672 Tales of a Tar. [JUNE, 



that ever conducted so momentous a matter, that now you betray such defici- 

 ency in firmness as to listen to the dictates of men incapable of judging for 

 themselves ?' 



t( Well, I was here interrupted, hut Joice, the humane Joice, obtained me a 

 hearing 



" ' How are we to know/ I continued, ' whether, in these fourteen pieces of 

 packed paper, the voice of the fleet is contained ? Who are ive ? f We of the 

 Mars' ( We of the Marl borough,' &c. Are any of the delegates present includ- 

 ed in that we ? How are we to know whether the we of each ship is not like 

 the we of the newspaper, a solitary individual !' 



" Well, I was again interrupted, but again permitted to proceed. 



" ' You appear,' said I, ' to understand little of the relative position between 

 the delegates of the fleet and the seamen of the fleet. By whom are we deputed, 

 and here placed, to conduct the councils of the common cause ? Are we self- 

 constituted, or elected by the crews of our respective ships ? Have we not been 

 individually and collectively chosen by the latter to guide and govern them ; 

 but now now ?' said I, with considerable warmth, ' you prefer to let them guide 

 and govern you' " 



" You said no more than right, John for if you're to be listning," said Tur- 

 ner, "to every fellow's prate when the ship's ashore, I'm if you ever gets 



her off." 



" A line-of-battle ship," muttered Fleming, " had been easier got off than the 

 lieutenant." 



t( Well, at this moment a letter, which had been addressed to the London's 

 ship's company by the lieutenant whose life was pending on the delegates' deci- 

 sion, and which the committee-men of that ship had promptly despatched to St. 

 Helen's, was handed in and read aloud. 



" It was a manly and spirited appeal, asserting that he did no more than his 

 duty, in promptly complying with the orders of his superior that no individual 

 could possibly deplore so much as himself the life lost ; and that if the delegates 

 deprived him of his, they would deprive a good mother and two amiable sisters 

 of their only protector" 



* f You may depend on't, a better man never brea tiled," ejaculated Fleming's 

 shipmate. 



" You may depend on't," echoed Miller, " it's always a sign of a good man, 

 when he 'lots to his mother. No man can do wrong that does that for though 

 a fellow can't always swear to his father, he's mostly sure of his mother." 



Smiling at Miller's maxim, the once able-bodied, but still able-minded sea- 

 man proceeded. 



" This letter called forth from many, remarks which did credit to their head 

 and heart. Nor shall I ever forget the sound reasoning, manly and feeling com- 

 ments, which fell from one of the delegates of the Royal Sovereign." 



" ' Aye, I can tell ye,' cried Miller, ' we'd some long-headed fellows in the 

 old Suvran. I doesn't say they were chaps much given to larnin', or the likes 

 o' that but they were these sort o' chaps, when there was a general sarvin'-out 

 o' brains, they corned in for double allowance I axes your pardon, John, but, as 

 it was the first time I hears the old Suvran's name, I thought 'twas no harm to 

 lend you a hand.' 



"Well, notwithstanding the impression the perusal of this letter made upon 

 the minds of many of the delegates, still the majority could not divest themselves 

 of the idea, or, more strictly speaking, of apprehensions which induced the idea 

 that it was their ' boumlen duty to comply with the wishes of the fleet.' The 

 lieutenant's fate was sealed his death was decided." 



" ' On board of what ship must the lieutenant suffer?' asked Joice, who was 

 president for the day. ' On board of his own,' replied two or three voices at the 

 bottom of the table. ' By what authority,' said I, ' do you mean to carry the 

 sentence into execution? for I am sure,' I continued, 'none here are desirous 

 to commit an illegal act.' e Nor, I am sure,' said Joice, ' that, now their anger is 

 subsided, the London's ship's company will never consent to the measure.' 

 ' They must,' was the brief remark. ' Where is your authority ?'. I again asked. 



