1830.] The King's Own. 567 



obtain the greatest elevation to counteract the heel of the frigate, watched the 

 lurch, and pitched the shot close to the forefoot of the disabled vessel, who imme- 

 diately showed French colours over her weather-quarter. 



" ' French colours, sir !' cried two or three at a breath. 



" ' Beat to quarters, Mr. Bully/ said Captain M . 



" ' Shall we cast loose the main-deck guns?' 



" ' No, no that will be useless; we shall not be able to fire them, and we may 

 have them through the sides. We '11 try her with the carronades.' 



" It was easy to perceive, without the assistance of a glass, that the men on board 

 the French line-of-battle ship were attempting, in no very scientific manner, to 

 get a jury-mast up abaft, that by putting after-sail on her they might keep their 

 vessel to the wind. The foresail they dare not take off, as, without any sail to 

 keep her steady, the remaining mast would in all probability have rolled over the 

 side ; but without after-sail the ship would not keep to the wind, and the conse- 

 quence was, that she was two points off the wind, forging fast through the water, 

 notwithstanding that the helm was hard a-lee. 



" ' Where are we now, Mr, Pearce?' interrogated the captain: ' about eight or 

 nine leagues from the land?' 



" ' Say seven leagues, sir, if you please,' replied the master, ' until I can give 

 you an exact answer,' and he descended the companion-ladder to work up his 

 reckoning. 



" t She's leaving us, Mr. Bully keep more away, and run abreast of her. Now, 

 my lads, watch the weather roll, round and grape don't throw a shot away aim 

 at the quarter-deck ports. If we can prevent her from getting up her jury-masts, 

 she is done for.' 



" < As for the matter of that,' said the quarter-master, who was captain of one of 

 the quarter-deck guns, ( we might save our shot. They haven't nouse enough to 

 get them up, if left all to themselves. However, here 's a slap at her.' 



" The frigate had now closed within three cables' lengths of the line-of-battle 

 ship ; and considering the extreme difficulty of hitting any mark under such disad- 

 vantages, a well-directed fire was thrown in by her disciplined seamen. 



" The enemy attempted to return the fire from the weather main-deck guns ; 

 but it was a service of such difficulty and danger, that he more than once aban- 

 doned it. Two or three guns disappearing from the ports, proved that they had 

 either rolled to leeward, or had been precipitated down the hatchways. This was 

 indeed the case ; and the French sailors were so much alarmed, from the serious 

 disasters that had already ensued, that they either quitted their quarters, or, afraid 

 to stand behind the guns when they were fired, no aim was taken, and the shots 

 were thrown away. Had the two ships been equally manned, the disadvantage, 

 under all the misfortunes of the Frenchman, would have been on the side of die 

 frigate ; but the gale itself was more than sufficient employment for the undis- 

 ciplined crew of the line-of-battle ship. The fire from the frigate was kept up 

 with vigour, although the vessel lurched so heavily as often to throw the men who 

 were stationed at the guns into the lee-scuppers, rolling one over the other in the 

 water with which the decks were floated; but this was only a subject of merri- 

 ment, and they resumed their task with the careless spirit of British seamen. The 

 fire, difficult as it was to take ariy precise aim, had the effect intended that of 

 preventing the French vessel from rigging any thing like a jury-mast. Occasion- 

 ally the line-of-battle ship kept more away, to avoid the grape by increasing her 

 distance ; but the frigate's course was regulated by that of her opponent, and she 

 continued her galling pursuit." 



From this specimen our readers will conclude that the author before 

 us, in describing preparations for " bad weather" and battle, uses the 

 language of an officer and seaman. No lubberly conduct is evinced by 

 the captain of the Aspasia, nor in the dialogue on deck is the nautical 

 ear offended by the introduction of fresh-water phrases, by which the 

 American novelist so frequently destroys the vraisemblance of his sketches. 

 We never light on such lubberly expressions as "full-rigged ship"- 



