OLD JACK ASTRAY. 133 



landsman has the best of the bargain, seldom letting 

 Jack Tar weather him. 



The first move of our fellows was to take posses- 

 sion of an English bar-room, strike up Yankee 

 Doodle, and break down in a genuine fore-and- 

 after. There are five of these public houses in this 

 settlement ; one, however, was chiefly patronized by 

 the ships' crews, from the fact of a pretty bar-maid 

 presiding over the spirits; and, as she was the only 

 creditable-looking specimen of marriageable femi- 

 ninity in the place, she was surrounded by admirers. 

 She met all with a cheerful smile, and was ever pleasant 

 to both officers and sailors, always granting them a 

 kiss of her fair cheek, when ready to sail ; while her 

 character, from a certain dignity about the girl, was 

 unimpeachable. 



Of course, the facilities for obtaining liquor being 

 so abundant, there was the usual quantity of drinking; 

 but, without prejudice, I feel justified in saying, that, 

 of the three crews, ours conducted themselves best, 

 and at sun-down returned in a creditable manner. 

 Old Jack, however, got astray, and was not to be 

 found at night when the boat came off. The next day 

 one of the crew found him, with a bottle of grog, 

 close by a small dam on the outskirts of the town. 

 After being thoroughly awakened by a hearty 

 shaking he took up his line of march, which, 

 by the way, was a very crooked one, for the beach, 

 singing, with great energy — 



"The sailor loves his bottle, 0!" 



One morning, on going ashore, we found that the 

 Wavelett's crew were not on liberty. ISTews soon 

 12 



