The Merry Past 



the " Mars' " guns, and after the action exhibited a 

 cavernous gulf through which, as a country-bred 

 sailor said, you might have shoved a haystack. 



The " Mars " lost her captain, and many were killed 

 and wounded, whilst the Frenchmen suffered very 

 severely. 



Much of the routine work on the old men-of-war 

 was frequently done by a subordinate, who had a 

 knowledge of figures. The captain's clerk, for in- 

 stance, not unusually rendered himself indispensable. 

 Many of those men could write fairly and glibly, were 

 clever at an official letter, or a return ; and as writing 

 was learning in those days, their betters winked at 

 their imperfections for the sake of their capabilities. 

 To read a book or to be seen with one upon deck or 

 the booms at that period was a sin or crime seldom 

 unpunished with mast-heading, or a severe reprimand 

 from the first lieutenant ; and happy was the .young- 

 ster who could stow himself away in the lee-chains of 

 a sunny day, to beguile a few hours in the perusal of 

 *' Robinson Crusoe," or " Tom Jones." 



Though the majority of seamen were rough, un- 

 cultured men, there were a few who, notwithstanding 

 very unfavourable conditions, were possessed of 

 artistic aptitude. 



There was on board the " Undaunted," when com- 

 manded by Captain Usher, a seaman who had a 

 remarkable taste for carving, and whose ingenuity had 

 been conspicuously exerted in ornamenting the cabins 

 and stern of that frigate. Another naval officer, the 

 head of whose figure-head had been recently shot 



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