558 The United Service Smoke-shop : a Winter Sketch. [MAV, 



clung by dozens to your ships' rudders and cables, and some had even 

 gained the chains of your small craft when they were " shoved off ! " 



Beau Ben. It was felt to be the hardest service that devolved on us ; 

 but we are to obey orders, not to discuss them ; ours were, not to allow 

 a Turk on board on any account. 



Lt. Col. Towlter. A cool order that. You have a song, (a great fa- 

 vourite in your service,) which I think runs thus : 



" But mark our last broadside ! see, she sinks ! down she goes : 

 Quickly man all the boats, boys they no longer are foes; 

 For to snatch a brave fellow from a watery grave 

 Is worthy of BUITONS who CONQUER TO SAVE!" 



However, Binnacle, te it iy an ill wind that blows nobody good," you 

 have bravely won your step, and your well-earned badge of honour ; I 

 hope to see you soon a-float again, on the road to the highest honours of 

 your daring profession. 



Mainbrace. We all thought, Ben, that you would have been popped 

 into the little Phil., after the noble dispatch-bearer was promoted to 

 Post. 



Beau Ben. That could not be, Jack, while her own gallant First could 

 advance his superior claims ; I did, however, consider, from what was 

 said to me on the quarter-deck after the action, that besides my step, I 

 might flatter my hopes with the command of a craft of some kind ; but 

 the thing did not tell at home as we all expected it would ; and for the 

 few openings it occasioned, there were always Parliament-men ready to 

 pop in a word for a favourite and you know the rest. 



Mainbrace. Ha ! ha ! I never hear Parliamentary interest mentioned 

 without thinking of an adventure in Cadiz Bay in 1810. I was then a 

 younker ; our brig was ordered off, at quarter of an hour's warning, 

 for Lisbon, to take dispatches from old Purvis to Lord Wellington, re- 

 porting the arrival of General Stewart with the British troops, and the 

 safety of Cadiz. Well, we had half the watch aloft, making sail, when 

 we were hailed by a person in a Spanish boat, the crew of which were 

 pulling away like devils to overhaul us: to our question of " what do you 

 want?" the answer was a "passage to Lisbon." " Ask him who he is," 

 said our skipper. " My name is JACOB," answered the supplicant, 

 "Jacob!" repeated the captain, " a damned Jewish name no, it wont 

 do tell him so loose top-gallant sails!" " Sir," says the first lieuten- 

 ant, " he is waving his hat and holding up a paper." " What the devil 

 does he want ?" said the captain, peevishly : ' ' you know, we can't take him 

 in that's flat !" The stranger roared up, with the lungs of a Boatswain, 

 " I want to get to England immediately, to attend my duty in PARLIA- 

 MENT." " Did he say His duty in Parliament?" anxiously inquired the 

 captain. " Yes, sir," replied the leef. " Damme, that alters the case, 

 stand fast top-gallant sails," roared the captain, " back main-top-sail ! 

 man ropes at the side there ! Steward ! bring up my best hat, and put a 

 bottle of Madeira on the table, His DUTY IN PARLIAMENT ! gently, 

 gently, there fend off! Now, sir, give me your hand welcome on board 

 the Persiana," said our now obsequious skipper, as he doused his sky- 

 scraper and tripped it before the legislator bowing like a dancing-master. 

 The member strutted along as if he felt all the dignity of his Parlia- 

 mentary character. " We may Jill now, sir," said the lieutenant, as he 

 threw a sly look at the senator. 



