LEAVES FROM A LOG. 37 



This was the most remarkable event in the life of John Oldboy, 

 and it was most diverting to listen to the old man while he related 

 the particulars of this bold affair : I have heard him tell it a hundred 

 times, and ever with delight. He related how Jack Jenkins fought 

 with the French mate till the latter, by wounding him in the wrist, 

 disarmed him, when Jack adopting Creole tactics, " fired a butt"* at 

 him ; in other words dashed his head so furiously into the French- 

 man's bread-basket that he pitched him overboard ; on which Oldboy 

 would add, " the captain ran at me with his neppe (epee) calling out 

 'Morbleu' 'True blue,' said I, < you French Jacko,' and I split his skull 

 with the pump-rake !" And then to hear him tell how they towed 

 the enemy into " Guana Bay," while Kit Sharp played Rule Britannia 

 on his fiddle, and a bevy of white, black, yellow, and brown beauties 

 awaited to welcome the victors ashore. Tut ! uncle Toby when 

 laying some of the finest sieges to some of the finest fortresses in 

 Europe was never so elated as Oldboy when describing the capture 

 of the Fleur-de-Lis by the Terrible ! 



On meeting Mr. Oldboy, I perceived he was in full dress, wearing the 

 habiliments of the last century ; that is, he had on white short knees, 

 . white silk stockings, with yellow clocks, pumps and buckles, a yellow 

 figured velvet waistcoat, coat of an old fashion cut, a lace frilled and 

 ruffled shirt ; his own hair of a deep black, without the slightest 

 mixture of gray, strong and bushy, was copiously daubed with 

 pomatum and powder ; he was crowned with a Panama straw hat 

 a cocked hat he was not able to get in the colony. 



" Ah, mister Tropic ! glad to see you in this quarter." 



" Happy at meeting you, Sir ; I was coming to dine with you." 



" That you cannot, Mr. Tropic, on Golden Hill estate, as I dine 

 out to-day, but I'll tell you what we can do to dine together ; come 

 with me where I go, I am invited by a mutual friend, who will be 

 very glad to see you." 



" Who may he be?" I inquired. 



" My neighbour Fireblood," was the reply. 



At hearing this name I thought of my dream ; the fact is, Fire- 

 blood and myself had quarrelled at the last brigade parade, when he 

 sent for a friend in order to " call me out ;" in vain this friend, who 

 was a man of peace, remonstrated with him on his folly in so se- 

 riously noticing such a trifle. He would listen to no proposal, but 

 talked of sending for Terrence O'Rily, a man who was never known 

 to refuse carrying a challenge, should the other persist in not 

 bearing his hostile message. 



To prevent worse consequences, his friend came to demand satis- 

 faction, but called on his commandant on his way to me, so that in 

 due time I received the challenge, was put under arrest, and obliged 

 to find two sureties that I would not break the peace for six months ; 

 so was Fireblood, who appeared quite satisfied. Now but three out 

 of the six months had expired, and etiquette required that we should 

 be at drawn daggers until the term of our keeping the peace should 





" In West Indian boxing the head is more used than the fist. To " fire a 

 butt,*' means to rush in with the head. 



