NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



(J05 



every thing snug, for we shall have a fresh breeze to-night ; and aboard 

 them foreign vessels you don't know where the ropes lead ; your 

 men feel strange, and don't work so well.' 'Oh, no,' says Tyrrell, ' I'll 

 be d d if I don't keep up with the frigate.' ' Very well, you may 

 do as you like ; but mind I have warn'd you for your own good. 

 You had better take my advice/ By this time his chest was in the 

 boat, and away he went. Directly he got on board, up went his top- 

 gallant-sails, all reefs out of his top-sails, and as the frigate waited 

 for her boat to come back, the prize got well a-head. When the 

 boat was hoisted up she filled, and away she went after the brig. The 

 gunner had gone fored on the fauksle (forecastle), and was standing 

 on the foremost gun, looking at the little brig. The breeze by this 

 time had freshened up a good deal. The frigate was going seven 

 knots, though she was on a bowline. The skipper and the only luff 

 tackle they had left, were walking up and down the quarter-deck, 

 talking, I s'pose, about their prize-money. The luff was a very 

 young feller ; he was our junior luff, but a devilish smart feller he was, 

 and a capital sailor. All at once the gunner sings out, ' the prize has 

 gone down, Sir.' 'Gone down?' cries the skipper: ' Good God! 

 shorten sail, lower the boat quickly.' ( No, Sir, no/ says the luff, 

 ' you'd better keep sail on her keep sail on her for your life, 

 Sir it's your only chance of saving her.' ' You are right/ says the 

 skipper, who was a good sailor, but had been taken quite aback by 

 this coming on him so suddenly. ' Hands in the cutter, cast off the 

 gripes have her clear for lowering. Directly we come to I'll throw 

 all aback," says he to the luff. ' Ay, ay, Sir, that's the only chance ; 

 and it's a very poor one I'm afraid.' ' I'm afraid so too/ says the 

 skipper. Well, quicker than I have told it, they came just up to 

 where the brig went down, throw every thing aback, lower away 

 quickly, down went the cutter, and you'll believe how quick she must 

 have been, when I tell you they picked up the midshipman's chest 

 and one man. The chest was too large to go down the brig's hatch- 

 way, so they had left it on deck. The man was not hurt at all, and 

 after he had had a glass of grog (which the captain told his steward 

 to give him) and put on dry clothes, he was as well as ever ; so the 

 skipper sent for him on deck, and said " This is a sad loss, my 

 man ; twenty poor fellers and a good prize gone to the bottom. Let 

 me know how it happened who's fault was it ? Mr. Tyrrell ought 

 to have been more cautious he shouldn't have carried so much sail ; 

 but he's gone, poor fellow ! so we won't say any thing about him ex- 

 cept what we can say in his praise; and we may say he was a brave 

 young man, and would have made a good officer if he had lived ; 

 but put your hat on, my man, and tell me how you managed to cap- 

 size the brig.' ' Why, please, Sir/ says the man, ' I'll tell you as far 

 as I know ; but every thing happened so suddenly that I can hardly 

 say any thing about it. Well, Sir, directly we got on board, Mr. 

 Tyrrell ordered us to make sail, saying he would be at Oporto 

 before the frigate. After we got all sail on her, the wind began to 

 freshen. I was at the helm, arid Mr. Tyrrell was conning the ship, 

 when it came on a heavy puff, and the brig heeled over a good deal ; 

 so Mr. Tyrrell sings out, < Luff, luff, boy, luff!' 'Luff, it is, Sir/ 

 M.M. No. 108. 4 I 



