years ago Harry Taylor and Bob Evans were boys together in -Washington. They were school-mates and chums, fighting each other's -battles and longing for the day when they would be old enough to go to the -Naval Academy and fight for their country. They were both lively, active -lads, Taylor perhaps the quieter of the two. - -As their characters developed, Taylor became more of a student than Evans, -and that became the distinguishing feature of their entire careers. -While Captain Taylor has been the student of books, Captain Evans is -known throughout the navy as a student of men and a "man's man" in the -best sense of the term. The friendship of youth continued without break -throughout their young manhood and prime. The bond was strengthened when -Evans, at the close of the Civil War, married his chum's sister. - -They were both in the famous three-year class which was admitted to the -Naval Academy in 1860. They had hardly entered on their careers long -enough to get the smell of the brine into their nostrils when the Civil -War broke out. Here was the very chance they were longing for. But they -ruefully saw two upper classes go out, and they knew that fighting of the -larger sort was not yet for them. - -For two years they were kept at their books, when finally the welcome news -came that they would be graduated in three years instead of four, if they -could pass the examinations. In spite of their many disappointments, there -was a wild whoop of joy up and down the corridors, and they set about -their work in earnest, studying with a concentration which no diversion -could dissipate. - -Taylor and Evans both left the Academy before having been graduated, -and were ordered to duty with the blockading squadrons along the Gulf -and Southern coasts. They went to their ships gleefully, bearing the -proud titles of "acting ensigns," but in reality merely midshipmen of -three years' standing,--destined, however, to do the duties and have -the responsibilities of men many years their seniors in theoretical and -practical service. - - -HOW CAPTAIN EVANS SAVED HIS LEG - -Evans was in both attacks on Fort Fisher, and in the second fight he was -shot twice. The wounds were severe, and he was sent into hospital. His -leg was shattered badly, and after examining it carefully the doctors told -the young sufferer bluntly that they would be obliged to amputate it. - -When they went out Evans made a resolution that his leg was not to be cut -off. He came to the conclusion that he would rather quit right there than -to go through life one-legged. It was his own leg anyhow, and nobody had -a better right to decide the question than himself. - -By some means he got hold of one of the big navy revolvers, and had -it secreted under his pillow when the surgeons, with a blood-curdling -array of knives and saws, made their appearance on the scene and began -preparations to carry their threat into execution. But when the chief -surgeon turned to the bed to examine the wounds he found himself looking -into the black barrel of young Evans's navy revolver. - -[Illustration: THEY DID NOT TOUCH HIM AND HIS LEG WAS SAVED] - -"Now, see here," said Evans, as the doctor retired in some alarm; "I want -that leg to stay on. I need it. I will get well with that where it is, or -not at all, and that's the end of it. That leg does not come off. Do you -understand what I mean?" - -The doctor was dismayed. But he understood perfectly, and Evans carried -the day. The wounds were dressed and healed rapidly. In several months he -was out again. But he limped then, and will as long as he lives. - - -SIGSBEE AS A PRACTICAL JOKER - -Charles D. Sigsbee, writer, artist, hydrographic expert, mathematician, -inventor, and incidentally the central figure, composed and dignified, in -the greatest marine tragedy of modern times, is the kind of a man most -people--men, women, and children,--like to see and know. His brow can -be stern, and no one knows that better than the people who have sailed -under him; but he loves peace better than war, and the twinkle behind his -glasses never quite dies out. - -As a midshipman he was always the prime mover in any affair which could -contribute to the gayety of existence; was a better judge of people than -he was of test-tubes, and a practical joker of ability, which is saying -much. The fascination which the ocean holds for all boys of sound mind -gained an early sway over young Sigsbee. He received his appointment to -the Naval Academy just before the Civil War, in 1859. - -He liked the practical work, but could never settle down to the -desperate grind of the academic course. He found himself more often -making caricatures of "Dom Roget," the teacher of Spanish (a language -he has since mastered), than in poring over the verbs and adverbs in the -text-book. They were good caricatures, too, and when the other youngsters -in the section saw them there was merriment which poor Dom Roget could not -understand. But the professor solved the matter satisfactorily by marking -all the delinquents on a low scale of credit, and, to be certain of the -right culprit, Sigsbee lowest of all. - -The young artist used to make pictures of everything and everybody he -saw, and write pieces about them,--sprightly literature which went from -one end of the Academy to the other. And so when the end of the year came -round he found that, instead of being enrolled on the academic scroll of -fame, he was relegated to the lower half of the class, which they called -the "wooden" half. - -He went back into the next class,--which entered in 1860,--and with -the advantage of a year of experience he obtained a position in the new -class which he held until graduation time. He never quite got over his -propensities for making fun. - -He began as a joke, and afterwards kept it up, an anonymous correspondence -with a member of his class. Sigsbee disguised his hand, and in the -guise of "Lily Gaines," a very fascinating young woman of susceptible -tendencies, wrote to Midshipman Mullan in such endearing terms that -for three months that young gentleman was kept in a state of alternate -suspense and rapture. At last, in a burst of confidence some one told -Mullan of the deception, and the correspondence suddenly ceased. - -But in spite of all this Midshipman Sigsbee went out into the world to -practise his profession in stirring times, and ever acquitted himself as -a valiant officer and accomplished gentleman. As the months rolled into -years the naval service could boast of no officer who studied harder or -who brought more steadfast qualities into his work. - - -THE BRAVE COMMANDER OF THE "WINSLOW" - -Lieutenant John B. Bernadou was the commander of the "Winslow" in the -fight at Cardenas, at which Ensign Worth Bagley, his second in command, -was killed. The story of the fight these young officers made, until Bagley -was killed, Bernadou was wounded, and the "Hudson" came and towed them out -of danger, has been told again and again, and the tale of it will go down -into the history of the Spanish-American War as one of the pluckiest of -which there is record. Bagley, being the only naval officer killed during -the war, was heard of from one end of the country to the other, but little -was told of Bernadou, his commander. - -Bernadou's early career showed in several instances the fearlessness -of his disposition and the sturdiness of his character. The boy's first -idea was to go to West Point. Failing in this, he secured an appointment -to the Naval Academy, where he entered with a fine standing, which he -maintained until he was graduated. He was always a brilliant worker, and -in gunnery and foreign languages showed a most remarkable aptitude. To-day -he speaks eight languages, and is one of the foremost men in the navy as -an authority on smokeless powder. - - -THE MAN WHO NEVER KNEW FEAR - -Bernadou's classmates say that he fears nothing on earth or water. His -fearlessness overcomes any consciousness of self. - -One afternoon in October, 1881, the United States steamer "Kearsarge," -Captain G. B. White, lay at anchor in Hampton Roads. The weather had been -stormy for a day or two, and the wind had kicked up a heavy sea. There -was a strong tide running, and the vessel swung out on a long cable. A -seaman by the name of Christoverson, who was boat-tender in one of the -cutters swinging at the lower booms, went out and down the Jacob's ladder. -In stepping to the thwart his foot slipped, and those on deck saw him -disappear under the gray water. - -There was a hoarse cry of "man overboard." Seaman Robert Sweeny, who saw -the accident, running out along the boom, plunged in without delay, just -as the man came up the second time. Bernadou, then a cadet-midshipman, -heard the cry, and rushing to the gangway, saw the terrible struggle -of Sweeny with the drowning man as the tide swept them out towards the -sea. Bernadou tossed off his coat, and was overboard in an instant. -Christoverson, in his fierce struggle, carried Sweeny down with him, the -latter only breaking away to be carried down again. - -Bernadou by this time was within reach, and catching the drowning man from -behind, managed to relieve Sweeny until a line was thrown to them, and -they were finally hauled aboard in an exhausted condition. For this act -both Bernadou and the sailor received the recommendations of their captain -and the thanks of William H. Hunt, then the secretary of the navy. - - -ONLY NAVAL OFFICER KILLED IN THE WAR - -Worth Bagley's career at the Naval Academy was a triumph of the heart -rather than of the mind. While he loved the service and hoped some day to -fill a useful place in it, he found more to attract him in football and -athletics than in calculus and least squares. But no man who ever entered -was more beloved than he, and no man had better friends in the service and -out of it. He was turned back twice, but entered, in 1891, the class of -'95, in which year he was graduated. He was a member of the "Five B's," -composed of Bennett, Barnes, Bagley, Breckinridge, and Baldwin, men who -were close friends while they were at the Academy. - -But football was Bagley's ruling passion. During this time, too, the -great series of games between West Point and Annapolis, between the army -and navy, over which the entire United Service went mad, were played, -and Bagley was on the victorious team of '93, and was named for the -"All-America" team. - -Bagley roomed during the four years' course with his chum Breckinridge, -who was washed off another torpedo-boat, the "Cushing," and drowned, as -he was trying to get into Havana a few days before the blowing up of the -"Maine." - -"Worthless" Bagley (as his intimates called him) and Breckinridge were -never left much to themselves in their quarters, for their room was always -crowded during recreation-hours with cadets skylarking or asking advice -or assistance. There was another intimate and classmate of Bagley, D. -R. Merritt, who was killed in the "Maine" disaster a few days after the -drowning of Breckinridge. - - -ROOSEVELT SAVED BAGLEY FOR THE NAVY - -When Bagley came up for graduation at the end of the four-years' course -the doctors thought they discovered an irregular movement of the heart, -and recommended that he be dropped. Bagley took his case to Theodore -Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the navy. - -Roosevelt, looking at him through his glasses with a quick, critical -glance, said,-- - -"You are Bagley, the football player, are you not?" - -Bagley said he was. - -"Well, you are to stay in the navy while I am here. The service needs more -men just like you." - -Then Bagley went on his two-years' cruise, and when he came back he was -passed through without question. - - * * * * * - -Captain Cook, Admiral Schley's chief-of-staff on the "Brooklyn," Captain -Clark, of the "Oregon," and Commander Davis were room-mates in the -famous class of Crowninshield, Taylor, and Evans. The "Brooklyn" and the -"Oregon," commanded by classmates and room-mates, fought almost side by -side down the desperate flight to the westward, the "Oregon" farther -inland, but both thundering their iron missiles on the "Colon" as she -struggled to her doom. - -It is an interesting fact that Captain Clark, then holding the title of -acting ensign, but really a midshipman, was the first one to communicate -with the captain of the ram "Tennessee" when she was captured at -Mobile Bay, while it was Captain Cook who received the surrender of the -"Cristobal Colon." The third member of this trio was retired several years -ago or he would have had a command in the same action. The affection which -these youngsters bore one for the other was very much like that which -existed between Captains Evans and Taylor. - - -CLARK'S HEROISM AT THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY - -In the battle of Mobile Bay young Clark was on the forecastle of the -"Ossipee," then holding an important position in the line of ships that -swung past the torpedoes after the gallant Farragut in the "Hartford." - -The forecastle was bare of any defence, and the position was exposed -to all assaults of the fire, first from Fort Morgan and then from Fort -Gaines, farther up. When the forts were passed, there followed a fierce -fight with the gunboats and the invincible ram "Tennessee." Again and -again the "Hartford," "Ossipee," and other vessels of the fleet rammed her -in succession, and young Clark saw her terrible ports fly open and send -out just by him their awful discharge. - -At last, however, she became unmanageable, her shutters were jammed, and -the "Ossipee," under full head of steam, was making for her. But while -Clark was straining his eyes through the smoke, a white flag was hoisted -in token of surrender. Clark shouted to Johnson, the commander of the -ram, to starboard his helm. But the reply came that his wheel-ropes were -shot away. It was too late to keep from striking her, but the force of -the blow was broken by the manoeuvre. This early experience was followed -by the bombardment of Fort Morgan,--two important actions before Clark -had got into his early twenties. His fearlessness then, as now, needs no -mention. - - -POPULARITY OF CAPTAIN PHILIP AS A CADET - -It has been said that Captain Philip's public acknowledgment of God on -the decks of the battle-ship "Texas," after the fight before Santiago, was -the natural expression of a deeply religious nature. But his classmates at -the Naval Academy and the men who have sailed with him say that he is not -more religious than other men in the navy,--not so religious as many, who -always have their Bible on the table in their cabins and read it regularly -when at sea or in port. - -They believe that he spoke on the impulse of the moment, his heart -devoutly thankful that the victory had been achieved at so slight a loss, -and willing that all men should witness his profession of faith. - -[Illustration: HER LAST DUTY] - -As a boy at the Academy, while he never surreptitiously drank, as others -did, he made no pretence of being religious. He smoked whenever he got -a chance, in his quarters or in the darknesses back of old Fort Severn, -between the watchmen's rounds. He never, as other cadets did, gave his -word not to smoke, and so he felt a perfect freedom to do it if he could -keep from being caught. Like Sigsbee, he was a practical joker, and if -you should go to any of the members of his class and ask them who was the -most popular man in it, they would say, "Jack Philip." - - -THE VERSATILITY OF ADMIRAL SAMPSON - -In Admiral Sampson, the boy was father to the man. From boyhood his was -a life of unneglected opportunities. Born of very humble parents, by the -hardest of work and the most sincere endeavors he succeeded in obtaining -his appointment to the Naval School. His mind, naturally studious, turned -to the beginnings of the new profession with avidity, and so fine was his -mind even then that, without trying himself unduly, he easily distanced -his entire class and took first honors for the course. - -His classmates say that he was studious, but they do not say that he -applied himself so closely to the work that he shut himself off from -the diversions or recreations of the rest-hours. On the contrary, he was -foremost in most of the sports of the day, and was, in his own way, one -of the best athletes in his class. - -He was then, as he is now, an "Admirable Crichton," but his versatility -did not diminish for him the serious aspect of any of the things he -attempted. Some of his classmates called him cold, as his contemporaries -out in the service do now, but when they wanted advice on any subject -which seemed to require a reasoning power entirely beyond their own, -they said, "Ask Sampson." He was not only high in his class councils, -but dearly beloved, as he is to-day, by every man in it and every man -who knew him. If people thought him cold then it was because they did not -understand him. If they think him cold to-day it is because he does not -care to be understood by the men with whom he has no interest or sympathy. -If arrogance begins to be a virtue, then repression born of modesty is a -crime. - -To those men he cares for--now as in his youth--he has always a warm -handshake and an open heart. His eye is calm, sympathetic, penetrating, -stern, as the humor dictates, anything you please,--sometimes cold, -but always hypnotic. If he wants the friendship of man or woman he is -irresistible. To-day he is the authority on naval ordnance, an expert on -explosives, a capital seaman, a famous tennis-player,--the best-equipped -man in the service for any work--or play--that can be put before him. - - -BLUE, WHO DISCOVERED CERVERA'S FLEET - -Victor Blue, who in his uniform made the fearless expedition ashore at -Santiago, and actually saw for the first time the Spanish fleet within -the harbor, is the kind of a man who does not have very much to say for -himself, which is often a sign that a person is to be found ready when -wanted. He was a member of the class of '87, in which his work was fair, -but not remarkable in any way. He lived quietly, receiving his quota -of good and bad marks, but having no special distinction, even in his -offences against the oracles of Stribling Row. - -He did not care much for "fems" (girls, in the vernacular), but towards -his first class-year began to "take notice." He played a guard on the -"Hustlers," the scrub football team which struggles with the "Academy" -eleven on practice-days, but never made the "Team." He had plenty of grit, -but was too light for the centre and not active enough for the ends. Blue -is a fair specimen of the type of men who without ostentation have made -our new navy what it is. Many men envy him, but no man begrudges him his -numbers recently awarded for "extraordinary heroism." - - -YOUNG DEWEY AS A FIGHTER - -George Dewey entered the class of '58 at the Naval Academy at the age -of seventeen. He was not a large boy, but fairly up to middle height, -and strong and active in all athletic sports. It was not long after his -entrance that he found an opportunity to show the fighting spirit that was -in him. It was not altogether of his own seeking, but when he was weighed -in the balance, even then he was not found wanting. - -The line between the Northern boys and the Southerners was clearly -marked, and one day one of the Southerners called the young Vermonter a -"dough-face." - -Young Dewey awaited a favorable opportunity, and struck his opponent so -fair a blow that he knocked him down. There was a rough-and-tumble fight -then and there, and Dewey's adversary came out second best. - -Later on another one of the Southerners insulted the young admiral, and -there was another battle. But full satisfaction could not be obtained in -this prosaic fashion, so the Southerner finally challenged young Dewey. -The offer was promptly accepted, seconds were chosen, and the time and -place were definitely settled upon. But some of Dewey's classmates, -seriously alarmed at the aspect of affairs, and knowing that neither one -of the principals was of a temper to falter, hastily informed the academic -authorities, and the whole affair was nipped in the bud but a few hours -before the hour set. - -Dewey was graduated in 1858, and stood fifth in his class. Of the -sixty-five who had started in as candidates, but fourteen received their -diplomas at the end of the four years' course. - - -THE UNRECOGNIZED HEROES OF THE WAR - -Much has been said and written of the heroes of action and movement. The -country from one end to the other has rung with their praises. But what of -the unknown heroes, unhonored and unsung? What of the men who, because of -their superior abilities in other lines, were doomed to physical inaction? -who performed their secret missions and labors skilfully, faithfully, -uncomplainingly, while their classmates were being given numbers over -their heads, and the chance of a lifetime for great deeds was being -quietly passed by? - - -THE REAL BRAINS OF THE WAR - -Captain A. S. Crowninshield, the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, bore -the brunt of the brain-work for the men and ships at the front. - -His bureau has to do with the ordering of all ships and all men, and -Crowninshield, when he accepted the office, knew that the odds were -against him. He knew that by his own orders he would put forward above -him men who were many years his juniors in the service. He never winced, -but went on perfecting the target-scores of the men behind the guns. -When war was declared, he felt that, gun for gun, our navy could whip -anything afloat. But he did not get out of the office. He could have had -any command in Sampson's fleet. But he preferred to stay and carry out -the work he had begun, in spite of the fact that each week, as younger -men went over him, he saw the chances of hoisting the pennant of a -fleet-commander grow fainter and fainter. - -If you were to ask Secretary Long who did the real brain-work of the war, -he would unhesitatingly answer, "Captain Crowninshield." Ask the younger -officers in command of gun-divisions who is responsible for the straight -shooting of the gun-captains, and they will say, "Captain Crowninshield." -Ask any captain of the fleet of victorious battle-ships and cruisers of -Santiago or Cavite who contributed most to the victory of Santiago and -Manila, and they will say, "Captain Crowninshield." - -These are the facts, and no one in the service disputes them for a moment. -If the people are in ignorance, it is because Captain Crowninshield will -never talk of himself or his own affairs under any circumstances. - -Captain Crowninshield comes of a distinguished New England family. He is -a grandson of Jacob Crowninshield, an early secretary of the navy, and -a great-nephew of Benjamin Crowninshield, also a secretary of the navy. -Like all the Crowninshields of Salem, he was full of love of the sea. His -father was a graduate of Harvard and a founder of the Porcelain Club. - - -FILLING THE DUKE'S SHOES WITH MUCILAGE - -Captain Crowninshield as a lad read and studied all the books he could -find about the sea, upon which his ancestors, near and remote, had sailed. -From the first he was determined to be a naval officer. To this end he -went to a village where lived a member of Congress, who, he thought, might -make him his appointee. The young man found the old member of Congress -out in his field, ploughing. He liked the looks of the boy and gave him a -half-promise of the appointment. Young Crowninshield was forced to wait a -month, but at last the letter came, and with trembling fingers he broke -the seal of the letter which made him a midshipman (a title which it is -to be hoped will be restored ere long to the service). - -Some of his classmates were the present Captain Clark, of "Oregon" fame, -Captain Harry Taylor, Drayton Cassell, Captain Wadleigh, and Captain Cook, -of the "Brooklyn." His room-mate was Pierre d'Orleans, and many a time -did Captain Crowninshield rescue the young foreigner when the jokes became -too fast and furious. A favorite amusement with the midshipmen was to fill -"Pete" d'Orleans's shoes with mucilage. This practice, so far from making -him feel like sticking to this country, persuaded the young duke to return -to his native land, where there were no wild American boys to tamper with -his dignity. - -When the Academy was removed from Annapolis to Newport, young -Crowninshield, of course, went with the school, with Evans and the others. -He was told that those who could pass the required examination at the end -of three years could go out to the war as officers. - -Half of the class passed the examination. When one considers that no -studying at night was allowed, that an officer made the rounds after -lights were supposed to be out, and that at the sound of his footsteps -the delinquent who was burning the midnight oil would be obliged to tumble -into bed with his clothes on, throwing the wet towel which bound his head -into the corner of the room, feigning sleep while a candle was passed -across his face, one can understand why more young men of that class did -not graduate at the end of the three-years' limit. - - -SCOUTING IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY - -There are many other gallant navy men of whom the public has not heard, -but two more will suffice. Within a week after the declaration of war two -young ensigns, Ward and Buck, the former in the Bureau of Navigation and -the latter at the Naval Academy, disappeared from the face of the earth. -So completely did they destroy all traces of themselves that for all the -Bureau of Navigation or their relatives seemed to know they might have -ceased to exist. - -Speculation was rife concerning them, but nothing could be learned of -their duties, the impression being, even among Navy Department officials, -that they were installing a system of coast-signals in New England. -Ward, it appears, disguised himself as an Englishman, and went straight -into the heart of the enemy's country, making his headquarters at Cadiz, -the principal Spanish naval station, and from there sending the Navy -Department continuous and accurate reports of the fighting strength and -actual movements of the Spanish fleet. - -He was under suspicion, but watched his time, and succeeded in getting -away to Porto Rico. There he was arrested as a suspicious character and -spy. He managed, it is supposed through the British representatives, to -obtain his release, and, escaping from San Juan, cabled the department a -full account of the state of defences there and the movements of Cervera's -fleet. While Ward was in Porto Rico, Buck was following Camara's fleet -in the Mediterranean, keeping watch on its movements, and sending daily -reports of its condition, armament, and plans. - -We do not know what is in the hearts of men. We do not know whether the -men who did the creditable things during the war did them in spite of -themselves, or whether in the glory of action and adventure they took -their lives into their hands gladly, fearlessly, for their country. We do -know that there were hundreds ready and willing to court danger and death -for a useful end who for lack of opportunity could not. - - - - -HEROES OF THE DEEP - - -All the long winter the "Polly J." had slept snugly in Gloucester Harbor, -rigging unrove and everything snug aloft that the wind could freeze or -the ice could chafe. Careful eyes had watched her as she swung at her -moorings, and rugged hands had gripped the familiar gear as the skipper -or some of the men had made their periodical visits. But however gray -and desolate she loomed, with her topmasts housed and the black lines of -ratline and stay across the brightening sky, nothing could hide the saucy -cut-under of the bow and the long, free sweep of the rail. - -The afternoon sun of March melted the snow on the south slopes of the -fish-sheds, and great gray-and-green patches came out here and there -against the endless white. - -A brisk breeze, with a touch of the spring, blew up from the south, and -the "Polly," heedless of the tide, turned her head to it, sniffing and -breathing it, bobbing and jerking nervously at her anchor, impatient to -be dressed in her cloud of canvas, and away where the wind blows free and -the curl dashes high under the forefoot. - - -WHEN THE SNOW MELTS - -Ashore in Gloucester town there are signs a-plenty of the work to come. -The sleepy village throws off her white mantle and rises from the lethargy -of the winter past. The spring is in the air, and the docks and wharves, -white and ice-trussed during the long, bleak winter, are trod by groups -of men, rubber-coated and "sou' westered," moving briskly from one shed -to another. - -In the town they gather like the stray birds of spring that flutter under -the eaves of the store-houses. By twos and threes they appear. On street -corners they meet, pipe-smoking, reminiscent, gloomily hopeful for the -future, and grateful that they have helped themselves over "March Hill" -without a loan from owner or buyer. And as they lounge from post-office -to store, from store to shed, and back again, their talk is of dealings -with owners and skippers, of vessels and luck. - -For luck is their fortune. It means larger profits by shares, new dresses -for the wife and little ones, and perhaps an easy time of it in the winter -to follow. It means that there will be no long, hard winter of it at the -haddock-fisheries at "George's," where trawls are to be set in weather -which makes frozen hands and feet, and perhaps a grave in an icy sea, -where thousands have gone before. - -The skipper of the "Polly," even before he gets his men, has broken out -his gear and reckoned up his necessities for the run up to the Banks. If -he ships the same crew he had the year before, they work in well together. -The "Polly's" topmasts are run up with a hearty will and a rush. There -is a cheerful clatter of block and tackle, and the joyous "Yeo-ho" echoes -from one schooner to another as sail and rigging are fitted and run into -place. - -The snow yet lingers in little patches on the moors when some of the -vessels warp down to an anchorage. Dories are broken from their nests -and skim lightly across the harbor, now alive with a fleet in miniature. -Jests and greetings fill the air, as old shipmates and dory-mates meet -again,--Gloucester men some of them, but more often Swedes, Portuguese, -and men from the South. - -For to-day the fleet is not owned in the villages, and Gloucester, once -the centre of the fishing aristocracy, the capital of the nation of the -Banks, is now but a trading- and meeting-place for half the sea-people -who come from the North and East. - -The skipper of the "Polly J.," himself perhaps the scion of three -generations of fishing captains, may wag his head regretfully, for -fishers cannot be choosers; but he knows that his fishing has to be done, -and, after all, a "Portygee" is as good a sailor-man and dory-mate as -another,--better sometimes,--if he keeps sober. - -So long as the ship-owner makes his credit good at the store for the -people at home, the fisherman takes life as joyfully as a man may who -looks at death with every turn of the glass. If he takes his pleasures -seriously, it is because he lives face to face with his Maker. Nature, in -the awful moods he knows her, makes trivial the little ills that flesh is -heir to. - -So when the crews are aboard, and the stores and salt are being hoisted -in, there is a hurry to be among the first away. Chains and windlasses -creak and clang, nimble feet fly aloft, hoarse voices ring across the -rippling water, and many a cheerful song echoes from ship to shore and -back again. - -Willing hands, strangers for months to hemp and tar, lay on to the tackle, -as spar and boom are run into place. The fish-bins below are cleaned and -scrubbed to the very quick. Bright-work, if there be any, is polished, -and sail-patching and dory-painting and caulking are the order of the day, -and most of the night. The black cook, below in the mysterious blackness -of the galley, potters with saucepan and kettle, and when the provisions -are aboard serves the first meal. There is coffee, steaming hot in the -early hours of the morning, and biscuit and meat,--plenty of it. There is -not much variety, but, with the work to be done above and below decks, a -full-blooded appetite leaves no chance for grumbling. - -At last the bag and baggage of the crew are tossed aboard,--packs of -tobacco innumerable, new rubber clothes, all yellow and shiny in the -morning dampness, boots and woollens to keep out the cold of spring on -the Bank Sea,--all bought on credit at the store, to be charged against -"settling-day." - - -WAVING GODSPEED TO THE FISHER-FOLK - -It is morning, just before the dawn. The "Polly J.," her new paint all -silver in the early light, rides proudly at her anchor in the centre of -the tideway. The nip of winter lingers in the air, but the snow is gone -and the rigging is no longer stiff to the touch. - -It is just daylight when the last dory is hoisted aboard into its nest. -Three or four figures on the wharves, outlined against the purple sky and -hills, stand waving Godspeed to their fisher-folk. Women's voices ring out -between the creakings of the blocks, "Good luck! Good luck! 'Polly J.'; -wet your salt first, 'Polly J.'" It is the well-wishing from the hearts -of women, who go back to weep in silence. Which one of them is to make -her sacrifice to the god of winds and storms? - -There is a cheerful answer from the "Polly," drowned in the flapping of -the sails and creaking of the windlass. The anchor, rusty and weed-hung, -is broken out and comes to the surface with a rush, while sheets are -hauled aft, and, catching the morning breeze, the head of the schooner -pays off towards Norman's Woe, the water rippling merrily along her sides. - -The figures on the wharves are mere gray patches in the mass of town and -hills. The big sails, looming dark in the gray mists of the morning, round -out to the freshening wind, and push the light fabric through the opal -waves with ever-increasing speed. By the time the first rays of the rising -sun have gilded the quivering gaff of the main, Eastern Point is left -far astern, and the nose of the vessel ploughs boldly out to sea, rising -with her empty bins light as a feather to the big, heavy swell that comes -rolling in, to break in a steady roar on the brown rocks to leeward. - -There is man's work and plenty of it during those sailing days past -"George's," Sable Island, and the St. Lawrence. The provisions and salt -are to be stowed and restowed, ballast is to be shifted, sails to be made -stronger and more strong, fish-bins to be prepared, old dories to be made -seaworthy, rigging to be tautened, and reels and lines to be cleared and -hooked. Buoy-lines and dory-roding are to be spliced, and miscellaneous -carpenter work takes up the time about the decks. For a skipper unprepared -to take advantage of all that luck may throw in his way does an injustice -to his owner and his crew. But, busy as the time is, the skipper has his -weather-eye open for the "signs." The feel of the air, the look and color -of the cold, gray Bank Sea, tell him in so many words how and where the -fish will be running. At last a hand takes the heavy sea-lead and moves -forward where the line may run free. Deliberately the line is coiled -in great turns around the left hand, and then, like a big pendulum, the -weight begins to swing with the strong right arm. - - -IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE FIRST CATCH - -There is a swirl of the line as the lead goes all the way over, a splash -forward, and, as the skipper luffs her up into it, the line comes upright, -and gets a depth of thirty fathoms. As she comes up into the wind, the -noisy jib flaps down with a run, and the anchor drops to the sandy bottom. -Now the buckets of bait are tossed up from below, and the skipper leaves -his helm to take to the lines. Over the sides and stern they go, dragging -down to leeward. - -There is quiet for a moment, and then a line runs out. There is a tug as -the strong arm checks it and hauls it in quickly, hand over hand. There -is a gleam of light, a swish at the surface, and the fish flies over -the rail, flopping helplessly on to the deck, the first catch of the -season,--a big one. - -Another tug, and another, and soon the work is fast and furious. It takes -honest elbow-muscle, too, to haul ten pounds of floundering cod up five -feet of freeboard to the rail and deck. Soon the deck is covered with the -long, slim, gleaming bodies, and the boys of the schooner have man's work -in tossing them into the gurry-pen amidships. Before the pen is filled, -the fishes stop biting as suddenly as they struck on, and there is a rest -for a while to bait-up and clean down. - -If the signs hold good, the skipper will order the men out to set trawls, -for the smell of the dead fish sometimes drives the school away. - - -HANDLING THE TRAWLS - -The "trawls" are only an elaboration of the hand-lines. They are single -lines, several hundred feet in length, with short lines and baited hooks -at intervals. They are taken out by members of the crew in their dories, -buoyed and anchored. It is the work of tending these trawls that takes the -greatest skill and fearlessness. It is in the work of hauling and baiting -the lines in all weathers that the greatest losses of life occur. There is -no room on the decks of the schooners for heavy boats, and as many such -craft are needed, five or six are piled together amidships. A block and -purchase from aloft are their hoisting-tackle. - -They are handy boats, though light, and two men and a load of fish can -weather the rough seas, if your fisherman is an adept with his oars. But -they are mere cockle-shells at the best, and are tossed like feathers. -The "codders" are reckless fellows, and they will put out to the trawls -day after day in any kind of weather, fog or clear, wind or calm, with -not even a beaker of water or a piece of pilot-bread. - - -A LONELY NIGHT ON THE BROAD ATLANTIC - -A night alone on the broad Atlantic in an open dory seems to have no -terrors for them. Each year adds its lists of casualties to those that -have gone before. Fogs have shut in, seas have risen, and morning has -dawned again and again with no sign of the missing men. Sometimes an -upturned dory is found, with her name--the "Molly S.," or the "Betty T.," -in honor of the owner's shore-mate--on her pointed bow, but only the gray -ocean can tell the story of the missing men. - -When the "Polly's" day's luck is run, all hands take stations for dressing -down. It is the dirty part of the business; but so quickly is it done that -the crew seems part of a mechanism, working like clockwork. Two men stand -at the gurry-pen, their long knives gleaming red in the sunset. The fish -is slit from throat to tail with one cut, and again on both sides of the -neck. It then passes to the next man, who with a scoop of his hand drops -the cod's liver in a basket and sends the head and offal flying. The fish -slides across the dressing-table, where the backbone is torn out by the -third man, who throws it, finally, headless, cleaned, and open, into the -washing-tub. - -The moment the tub is filled, the fish are pitched down the open hatch to -the fifth man, who packs them with salt snugly in the bins. So quickly -is the work done that the fish seem to travel from one hand to another -as though they were alive, and a large gurry-pen is emptied and the bin -packed and salted in less than an hour. - - -WHEN THE DAY'S WORK IS DONE - -The head of the black cook appears above the hatch-combing, and his mouth -opens wide as he gives the welcome supper call. Down the ladder into the -cuddy they tumble, one and all, and lay-to with an appetite and vigor -which speaks of good digestive organs. Conversation is omitted. Coffee, -pork-and-beans, biscuit,--nectar and ambrosia,--vanish from the tin -dishes, until the cook comes in with the sixth pot of steaming coffee. - -At last, when the cook vows the day's allowance is eaten and the last drop -of coffee is poured, the benches are pushed back, tobacco and pipes are -produced from the sacred recesses of the bunks, and six men are puffing -out the blue smoke as though their lives depended on it. - -The schooner rolls to the long ground-swell, her lamp-bracket swinging -through a great arc and casting long, black shadows, monstrous -presentiments of the smokers, which move rapidly from side to side over -the misty beams and bulkheads like gnomes. A concertina, a mouth-organ, -and perhaps a fiddle, are brought out, and a sea-song, an Irish jig, -or something in unspeakable Portuguese, rises above the creaking of the -timbers and the burst of foam alongside. - -But the work is not done yet. It is never done. The ship is to be cleaned -down and the gurry-pen and dory are to be sluiced out in readiness for -the morrow. A vigil is to be kept, watch and watch, and woe be to the -youngster who tumbles off his hatchway to the deck from sheer weariness. - - -WHEN A STEAMER LOOMS UP IN THE FOG - -If there should be a fog,--and hardly a day or a night passes without -one,--the danger is great. When the white veil settles down over the -schooners the men on deck can hardly see their cross-trees. Foot-power -horns are blown, the ship's bell is tolled steadily, while conch shells -bellow their resonant note from the trawlers in the dories. But it is all -to no purpose. For the great siren comes nearer and nearer every second, -and the pounding of the waves against the great hulk and the rush of -resisting water grow horribly distinct. - -There is a hazy glimmer of a row of lights, a roar and a splutter of -steam, a shock and the inrush of the great volume of water, a shout or -two from the towering decks and bridge, and the great body dashes by -disdainfully, speed undiminished, her passengers careless, and unmindful -that the lives and fortunes of half a dozen human beings have hung for a -moment in the balance of Life and Death. But records have to be made, and -the gold-laced officers forget to mention the occurrence. The men on the -schooner do not forget it, though. More than one face is white with the -nearness to calamity. - -"What was she, Jim?" - -"The 'Frederick.' I'd know her bloomin' bellow in a thousand." - -They lean out over the rail and peer into the gray blackness, shaking -their fists at the place where she vanished in the fog. - -The man who gets his name in the newspaper and a medal from his government -is not the only hero. And the modesty with which the Gloucester fisherman -hides his sterling merit is only convincing proof of the fact,--Gloucester -is a city of heroes. - -For grit and devotion the case of Howard Blackburn surpasses understanding. - - -THE COURAGE OF THE UNNAMED HEROES - -Blackburn and his dory-mate left their schooner in a driving snow-storm. -Before they had been at the trawls long the weather had become so thick -that they couldn't see ten feet from the dory's gunwale. The wind shifted -and put them to leeward of their vessel. There was never a sound of bell -or horn through the thickness, and, though they pulled to windward, where -they thought their skipper lay, the vessel could not be found. They were -lost, and the sea was rising. Then they anchored until dawn. - -When the snow stopped falling, they saw the schooner's light, a tiny -speck, miles to windward. To reach it was impossible. The situation was -desperate. Wave-crest after wave-crest swept into the dory, and all but -swamped her. Time after time she was baled out, until it seemed as if -human endurance could stand it no longer. Blackburn made a sea-anchor for -a drag, but in throwing it out lost his mittens overboard. It was horrible -enough to fear drowning in the icy sea, but as he felt his hands beginning -to freeze the effort seemed hopeless. - -With hands frozen, Blackburn felt that he was useless, for his dory-mate -was already almost helpless with exposure. So he sat down to his oars and -bent his freezing fingers over the handles, getting as firm a clutch as -he could. There he sat patiently, calmly, keeping the dory up to the seas -meanwhile,--waiting for his hands to freeze to the oars. The dory became -covered with ice, and pieces of it knocked against the frozen hands and -beat off a little finger and a part of one of the palms. During the second -day Blackburn's dory-mate gave it up, and Blackburn laid down beside him -to try and warm him. But it was useless. The dory-man froze to death where -he lay. - - -FOR FIVE DAYS ADRIFT AND STARVING - -When Blackburn felt the drowsiness coming over him, he stood up and baled -as the boat filled. The third day dawned without a ray of hope, and not a -morsel to eat or a drop to drink, so he stuck the oar through his wounded -fingers and rowed again. - -The fourth day he saw land. He did not reach it until the afternoon of -the fifth day, when he landed at a deserted fish-wharf. No one could be -found, and he was too weak to move farther. So he lay down, more dead than -alive, and tried in vain to sleep, munching snow to quench his thirst. - -The next day he went out in the dory to try to find some signs of life, -and in about three hours, the last remnant of his strength being gone, he -saw smoke and the roofs of some houses, and he knew that he was saved. -Even when he reached the shore in a pitiable condition, he would not go -into the house until they promised him to get the body of his dory-mate. - -This heroic man lost his hands and the most of his toes, but he reached -Gloucester alive. The story of his grit and devotion to his dory-mate are -to-day told to the young fishermen of the fleet, and the men of the Banks -will sing his praises until Time shall have wiped out all things which -remain unrecorded. - - -WHERE THE COD ABOUND - -On some of the schooners, by the middle of the season most of the salt -is "wet." It is then that the "Polly J." follows the fleet up to the -"Virgin." - -This is a rocky ledge, many miles out in the desolate Bank seas, which -rises to within a few feet of the surface of the ocean. Here the cod and -camplin abound, and here, when it is time for them to run, most of the -schooners come to anchor, sending out their little fleets until perhaps -two thousand dories and schooners are afloat at the same time, within a -distance of two or three miles of one another. When the schools of camplin -come to the surface and begin to jump, the dories all close in on them, -for the fishermen know that the cod are after them. Almost as quickly -as the lines can be baited and cast overboard the fish strike on, and -the work is steady and hard until the dories, loaded down almost to the -gunwales, have made several trips of it, and the salt in the bins shows -a prospect of being "all wet" before the week is out. - -The few days towards the end of the season at the "Old Virgin" are a race -between the ships at catching and dressing down. The rival crews work from -dawn until dark. - -At last the big mainsail of the victor--perhaps the "Polly J."--is hauled -out, the chain is hove in short, and the dories from less fortunate -schooners crowd alongside with good wishes and letters for the folks at -home. Anchor up, the flag is hoisted,--the right of the first boat off the -Banks,--and the proud schooner, low lying in the water with her fifteen -hundred quintal, bows gracefully to each vessel of the fleet at anchor as -she passes them, homeward bound. - - -WHEN THE SCHOONERS MOVE UP THE HARBOR - -Homeward bound!--there is magic in the word. Though the first vessel -to head to the southward is proud among the fleet, she has a burden of -responsibility upon her, for she carries every year news of death and -calamity that will break the hearts of many down in Gloucester, and the -flags she flaunts so gayly must come to half-mast before she sights the -hazy blue of Eastern Point. - -During those long summer months a lonely wife goes about her household -duties down in Gloucester town. There is a weight upon her heart, and -until the fleet comes in and she sees the familiar face at the front gate, -happiness is not for her. Day after day she listens for his footsteps, and -after supper, when the season draws to a close, she walks down to where -she can look far out to sea. - -Then a schooner, heavy laden, appears around the Point. She comes around -and moves up the harbor slowly,--oh, so slowly. The flag the wife has seen -is half-masted, and she knows that some woman's heart is to break. Will -it be hers? - -THE END. - - - - -By Sydney George Fisher - -Men, Women, and Manners in Colonial Times. - - Illustrated with four photogravures and numerous head and tail - sketches in each volume. Two volumes. Satine, in a box, $3.00; - half calf or half morocco, $6.00. - -_SECOND EDITION._ - -"The author's work is a blending of grave history, amusing anecdote, -extracts from diaries, and graphic word pictures. He has an admirable -knack of liveliness that is quite Frenchy, and stimulates the reader into -a ravenous delight. Puritan, Pilgrim, Cavalier, Quaker, and Catholic are -made to re-enact their Colonial parts, and the resulting drama is full of -action, humor, wit, and pathos."--_Boston Globe._ - -"These two volumes, in delicately colored satine, are fascinating in their -panoramic view of a whole era that abounds in picturesque and diverting -incident. Discretion and taste were required in the selection, and -literary art in the presentation. These are revealed by Mr. Fisher, and -the result is social history in the most engaging style."--_Philadelphia -Press._ - -The Making of Pennsylvania. - -The Evolution of the Constitution of the United States. - -Each volume. 12mo. Buckram, $1.50. - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -BY SYDNEY GEORGE FISHER. - - THE TRUE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. - - With numerous illustrations, portraits, and fac-similes. Crown - octavo. Cloth, $2.00. Uniform with "THE TRUE GEORGE WASHINGTON." - -"Mr. Fisher has done a service to American literature and history which -is not to be measured alone by the facts supplied in his book. There is -a sentimental value to his study, which resides in its effect upon the -public mind in making us realize the true proportions of one of our few -great men. Washington and Franklin are the true figures in our early -history to which the verdict of the world has given lasting fame. Paul -Leicester Ford has changed Washington from a myth into a human being. -Mr. Fisher has done the same for Franklin. Of the two heroes Washington -was the less understood. But the popular conception of Franklin in its -way was also far from the truth. The result of Mr. Fisher's analysis of -Franklin will be to make him more distinctly a great American than ever -he was to us before. Mr. Fisher evidently has made a careful study of -Franklin; first, as he reveals himself in his own writings and in his -life; and, secondly, as his biographers and those who were contemporary -with him have estimated him. He destroys some popular delusions concerning -him, and, on the other hand, brings out more clearly and forcibly than -heretofore the greatness of certain qualities of his character which have -been rather lost sight of or neglected. Mr. Fisher has done his work with -the painstaking care and skill that have made his various other books -along historical lines of recognized merit. He writes clearly, frankly, -and without prejudice."--_Philadelphia Evening Bulletin._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -The True George Washington - -BY - -PAUL LEICESTER FORD, - -Author of "The Honorable Peter Stirling," etc. - -With twenty-four full-page illustrations. Crown 8vo. Cloth, deckle edges, -$2.00; three-quarters levant, $5.00. - -"This book is a monument of industry."--_New York Nation._ - -"This is a wonderfully interesting book."--_Buffalo Commercial._ - -"Mr. Ford's book is rich in new matter which commends itself as -interesting as well as valuable."--_Washington Times._ - -"Mr. Ford has delved with diligence and with rich reward into contemporary -records, correspondence, and traditions, and gives an entertaining -account of colonial times and of the personal traits of the Father of His -Country."--_Chicago Advance._ - -"Mr. Ford's book is important out of all proportion to its size, and -will probably be read so long as the name of Washington continues to be -revered. Brushing aside the hysterical panegyrics of would-be biographers -and historians as well as super-laudatory passages in works otherwise -trustworthy and meritorious, Mr. Ford resolutely set out to acquire -real knowledge of the man, George Washington. Few of the other heroes -of history could pass unscathed through an examination so thorough and -so rigid. Every attainable fact that helps to show the Father of His -Country as he was in his social and family relations has been carefully -considered."--_Boston Evening Gazette._ - -"This work challenges attention for the really valuable light which it -throws upon the character of George Washington. The picture which Mr. -Ford here draws of him is careful, life-like, and impressive in the -extreme. While his exhaustive researches have resulted in humanizing -Washington 'and making him a man rather than a historical figure,' a fair -and intelligent reader, we submit, will arise from the glowing chapters -of Mr. Ford's work with a larger conception of the character, endowments, -and equipment of the first of Americans.... The work embodies a surprising -measure of information on a most important as well as interesting -subject."--_Philadelphia Evening Bulletin._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -BY HON. JOHN BIGELOW. - - THE LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. - - Written by himself. Now first edited from original manuscripts and - from his printed correspondence and other writings. Revised and - corrected, with additional notes. Three volumes. Crown octavo. - Cloth, $4.50; half calf, $9.00; three-quarters calf, gilt top, - uncut edges, $9.75. - -FOURTH EDITION. - -"Mr. Bigelow has again revised his splendid work, first published -twenty-three years ago, and incorporated such discoveries as have been -made in the past five years. The editor may well boast that time has -indicated the artistic principle upon which the work was constructed of -letting Franklin tell his own story in his own way, beginning with the -autobiography and continuing the narrative with a most careful mosaic of -Franklin's voluminous letters. And it is to be credited to Mr. Bigelow -that the ever-increasing fame of Franklin has made such substantial -advance in our own day, since such contemporary impetus was given to the -study of the man and his services by this very 'Life of Franklin.' It -is a unique biography, or rather autobiography, and, of course, it is -unapproachable in the case of its own particular subject. Until an equally -tireless and copious letter-writer as Franklin can be found another such -work is impossible."--_Philadelphia Press._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Missing periods and quotation marks have been supplied where -obviously required. All other original errors and inconsistencies -have been retained, except as follows: - - Page 68: changed attemts to attempts - (that further attempts at flight) - Page 145: changed then to them - (and tumbling them both down) - Page 248: changed gradutes to graduates - (among the graduates of the) - Page 282: changed bated to baited - (lines and baited hooks at) - Ads page 4: changed bioggraphy to biography - (a unique biography, or rather) - Ads page 4: changed tireles to tireless - (an equally tireless and copious) - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pike & Cutlass, by George Gibbs - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - -***** This file should be named 42138-8.txt or 42138-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/1/3/42138/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Pike & Cutlass - Hero Tales of Our Navy - -Author: George Gibbs - -Release Date: February 20, 2013 [EBook #42138] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42138 ***</div> <div class="tnote"> <p class="center"><b>Transcriber’s Notes:</b></p> @@ -9820,384 +9781,6 @@ an equally <span class="correction">tireless</span> and copious </ul> </div> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pike & Cutlass, by George Gibbs - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - -***** This file should be named 42138-h.htm or 42138-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/1/3/42138/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Pike & Cutlass - Hero Tales of Our Navy - -Author: George Gibbs - -Release Date: February 20, 2013 [EBook #42138] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - -Transcriber's Note: italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - - - -PIKE & CUTLASS - -[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF THE "CONSTITUTION" - -Page 209] - - - - - PIKE & CUTLASS - - HERO TALES - OF - OUR NAVY - - WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED - BY GEORGE GIBBS - - [Illustration] - - PHILADELPHIA & LONDON - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - 1900 - - - Copyright, 1898 and 1899, by - THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY - - Copyright, 1899, by - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - - ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. - - - - - TO THE CADETS - OF THE - UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY - PAST, PRESENT, AND - FUTURE - - - - -NOTE - - -The writer expresses thanks for their courtesy to the editors of -"Lippincott's Magazine" and the editors of the "Saturday Evening Post," -of Philadelphia, in which periodicals several of these Hero Tales have -been printed. He also acknowledges his indebtedness for many valuable -historical facts to "Cooper's Naval History;" "History of the Navy," by -Edgar S. Maclay; "History of Our Navy," by John R. Spears; "Twelve Naval -Captains," by Molly Elliot Seawell; "American Naval Heroes," by John -Howard Brown; "Naval Actions of the War of 1812," by James Barnes; and -to many valuable works and papers in the archives of the Library of the -Navy Department at Washington. Thanks are due the Art Department of the -"Saturday Evening Post" and the Art Department of "Collier's Weekly" for -their permission to reprint many of the drawings herein. - - GEORGE GIBBS. - - August 15, 1899. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - The Effrontery of Paul Jones 7 - - HIS FIGHT WITH THE "DRAKE" AND DESCENT ON WHITEHAVEN - - A Struggle to the Death 24 - - PAUL JONES'S FIGHT WITH THE "SERAPIS" - - The Terrier and the Mastiff 34 - - NICHOLAS BIDDLE'S WONDERFUL FIGHT - - Decatur and the "Philadelphia" 46 - - The Biggest _Little_ Fight in Naval History 56 - - DECATUR AND THE TRIPOLITAN GUNBOATS - - A Double Encounter 73 - - STEWART AND THE "CYANE" AND "LEVANT" - - The "Constitution" and the "Guerriere" 90 - - The "Wasp" and the "Frolic" 106 - - The "Constitution" and the "Java" 117 - - The Last of the "Essex" 132 - - The Captain of the Maintop 148 - - Cushing and the "Albemarle" 158 - - Somers and the "Intrepid" 170 - - The Passing of the Old Navy 181 - - OLD SALTS AND NEW SAILORS. THE OLD SHIPS AND THE NEW - - Farragut in Mobile Bay 220 - - At the Naval Academy 231 - - Our Nation's New Heroes 248 - - Heroes of the Deep 274 - - OUR FISHING FLEET - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - The Escape of the "Constitution" _Frontispiece_ - - The Descent on Whitehaven 17 - - "Yard-arm to Yard-arm" 27 - - Decatur boards the "Philadelphia" 52 - - The Danger of the "Intrepid" 53 - - "No 'Dutch Courage' on _THIS_ Ship" 83 - - In the Tops of the "Constitution" 101 - - The "Constellation" and the "Vengeance" 155 - - The Smoking Hour 189 - - Neptune comes Aboard 191 - - Modern Sea Monsters in Action 204 - - The Admiral lashed to the Rigging 225 - - Reefing Top-sails 242 - - They did not touch Him and His Leg was saved 252 - - Her Last Duty 263 - - - - -THE EFFRONTERY OF PAUL JONES - - -In April, 1778, there were more than two-score of French ships-of-the-line -within easy sailing distance of the coast of England. They were tremendous -three-decked monsters, armed with tier upon tier of cannon, and it took -nearly a thousand officers and men to man each of them. They lay at -anchor in the harbors of France or sallied forth into the open sea to the -southward to prey upon the commerce of Great Britain. But grand as they -were, not one of them dared to do what John Paul Jones did in the little -Continental sloop of war "Ranger." By good seamanship, an element of -chance, and a reckless daring almost without precedent, he accomplished -under the very noses of the gold-laced French admirals what they had been -hemming and hawing about since the beginning of the war. - -Inaction weighed upon the mind of Paul Jones more heavily than the hardest -of labor. He had to be up and doing all the time, or trouble was brewing -for everybody on shipboard. So when he reached Nantes, France, and found -that the frigate which had been promised him was not forthcoming, he -determined, alone and unaided, to do with the little "Ranger" what he -was not yet destined to do with a bigger ship. No person but Paul Jones -would for a moment have considered such a desperate project as the one he -conceived. What the flower of the navy and chivalry of France had refused -to attempt was little short of suicide for the mad American. But Jones was -not cast in an ordinary mould. When he got to Brest, he made up his mind -once and for all, by one good fire of British shipping to put an end to -all the ship and town burnings in America. - -There was clanking of bit and chain as the anchor was hove up short on -the little craft. The officers and men of the great vessels of the French -fleet looked over the glistening water, warmed by the afternoon sun of -spring, and wondered where their impetuous harbor-mate was off to. A week -before, they knew Paul Jones had demanded that the French Admiral salute -the Continental flag which the "Ranger" wore for the first time. And they -had given those salutes right willingly, acknowledging publicly the nation -they had been helping in secret. They knew he was a man of determination, -and they wondered what the American was going to do. Some of them--the -younger ones--wished they too were aboard the dainty little craft, bound -out to sea under a man who feared nothing and dared everything. They heard -the whistles and hoarse calls of the bos'n as the men tumbled down from -aloft, the sheets flew home, and yards went up to their blocks with a -clatter and a rush that showed how willing were the hands at the tackles. -The tops'ls caught a fine breeze from the southward and, bracing up, the -"Ranger" flew down the harbor and around the point of Quiberon just as -the sun was setting behind the purple cloud-streaks along the line of -limitless ocean. Up the coast she moved, her bowsprit pointing fearlessly -to the north, where lay the Scilly Isles. The Frenchmen left behind in the -harbor looked enviously at the patch of gold, growing every moment more -indistinct in the fading light, and said "En voila un brave!" - -The next day Jones left the Scilly Isles on his starboard quarter and -steered boldly up Saint George's Channel into the wide Irish Sea. The -merchantmen he boarded and captured or scuttled did not quite know what -to make of a man who feared so little that he looked into the eyes of the -lion sternly and even menacingly when one movement might have destroyed -him. These channel-men thought themselves secure, for such a venturesome -procedure as that of Paul Jones was contrary to all precedent. They -couldn't understand it at all until their vessels were burned and they -themselves were prisoners. Then they knew that they had been taken by -a man whose daring far surpassed that of the naval captains of England -and France. In plain sight of land he took a brig bound from Ireland -to Ostend. He didn't want to be bothered with prisoners, so he sent her -crew ashore in their own boat to tell the story of their escape. Then off -Dublin he took another ship, the "Lord Chatham," and sent her in charge -of a prize-crew down to Brest. - -Paul Jones had one great advantage. Nowadays, when the railway and -telegraph have brought all the people of the world closer together, such -a cruise would be impossible. The report would be sent at once to the -Admiralty, and two fleets, if necessary, would be despatched post-haste -to intercept him. But Paul Jones knew the value of the unexpected. And -although fortune favors the brave and the winds and waves seem always on -the side of the ablest navigators, he had made his calculations carefully. -He knew that unless an English fleet was at some point nearer than -Portsmouth he would have ample time to carry out his plans. - -He made up his mind before burning any shipping to capture, if possible, -the Earl of Selkirk, who lived on St. Mary's Isle, and to hold him as -a hostage. By this means he hoped to compel England to treat American -prisoners with humanity, according to the laws of war. But on the -twenty-first of April he picked up a fisherman who gave him information -which for the moment drove all thought of the Earl of Selkirk and the -shipping from his mind. Inside the harbor of Carrickfergus, where Belfast -is, lay a man-of-war of twenty guns, the "Drake," a large ship, with more -men than the "Ranger" carried. He would drop down alongside of her under -cover of the night and board her before her crew could tumble out of -their hammocks. Such an attempt in a fortified harbor of the enemy would -not have occurred to most men, but Paul Jones believed in achieving the -impossible. He waited until nightfall, and then, with a wind freshening -almost to a gale, sped up the harbor. The "Drake" lay well out in the -roadstead, her anchor lights only marking her position in the blackness -of the night. Carefully watching his time, Captain Jones stood forward -looking at the lights that showed how she swung to the tide. He kept full -headway on the "Ranger," until she could swing up into the wind almost -under the jib-boom of the Englishman. By dropping his anchor across the -chain of the "Drake" he hoped to swing down alongside, grapple, and board -before the crew were fairly awake. - -But this time he was destined to fail. Everything depended on the dropping -of the anchor at the proper time. His orders were not obeyed, for not -until the "Ranger" had drifted clear of the Englishman's chain did the -splash come. Then it was too late. Fortunately the watch on the "Drake" -were not suspicious. Had they been wider awake they would have had the -"Ranger" at their mercy, and Paul Jones might not have survived to fight -them a few days later. As it was, they only swore at the stupidity of the -Irish lubber they thought he was. Jones knew that his chance was gone, -and as soon as a strain came on the cable it was cut, and he filled away -to sea again. - -He now returned to his original plan of burning the shipping of some -important town. He decided on Whitehaven as his first objective point, and -the "Ranger," sailing leisurely over, dropped anchor in the outer harbor -during the following night. - -Whitehaven was a town of considerable importance in the Scottish and -North of England shipping trade. The inhabitants were for the greater part -sailors and others who made their living by the sea, and there was never -a time when the docks were not crowded with vessels, of all countries, -from the sloop to the full-rigged ship, discharging or taking on cargoes -which figured largely in England's commerce. At one side of the harbor lay -the town, and farther around to the left lay the docks where the shipping -was. Over two hundred vessels, large and small, lay there or out in the -roadstead. Two forts, mounting fifteen guns each, guarded the town. They -were adequately garrisoned, and it looked like a piece of desperate folly -to make the attempt upon a town directly under their guns. - -Paul Jones knew Whitehaven from his childhood. He remembered just where -the guard-houses were to be found, and knew how to force the entrance -to the barracks. By three o'clock in the morning he was ready to make -the assault. Two cutters with fifteen men in each, armed with cutlasses -and pistols, were all he took to do the work. With thirty men he went -fearlessly and confidently to intimidate the soldiers, spike the guns in -the forts, overawe the town, and burn the shipping! Lieutenant Wallingford -was given command of one of the cutters. His mission was to burn the -shipping to the left. The other cutter Paul Jones commanded himself, and -assumed the more hazardous duty of holding with his fifteen men the forts -and the town, until such a blaze should illumine the morning sky that all -England would know that the burning of Portland, Maine, was avenged. - -Quietly they pulled up towards the great stone dock, where the -shipping-houses were. The tide was very low as they moved past the -schooners and brigs in the harbor, many of them careened far over -on their sides, waiting for a rise in the tide to pull down to more -comfortable moorings. But the boats went by without challenge or notice, -and Wallingford's cutter had slipped away like a gray shadow in the -darkness. The first violet streaks of dawn were just beginning to throw -the shore-line to the east in hazy silhouette when they reached the -landing-place. - -The dawn was coming up quickly now, and Paul Jones led his fifteen men -at a run to the nearest fort. With cutlass in one hand and pistol in the -other, they dashed upon the first sentry. There was no time for stealth, -so they bore him down by sheer weight. The next one saw them coming, -but Jones locked him and the rest of them in the guard-house. Then he -proceeded to spike the guns. So quick was the work that not a shot was -fired. They were running towards the second fort before the soldiers were -quite sure what had happened. Even then they were too terrified to follow -in pursuit. As the gallant band ran towards the other fort they got a -clear view of the harbor, a glimmering sheet of orange and violet, under -the morning glow. But strain his eyes as he might, their captain could -get no sign of Wallingford or his work. They dashed as desperately at -this fort as at the other and were equally successful, intimidating the -garrison and spiking every gun they could find. - -But what could be the trouble with Wallingford? Still seeing no blaze or -even spark among the shipping to the eastward, Paul Jones felt that the -main object of his descent upon the town was to prove a failure. So he -dashed down the street from the fort towards the dock, pistol in hand, -followed by his crew, who rolled along grinning at the ease with which -they had accomplished their work. One of them had a bad cut over the head -and the blood was staining his shoulder, but he didn't seem to mind it in -the least. To their surprise as they passed the houses the people began -coming out of their doors shaking their fists at and cursing them. They -grinned no longer, for they knew that some one had betrayed them. Jones -looked around for the fifteenth man. The fellow with the cut wiped some -blood from his cheek and said,-- - -"Dave Freeman, sir, he's gone!" - -Freeman was the traitor, then. - -But there was no time for parley or revenge. The mob was collecting -in the street they had left and soon would be down on the dock. Though -Wallingford failed, Paul Jones would not. He dashed into a house on the -dock, and seizing a burning brand went aboard one of the largest vessels -of the fleet. He hastily pulled together some straw and hatchway gratings -and soon had a roaring blaze. Then one of his men spilled a barrel of tar -in the midst of it to make the destruction more sure. - -[Illustration: THE DESCENT ON WHITEHAVEN] - -He had been so intent upon his work that he had not noticed the mob -that had gathered on the dock. The place seemed black with people, and -their number was increasing every minute. Then, leaving the work of -destruction to the others, he went down alone to face fifteen hundred -infuriated people with a single flint-lock pistol! Dave Freeman had done -his work well, for they seemed to pour from every street and doorway. -But Paul Jones was determined that the work should be finished, and -took a position where he could command the boat-landing and retreat of -his men. The people came down in a body to within twenty paces of Paul -Jones and then--stopped. There was something in the _look_ of the man -and the menacing black barrel that moved from one to the other that made -them quail and fall over each other to get out of range. Those in the -background swore and pushed gallantly, but the front rank was a line -of straw, and Paul Jones moved it with his old flint-lock as though a -Biscay wind-squall was striking it. For fifteen minutes and longer he -stood there, immovable, the master of the situation, the picture of the -intimidating power of one resolute man over a mob. Such another instance -is hardly to be found in history. - -When the black smoke rolled up from half a dozen vessels of the fleet, -Paul Jones's crew retreated in an orderly manner to the cutter. Jones -walked down the steps into the boat, covering the crowd the while. Then -his men leisurely rowed away, not a shot having been fired. It was not -until the cutter was well out into the bay that some of the bewildered -soldiers recovered sufficiently to load two cannon that Paul Jones had -overlooked. These they brought to bear upon the cutter dancing down in -the sunrise towards the "Ranger" and fired. The shot whistled wide of the -mark, and Jones, to show his contempt of such long-range courage, fired -only his pistol in return. - -But that was not the end of this remarkable cruise. Having failed to find -the Earl of Selkirk on St. Mary's Isle, Paul Jones squared away to the -southward, hoping to pick up another full-rigged ship off Dublin or to -meet with the "Drake" again. He knew that by this time the Admiralty was -well informed as to his whereabouts, and that before many hours had passed -he would be obliged to run the gauntlet of a whole line of British fire. -But he hated to be beaten at anything, and since the night when he failed -to grapple her had been burning to try conclusions yard-arm to yard-arm -with the "Drake." - -On the twenty-fourth of April, just two weeks after sailing from the -harbor of Brest, he hove to off the Lough of Belfast, where within the -harbor he could plainly see the tall spars of the Englishman swinging -at his anchorage. Paul Jones was puzzled at first to know how he was to -lure the "Drake" out to sea, for a battle under the lee of the land in -the harbor was not to be thought of. So he went about from one tack to -another, wearing ship and backing and filling, until the curiosity of the -English captain, Burdon, was thoroughly aroused, and he sent one of his -junior officers out in a cutter to find out who the stranger was. Jones -ran his guns in and manoeuvred so cleverly that the stern of the "Ranger" -was kept towards the boat until he was well aboard. The young officer -was rather suspicious, but, nothing daunted, pulled up to the gangway in -true man-o'-war style and went on deck. There he was met by an officer, -who courteously informed him that he was on board the Continental sloop -of war "Ranger," Captain Paul Jones, and that he and his boat's crew were -prisoners of war. - -In the meanwhile Captain Burdon, finding that his boat's crew did -not return, got up his anchor, shook out his sails, and cleared ship -for action. He was already suspicious, and too good a seaman to let -unpreparedness play any part in his actions. There was not very much -wind, and slowly the "Drake" bore down on the silent vessel which lay, -sails flapping idly as she rolled, on the swell of the Irish Sea. As the -afternoon drew on the wind almost failed, so that it was an hour before -sunset before the "Drake" could get within speaking range. Hardly a ripple -stirred the surface of the glassy swells, and the stillness was ominous -and oppressive. - -When within a cable's length of the "Ranger" Captain Burdon sent up his -colors. Captain Jones followed his lead in a moment by running up the -Stars and Stripes. - -Suddenly a voice, looming big and hoarse in the silence, came from the -"Drake,"-- - -"What ship is that?" - -Paul Jones mounted the hammock nettings and, putting his speaking-trumpet -to his lips, coolly replied,-- - -"The American Continental ship 'Ranger.' We have been waiting for you. -The sun is but little more than an hour from setting, and it is time to -begin." - -Then he turned and gave a low order to the man at the wheel, and the -"Ranger" wore around so that her broadside would bear. Paul Jones always -believed in striking the first blow. When they came before the wind the -word was passed, and a mass of flame seemed to leap clear across the -intervening water to the "Drake." The "Ranger" shuddered with the shock -and felt in a moment the crashing of the other's broadside through her -hull and rigging. The battle was on in earnest. Yard-arm to yard-arm they -went, drifting down the wind, and the deep thundering of the cannonade was -carried over to the Irish hills, where masses of people were watching the -smoke-enveloped duel. The sun sank low, touching the purple hilltops, a -golden ball that shed a ruddy glow over the scene and made the spectacle -seem a dream rather than reality. Still they fought on. - -It was a glorious fight--and as fair a one as history records. The "Drake" -pounded away at the "Ranger's" hull alone, while Jones was doing all he -could with his smaller pieces to cripple his enemy's rigging. First the -"Drake's" fore-tops'l yard was cut in two. The main dropped next, and the -mizzen gaff was shot away. For purposes of manoeuvring, the "Drake" was -useless and drifted down, her jib trailing in the water and her shrouds -and rigging dragging astern. She was almost a wreck. As she heeled over on -the swell, the gunners on the "Ranger" could see human blood mingling with -the water of the division tubs that came from her scuppers. The first flag -was shot away, but another was quickly run up to its place. In a moment -that too was shot away from the hoisting halyard and fell into the water -astern, where it trailed among the wreckage. But still she fought on. - -On the "Ranger" the loss had been comparatively slight. Lieutenant -Wallingford and one other man had been killed and there were five or -six wounded men in the cockpit. Jones seemed to be everywhere, but still -remained uninjured and directed the firing until the end. He saw that the -sharpshooters in his tops were doing terrific execution on the decks of -his adversary, and at last he saw the imposing figure of Captain Burdon -twist around for a second and then sink down to the deck. Another officer -fell, and in a moment above the crash of division firing and the rattle -of the musketry overhead he heard a cry for quarter. - -The battle was at an end in a little over an hour. It was almost as great -a victory as that of the "Bonhomme Richard" over the "Serapis." Paul -Jones's ship carried eighteen guns; the Englishman carried twenty. The -"Ranger" had one hundred and twenty-three men; the "Drake" had one hundred -and fifty-one and carried many volunteers besides. The "Ranger" lost two -killed and had six wounded; the "Drake" lost forty-two killed and wounded. -Against great odds John Paul Jones still remained victorious. - -The people on shore heard the cannonading cease and saw the great clouds -of gold-tinted smoke roll away to the south. There they saw the two -vessels locked as if in an embrace of death and a great cheer went up. -They thought the "Drake" invincible. The gray of twilight turned to black, -and the ships vanished like spectres in the darkness. But late that night -some fishermen in a boat came ashore with a sail from the store-room of -the "Drake." They said it had been given them by John Paul Jones. The -people knew then that the "Drake" had been captured. - -When the "Ranger" returned with her prizes to Brest, and his people told -the tale of Paul Jones's victory, France was electrified. Neither in -France nor in England would they at first believe it. France made him her -hero. England offered ten thousand guineas for his head. - - - - -A STRUGGLE TO THE DEATH - - -Never, since the beginning of time, has there been a fiercer sea-fight -than that between the "Bonhomme Richard" and the "Serapis." No struggle -has been more dogged--no victory greater. - -Three--four times during the night-long battle any other man than Paul -Jones would have struck his colors. His main-deck battery and crews blown -to pieces--his water-line gaping with wounds--his sides battered into -one great chasm--still he fought on. His prisoners released--his masts -tottering--his rudder gone--his ship afire below and aloft, his resistance -was the more desperate. The thought of surrender never occurred to him. - -After taking the "Drake" in a gallant fight, burning Whitehaven, and -terrorizing the whole British coast, Paul Jones went to Paris, where a -commission to the converted East Indiaman, the "Bonhomme Richard," awaited -him. Putting her in the best shape possible, he boldly steered across for -English waters. Paul Jones thirsted for larger game. - -When Captain Pearson, with the new frigate "Serapis," on a fine September -afternoon in 1779, sighted Paul Jones, he signalled his merchant convoy -to scatter, and piped all hands, who rushed jubilantly to quarters. The -opportunity of his life had come, for the capture of the rebel frigate -meant glory and a baronetcy. But he reckoned without his host. - -Across the oily waters came the cheery pipes of the boatswain's mate of -the "Richard" as Jones swung her up to meet her adversary, and Pearson -knew his task would not be an easy one. The wind fell so light that the -sun had sunk behind the light on Flamborough Head before the ships drifted -up to fighting distance, and it was dark before they were ready to come to -close quarters. On the "Bonhomme Richard," Jones's motley crew, stripped -to the waist, were drawn up at the guns, peering out through the ports at -the dark shadow on the starboard bow they were slowly overhauling. - -The decks were sanded, the hammocks piled around the wheel, and there at -the break of the poop stood the captain, trumpet in hand, turning now -and then to give an order to Richard Dale or his midshipmen, quiet and -composed, with the smile on his face men saw before the fight with the -"Drake." The clumsy hulk rolled to the ground-swell, and the creaking -of the masts and clamping of the sheet-blocks were all that broke the -silence of the night. No excitement was apparent, and the stillness seemed -the greater for an occasional laugh from the gunners, or the rattle of a -cutlass newly settled in its sheath. - -Then close aboard from out the blackness came a voice,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -Paul Jones moved to the lee mizzen-shrouds and slowly replied,-- - -"I can't hear what you say." - -He wanted all of his broadside to bear on the Englishman. - -"What ship is that? Answer, or I shall fire." - -The moment had arrived. For answer Jones leaned far over the rail of -the poop and passed the word. A sheet of flame flashed from one of the -"Richard's" after eighteen-pounders, followed by a terrific broadside -which quaked the rotten timbers of the "Richard" from stem to stern. At -the same time the guns of the "Serapis" were brought to bear, and her side -seemed a mass of flame. - -[Illustration: "YARD-ARM TO YARD-ARM"] - -On the "Richard," two of the eighteen-pounders burst at this first -broadside, killing their crews, heaving up the deck above, and driving -the men from the upper tier. The others cracked and were useless. In this -terrible situation Paul Jones knew the chances for victory were against -him, for he had thought his lower battery his mainstay in a broadside -fight. - -But if he felt daunted his men did not know it, for, amid the hurricane of -fire and roar of the guns, his ringing voice, forward, aft, everywhere, -told them that victory was still theirs for the gaining. He ordered all -of the men from the useless battery to the main deck; and it was well he -did so,--for so terrific was the fire that the six ports of the "Bonhomme -Richard" were blown into one, and the shot passed clear through the -ship, cutting away all but the supports of the deck above. No one but the -marines guarding the powder-monkeys were left there, but they stood firm -at their posts while the balls came whistling through and dropped into -the sea beyond. But the fire of Paul Jones's battery did not slacken for -a moment. There seemed to be two men to take the place of every man who -was killed, and he swept the crowded deck of the "Serapis" from cathead -to gallery. - -In the meanwhile, the "Serapis," having the wind of the "Richard," drew -ahead, and Pearson hauled his sheets to run across and rake Jones's -bows. But he miscalculated, and the American ran her boom over the stern -of the Englishman. For a moment neither ship could fire at the other, -and they hung together in silence, fast locked in a deadly embrace. -Jones's crew, eager to renew the battle, glared forward at the shimmering -battle-lanterns of the Englishman, cursing because their guns would not -bear. The smoke lifted, and Paul Jones, who was deftly training one of -his guns at the main-mast of the "Serapis," saw Pearson slowly climb up -on the rail. The silence had deceived the Englishman, and his voice came -clearly across the deck,-- - -"Have you struck?" - -A harsh laugh broke from the "Richard." - -"Struck!" Paul Jones's answer came in a roar that was heard from truck to -keelson. "I haven't begun to fight yet!" - -A cheer went up that drowned the rattle of the musketry from the tops, -and the fight went on. Swinging around again the jib-boom of the "Serapis" -came over the poop so that Paul Jones could touch it. Rushing to the mast, -he seized a hawser, and quickly taking several turns with it, lashed the -bowsprit of his enemy to his mizzen-rigging. Grappling-irons were dropped -over on the enemy--and the battle became a battle to the death. - -"Well done, lads; we've got her now." And Jones turned to his -nine-pounders, which renewed their fire. Both crews fought with the fury -of desperation. The men at the guns, stripped to the buff, grimed and -blackened with powder, worked with extraordinary quickness. Every shot -told. But the fire of the "Serapis" was deadly, and she soon silenced -every gun but Jones's two nine-pounders, which he still worked with dogged -perseverance. He sent Dale below to hurry up the powder charges. To his -horror Dale found that the master-at-arms, knowing the ship to be sinking, -had released a hundred English prisoners. The situation was terrifying. -With foes within and without, there seemed no hope. But Dale, with ready -wit, ordered the prisoners to the pumps and to fight the fire near the -magazine, telling them that their only hope of life lay in that. And at -it they went, until they dropped of sheer exhaustion. - -The doctor passed Dale as he rushed upon deck. "Sir," said he to Jones, -"the water is up to the lower deck, and we will sink with all hands in a -few minutes." - -Jones turned calmly to the doctor, as though surprised. "What, doctor," -said he, "would you have me strike to a drop of water? Here, help me get -this gun over." - -The surgeon ran below, but Jones got the gun over, and served it, too. - -To add to the horror of the situation, just at this moment a ball from a -new enemy came screaming just over the head of Paul Jones, and the wind -of it knocked off his hat. The carpenter, Stacy, ran up breathlessly. - -"My God, she's firing on us--the 'Alliance,' sir!" And the captain glanced -astern where the flashes marked the position of the crazy Landais, firing -on his own consort. - -If ever Paul Jones had an idea of hauling his colors, it must have been -at this moment. - -He had been struck on the head by a splinter, and the blood surged down -over his shoulder--but he didn't know it. - -Just then a fear-crazed wretch rushed past him, trying to find the -signal-halyards, crying wildly as he ran,-- - -"Quarter! For God's sake, quarter! Our ship is sinking!" - -Jones heard the words, and, turning quickly, he hurled an empty pistol at -the man, which struck him squarely between the eyes, knocking him headlong -down the hatch. - -Pearson heard the cry. "Do you call for quarter?" he shouted. - -For answer Paul Jones's nine-pounder cut away the rail on which he was -standing. - -Then came the turn in the fight. Horrible as had been the slaughter -on the "Richard," the quick flashes from his tops told Paul Jones that -his marines had not been placed aloft in vain. He saw the crew on the -spar-deck of his enemy fall one by one and men fleeing below for safety. -Raising his trumpet, he cheered his topmen to further efforts. In their -unceasing fire lay his only hope. - -One of them in his maintop with great deliberateness laid aside his -musket and picked up a leather bucket of hand grenades. Jones watched him -anxiously as, steadying himself, he slowly lay out along the foot-rope of -the main-yard. His captain knew what he meant to do. He reached the lift, -which was directly over the main hatch of the "Serapis." There he coolly -fastened his bucket to the sheet-block, and, taking careful aim, began -dropping his grenades down the open hatchway. The second one fell on a -row of exposed powder charges. The explosion that followed shook sea and -sky, and the air was filled with blackened corpses. The smoke came up in -a mighty cloud, and soon the forks of flame licked through it and up the -rigging. - -That was the supreme moment of Paul Jones's life, for he knew that victory -was his. - -The fire from the "Serapis" ceased as if by magic. The explosion had -blown a whole battery to eternity, and, as the smoke cleared a little, -he could see the figure of Pearson leaning against the pin-rail, almost -deserted, his few men running here and there, stricken mad with fear. Then -the English captain stumbled heavily, as though blind, over the slippery -deck towards the mizzen, where the flag had been nailed, and with his own -hands tore it frantically from the mast. - -A mighty victory for Paul Jones it was. But now, as the flames mounted -higher through the rifts of smoke, he could see at what a cost. His dead -lay piled upon the poop so that he could not get to the gangway. His -masts were shot through and through, and strained at the stays at every -lift of the bow. The fire, though beaten from the magazine, still burst -from the forward hatches, firing the tangled rigging and outlining them -in its lurid hues against the black beyond. The water had risen, and the -freshening breeze lashed the purple foam in at the lower-deck ports. For -hours the men fought against their new enemy; but towards five in the -morning their captain decided that no human power could save her. He then -began moving his wounded and prisoners to the "Serapis". - -The first gray streaks of dawn saw Paul Jones upon the poop of the -"Serapis," looking to the leeward, where the "Richard" lay rolling -heavily. Her flag, shot away again and again, had been replaced and -floated proudly from its staff. Lower and lower she sank into the water, -mortally wounded, a heavy swell washing in at the lower gun-ports. At -length, heaving her stern high in the air, her pennant fluttering a last -defiance to the captured "Serapis," she slowly disappeared, dying grandly -as she had lived. - -After Pearson's release, the British government offered ten thousand -guineas for Paul Jones, dead or alive. Forty-two British frigates chased -him and scoured the Channel; but Jones passed within sight of them, the -American flag flying at the mast, and reached France in safety, where -he became the hero of the hour. And so long as the Stars and Stripes fly -over American war-ships will the men who know hold up as their ideal of -a dogged warrior and gallant seaman the hero of Flamborough--Paul Jones. - - - - -THE TERRIER AND THE MASTIFF - - -The first of the great American captains to give his life to the cause -of liberty was Nicholas Biddle. And the action in which he lost it is the -finest example of daring and hardihood in the little known pages of naval -history. His part in that glorious action must ever remain unknown as to -its details since but five out of his crew remained alive to tell of it, -and we are chiefly indebted to the British accounts for the information -which has been handed down. - -Nicholas Biddle began his naval career by being shipwrecked on a desert -shoal at the age of thirteen. But being rescued, with his four companions, -at the end of two months, his ardor was so little dampened that as soon -as opportunity offered he immediately went forth in search of further -adventures on the sea. A war between England and Spain being imminent, -he went to London, and succeeded in getting a midshipman's warrant on the -ship of Captain--afterwards Admiral--Sterling. - -But just before the declaration of independence of his own country, -a voyage of discovery to the North Pole was proposed by the Royal -Geographical Society, and this opportunity seemed to hold forth infinitely -more possibilities for advancement than the daily port routine of a -British frigate of war. - -So, Admiral Sterling refusing Biddle's mild request to be transferred -to one of the vessels, the young man took it upon himself to doff -his gold-laced uniform and present himself upon the "Carcase" in very -shabby sailor clothes, upon which he was forthwith entered upon her -books as a sailor before the mast. He was in glorious company, though, -for Horatio Nelson--afterwards to be the greatest admiral England has -ever known--shared his humble lot as a jacky, although his prospects in -the service were more brilliant than Biddle's. The expedition, having -accomplished its purpose, returned to England in 1774, both young Nelson -and Biddle having been appointed coxswains for meritorious service. - -When hostilities in the United States began, Biddle, of course, resigned -from the British navy and offered his services to the Continental -Congress. His first commission was the command of the "Camden," a galley -fitted out by the State of Pennsylvania for the defence of the Delaware -River. He was then made a captain in the naval service, and took command -of the "Andrew Doria," of fourteen guns and one hundred and thirty men. - -Just before Commodore Hopkins's fleet hoisted anchor, Biddle had an -opportunity to show his intrepidity in a very personal way. Two men who -had deserted from his vessel had been taken and were placed in prison at -Lewistown. Biddle sent an officer and a squad of men ashore to bring them -off. But the officer returned to the ship and reported that the deserters -had joined with the other prisoners, and barricaded the door, swearing -that no man alive would take them. Biddle put on his side-arms and, taking -only a young midshipman with him, went at once to the prison. The door -was tightly barred from the inside, and the prisoners, led by one of the -deserters named Green, shook their fists and pointed their weapons at him. -Some of the more venturesome of the townsfolk, who only needed a resolute -leader, now smashed down the door at the naval officer's directions, and -Biddle, drawing both his pistols, quickly stepped within the opening. -Green stood in front of his ill-favored companions, his eye gleaming -villanously down the barrel of his flint-lock. Without moving his eye -from the man, and planting himself squarely in the doorway, Biddle said, -steadily,-- - -"Now, Green, if you don't take good aim, you are a dead man!" - -There was a moment's pause, after which the pistol fell a little, and -finally, under the resolute attitude of his captain, the fellow broke -down. He was completely awed, and at Biddle's command dropped his pistol -to the floor and allowed himself to be conducted to the ship. Their leader -cowed, the remainder of the prisoners permitted the Lewistown militia, -who had recovered from their fright, to come in and make them fast again. - -This incident had its moral effect upon his men, and never again, when -they learned to know him, was Biddle troubled with disaffection among his -crew. The fury with which they went into the fights that followed showed -how much he was a man after their own hearts. - -After Commodore Esek Hopkins's unsuccessful encounter with the British -fleet, the "Andrew Doria" put to sea and cruised off the coast of -Newfoundland. Biddle captured a prize laden with arms and ammunition, -which he carried to port, where they greatly strengthened Washington's -army, which was badly in need of supplies of all kinds. He captured a -transport and four hundred British soldiers, and made a great number of -merchant prizes. He would have taken more, but he only had five men left -aboard to take the "Doria" back to Philadelphia. - -The Congress had authorized the building of several new frigates, and one -of these, the "Randolph," of thirty-two guns, was just off the stocks. -Biddle was made commander of her, and set immediately about finishing -her and making her ready for sea. He had great difficulty in getting a -crew, as privateering, where the prizes were greater and ship actions less -frequent, proved more attractive to the adventurous spirits of the day. -Congress, however, drafted a number of men from the army, and the crew was -completed by the enlistment of volunteers from among the prisoners taken -on prizes. After many difficulties with this motley crew, Biddle at last -got to sea in February, 1777. - -The men of his old crew were with him to a man, but many of the volunteers -were shoal-water sailors, and his army recruits didn't know a sheet -from a buntline. So when he ran into a Hatteras gale a few days out, the -"Randolph" carried away her masts, and was altogether so uncomfortable a -wreck that the volunteers mutinied, and Biddle had a hard time getting -into Charleston harbor. He succeeded at last in refitting and in -instilling some of the man-of-war spirit into his crew, sailing at last -for the West Indies. Then his luck turned for the better, and he sighted -the English ship "True Briton," twenty guns, convoying three merchantmen. -Without accident he succeeded in taking them and in bringing all four -prizes safe and sound into Charleston harbor. This was the first capture -of the navy in the South, and, as the prizes were again liberally supplied -with arms, the capture was doubly welcome. So much did Congress appreciate -this affair that they had a medal struck off in Biddle's honor. The -British hearing of this exploit of the "Randolph," sent a fleet south, -and succeeded in blockading her at Charleston for a time. - -The State of South Carolina got ready a fleet in the hope of raising the -blockade, but before they could get to sea the Englishmen had disappeared. - -In February, 1778, Biddle went out with a little fleet composed of the -"General Moultrie," 18, the "Polly," 16, and the "Fair American," 14, -in search of the British squadron. But missing them, they only succeeded -in taking a few merchant vessels of the enemy. They boarded a number of -Dutch and French ships, and Biddle knew that before long they must fall -in with some of the enemy. To Captain Blake, who was dining with him, he -said, "I would not be surprised if my old ship should be out after us. As -to anything that carries her guns upon one deck, I think myself a match -for her." - -On the afternoon of the 7th of March, a sail was made out to windward, -and they sailed up to examine her. As she came down with the wind she was -made out to be square-rigged; but, bows on, she looked rather like a sloop -than a frigate. A short time later she could be made out more plainly a -man-of-war,--evidently of the enemy,--coming down speedily, and, from the -way she was sailing, able to out-foot any of the squadron. Biddle could -see that she stood well out of the water; but a small frigate might do -that. And if she was only a frigate of forty guns or under, he promised -himself a great battle that day. But if she were a ship of the line, not -only the "Randolph" but the smaller vessels were in great danger, for -nothing save a craft somewhere near her size could resist the broadsides -of the two heavy gun-tiers. - -He quickly made his resolution. Signalling to the fleet of cruisers -and prizes to go about, he himself took the deck and sent the little -"Randolph" boldly down towards the stranger. On she came, bowing -majestically over the water, never making a sign until nearing gunshot -distance, when the sound of the pipes and the calls on her deck showed -that she was clearing ship for action. Biddle had been prepared for an -hour. Now, as she came a little closer to the wind, the American captain -discovered what he had suspected--two long lines of muzzles running out -of her leeward ports. - -She was a line-of-battle-ship, then. - -He clinched his jaws and looked over his shoulder to where the prizes were -scurrying away in the gathering darkness. They at least would be safe. But -he did not shift his course a point, sailing on until the canvas of the -great ship seemed to tower far above the little spars of his own vessel. -The men of the "Randolph" were aghast at the action of their captain. To -them an English "Sixty-Four" was the epitome of all that was powerful upon -the seas. Biddle thought so, too; but there was nothing of timidity in -his voice as he bade his gunners stand by to train upon her. He knew that -this battle would be his last, for he resolved in those few moments that -he would not give up his ship while one plank of her remained above water. -The enemy might blow him out of the water and send him to the bottom, but -before she did it he would give them such a lesson in patriotism that the -world would not easily forget it. - -His men guessed something of what was in his mind, and by the time the big -ship hove close aboard they were keyed up to the fighting pitch, waiting -with the utmost impatience for the first shot to be fired. The dusk had -fallen, but the great loom of the sails of the English frigate showed -plainly as she came closer. They were scarcely a pistol-shot apart when -a figure on the Englishman mounted the hammock nettings aft, and a voice -came clearly across the water,-- - -"Ahoy, the frigate!" - -Biddle paused a moment to gain time, and then giving a word to his -division officers, lifted his speaking-trumpet,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -"His Britannic Majesty's ship-of-the-line 'Yarmouth,' Captain Vincent. -Who are you? Answer, or I will be compelled to fire." - -Another pause as Biddle directed the American colors to be run up to the -mast, and then said,-- - -"This is the American Continental ship 'Randolph,' Captain Biddle!" - -Without the pause of a second a tremendous broadside was poured into the -Englishman, and in a moment the battle was on. - -Biddle had gained a slight advantage in position by waiting as he did, and -the "Randolph's" broadsides did great execution on the crowded decks of -her adversary. But the "Yarmouth" men sprang to their guns, and in a few -moments were firing their tremendous broadside of thirty guns as fast as -they could be served and run out. - -On the "Randolph" Biddle's men were working well, but the crashing of the -shot and the flying splinters were terrific. In fifteen minutes the decks -were covered with the bodies of dead and dying men, and the surgeon and -his mate below in the cockpit, covered with blood, were laboring to help -such of those as could be aided, and the decks, in spite of the sand, were -so slippery that as the ship rolled it was difficult to stand upright upon -them. Many of the guns of one of the broadsides were disabled, and there -was not a gun that had a full crew to man it. - -Biddle walked to and fro from one battery to another, lending a word here -and a hand there, acting as sponger or tackle or handspikeman, wherever -he was most needed. The men fought with the energy of despair--the despair -of the dying. If they were to die, they would die hard, and the guns were -loaded as though they would fire as many times as they could in the short -time left them. The English aimed more deliberately. But when the dreaded -broadside came, it dealt a blow that shook the smaller ship from stem to -stern. - -Biddle, although badly wounded, refused to leave the deck, and, ordering a -stool to be placed where he could best direct the firing, sat calmly down, -though in great agony, and gave the orders to his officers, who repeated -them to the men. - - * * * * * - -It has never been discovered just what happened on the "Randolph." In -spite of her losses, she was keeping up her fire wonderfully, when, with -scarcely a warning of any kind, she blew up. - -The force of the explosion was so great that the ship split in two, and -sank immediately. The air was filled with guns, spars, and the blackened -bodies of men, many of which fell upon the deck of the "Yarmouth." An -American ensign, neatly rolled in a ball, ready to be sent aloft on the -"Randolph" if the others had been shot away, fell on the quarter-deck of -the Englishman unsinged. - -That national emblem was all, save a spar or two, that remained of the -"Randolph." Captain Biddle and three hundred and ten of her crew of three -hundred and fifteen were blown to pieces and drowned. Four days later the -"Yarmouth," cruising near the same place, discovered a piece of the wreck -to which five men, more dead than alive, had managed to cling. - -The "Randolph" was lost, but the "Yarmouth" was so badly cut up that -she could not follow the chase, and was obliged to lay to for repairs. -What, if any, difference there might have been had the "Randolph" not -been destroyed by explosion from within it is not easy to say; but all -authorities agree that the fight, while it lasted, was one of the most -determined in history. Captain Biddle at the time of his death was but -twenty-eight years old, and the infant navy and the colonies lost one of -their most intrepid officers and gallant seamen. - - - - -DECATUR AND THE "PHILADELPHIA" - - -It was on the deck of the "Enterprise," before Tripoli, in 1804. The crew -had been called aft, and Decatur, smiling, stood on his quarter-deck. - -"My men," said he, "the 'Philadelphia' is in the hands of the enemy. A -few days from now and we may see American guns turned against American -sailors. The commodore has given us permission to sail in and blow her -up. Will you go?" - -Into the air flew a hundred caps, and three wild American cheers were the -answer. - -"I can't take you all," he explained; "the expedition is a dangerous one. -We are going under the broadsides of the enemy, and I only want those of -you who are ready. Now, lads, any of you who are willing to go, take one -step aft." - -Without a second's pause the crew of the "Enterprise," to a man, stepped -out; then, fearful lest others should get in the front rank, came towards -the young commander in a body, elbowing and swearing at one another -lustily. - -Decatur smiled. With such a spirit there was nothing he might not -accomplish. He picked out sixty-two of his youngest and steadiest men, -each of them touching his tarry cap with a grateful "Thank'ee, sir," as -Decatur called his name. - -That afternoon they tumbled joyfully down into a captured ketch, -which had been named the "Intrepid," and, stores aboard, hoisted their -three-cornered sail for the harbor of Tripoli. As they hauled off, Decatur -went below to see that all his supplies and combustibles were stored, -when Midshipman Lawrence came towards him somewhere from the depths of -the fore-hold, pushing along by the scruff of the neck a youngster, who -was crying bitterly. - -"I found this stowaway, sir," said Lawrence, with a smile. - -"Please, sir," sobbed the boy, "don't send me back. I want to see this -'ere fight, and I ain't going to do no harm. Don't send me back, sir." - -Decatur had looked up with a fierce frown, but the anxiety on the lad's -face was pathetic, and he smiled in spite of himself. - -"You can go," he laughed, "but I'll put you in the brig--when we get back." - -On that six days' voyage to Tripoli the wind blew a hurricane, and the -masquerade of the American tars seemed likely to end in disaster, without -even a fight for their pains. But as they sighted the coast the sea -went down, and the arrangements were completed. The yellow sails of the -"Siren," their consort, hove again into sight, and by the afternoon of -the 16th of February the two vessels were bearing down upon the dark line -that lay shimmering purple under the haze of the southern sky. - -The sun dropped down, a ball of fire, into the western sea, and by eight -o'clock the towers of the bashaw's castle loomed dark against the amber -of the moonlit sky. To the left the stately spars of the doomed frigate -towered above the rigging in the harbor, and floating at her truck was -the hated insignia of the enemy. - -The piping northern breeze bellied the crazy sail of the ketch and sent -the green seas swashing under the high stern, speeding them good luck on -their hazardous venture. Catalano, the pilot, stood at the helm, swinging -the clumsy tiller to meet her as she swayed. By his side was a tall -figure, a white burnoose about his shoulders and a fez set jauntily on his -head--Decatur. Four others, in unspeakable Tripolitan costumes, lounged -about the deck or squatted cross-legged. But the delusion went no further. -For one of them, Reuben James, was puffing at a stubby black pipe, and -another spat vigorously to leeward. The others were below, lying along -the sides, sharpening their cutlasses. - -On they sped, Catalano heading her straight for the frigate. As the -harbor narrowed and the black forts came nearer, they could see the dusky -outlines of the sentries and the black muzzles that frowned on them from -the battlements. Over towards the east faint glimmers showed where the -town was, but the wind had now fallen low, and the lapping of the water -along the sides alone awoke the silence. A single light shone from the -forecastle of the frigate, where the anchor watch kept its quiet vigil. -She swung at a long cable, a proud prisoner amid the score of watchful -sentinels that encircled her. - -As placid as the scene about him, Decatur turned to the pilot and gave -a low order. The helm was shifted and the tiny vessel pointed for the -bowsprit of the "Philadelphia." Nearer and nearer they came, until -scarcely a cable's length separated them. They saw several turbaned heads, -and an officer leaned over the rail, puffing lazily at a cigarette. He -leisurely took the cigarette from his mouth, and his voice came across -the quiet water of the harbor,-- - -"Where do you come from?" he hailed. - -Catalano, the pilot, answered him in the lingua Franca of the East,-- - -"The ketch 'Stella,' from Malta. We lost our anchors and cables in the -gale, and would like to lie by during the night." - -The Tripolitan took another puff, and an ominous stir, quickly silenced, -was heard down in the hold of the ketch. It seemed an eternity before the -answer came,-- - -"Your request is unusual, but I will grant it," said the Tripolitan, at -last. "What ship is that in the offing?" - -The officer had seen the "Siren," which hovered outside the entrance of -the harbor. - -"The British ship 'Transfer,'" said Catalano, promptly. - -The ketch was slowly drifting down until a grappling-iron could almost -be thrown aboard. Right under the broadside she went, and a line of dark -heads peered over the rail at her as she gradually approached the bow. - -The chains of the frigate were now almost in the grasp of Reuben James, -on the forecastle, when the wind failed and a cat's-paw caught the ketch -aback. Down she drifted towards the terrible broadside. But at a sign -from Decatur the eager Lawrence and James got into a small boat and -carried a line to a ring-bolt at the frigate's bow. A boat put out from -the "Philadelphia" at the same time. But Lawrence coolly took the hawser -from the Tripolitan--"to save the gentleman trouble," he explained--and -brought it aboard the "Intrepid." A moment more, and the ketch was warping -down under the "Philadelphia's" quarter. It was a moment of dire peril. -The slightest suspicion, and they would be blown to pieces. - -Decatur leaned lightly against the rail, but his hand grasped his cutlass -under his robe so that the blood tingled in his nails and his muscles were -drawn and tense. Morris and Joseph Bainbridge stood at the rigging beside -him, trembling like greyhounds in leash. - -Suddenly they swung around and shot out from under the shadow into a -yellow patch of moonlight. The watchful eyes above the rail saw the anchor -and cables and the white jackets of the sailors below decks as they strove -to hide themselves in the shadows. One glance was enough. In an instant -the ship resounded with the thrilling cry, "Americano! Americano!" - -At the same moment the "Intrepid" ground up against the side of the -frigate. In an instant, as if by magic, she was alive with men. Throwing -off his disguise, and with a loud cry of "Boarders, away!" Decatur sprang -for the mizzen-chains. And now the hot blood of fighting leaped to their -brains. The long agony of suspense was over. Lawrence and Laws sprang for -the chain-plates and hauled themselves up. Decatur's foot slipped, and -Morris was the first on deck. Laws dashed at a port, pistols in hand. -Nothing could withstand the fury of the charge, and over the rail they -swarmed, cutlasses in teeth, jumping over the nettings, and down on the -heads of the Tripolitans below. Though Morris was first on deck, Decatur -lunged in ahead of him, bringing down the Tripolitan officer before he -could draw his sword. One of them aimed a pike at him, but he parried it -deftly, and Morris cut the fellow down with a blow that laid his shoulder -open from collar to elbow. - -Though surprised, the Tripolitans fought fiercely. They had won their -title of "the best hand-to-hand fighters in the world" in many a hard -pirate battle in the Mediterranean. Around the masts they rallied, -scimetars in hand, until they were cut or borne down by the fury of their -opponents. - -[Illustration: DECATUR BOARDS THE "PHILADELPHIA"] - -After the first order, not a word was spoken and not a shot was -fired. The Americans needed no orders. Over the quarter-deck they -swept--irresistible, clearing it in a trice. Overwhelmed by the fierce -onslaught, the Tripolitans fled for life, the sailors driving them up on -the forecastle and overboard in a mass, where their falling bodies sounded -like the splash of a ricochet. - -So swift was the work that in ten minutes no Tripolitans were left on the -deck of the frigate but the dead. Not a sailor had been killed. One man -had been slashed across the forehead, but he grinned through the blood -and fought the more fiercely. Then the watchers out on the "Siren" saw -a single rocket go high in the air, which was Decatur's signal that the -"Philadelphia" was again an American vessel. - -In the meanwhile the combustibles were handed up from the ketch with -incredible swiftness, and the work of destruction began. Midshipman Morris -and his crew had fought their way below to the cock-pit and had set a fire -there. But so swiftly did those above accomplish their work that he and -his men barely had time to escape. On reaching the upper deck, Decatur -found the flames pouring from the port-holes on both sides and flaring -up red and hungry to seize the tar-soaked shrouds. He gave the order to -abandon, and over the sides they tumbled as quickly as they had come. -Decatur was the last to leave the deck. All the men were over, and the -ketch was drifting clear, while around him the flames were pouring, their -hot breath overpowering him. But he made a jump for it and landed safely, -amid the cheers of his men. - -Then the great oars were got out, eight on a side, and pulling them as -only American sailor-men could or can, they swept out towards the "Siren." - -The Tripolitans ashore and on the gunboats had hastened to their guns, -and now, as the ketch was plainly seen, their batteries belched forth a -terrific storm of shot that flew across the water. The men bent their -backs splendidly to their work, jeering the while at the enemy as the -balls whistled by their heads or sent the foam splashing over them. Out -they went across the great crimson glare of the fire. It was magnificent. -The flames swept up the shrouds with a roar, catching the woodwork of -the tops and eating them as though they were tinder. She was ablaze from -water to truck, and all the heavens were alight,--aglow at the splendid -sacrifice. Then to the added roar of the batteries ashore came the -response from the guns of the flaming ship, which, heated by the fierce -flames, began to discharge themselves. But not all of them were fired so, -for in a second all eyes were dazzled by a blazing light, and they saw the -great hull suddenly burst open, with huge streaks of flame spurting from -between the parting timbers. Then came a roar that made the earth and sea -shudder. The fire had reached the magazine. - -[Illustration: THE DANGER OF THE "INTREPID"] - -The waves of it came out to the gallant crew, who, pausing in their work, -gave one last proof of their contempt of danger. Rising to their feet, -they gave three great American cheers that echoed back to the forts while -their guns thundered fruitlessly on. - -Decatur and his men were safe under the "Siren's" guns. - -Is it any wonder that Congress gave Decatur a sword and made him a -captain, or that Lord Nelson called this feat "the most daring act of any -age"? - - - - -THE BIGGEST _LITTLE_ FIGHT IN NAVAL HISTORY - - -It should have been renown enough for one man to have performed what -Nelson was pleased to call "the most daring act of any age." But the -capture of the "Philadelphia" only whetted Decatur's appetite for further -encounters. He was impetuous, bold even to rashness, and so dashing that -to his men he was irresistible. But behind it all--a thing rare in a man -of his peculiar calibre--there was the ability to consider judiciously -and to plan carefully as well as daringly to execute. His fierce temper -led him into many difficulties, but there was no cruelty behind it; and -the men who served with him, while they feared him, would have followed -him into the jaws of death, for they loved him as they loved no other -officer in the American service. Once while the frigate "Essex," Captain -Bainbridge, lay in the harbor at Barcelona, the officers of the American -vessel suffered many petty indignities at the instance of the officers -of the Spanish guardship. Having himself been subjected to a slight from -the Spanish commander, Lieutenant Decatur took the bull by the horns. He -bade his coxswain pull to the gangway of the Spaniard, and he went boldly -aboard. His lips were set, for he had resolved upon his own responsibility -to make an immediate precedent which would serve for all time. The Spanish -commander, most fortunately, was absent. But Decatur none the less strode -aft past the sentry to the gangway and, lifting his great voice so that -it resounded from truck to keelson, he shouted,-- - -"Tell your comandante that Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, of the 'Essex,' -declares him to be a scoundrelly coward, and if Lieutenant Decatur meets -him ashore he will cut his ears off." - -So among the men of the squadron Decatur came to be known as a man who -brooked nothing and dared everything. - -But when the crusty Preble took command in the Mediterranean he was not -over-impressed with the under-officers of his command. Not one of the -lieutenants was over twenty-four and none of those higher in authority had -turned thirty. Decatur and Somers were twenty-five; Charles Stewart was -only twenty-six, and Bainbridge the younger; Morris and Macdonough were -barely out of their teens. - -It was not the custom of the commander-in-chief to mince his words. -So sparing himself the delicacy of secluding himself behind the saving -bulkheads of the after-cabin he swore right roundly at his home government -for sending him what he was pleased to call "a parcel of d-- school-boys." -He was a martinet of the old style, and believed in the school of the -fo'c's'le, and not in young gentlemen whose friends at home sent them in -by the ports of the after-cabin. He held the youngsters aloof, and not -until he had tried them in every conceivable fashion would he consider -them in his councils. A year had passed, and Decatur, Morris, Bainbridge, -Macdonough, and Somers had helped to add glorious pages to naval history, -before the old man, with a smile to Colonel Lear, the consul, consented -to say,-- - -"Well, after all, colonel, they are very good school-boys!" - -Although Decatur's success in the destruction of the "Philadelphia" had -removed a dangerous auxiliary battery from the harbor of Tripoli, the -bashaw was far from overawed, and, with the officers and crew of the -"Philadelphia" as hostages, declined to consider any terms offered by -the Americans; and so it was resolved by Commodore Preble to make an -attempt upon the Tripolitan batteries and fleet. The Americans had the -"Constitution,"--"Old Ironsides,"--Commodore Preble, and six brigs and -schooners mounting twelve and sixteen guns each. Preble had also succeeded -in borrowing from "the most gracious king of the Sicilies," who was then -at war with the bashaw, two bomb-vessels and six single gunboats,--quite -a formidable little force of a hundred and thirty-four guns and about a -thousand men. - -It was not until the morning of the 3d of August, 1804, that the -weather, which had been very stormy, moderated sufficiently to allow -the squadron to approach the African coast. The gunboats were unwieldy -craft, flat-bottomed, and, as the sea made clean breeches over them, -they were a dozen times in danger of sinking. But by ten o'clock the sky -to the southward had lightened, and the heavy storm-clouds were blowing -away overhead to the westward. "Old Ironsides" shook the reefs out of -her topsails and, spreading her top-gallant-sails, she beat up for the -entrance of the harbor of Tripoli with two of the gunboats in tow. Her -tall spars, seeming almost to pierce the low-rolling clouds, towered far -above the little sticks of the "Siren" and "Nautilus," which bore down -directly in her wake. The sea had lashed out its fury, and, before the -little fleet had reached the reef, the gray had turned to green, and -here and there a line of amber showed where the mid-day sun was stealing -through. - -Stephen Decatur, on gunboat No. 4, had been given command of the left -division of three gunboats. Casting off the tow-lines from his larger -consorts, he got under weigh, and bore down for a rift between the reefs -at the eastern entrance to the harbor, where the Tripolitan fleet, cleared -for action, lay awaiting him. The wind was on his bow, and he was obliged -to hold a course close to the wind in order to weather the point. - -The gunboat lumbered uncertainly in the cross-sea, for she had no longer -the steady drag of the "Constitution's" hawser to steady her. The seas -came up under her flat bottom, and seemed to toss rather than swing -her into the hollows. She was at best an unsteady gun-platform, and -nice sail-trimming was an impossibility. But they got out their sweeps, -and that steadied her somewhat. Great volumes of spray flew over the -weather-bow as she soused her blunt nose into it, and the fair breeze sent -it shimmering down to leeward. - -Decatur stood aft by the helmsman, watching the quivering leeches, and -keeping her well up into the wind. Beside him stood his midshipmen, Thomas -Macdonough--afterwards to win a great victory of his own--and Joseph -Thorn. Both of them had smelt powder before, and Macdonough had been one -of the first on the deck of the ill-fated "Philadelphia." This was to be -a different sort of a fight from any they had seen. It was to be man to -man, where good play of cutlass and pike and youth and American grit might -mean victory. Defeat meant annihilation. But youth is good at a game of -life and death, and as they looked at Decatur there was never a moment's -fear of the result. They leaned against the rail to leeward, looking past -the foam boiling on the point to the spars of the African gunboats, and -their eyes were alight with eagerness for battle. - -The men were bending steadily to their sweeps. Most of them were stripped -to the waist, and Decatur looked along the line of sinewy arms and chests -with a glow of pride and confidence. There was no wavering anywhere in -the row of glistening faces. But they all knew the kind of pirates they -were going to meet,--reckless, treacherous devils, who loved blood as they -loved Allah,--the best hand-to-hand fighters in the Mediterranean. - -The ring of the cutlasses, loose-settled in their hangers, against the -butts of the boarding-pistols was clear above the sound of the row-locks -and the rush of the waters, while forward the catch of a song went up, -and they bent to their work the more merrily. - -As they came under the lee of the Tripolitan shore and the sea went down, -Decatur ordered the long iron six-pounder cast loose. They had provided -solid shot for long range at the batteries, and these were now brought up -and put conveniently on the fo'c's'le. But for the attack upon the vessels -of the fleet they loaded first with a bag of a thousand musket-balls. At -point-blank range Decatur judged that this would do tremendous execution -among the close-ranked mass of Tripolitans on the foreign vessels. His -idea was not to respond to the fire of the enemy, which would soon begin, -until close aboard, and then to go over the rail before they could recover -from their confusion. He felt that if they did not make a wreck of him and -batter up his sweeps he could get alongside. And once alongside, he knew -that his men would give a good account of themselves. - -But as they came up towards the point the wind shifted, and the head of -the gunboat payed off. Even with their work at the sweeps, he now knew -that it would be no easy matter for all the Americans to weather the -point, for two of them were well down to leeward. But his brother, James -Decatur, in gunboat No. 2, and Sailing-Master John Trippe, in gunboat No. -6, had kept well up to windward, and so he felt that he should be able to -count on at least these two. As they reached the line of breakers, one of -the gunboats to leeward, under Richard Somers, was obliged to go about, -and in a moment the two others followed. Then the young commanders of the -windward gunboats knew that if the attack was to be made they alone would -have the glory of the first onslaught. - -What Decatur feared most was that Preble, on the "Constitution," would -see how terribly they were overmatched and signal the recall. But as they -reached the point, Decatur resolutely turned his back to the flagship, -and, putting his helm up, set her nose boldly into the swash of the -entrance and headed for the gray line of vessels, three times his number, -which hauled up their anchors and came down, gallantly enough, to meet -him. - -There was very little sound upon the gunboat now. The wind being -favorable, the Americans shipped their sweeps, and sat watching the -largest of the Tripolitan vessels, which was bearing down upon them -rapidly. They saw a puff of white smoke from her fo'c's'le, and heard -the whistle of a shot, which, passing wide, ricochetted just abeam and -buried itself beyond. Thorn stood forward, waiting for the order to fire -his long gun. But Decatur gave no sign. He stood watching the lift of the -foresail, carefully noting the distance between the two vessels. Trippe -and James Decatur had each picked out an adversary, and were bearing down -as silently as he, in spite of the cannonade which now came from both the -vessels and batteries of the Turks. The shots were splashing all around -him, but nothing had been carried away, and the American jackies jeered -cheerfully at the wretched marksmanship. As the Tripolitans came nearer, -the Americans could see the black mass of men along the rails and catch -the glimmer of the yataghans. Then Decatur ordered his own men to seize -their pikes and draw their pistols and cutlasses. - -At the word from Decatur, Thorn began training the fo'c's'le gun, which -in the steadier sea would have a deadly effect. The distance was a matter -of yards now, and a shot came ploughing alongside that threw spray all -along the rail and nearly doused the match of the gunner of the fo'c's'le. -But not until he could see the whites of the eyes of his adversaries did -Decatur give the order to fire. As the big gun was discharged point-blank -into the thick of the crowded figures, Decatur shifted his helm quickly -and lay aboard the Tripolitan. So tremendous had been the execution of the -musket-balls, and so quickly had the manoeuvre been executed, that almost -before the Tripolitans were aware of it the Americans were upon them. The -few shots from the Turkish small arms had gone wild, but a fierce struggle -ensued before the Americans reached the deck. At last Decatur, followed -by Thorn, Macdonough, and twenty-two seamen, gained the fo'c's'le in a -body, and the Tripolitans retreated aft. - -The Tripolitan boat was divided amidships by an open hatchway, and for -a moment the opposing forces stopped to catch their breath, glaring at -one another across the opening. Decatur did not pause long. Giving them -a volley of pistol-bullets at close range, he dashed furiously down one -gangway, while Macdonough and Thorn went down the other, and, with a -cheer, cut down the remaining Turks or drove them overboard. A half-dozen -went down a forward hatch, and these were made prisoners. - -It was a short fight, with an inconsiderable loss to Decatur, but the -Tripolitan dead were strewn all over the decks, and the Turkish captain -was pierced by fourteen bullets. The Tripolitan flag was hauled down, and, -taking his prize in tow, Decatur put his men at the sweeps again, to move -farther out of the reach of the batteries. - -By this time James Decatur and John Trippe had got into the thick of it. -Following Stephen Decatur's example, they dashed boldly at the larger -of the bashaw's vessels, and, reserving their fire for close range, they -lay two of them aboard. John Trippe, Midshipman Henley, and nine seamen -had gained the deck of their adversary, when the vessels drifted apart, -and they were left alone on the deck of the enemy. But Trippe was the man -for the emergency. So rapidly did they charge the Turks that their very -audacity gave them the advantage, and Trippe finally succeeded in killing -the Tripolitan commander by running him through with a boarding-pike. They -fought with the energy of despair, and, although wounded and bleeding from -a dozen sabre-cuts, struggled on until their gunboat got alongside and -they were rescued by their comrades. - -But the story of the treachery of the Turkish captain and Stephen -Decatur's revenge for the death of his brother makes even the wonderful -defensive battle of Trippe seem small by comparison. - -James Decatur, having got well up with one of the largest of the -Tripolitan vessels, delivered so quick and telling a fire with his long -gun and musketry that the enemy immediately struck his colors. He hauled -alongside and clambered up and over the side of the gunboat to take -possession of her personally. As his head came up above the rail his men -saw the Turkish commander rush forward and aim his boarding-pistol at the -defenceless American. The bullet struck him fairly in the forehead, and -Decatur, with barely a sound, sank back into his boat. - -In their horror at the treachery of the Tripolitan, the Americans allowed -the boat to sheer off, and the Turk, getting out his sweeps, was soon -speeding away toward the protection of the batteries. - -Stephen Decatur, towing his prize to safety, had noted the gallant attack, -and had seen the striking of the Turkish colors. But not until an American -boat darted alongside of him did he hear the news of the treacherous -manner of his brother's death. The shock of the information for the moment -appalled him, but in the place of his grief there arose so fierce a rage -at the dastardly act that for a moment he was stricken dumb and senseless. -His men sprang quickly when at last he thundered out his orders. Deftly -casting off the tow-line of the prize, they hoisted all sail and jumped to -their sweeps as though their lives depended on it. Macdonough's gun-crew -were loading with solid shot this time, and, as soon as they got the -range, a ball went screaming down towards the fleeing Tripolitan. The men -at the sweeps needed little encouragement. They had heard the news, and -they loved James Decatur as they worshipped his brother, who stood aft, -his lips compressed, anxiously watching the chase. The water boiled under -the oar-blades as the clumsy hulk seemed to spring from one wave-crest -to another. Again the long gun spoke, and the canister struck the water -all about the Turkish vessel. The Tripolitans seemed disorganized, -for their oars no longer moved together and the blades were splashing -wildly. Another solid shot went flying, and Decatur smiled as he saw the -spray fly up under the enemy's counter. There would be no mercy for the -Tripolitans that day. Nearer and nearer they came, until the Turks, seeing -that further attempts at flight were useless, dropped their sweeps and -prepared to receive the Americans. They shifted their helm so that their -gun could bear, and the shot that followed tore a great rent in Decatur's -foresail. But the Americans heeded it little more than if it had been a -puff of wind, and pausing only to deliver another deadly discharge of the -musket-balls at point-blank range, Decatur swung in alongside under cover -of the smoke. - -As the vessels grated together, Decatur jumped for the Tripolitan rigging, -and, followed by his men, quickly gained the deck. Two Turks rushed at -Decatur, aiming vicious blows with their scimetars; but he parried them -skilfully with his pike, looking around him fiercely the while for the -captain. As he thought of his brother dying, or dead, he swore that no -American should engage the Turkish commander but himself. He had not long -to wait. They espied each other at about the same moment, and brushing -the intervening weapons aside, dashed upon each other furiously. - -Decatur was tall, and as active as a cat. His muscles were like steel, and -his rage seemed to give him the strength of a dozen. But the Mussulman -was a giant, the biggest man in the Tripolitan fleet, and a very demon -in power and viciousness. So strong was he, that as Decatur lunged at him -with his boarding-pike he succeeded in wrenching it from the hand of the -American, and so wonderfully quick that Decatur had hardly time to raise -his cutlass to parry the return. He barely caught it; but in doing so his -weapon broke off short at the hilt. The next lunge he partially warded -by stepping to one side; but the pike of the Mussulman in passing cut an -ugly wound in his arm and chest. Entirely defenceless, he now knew that -his only chance was at close quarters, so he sprang in below the guard of -the Turk and seized him around the waist, hoping to trip and stun him. But -the Tripolitan tore the arms away as though he had been a stripling, and, -seizing him by the throat, bore him by sheer weight to the deck, trying -the while to draw a yataghan. The American crew, seeing things going badly -with their young captain, fought in furiously, and in a moment the mass -of Americans and Tripolitans were fighting in one desperate, struggling, -smothering heap, above the prostrate bodies of their captains, neither of -whom could succeed in drawing a weapon. The Turk was the first to get his -dagger loose, but the American's death-like grasp held his wrist like a -vise, and kept him from striking the blow. Decatur saw another Turk just -beside him raise his yataghan high above his head, and he felt that he was -lost. But at this moment a sailor, named Reuben James, who loved Decatur -as though he were a brother, closed in quickly and caught on his own head -the blow intended for Decatur. Both his arms had been disabled, but he -asked nothing better than to lay down his life for his captain. - -In the meanwhile, without relinquishing his grip upon the Turk, Decatur -succeeded in drawing a pistol from the breast of his shirt, and, pressing -the muzzle near the heart of the Tripolitan, fired. As the muscles of -his adversary relaxed, the American managed to get upon one knee, and so -to his feet, stunned and bleeding, but still unsubdued. The Tripolitans, -disheartened by the loss of their leader, broke ground before the force -of the next attack and fled overboard or were cut down where they stood. - -The death of James Decatur was avenged. - -The other Tripolitan gunboats had scurried back to safety, so Decatur, -with his two prizes, made his way out towards the flagship unmolested. His -victory had cost him dearly. There was not a man who had not two or three -wounds from the scimetars, and some of them had cuts all over the body. -The decks were like a slaughter-pen and the scuppers were running blood. -But the bodies of the Tripolitans were ruthlessly cast overboard to the -sharks; and by the time the Americans had reached the "Constitution" the -decks had been scrubbed down and the wounded bandaged and roughly cared -for by those of their comrades who had fared less badly. - -Decatur, by virtue of his exploit in destroying the "Philadelphia," -already a post-captain at the age of twenty-five, could expect no further -immediate honors at the hands of the government; but then, as ever -afterwards, he craved nothing but a stanch ship and a gallant crew. The -service he could do his country was its own reward. - - - - -A DOUBLE ENCOUNTER - - -The old "Constitution" was out on the broad ocean again! And when the -news went forth that she had succeeded for the seventh time in running -the blockade of the British squadrons, deep was the chagrin of the -Admiralty. This Yankee frigate, still stanch and undefeated, had again and -again proved herself superior to everything afloat that was British; had -shown her heels, under Hull's masterly seamanship, to a whole squadron -during a chase that lasted three days; and had under Hull, and then -under Bainbridge, whipped both the "Guerriere" and the "Java," two of -their tidiest frigates, in an incredibly short time, with a trifling loss -both in men and rigging. She was invincible; and the title which she had -gained before Tripoli, under Commodore Preble, when the Mussulman shot -had hailed against her oaken timbers and dropped harmlessly into the sea -alongside, seemed more than ever to befit her. "Old Ironsides" was abroad -again, overhauled from royal to locker, with a crew of picked seamen and -a captain who had the confidence of the navy and the nation. - -Her hull had been made new, her canvas had come direct from the sail-lofts -at Boston, and her spars were the stanchest that the American forests -could afford. She carried thirty-one long 24-pounders and twenty short -32-pounders,--fifty-one guns in all, throwing six hundred and forty-four -pounds of actual weight of metal to a broadside. Her officers knew her -sailing qualities, and she was ballasted to a nicety, bowling along in a -top-gallant-stu'n-sail breeze at twelve knots an hour. - -The long list of her victories over their old-time foe had given her men a -confidence in the ship and themselves that attained almost the measure of -a faith; and, had the occasion presented itself, they would have been as -willing to match broadsides with a British seventy-four as with a frigate -of equal metal with themselves. They were a fine, hearty lot, these -jack-tars; and, as "Old Ironsides" left the green seas behind and ploughed -her bluff nose boldly through the darker surges of the broad Atlantic, -they vowed that the frigate's last action would not be her least. The -"Constitution" would not be dreaded by the British in vain. - -For dreaded she was among the officers of the British North Atlantic -squadron. As soon as it was discovered by the British Admiralty that -she had passed the blockade, instructions were at once given out and -passed from ship to ship to the end that every vessel of whatever class -which spoke another on the high seas should report whether or not she -had seen a vessel which looked like the "Constitution." By means of this -ocean telegraphy they hoped to discover the course and intention of the -great American, and finally to succeed in bringing her into action with -a British fleet. By this time they had learned their lesson. Single -frigates were given orders to avoid an encounter, while other frigates -were directed to hunt for her in pairs! - -Charles Stewart had been one of old Preble's "school-boy captains" before -Tripoli, the second in command. He had been one to suggest the expedition -to cut out or destroy the "Philadelphia," the envied command of which fell -to Decatur. But he won distinction enough before the batteries there, and -afterwards when he captured the French "Experiment," of a much heavier -force and armament than his own, in a brilliant little action. He had -entered the merchant service at thirteen, had been captain of a ship in -the India trade at nineteen, and thus from his boyhood had been schooled -in the finer points of rough-and-ready seamanship. - -He was born in Philadelphia, in 1778, at a time when the blood of -patriotism ran hot in the veins of the mothers as well as of the fathers -of the race, and he then imbibed the principles he afterwards stood for -so valiantly on sea and on land. On the frigate "United States," that -"nursery of heroes," he had for mess-mates Stephen Decatur and Richard -Somers; and Edward Preble gave him ideas of discipline that later stood -him in good stead. He was, like Decatur, of an impetuous disposition; -but he had learned what quick obedience meant to the service, and among -the men on the "Constitution" it was known that infractions of duty would -be quickly punished. The men tumbled quickly to the gear and handled the -guns so smartly that with his picked seamen Stewart had not been out of -sight of land a week before they attained a proficiency in manoeuvre rarely -surpassed on a man-of-war. It is related that once, having received an -order from a superior officer to sail with his ship immediately, Stewart -got under weigh, towing behind him his mainmast, which he had not had the -opportunity to step. - -Stewart was, of course, aware of the orders which had been issued by the -Admiralty, but with his ship in fine condition and provisioned for a long -cruise he feared nothing that floated, whether one ship or two. In fact, -just before leaving his young wife in Boston he had asked her what he -should bring her home. - -"A British frigate," said she, patriotically. - -"I will bring you two of them," he said, smiling. - -Stewart sailed to the southward, in the hope of falling in with some -vessels in the India trade. For two months, in spite of their fitness, -the men were daily exercised in all weathers at evolutions with the -sails and great guns, and part of the day was given to cutlass-work and -pistol-practice. No emergency drill was overlooked, and from reefing -topsails to sending up spare spars or setting stu'n-sails they moved -like the co-ordinated parts of a great machine. But one prize having been -taken, however, Stewart set his course for the coast of Europe, to seek -the lion, like Paul Jones, on his own cruising ground. - -On February 18, 1815, just two months after leaving Boston, the -"Constitution," being then near the Portuguese coast, sighted a large -sail, and immediately squared away in pursuit. But hardly were they set -on their new course before another sail hove up to leeward, and Stewart -quickly made down for her. Overhauling her shortly, she was discovered to -be the British merchant ship "Susan," which he seized as a prize and sent -back to Boston. Meanwhile the other sail, which afterwards proved to be -the "Elizabeth," 74, had disappeared. - -The following day the "Constitution" was holding a course to the southward -from the coast of Spain toward Madeira. A group of her officers stood -upon her quarter-deck, watching the scud flying to leeward. They were -rather a discontented lot. They had been to sea two months, and beyond -a few merchant prizes they had nothing to show for their cruise. It was -not like the luck of "Old Ironsides." What they craved was action to -put a confirmatory test to the metal they were so sure of. The fo'c's'le -was grumbling, too; and the men who had been in her when she fought the -"Guerriere" and the "Java" could no longer in safety boast of the glory -of those combats. - -Had they but known it, the "Elizabeth," 74, and the "Tiber," 38, in -command of Captain Dacres, who had lost the "Guerriere," were but a few -hours astern of them; and the "Leander," 50, the "Newcastle," 50, and the -"Acasta," 40, whom they had so skilfully eluded at Boston, were dashing -along from the westward in pursuit. The seas to the eastward, too, were -swarming with other frigates (in couples), who were seeking her no less -anxiously than she was seeking them. - -Stewart was not so easily disheartened as his officers. He knew that the -"Constitution" was in the very midst of the ships of the enemy. Had he -not known it he would not have been there. He came on deck during the -afternoon in a high good humor. He was a believer in presentiments, and -said, jovially,-- - -"The luck of the 'Constitution' isn't going to fail her this time, -gentlemen. I assure you that before the sun rises and sets again you will -be engaged in battle with the enemy, and it will not be with a single -ship." - -The morning of the next day dawned thick and cloudy. Though well to the -southward, the air was cold and damp. The wind was blowing sharply from -the northeast, and the choppy seas sent their gray crests pettishly or -angrily upward, where they split into foam and were carried down to mingle -with the blur of the fog to leeward. Occasionally, in the wind-squalls, -the rain pattered like hail against the bellying canvas and ran down into -the lee-clews, where it was caught as it fell and whipped out into the -sea beyond. - -Two or three officers paced the quarter-deck, looking now and then aloft -or to windward to see if the weather were clearing. Saving these, the -fellows at the wheel, and the watch on deck, all hands were below on the -gun-deck, polishing their arms or loitering in the warmth near the galley, -where the cooks were preparing the mid-day meal. - -During the morning watch, Stewart, for some reason which he was unable -to give, save an unaccountable impulse, changed the course and sent -the ship down sixty miles to the southwest. Shortly after noon the fog -fell lower, and so thinned out at the mast-head that the lookout on -the topsail-yard could soon see along its upper surface. At about one -o'clock the welcome sound of "Sail, ho!" came echoing down through the -open hatchways. While ordinarily the sighting of a sail so near the coast -has no great significance, Stewart's prediction of a battle had aroused -the men to a fever of impatience; and when they knew that a large sail, -apparently a frigate, had been raised and that the fog was lifting, the -watch below dropped their kits and tools and tumbled up on deck to have -a glimpse of the stranger. Here and there wider rifts appeared in the -fog-banks, and the midshipman of the watch, who climbed with a glass into -the foretop, soon made her out to be a frigate bearing about two points -on the port-bow. - -Stewart came up from below and immediately crowded on top-gallant-sails -and royals in pursuit. Before long the weather had cleared, so that they -could make out the horizon to windward, and from the deck could dimly -discern the hazy mass of the chase as she hung on the lee-bow, apparently -motionless. In less than an hour the man at the mast-head reported another -sail ahead of the first one, and noted that signals were being exchanged -between them. - -It was now almost a certainty that the vessels were those of the enemy. -Forward the men were slapping one another on the back, and rough jokes and -laughter resounded from the gun-deck, where the boys and stewards were -clearing away the mess-dishes and stowing away all gear, in preparation -for a possible action. On the quarter-deck wagers were freely offered on -the character of the vessels, which looked to be frigates of 50 and 38. -Stewart glanced aloft at the straining spars and smiled confidently. - -By this time the nearer frigate bore down within the range of the -glasses, and they could see that she was painted with double yellow -lines, and apparently cut for fifty guns. As it afterwards appeared, she -had a double gun-streak, false ports having been painted in her waist. -Lieutenant Ballard, who had been carefully examining her with his glasses, -remarked to the captain, who stood at his elbow, that she must at least -be a fifty-gun ship. Stewart, after a long look, suggested that she was -too small to be a ship of that class. "However," he continued, "be this -as it may, you know I have promised you a fight before the setting of -to-morrow's sun; and if we do not take it, now that it is offered, we may -not have another chance. We must flog them when we catch them, whether -she has one gun-deck or two." - -Signals were now constantly interchanged between the vessels, and by three -o'clock the "Constitution" had come so near that they were plainly made -out to be two small frigates, or a frigate and a sloop-of-war, both close -hauled on the starboard tack. The "Constitution," having the windward -gauge, now manoeuvred more carefully, and, hauling her sheets flat aft, -pointed up so as to keep the advantage of position. - -[Illustration: "NO 'DUTCH COURAGE' ON _THIS_ SHIP"] - -As the vessels came nearer and an action became certain, the stewards came -on deck with the grog-buckets, in accordance with the time-honored rule on -men-of-war by which the liquor is served before a fight. Instructions had -been given that, as the battle was to be with two ships, a double portion -of the drink should be served. But just as the stewards were about to -ladle it out an old quartermaster rolled down from forward, and saying, -"We don't want any 'Dutch courage' on _this_ ship," with a great kick sent -the bucket and its contents flying into the scuppers. - -About four o'clock the westernmost ship signalled her consort and bore -down to leeward to join her. The "Constitution" now set her stu'n-sails -and went bearing down after them at a strain that seemed to menace her -spars. She was rapidly drawing up with them when, just as she got well -within range of the long guns, there was a sharp crack far aloft and -the royal-mast snapped off at the cap. It was a doubtful moment, for -the Englishmen crowded on all sail to escape, and rapidly drew together, -flinging out their English ensigns as though in triumph. - -But they did not reckon on the superb seamanship of the "Constitution." In -a trice the men were aloft with their axes, the wreck was cleared away, -new gear was rove, and in half an hour a new mast was aloft and another -royal was spread to the breeze. - -But the ships had been enabled to close with each other, and Stewart -had lost the opportunity of attacking them separately. They made one -ineffectual effort to get the weather-gauge, but, finding that the -"Constitution" outpointed them, they settled back in line of battle and -cleared ship for action. Stewart immediately showed his colors and beat -to quarters. - -The fog had blown away and the sun had set behind a lowering bank of -clouds. The wind still blew briskly, but the "Constitution" only pitched -slightly, and offered a fairly steady platform for the guns, which were -now trained upon the nearest vessel, but a few hundred yards broad off the -port-bow. The darkness fell rapidly, and the moon came out from behind the -fast-flying cloud-bank and silvered the winter twilight, gleaming fitfully -on the restless water, a soft reproach upon the bloody work that was to -follow. - -At a few moments past six the long guns of the "Constitution's" -port-battery opened fire, and the battle was on. Both ships responded -quickly to the fire, and for fifteen minutes the firing was so rapid that -there was not a second's pause between the reverberations. The English -crews cheered loudly. But the gunners of the "Constitution" went on -grimly with their work, sponging and loading as though at target-practice, -content to hear the splintering of the timbers of the nearest vessel as -the double-shotted thirty-twos went crashing into her. Before long the -smoke became so thick that the gunners could not see their adversaries; -and Stewart, ordering the batteries to cease firing, drew ahead and -ranged abeam of the foremost ship, with his port-battery reloaded and -double-shotted. He waited until he was well alongside before giving the -order to fire, when he delivered such a terrible hail of round-shot, -grape, and canister that the enemy staggered and halted like an animal -mortally wounded. For the moment her battery was entirely silenced, and -during the lull they could hear the cries of the wounded as they were -carried below to the cockpit. The English cheered no longer. Another such -a broadside might have finished her; but before Stewart could repeat it -he saw that the other ship was luffing up so as to take a raking position -under the stern of the "Constitution." - -Nowhere did the wonderful presence of mind of Stewart and the splendid -seamanship of his crew show to better advantage than in the manoeuvre -which followed. He quickly braced his main- and mizzen-topsails flat to -the mast, let fly all forward, and actually backed down upon the other -enemy, who, instead of being able to rake the "Constitution," found her -emerging from the smoke abreast his bows in a position to effectually -rake _him_. The "Constitution's" guns by this time had all been reloaded, -and a terrific fire swept fore and aft along the decks of the Englishman, -tearing and splintering her decks and dismounting many of the guns of both -batteries. So terrible was the blow that she faltered and fell off. Before -she could recover from the first, another terrible broadside was poured -into her. - -The other vessel now tried to luff up and rake the "Constitution" from -the bows. But the American filled away immediately and let them have -her other broadside. Side by side the "Constitution" and the larger ship -sailed, firing individually and by battery as fast as they could sponge -and load. Here and there a shot would strike within the stout bulwarks of -the American; and one of these tore into the waist, killing two men and -smashing through a boat in which two tigers were chained. A sailor named -John Lancey, of Cape Ann, was carried below horribly mutilated. When the -surgeon told him he only had a few moments to live, he said, "Yes, sir, I -know it; but I only want to know that the ship has struck." Soon after, -when he heard the cheers at her surrender, he rose from his cot, and, -waving the stump of his blood-stained arm in the air, gasped out three -feeble cheers and fell back lifeless. - -Having silenced the larger vessel, Stewart immediately hurried to the -smaller one, which had been firing through the smoke at the gun-flashes. -The "Constitution" fell off, and, gathering headway, succeeded in getting -again across her stern, where she poured in two raking broadsides, which -practically cut her rigging to pieces. Returning to the larger vessel, -Stewart rounded to on her port-quarter and delivered broadside after -broadside with such a telling effect that at 6.50 she struck her colors. - -The other vessel having in a measure refitted, came down gallantly but -foolishly to the rescue of her consort. The "Constitution" met her with -another broadside, which she tried to return, and then spread all sail -to get away. But the American ship could outsail as well as outpoint her, -and under the continuous fire of the bow-chasers of the "Constitution" she -became practically helpless, and at about ten o'clock, when the dreaded -broadside was about to be put into play again, she surrendered. - -It was a wonderful battle. In a fight between one sailing-ship and two the -odds were four-fold on the side of the majority. For it was deemed next -to impossible to rake without being doubly raked in return. This obvious -disadvantage was turned by Stewart to his own account by what critics -throughout the world consider to be the finest manoeuvring ever known in -an American ship in action. He fought both his broadsides alternately, -and luffed, wore, or backed his great vessel as though she had been -a pleasure-boat. Neither of his adversaries succeeded in delivering -one telling raking broadside. She seemed to be playing with them, and -skilfully presented her reloaded guns to each vessel as it attempted to -get her at a disadvantage. - -The larger vessel was discovered to be the "Cyane," 32, Captain Gordon -Falcon, and the smaller one the sloop-of-war "Levant," 21, Captain George -Douglass. The "Constitution" had fifty-one guns, while the Englishmen had -fifty-three; but of the "Constitution's" crew four were killed and ten -wounded. On the "Cyane" and "Levant" thirty-five were killed and forty-two -were wounded. - -After the battle, while the two English captains were seated in Stewart's -cabin dining with their victor, a discussion arose between them in -regard to the part each had borne in the battle, while Stewart listened -composedly. Their words became warmer and warmer, and each accused the -other in plain terms of having been responsible for the loss of the -vessels. At a point when it seemed as though the bitterness of their -remarks bade fair to result in blows, Stewart arose and said, dryly,-- - -"Gentlemen, there is no use getting warm about it; it would have been all -the same, whatever you might have done. If you doubt that, I will put you -all on board again, and we can try it over." - -The invitation was declined in silence. - -For this gallant action Congress awarded Stewart a sword and a gold medal, -and "Old Ironsides" soon after the war was over was temporarily put out -of commission. Her day of fighting was over. But years after, refitted -and remodelled, she served her country in peace as gracefully as she had -served it gloriously in war. - - - - -THE "CONSTITUTION" AND THE "GUERRIERE" - - -By the exercise of remarkable seamanship Captain Hull had succeeded in -escaping from the British squadron, under Broke, off the Jersey coast. -But he came so near capture that the secretary of the navy succeeded -in frightening himself and the whole Cabinet at Washington into such a -state of timidity that, had they had their way, no war-vessel flying the -American flag would have been allowed to leave any Atlantic seaport and -put to sea. - -Captain Hull had carried the "Constitution" into Boston, where, if the -orders had reached him in time, the secretary would have peremptorily -bidden him to remain. But Hull was not in a humor to be inactive. What -he wanted was a fight, yard-arm to yard-arm, with a frigate of the enemy, -preferably the "Guerriere," Captain Richard Dacres, who had sailed boldly -up and down the coast with an open challenge to any frigate flying the -American flag. Though very warm personal friends ashore, both Hull and -Dacres had high opinions of the merits of their own vessels. Dacres voiced -the prevailing sentiment of the officers of his navy when he spoke of the -"Constitution" as a bunch of pine boards which the British would knock to -pieces in twenty minutes. Hull said little; but several months before war -was declared had met Dacres, and wagered him a cocked hat on the result -should the "Constitution" and the "Guerriere" ever meet. With the timidity -at home, neither he nor any American officers had much encouragement. -There was no confidence in the navy at this period, and the insults they -heard from abroad were not half so hard to bear as the thinly-veiled -indifference they met at home. - -But Hull knew he had a good ship and a good crew. He had trained them -himself, and he knew what they could do aloft and at the guns. Moreover, -he knew what he could do himself. The navy was small, but the men who -had smelt powder in the Revolution and before Tripoli were a stalwart -set and had done deeds of gallantry that had set the greatest admirals -of Europe by the ears. Many ingenious contrivances had been adopted, to -be now tried for the first time. Sights had been put upon the guns, and -the gun-captains knew better how to shoot than ever before. So, without -waiting for the orders from the secretary which he knew would hold him in -port indefinitely, Hull sailed on the first fair wind and uncompromisingly -put out to sea. If the orders came, he wouldn't be back to obey unless -he had captured a British frigate, or, at the very least, some merchant -prizes. If he _did not_ succeed, it meant that he might be hung or shot -for sailing without orders. But even this sword of Damocles did not deter -him. He would do his best, at any rate, and made a quiet seaman's petition -to the God of winds and seas to send him the "Guerriere." - -Thinking to find a better opportunity towards Halifax, where many British -men-of-war and merchantmen put in, Hull sailed to the northward, and -cruised as far as the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The frigate -"Spartan," 38, was in those waters; but after watching for her for some -days, he stood out to sea. On the 15th of August he sighted five vessels. -The "Constitution" set all sail and rapidly came up with them. Four -of them scattered, leaving the fifth, a brig, on fire. Hull made for -the largest of the others, and found her to be an English merchantman -in charge of an American prize-crew. The "Constitution" saved her from -capture at the hands of the other vessels. Before night another vessel was -overhauled, and she was found to be the American "Adeline," in the hands -of a prize-crew from the British "Avenger." One vessel was destroyed and -the other was sent to Boston in charge of Midshipman Madison and five men, -carrying the first suggestion of the brilliant news which was to follow. - -A few days later the "Constitution" chased and overhauled the American -privateer "Decatur," which, believing her to be an English cruiser, had -thrown overboard almost all of her guns. The captain of the privateer -had good news, though. He had sighted an English frigate the day before, -sailing southward under easy sail. Hull immediately set everything the -"Constitution" could carry and gave the quartermasters a course which -should enable him to come up with her by the following day. - -The next morning dawned clear, but the breezes fell light, and not -until the morning watch was there wind enough to send the American -frigate bowling along on her course under top-gallant-sails and royals. -Hull took the deck for awhile himself and sent lookouts to the fore- -and main-royal-yards to keep a sharp lookout. With moderate luck they -should catch up with her. And then Hull felt that he would make the -"Constitution" the most talked about ship afloat or else he would change -the timidity at the Navy Department into a panic for which there would be -some reason. - -If the ship were the "Guerriere," he promised himself a new hat. - -Not a sail hove in sight until towards two in the afternoon, when a -lookout aloft shouted, in a voice that was taken up by four hundred -throats on the spar- and gun-decks,-- - -"Sail ho!" - -In a moment the watch below came rushing up. So great was the excitement -that many of them went half-way to the tops, without orders or permission, -to view the stranger. In an hour the stronger glasses proved her plainly -to be a frigate, and the "Constitution" eased off her sheets, and with -the bit in her teeth boomed steadily down for her. For an hour the two -ships moved in this position, the stranger making no effort to escape -and leaving her colors, which were soon made out to be British, flying -in defiance. In fact, as soon as she discovered the "Constitution" to be -an American frigate she took in sail, laid her maintop-sail to the mast, -and silently awaited the approach. Hull sailed on until within about -three miles of the enemy, when he sent his light yards down, reefed his -topsails, and cleared ship for action. - -An American-built frigate was for the first time to test her stanchness -against a worthy representative of the mistress of the seas and "Terror -of the World." Most of the crew had never been in close action before. The -chase of the "Constitution" had tired their hearts less than their bodies, -for the firing of the British squadron had been at a very long range, and -there was never a time when their ship was in danger from the cannonading -of the enemy. There was not a qualm or a fear to be seen on the faces -either of grizzled seaman or powder-boy, and they went to quarters with -enthusiasm. - -But underlying it all there was a note of gravity. They were going to -bring an American ship into action with a frigate whose navy had scored -hundreds of victories over the vessels of all the great nations of the -earth. They half wondered at their audacity and that of their captain in -defying a frigate so redoubtable as the "Guerriere," for there seemed -no further doubt that it was she. But they looked up at Hull, who was -calmly pacing up and down the quarter-deck, taking a look now and then at -the enemy through his glass, and their confidence came back to them. The -excitement was intense, and one by one the men began throwing aside their -shirts and drawing in the buckles of their cutlass-hangers, most of the -gun-crews stripping themselves to the waist and casting aside their shoes -to avoid slipping on the decks when the blood began to flow. More than one -of them had his own private score to settle with the British navy. Many -of them had been at one time or another taken off American merchant-ships -and impressed into the service of the enemy, and some of them still bore -upon their backs the scars of the bloody lashes of the relentless "Cat." -The father of Captain Hull had died in the pest-ship "Jersey," in the -Revolution, and the other officers had all some grievances of their own -which made them look eagerly forward to the battle which they intended -should mean victory or death. - -On the "Guerriere" there was a feeling of unshaken confidence. That any -calamity to their ship could be expected from an American-built vessel, -manned by a crew collected haphazard among the merchant-ships of the -Atlantic harbors, never for a moment occurred to them. When the drum -beat to quarters, the men tumbled to their stations willingly enough, -with no more trepidation than if they were going to target-practice. -Captain Dacres summoned an American prisoner, the captain of the captured -merchant-brig "Betsy," and asked him what he thought of the vessel which -was approaching. The skipper ventured that she was undoubtedly an American -frigate. Captain Dacres replied with a smile,-- - -"She comes down a shade too boldly for an American." And then added, -"Well, the better he behaves the more honor we will have in taking him." - -As the "Constitution" bore down nearer, her ensign and jack flying -proudly, there could no longer be any doubt as to her nationality and -intentions, and he shouted to his crew, who stood at the guns,-- - -"There, my men, is a Yankee frigate. In forty-five minutes she is -certainly ours. Take her in fifteen, and I promise you four months' pay." - -Shortly after this Captain Hull was within two or three miles, and the -"Guerriere" opened fire on the "Constitution," to try the distance and -get the range. - -The shots fell short, but Hull took in his light sails and came down more -warily under topsails. The "Constitution" fired a broadside, but these -shots, too, dropped in the water between them. As he came nearer, the -"Guerriere" squared away, wearing first to port and then to starboard, -firing alternate broadsides and manoeuvring to avoid being raked. He wanted -to cripple the American's rigging from a distance, if possible. But the -shot all missed their mark, and the "Constitution" only replied with -her bow-guns. Hull soon saw that this manoeuvring might last the day out -without coming to close quarters, so he hoisted his top-gallant-sails and -made straight for the enemy. - -Now the shot of the Englishman began coming aboard. Some of the standing -rigging was cut away and the vessel was hulled several times. But the -men, having carefully reloaded, stood silently at their guns, looking out -through the ports at the "Guerriere," which, enveloped in smoke, kept up a -continuous fire. They looked anxiously at the short, stout, sturdy figure -of Captain Hull, but he continued pacing the quarter-deck, making no -sign that he was aware of the damage the shots were causing. In a moment -the report of "Nobody hurt yet, sir," ceased suddenly. A shot struck the -"Constitution's" starboard bulwarks up forward and sent a jagged hail of -splinters among the crew of two of the guns of the first division. Two men -were killed outright and one or two more were wounded by this shot, and -as their shipmates saw the men carried below to the cockpit they moved -uneasily, and several of the gun-captains wished to fire. Lieutenant -Morris now, with a view to quieting them, strode aft to the quarter-deck, -where Hull was still calmly pacing up and down, and said,-- - -"The enemy has killed two of our men. Shall we return it?" - -"Not yet, sir," replied the impenetrable Hull. - -Morris returned to his station. But there is nothing more disorganizing to -men than to be fired at and not have the opportunity of firing in return, -and they besought Morris again to give the permission. Twice more the -lieutenant went aft to the quarter-deck, and twice he got the same reply. -Hull, like Paul Jones, believed in great broadsides at close quarters. -This silence under galling fire was the greatest test of discipline an -American crew had ever had. For in the heat of battle a man forgets to be -afraid. That the men stood to it, speaks well for Hull's training. - -At last the "Constitution," which had been drawing closer and closer, drew -up to a position about forty yards off the "Guerriere's" port-quarter, -and Hull, waiting until his guns could all bear, stooped low, bursting -his breeches from knee to waistband in the excitement of the moment, and -gave vent to all the pent-up feelings of two hours in the hoarse order,-- - -"Now, boys, give it to them!" - -It was a well-directed broadside. - -The shots crashed along the line of bulwarks and sent showers of splinters -flying over her spar-deck. The ships were so close together that the -effect of those shots could be seen distinctly. Some of the splinters flew -as high as the mizzen-top, and instantly the English cheering ceased and -the shrieks and cries of the wounded rang out between the concussions. -Dacres now, for the first time, must have realized how great the honor -would be if he took the "Constitution." - -Nor did the action promise any sign of being over in fifteen minutes. -So well aimed were the American guns that in a short time the enemy's -main-yard was shot away, and he was otherwise damaged severely both -below and aloft. At a little after six a twenty-four pound shot went -through the "Guerriere's" mizzen-mast, and, swaying a moment, over it -fell to starboard, making a wreck and drag which impeded the Englishman's -manoeuvres. The seas pounded it against the sides of the ship and a hole -was knocked under her stern, through which she began taking water badly. -When the mizzen-mast fell, Hull threw off his hat, and shouted,-- - -"Hurrah, boys, we've made a brig of her!" - -[Illustration: IN THE TOPS OF THE "CONSTITUTION"] - -One of the seamen shouted back,-- - -"We'll make a sloop of her soon, sir!" - -And they did; for in a little while the foremast followed by the -board. The wreck trailing in the water astern acted as a rudder to the -"Guerriere," and she swung across the wind. The "Constitution" forged -ahead, and crossing her bows, poured in a raking broadside. Then swinging -round to port, she sent in another as effective as the first. The ships -were very close together, and a fire from a burning gun-wad broke out -in the cabin of the American ship. This was quickly put out, however, by -Lieutenant Hoffman of the after-gun division. - -Both captains now decided to board, and the men were massed on the -decks as they could be spared from the guns for the purpose. Dacres -was on the point of sending his men across his bowsprit, but, finding -the jackies of the "Constitution" ready to receive him, changed his -mind. The sharpshooters in the tops of both vessels were firing into -the black masses of men, and every shot told. Lieutenant Morris, on the -"Constitution," while attempting to take a few turns of rope around the -bowsprit of the "Guerriere," received a bullet through the body. William -S. Bush, the first lieutenant of marines, while standing on the taffrail -ready to board, was shot through the skull by a British marine, and -instantly killed. John C. Alwyn, the sailing-master, at the same time -received a ball through the shoulder. Captain Hull climbed up on the rail, -when a Yankee seaman, putting his arms around him, dragged him down and -out of danger. - -"Not with them swabs on," he said, pointing to Hull's big bullion -epaulettes. He would have been a certain mark for one of the sharpshooters -of the enemy. - -At about this time the flag of the "Constitution," which had been -nailed at the mizzen-truck, was shot down. But a young topman, named -Hogan, shinned up the spar far aloft, and, though fired at repeatedly -by the British marines, succeeded in replacing it amid the cheers of his -companions. - -On the "Guerriere" things were going badly. Captain Dacres had been shot -in the back by one of the American marines, but he pluckily remained -on deck. As the "Constitution" got clear again, both the mainmast and -foremast of the "Guerriere," which had been repeatedly cut by American -shot, went over with a crash, and she lay on the wave completely helpless. -This was less than half an hour after the "Constitution" sent in her -terrible broadside. - -The American ship drew off to a short distance to repair her damages, and -in less than an hour returned, and sent Lieutenant Read in a cutter to -discover if Captain Dacres had surrendered. - -Dacres's humiliation was complete, and he felt that further battle would -only be the butchery of his own brave fellows. - -Lieutenant Read hailed him to learn if he had surrendered. - -"I don't know that it would be prudent to continue the engagement any -longer." - -"Do I understand you to say that you have struck?" asked Read. - -"Not precisely; but I don't know that it would be worth while to fight -any longer." - -"If you cannot decide," said the American, "I will return aboard my ship -and resume the engagement." - -Dacres here called out hurriedly,-- - -"I am pretty much _hors de combat_ already. I have hardly men enough to -work a single gun and my ship is in a sinking condition." - -"I wish to know, sir," demanded Read peremptorily, "whether I am to -consider you as a prisoner of war or as an enemy. I have no time for -further parley." - -Dacres paused, and then said, brokenly, "I believe now there is no -alternative. If I could fight longer I would with pleasure, but I--I must -surrender." - -When Dacres went up the side of the "Constitution" to surrender his sword -he was treated in the manner befitting his rank by a generous enemy. -Captain Hull assisted him to the deck, saying, anxiously,-- - -"Dacres, give me your hand; I know you are hurt." And when the Englishman -extended his sword, hilt forward, in formal surrender, Hull said, -magnanimously,-- - -"No, no; I will not have the sword of a man who knows so well how to use -it. But"--and his eyes twinkled merrily--"but I'll thank you for that -hat." He had not forgotten the wager, if Dacres had. - -The transferring of prisoners was at once begun, for it was seen that the -"Guerriere" was a hopeless hulk, not fit to take to port. When this was -all completed and every article of value taken from her, she was blown -up, and the "Constitution" sailed for Boston. - -She arrived at an opportune time. For Detroit had been surrendered without -firing a shot in its defence, and the American arms on the Canadian -frontier had otherwise met with disastrous failure. The "Constitution," -gaily dressed in flags, came up the harbor amid the booming of cannon and -the wildest of excitement among the people. A banquet was given to the -officers in Faneuil Hall, and from that time the American navy gained a -prestige at home it has never since lost. Congress voted a gold medal to -Captain Hull, silver ones to the officers, and fifty thousand dollars as -a bonus to the crew. - -The statistics of the fight are as follows: - -The "Constitution" had fifty-five guns, the "Guerriere" forty-nine, -sending shot weighing approximately seven hundred and six hundred -pounds respectively. The "Constitution's" crew numbered four hundred and -sixty-eight; that of the "Guerriere" two hundred and sixty-three. The -"Constitution" lost seven killed and seven wounded, and the "Guerriere" -fifteen killed and sixty-three wounded. All authorities acknowledge -that, other things being equal, the discrepancy in metal and crews hardly -explains the difference in the condition of the vessels at the end of the -battle. - - - - -THE "WASP" AND THE "FROLIC" - - -The American frigates "Constitution," "Constellation," and "United -States" fought and won great battles where the metal and crews were equal -or nearly equal, and proved beyond a doubt the advantage of American -seamanship and gunnery over the British in the Naval War of 1812. But it -remained for the little sloop-of-war "Wasp," Captain Jacob Jones, to add -the final evidence of Yankee superiority. Her action with the "Frolic" -was fought under conditions so trying that it fairly ranks with the great -frigate actions of our naval history. - -The "Wasp" was only about one-sixth the size of the "Constitution." She -was about as big as the three-masted schooners which ply in and out of -our Atlantic seaports to-day, and only carried one hundred and forty men. -What she lacked in size she made up in personnel, and what she lacked in -ordnance she made up in precision of fire. They must have been fine Jack -tars and gallant fellows every one of them, for there was no chance for -skulkers in that fight. The vessel could not have been handled or the guns -served as they were with one man less. - -It was off Albemarle Sound, in the rough end of a Hatteras gale, with a -gun-platform which now rolled the gun-muzzles into the spume and then sent -them skyward half-way to the zenith. It is a wonder that the gunners could -hit anything at all; but almost every broadside told, and the hull of the -"Frolic" was again and again riddled and raked fore and aft. - -When the war broke out the "Wasp" was in European waters, carrying -despatches for the government. She was immediately recalled, and in -October, 1812, sailed from the Delaware to the southward and eastward -to get in the track of the British merchantmen in the West India trade. -On the 15th of October she ran into a gale of wind off the capes of the -Chesapeake, and lost her jib-boom and two men who were working on it at -the time. For two days and nights the little vessel tumbled about under -storm-sails, but Captain Jacob Jones was one of the best seamen in the -navy, and no further harm was done. On the night of the 17th the wind -moderated somewhat, though the seas still ran high. At about half-past -eleven a number of frigates were seen, and Captain Jones deeming it -imprudent to bear down nearer until day should show him who the strangers -were, sailed up to get the weather-gage and await the dawn. His forward -rigging was disabled, and he had no wish to take chances with an enemy of -greatly superior force. - -The dawn came up clear and cold, and, as the darkness lifted, the crew -of the "Wasp" could make out six fine merchantmen under convoy of a big -brig. The brig was about the same size as the "Wasp," and it was seen -that several of the merchantmen mounted from eleven to eighteen guns each. -Nevertheless, Jones sent his topmen aloft, and in a trice he had his light -yards on deck and his ship reefed down to fighting-canvas. The vessel was -rolling her bows half under, but the guns were cast loose and the decks -cleared for action. The brig, too, showed signs of animation. Her men -went aloft at about the same time as those of the "Wasp," and soon she -signalled her convoy to make all sail before the wind to escape. - -The sea was so high that it was eleven o'clock before the vessels came -within range of each other. Then on the English vessel the Spanish flag -was run up to the gaff. But the Americans nevertheless held on a course -which would soon bring the ships together. There were enough Englishmen -in those waters for Jones to take chances of her being one of the enemy. -By half-past eleven the ships were within speaking-distance,--two or three -hundred feet apart,--and Captain Jones mounted the mizzen-rigging, lifting -his voice so that it might be heard above the shrieking of the wind and -sea, and shouted through his trumpet,-- - -"What ship is that?" - -For answer the Spanish flag came down with a run, the British ensign -was hoisted, and a broadside was fired. Just then a squall keeled the -Englishman over to leeward, and the "Wasp" having the weather-gage, the -shots whistled harmlessly overhead and through the rigging. The Yankee -ship responded immediately. The gunners had been trained in all weathers -to fire as their own vessel was about to roll downward on the wave towards -their adversary. By this means the shots were more sure to go low in the -enemy's hull and to have the additional chance of the ricochet which would -strike a glancing blow. They waited a second or so for this opportunity, -and then sent their broadside of nine shots crashing through the hull of -the "Frolic." - -The tumbling of the vessel sent the guns rolling about, and the tacklemen -needed all their strength and skill to hold the guns in for serving and -out for firing. But they were in no hurry. They worked as slowly and as -surely as possible, taking every advantage of the roll of the vessel, -training and aiming deliberately, and then firing at will. The Englishmen -sent in three broadsides to two of the Yankees. But they fired from the -hollow on the upward roll of the vessel and most of their shots went high, -scarcely one of them striking the hull of the "Wasp." - -It is a wonderful thing to think even of these two little vessels, tossed -about like billets of wood, the playthings of the elements, fighting -a battle to the death with each other, ignoring the roaring of the sea -and the hissing of the water which now and again seemed to completely -engulf them in its foam. The waves came over the bows and waist of the -"Wasp," flooding the decks, overturning buckets and making division-tubs -a superfluity. Sometimes it dashed in at the leeward ports, dipping the -handles of the sponges and rammers, and even burying the muzzles of the -guns, which the next moment would be pointing at the main-truck of their -adversary. The powder-boys, wet to the waist, stumbled over the decks with -their powder-charges under their jackets, and, though buffeted about and -knocked down repeatedly, kept the men at the guns plentifully supplied -with ammunition. - -Although the British were firing rapidly and the shots were flying high, -they began doing great damage in the rigging of the American. A few -minutes after the battle was begun a shot from the "Frolic" struck the -maintop-mast of the "Wasp" just above the cap, and it fell forward across -the fore-braces, rendering the head-yards unmanageable for the rest of the -action. A few minutes later other shots struck the mizzen-top-gallant-mast -and the gaff, and soon almost every brace was shot away. The "Frolic" had -been hulled repeatedly, but aloft had only lost her gaff and head-braces. -In a quiet sea it would have been bad enough to lose the use of the sails, -but in a gale of wind manoeuvring became practically impossible. The wind -was blowing fiercely so both vessels drove on before it, keeping up the -cannonading whenever a gun would bear, and pouring in from the tops a fire -of musketry upon the officers and men upon the decks. - -The "Wasp," having squared forward by the dropping of her maintop-mast -across the fore-braces, no longer sailed on the wind, and in a moment drew -forward, gradually approaching across the bows of the "Frolic," which, -having lost the use of her head-sails, could not sheer off. Captain Jones -was quick to see his advantage, and ran the enemy's bowsprit between the -main- and mizzen-masts of the "Wasp." The vessels now began striking -and grinding against each other furiously, as though by a test of the -stanchness of their timbers to settle the battle between them. The men who -were loading two of the port broadside guns of the "Wasp" struck the bow -of the "Frolic" with their rammers and found themselves looking into the -forward ports of the enemy. The guns were loaded with grape, and after the -ships crashed together were fired directly through those forward ports of -the "Frolic," raking her from stem to stern in a frightful manner. - -The next wave tore the ships apart, and the "Wasp" forged ahead, -the bowsprit of the Englishman catching in the mizzen-shrouds, where -Lieutenant James Biddle and a party of officers and seamen were awaiting -the order to board. In this position the bowsprit of the "Frolic" was -pounding terribly upon the poop of the "Wasp." At every send of the waves -the bows of the Englishman would fall as the stern of the American rose, -and it seemed as though both ships would be torn to pieces. The men of the -"Wasp" had wished to board, the moment the ships had come together, and -crowded along the hammock-nettings hardly to be restrained. But Captain -Jones, knowing the advantage of his raking position, wanted to send in -another broadside. He called the men back to the guns, but they were too -intent upon their object. One brawny fellow, named Jack Lang, who had -been impressed into the British service, made a spring, and catching a -piece of gear, swung himself up on the bowsprit and clambered down alone, -his cutlass in his teeth, to the enemy's deck. The "Wasp's" men cheered -vigorously, and, leaving their guns, rushed aft to follow him. Captain -Jones, seeing that they would not be denied, then gave the order to -Lieutenant Biddle to board. - -Biddle, cutlass in hand, jumped upon the nettings to lead the men. -Midshipman Yorick Baker, being too small to clamber up alone, and seeing -Biddle's coat-tails flapping in the wind, seized hold of them, one in -each hand. He did not want to be left behind, and thought he might trust -to the impetuosity of his superior officer to land him successfully among -the first on the deck of the enemy. But just then a terrific lurch threw -Biddle off his balance, and they both came violently to the deck. They -were up again in a second, however, and with Lieutenant George W. Rogers -and a party of seamen finally reached the bowsprit of the "Frolic." - -Upon the fo'c's'le of the enemy stood Jack Lang, swinging to the motion -of the brig, his cutlass at his side, looking aft at a scene of carnage -that was hardly imaginable. All the fierceness had died out of him, for -he looked around at Biddle and grinned broadly. The decks were covered -with the dead and dying, who tossed about in the wash of bloody water -with every heave of the ship. The decks, masts, bulwarks, and rails were -torn to ribbons, huge jagged splinters projecting everywhere. Guns, tubs, -sponges, rammers, and solid shot were adrift, pounding from one side -of the wreck to the other. No one moved to secure them, for only half a -dozen men stood upright. At the wheel an old quartermaster, badly wounded, -swung grimly, ready to die at his post. Behind him an English lieutenant, -bleeding from ghastly wounds, clutched at a stanchion for support. Two -other officers stood near, and one or two jackies glared forward at the -Americans. There was no sign of resistance, and the wave of pity which -came over Biddle and his officers swept away all desire for battle. The -British flag was still flying. No one seemed to have the strength to -haul it down; so Biddle went aft and lowered it to the deck. In a few -moments the masts fell, and she lay a useless hulk wallowing upon the -waves, which, more sure of their prey, dashed against her torn sides, -widening the gashes made by her indomitable enemy, and at times making -clean breaches over her bulwarks, tearing loose her boats and otherwise -completing her destruction. - -Under the conditions, it seemed hardly credible that such injury could -have been inflicted in so short a time, for the battle had lasted only -forty-three minutes. The "Frolic" had twenty-two guns, while the "Wasp" -had only eighteen. The crew of the "Frolic" was less than of the "Wasp," -the best authorities estimating it at one hundred and ten, against one -hundred and thirty-eight of the "Wasp." But even here the great loss and -damage to the "Frolic" can be explained in no way save that the Americans -were superior gunners and seamen. The "Wasp" lost five killed and five -wounded, and these men were most of them shot while aloft trying to refit -gear. The "Frolic" lost fifteen killed and forty-seven wounded, making a -total of sixty-two against ten of the "Wasp." - -But Jacob Jones's victory was not to prove profitable, save in the great -moral influence it exercised in England and America. He placed a crew -upon the prize, and, having cleared away his wreck and refitted his -rigging, tried to make sail away after the fleet of merchantmen, which -by this time were nearly hull down on the horizon. But a great British -seventy-four, the "Poictiers," hove in sight, and before Jones could get -away he found himself under her guns a prisoner. Captain Beresford, of the -line-of-battle ship, took the sloop-of-war to Bermuda, and there a garbled -report of the action between Captain Whinyate's and Captain Jones's -vessels was written. But the American captain and his gallant crew were -soon exchanged, and returned home, where their victory had been given its -true value. They received twenty-five thousand dollars from Congress as -prize-money, and a gold medal was given to Captain Jones and a silver one -to each of the officers. The legislature of Pennsylvania gave Lieutenant -Biddle a sword for his gallantry. - - - - -THE "CONSTITUTION" AND THE "JAVA" - - -At the beginning of the war of 1812 there were but three first-class -frigates in our navy, and but five vessels of any description were -fit to go to sea. But the war with Tripoli and the gallant deeds of -the American officers had made the service popular with the public. In -March, 1812, an act was passed which appropriated money to put all these -vessels in condition to meet the enemy on a more equal footing, and a -naval committee was formed to deal with the emergency. Langdon Cheves -was appointed chairman, and he took hold of the great task of rebuilding -and regenerating the naval service with enthusiasm and good judgment. -The result was that the committee expressed the opinion "that it was the -true policy of the United States to build up a navy establishment, as the -cheapest, the safest, and the best protection to their sea-coast and to -their commerce, and that such an establishment was inseparably connected -with the future prosperity, safety, and glory of the country." - -When war was declared, the "Constitution" was in good condition, but -the "Chesapeake" and the "Constellation" were not seaworthy. These were -recommended to be immediately put in condition, and ten other frigates, -averaging thirty-eight guns each, to be built. There was no difficulty in -raising the crews for these vessels. Owing to the impressment of American -and other seamen into the British service, the Cross of St. George had -come to be so hated by the fishermen, coastwise sailors, and merchantmen -that they sailed, drove, or walked to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the -other places where the frigates were fitting out, eager to sign the -articles which made them American men-o'war's-men. They were not drafted -into the service like many of the British Jackies, at the point of the -pistol, but came because they wanted to, and because with the building up -of a new navy there came a chance to see the flag they hated trailed in -defeat. That and nothing else was the reason for the wonderful success of -American arms upon the sea during the war of 1812. The American officers, -smarting under past indignities to the service and to themselves, went -into the many actions with determination and enthusiasm, combined with -the experience of a rough-and-tumble sea,--experience which with anything -like an equal force meant either victory or absolute destruction. - -The "Constitution," under Hull, had escaped from the British squadron, -under Broke, off the Jersey coast, had defeated the frigate "Guerriere," -and in all her history had shown herself to be a lucky ship. William -Bainbridge had been given the command of the "Constellation," but, -arriving at Boston, Hull had found it necessary to give up his command, -and Bainbridge immediately applied for "Old Ironsides." - -The victories of the American frigates "Constitution" and "United States" -over the British "Guerriere" and "Macedonian" had aroused great enthusiasm -throughout the country, and the government had decided to change its -timorous policy. Hoping to draw some of the British vessels away from the -coast and cause them to be distributed over a wider horizon, expeditions -were arranged to strike the enemy at many distant points. Bainbridge's -orders were to sail for the Indian Ocean and capture or destroy as -many English merchant-vessels as possible. His squadron, besides the -"Constitution," 44, consisted of the "Essex," 32, Captain David Porter, -and the "Hornet," 18, Master-Commandant James Lawrence. Bainbridge and -Lawrence put to sea from Boston on the 26th of October, while Porter -left the Delaware on the 24th to rendezvous at Porto Praya, on the South -American coast. - -A few days later, H. M. S. "Java," a thirty-eight-gun frigate, -Captain Henry Lambert, having two merchant-ships under convoy, sailed -from Portsmouth, England, for India. She also had as passengers the -newly-appointed governor of India, Lieutenant-General Thomas Hislop, and -many naval and army officers, who were being carried out to their posts. - -The "Constitution," arriving at Porto Praya, and failing to find Porter -in the "Essex," put to sea again, stopping at Fernando de Noronha in -the hope of meeting her there. Lawrence, in the "Hornet," challenged the -British sloop-of-war "Bonne Citoyenne" to single combat; but her commander -declined, in view of the presence of the "Constitution." Bainbridge -wrote that he would not interfere, and pledged him his honor to give the -Englishman the opportunity to fight the "Hornet" to the death. Hoping to -bring the action about, Bainbridge sailed away, and remained four days. -But the British captain was determined not to fight, and Lawrence was thus -denied the opportunity he afterwards had with the ill-fated "Chesapeake." - -Near the end of December, 1812, the "Constitution" was cruising off -the coast of Brazil, about thirty miles from Bahia. The wind was light -from the northeast, and Bainbridge was moving under short sail. "Old -Ironsides," a ready sailer when in condition, had been off the stocks so -long and was so befouled by her stay in tropical waters that she moved -rather sluggishly, and had not the capacity for legging it that she had -when Hull had carried her from under the guns of the British squadron. -Her sails were patched and her rigging was old, but Bainbridge had done -all he could with her, and his men were full of confidence. She was -the "Constitution," and that was enough for them. They only wanted an -opportunity to repeat or surpass some of her previous exploits. - -They had not long to wait. At nine o'clock on the morning of December -29, the man at the fore-crosstrees passed the cry of "Sail-ho," and soon -from the deck two sails could be seen to the north, near the coast. They -were both made out to be full-rigged ships, one standing in cautiously -for the land and the other keeping a course out to sea, pushing down -gallantly under a full press of canvas. The one inshore was the American -ship "William," which had been captured by the British, and the other was -the "Java." The jackies who lined the nettings of the "Constitution" soon -discovered that their wishes were to be granted, for the larger ship was -evidently determined to come up, and could be nothing but a man-of-war -looking for a fight. - -By about eleven Captain Bainbridge took in his royals and went about -on the other tack. The Englishman was coming nearer now, and hoisted -the private signals, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, in succession. -Bainbridge hoisted the private signal of the day, and finding that it was -not answered, cleared ship for action immediately. Then, wishing to draw -his enemy from his consort, he set his mainsails and royals and stood out -to sea. The "Java" came up rapidly, and made sail in a parallel course. -Finding that the other ship did not follow, and desiring to make the other -vessel disclose her identity, Bainbridge showed his colors,--his broad -pennant at the main, the Stars and Stripes at the peak, another at the -maintop-gallant-mast, and the American jack at the fore. This was shortly -followed by his adversary, who hoisted an English ensign and displayed a -private signal. - -All this time the "Java" was rapidly gaining on the "Constitution," and -Bainbridge, finding that he was outsailed, took in his royals and went -about on the other tack, so as to pass within pistol-shot of the other. - -The "Constitution," still a mile to leeward, soon fired a shot across -the "Java's" bows to induce her to show her colors, which she had hauled -down again. This had the desired effect, for the bits of bunting went up -with a run, and a whole broadside was fired at the "Constitution." But -the range was too great for successful marksmanship, both these shots and -those fired by the "Constitution" in return dropping harmlessly alongside. - -By a little after two o'clock the frigates were within half a mile of each -other, and the action then began with great spirit. The Englishman got -the range first, and sent in a broadside which hulled the "Constitution" -and killed and wounded several of her men. It soon became evident to -Bainbridge that Captain Lambert's guns carried better than his own, -so began luffing up repeatedly in order to shorten the distance for an -effective broadside. He was sure of his marksmanship if once his men got -the range, for the same gun-captains were with him that had helped Hull -to her great victory over the "Guerriere." It was difficult to draw up, -as the Englishman was forging ahead with the evident desire to sail close -to the wind and keep the weather-gage at all hazards. The "Constitution" -could only luff up at opportune moments, for Lambert's position was one -which would enable him to rake the "Constitution" from stem to stern if -he luffed when the broadside was ready. But he edged up cautiously, and -soon the vessels were but musket-shot apart. A continuous fire now began, -and the wind being light, both vessels were soon so shrouded in smoke -that only at intervals could the gunners make out their adversaries. -Along they sailed, side by side, giving and receiving tremendous volleys. -About this time a solid shot went crashing along the quarter-deck of the -"Constitution" and, striking her wheel, smashed it to pieces. The gear had -been rove below, however, and the ship throughout the remainder of the -battle was steered by means of tackles on the berth-deck. The captain's -orders were shouted down through the after-hatch and repeated by a line -of midshipmen to the men at the tackles. - -Bainbridge, in full uniform, stood by the weather-rigging at the time -the disabling shot came aboard, and a small copper bolt drove through -the upper part of his leg, inflicting a bad wound. But fearing that if -he left the deck his men might lose some of the ardor with which they -were fighting, he would not go below though frequently urged so to do. -Instead of this he bound it up with his handkerchief, and remained at -his post, his epaulettes a fair mark for the sharpshooters in the tops -of the enemy. His men down in the waist of the "Constitution" looked now -and again at the imposing figure by the mizzen-mast, and bent to their -work with a will, firing as rapidly as their guns could be loaded. The -distance between the ships was now so short that all the smaller guns and -carronades could be used, and a rapid and well-directed fire was kept up -both upon the hull and the spars of their adversary. - -The "Java," by her superior sailing qualities, was enabled to reach well -forward on the "Constitution's" bow when she eased off her sheets to -round down across the bows of the American and rake. But Bainbridge, in -spite of the disadvantage of wrecked steering-gear, was too quick for -her. He put his helm up, and wore around in the smoke, thus keeping his -broadside presented. The Englishman at last succeeded in getting under -the "Constitution's" stern and pouring in a broadside at close range. But, -fortunately, comparatively little damage was done. The superiority of the -gunnery of the Americans, save for a few of the Englishman's well-directed -shots, had been from the first far superior to that of the Englishmen. The -fire of the "Java" was far less rapid and less careful than that of the -"Constitution." Had the gunnery been equal, the story of the fight would -have had a different ending. - -But the Americans labored under a great disadvantage, and Captain -Bainbridge, determined to close with the enemy at all hazards, put his -helm down and headed directly for the enemy, thus exposing himself to -a fore-and-aft fire, which might have been deadly. But for some reason -the Englishman failed to avail himself of this opportunity, only one -9-pounder being discharged. When near enough, the "Constitution" rounded -to alongside and delivered her entire starboard broadside, which crashed -through the timbers of the "Java" and sent the splinters flying along the -entire length of her bulwarks. The shrieks of the injured could be plainly -heard in the lulls in the firing, and soon the bowsprit and jib-boom of -the enemy were hanging down forward, where they lay, with the gear of the -head-sails and booms in a terrible tangle. With this misfortune the "Java" -lost her superiority in sailing, and this was the turn in the action. -Quickly availing himself of this advantage, Bainbridge again wore in the -smoke before Captain Lambert could discover his intentions, and, getting -under the "Java's" stern, poured in a rapid broadside, which swept the -decks from one end to the other, killing and wounding a score of men. Then -sailing around, he reloaded, and fired another broadside from a diagonal -position, which carried away the "Java's" foremast and otherwise wrecked -her. - -Captain Lambert, now finding his situation becoming desperate, determined -to close with the "Constitution" and board her. He tried to bear down -on her, but the loss of his head-yards and the wreck on his forecastle -made his vessel unwieldy, and only the stump of his bowsprit fouled the -mizzen-chains of the American vessel. The American topmen and marines -during this time were pouring a terrific fire of musketry into the mass of -men who had gathered forward on the English vessel. An American marine, -noting the epaulettes of Captain Lambert, took deliberate aim, and shot -him through the breast. Lambert fell to the deck, and Lieutenant Chads -assumed the command. The Englishmen, disheartened by the loss of their -captain, still fought pluckily, though the wreck of the gear forward and -the loss of their maintop-mast seriously impeded the handling of the guns. -At each discharge their sails and gear caught fire, and at one time the -"Java's" engaged broadside seemed a sheet of flame. At about four o'clock -her mizzen-mast, the last remaining spar aloft, came down, and she swung -on the waves entirely dismasted. It seemed impossible to continue the -action, as but half a dozen guns could be brought to bear. - -The "Constitution," finding the enemy almost silenced and practically at -her mercy, drew off to repair damages and re-reeve her gear. Bainbridge -had great confidence in the _look_ of the "Constitution," as, to all -outward appearances unharmed, she bore down again and placed herself in -a position to send in another broadside. His surmise was correct, for the -one flag which had remained aloft was hauled down before the firing could -be resumed. - -Lieutenant George Porter, of the "Constitution," was immediately -sent aboard the Englishman. As he reached the deck he found the -conditions there even worse than had been imagined by those aboard the -"Constitution." Many of the broadside guns were overturned, and, though -the wreck had been partially cleared away, the tangle of rigging was -still such that the remaining guns were practically useless. The dead and -wounded literally covered the decks, and as the lieutenant went aboard -the dead were being dropped overboard. The loss of her masts made her -roll heavily, and occasionally her broadside guns went under. Lambert -was mortally wounded. Lieutenant Chads, too, was badly hurt. When he -had assumed command, in spite of the fact that he knew his battle was -hopeless, he had tried to refit to meet the American when she came down -for the second time. He only struck his colors when he knew that further -resistance meant murder for his own brave men. The "Java" was a mere hulk, -and the hulk was a sieve. - -Comparison of the injuries of the "Java" and "Constitution" is -interesting. With the exception of her maintop-sail-yard, the -"Constitution" came out of the fight with every yard crossed and every -spar in position. The injuries to her hull were trifling. The "Java" had -every stick, one after another, shot out of her until nothing was left but -a few stumps. It might have been possible to have taken her into Bahia, -but Bainbridge thought himself too far away from home; and so, after the -prisoners and wounded had been removed to the "Constitution," a fuse was -laid, and the American got under weigh. Not long after a great volume of -smoke went up into the air, and a terrific explosion was heard as the last -of the "Java" sunk beneath the Southern Ocean. - -When the "Constitution" arrived at Bahia, Captain Lambert was carried -up on the quarter-deck, and lay near where Bainbridge, still suffering -acutely from his wounds, had been brought. Bainbridge was supported by -two of his officers as he came over to Lambert's cot, for he was very -weak from loss of blood. He carried in his hand the sword which the dying -Englishman had been obliged to surrender to him. Bainbridge put it down -beside him on his bed, saying,-- - -"The sword of so brave a man should never be taken from him." - -The two noble enemies grasped hands, and tears shone in the eyes of -both. A few days afterwards the Englishman was put on shore, where more -comfortable quarters were provided for him, but he failed rapidly, and -died five days after. - -The news of the capture of the "Java" created consternation in England. -The loss of the "Guerriere" and the "Macedonian" were thought to have been -ill-luck. But they now discovered an inkling of what they rightly learned -before the war was over,--that the navy of the United States, small as -it appeared, was a force which, man for man and gun for gun, could whip -anything afloat. - -When Bainbridge arrived in Boston he and his officers were met by a -large delegation of citizens, and many festivities and dinners were held -and given in their honor. The old "Constitution," rightly deserving -the attention of the government, was put in dry-dock to be thoroughly -overhauled. Of the five hundred merchantmen captured by Americans, she -had taken more than her share, and of the three frigates captured she had -taken two. - - - - -THE LAST OF THE "ESSEX" - - -When Captain David Porter in the "Essex" failed to meet Captain Bainbridge -in the "Constitution" off the Brazilian coast, and learned that the latter -had captured the "Java" and returned to the United States, he was free to -make his own plans and choose his own cruising-ground. - -He captured an English vessel or so, but his ambition was to make a voyage -which would result in the capture of as many vessels as could be manned -from the "Essex." He thought the matter over at length and then formulated -a plan which few other men would have thought of. No large war-vessel of -the American government had been in the South Pacific for some years, and -now the English whalers and merchantmen pursued their trade unmolested, -save by a few privateers which sailed haphazard in the waters along the -coast. David Porter decided to round the Horn, thus cutting himself off -from his nearest base of supplies, and live the best way he might off -vessels captured from the enemy. - -He knew that he could not hope for a hospitable reception at any port -he visited, but if he could keep his magazine and store-rooms supplied, -determined to capture or destroy every vessel flying the British flag in -those waters. - -He started on his long voyage at the end of January, 1813, during the -Southern summer season, when the gales and hurricanes in that region are -at their fiercest. He had not been at sea very long before the scurvy -broke out on the ship, and it was only by the most rigorous discipline -and cleanliness that the disease was kept under control. By the middle -of February the "Essex" reached the Cape, and, the weather having been -moderately free from squalls, they were congratulating themselves on -avoiding the usual dangers of those waters when a storm came up which in -a short time began to blow with hurricane force. Gale succeeded gale, -followed by intervals of calm, but nothing terrifying occurred until -towards the end of February, when a storm which exceeded all the others -in its fierceness began to blow. They were near a barren country, and, -even should they reach land, there was no possible chance of escaping -the slow torture of death from hunger and thirst. Great gray waves, -measuring hundreds of feet from crest to crest, swept them resistlessly -on towards the menacing shore, which could be seen dimly through the -driving spray frowning to leeward. Many of the waves broke clear over the -little frigate, knocking in her ports, opening her timbers, battering her -boats to pieces as they swung on the davits, and loosening her bowsprit -and other spars so that they threatened at each movement to go by the -board. The crew, weakened and disheartened by disease and the excess of -labor, lost heart and considered the "Essex" a doomed ship. David Glascoe -Farragut, then a midshipman aboard of her, afterwards wrote that never -before had he seen good seamen so paralyzed by fear at the mere terrors -of the sea. On the third day an enormous wave struck her fairly on the -weather-bow and broadside, and she went over on her beam ends, burying -her lee-bulwark in the foam. It looked for a moment as if she would -never right herself. The ports on the gun-deck were all stove in and she -seemed to be filling with water. The head-rails were swept away, and one -of the cutters was lifted bodily from the davits and smashed against the -wheel. The fellows there stood bravely at their posts, though thoroughly -terrified at the position of the ship. The water poured down below, and -the men on the gun-deck thought she was already plunging to the bottom. -The grizzly boatswain, crazy with fear, cried out in his terror,-- - -"The ship's broadside is stove in! We are sinking!" - -That was the greatest of their dangers, though, and better days were in -store for them. Early in March the "Essex" succeeded in reaching Mocha -Island, and the men, starved on half and quarter rations, were sent ashore -to hunt wild hogs and horses. These were shot in numbers and salted down -for food. The crew soon regained their health and spirits, and Porter -sailed away for Valparaiso, putting in there to refit his damaged rigging -and spars. - -And now began a cruise which is numbered among the most successful -in the country's history. Porter had been at sea but a few days when -he overhauled a Peruvian privateer, the "Nereyda." To his surprise, -twenty-four American sailors were found prisoners aboard of her. When -asked to explain, the Peruvian captain replied that as his country was -an ally of Great Britain, and that as war was soon to be declared between -Spain and America, he thought he would anticipate matters and be sure of -his prizes. Porter, in forcible English, explained the Peruvian's mistake, -and, to make the matter more clear, threw all his guns and ammunition -overboard, so that he might repent of his folly in a more diplomatic -condition. - -The Peruvian captain begrudgingly gave Porter a list of all the English -vessels in those waters. The first one captured was the whaler "Barclay." -On the 29th of April the "Essex" took the "Montezuma," with a cargo -of fourteen hundred barrels of whale-oil. Later in the same day the -"Georgiana" and the "Policy" were overhauled. These prizes, with their -cargoes, in England were worth half a million dollars; but, better than -money, they were plentifully supplied with ropes, spars, cordage, stores, -and ammunition, of which Porter still stood badly in need. - -Finding that the "Georgiana" was a fast sailer and pierced for eighteen -guns, Porter decided to make use of her as a cruiser, and, fitting her -up, placed Lieutenant Downes in command of her, with forty men for a -crew. Then the "Essex" took the "Atlantic" and the "Greenwich." With this -very respectable squadron Porter sailed for the mainland, Lieutenant -Downes in the "Georgiana" meanwhile capturing without great difficulty -the "Catharine" and the "Rose." A third vessel, the "Hector," fought -viciously, but was eventually secured after a stiff little battle. - -Young Farragut had been made the prize-master of the "Barclay." He was -only twelve years old, but Captain Porter, who was very fond of him, -was confident of his ability to bring the ship into port. The English -captain had been persuaded to act as navigator; but once out of sight of -the squadron he refused to sail for Valparaiso. He afterwards said it was -merely to frighten the boy. But the boy did not frighten at all. Instead -he called one of his best seamen to him and ordered sail made. Then he -told the captain that if he did not go below and stay there he would have -him thrown overboard. The Englishman retreated below precipitately, and -Farragut brought the ship safely in, a first proof of the courage and -skill he was to show in after-life. Few boys of twelve would have done it -even in those days when midshipmen soon became men regardless of age. - -The "Atlantic," being reckoned the fastest vessel of her kind afloat -in those waters, was now given to Downes, who had been promoted to -master-commandant, and renamed the "Essex Junior." She was given twenty -guns and sixty men, and soon proved her worth. All of this time Porter had -been self-supporting. Neither he nor his squadron had cost his government -a penny in money, and the prizes he captured, including the "Charlton," -"Seringapatam," "New Zealand," and "Sir Andrew Hammond," could not be -reckoned much short of a million and a half of dollars, a tremendous sum -in those days, when the pay of a captain of a naval vessel was only twelve -hundred dollars,--less than the pay of a boatswain to-day. - -But Porter grew tired of his easy victories over merchantmen and -privateers. He had succeeded in frightening the ships of the British -entirely from the ocean. His one ship, a small frigate, had complete -control in the South Pacific, and the Admiralty wondered at the skill -and ingenuity of a man who could manage his fleets so adroitly. They -determined to capture him; and two smart ships, the "Phoebe" and the -"Cherub," were sent out for this purpose. Porter heard of their coming, -and was willing enough to meet them if it were possible. He went to -Nukahiva, in the Marquesas Islands, to put the "Essex" in thorough repair -and give his men a rest. He remained there two months, sailing near the -end of the year 1813 for Valparaiso, with the hope of their meeting the -English cruisers. - -The "Essex" had been there but a month when the "Essex Junior," which -was cruising in the offing in anticipation of the arrival of the British -ships, signalled, "Two enemy's ships in sight." Half the crew of the -"Essex" were ashore enjoying sailor-men's liberty. Even if they all got -aboard, it was fair to assume that they would be in no condition to fight -should the Englishmen choose to violate the neutrality of the port by -firing on them. Porter immediately fired a gun and hoisted the recall -signal for all boats and men to return. The English captain, Hillyar, ran -the "Phoebe" on the wind straight for the "Essex," the "Cherub" following -closely. But when they reached the anchorage, the "Essex" was ready for -action and the crew were at their stations. The "Phoebe" went around under -the quarter of the "Essex," luffing up scarcely fifteen feet away. It -was an exciting moment. Hillyar could see the men at their guns, and his -ardor was perceptibly diminished. Had he given the order to fire then, -he would have been raked fore and aft, and the tale of this last fight of -the "Essex" might have had a different ending. - -As it was, he jumped upon the nettings, and said, with distinguished -politeness,-- - -"Captain Hillyar's compliments to Captain Porter, and hopes he is well." - -Porter _was_ well, but he was in no humor to bandy compliments. - -"Very well, I thank you," he replied; "but I hope you will not come too -near, for fear some accident might take place which would be disagreeable -to you." And at a wave of his hand the kedge-anchors and grappling-irons -were swung up to the yard-arms, ready to be dropped on the decks of -the enemy. The men swarmed along the nettings, ready to jump aboard the -Englishman as soon as she was close enough. - -But Hillyar, not liking the looks of things, changed his tone -considerably. He backed his yards hurriedly, and said in an excited -manner,-- - -"I had no intention of getting aboard of you. I assure you that if I fall -aboard it will be entirely accidental." - -"Well," said Porter, "you have no business where you are. If you touch a -rope-yarn of this ship I shall board instantly." - -Porter then hailed Downes on the "Essex Junior" and told him to be -prepared to repel the enemy. The vessels were in a position to be almost -at the mercy of the Americans. When the "Phoebe" ranged alongside, the -crews could see each other through the ports, and laughed and made -grimaces at one another. One young fellow in the "Essex," who had come -aboard drunk, stood at one of the guns, match in hand. He saw one of the -English jackies grinning at him. He was primed for a fight, and yelled -across,-- - -"I'll stop your making faces, my fine fellow." He leaned forward to -apply the match to the vent, and was only saved from firing it in time by -Lieutenant McKnight of the gun-division, who knocked him sprawling. Had -that gun been fired, the "Phoebe" would have been taken. - -There seems no doubt of Captain Hillyar's previous intention to try to -take the "Essex" as she lay, regardless of the neutrality. Captain Porter -would have been justified if he had fired at that time. - -But the Englishmen were willing to bide their time. Two more British ships -were expected, and they felt sure of their prey. - -A strange state of affairs now ensued. The officers meeting on shore -exchanged the proper courtesies, and strict orders were issued to the -men, who for a wonder were restrained from fighting. Porter flew from -his foremast a great white burgee, bearing the legend, "Free Trade and -Sailors' Rights." Captain Hillyar soon hoisted one in reply, "God and -Country: British Sailors' Best Rights. Traitors Offend Both." Porter then -had another painted, and sent it to the mizzen, which read, "God, Our -Country, and Liberty. Tyrants Offend Them." - -These amenities had the effect of making the crew eager for a speedy -settlement of the question. Once Captain Hillyar fired a gun in challenge; -but upon Porter's accepting it, the Englishman sailed down to his consort -the "Cherub," and Porter returned. The Englishman, in spite of his -challenge, was not willing to fight a single battle. - -Finally, Captain Porter, learning of the expected early arrival of the -"Tagus," 38, the "Raccoon," and two other ships, determined to put to sea -and there fight it out with the two frigates as best he might. The next -day, the 28th of March, 1814, a squall came up, and the "Essex" lost one -of her anchors and dragged the other out to sea. Not a moment was to be -lost in getting sail on the ship, for he saw a chance to sail between the -southwest point of the harbor and the enemy. Under close-reefed topsails -Porter made a course which seemed likely to carry him just where he wanted -to go, when a heavy squall struck the ship, carrying away the maintop-mast -and throwing the men who were aloft on the top-gallant-yard into the sea. - -This great misfortune at a time when there was at least a fighting chance -of getting away put a different aspect upon the chances of the "Essex." -Both English vessels immediately gave chase, and Porter, failing to make -his anchorage, ran for shore, to anchor there and fight it out to the last -drop of blood. The "Phoebe" and the "Cherub," bedecked with flags, came -booming down to where Porter awaited them, flying flags from the stumps of -his maintop-mast and at almost every point where he could run a halyard. - -At about four o'clock the "Phoebe" selected a position under the stern -of the "Essex," and opened fire at long range. The "Cherub" stood off -her bow. The fire of the "Phoebe" was terribly destructive, and few guns -from the "Essex" could be brought to bear upon her. The "Cherub" fared -differently; and, finding her position too hot, sailed around and took up -a position by her consort, where a tremendous fire was poured in. Captain -Porter, with great difficulty, had three of his long 12-pounders hauled -into his after-cabin, and at last succeeded in opening such a fierce -and well-aimed fire that the enemy wore about and increased the distance -between them. The "Phoebe" had three holes in her water-line, had lost the -use of her mainsail and jib, and had her fore-main- and mizzen-stays shot -away. Her bowsprit was badly wounded, and she had other injuries below. - -But the "Essex" was fighting against terrible odds. The springs on her -cables were again and again shot away and the crew were being killed -and wounded in great numbers. When the ships of the enemy returned and -opened a galling fire from such a position that it could not be returned -by the "Essex," Porter determined to assume the aggressive. But when he -attempted to make sail on his ship, he found that most of the running-gear -had been cut away, only his flying-jib could be spread to the winds. But, -nothing daunted, he cut his cable, and, spreading his tattered canvases -the best way he could, made down for the "Cherub" until within range -of the cannonades, where he gave the Englishman such a drubbing that he -took to his heels and got out of range altogether. The "Phoebe" managed to -keep her distance, and with her long guns kept sending in broadside after -broadside, which swept the decks of the doomed "Essex" and mowed her men -down like chaff. Captain Hillyar was taking no chances. - -The slaughter on the "Essex" was horrible. One gun was manned by three -crews, fifteen men being killed at it. Men were dying like sheep; but -those who remained at the guns, and even the wounded, had no thought of -surrender. A sailor named Bissley, a young Scotchman by birth, lost his -leg. He lifted himself, and said to some of his shipmates,-- - -"I hope I have proved myself worthy of the country of my adoption. I am -no longer of any use to you or her; so good-by." And before he could -be restrained he pushed himself through the port into the sea and was -drowned. - -Midshipman Farragut acted as captain's aid, quarter-gunner, powder-boy, -and anything that was required of him. He went below for some primers, -when the captain of a gun was struck full in the face by a sixteen-pound -shot, falling back upon the midshipman, spattering him with blood -and tumbling them both down the hatch together. The blow stunned the -midshipman for a moment; but when he recovered, he rushed again on deck. -Captain Porter, seeing him covered with blood, asked him if he were -wounded. - -"I believe not, sir." - -"Then, where are the primers?" - -This first brought him completely to his senses. He rushed below again and -brought the primers up. Captain Porter fell, stunned by the windage of a -shot, but got to his feet unaided. - -Though most other men would have surrendered the ship, Porter made up his -mind to run her towards the shore and beach her broadside on, fight until -the last and then blow her to pieces. An explosion occurred below and -a fire broke out in two places. The decks were so covered with dead and -dying that the men who remained upright could scarcely move among them. -The cockpit would hold not another wounded man, and the shots which came -in killed men who were under the surgeon's knife. Out of the two hundred -and fifty-five souls who began the fight only seventy-five, including -officers and boys, remained on the ship fit for duty. Many of the men, -thinking the ship was about to blow up, had jumped overboard and had -drowned or were struggling in the water in the attempt to swim to land. -The long-range shots of the enemy were striking her at every fire. The -Englishmen had the distance accurately and were battering her to pieces -as though at target-practice. - -Captain Porter, at last seeing that resistance was only a waste of life, -called his officers into consultation. But one, Lieutenant McKnight, could -respond, and at 6.20 P.M. the order was given to haul down the flag. - -When the British boarding-officer came over the side, the sight of the -carnage was so shocking that he had to lean against a gun for support. The -force of the "Essex" was forty-six guns and two hundred and fifty-five -men. That of the English, in conservative estimates, was seventy-three -guns and four hundred and twenty-one men. The English lost five killed -and ten wounded. The "Essex" fifty-eight killed, sixty-six wounded, and -thirty-one missing. - -Thus died the "Essex" in one of the bloodiest and most obstinate combats -on record. - - - - -THE CAPTAIN OF THE MAINTOP - - -James Jarvis was one of the "young gentlemen" on the "Constellation" -during the war with France. "Young gentlemen" was what the midshipmen -were called in the old naval service, and Jarvis was the youngest of them -all, being just thirteen at the time of the action with the "Vengeance." -He was the smallest officer aboard, and his most important duties were -those of passing the word from the quarter-deck forward, and taking his -station aloft in the maintop, where he was learning the mysteries of the -maze of gear which went through the lubber's-hole or belayed in the top. -He also stood at quarters with his diminutive sword drawn,--a smaller -edition of the lieutenants, who were allowed to wear one epaulette and -who could make a louder noise through the speaking-trumpet than Jarvis -could hope to for years. Down in the midshipmen's mess, by virtue of his -diminutive stature and tender years, he was not much interfered with by -Wederstrandt, Henry, Vandyke, and the bigger men. But he fought one or two -of the young gentlemen nearer his age, and, though frequently defeated, -stood up as strongly as possible for what he deemed his rights. He was -a manly little reefer, and up in the maintop, where he was stationed in -time of action, the men swore by him. He was sensible enough not to give -any orders without the professional opinion of one of the old jackies, -who always ventured it with a touch of the cap, a respectful "Sir," and -perhaps a half-concealed smile, which was more of interest than amusement. -Thirteen was rather a tender age at which to command men of fifty, but -the midshipmen of those days were not ordinary boys. They went out from -their comfortable homes aboard ships where men were even rougher and less -well-disciplined than they are to-day, and they had either to sink or -swim. It was Spartan treatment; but a year of it made men and sailors of -them or else sent them posting home to their mothers and sisters. - -Jarvis loved it, and did his duty like a man. He knew the lead of all -the gear on his mast, and kept his few pieces of brass-work aloft shining -like new. He kept the rigging in his top, even when there was no occasion -for it, coiled down as though for inspection, although nobody but the -topmen and yardmen ever had occasion to examine it. He was as active as a -monkey, and, scorning the "lubber's-hole," went over the futtock-shrouds -as smartly as any of the light-yardmen. - -The greatest and probably the only regret of midshipman Jarvis's short -life was that he had not joined the great frigate before she met and -defeated the "Insurgente" the year before. He wanted to be in a great -action. Nothing seemed to make him feel more of a man than when the long -18-pounders were fired in broadside at target-practice. If he had been -but a boy, instead of an officer with a gold-laced cap and a dirk and all -the dignities pertaining to those habiliments, he would have clapped his -hands and shouted for sheer joy. But the eyes of his men were upon him, -and so he stood watching the flight of the shots, and biting hard on his -lips he kept his composure. - -Captain Truxton, ever mindful of his midshipmen, had disposed them in -different parts of the ship with regard to their size and usefulness. -The older ones had been given gun-divisions, while the youngsters were -placed on the fo'c's'le or in the tops, where they might be of assistance, -but would more certainly be out of harm's way. Such a thought was not -suggested on the "Constellation." If it had been, little Jarvis would -probably have resigned immediately, or at the very least have burst into -unmanly tears. As it was, he felt that his post aloft was as important -as any on the ship, and he promised himself that if another Frenchman was -sighted he would stay there whether the mast were up or down. - -So, on the 1st of February, 1800, just about a year after the capture of -the "Insurgente," while they were bowling along under easy sail, about -fifteen miles off Basse Terre, a large sail, which appeared to be a French -frigate, was sighted to the southward. Jarvis went aloft two ratlines at -a time, his heart bounding with joy at the prospect of the chance of a -fight. - -On assuring himself that she was a large ship, Captain Truxton immediately -set all sail and took a course which soon brought her hull above the -horizon and showed the Americans beyond a doubt that she was a ship-of-war -of heavier metal than the "Constellation." Nothing daunted, Truxton bore -on his course until the gun-streaks of the other vessel could be plainly -seen. Instead of showing the same desire to speak, the stranger held on, -pointing a little off his course, as though anxious to avoid an encounter. - -But the breeze, which had been light, now died away altogether, and the -sea became calm. There the two great vessels drifted in sight of each -other all night and part of the following day, awaiting the wind which -would enable them to close. Jarvis was in a fever of impatience. A half -a dozen times he got permission from the officer of the deck, and with -a telescope almost as long as himself, clambered up to the main-royal -to report. There was but one opinion among the midshipmen who went -aloft,--she was a Frenchman. She _could not_ be anything else. - -About two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, up to the northward -they saw the ripple on the water of the wind they had been waiting for. -The sail-loosers flew aloft, and every sail was spread to catch it. Soon -the "Constellation" was pushing her way through the water, and the foam -was even flying from the wave-tops here and there. The chase had caught -the breeze at about the same time, and the Americans could see by the -line of white under her bow that she was beginning to leg it at a handsome -rate. But the "Constellation" was in excellent condition for a race, and -by degrees drew up on the other ship, which as they reached her was seen -to lie very low in the water, as though deep-laden. They were sure to -discover who she was before nightfall, so Truxton cleared his ship for -action. Jarvis went aloft to his top and saw the backstays lashed and the -preventer-braces securely hooked and rove. Extra muskets were carried up -into his top for the use of the jackies and marines when they should come -into close quarters, for then the fire of sharpshooters would be almost -as valuable as the shots of the great guns. - -Their work had been over an hour and the sun had set in a clear sky before -the "Constellation" drew up to gunshot distance. It was moonlight before -she came within effective range. The battle-lanterns were lit, and the -long row of lights on the Frenchman showed that he, too, was prepared -for fight. The sky was clear, and the moon, which was nearly at the full, -made the outlines of the vessels perfectly visible to the men at the guns. -Jarvis, from his post aloft, could plainly see the lines of heads along -the poop, and fancied that he could make out a midshipman almost as young -as he, who was clambering about the maintop of the other vessel. He heard -the beating of a drum and the sound of cheers as the Frenchmen moved to -their quarters. - -On the decks below there was not a sound. Truxton had given his men -their orders. There was to be no cheering until there was something to -cheer for. They were to await the order to fire until the enemy was close -aboard, and then, and not until then, was the broadside to be delivered. -The division-officers had gone about quietly repeating these commands -to the gun-captains, and there was nothing further to say. Only to wait -until the battle began. Jarvis repeated to his topmen, word for word, the -instructions he had received, that in their aim particular attention was -to be paid to the officers of the enemy. - -Soon a gun from the after-battery of the Frenchman was fired. This was -followed shortly by all the guns that would bear. Some of the shots -crashed into the hull of the "Constellation," and one of them killed -several men. The division-officers glanced appealingly to Truxton, in -the hope of the order to fire; but he merely held up his hand. Again the -broadside came, and men seemed to be falling everywhere. The strain below -and aloft was terrific. But the officers stood steadily, with a word of -encouragement here and there, and the men did not flinch. - -[Illustration: THE "CONSTELLATION" AND THE "VENGEANCE"] - -At last the "Constellation" came abreast the after-ports of the Frenchman, -and Truxton, throwing her off a little, so that all his broadside would -bear in a diagonal direction, loudly shouted the order to fire. - -The telling broadside was delivered, and the battle was on in earnest. -To those aloft the crash of the long eighteens into the hull of the -enemy at every other downward roll of the "Constellation" showed how -well the American gunners had learned to shoot, while the short bark of -the cannonades and the shrieks in the brief pauses from the decks of the -Frenchman told of the terrible effects of the fire among the enemy. The -guns of the Frenchman were well served and rapidly fired, but they were -aiming on the upward roll of the sea, and their shots went high. Several -balls from the smaller pieces had lodged in the foremast and mainmast, -and one had struck just below the futtock-band of the maintop, where -Jarvis was, and sent the splinters flying up and all about him. Yard-arm -to yard-arm they sailed for three long, bloody hours, until the firing -of the Frenchman gradually slackened and then stopped almost altogether. -The Americans had suffered less on the decks than aloft, and Jarvis's -topmen were employed most of the time in splicing and re-reeving gear. -The discharge of the "Constellation's" broadside-guns did not diminish -for a moment, and so fast was the firing that many of the guns became -overheated, and the men had to crawl out of the exposed ports to draw up -buckets of water to cool them. - -At about midnight Truxton managed to draw ahead of his adversary in the -smoke, and, taking a raking position, sent in such a broadside that the -Frenchman was silenced completely. - -Jarvis and the men in the maintop had little time to use their muskets. -Several long shots had struck the mast, and almost every shroud and -backstay had been carried away. As the "Constellation" bore down upon her -adversary to deal her the death-blow, the mast began swaying frightfully. -There was a cry from the men at Jarvis's side, and the marines and topmen -began dropping through the lubber's-hole, swinging themselves down the -sides of the swaying mast by whatever gear they could lay their hands to. - -Jarvis did not move. One of the older seamen took him by the shoulder and -urged him to go below. The mast was going, he said, and it meant certain -death to stay aloft. - -Little Jarvis smiled at him. "This is my post of duty," he replied, "and -I am going to stay here until ordered below." - -At this moment a terrific crackling was heard, and the old man-o'-warsman -went over the edge of the top. All the strain was on one or two of the -shrouds, and, just as he reached the deck, with a tremendous crash the -great mast went over the side. - -Jarvis had kept his promise to stay by his mast whether it was up or down. - -The Frenchman, not so badly injured aloft, took advantage of the condition -of the "Constellation," and, slowly making sail before the wreck was -cleared away, faded into the night. It was afterwards discovered that she -was the "Vengeance," of fifty-two guns. She succeeded in reaching Curacoa -in a sinking condition. - -When the news of the fight reached home, Congress gave Truxton a medal -and a sword, and prize money to the officers and crew. - -For little Jarvis, the midshipman, who preferred to die at his post, -Congress passed a special resolution, which read: - -"_Resolved_, That the conduct of James Jarvis, a midshipman in said -frigate, who gloriously preferred certain death to an abandonment of -his post, is deserving of the highest praise, and that the loss of so -promising an officer is a subject of national regret." - -History does not show an instance of nobler self-sacrifice, and no such -honor as this special act of Congress was received by a boy before or -since. - - - - -CUSHING AND THE "ALBEMARLE" - - -Although the Civil War furnished many instances of conspicuous gallantry, -so many that most of them remain to-day comparatively unknown, none -was more notable than the torpedo exploit of Lieutenant William Barker -Cushing. There have been several similar expeditions in our naval -history. Before Tripoli, Richard Somers made the ill-fated attempt -with the "Intrepid," and in the war with Spain, Richmond Hobson sunk -the "Merrimac." There is no question that the personal and sentimental -aspects of these three hazardous enterprises are similar. All three men -were young, and each one knew that he took his life in his hands. Somers, -rather than be captured with his powder, destroyed both his ship and -himself. Hobson sunk the "Merrimac," but did not succeed in getting her -athwart the channel. Cushing, in a torpedo-launch, went under the guns of -the enemy, and escaped both death and imprisonment. On the enemy the moral -effect of all three exploits must have been the same. Professionally, -Cushing's exploit has just this distinction: he was successful. Like -Decatur in the recapture of the "Philadelphia," he carried out in every -detail the plans he had made. And upon his success the way was opened -for the Union fleet, and the hopes of the Confederates fled, for only two -seaports in the South--Charleston and Wilmington--remained open to them. - -After the great success of the "Merrimac" in Hampton Roads, the -Confederates determined to construct a vessel of similar design for use -in the Southern rivers and sounds. Under great difficulties they built -the "Albemarle" on the Roanoke River, and carried her into action almost -before the last rivet was driven. She was a formidable craft in those -days, and the shots from the vessels of the Northern fleet went harmlessly -against her iron sides to break and fly into a thousand pieces. On the -5th of May the "Albemarle" had another fight with a larger fleet of Union -vessels, which had gathered to hem in and disable her. During the action -the "Sassacus" saw an opportunity to ram her, and, going ahead at full -speed, struck the ram a terrific blow amidships. The bow of the "Sassacus" -was literally torn to pieces by the impact, and the "Albemarle," though -heeling over and in danger of sinking for a time, finally righted and -pulled out of the action uninjured, but by no means disabled. All of the -vessels of the squadron kept up a heavy fire upon her, but she went on to -her anchorage up the river, where a few repairs made her as good as ever. - -It looked to the Unionists as though the story of the "Merrimac" with -the "Congress" and the "Cumberland" was about to be repeated; that the -"Albemarle" in course of time would come down at her leisure and destroy -all Northern vessels in those waters. To make matters worse, the Unionists -learned that another vessel of a similar type was nearly completed, and -that the two vessels would attack at the same time,--a combination which, -with their consorts, seemed irresistible. Something had to be done if the -command of the sounds of the Carolinas was to remain with the navy of the -North. - -But during the summer of 1864 two steam launches rigged up as -torpedo-boats, the invention of Engineer J. L. Long, were fitted out at -New York and brought down through the canals to Albemarle Sound. The bows -of the boats were cut under and decked over, and the engines were so built -that when covered and moving at a low rate of speed they made little or -no noise. A spar ten or fifteen feet long, which carried a torpedo and a -firing attachment, projected forward over the bow, and a small howitzer -was also mounted forward where it would be useful to repel attack. - -The government had decided to make a night attempt on the "Albemarle," -and the honor of the command of the expedition was bestowed on Lieutenant -Cushing, who had half a dozen times before received the thanks of the -secretary of the navy for gallantry in action off Cape Fear River. - -The expedition was favored by the inactivity of the Confederates. The -"Albemarle" lay alongside the dock at Plymouth awaiting the completion of -her sister-ship, but this needless delay gave Cushing the opportunity he -wanted. - -The Confederates were fully aware of the plans of the Unionist's navy, and -a thousand soldiers remained to guard the "Albemarle" from land attack as -well as to act as sentries for a distance along the river bank. To provide -against torpedoes, a line of great cypress logs was boomed off her sides -at a distance of twenty to thirty feet, so that it seemed impossible to -come within striking distance. Besides this, the smaller guns of the ram -were trained up and down the river,--which here was but one hundred and -fifty yards wide,--to sweep the entire area over which the attacking party -had to pass. - -But Cushing, like Decatur, rejoiced at obstacles. He was only twenty-one, -but he carried a man's head on his broad shoulders, and the planning -of such an expedition down to the smallest detail was a task which he -entered into with judgment and enthusiasm, ingredients as rare as they -are necessary in such a desperate enterprise. - -After a week spent in preparation and experiment, the gunboat "Otsego" -brought the launch to the mouth of the river, where Cushing cast off and -pointed his bow toward Plymouth, towing a cutter full of armed men, who -were to capture, if possible, a Confederate guard,--which had been set -in a schooner near the sunken "Southfield,"--to prevent their giving the -alarm. But the expedition started badly, for the launch ran aground on -a bar. Before Cushing could float her again it was too late to make the -attempt. Cushing and his boat's crews then returned to the "Otsego." - -The next night was black and squally, with occasional showers of rain. -They could only make out the loom of the shore by straining their eyes -into the darkness. Cushing was as cool as though taking shore-liberty. As -he shook hands with the "Otsego's" officers he paused at the gangway to -say, with a laugh,-- - -"Well, here goes for another stripe or a coffin." - -They crept slowly up the river, keeping close to the bank, under the -shadow of the reeds and trees. The little engine, covered with tarpaulins, -made so little sound that the men in the cutter towing astern could hardly -hear it. There was not a sound except the plashing of the gusts of rain -and the ripple of the water as the little craft moved steadily on. Cushing -knew he must be passing some of the pickets now, so not a word even in -whispers was spoken. Every man had his duty and knew when to do it. Acting -Ensign William Howarth was aft at Cushing's side. Acting Master's Mate -John Woodman, who knew the river, was next to him. The other officers were -Acting Master's Mate Thomas S. Gay, Acting Assistant-Paymaster Francis H. -Swan, and Acting Third-Assistant-Engineers Charles L. Steever and William -Stotesbury. - -By half-past two A.M., about a mile below Plymouth, where the "Albemarle" -lay, they came upon the submerged "Southfield," and could just make out -the lines of the guard-schooner. The machinery of the launch was slowed, -almost stopped, for Cushing had decided to get by her if he could without -a fight. It was a moment of utmost anxiety, and every man was prepared for -the attack. But there was no sign of discovery from the schooners, and in -ten minutes the little expedition had passed up the river in safety. - -But only the first danger of discovery was over. Between the "Southfield" -and Plymouth the bank was guarded by a double line of sentries, and the -men in the boats, now moving more quickly, could see the red glare of -the smouldering fires reaching all the way to town. As they came to the -point beyond which the ram was lying, they found, to their delight, that -the fires which should have been brightly burning were smouldering in -the rain. There was no sign of a man to be made out anywhere, and Cushing -pushed on directly for the "Albemarle," which he could now see plainly as -she lay at the wharf, grim and menacing, but without a sign of life. - -Suddenly from the shore there came the sharp bark of a dog. To the ears -of Cushing and his men in the deep silence and anxiety of the moment it -sounded like the report of a Dahlgren. There was a cry from a sentry and a -challenge, followed by a musket-shot, and the bullet flew over the boats -and struck the water fifty feet away with a vicious _ping_ that sounded -not less loud than the report itself. There was another challenge, and in -a moment the cries came from everywhere. Other dogs began barking, and it -seemed as though the whole town was aroused. The sentries on both sides -of the stream threw inflammable material on the smouldering fires, and in -a moment the river was as bright as day. - -Realizing that further concealment was useless, Cushing himself cast off -the towline of the cutter, and telling the men in her to row for their -lives, gave the engineer the order, "Four bells, ahead full speed," -setting the nose of the launch directly for the ram. The sparks flew up -from her stack, and the dark water churned up in masses of foam under her -stern, as like a sentient thing she leaped forward on her deadly mission. -It was then that Cushing discovered for the first time the line of torpedo -booms which guarded the ram. In facing the musketry-fire and the great -guns of their enormous adversary the task of getting close enough to reach -her seemed impossible. - -Cushing knew that if he was to get over the log booms he must strike -them fair; then perhaps he could slide over within striking distance. He -shifted his helm, and making a wide sweep out into the stream, gathered -all the headway he could and came down into the very jaws of the great -monster. A tremendous volley from the shot-guns and muskets of the -sentries greeted them, and Paymaster Swan was wounded. Cushing received -a charge of buckshot in the back of his coat and had the sole of his shoe -torn off, but these were the only shots which took effect. - -Cushing here shouted, in a loud voice, "Leave the ram; we're going to blow -you up!" hoping to create a panic. But the Confederates continued firing, -and succeeded in getting in two howitzer-shots, one of which felled a -man by Cushing's side. At this moment, Gay, up forward in the launch, -took careful aim with the howitzer, and sent a charge in the midst of the -Confederate crew. Then with a slight jar the sled-like bow rose on the -boom. She balanced a second, and slid over within the enclosure, half full -of water, but within reaching distance. - -One of the great guns of the "Albemarle," a hundred-pounder, protruded -from a broadside port directly in front of them, and they could see the -gun-crew frantically training the gun and trying to depress the muzzle -enough to bear on them. It was a matter of seconds now. Who would fire -first? Cushing had lowered the torpedo-spar, and as soon as he had it well -under the overhang he detached it, then waited until he heard the torpedo -strike the hull, when he pulled the trigger-line. He was not a fraction -of a second too soon, for the two concussions were almost simultaneous. -There was a muffled roar from below the great vessel, and a column of -water shot out from under her as she lifted on the wave. The shock of the -hundred-pounder was terrific, and it seemed as if the frail launch had -been blown to pieces. But Cushing had been too quick for them. The charge -of canister passed a few feet over their heads and scattered in the river -beyond. - -The work of the gallant crew was done. Cushing had made a hole in the -"Albemarle" large enough to have driven a wagon through. The great -wave of the torpedo rose and went completely over the launch, swamping -her alongside and throwing her men into the water. All of them got to -the booms safely. Here Cushing paused a moment to throw off his outer -clothing, while the Confederates on the banks were shouting to the men to -surrender. Several of them, being unable to swim, did so; but Cushing, -calling to the others to follow him, plunged boldly into the water and -struck off down the stream. He was a powerful swimmer, but the night was -cold, and he knew that he could not keep up very long. But he swam for -half an hour, and he came upon Woodman in the middle of the stream, almost -exhausted. Though almost entirely fagged out himself, he tried to help the -mate towards the shore. Finding that he was being pulled down and unable -to save the other, Cushing struggled on, and reached the shoal water more -dead than alive. Here he lay among the reeds until dawn, when he learned -from a negro how complete had been his success. At last, after almost -twenty-four hours' exposure, he succeeded in finding one of the enemy's -deserted picket-skiffs, and managed under cover of the second night to -pull off to the Federal "Valley City," which he reached at eleven o'clock -at night, and was hauled aboard completely exhausted from his labor and -exposure. Only one other of his crew reached a place of safety. Woodman -and Samuel Higgins, the fireman, were drowned. The others went ashore and -surrendered or were captured. - -This service, because of the great benefit to the Union cause and the -daring manner in which it had been performed, made Cushing the hero of -the year. Congress passed a vote of thanks and promoted him to the rank -of lieutenant-commander, which he held until 1872, when he became a -commander. - -He did not long enjoy his honors, for two years later he died of brain -fever, in Washington, at the age of thirty-two. Had he lived he would have -been but fifty-six years of age at the outbreak of the war with Spain, -and would have been one of the ranking officers in active service of the -new navy. - - - - -SOMERS AND THE "INTREPID" - - -Among the young officers of Commodore Preble's squadron before Tripoli -there was a tall, dark, melancholy-looking fellow of about twenty-five. -His name was Richard Somers and his command was the "Nautilus," a little -schooner of twelve guns and a hundred men. He had been with Decatur -and Stewart, a junior officer on Commodore Barry's "United States" in -the war with Spain, and the friendship formed in those early days had -been cemented by a score of thrilling adventures which had drawn them -more closely together than brothers. Charles Stewart, before Decatur's -promotion to post-captain, had been the second in command to Preble, -and his vessel, the "Siren," had taken a prominent part in all the many -actions with the Tripolitan forts and gunboats. He was a year or so older -than his companions and had drifted a little away from them. But Decatur -and Somers were inseparable. Some bond outside of mere professional -sympathy and environment existed between them, and there seemed to be no -thought of the one that the other did not share. The difference in their -temperaments was marked. Decatur was bold, domineering, and impetuous. -Somers was quiet, mild, and ever avoided the quarrel which Decatur too -often sought. But under the quiet exterior men had found a will like iron -and the willingness to dare and do anything that came within the province -of his profession. He was thoughtful, but not so quiet that he could not -enter into the gayety of the mess; he was mild, but not so mild that he -would overlook shortcomings among his men or brook any slight upon his -office or his reputation. - -In the old days on the "United States" there happened an affair which -immediately established his reputation as an officer and a man. At first -he was not understood. His brother midshipmen, mistaking the reserve of -his manner for weakness, did not hesitate before they had been aboard with -him a month to take advantage of him in the steerage and on deck in every -possible way. Not only did they slight him, but, after the manner of the -cadet midshipman of recent years, they made him the butt of most of their -practical jokes below-decks. Somers stood it for a while in silence. He -dearly loved peace, and, beyond a good-humored protest, let everything -pass for what it was worth. But as the weeks went by and the bantering -continued, instead of laughing it off as before, Somers became more and -more quiet and self-contained. - -Decatur, ever humorous and mischief-making, had himself been one of the -worst to chaff his comrade; but he knew what Somers' silence meant, and -he desisted. He had been his school-mate in Philadelphia, and he had seen -that ominous quiet before. Decatur would have fought for him to the last -drop of his blood, but he felt that his comrade was well able to look out -for himself. - -Somers went about his duties quietly, never giving a sign that there was -anything upon his mind until the day before coming into port, then he went -to Decatur, and said,-- - -"Stephen, to-morrow I want you to go ashore with me, for I am going to -meet three men." - -The next afternoon a cutter containing Somers, Decatur, and three -midshipmen, with their seconds, went ashore and found a secluded spot upon -the beach where they would be free from interference. He had challenged -all three to fight at the same time and would take them in succession. - -In the first two duels Somers received two shots in the body, the latter -one of which caused him to sink upon the sand as though dangerously hurt; -but he rallied quickly, and, seeing that the third midshipman was standing -waiting to see if the battle could be continued, he tried to struggle to -his feet. He found he could not get up, and Decatur offered to take his -place and receive the fire of the third midshipman. But Somers, though -suffering greatly, was not to be deterred, and bade Decatur prop him up -in a sitting posture, in which position he exchanged shots with the third -man. Fortunately, none of the injuries resulted fatally, and in a few -weeks Somers was on deck again. He went about his duties as quietly as -before, but never after that did they call him milksop. - -It was Somers who led one division of the gunboats to attack the -Tripolitan fleet while Decatur was leading the other. Finding that he -could not reach them by the eastern entrance, he sailed into the northern -entrance of the harbor and single-handed boldly sent his little vessel -into the midst of five of the enemy. His gunboat was smaller than any one -of those of his adversaries; but so well was his long gun served and so -true was the fire of his musketry that he held them at bay for half an -hour, and not one of them succeeded in getting alongside of him to board. -They were all bearing straight down upon the rocks, though, and Somers -could not spare enough men from the guns to man his sweeps. But Preble, -on the "Constitution," saw his danger, and, coming up in time, sent a -broadside of grape among the pirates, and they got out their sweeps and -retreated, when, in spite of the doggedness of the defence, one united -attack would have made the victory theirs. But as they drew off, instead -of returning, as Preble wished, to the "Constitution," Somers pursued them -until within less than a cable's length of a twelve-gun battery, which -had not fired before for fear of damaging the fleeing Tripolitans. When -she opened fire at this close range the destruction of Somers's valiant -little vessel seemed inevitable. But by a lucky chance a bombard exploded -in the battery, blew up the platform, and drove the Tripolitans to cover. - -Before they could recover and train their guns, Somers managed to bring -his craft out in safety. In a later action, as Somers stood leaning -against a flag-staff on his little vessel, a shot came directly for him. -The officer saw it in time, and jumped aside to see the spar carried away -at just the spot where his head had been. He was spared for more deadly -work. - -While these many attacks were being made upon the gunboats and batteries, -the "Intrepid," in which Decatur had recaptured and destroyed the -"Philadelphia," was being rapidly prepared as a fire-ship. Their plan was -to load her with a hundred barrels of powder in bulk, with bags of grape -and solid shot, and under cover of the night explode her in the midst of -the Tripolitan war-vessels. Somers, who had been frequently in the harbor -of Tripoli and knew its reefs and rocks so that he could readily thread -his way through the narrow channels, asked for the opportunity to command -this expedition. But Decatur's success in boarding the "Philadelphia" -had raised the chivalry of every officer and man in the fleet to a point -rarely equalled in our own history, and Somers, while he did not begrudge -Decatur his two epaulettes, was filled with the passion to do a deed as -great, if not greater. They had been rivals since youth, and he felt that -now was the opportunity to attempt a great deed for his country, though -he and every man in the fleet knew that the chances of coming out alive -were but one in a hundred. Somers went to Commodore Preble and urged -his knowledge of the harbor as his chief claim to the service. It was an -honor that a half-dozen other men sought, and not until the old commodore -had weighed the chances fully did he at last agree to let Somers go. -But, before consenting, Preble repeatedly warned the young officer of -the desperate character of the work, and told him that on account of the -Napoleonic wars the Tripolitans were short of ammunition, and that so -much powder must not fall into the hands of the enemy. But Somers needed -no warning. A day or two afterwards, when the preparations were nearly -completed, Preble and some other officers were trying a fuse in the cabin -of the "Constitution." One of the officers, watch in hand, ventured the -opinion that it burned too long and might enable the enemy to put it out -before it exploded the magazine. Hearing this, Somers said, quietly,-- - -"I ask for no fuse at all." - -He was more gentle than ever in those last few days, and as he and Decatur -leaned over the hammock-nettings of "Old Ironsides," looking towards -the line of white where the sea was breaking over the outer roofs, the -melancholy look seemed to deepen and the far-away expression in his eyes -was of another world. Decatur knew that rather than give up his ship and -his powder, Somers would blow the ship and himself to eternity. - -When volunteers were called for, the desperateness of the enterprise -was fully explained; but the crew of the "Nautilus," Somers's own vessel -stepped forward to a man. He selected four,--James Simms, Thomas Tompline, -James Harris, and William Keith. From the "Constitution" he took William -Harrison, Robert Clark, Hugh McCormick, Jacob Williams, Peter Penner, and -Isaac Downes. Midshipman Henry Wadsworth (an uncle of the poet Longfellow) -was chosen as second in command. Midshipman Joseph Israel, having vainly -pleaded with Somers to be allowed to go, at the last moment smuggled -himself aboard the "Intrepid," and when discovered Somers had not the -heart to send him back. - -Decatur and Stewart went aboard the "Nautilus" on the evening that the -attempt had been planned. The three had been so closely united all their -lives that Stewart and Decatur felt the seriousness of the moment. Even -professionally the attempt seemed almost foolhardy, for several Tripolitan -vessels had come to anchor just within the entrance, and to pass them -even at night seemed an impossibility. Somers felt a premonition of his -impending catastrophe, for just as they were about to return to their own -vessels he took a ring from his finger and, breaking it into three pieces, -gave each of them a part, retaining the third for himself. - -As soon as the night fell the "Intrepid" cast off her lines and went -slowly up towards the harbor. The "Argus," the "Vixen," and the "Nautilus" -followed her, while shortly afterwards Stewart on the "Siren" became so -anxious that he followed, too. A haze that had come up when the sun went -down hung heavily over the water, and soon the lines of the fire-ship -became a mere gray blur against the dark coast-line beyond. The excitement -upon the guard-ships now became intense, and both officers and men climbed -the rigging and leaned out in the chains in the hope of being able to -follow the movements of the ketch. Midshipman Ridgley, on the "Nautilus," -by the aid of a powerful night-glass aloft, managed to follow her until -she got well within the harbor, and then she vanished. The suspense soon -became almost unbearable, for not a shot had been fired and not a sound -came from the direction in which she had gone. At about nine o'clock a -half-dozen cannon-shots could be plainly heard, and even the knowledge -that she had been discovered and was being fired on was a relief from the -awful silence. - -At about ten o'clock Stewart was standing at the gangway of the "Siren," -with Lieutenant Carrol, when the latter, craning his neck out into the -night, suddenly exclaimed,-- - -"Look! See the light!" - -Stewart saw away up the harbor a speck of light, as if from a lantern, -which moved rapidly, as though it were being carried by some one running -along a deck. Then it paused and disappeared from view. In a second a -tremendous flame shot up hundreds of feet into the air, and the glare -of it was so intense that it seemed close aboard. The flash and shock -were so stupendous that the guard-ships, though far out to sea, trembled -and shivered like the men who watched and were blinded. The sound of -the explosion which followed seemed to shake sea and sky. It was like a -hundred thunder-claps, and they could hear the echoes of it go rolling -down across the water until it was swallowed up in the silence of the -night. - -That was all. The officers and the men looked at one another in mute -horror. Could anything have lived in the area of that dreadful explosion? -The tension upon the men of the little fleet was almost at the breaking -point. Every eye was strained towards the harbor and every ear caught -eagerly at the faintest sound. Officers and men frequently asked one -another the question, "Have you heard anything yet?" with always the same -reply. - -The vessels beat to and fro between the harbor-entrances, firing rockets -and guns for the guidance of possible fugitives. And the doleful sound -of that gun made the silences the more depressing. All night long did the -fleet keep vigil, but not a shot, a voice, or even a splash came from the -harbor. - -With the first streaks of dawn the Americans were aloft with their -glasses. On the rocks at the northern entrance, through which the -"Intrepid" had passed, they saw a mast and fragments of vessels. When -the mist cleared they saw that one of the enemy's largest gunboats had -disappeared and two others were so badly shattered that they lay upon the -shore for repairs. - -The details of the occurrence were never actually known, but it is thought -that Somers, being laid aboard by three gunboats before actually in the -midst of the shipping, and feeling himself overpowered, fired his magazine -and destroyed himself and his own men in his avowed purpose not to be -taken by the enemy. - -Thus died Richard Somers, Henry Wadsworth, the midshipman, Joseph Israel, -and ten American seamen, whose names have been inscribed on the navy's -roll of fame. Nothing can dim the honor of a man who dies willingly for -his country. - - - - -THE PASSING OF THE OLD NAVY - - -OLD SALTS AND NEW SAILORS - -Since ballad-mongering began, the sea and the men who go down to it in -ships have been a fruitful theme; and the conventional song-singing, -horn-piping tar of the chanteys is a creature of fancy, pure and simple. - -Jack is as honest as any man. Aboard ship he goes about his duties -willingly, a creature of habit and environment, with a goodly respect for -his "old man" and the articles of war. Ashore he is an innocent,--a brand -for the burning, with a half-month's pay and a devouring thirst. - -Sailor-men all over the world are the same, and will be throughout all -time, except in so far as their life is improved by new conditions. Though -Jack aboard ship is the greatest grumbler in the world, ashore he loves -all the world, and likes to be taken for the sailor of the songs. In a -week he will spend the earnings of many months, and go back aboard ship, -sadder, perhaps, but never a wiser man. - -He seldom makes resolutions, however, and so, when anchor takes ground -again, his money leaves him with the same merry clink as before. Though -a Bohemian and a nomad, he does not silently steal away, like the Arab. -His goings, like his comings, are accompanied with much carousing and -song-singing; and the sweetheart he leaves gets to know that wiving is -not for him. With anchor atrip and helm alee, Jack mourns not, no matter -whither bound. - -The improved conditions on the modern men-of-war have changed things for -him somewhat, and, though still impregnated with old ideas, Jack is more -temperate, more fore-sighted, and more self-reliant than he once was. His -lapses of discipline and his falls from grace are less frequent than of -yore, for he has to keep an eye to windward if he expects to win any of -the benefits that are generously held out to the hard-working, sober, and -deserving. - -But the bitterness of the old days is barely disguised in the jollity of -the chanteys. However we take it, the sea-life is a hardship the like of -which no land-lubber knows. Stories of the trials of the merchant service -come to him now and then and open his eyes to the real conditions of the -service. - -Men are greater brutes at sea than ashore. The one-man power, absolute, -supreme in the old days, when all license was free and monarchies trod -heavily on weak necks, led men to deeds of violence and death, whenever -violence and death seemed the easiest methods of enforcing discipline. Men -were knocked down hatchways, struck with belaying-pins, made to toe the -seam on small provocation or on no provocation at all. The old-fashioned -sea-yarns of Captain Marryat ring true as far as they go, but they do not -go far enough. - -In England the great frigates were generally both under-manned and -badly victualled, and the cruises were long and sickening. The practice -of medicine had not reached the dignity of the precise science it is -to-day, and the surgeon's appliances were rude and roughly manipulated. -Anaesthetics were unknown, and after the battles, the slaughter in which -was sometimes terrific, many a poor chap was sent to his last account by -unwise amputation or bad treatment after the operation. - -The water frequently became putrid, and this, with the lack of fresh -vegetables and the over use of pork, brought on the disease called scurvy, -which oftentimes wiped out entire crews in its deadly ravages. Every year -thousands of men were carried off by it. A far greater number died from -the effects of scurvy than from the enemy's fire. Lieutenant Kelly says -that during the Seven Years' War but one thousand five hundred and twelve -seamen and marines were killed, but one hundred and thirty-three thousand -died of disease or were reported missing. Not until the beginning of this -century was this dreadful evil ameliorated. - -The evils of impressment and the work of the crimp and his gang--so -infamous in England--had no great vogue here, for the reason that, during -our wars of 1776 and 1812, the good seamen--coasters and fishermen, who -had suffered most from the Lion--were only too anxious to find a berth -on an American man-of-war, where they could do yeoman's service against -their cruel oppressor. - -"Keel-hauling" and the "cat" were relics of the barbarism of the old -English navy. Keel-hauling was an extreme punishment, for the unfortunate -rarely, if ever, survived the ordeal. In brief, it consisted in sending -the poor sailor-man on a voyage of discovery along the keel of the vessel. -Trussed like a fowl, he was lowered over the bows of the ship and hauled -along underneath her until he made his appearance at the stern, half or -wholly drowned, and terribly cut all over the body by the sea-growth on -the ship's bottom. He bled in every part from the cuts of the barnacles; -but "this was considered rather advantageous than otherwise, as the loss -of blood restored the patient, if he were not quite drowned, and the -consequence was that one out of three, it is said, have been known to -recover from their enforced submarine excursion." - -Think of it! Recovery was not anticipated, but if the victim got well, -the officer in command made no objection! Beside the brutality of these -old English navy bullies a barbarous Hottentot chief would be an angel of -mercy. - -Flogging and the use of the cat were abolished in the American navy -in 1805. This law meant the use of the cat-o'-nine tails as a regular -punishment, but did not prohibit blows to enforce immediate obedience. -Before that time it was a common practice for the punishment of minor -offences as well as the more serious ones. - -Flogging in the old days was an affair of much ceremony on board -men-of-war. The entire ship's company was piped on deck for the -punishment, and the culprit, stripped to the waist, was brought to the -mast. The boatswain's mate, cat in hand, stood by the side of a suspended -grating in the gangway, and the captain, officer of the deck, and the -surgeon took their posts opposite him. The offence and the sentence were -then read, and the stripes were administered on the bare back of the -offender, a petty officer standing by to count the blows of the lash, -while the doctor, with his hand on the victim's pulse, was ready to give -the danger signal when absolutely necessary. - -The men bore it in different ways. The old hands gritted their teeth -philosophically, but the younger men frequently shrieked in their agony as -the pitiless lash wound itself around the tender flesh, raising at first -livid red welts, and afterwards lacerating the flesh and tearing the back -into bloody seams. - -The effect upon the lookers-on was varied. The younger officers, newly -come from well-ordered English homes, frequently fainted at the sight. -But the horror of the spectacle soon died away, and before many weeks had -passed, with hardened looks, they stood on the quarter-deck and watched -the performance amusedly. Soon the spectacle got to be a part of their -life, and the jokes were many and the laughter loud at the victim's -expense. The greater the suffering the more pleasurable the excitement. - -Many yarns are spun of Jack's tricks to avoid the lash or to reduce to a -minimum the pain of the blows. Sometimes the men had their flogging served -to them regularly, but in small doses. To these the punishment lost its -rigor. For the boatswain's mate not infrequently disguised the force of -his blows, which came lightly enough, though the victim bawled vigorously -to keep up the deception, and in the "three- and four-dozen" cases he -sometimes tempered his blows to the physical condition of the sufferers, -who otherwise would have swooned with the pain. - -One Jacky, who thought himself wiser than his fellows, in order to escape -his next dozen, had a picture of a crucifix tattooed over the whole -surface of his back, and under it a legend, which intimated that blows -upon the image would be a sacrilege. When next he was brought before the -mast he showed it to the boatswain and his captain. The captain, a crusty -barnacle of the old harsh school, smiled grimly. - -"Don't desecrate the picture, bos'n," he said; "we will respect this -man's religious scruples. You may put on his shirt," he said, chuckling -to himself, "but remove his trousers, bos'n, and give him a dozen extra. -And lay them on religiously, bos'n." - -All this was in the older days, and it was never so bad in the American as -in the English navy. The middle period of the American navy, from before -the Civil War to the age of iron and steel cruisers, presents an entirely -different aspect in some ways. - -Illegal punishments were still inflicted, for there were always then, -as now, a certain percentage of ruffians forward who were amenable to -no discipline, and could be managed only by meeting them with their own -weapons. The "spread-eagle" and the ride on the "gray mare" were still -resorted to to compel obedience. - -They "spread-eagled" a man by tricing him up inside the rigging, taut -lines holding his arms and legs outstretched to the farthest shrouds, a -bight of rope passed around his body preventing too great a strain. He -was gagged, and so he could not answer back. - -The "gray mare" on which the obstreperous were forced to gallop was the -spanker-boom--the long spar that extends far over the water at the ship's -stern. By casting loose the sheets, the boom rolled briskly from side to -side, and the lonely horseman was forced in this perilous position to hold -himself by digging his nails into the soft wood or swinging to any of the -gear that flew into his reach. At best it was not a safe saddle, and a -rough sea made it worse than a bucking broncho. - -[Illustration: THE SMOKING HOUR] - -Paul Jones had a neat way of disciplining his midshipmen aloft. He would -go to the rail himself, and casting loose the halyards, let the yard go -down with a run, to the young gentleman's great discomfiture. - -But the life of the old salt was not all bitterness. It was not all -shore-leave, but there was skittles now and then for the deserving and -good-conduct men. Jack's pleasures were simple, as they are to-day. There -was never a crew that did not have its merry chanter and its flute, -fiddle, or guitar, or the twice-told tale of the ship's Methuselah to -entertain the dog-watches of the evening or the smoking-hour and make a -break in the dreary monotony of routine. - -On public holidays, when everything was snug at sea or in port, a glorious -skylark was the order of the afternoon. At the call of the bos'n's mate, -"All hands frolic," rigorous discipline was suspended, and the men turned -to with a will to make the day one to be talked about. Mast-head-races, -potato- and sack-races, climbing the greased pole, and rough horse-play -and man-handling filled the afternoon until hammocks were piped down -and the watch was set. Purses from the wardroom and prizes of rum and -tobacco--luxuries dear to Jack's heart--were the incentives to vigorous -athletics and rough buffoonery. The rigging was filled from netting to -top with the rough, jesting figures, and cheer upon cheer and laugh upon -laugh greeted a successful bout or fortunate sally. - -Jack is a child at the best of times and at the worst, and he takes his -pleasures with the zest of a boy of seven, laughing and making merry until -he falls to the deck from very weariness. And woe be at these merry times -to the shipmate who has no sense of humor. His day is a hideous one, -for he is hazed and bullied until he is forced in self-defence to seek -the seclusion granted by the nethermost part of the hold. A practical -joker always, when discipline is lax, Jack's boisterous humor knows no -restraint. - -The ceremony of "crossing the line," the boarding of the ship by Neptune -and his court, seems almost as old as ships, and is honored even to-day, -when much of the romantic seems to have passed out of sea-life. It is the -time when the deep-sea sailor has the better of his cousin of the coasts. -Every man who crossed the equator for the first time had to pay due honor -to the god of the seas. They exacted it, too, among the whalers when they -crossed the Arctic Circle. - -[Illustration: NEPTUNE COMES ABOARD] - -The wardroom usually bought off in rum, money, or tobacco, but forward -it was the roughest kind of rough man-handling; and the victims were -happy indeed when they got their deep-water credentials. The details of -procedure in this remarkable rite differed somewhat on different ships, -but the essential elements of play and torture were the same in all cases. - -The day before the line was to be reached both wardroom and forecastle -would receive a manifesto setting forth the intention of the god of the -seas to honor their poor craft and ordering all those who had not paid -tribute to him to gather forward to greet him as he came over the side. At -the hour appointed there was a commotion forward, and a figure, wearing -a pasteboard crown that surmounted a genial red face adorned with oakum -whiskers, made its appearance over the windward nettings and proclaimed -its identity as Neptune. Behind him was a motley crew in costumes of any -kind and all kinds--or no kind--who had girded itself for this ungentle -art of bull-baiting. The deep-water men intended to have an ample return -for what they themselves had suffered, not many years back, when they had -rounded the Horn or Cape of Good Hope. - -The unfortunates, stripped to the waist, were brought forward, one by one, -to be put through their paces. After a mock trial by the jury of buffoons, -the king ordered their punishment meted out in doses proportioned directly -to the popularity of the victims as shipmates. The old long boat, with -thwarts removed and a canvas lining, served as a ducking-pond. After -vigorous applications, of "slush,"--which is another name for ship's -grease,--or perhaps a toss in a hammock or a blanket, they were pitched -backward into the pool and given a thorough sousing, emerging somewhat the -worse for wear, but happy that the business was finally done for good and -all. - -To-day the roughest sort of bullying no longer takes place, and much of -the romance seems to have passed out of the custom. - -The punishments, too, have lost their severity. The "gray mare" swings to -an empty saddle, the "spread eagle" is a thing of the past, and the "cat" -is looked upon as a relic of barbarism. Things are not yet Pinafore-like, -but the cursing and man-handling are not what they used to be. There are -a few of the old-timers who still believe the "cat" a necessary evil, -and would like to see an occasional "spread eagle," but the more moderate -punishments of to-day have proved, save in a few hardened cases, that much -may be done if the morale of the service is high. - -The fact of the matter is, that the standard of the man behind the gun has -kept up with the marvellous advance of the ships and the ordnance. To-day, -the naval service of the United States is worthy of any seaman's metal. As -a mode of living, sea-faring on American men-of-war attracts as many good -men as any other trade. Machinists, electricians, carpenters, gunners, -and sail-makers, all have the chance of a good living, with prizes for -the honest and industrious. - -The seaman himself, in times of peace, may rise by faithful service to -a competency and a retiring pension more generous than that of any other -nation in the world. The discipline is the discipline of right relations -between superior and inferior men of sense, and the articles of war govern -as rigorously the cabin as the forecastle. Republican principles are -carried out, as far as they are compatible with perfect subordination, -and there exists no feeling between the parts of the ship, except in -extraordinary instances, but wholesome respect and convention. There is -little tyranny on the one side or insubordination on the other. - -The training of the young officer of the old navy was the training of -the larger school of the world. "Least squares" and "ballistics" were -not for him. He could muster a watch, bend and set a stun'sail, work out -a traverse, and pass a weather-earing; but he toyed not with the higher -mathematics, like the machine-made "young gentleman" of to-day. What he -knew of navigation he had picked haphazard, as best he might. - -At the age of twelve his career usually opened briskly in the thunder -of a hurricane or the slaughter of a battle, under conditions trying to -the souls of bronzed, bearded men. Physical and even mental training of -a certain kind he had, but the intellectual development of modern days -was missing. The American officer of the days before the Naval Academy -was founded was the result of rough conditions that Nature shaped to her -own ends with the only tools she had. Though these "boys" had not the -beautiful theory of the thing, they had its practice, and no better seamen -ever lived. - -At the beginning of the century, the crusty Preble, commodore of the -blockading fleet before Tripoli, was sent a consignment of these "boys" -to aid him in his work. The names of the "boys" were Decatur, Stewart, -Macdonough, Lawrence, and Perry. Excepting Decatur, who was twenty-six, -there was not one who was over twenty-four, and two or three of them were -under twenty. The commodore grew red in the face and swore mighty oaths -when he thought of the things he had to accomplish with the youngsters -under his command. But he found before long that though youth might be -inconvenient, it could not be considered as a reproach in their case. - -Decatur, with a volunteer crew, went under the guns at Tripoli, captured -and blew up the "Philadelphia" in a way that paled all deeds of gallantry -done before or since. The dreamy Somers went in with a fire-ship and -destroyed both the shipping and himself. In the hand-to-hand fights on -the gunboats, Lawrence, young Bainbridge, Stewart, and the others fought -and defeated the best hand-to-hand fighters of the Mediterranean. The Dey -of Algiers, when Decatur came before him to make terms of peace, stroked -his black beard and looked at the young hero curiously. "Why," he said, -"do they send over these young boys to treat with the older Powers?" - -When the war was over, Preble no longer grew red in the face or swore. He -loved his school-boys, and walked his quarter-deck with them arm-in-arm. -And they loved him for his very crustiness, for they knew that back of it -all was a man. - -These youthful heroes were not the only ones. Young Farragut, an infant -of twelve years, with an old "Shoot-if-you're-lucky," quelled a promising -mutiny. At eighteen Bainbridge did the same. Farragut, at thirteen, was -recommended for promotion to a lieutenancy he was too young to take. Perry -was about thirty when he won the victory of Erie. - -A youngster's character bears a certain definite relation to the times he -lives in. Skies blue and breezes light, he shapes his life's course with -no cares but the betterment of his mental condition. Baffling winds create -the sailor, and storm and stress bring out his greater capabilities. -The Spanish war has proved that heroes only slumber, and that the young -gentleman with the finely-tempered mind of an Annapolis training is -capable of the great things his father did. - -The blue-jacket of to-day has plenty of hard work to do, but he is as -comfortable as good food and sleeping accommodations, regular habits, and -good government can make him. As a class, the United States Jacky is more -contented, perhaps, than any other man of similar conditions. Unlike the -soldier, he does not even have to rough it very much, for wherever he goes -he takes his house with him. - -Jacky sleeps in a hammock strung upon hooks to the beams of the deck -above him. When he turns out, he lashes his hammock with its lashing, and -stores it in the nettings,--the troughs for the purpose at the sides of -the ship,--where it must stay until night. If Jack wants to sleep in the -meanwhile, he chooses the softest spot he can find on a steel-clad deck; -and he can sleep there, too, in the broad glare of daylight, a hundred -feet passing him, and the usual run of ship's calls and noises droning in -his ears. - -Jacky's food is provided by the government, while his superior of the -wardroom has to pay his own mess-bill. He is allowed, in addition to his -pay, the sum of nine dollars per month, and this must purchase everything, -except such luxuries as he may choose to buy from his pay. The ship's -paymaster is allowed a certain amount of money to furnish the supplies, -and between him and the ship's cook the problem is settled. At the end -of the month, if the amount served out is in excess of the computation -for rations, the brunt falls upon the "Jack-of-the-Dust,"--the assistant -to the paymaster's yeoman,--who has the work of accurately measuring the -rations which are given to the cook of the ship. - -The ship's cook receives from the government from twenty-five to -thirty-five dollars a month, according to the size of the ship, and, in -addition, certain money perquisites from the different messes, which gives -him a fair average. He has complete charge of the ship's galley and the -cooks of the messes, and must be able to concoct a dainty French dish for -the wardroom as well as the usual "salt horse" or "dog" for the Jacky. - -"Salt horse" is the sea-name for pork. "Dog" is soaked hardtack, mixed -with molasses and fried; and, though it is not pleasant twenty-nine days -out of the month, it is healthful, and tastes good to a hard-working -sailor with the salt of the sea producing a splendid appetite. - -The mess-tables hang by iron supports to the beams of the deck above, -and when the mess has been served and eaten,--as only Jack knows how to -eat,--they are triced up into their places, and all is cleaned and made -ship-shape in the twinkling of an eye. A half-hour is allowed for dinner, -and this time is kept sacred for Jack's use. A red pennant flies from the -yard-arm, that all may know that the sailor-man is eating and must not be -disturbed by any importunate or curious callers. - -In the dog-watches of the evening, after supper, from six to eight P.M., -the blue-jacket is given his leisure. It is then that pipes are smoked, -vigilance relaxed, boxing and wrestling bouts are in order, and Jacky -settles down for his rest after the day of labor. From somewhere down on -the gun-deck comes the tinkle of a guitar or banjo, and a tuneful, manly -voice sings the songs of France or Spain, and, better still, of beloved -America, for the shipmates. - -The sailor of to-day is also a soldier. Back in the days of Henry the -Eighth, when England first had a navy, the sailors only worked the ships. -The fighting was done by the soldiers. Later, when the ships were armed -with many guns and carried a greater spread of canvas, there was no space -for great companies of soldiers, and the sailors became gunners as well. -A few soldiers there were, but these did only sentry duty and performed -the duties of the ships's police. As such they were cordially hated by -the jackies. - -This antipathy has come down through the ages to the present day, -and marines are still looked on by the sailor-men as land-lubbers and -Johnnies--sea-people who have no mission upon the earth save to do all -the eating and very little of the rough work. - -The new navy has done much to change this feeling. The mission of the -marine is now a definite one. Always used as a sharpshooter, he now mans -the rapid-fire batteries, and even guns of a larger caliber. He has done -his work well, and the affair at Guantanamo has caused the sneer to fade -from the lip of the American sailor-man. Two of the ablest captains of our -navy, always the deadliest opponents of the marine corps, upon assuming -their latest commands, applied immediately for the largest complement of -marines that they could get. - -Any ship, old or new, is as frail as the crew that mans it. The strength -of any vessel varies directly with its discipline and personnel. Hull, -Jones, Decatur, Bainbridge, and Stewart, in the old days, knew with some -accuracy the forces they had to reckon with. Their guns were of simple -contrivance, and their men knew them as well as they knew how to reef -a topsail or smartly pass a weather-earing. They feared nothing so long -as they were confident of their captain. New and mysterious contrivances -for death-dealing were unknown to them, and hence the morale of the old -sea-battles was the morale only of strength and discipline. There were -no uncertain factors to reckon with, save the weight of metal and the -comparative training of the gun-crews. - -To-day the unknown plays a large part in warfare. Intricate appliances, -mysterious inventions, new types of torpedo-boats, and submarine vessels -form a new element to contend against and have a personal moral influence -upon the discipline of crews. To combat this new element of the unknown -and uncertain has required sailors and men of a different stripe from the -old. Where, in the old days, ignorance and all its accompanying evils held -sway over the mind of poor Jack, and made him a prey to superstition and -imagination, to-day, by dint of careful training of brain as well as body, -he has become a thinking creature of power and force of mind. He knows -in a general way the working of the great mechanical contrivances; and -in the fights that are to come, as well as those that have been, he will -show that the metal the American Jacky is made of rings true and stands -well the trial by fire. - - -THE OLD SHIPS AND THE NEW - -With much hitching of trousers and shifting of quid, the old longshoreman -will tell you that sea-life isn't at all what it once was. - -He will gaze out to sea, where the great iron machines are plying back -and forth, and a reminiscent sparkle will come into his eyes as he turns -to his lobster-pots and tells you how it was in the good days of clippers -and sailing-frigates, when sailor-men were sailor-men and not boiler-room -swabs, machine-made and steam-soaked. He will also yarn, with much d--ning -of his eyes (and yours), of how fair it was in the deck-watches of the -"Saucy Sally" barque, with everything drawing alow and aloft, grog and -'baccy a-plenty, and never a care but the hurry to spend the voyage-money. -And not till he's mumbled all his discontent will he haul his sheets and -give you right-of-way. - -He forgets, sheer hulk that he is, that he's been in dry-dock a generation -or more and that swift-moving Time has loosed his gear and dimmed his -binnacle-lights. Despite his ancient croaking, tricks at the wheel are -to-day as ably kept, eyes as sharp as his still peer into the dimness -over the forecastle, and the sea-lead takes as long a heave as in the -early sixties, when he hauled up to New York with a thousand dollars -in prize-money and a heart full for the business of spending it. It has -always been so. There has never been an age that has not had its carper -to tell you of the wonders that once were. - -Yet it was truly beautiful. With the tide on the ebb and the wind a-piping -free, never was a fairer sight than the Atlantic clipper as she picked -her speedy way through the shipping to the harbor's mouth; and nothing -so stately as the gallant frigate in her wake, with all sail set to -ga'n's'ls, her topsails bellying grandly to the quartering breeze, which -whipped the filmy wave-tops against her broad bows, under which the yellow -curl lapped merrily its greeting. The harbor clear and the capes abeam, -aloft flew the nimble sail-loosers. The royals and the stu'n-sails flapped -to the freshening wind, sheets went home with a run, and the yards flew -to their blocks. - -Then, her departure taken, like a gull she sped blithely on her course. -The rays of the afternoon sun gilded her snowy canvases until she looked -a thing of air and fairyland, not of reality. On she flew, her tall spars -dipping grandly to the swells--a stately farewell courtesy to the clipper, -hull down to leeward. On the decks the boatswain piped his cheerful note, -and everything came ship-shape and Bristol-fashion for the cruise. The -running-gear was neatly coiled for running, the guns secured for sea, -and the watches told off. The officer of the deck walked to and fro, -singing softly to himself, casting now and then a careful eye aloft to the -weather-leeches, which quivered like an aspen as the helmsman, leaning to -the slant of the deck, kept her well up to her work. - -And yet the poetry has not gone out of it all. The poetry of the -sailing-frigate was lyric. That of the steel battle-ship is Homeric. - -Nothing save a war of the elements has the power of a battle-ship in -action. Ten thousand tons of steel,--a mighty fortress churning speedily -through the water fills the spirit with wonder at the works of man and -makes any engine for his destruction a possibility. Away down below the -water-line a score or more of furnaces, white-heated, roar furiously under -the forced draught, and the monster engines move their ponderous arms -majestically, and in rhythm and harmony mask their awful strength. Before -the furnace-doors, blackened, half-naked stokers move, silhouetted against -the crimson glare, like grim phantoms of the Shades. The iron uprights and -tools are hot to their touch, the purple gases hiss and sputter in their -very faces, yet still they toil on, gasping for breath, their tongues -cleaving to their mouths, and their wet bodies steaming in the heat of it. - -[Illustration: MODERN SEA MONSTERS IN ACTION] - -The deck above gives no sign of the struggle below. Where, in the old -days, the sonorous trumpet rang out and the spar-deck was alive with the -watch who hurried to the pin-rail at the frequent call, now all is quiet. -Here and there bright work is polished, or a lookout passes a cheery call, -but nothing save the man at the wheel and the officer of the watch shows -the actual working of the ship. - -Seamanship, in the sense of sail-handling, is a thing of the past. Though -there is no officer in the navy who could not in an emergency handle -a square-rigger with the science of an old sea-captain, the man on the -bridge has now come to be first a tactician and after that a master of -steam and electricity. - -In the sea-battles of 1812 the captain was here, there, and everywhere in -the thickest of the fight, inspiring by his personal magnetism the men at -the guns. He was the soul of his ship. To-day the sea-battle is a one-man -battle. The captain is still the heart and soul of the ship, but his ends -are accomplished in a less personal way. His men need not see him. By the -touch of a finger he can perform every action necessary to carry his ship -to victory. He can see everything, do everything, and make his presence -everywhere felt by the mere operation of a set of electrical instruments -in front of him. - -The intricacies of his position are, in a way, increased. He may lose -a boiler, split a crank, or break an electrical connection, but the -beautiful subtleties of old-fashioned seamanship have no place whatever -on the modern war-ship. - -Let it not be understood that the handling of the great ocean fortress of -to-day may be mastered by any save a craftsman of the art. With plenty -of sea-room and a keen watch alow and aloft the trick is a simple one, -for the monster is only a speck in the infinity of sea and sky, and there -is never a fear save for a blow, or a ship, or a shore. But in close -manoeuvre, or in harbor, the problem is different. Ten thousand tons of -bulk cannot be turned and twisted on the heel with the swish and toss -of the wieldy clipper. Observant transpontine voyagers, who have watched -the gigantic liner warped out from her pier into a swift tide-way with a -leeward ebb, will tell you what a complicated and difficult thing it seems -to be. - -The captain of the battle-ship must be all that the merchant captain is, -and more besides. Mooring and slipping moorings should be an open book -to the naval officer, but his higher studies, the deeper intricacies of -the science of war, are mysteries for the merchant captain. All of it -is seamanship, of course. But to-day it is the seamanship of the bridled -elements, where strength is met by strength and steam and iron make wind -and wave as nothing. - -The perfection of the seamanship of the past was not in strength, but -in yielding, and the saltiest sea-captain was he who cajoled both ship -and sea to his bidding. The wind and waves, they say, are always on the -side of the ablest navigators, but it was rather a mysterious and subtle -knowledge of the habits and humors of God's sea and sky, and a sympathy -born of constant communion, which made both ship and captain a part of -the elements about them, and turned them into servants, and not masters. - -The naval captains of 1812 had learned this freemasonry of sea and sky, -and one incident--a typical one--will show it as no mere words can do. -Its characteristics are Yankee pluck and old-fashioned Yankee seamanship. - -The frigate "Constitution"--of glorious memory--in 1812 gave the British -squadron which surrounded her startling proof of the niceties of Yankee -seamanship. There never has been a race for such a stake, and never will -be. Had "Old Ironsides" been captured, there is no telling what would have -been the deadly effect on the American fortunes. It was the race for the -life of a nation. - -The "Constitution" was the country's hope and pride, and Captain Hull -knew it. He felt that "Old Ironsides" could never fail to do the work -required of her. So for four days and nights the old man towed her along, -the British frigates just out of range, until he showed clean heels to -the entire squadron. The ingenuity and deft manoeuvring of the chase has -no parallel in the history of this or any other country in the world. - -With hardly a catspaw of wind, Hull drifted into sight of the British -fleet off the Jersey coast. Before he knew it, they brought the wind up -with them, and his position was desperate. There were four frigates and -a ship-of-the-line spread out in a way to take advantage of any breath -of air. Hull called away his boats, and running lines to them, sent them -ahead to tow her as best they might. The British did still better, for -they concentrated the boats of the squadron on two ships, and gained -rapidly on the American. Hull cut ports over the stern, and ran two -18-pounders out of his cabin windows, where he began a continuous fire on -the enemy. The British ships shifted their helms and took up positions on -the quarters of the frigate, unable to approach too closely with their -boats for fear of the "Constitution's" stern-guns, which dropped their -hurtling shot under their very bows. - -The desperate game had only begun. Hull, finding that he had but one -hundred and fifty feet of water under him, decided to kedge her along. In -a few minutes the largest boat was rowing away ahead with a small anchor -on board, stretching out half a mile of cable. The anchor dropped, the men -hauled in roundly and walked away with the line at a smart pace. It was -heart-breaking work, but the speed of the ship was trebled. By the time -the vessel was warped up to the first anchor another one was ready for -her, and she clawed still further out of the enemy's reach. The British -did not at first discover the magic headway of the American, and not for -some time did they attempt to follow suit. - -Then a breeze came up. Hull hauled his yards to it, picked up his boats -without slacking sail, and went ahead. But hardly were the sails drawing -when the wind died away again. One of the ships came into range, and there -was nothing for it but to go back to the kedging. Three times did this -occur, the captain, with his eye on the dog-vane, jockeying her along as -a skipper would his racing-yacht. The men had now been at their quarters -for thirty-six hours without rest or sleep. But at the order they dropped -into the boats again, ready for anything. - -Another breeze sprang up now and held for two hours. Like logs the -sailor-men tumbled over on the decks, nearly dead for lack of sleep. On -the afternoon of the third day of the chase the "Constitution" lost the -wind and the enemy kept it. Back again to kedging they went, weary and -sick at heart. - -But relief was in sight. A great cloud hove up on the southeastern -horizon, and the black squall that followed was a Godsend to the -"Constitution" and her weary crew. Hull knew the Englishmen would not -like the looks of the squall. No more did he. But he kept his boats at -the towing, nevertheless. - -He stationed his men at the halyards and down-hauls, and had everything in -hand for the shock. He calmly watched the on-coming line of froth, growing -whiter every minute, while his officers came to him and begged him to take -in his sail. But wait he did until the first breath stirred his royals. -Then the shrill pipe of the boatswain called the boats alongside of the -"Constitution." - -They were not a moment too soon. As the men were hooking the tackles the -blast struck the ship. Over she heeled, almost on her beam ends, the boats -tossed up like feather-weights. The yards came down with a rush, and the -sails flew up to the quarter-blocks, though the wind seemed likely to blow -them out of the bolt-ropes. She righted herself in a moment, though, and -so cleverly had Hull watched his time that not a boat was lost. - -Among the enemy all was disorganization. Every sail was furled, and some -of their boats went adrift. Then, as the friendly rain and mist came down, -the wily Yankee spread his sails--not even furled--and sailed away on an -easy bowline at nine knots an hour. - -The race was won. Before the Englishmen could recover, Hull managed by -wetting his sails to make them hold the wind, and soon the enemy was but -a blur on his western horizon. Then the British gave it up. - -The superiority of Yankee seamanship was never more marked than in this -chase. The British had the wind, the advantage of position, the force, -and lacked only the wonderful skill and indomitable perseverance of the -American, who, with everything against him, never for a moment despaired -of pulling gallant "Old Ironsides" out of the reach of his slow-moving -enemy. - -The difficult manoeuvre of picking up his boats without backing a yard -or easing a sheet he repeated again and again, to the wonderment of his -adversaries, whose attempts in this direction failed every time they tried -it in a smart breeze. Hull's tactics at the coming of the squall were -hazardous, and under any other circumstances would have been suicidal. For -a skipper to have his boats two cable-lengths away from his ship, with his -royals flapping to the first shock of a squall, is bad seamanship. But if -tackles are hooked and men are safe aboard there is no marine feat like -it. - -The naval history of this country is full of such instances. Captain -Charles Stewart, on the same ship, did a wonderful thing. In his fight -with the "Cyane" and the "Levant" he delivered a broadside from both -batteries at the same time. Then, shifting his helm under cover of the -smoke, he backed his topsails and drew out sternward from the enemy's -fire, taking a new position, and delivering another broadside, which -brought about their surrender. - -The war-ship of fifty years ago was as different from the battle-ship -of to-day as a caravel from a torpedo-boat. With half the length and a -third the tonnage, the old "ship-of-the-line" had three times as many men -as the modern sea-fighter. Yet, with a thousand men aboard, she had work -for them all. More than two acres of canvas were to be handled, and over -a hundred guns were to be served, loaded, and fired. A thousand pieces -of running-gear were to be rove and manned. The huge topsails, weighing, -with their yards, many tons, needed on their halyards half a hundred -men. Great anchors were to be broken from their sandy holds, and the -capstan-bars, double-banked, hove around to the sound of the merry chantey -and deep-voiced trumpet. Homeward bound, the business of anchor-hoisting -turned into a mad scene, and many a rude jest and hoarse song turned the -crowded fo'c's'le into a carnival of jollity. - -In matters of routine and training the crews of the American frigates -differed little from those of England. The sailor-men of the United -States, though newer to the work of navigating the big ships, were smart -seamen, and could cross or bring down their light yards, send down their -masts, or clear for action with the oldest and very best of England's -men-o'war's-men. - -The ships themselves differed little in general construction. During the -war of 1812, of large frigates we possessed but the "Constitution," the -"President," and the "Constellation." Though built upon models patterned -after the accepted standards of the period, they were somewhat smaller -than the British vessels and usually carried a lighter armament. Their -unbroken list of victories during the war with England is remarkable when -one considers what the young nation was contending against, both at home -and abroad, and how little aid Congress had given the infant navy. - -It seems really wonderful how a large body of men, numbering from three -hundred to six hundred, and later a thousand or more, could find comfort -and a home from one year's end to another in a space only two hundred feet -long and fifty feet wide. - -But Jack is nowhere so comfortable as aboard ship. He is used to -prescribed limits, and crawls into his hammock at night happy that -the space is no greater. There is a companionship, he thinks, in close -quarters, and he likes them. - -In the old ships it was a matter of great importance to provide -comfortable quarters for the great crews they were obliged to carry. -In England, during the first years of the century, the complement of a -"Seventy-four" was five hundred and ninety, and even six hundred and -forty men. Hammocks seem to have been used during the reign of Queen -Elizabeth, when they were called "nets," probably because they were made -of rope-yarn. - -The officers were then, as now, given the after part of the ship. A wooden -bulkhead separated the cabins of the officers from the main-decks, where -the men lived, though when the ship was cleared for action the bulkheads -were taken down and all movable property both of officer and man was taken -below-deck. - -This gave a clean sweep of the deck from bow to stern. The steerage had -from two to six broadside-guns in it, and even the captain had to live -with a couple of brass stern-chasers and a broadsider or two. - -The grandest line-of-battle-ship ever built for this country was the old -"Pennsylvania." She was made of wood throughout, two hundred and twenty -feet long and fifty-eight feet beam, with a draft of twenty-five feet -of water and thirty-five hundred tons displacement,--just one-third of -that of the modern "Iowa." Eleven hundred men could swing their hammocks -on her wide decks, where no modern gun-carriages or steel compartments -broke the long sweep from the cabin forward. Her sides were of oak, with a -thickness of eighteen inches at the upper gun-ports and thirty-two inches -at the water-line, almost heavy enough at long range to resist the shot -of a modern rifle. Her sixteen inches were proof against her own fire at -a mile. On her three fighting-decks she carried sixteen 8-inch guns, the -heaviest they had in those days, and one hundred and four 32-pounders. Her -mainmast was over two hundred feet long, and with all sail set she could -leg it at twelve knots an hour. - -But compare her with the modern "Indiana." The "Pennsylvania" weighed less -than the armor of the "Indiana" alone. The "Indiana" has but sixteen guns, -against one hundred and twenty on the "Pennsylvania;" but that broadside -can send two tons of tempered steel at a single discharge. The old 8-inch -guns of the "Pennsylvania" could send a shell through fifteen inches of -oak at a distance of a mile--the equivalent of half an inch of steel. - -The range of a modern rifle is from five to twelve miles; the -penetration is almost anything you please in the way of steel armor. -The "Pennsylvania's" shells at point-blank range would hardly make a -perceptible dent in the "Indiana's" steel armor, and the old cast-iron -shot would roll harmlessly down the new ship's sides. But one explosive -shell from the "Indiana" would go through the "Pennsylvania" from stem to -stern, and would splinter and burn her beyond repair. - -The "Pennsylvania" cost the government, in 1837, nearly seven hundred -thousand dollars; a fabulous sum for a battle-ship in those days. The -"Indiana" cost three millions and a half,--only two hundred and fifty -thousand dollars less than the sum paid for that vast territory bought -from Napoleon, and known as the "Louisiana Purchase," and about half the -sum paid for the acquisition of Alaska from Russia. - -The statistics are interesting. According to official authority, in -putting this vessel together seven hundred tons of rivets alone were used. -About four hundred plans were made for the hull and about two hundred and -fifty plans and drawings were made for the engines. These would take a -force of one hundred men a year to complete. - -The engines and machinery alone weigh about nine hundred tons. The -smoke-stacks are about sixteen feet in diameter. Each of the main engines -is so enormous that under the great frames, in the economy of space and -construction, are two smaller engines, the sole mission of which is to -start the big ones. There are about sixty-six separate engines for various -purposes. The condensing-tubes, placed end to end, would cover a distance -of twelve miles. Thirty tons of water fill her boilers, which would stand -a pressure of one hundred and sixty pounds to the square inch. Three -dynamos provide the electricity,--a plant which would light a town of five -thousand inhabitants. There are twenty-one complete sets of speaking-tubes -and twenty-four telephone stations. - -The two great turrets are clad with nineteen inches of toughened steel. -In each of these turrets are two 13-inch guns. Each of these guns is about -fifty feet long and weighs sixty-one tons. There are eight 8-inch guns on -the superstructure, in sets of twos, and amidships on the main-deck are -four 6-inch rifles. In ten minutes, firing each 13-inch gun once in two -minutes, and using all the other guns at their full power, the "Indiana" -could fire about sixty tons of death-dealing metal. - -The millennium has not yet been reached, but such awful force makes -universal peace a possibility. What the immediate future holds forth in -naval architecture and gunnery is a matter which excites some curiosity, -for it almost seems as though perfection, according to the standard of the -end of the century, has been reached. And yet we already know of certain -changes, improvements, and inventions, the direct outcome of the Spanish -war, which are to be made on the vessels now contracted for, which affect -importantly the government of the ship; and so it may be that the next -twenty years will show as great an evolution as have the two decades just -past. - -But whatever the future may bring, it has been a marvellous and momentous -change from the old navy to the new. Since the "Monitor"-"Merrimac" fight -no country has been quicker to profit by the lessons of the victory of -iron over wood and steel over iron than the United States. - -But the navy that is, however glorious its achievements, can never dim the -glory of the navy that was, though sailor-men, old and new, know that in -a test of ship and ship, and man and man, the flag of this country will -continue to fly triumphant. - - - - -FARRAGUT IN MOBILE BAY - - -It was Friday, the 5th of August, 1864. The first violet streaks of dawn -stole through the purple clouds that the wind had tossed up during the -night. Admiral Farragut sat in his cabin, quietly sipping his tea, his -fleet-captain, Drayton, by his side. Through the open ports they could -see the dim masses of the ships of the fleet as, lashed two and two, they -stretched in a long line to seaward. The wind no longer blew, and the -shrill pipes and the creaking of the blocks as the light yards came down -echoed clearly across the silent water. - -"How is the wind, Drayton?" said the admiral, at last. - -Drayton walked to the port. - -"About west-sou'west, sir, I should say." - -The admiral smiled. - -"A good omen. Our smoke will blow over their batteries." - -He raised his cup, drained it, and set it back on its saucer. Then he rose -to his feet and walked slowly up and down the cabin, looking first at his -watch and then out through the starboard gallery, where the fleet lay. He -turned, his genial face all aglow in the cool light of the morning, and -reached to the table for his side-arms. - -The moment had arrived. - -"Well, Drayton," he said, "we might as well get under weigh." - -Drayton knew, and Farragut knew, that the momentous day before them -would decide the fate of the West Gulf and of the nation in the South. -It was the supreme moment in the admiral's career. But as he clasped his -sword-belt his hands were as firm as though on inspection. - -With a cheery "Aye, aye, sir," Drayton went out of the door and up the -companion, and soon the deck above resounded with the nimble feet as the -men sprang joyfully to quarters. Old Knowles, the quartermaster, deftly -sent his little ball of bunting, ready for an hour, to the yard-arm, and -in a moment the row of multi-colored flags, tipped with the glow of the -brightened east, fluttered proudly out into the morning breeze. - -Then the bright answering pennants flew up from all the vessels of the -fleet, and the black smoke poured from their dusky funnels as the white -water churned up behind them on their way into line. - -The admiral, on the quarter-deck, glass in hand, saw the black turrets of -the monitors, with their grim, shiny muzzles, drift slowly inland towards -the batteries, not a ripple showing behind them as they moved on their -deadly mission towards the frowning battlements of Fort Morgan. Ahead of -the "Hartford" was the broad stern of the "Brooklyn," as she churned her -way slowly onward, her smoke drifting in great clouds over her starboard -bow towards the water-batteries. Beside the admiral, one hand on the rail, -was Drayton, cool as though on a practice drill, and as he looked over -the swarthy backs that shone bare in the morning sun he knew well that -the flagship would give a good account of herself. - -Behind him stood Watson, Gates, McKinley, and Brownell, watching the -progress of the monitors. The calmness of the scene was sublime. Only -an occasional order to the tacklemen, given in a quiet voice by the -gun-captains, showed the deadly work ahead. - -As the "Hartford" drew into range, the admiral walked over to the main -rigging and clambered up into the shrouds; and his men below him at the -batteries lovingly watched their "old man" as step by step he mounted -to get a clearer view. They knew him for a gallant old sea-dog. They had -seen him steam past the batteries at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and they -smiled at his sternness at the capture of New Orleans, for they loved -him. But at Mobile they learned that he feared nothing above the ocean -or under it, if it stood in the way of the cause of his country. At this -point Farragut stood a few feet above Jouett, on the wheel-house of the -"Metacomet" alongside, and could hail the top above him, where Freeman, -his trusty pilot, gave him his soundings and bearings. - -At length the battle opened. A great puff of white smoke rolled along -the water from the turret of the "Tecumseh," and a yellow cloud of dust -above the water-batteries marked where the shot had struck. Fort Morgan -immediately replied, and, as the gunners got the range, the angry splash -of the shots as they skipped across the water came clearly to the crew -of the "Hartford," who stood at their guns silent and motionless. As -the shots rained about them and great white splinters were torn from the -nettings and flew across the decks, they only looked up at their admiral, -who, leaning slightly forward, was slowly scanning the breastworks. In his -face there was no impatience, no irritation, no sign of anxiety, and while -he could calmly wait, they could. The courage of the leader was reflected -in his men. It was the very perfection of human discipline. - -Would the order to fire never come? Already a fragment of shell had struck -a gun-captain in the breast, and they saw him carried past them, moaning -piteously. A shot had struck the foremast, and a jagged splinter from the -mainmast flew up and lodged in the rigging below where the admiral stood. -They saw him take the glass from his eyes, and, turning towards Captain -Drayton, hold up his hand. - -The guns, already trained, belched forth their iron greeting to the -gunboats, and the battle was on in earnest. Calm before, the men were -calmer now, and they went about their work as though at target practice. -The powder-boys flew like sprites, and the gunners sponged and loaded with -rapidity. It was as if each gun and its crew were parts of one mechanism. - -"Steady, boys, steady. Left tackle a little. So! so!" - -And then came another broadside, followed by an eager cheer as the enemy -were driven away from their water-battery. - -[Illustration: THE ADMIRAL LASHED TO THE RIGGING] - -As the smoke from the broadsides increased and obscured his view, the -admiral, ratline by ratline, ascended the rigging until he found himself -partly above the futtock bands and holding on to the futtock shrouds. -The watchful eye of Drayton saw him perched high up, all unconscious of -himself, thinking only of the great movements about him. A shock, and -he would be thrown into the sea. The captain gave an order to Knowles, -the quartermaster, who lay aloft briskly with a piece of lead-line. The -admiral did not even see him, and only when Knowles passed the line around -him did Farragut take his glasses down. "Never mind," said he, with a -smile, "I'm all right." But the quartermaster lashed him, nevertheless, -and lay below. - -Then from his lofty position the admiral saw a magnificent but terrible -thing. The monitor "Tecumseh" was up well with the fort, and drawing -slowly on, when, without a warning, a great column of water shot up under -her starboard bow. She heeled over to port and went down with every soul -on board. She had struck a torpedo. Captain Craven, in his eagerness to -engage the "Tennessee" in battle, had passed to the west of the fatal -buoy. - -This disaster was not immediately realized by the men. Some supposed the -"Tennessee" had been sunk, and cheer after cheer was taken up and echoed -along the line. - -But the admiral knew the danger that was coming. His anxiety was not -decreased when the "Brooklyn," just ahead of him, suddenly stopped. The -frown on his brows deepened, and loudly he hailed his pilot, Freeman, in -the top, a few feet above him,-- - -"What's the matter with the Brooklyn?" he shouted. "She must have plenty -of water there." - -Freeman's head appeared promptly at the lubber's hole. - -"Plenty and to spare, admiral," he answered. - -Then the admiral knew. Captain Alden had seen the "Tecumseh" go down, -and the heavy line of torpedoes across the channel made him pause. The -backing screw churned up the water, and the "Hartford" every moment was -bearing down on her. The vessels in the rear, pressing on those in the -van, created a terrible confusion, and in the uncertainty the batteries -of Farragut's ships ceased fire, while the whole of Mobile Point was a -living flame. Disaster was imminent. - -But not a second did Farragut pause. A harsh voice from the "Hartford" -broke the brief but ominous silence. - -"What's the trouble?" - -Then Alden's voice from the "Brooklyn" answered,-- - -"Torpedoes." - -"Damn the torpedoes!" shouted the admiral. "Four bells. Captain Drayton, -go ahead. Jouett, full speed." - -And the "Hartford" dashed forward, passed the "Brooklyn," and assumed the -head of the column. - -Over the line of mines they flew at full speed, and the men below could -hear them as they scraped along the hull. It was the one way out of the -difficulty, and a second's hesitation would have closed even this escape -from a frightful calamity. The admiral looked astern at the manoeuvring -of his vessels with a smile of satisfaction. It was a magnificent sight. -At first they appeared to be fouling each other in dire confusion, at the -mercy of the guns which still belched forth a merciless fire. But as the -"Hartford" dashed forward, one by one, as if by magic, they took their -places. And he knew a grand tactical movement had been accomplished. - -Nor did he forget the poor men of the "Tecumseh," struggling in the water -where their ship had gone down, but, going down the rigging, ordered -Jouett to lower a boat immediately and pick up the survivors. - -The "Hartford" was nearly a mile ahead before the line could be -straightened, and single-handed she fought the batteries and the gunboats, -making straight for Buchanan's invincible ram, the "Tennessee." Amid the -fire of shot and bursting shell the admiral walked calmly back to his -quarter-deck, giving a word of advice here and an order there. But soon -the other vessels were able to pour in a storm of shot and shell that -completely silenced the batteries. - -One by one he saw the gunboats sink, until only the "Tennessee" had to be -accounted for. The admiral tried to ram her, and the solid shot of his -broadsides rolled down her iron sides; but she slipped away, pouring in -a terrific fire at close range. She riddled the "Brooklyn," "Richmond," -and "Monongahela," all three of which dashed at her, bows on, at fearful -speed. The admiral again struck her a fearful blow, but apparently with -no effect whatever. - -The ram had one great advantage: she was surrounded by enemies and could -fire continually, while the Union vessels had to use the utmost care not -to fire into or collide with one another. An accident of this kind now -happened to Farragut's ship. The "Hartford" and the "Lackawanna" were both -making at full speed for the ram. The "Hartford" had the better position; -and the "Lackawanna," sheering off to avoid another ship, ran into the -quarter of the flagship, just where the admiral was standing, cutting her -down nearly to the water's edge. The shock of the impact nearly took him -off his feet, but in a moment he was climbing over the side to see what -damage had been done. - -His crew thought he was looking out for himself. Immediately there was a -cry, "Get the admiral out of the ship." The whole thought of his crew, -unmindful of themselves, was to get him to a place of safety. It was a -mere sudden impulse. But Farragut was not the man to look to himself. -Having satisfied himself that the "Hartford" could last, he again gave -the order, "Full speed," and set his prow again for the "Tennessee." - -But in the meanwhile the monitors had been hammering away at her with -their heavy shot. Her rudder and smoke-stack were shot away, and her -shutters jammed, and as the "Hartford" bore down upon her for the third -time she showed her white flag and surrendered. - -The "Hartford" was greatly cut up,--twenty-five killed and twenty-eight -wounded,--but the admiral had not a scratch to show for his deadly -encounters. He came on deck just as the poor fellows who had been killed -were being carefully laid out on the port side of the quarter-deck. - -"It was a great victory, Drayton," said he, sadly, "but----" - -And the men saw him turn aside, tears coursing down his cheeks. - -In truth, "there is nothing half so melancholy as a battle lost, except -a battle won." - - - - -AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY - - -In times like those we have but recently passed through, when the theories -and studies of thirty years are being put to tests of fire and the sword, -it is interesting to turn for a moment to our naval school at Annapolis, -where the officers who planned our campaigns, directed our battles and -our blockades, and commanded our ships were first trained to the serious -business of war. Though the years which have passed since 1861 have made -changes in the personnel system and appearance of the Naval Academy, the -city of Annapolis itself is the same sleepy, careless, happy-go-lucky town -of earlier days. - -Once a year, and only once, it rouses itself from its lethargy and assumes -an air of gayety and importance which it may not even have shown when it -earned for itself the title of "The Gayest Colonial Capital." During the -latter part of May and the first of June each train that pulls into the -ramshackle station bears a load of pretty young women,--sisters, cousins, -sweethearts,--who come for the two-weeks' exercises, when the naval cadets -are graduated, and for the June ball. It has been so since the founding of -the Naval Academy, and will be so as long as youngsters in brass buttons -are brought up to be professional heroes. - -In the old colonial days Annapolis was rich. There was an English -governor, and grouped about him were some of the oldest English families. -In the middle of the eighteenth century Annapolis had become refined, gay, -elegant, and even dissipated. - -Not only was Annapolis in these old days the most lucrative place in -the colonies for the practice of law, but it was the birthplace of such -lawyers as Daniel Dulaney, William Pinckney, Charles Carroll, and Reverdy -Johnson. In those days, too, after the Revolution, Charles Carroll of -Carrollton, the richest man in America, was one of the citizens. To-day, -while the descendants of some of these families are still in possession of -the homes of their forefathers, the seat of power and money of Maryland -has changed to the commercial capital, Baltimore. The centre of social -gayety, therefore, is to be found in the Naval Academy. - -The social feature of the life of the cadet must not be underestimated. -The youngsters who present themselves as candidates for admission, -appointed politically, come from all parts of the country, and represent -every shade of opinion and training in the United States. They are a -smaller image of the large mass of our people. The problem of bringing -these different natures into accord with the conditions which they must -face is no easy one; and the weeding-out process, which immediately -begins, is conducted by the superintendent--usually a captain in the -navy--and the officers under his command, under rules which have been -adopted after sixty years of previous administrations. - -There is an indefinable something in the organization of the place that -makes an indelible impression upon the mind of the candidate, and as he -enters upon his duties it does not take long to discover whether he is -mentally and personally fitted for the long task before him. It was said -in the old days that a seaman was born and not made. But modern warfare -has so changed the conditions that, while the officers of the navy must -always command men and have the instincts of the sailor, high mental -attainments are also the requisite, and those instincts can be formed by -experience and association. - -The course, then, in brief, is the training of the mind and the body, -the school of the soldier and sailor, and the school of the gentleman. -Here, then, is where the social influences of the Naval Academy are felt. -Politics, like misfortune, makes strange bedfellows, and the scion of -your Eastern banker may soon find himself detailed as the room-mate of the -most impecunious and unpretentious of Uncle Sam's younger sons. It is the -democracy of military training, in which every man's standing is governed -alone by his professional qualifications. Money or position can in no way -affect his life. His rise or fall depends entirely upon his own worth. - -To the young man fortunate enough to secure an early appointment from his -representative in Congress, his new home, in the month of May, presents -every attraction. From the moment he passes the gate, passes the marine -guards, his eye meets the beautifully kept lawns of the campus and -drill-ground, sweeping gradually down to the sea-wall on the north and -east sides, where the Severn River flows, stretching out to the blue -waters of Chesapeake Bay, only three miles from old Fort Severn. To the -left, as he enters, are the New Quarters and hospital. To the right, the -sacred precincts of "Lovers' Lane," into which he cannot go, under pain of -displeasure of his upper classmen, until he has passed through the first, -or "plebe," year, and this rule is stringent. - -To pass the examinations successfully the candidate must be physically -sound, and must have a knowledge of arithmetic, geography, United States -history, reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, and the first -principles of algebra. The number of appointees is limited by law to one -naval cadet for every member or delegate of the House of Representatives, -one for the District of Columbia, and ten at-large; the District of -Columbia and the at-large appointments being made by the President. The -course of the naval cadets is six years,--four years at the Naval Academy -and two years at sea,--at the expiration of which time the cadet returns -for the final graduation. - -The fourth-class man who enters in May has a certain advantage over the -September appointee, for he has the advantage of four months of practical -instruction, which hardens his muscles and gets his mind into excellent -shape for the harder work of the year. Having passed his examinations, -the youngster goes to the office of the superintendent, where he takes -the oath of allegiance which binds him to serve in the United States navy -eight years, including his time of probation at the Naval Academy, unless -sooner discharged. He deposits a sum of money for his books, and such -other amount as may be necessary for his outfit, and is put to no further -expense. - -His pay is five hundred dollars a year while at the Naval Academy, -but, while he acknowledges its receipt to the paymaster by signing the -pay-roll, he is furnished with only sufficient pocket-money to get along -on. This sum of money is microscopic, and is usually spent as soon as -received. Having procured his outfit from the storekeeper, he reports on -board the "Santee." The "Santee" is one of the old sailing-frigates in the -navy, and has for years been anchored at the naval dock as quarters for -cadets during the summer time and for practical instruction in the drill -of the old Dahlgrens. Here, too, is where the fractious cadets are placed -in durance. - -Until within a very few years the new fourth-class men were sent -upon the summer cruise of cadets, first on the "Dale," then on the -"Constellation" and the "Monongahela." But by a change in the curriculum -the May appointees in the fourth class do not take the summer cruise. The -"Monongahela," one summer, carried the line division of the first class, -the second class, and the third class. Before this change the life of the -"plebe" on the summer cruise was not a bed of roses. The cadets of the -third class, until recently "plebes" themselves, were prepared to wreak -upon their juniors all of the pent-up exuberance of the previous year. - -Hazing, in the old sense, has died away, and even the "running" of ten -years ago has been reduced to a minimum through the efforts of Captains -Ramsey, Sampson, and Phythian; but the "plebe" was made to step around in -a very lively manner, and to do most of the hauling on the heavy gear, -while the third-class men did the complaining. On the "Monongahela" the -first, second, and third classes are now, as in the old days, considered -as sailors, although a number of the blue-jackets are retained on the -vessel. The cadets do their share of the work, and perform all the -duties of men-of-war's-men except scrubbing, holy-stoning, and cleaning -brass-work. The lower-class men are divided into watches with the regular -blue-jackets, side by side with whom they assist in performing all the -evolutions in working the ship. - -The cruise which follows is usually a pleasant one. There is a lot of hard -work to do, and in a short while the hands and muscles get hard, the white -suits conveniently tarry, and the skins of the youngsters as brown as -leather. But the life has its compensations, for at Fortress Monroe they -get into their uniforms again and go ashore to the dances given there at -the time of their arrival and departure. - -Meanwhile the engineer division of the first class is off on a cruise to -visit the various navy-yards and docks of the Atlantic coast. Their course -of instruction differs from that of the cadets on the "Monongahela," -and they are shown the practical side of engineering work on sea-going -ships. Away down below the water-line of their vessel, in the stoke-hole, -engine-room, or boiler-room, covered with grease or coal-dust, they do all -the work of oilers, engineers, stokers, and mechanics, so as to be able -to know accurately all the duties of those men, and to be able to command -them in the years to come. - -In October the study-term begins, and the cadets are then given their -quarters for winter. Most of them are in the building known as the New -Quarters, while the others, cadet officers of the first class, are placed -in the Old Quarters. The subtle distinction in the titles of these two -sets of buildings is hardly appreciated at the Naval Academy, since they -have both been built for thirty or forty years, and are in a frightful -state of dilapidation. Two cadets of the same class are quartered in -each room, and the discipline of household, as well as of person, begins -immediately. Each room is plainly furnished, and contains two beds, two -wardrobes, two looking-glasses, two iron wash-stands, a common table, and -a broom. The charge of the room is taken by each cadet every other week, -and this cadet is responsible for its general order and cleanliness. -If the officer in charge should happen to inspect the quarters in his -absence, and find anything contrary to regulations, the cadet in charge -is the one who is reported at the next morning's formation, although his -room-mate may have been the delinquent. - -Throughout the year the reveille sounds at six o'clock. At a quarter -to seven is morning formation, roll-call, and inspection. The ranks -are opened, and the keen-eyed officer in charge, followed by the cadet -officer-of-the-day and his ominous scratch-pad, with keen eyes looks for -grease spots, specks of dust on blouses, tumbled hair, or unblackened -boots. After breakfast the sick-call is sounded, and cadets who are ill, -or who think they are, report to the hospital. At eight o'clock the study -begins, and lasts until half-past twelve. The cadets of each class are -divided into sections of from six to a dozen each, and at the bugle-call -are formed by sections and marched to their recitation-rooms for study. -The morning is divided into two parts, and each part is divided into two -periods, one for study and one for recitation. - -Briefly, the course of instruction is as follows: Fourth class, first -year: algebra, geometry, English, history of Greece and Rome, French, -naval history of the United States, Spanish. Third class, second year: -descriptive geometry, trigonometry, the Constitution of the United States, -analytical geometry, mechanical drawing, physics, and chemistry. Second -class, third year: seamanship, principles of mechanism, differential -calculus, integral calculus, physics, chemistry, mechanical drawing, and -navigation. First class, line division: seamanship and naval tactics, -ordnance and gunnery, theory and practice of navigation, hydrographic -surveying, least squares, applied mechanics, naval construction, -ballistics, armor, and torpedoes. The engineer division has marine -engines, boilers, machinery designing, mechanics, and naval construction. - -The first part of the course, it will be seen, deals with the simpler -branches of study. The plan is not to burden the mind of the cadet with -unnecessary knowledge, yet every branch which will directly, or even -indirectly, contribute to his ultimate efficiency has its place in the -curriculum. The end--the making of a thoroughly trained seaman--is kept -constantly in view. The simpler studies train the mind of the cadet to the -technical work which follows in the third and fourth years, and in those -two years he gets his principal technical and practical training. Each one -of the departments in which he studies has a head, usually a naval officer -above the rank of lieutenant-commander. All of these heads of departments, -with the superintendent and commandant of cadets, who is also head of the -Department of Discipline, form the Academic Board. The afternoon classes -begin at two and last till four, after which comes the afternoon drill, -which lasts until 5.30 and completes the daily duties. - -It does not seem with all this work as though the cadet had very much -time to himself, but the cadet is not unhappy. Wednesday and Saturday -afternoons are given over as recreation-hours, and football and baseball -with neighboring college teams bring crowds of visitors into the Academy. -The band plays upon the lawn, and the pathways are filled with fair -visitors, who walk with their respective heroes along the shady lanes. -Saturday night, too, during the winter, hops are given, sometimes by -officers and sometimes by cadets, and a gymnastic entertainment once a -year gives the cadets the opportunity to show their prowess in boxing, -fencing, and work on the gymnastic paraphernalia. - -Towards the end of May the annual exercises begin. The examinations -finished, the arrival of the Board of Visitors is announced by the booming -of cannons from the sea-wall. The cadets receive them on dress-parade, -and the work of showing their progress during the year is at once -begun. The Board of Visitors go out on one of the government tugs into -Chesapeake Bay, and there they see the upper-class men tack, wear-ship, -box, haul, and perform all the evolutions in a seamanlike manner on the -old "Monongahela." Light yards are swung across with the precision of -old men-of-war's-men; sails are reefed, furled, or set in an incomparably -short space of time; and the cadets are down from aloft for their target -practice. The target is towed out by a launch, anchored, and gun by gun, -battery by battery, division by division, or by broadside, the cadets -hammer away at it as though it were the vessel of a hostile power, more -often than not blowing it entirely to pieces. - -[Illustration: REEFING TOP-SAILS] - -Back again at the yard, they go through with their drill as infantry -or artillery; and last, but not least, comes the drill by companies for -the honor of bearing the Naval Academy flag during the coming year. The -judges in this competition are usually army officers, and every movement -is carefully watched and marked. The captain of each company, before going -to this drill, selects its sponsor,--a very pretty girl, who, the drill -over, presents the flag to the victorious company amid loud cheers from -the whole battalion. - -The exercises are over. The cadet of the first class is now ready to be -graduated. Companies are formed up in hollow square, and the secretary -of the navy in the centre, with a pleasant word to each, presents the -diplomas to the graduates amid cheers from the companies. As quickly as -he can the first-class man goes to his quarters and shifts into his new -uniform, and comes back to the campus for the congratulations of his -friends. That night the June ball takes place, and the graduate bids -farewell to his old associations and goes out into the world. - -Few articles that have been written about the Naval Academy have given -anything of the personal side of the life of the cadet,--the side of his -life that is an escape-valve from books and drills. There was a time, -years ago, when smoking was permitted by the superintendent, and this is -how the privilege was granted: One night, in January, 1879, an alarm of -fire was sounded just before ten o'clock. The cadets, then nearly ready -for turning in, appeared in all sorts of costumes, but reported promptly -in the hall. When the battalion was assembled at fire-quarters, word -passed that there was a fire in the city and they were expected to aid. - -With a cheer the cadets dashed to the engines, and, in spite of the cold -and their scanty costumes, rushed out to the State-House circle, where -seven or eight buildings were all ablaze. - -It was found that the hydrants could not supply enough water, so the cadet -officers immediately took charge and ran a line of hose to the river. -Four houses were already past help, but attention was immediately directed -towards saving the others. - -In order to save three buildings it was found necessary to pull one of -these burning structures down. A heavy chain was passed through the doors -and one of the windows, which was manned by the cadets and townsfolk, and -the building was in a short time demolished. In some unaccountable way, -after part of the building had been pulled down, the chain was unshackled, -and the townsfolk, who were now manning it, shot half-way up the street. -So the cadets, in spite of their hard work, could always find time for -skylarking. One officer, who was not very much liked, received the full -force of the hose, which was in charge of two cadets, directly under the -chin. Of course, apologies were in order, but the officer had to go home. -At four o'clock in the morning the cadets, wet and tired out, returned to -their quarters. - -The next day they found that it was generally considered that they had -not only saved the buildings but the greater part of the business portion -of the town, as the wind had shifted, and the part of the town towards -the harbor would have been completely destroyed. At formation the order -of the superintendent was read. It said that, "Whereas, the cadets had -shown great bravery in the performance of their duty the night before, -and had conducted themselves in a creditable manner, the superintendent -desired to express his appreciation and grant to them the privilege of -using tobacco." Ten minutes after breakfast there was not a man in the -battalion of nearly four hundred who was not puffing away furiously on -pipe, cigar, or cigarette, although not an ounce of tobacco had been drawn -from the stock of the storekeeper. Whence it came is a mystery. - -The privilege was taken away in 1881; and though to-day there is no -smoking allowed, and smoking is considered one of the most serious -offences, yet it is safe to say that in many a secret nook this contraband -is safely hid from the eye of the officer in charge. In the old days, -after taps, or lights out, poker-parties were the order of the night. -The windows and transoms were covered with blankets, and every ray was -hidden from the eye of the zealous officer and watchman. But to-day -the discipline is different, and the cadet, to pass the rigorous mental -examination, has no time to transgress the written and unwritten law. - -There are, of course, many criticisms from various quarters as to the -methods of instruction at the Naval Academy, but it is not desirable -to make rapid changes, in spite of new conditions, in a course that has -proved successful for many years. It is asked that if cadets are to man -steamships without sails, what is the use of educating them to officer -sailing-vessels? What was the necessity of building the "Bancroft," if she -was not to be used for the practice-cruises of the cadets? Why has it been -proposed to build wooden vessels for their instruction? The superintendent -of the Naval Academy, Captain Cooper, Secretary Herbert, and Secretary -Long have contended that officer-like qualities can best be attained by -experience in sailing-vessels. They believe that intrepidity and alertness -come from the old school of sailing-ships. - -On the other hand, many of the older officers believe that there is too -much book-learning at the Academy and too little practical instruction; -but most of them are willing to admit that the naval officer of to-day -must be a scientific man to properly meet requirements of modern ships, -and that he cannot acquit himself properly unless he has a complete -theoretical training. It is certain that the cadet graduated now from the -Naval Academy is thoroughly trained in his profession. He has never yet -been shown deficient in knowledge of any duty which he has been called -upon to perform, nor incapable of mastering the intricate parts of modern -ships. Considering the age at which he leaves the Academy, he is better -educated in his profession than the college graduate, and is also trained -in those qualities for command which make the American naval service what -it is to-day. He goes forth thoroughly equipped for his life-work. - - - - -OUR NATION'S NEW HEROES - - -The great General Grant, when a cadet, went through his course at West -Point with one foot out of the Academy and the other in. So curiously -deficient was he in all the arts and sciences which theory insists must -go to make the perfect soldier that he was always in the "Immortals." - -"Immortals" is the name of the section at the foot of the class, admission -to whose profane cult means small marks and the possible privilege of -resigning at the end of the half-year. Immortals is a neat contraction of -"Les Immortals,"--that is, lazy mortals. Immortal Grant became, but not -in the way the academic reports of the time would have indicated. - -This has proved true again and again among the graduates of the Naval -Academy, as well as those of West Point. Though the "child is father to -the man" in general tendencies and character, it does not follow that -mere mental attainments are an indication of great genius in the practical -operation of the great military professions. Works of the brain and works -of the body and spirit are two things; and though the finely-ordered mind -controls to a degree both body and spirit, no such mechanism can ever -accomplish great deeds in which heart and spirit are needed, though it -may plan the details with a nicety to challenge criticism. A combination -of all these qualities is rare, for the bookworm is seldom an enthusiast -on any subject which gets very far away from his theories. - - -DOES SCHOLARSHIP COUNT IN WAR? - -The Spanish war has shown that it is not always the men who stand at the -heads of their classes who lead in the more practical duties of ship and -camp. Admiral Sampson, one of the greatest thinkers and most profound -students in the navy, as a boy and as a man always led in everything he -undertook; but, on the other hand, Hobson, though one of the leaders of -his class at Annapolis, was demure and retiring, hardly the man one would -select to lead a forlorn hope into the jaws of death. - -One may go through the list man for man, and find as many backward in -their studies as those who have carved high niches for themselves in the -Academy records. - -No proposition could cover the situation in a general way, for, after -all, the men we have heard from were perhaps only lucky,--lucky in being -chosen as the instruments of the result. There are hundreds--thousands--of -officers in the service, some brilliant, some wise, some brave, some -strong, as good as they, who have lacked only opportunity. The singling -out of any names for special mention seems an injustice to them,--"the -heroes of the heart." - - -TAYLOR AND EVANS AS SCHOOL-MATES - -Forty years ago Harry Taylor and Bob Evans were boys together in -Washington. They were school-mates and chums, fighting each other's -battles and longing for the day when they would be old enough to go to the -Naval Academy and fight for their country. They were both lively, active -lads, Taylor perhaps the quieter of the two. - -As their characters developed, Taylor became more of a student than Evans, -and that became the distinguishing feature of their entire careers. -While Captain Taylor has been the student of books, Captain Evans is -known throughout the navy as a student of men and a "man's man" in the -best sense of the term. The friendship of youth continued without break -throughout their young manhood and prime. The bond was strengthened when -Evans, at the close of the Civil War, married his chum's sister. - -They were both in the famous three-year class which was admitted to the -Naval Academy in 1860. They had hardly entered on their careers long -enough to get the smell of the brine into their nostrils when the Civil -War broke out. Here was the very chance they were longing for. But they -ruefully saw two upper classes go out, and they knew that fighting of the -larger sort was not yet for them. - -For two years they were kept at their books, when finally the welcome news -came that they would be graduated in three years instead of four, if they -could pass the examinations. In spite of their many disappointments, there -was a wild whoop of joy up and down the corridors, and they set about -their work in earnest, studying with a concentration which no diversion -could dissipate. - -Taylor and Evans both left the Academy before having been graduated, -and were ordered to duty with the blockading squadrons along the Gulf -and Southern coasts. They went to their ships gleefully, bearing the -proud titles of "acting ensigns," but in reality merely midshipmen of -three years' standing,--destined, however, to do the duties and have -the responsibilities of men many years their seniors in theoretical and -practical service. - - -HOW CAPTAIN EVANS SAVED HIS LEG - -Evans was in both attacks on Fort Fisher, and in the second fight he was -shot twice. The wounds were severe, and he was sent into hospital. His -leg was shattered badly, and after examining it carefully the doctors told -the young sufferer bluntly that they would be obliged to amputate it. - -When they went out Evans made a resolution that his leg was not to be cut -off. He came to the conclusion that he would rather quit right there than -to go through life one-legged. It was his own leg anyhow, and nobody had -a better right to decide the question than himself. - -By some means he got hold of one of the big navy revolvers, and had -it secreted under his pillow when the surgeons, with a blood-curdling -array of knives and saws, made their appearance on the scene and began -preparations to carry their threat into execution. But when the chief -surgeon turned to the bed to examine the wounds he found himself looking -into the black barrel of young Evans's navy revolver. - -[Illustration: THEY DID NOT TOUCH HIM AND HIS LEG WAS SAVED] - -"Now, see here," said Evans, as the doctor retired in some alarm; "I want -that leg to stay on. I need it. I will get well with that where it is, or -not at all, and that's the end of it. That leg does not come off. Do you -understand what I mean?" - -The doctor was dismayed. But he understood perfectly, and Evans carried -the day. The wounds were dressed and healed rapidly. In several months he -was out again. But he limped then, and will as long as he lives. - - -SIGSBEE AS A PRACTICAL JOKER - -Charles D. Sigsbee, writer, artist, hydrographic expert, mathematician, -inventor, and incidentally the central figure, composed and dignified, in -the greatest marine tragedy of modern times, is the kind of a man most -people--men, women, and children,--like to see and know. His brow can -be stern, and no one knows that better than the people who have sailed -under him; but he loves peace better than war, and the twinkle behind his -glasses never quite dies out. - -As a midshipman he was always the prime mover in any affair which could -contribute to the gayety of existence; was a better judge of people than -he was of test-tubes, and a practical joker of ability, which is saying -much. The fascination which the ocean holds for all boys of sound mind -gained an early sway over young Sigsbee. He received his appointment to -the Naval Academy just before the Civil War, in 1859. - -He liked the practical work, but could never settle down to the -desperate grind of the academic course. He found himself more often -making caricatures of "Dom Roget," the teacher of Spanish (a language -he has since mastered), than in poring over the verbs and adverbs in the -text-book. They were good caricatures, too, and when the other youngsters -in the section saw them there was merriment which poor Dom Roget could not -understand. But the professor solved the matter satisfactorily by marking -all the delinquents on a low scale of credit, and, to be certain of the -right culprit, Sigsbee lowest of all. - -The young artist used to make pictures of everything and everybody he -saw, and write pieces about them,--sprightly literature which went from -one end of the Academy to the other. And so when the end of the year came -round he found that, instead of being enrolled on the academic scroll of -fame, he was relegated to the lower half of the class, which they called -the "wooden" half. - -He went back into the next class,--which entered in 1860,--and with -the advantage of a year of experience he obtained a position in the new -class which he held until graduation time. He never quite got over his -propensities for making fun. - -He began as a joke, and afterwards kept it up, an anonymous correspondence -with a member of his class. Sigsbee disguised his hand, and in the -guise of "Lily Gaines," a very fascinating young woman of susceptible -tendencies, wrote to Midshipman Mullan in such endearing terms that -for three months that young gentleman was kept in a state of alternate -suspense and rapture. At last, in a burst of confidence some one told -Mullan of the deception, and the correspondence suddenly ceased. - -But in spite of all this Midshipman Sigsbee went out into the world to -practise his profession in stirring times, and ever acquitted himself as -a valiant officer and accomplished gentleman. As the months rolled into -years the naval service could boast of no officer who studied harder or -who brought more steadfast qualities into his work. - - -THE BRAVE COMMANDER OF THE "WINSLOW" - -Lieutenant John B. Bernadou was the commander of the "Winslow" in the -fight at Cardenas, at which Ensign Worth Bagley, his second in command, -was killed. The story of the fight these young officers made, until Bagley -was killed, Bernadou was wounded, and the "Hudson" came and towed them out -of danger, has been told again and again, and the tale of it will go down -into the history of the Spanish-American War as one of the pluckiest of -which there is record. Bagley, being the only naval officer killed during -the war, was heard of from one end of the country to the other, but little -was told of Bernadou, his commander. - -Bernadou's early career showed in several instances the fearlessness -of his disposition and the sturdiness of his character. The boy's first -idea was to go to West Point. Failing in this, he secured an appointment -to the Naval Academy, where he entered with a fine standing, which he -maintained until he was graduated. He was always a brilliant worker, and -in gunnery and foreign languages showed a most remarkable aptitude. To-day -he speaks eight languages, and is one of the foremost men in the navy as -an authority on smokeless powder. - - -THE MAN WHO NEVER KNEW FEAR - -Bernadou's classmates say that he fears nothing on earth or water. His -fearlessness overcomes any consciousness of self. - -One afternoon in October, 1881, the United States steamer "Kearsarge," -Captain G. B. White, lay at anchor in Hampton Roads. The weather had been -stormy for a day or two, and the wind had kicked up a heavy sea. There -was a strong tide running, and the vessel swung out on a long cable. A -seaman by the name of Christoverson, who was boat-tender in one of the -cutters swinging at the lower booms, went out and down the Jacob's ladder. -In stepping to the thwart his foot slipped, and those on deck saw him -disappear under the gray water. - -There was a hoarse cry of "man overboard." Seaman Robert Sweeny, who saw -the accident, running out along the boom, plunged in without delay, just -as the man came up the second time. Bernadou, then a cadet-midshipman, -heard the cry, and rushing to the gangway, saw the terrible struggle -of Sweeny with the drowning man as the tide swept them out towards the -sea. Bernadou tossed off his coat, and was overboard in an instant. -Christoverson, in his fierce struggle, carried Sweeny down with him, the -latter only breaking away to be carried down again. - -Bernadou by this time was within reach, and catching the drowning man from -behind, managed to relieve Sweeny until a line was thrown to them, and -they were finally hauled aboard in an exhausted condition. For this act -both Bernadou and the sailor received the recommendations of their captain -and the thanks of William H. Hunt, then the secretary of the navy. - - -ONLY NAVAL OFFICER KILLED IN THE WAR - -Worth Bagley's career at the Naval Academy was a triumph of the heart -rather than of the mind. While he loved the service and hoped some day to -fill a useful place in it, he found more to attract him in football and -athletics than in calculus and least squares. But no man who ever entered -was more beloved than he, and no man had better friends in the service and -out of it. He was turned back twice, but entered, in 1891, the class of -'95, in which year he was graduated. He was a member of the "Five B's," -composed of Bennett, Barnes, Bagley, Breckinridge, and Baldwin, men who -were close friends while they were at the Academy. - -But football was Bagley's ruling passion. During this time, too, the -great series of games between West Point and Annapolis, between the army -and navy, over which the entire United Service went mad, were played, -and Bagley was on the victorious team of '93, and was named for the -"All-America" team. - -Bagley roomed during the four years' course with his chum Breckinridge, -who was washed off another torpedo-boat, the "Cushing," and drowned, as -he was trying to get into Havana a few days before the blowing up of the -"Maine." - -"Worthless" Bagley (as his intimates called him) and Breckinridge were -never left much to themselves in their quarters, for their room was always -crowded during recreation-hours with cadets skylarking or asking advice -or assistance. There was another intimate and classmate of Bagley, D. -R. Merritt, who was killed in the "Maine" disaster a few days after the -drowning of Breckinridge. - - -ROOSEVELT SAVED BAGLEY FOR THE NAVY - -When Bagley came up for graduation at the end of the four-years' course -the doctors thought they discovered an irregular movement of the heart, -and recommended that he be dropped. Bagley took his case to Theodore -Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the navy. - -Roosevelt, looking at him through his glasses with a quick, critical -glance, said,-- - -"You are Bagley, the football player, are you not?" - -Bagley said he was. - -"Well, you are to stay in the navy while I am here. The service needs more -men just like you." - -Then Bagley went on his two-years' cruise, and when he came back he was -passed through without question. - - * * * * * - -Captain Cook, Admiral Schley's chief-of-staff on the "Brooklyn," Captain -Clark, of the "Oregon," and Commander Davis were room-mates in the -famous class of Crowninshield, Taylor, and Evans. The "Brooklyn" and the -"Oregon," commanded by classmates and room-mates, fought almost side by -side down the desperate flight to the westward, the "Oregon" farther -inland, but both thundering their iron missiles on the "Colon" as she -struggled to her doom. - -It is an interesting fact that Captain Clark, then holding the title of -acting ensign, but really a midshipman, was the first one to communicate -with the captain of the ram "Tennessee" when she was captured at -Mobile Bay, while it was Captain Cook who received the surrender of the -"Cristobal Colon." The third member of this trio was retired several years -ago or he would have had a command in the same action. The affection which -these youngsters bore one for the other was very much like that which -existed between Captains Evans and Taylor. - - -CLARK'S HEROISM AT THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY - -In the battle of Mobile Bay young Clark was on the forecastle of the -"Ossipee," then holding an important position in the line of ships that -swung past the torpedoes after the gallant Farragut in the "Hartford." - -The forecastle was bare of any defence, and the position was exposed -to all assaults of the fire, first from Fort Morgan and then from Fort -Gaines, farther up. When the forts were passed, there followed a fierce -fight with the gunboats and the invincible ram "Tennessee." Again and -again the "Hartford," "Ossipee," and other vessels of the fleet rammed her -in succession, and young Clark saw her terrible ports fly open and send -out just by him their awful discharge. - -At last, however, she became unmanageable, her shutters were jammed, and -the "Ossipee," under full head of steam, was making for her. But while -Clark was straining his eyes through the smoke, a white flag was hoisted -in token of surrender. Clark shouted to Johnson, the commander of the -ram, to starboard his helm. But the reply came that his wheel-ropes were -shot away. It was too late to keep from striking her, but the force of -the blow was broken by the manoeuvre. This early experience was followed -by the bombardment of Fort Morgan,--two important actions before Clark -had got into his early twenties. His fearlessness then, as now, needs no -mention. - - -POPULARITY OF CAPTAIN PHILIP AS A CADET - -It has been said that Captain Philip's public acknowledgment of God on -the decks of the battle-ship "Texas," after the fight before Santiago, was -the natural expression of a deeply religious nature. But his classmates at -the Naval Academy and the men who have sailed with him say that he is not -more religious than other men in the navy,--not so religious as many, who -always have their Bible on the table in their cabins and read it regularly -when at sea or in port. - -They believe that he spoke on the impulse of the moment, his heart -devoutly thankful that the victory had been achieved at so slight a loss, -and willing that all men should witness his profession of faith. - -[Illustration: HER LAST DUTY] - -As a boy at the Academy, while he never surreptitiously drank, as others -did, he made no pretence of being religious. He smoked whenever he got -a chance, in his quarters or in the darknesses back of old Fort Severn, -between the watchmen's rounds. He never, as other cadets did, gave his -word not to smoke, and so he felt a perfect freedom to do it if he could -keep from being caught. Like Sigsbee, he was a practical joker, and if -you should go to any of the members of his class and ask them who was the -most popular man in it, they would say, "Jack Philip." - - -THE VERSATILITY OF ADMIRAL SAMPSON - -In Admiral Sampson, the boy was father to the man. From boyhood his was -a life of unneglected opportunities. Born of very humble parents, by the -hardest of work and the most sincere endeavors he succeeded in obtaining -his appointment to the Naval School. His mind, naturally studious, turned -to the beginnings of the new profession with avidity, and so fine was his -mind even then that, without trying himself unduly, he easily distanced -his entire class and took first honors for the course. - -His classmates say that he was studious, but they do not say that he -applied himself so closely to the work that he shut himself off from -the diversions or recreations of the rest-hours. On the contrary, he was -foremost in most of the sports of the day, and was, in his own way, one -of the best athletes in his class. - -He was then, as he is now, an "Admirable Crichton," but his versatility -did not diminish for him the serious aspect of any of the things he -attempted. Some of his classmates called him cold, as his contemporaries -out in the service do now, but when they wanted advice on any subject -which seemed to require a reasoning power entirely beyond their own, -they said, "Ask Sampson." He was not only high in his class councils, -but dearly beloved, as he is to-day, by every man in it and every man -who knew him. If people thought him cold then it was because they did not -understand him. If they think him cold to-day it is because he does not -care to be understood by the men with whom he has no interest or sympathy. -If arrogance begins to be a virtue, then repression born of modesty is a -crime. - -To those men he cares for--now as in his youth--he has always a warm -handshake and an open heart. His eye is calm, sympathetic, penetrating, -stern, as the humor dictates, anything you please,--sometimes cold, -but always hypnotic. If he wants the friendship of man or woman he is -irresistible. To-day he is the authority on naval ordnance, an expert on -explosives, a capital seaman, a famous tennis-player,--the best-equipped -man in the service for any work--or play--that can be put before him. - - -BLUE, WHO DISCOVERED CERVERA'S FLEET - -Victor Blue, who in his uniform made the fearless expedition ashore at -Santiago, and actually saw for the first time the Spanish fleet within -the harbor, is the kind of a man who does not have very much to say for -himself, which is often a sign that a person is to be found ready when -wanted. He was a member of the class of '87, in which his work was fair, -but not remarkable in any way. He lived quietly, receiving his quota -of good and bad marks, but having no special distinction, even in his -offences against the oracles of Stribling Row. - -He did not care much for "fems" (girls, in the vernacular), but towards -his first class-year began to "take notice." He played a guard on the -"Hustlers," the scrub football team which struggles with the "Academy" -eleven on practice-days, but never made the "Team." He had plenty of grit, -but was too light for the centre and not active enough for the ends. Blue -is a fair specimen of the type of men who without ostentation have made -our new navy what it is. Many men envy him, but no man begrudges him his -numbers recently awarded for "extraordinary heroism." - - -YOUNG DEWEY AS A FIGHTER - -George Dewey entered the class of '58 at the Naval Academy at the age -of seventeen. He was not a large boy, but fairly up to middle height, -and strong and active in all athletic sports. It was not long after his -entrance that he found an opportunity to show the fighting spirit that was -in him. It was not altogether of his own seeking, but when he was weighed -in the balance, even then he was not found wanting. - -The line between the Northern boys and the Southerners was clearly -marked, and one day one of the Southerners called the young Vermonter a -"dough-face." - -Young Dewey awaited a favorable opportunity, and struck his opponent so -fair a blow that he knocked him down. There was a rough-and-tumble fight -then and there, and Dewey's adversary came out second best. - -Later on another one of the Southerners insulted the young admiral, and -there was another battle. But full satisfaction could not be obtained in -this prosaic fashion, so the Southerner finally challenged young Dewey. -The offer was promptly accepted, seconds were chosen, and the time and -place were definitely settled upon. But some of Dewey's classmates, -seriously alarmed at the aspect of affairs, and knowing that neither one -of the principals was of a temper to falter, hastily informed the academic -authorities, and the whole affair was nipped in the bud but a few hours -before the hour set. - -Dewey was graduated in 1858, and stood fifth in his class. Of the -sixty-five who had started in as candidates, but fourteen received their -diplomas at the end of the four years' course. - - -THE UNRECOGNIZED HEROES OF THE WAR - -Much has been said and written of the heroes of action and movement. The -country from one end to the other has rung with their praises. But what of -the unknown heroes, unhonored and unsung? What of the men who, because of -their superior abilities in other lines, were doomed to physical inaction? -who performed their secret missions and labors skilfully, faithfully, -uncomplainingly, while their classmates were being given numbers over -their heads, and the chance of a lifetime for great deeds was being -quietly passed by? - - -THE REAL BRAINS OF THE WAR - -Captain A. S. Crowninshield, the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, bore -the brunt of the brain-work for the men and ships at the front. - -His bureau has to do with the ordering of all ships and all men, and -Crowninshield, when he accepted the office, knew that the odds were -against him. He knew that by his own orders he would put forward above -him men who were many years his juniors in the service. He never winced, -but went on perfecting the target-scores of the men behind the guns. -When war was declared, he felt that, gun for gun, our navy could whip -anything afloat. But he did not get out of the office. He could have had -any command in Sampson's fleet. But he preferred to stay and carry out -the work he had begun, in spite of the fact that each week, as younger -men went over him, he saw the chances of hoisting the pennant of a -fleet-commander grow fainter and fainter. - -If you were to ask Secretary Long who did the real brain-work of the war, -he would unhesitatingly answer, "Captain Crowninshield." Ask the younger -officers in command of gun-divisions who is responsible for the straight -shooting of the gun-captains, and they will say, "Captain Crowninshield." -Ask any captain of the fleet of victorious battle-ships and cruisers of -Santiago or Cavite who contributed most to the victory of Santiago and -Manila, and they will say, "Captain Crowninshield." - -These are the facts, and no one in the service disputes them for a moment. -If the people are in ignorance, it is because Captain Crowninshield will -never talk of himself or his own affairs under any circumstances. - -Captain Crowninshield comes of a distinguished New England family. He is -a grandson of Jacob Crowninshield, an early secretary of the navy, and -a great-nephew of Benjamin Crowninshield, also a secretary of the navy. -Like all the Crowninshields of Salem, he was full of love of the sea. His -father was a graduate of Harvard and a founder of the Porcelain Club. - - -FILLING THE DUKE'S SHOES WITH MUCILAGE - -Captain Crowninshield as a lad read and studied all the books he could -find about the sea, upon which his ancestors, near and remote, had sailed. -From the first he was determined to be a naval officer. To this end he -went to a village where lived a member of Congress, who, he thought, might -make him his appointee. The young man found the old member of Congress -out in his field, ploughing. He liked the looks of the boy and gave him a -half-promise of the appointment. Young Crowninshield was forced to wait a -month, but at last the letter came, and with trembling fingers he broke -the seal of the letter which made him a midshipman (a title which it is -to be hoped will be restored ere long to the service). - -Some of his classmates were the present Captain Clark, of "Oregon" fame, -Captain Harry Taylor, Drayton Cassell, Captain Wadleigh, and Captain Cook, -of the "Brooklyn." His room-mate was Pierre d'Orleans, and many a time -did Captain Crowninshield rescue the young foreigner when the jokes became -too fast and furious. A favorite amusement with the midshipmen was to fill -"Pete" d'Orleans's shoes with mucilage. This practice, so far from making -him feel like sticking to this country, persuaded the young duke to return -to his native land, where there were no wild American boys to tamper with -his dignity. - -When the Academy was removed from Annapolis to Newport, young -Crowninshield, of course, went with the school, with Evans and the others. -He was told that those who could pass the required examination at the end -of three years could go out to the war as officers. - -Half of the class passed the examination. When one considers that no -studying at night was allowed, that an officer made the rounds after -lights were supposed to be out, and that at the sound of his footsteps -the delinquent who was burning the midnight oil would be obliged to tumble -into bed with his clothes on, throwing the wet towel which bound his head -into the corner of the room, feigning sleep while a candle was passed -across his face, one can understand why more young men of that class did -not graduate at the end of the three-years' limit. - - -SCOUTING IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY - -There are many other gallant navy men of whom the public has not heard, -but two more will suffice. Within a week after the declaration of war two -young ensigns, Ward and Buck, the former in the Bureau of Navigation and -the latter at the Naval Academy, disappeared from the face of the earth. -So completely did they destroy all traces of themselves that for all the -Bureau of Navigation or their relatives seemed to know they might have -ceased to exist. - -Speculation was rife concerning them, but nothing could be learned of -their duties, the impression being, even among Navy Department officials, -that they were installing a system of coast-signals in New England. -Ward, it appears, disguised himself as an Englishman, and went straight -into the heart of the enemy's country, making his headquarters at Cadiz, -the principal Spanish naval station, and from there sending the Navy -Department continuous and accurate reports of the fighting strength and -actual movements of the Spanish fleet. - -He was under suspicion, but watched his time, and succeeded in getting -away to Porto Rico. There he was arrested as a suspicious character and -spy. He managed, it is supposed through the British representatives, to -obtain his release, and, escaping from San Juan, cabled the department a -full account of the state of defences there and the movements of Cervera's -fleet. While Ward was in Porto Rico, Buck was following Camara's fleet -in the Mediterranean, keeping watch on its movements, and sending daily -reports of its condition, armament, and plans. - -We do not know what is in the hearts of men. We do not know whether the -men who did the creditable things during the war did them in spite of -themselves, or whether in the glory of action and adventure they took -their lives into their hands gladly, fearlessly, for their country. We do -know that there were hundreds ready and willing to court danger and death -for a useful end who for lack of opportunity could not. - - - - -HEROES OF THE DEEP - - -All the long winter the "Polly J." had slept snugly in Gloucester Harbor, -rigging unrove and everything snug aloft that the wind could freeze or -the ice could chafe. Careful eyes had watched her as she swung at her -moorings, and rugged hands had gripped the familiar gear as the skipper -or some of the men had made their periodical visits. But however gray -and desolate she loomed, with her topmasts housed and the black lines of -ratline and stay across the brightening sky, nothing could hide the saucy -cut-under of the bow and the long, free sweep of the rail. - -The afternoon sun of March melted the snow on the south slopes of the -fish-sheds, and great gray-and-green patches came out here and there -against the endless white. - -A brisk breeze, with a touch of the spring, blew up from the south, and -the "Polly," heedless of the tide, turned her head to it, sniffing and -breathing it, bobbing and jerking nervously at her anchor, impatient to -be dressed in her cloud of canvas, and away where the wind blows free and -the curl dashes high under the forefoot. - - -WHEN THE SNOW MELTS - -Ashore in Gloucester town there are signs a-plenty of the work to come. -The sleepy village throws off her white mantle and rises from the lethargy -of the winter past. The spring is in the air, and the docks and wharves, -white and ice-trussed during the long, bleak winter, are trod by groups -of men, rubber-coated and "sou' westered," moving briskly from one shed -to another. - -In the town they gather like the stray birds of spring that flutter under -the eaves of the store-houses. By twos and threes they appear. On street -corners they meet, pipe-smoking, reminiscent, gloomily hopeful for the -future, and grateful that they have helped themselves over "March Hill" -without a loan from owner or buyer. And as they lounge from post-office -to store, from store to shed, and back again, their talk is of dealings -with owners and skippers, of vessels and luck. - -For luck is their fortune. It means larger profits by shares, new dresses -for the wife and little ones, and perhaps an easy time of it in the winter -to follow. It means that there will be no long, hard winter of it at the -haddock-fisheries at "George's," where trawls are to be set in weather -which makes frozen hands and feet, and perhaps a grave in an icy sea, -where thousands have gone before. - -The skipper of the "Polly," even before he gets his men, has broken out -his gear and reckoned up his necessities for the run up to the Banks. If -he ships the same crew he had the year before, they work in well together. -The "Polly's" topmasts are run up with a hearty will and a rush. There -is a cheerful clatter of block and tackle, and the joyous "Yeo-ho" echoes -from one schooner to another as sail and rigging are fitted and run into -place. - -The snow yet lingers in little patches on the moors when some of the -vessels warp down to an anchorage. Dories are broken from their nests -and skim lightly across the harbor, now alive with a fleet in miniature. -Jests and greetings fill the air, as old shipmates and dory-mates meet -again,--Gloucester men some of them, but more often Swedes, Portuguese, -and men from the South. - -For to-day the fleet is not owned in the villages, and Gloucester, once -the centre of the fishing aristocracy, the capital of the nation of the -Banks, is now but a trading- and meeting-place for half the sea-people -who come from the North and East. - -The skipper of the "Polly J.," himself perhaps the scion of three -generations of fishing captains, may wag his head regretfully, for -fishers cannot be choosers; but he knows that his fishing has to be done, -and, after all, a "Portygee" is as good a sailor-man and dory-mate as -another,--better sometimes,--if he keeps sober. - -So long as the ship-owner makes his credit good at the store for the -people at home, the fisherman takes life as joyfully as a man may who -looks at death with every turn of the glass. If he takes his pleasures -seriously, it is because he lives face to face with his Maker. Nature, in -the awful moods he knows her, makes trivial the little ills that flesh is -heir to. - -So when the crews are aboard, and the stores and salt are being hoisted -in, there is a hurry to be among the first away. Chains and windlasses -creak and clang, nimble feet fly aloft, hoarse voices ring across the -rippling water, and many a cheerful song echoes from ship to shore and -back again. - -Willing hands, strangers for months to hemp and tar, lay on to the tackle, -as spar and boom are run into place. The fish-bins below are cleaned and -scrubbed to the very quick. Bright-work, if there be any, is polished, -and sail-patching and dory-painting and caulking are the order of the day, -and most of the night. The black cook, below in the mysterious blackness -of the galley, potters with saucepan and kettle, and when the provisions -are aboard serves the first meal. There is coffee, steaming hot in the -early hours of the morning, and biscuit and meat,--plenty of it. There is -not much variety, but, with the work to be done above and below decks, a -full-blooded appetite leaves no chance for grumbling. - -At last the bag and baggage of the crew are tossed aboard,--packs of -tobacco innumerable, new rubber clothes, all yellow and shiny in the -morning dampness, boots and woollens to keep out the cold of spring on -the Bank Sea,--all bought on credit at the store, to be charged against -"settling-day." - - -WAVING GODSPEED TO THE FISHER-FOLK - -It is morning, just before the dawn. The "Polly J.," her new paint all -silver in the early light, rides proudly at her anchor in the centre of -the tideway. The nip of winter lingers in the air, but the snow is gone -and the rigging is no longer stiff to the touch. - -It is just daylight when the last dory is hoisted aboard into its nest. -Three or four figures on the wharves, outlined against the purple sky and -hills, stand waving Godspeed to their fisher-folk. Women's voices ring out -between the creakings of the blocks, "Good luck! Good luck! 'Polly J.'; -wet your salt first, 'Polly J.'" It is the well-wishing from the hearts -of women, who go back to weep in silence. Which one of them is to make -her sacrifice to the god of winds and storms? - -There is a cheerful answer from the "Polly," drowned in the flapping of -the sails and creaking of the windlass. The anchor, rusty and weed-hung, -is broken out and comes to the surface with a rush, while sheets are -hauled aft, and, catching the morning breeze, the head of the schooner -pays off towards Norman's Woe, the water rippling merrily along her sides. - -The figures on the wharves are mere gray patches in the mass of town and -hills. The big sails, looming dark in the gray mists of the morning, round -out to the freshening wind, and push the light fabric through the opal -waves with ever-increasing speed. By the time the first rays of the rising -sun have gilded the quivering gaff of the main, Eastern Point is left -far astern, and the nose of the vessel ploughs boldly out to sea, rising -with her empty bins light as a feather to the big, heavy swell that comes -rolling in, to break in a steady roar on the brown rocks to leeward. - -There is man's work and plenty of it during those sailing days past -"George's," Sable Island, and the St. Lawrence. The provisions and salt -are to be stowed and restowed, ballast is to be shifted, sails to be made -stronger and more strong, fish-bins to be prepared, old dories to be made -seaworthy, rigging to be tautened, and reels and lines to be cleared and -hooked. Buoy-lines and dory-roding are to be spliced, and miscellaneous -carpenter work takes up the time about the decks. For a skipper unprepared -to take advantage of all that luck may throw in his way does an injustice -to his owner and his crew. But, busy as the time is, the skipper has his -weather-eye open for the "signs." The feel of the air, the look and color -of the cold, gray Bank Sea, tell him in so many words how and where the -fish will be running. At last a hand takes the heavy sea-lead and moves -forward where the line may run free. Deliberately the line is coiled -in great turns around the left hand, and then, like a big pendulum, the -weight begins to swing with the strong right arm. - - -IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE FIRST CATCH - -There is a swirl of the line as the lead goes all the way over, a splash -forward, and, as the skipper luffs her up into it, the line comes upright, -and gets a depth of thirty fathoms. As she comes up into the wind, the -noisy jib flaps down with a run, and the anchor drops to the sandy bottom. -Now the buckets of bait are tossed up from below, and the skipper leaves -his helm to take to the lines. Over the sides and stern they go, dragging -down to leeward. - -There is quiet for a moment, and then a line runs out. There is a tug as -the strong arm checks it and hauls it in quickly, hand over hand. There -is a gleam of light, a swish at the surface, and the fish flies over -the rail, flopping helplessly on to the deck, the first catch of the -season,--a big one. - -Another tug, and another, and soon the work is fast and furious. It takes -honest elbow-muscle, too, to haul ten pounds of floundering cod up five -feet of freeboard to the rail and deck. Soon the deck is covered with the -long, slim, gleaming bodies, and the boys of the schooner have man's work -in tossing them into the gurry-pen amidships. Before the pen is filled, -the fishes stop biting as suddenly as they struck on, and there is a rest -for a while to bait-up and clean down. - -If the signs hold good, the skipper will order the men out to set trawls, -for the smell of the dead fish sometimes drives the school away. - - -HANDLING THE TRAWLS - -The "trawls" are only an elaboration of the hand-lines. They are single -lines, several hundred feet in length, with short lines and baited hooks -at intervals. They are taken out by members of the crew in their dories, -buoyed and anchored. It is the work of tending these trawls that takes the -greatest skill and fearlessness. It is in the work of hauling and baiting -the lines in all weathers that the greatest losses of life occur. There is -no room on the decks of the schooners for heavy boats, and as many such -craft are needed, five or six are piled together amidships. A block and -purchase from aloft are their hoisting-tackle. - -They are handy boats, though light, and two men and a load of fish can -weather the rough seas, if your fisherman is an adept with his oars. But -they are mere cockle-shells at the best, and are tossed like feathers. -The "codders" are reckless fellows, and they will put out to the trawls -day after day in any kind of weather, fog or clear, wind or calm, with -not even a beaker of water or a piece of pilot-bread. - - -A LONELY NIGHT ON THE BROAD ATLANTIC - -A night alone on the broad Atlantic in an open dory seems to have no -terrors for them. Each year adds its lists of casualties to those that -have gone before. Fogs have shut in, seas have risen, and morning has -dawned again and again with no sign of the missing men. Sometimes an -upturned dory is found, with her name--the "Molly S.," or the "Betty T.," -in honor of the owner's shore-mate--on her pointed bow, but only the gray -ocean can tell the story of the missing men. - -When the "Polly's" day's luck is run, all hands take stations for dressing -down. It is the dirty part of the business; but so quickly is it done that -the crew seems part of a mechanism, working like clockwork. Two men stand -at the gurry-pen, their long knives gleaming red in the sunset. The fish -is slit from throat to tail with one cut, and again on both sides of the -neck. It then passes to the next man, who with a scoop of his hand drops -the cod's liver in a basket and sends the head and offal flying. The fish -slides across the dressing-table, where the backbone is torn out by the -third man, who throws it, finally, headless, cleaned, and open, into the -washing-tub. - -The moment the tub is filled, the fish are pitched down the open hatch to -the fifth man, who packs them with salt snugly in the bins. So quickly -is the work done that the fish seem to travel from one hand to another -as though they were alive, and a large gurry-pen is emptied and the bin -packed and salted in less than an hour. - - -WHEN THE DAY'S WORK IS DONE - -The head of the black cook appears above the hatch-combing, and his mouth -opens wide as he gives the welcome supper call. Down the ladder into the -cuddy they tumble, one and all, and lay-to with an appetite and vigor -which speaks of good digestive organs. Conversation is omitted. Coffee, -pork-and-beans, biscuit,--nectar and ambrosia,--vanish from the tin -dishes, until the cook comes in with the sixth pot of steaming coffee. - -At last, when the cook vows the day's allowance is eaten and the last drop -of coffee is poured, the benches are pushed back, tobacco and pipes are -produced from the sacred recesses of the bunks, and six men are puffing -out the blue smoke as though their lives depended on it. - -The schooner rolls to the long ground-swell, her lamp-bracket swinging -through a great arc and casting long, black shadows, monstrous -presentiments of the smokers, which move rapidly from side to side over -the misty beams and bulkheads like gnomes. A concertina, a mouth-organ, -and perhaps a fiddle, are brought out, and a sea-song, an Irish jig, -or something in unspeakable Portuguese, rises above the creaking of the -timbers and the burst of foam alongside. - -But the work is not done yet. It is never done. The ship is to be cleaned -down and the gurry-pen and dory are to be sluiced out in readiness for -the morrow. A vigil is to be kept, watch and watch, and woe be to the -youngster who tumbles off his hatchway to the deck from sheer weariness. - - -WHEN A STEAMER LOOMS UP IN THE FOG - -If there should be a fog,--and hardly a day or a night passes without -one,--the danger is great. When the white veil settles down over the -schooners the men on deck can hardly see their cross-trees. Foot-power -horns are blown, the ship's bell is tolled steadily, while conch shells -bellow their resonant note from the trawlers in the dories. But it is all -to no purpose. For the great siren comes nearer and nearer every second, -and the pounding of the waves against the great hulk and the rush of -resisting water grow horribly distinct. - -There is a hazy glimmer of a row of lights, a roar and a splutter of -steam, a shock and the inrush of the great volume of water, a shout or -two from the towering decks and bridge, and the great body dashes by -disdainfully, speed undiminished, her passengers careless, and unmindful -that the lives and fortunes of half a dozen human beings have hung for a -moment in the balance of Life and Death. But records have to be made, and -the gold-laced officers forget to mention the occurrence. The men on the -schooner do not forget it, though. More than one face is white with the -nearness to calamity. - -"What was she, Jim?" - -"The 'Frederick.' I'd know her bloomin' bellow in a thousand." - -They lean out over the rail and peer into the gray blackness, shaking -their fists at the place where she vanished in the fog. - -The man who gets his name in the newspaper and a medal from his government -is not the only hero. And the modesty with which the Gloucester fisherman -hides his sterling merit is only convincing proof of the fact,--Gloucester -is a city of heroes. - -For grit and devotion the case of Howard Blackburn surpasses understanding. - - -THE COURAGE OF THE UNNAMED HEROES - -Blackburn and his dory-mate left their schooner in a driving snow-storm. -Before they had been at the trawls long the weather had become so thick -that they couldn't see ten feet from the dory's gunwale. The wind shifted -and put them to leeward of their vessel. There was never a sound of bell -or horn through the thickness, and, though they pulled to windward, where -they thought their skipper lay, the vessel could not be found. They were -lost, and the sea was rising. Then they anchored until dawn. - -When the snow stopped falling, they saw the schooner's light, a tiny -speck, miles to windward. To reach it was impossible. The situation was -desperate. Wave-crest after wave-crest swept into the dory, and all but -swamped her. Time after time she was baled out, until it seemed as if -human endurance could stand it no longer. Blackburn made a sea-anchor for -a drag, but in throwing it out lost his mittens overboard. It was horrible -enough to fear drowning in the icy sea, but as he felt his hands beginning -to freeze the effort seemed hopeless. - -With hands frozen, Blackburn felt that he was useless, for his dory-mate -was already almost helpless with exposure. So he sat down to his oars and -bent his freezing fingers over the handles, getting as firm a clutch as -he could. There he sat patiently, calmly, keeping the dory up to the seas -meanwhile,--waiting for his hands to freeze to the oars. The dory became -covered with ice, and pieces of it knocked against the frozen hands and -beat off a little finger and a part of one of the palms. During the second -day Blackburn's dory-mate gave it up, and Blackburn laid down beside him -to try and warm him. But it was useless. The dory-man froze to death where -he lay. - - -FOR FIVE DAYS ADRIFT AND STARVING - -When Blackburn felt the drowsiness coming over him, he stood up and baled -as the boat filled. The third day dawned without a ray of hope, and not a -morsel to eat or a drop to drink, so he stuck the oar through his wounded -fingers and rowed again. - -The fourth day he saw land. He did not reach it until the afternoon of -the fifth day, when he landed at a deserted fish-wharf. No one could be -found, and he was too weak to move farther. So he lay down, more dead than -alive, and tried in vain to sleep, munching snow to quench his thirst. - -The next day he went out in the dory to try to find some signs of life, -and in about three hours, the last remnant of his strength being gone, he -saw smoke and the roofs of some houses, and he knew that he was saved. -Even when he reached the shore in a pitiable condition, he would not go -into the house until they promised him to get the body of his dory-mate. - -This heroic man lost his hands and the most of his toes, but he reached -Gloucester alive. The story of his grit and devotion to his dory-mate are -to-day told to the young fishermen of the fleet, and the men of the Banks -will sing his praises until Time shall have wiped out all things which -remain unrecorded. - - -WHERE THE COD ABOUND - -On some of the schooners, by the middle of the season most of the salt -is "wet." It is then that the "Polly J." follows the fleet up to the -"Virgin." - -This is a rocky ledge, many miles out in the desolate Bank seas, which -rises to within a few feet of the surface of the ocean. Here the cod and -camplin abound, and here, when it is time for them to run, most of the -schooners come to anchor, sending out their little fleets until perhaps -two thousand dories and schooners are afloat at the same time, within a -distance of two or three miles of one another. When the schools of camplin -come to the surface and begin to jump, the dories all close in on them, -for the fishermen know that the cod are after them. Almost as quickly -as the lines can be baited and cast overboard the fish strike on, and -the work is steady and hard until the dories, loaded down almost to the -gunwales, have made several trips of it, and the salt in the bins shows -a prospect of being "all wet" before the week is out. - -The few days towards the end of the season at the "Old Virgin" are a race -between the ships at catching and dressing down. The rival crews work from -dawn until dark. - -At last the big mainsail of the victor--perhaps the "Polly J."--is hauled -out, the chain is hove in short, and the dories from less fortunate -schooners crowd alongside with good wishes and letters for the folks at -home. Anchor up, the flag is hoisted,--the right of the first boat off the -Banks,--and the proud schooner, low lying in the water with her fifteen -hundred quintal, bows gracefully to each vessel of the fleet at anchor as -she passes them, homeward bound. - - -WHEN THE SCHOONERS MOVE UP THE HARBOR - -Homeward bound!--there is magic in the word. Though the first vessel -to head to the southward is proud among the fleet, she has a burden of -responsibility upon her, for she carries every year news of death and -calamity that will break the hearts of many down in Gloucester, and the -flags she flaunts so gayly must come to half-mast before she sights the -hazy blue of Eastern Point. - -During those long summer months a lonely wife goes about her household -duties down in Gloucester town. There is a weight upon her heart, and -until the fleet comes in and she sees the familiar face at the front gate, -happiness is not for her. Day after day she listens for his footsteps, and -after supper, when the season draws to a close, she walks down to where -she can look far out to sea. - -Then a schooner, heavy laden, appears around the Point. She comes around -and moves up the harbor slowly,--oh, so slowly. The flag the wife has seen -is half-masted, and she knows that some woman's heart is to break. Will -it be hers? - -THE END. - - - - -By Sydney George Fisher - -Men, Women, and Manners in Colonial Times. - - Illustrated with four photogravures and numerous head and tail - sketches in each volume. Two volumes. Satine, in a box, $3.00; - half calf or half morocco, $6.00. - -_SECOND EDITION._ - -"The author's work is a blending of grave history, amusing anecdote, -extracts from diaries, and graphic word pictures. He has an admirable -knack of liveliness that is quite Frenchy, and stimulates the reader into -a ravenous delight. Puritan, Pilgrim, Cavalier, Quaker, and Catholic are -made to re-enact their Colonial parts, and the resulting drama is full of -action, humor, wit, and pathos."--_Boston Globe._ - -"These two volumes, in delicately colored satine, are fascinating in their -panoramic view of a whole era that abounds in picturesque and diverting -incident. Discretion and taste were required in the selection, and -literary art in the presentation. These are revealed by Mr. Fisher, and -the result is social history in the most engaging style."--_Philadelphia -Press._ - -The Making of Pennsylvania. - -The Evolution of the Constitution of the United States. - -Each volume. 12mo. Buckram, $1.50. - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -BY SYDNEY GEORGE FISHER. - - THE TRUE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. - - With numerous illustrations, portraits, and fac-similes. Crown - octavo. Cloth, $2.00. Uniform with "THE TRUE GEORGE WASHINGTON." - -"Mr. Fisher has done a service to American literature and history which -is not to be measured alone by the facts supplied in his book. There is -a sentimental value to his study, which resides in its effect upon the -public mind in making us realize the true proportions of one of our few -great men. Washington and Franklin are the true figures in our early -history to which the verdict of the world has given lasting fame. Paul -Leicester Ford has changed Washington from a myth into a human being. -Mr. Fisher has done the same for Franklin. Of the two heroes Washington -was the less understood. But the popular conception of Franklin in its -way was also far from the truth. The result of Mr. Fisher's analysis of -Franklin will be to make him more distinctly a great American than ever -he was to us before. Mr. Fisher evidently has made a careful study of -Franklin; first, as he reveals himself in his own writings and in his -life; and, secondly, as his biographers and those who were contemporary -with him have estimated him. He destroys some popular delusions concerning -him, and, on the other hand, brings out more clearly and forcibly than -heretofore the greatness of certain qualities of his character which have -been rather lost sight of or neglected. Mr. Fisher has done his work with -the painstaking care and skill that have made his various other books -along historical lines of recognized merit. He writes clearly, frankly, -and without prejudice."--_Philadelphia Evening Bulletin._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -The True George Washington - -BY - -PAUL LEICESTER FORD, - -Author of "The Honorable Peter Stirling," etc. - -With twenty-four full-page illustrations. Crown 8vo. Cloth, deckle edges, -$2.00; three-quarters levant, $5.00. - -"This book is a monument of industry."--_New York Nation._ - -"This is a wonderfully interesting book."--_Buffalo Commercial._ - -"Mr. Ford's book is rich in new matter which commends itself as -interesting as well as valuable."--_Washington Times._ - -"Mr. Ford has delved with diligence and with rich reward into contemporary -records, correspondence, and traditions, and gives an entertaining -account of colonial times and of the personal traits of the Father of His -Country."--_Chicago Advance._ - -"Mr. Ford's book is important out of all proportion to its size, and -will probably be read so long as the name of Washington continues to be -revered. Brushing aside the hysterical panegyrics of would-be biographers -and historians as well as super-laudatory passages in works otherwise -trustworthy and meritorious, Mr. Ford resolutely set out to acquire -real knowledge of the man, George Washington. Few of the other heroes -of history could pass unscathed through an examination so thorough and -so rigid. Every attainable fact that helps to show the Father of His -Country as he was in his social and family relations has been carefully -considered."--_Boston Evening Gazette._ - -"This work challenges attention for the really valuable light which it -throws upon the character of George Washington. The picture which Mr. -Ford here draws of him is careful, life-like, and impressive in the -extreme. While his exhaustive researches have resulted in humanizing -Washington 'and making him a man rather than a historical figure,' a fair -and intelligent reader, we submit, will arise from the glowing chapters -of Mr. Ford's work with a larger conception of the character, endowments, -and equipment of the first of Americans.... The work embodies a surprising -measure of information on a most important as well as interesting -subject."--_Philadelphia Evening Bulletin._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - -BY HON. JOHN BIGELOW. - - THE LIFE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. - - Written by himself. Now first edited from original manuscripts and - from his printed correspondence and other writings. Revised and - corrected, with additional notes. Three volumes. Crown octavo. - Cloth, $4.50; half calf, $9.00; three-quarters calf, gilt top, - uncut edges, $9.75. - -FOURTH EDITION. - -"Mr. Bigelow has again revised his splendid work, first published -twenty-three years ago, and incorporated such discoveries as have been -made in the past five years. The editor may well boast that time has -indicated the artistic principle upon which the work was constructed of -letting Franklin tell his own story in his own way, beginning with the -autobiography and continuing the narrative with a most careful mosaic of -Franklin's voluminous letters. And it is to be credited to Mr. Bigelow -that the ever-increasing fame of Franklin has made such substantial -advance in our own day, since such contemporary impetus was given to the -study of the man and his services by this very 'Life of Franklin.' It -is a unique biography, or rather autobiography, and, of course, it is -unapproachable in the case of its own particular subject. Until an equally -tireless and copious letter-writer as Franklin can be found another such -work is impossible."--_Philadelphia Press._ - -J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA. - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Missing periods and quotation marks have been supplied where -obviously required. All other original errors and inconsistencies -have been retained, except as follows: - - Page 68: changed attemts to attempts - (that further attempts at flight) - Page 145: changed then to them - (and tumbling them both down) - Page 248: changed gradutes to graduates - (among the graduates of the) - Page 282: changed bated to baited - (lines and baited hooks at) - Ads page 4: changed bioggraphy to biography - (a unique biography, or rather) - Ads page 4: changed tireles to tireless - (an equally tireless and copious) - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pike & Cutlass, by George Gibbs - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIKE & CUTLASS *** - -***** This file should be named 42138.txt or 42138.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/1/3/42138/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Rosanna Murphy and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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