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A naval romance. Excerpt: "First night on board the Albatross was anything but comfortable. When George returned to the ship he found a gun-wharf lighter on the starboard side full of shot, which was being handed in, and on the port side a dockyard lump with anchors and cables. The rolling of the shot along the deck, and the clanking of the chain cables as they were passed below, made a sweet concord of sound. But our young officer wanted to know all about a sailor's duty, and he stood by the boatswain's side watching the work until the cable was made fast and stowed away in the chain- locker. Then the unwieldy hempen sheet cable, thick as a man's thigh, the last hope of a ship in storm or on lee shore, was passed down the main hatchway, and coiled away like some huge snake in lengths running fore and aft. It was six o'clock before the lighters were cleared, and by that time Falkland's new uniform was as much covered with iron rust as Constantine's with whitewash. At the first sound of the " pipe to supper," sailors and marines rushed down to the lower deck, happy that the day's work was over; and George found his way to the midshipmen's berth, joining in the cry for " tea" with which the hungry youngsters were besetting the steward. The new arrival had to undergo a small fire of chaff, but he soon made himself at home, and when he turned in that night he felt well satisfied both with his messmates and with the Albatross." |
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Author: Samuel Whitchurch Sadler R.N. Title: Perilous Seas and How Oriana Sailed Them Series: n/a First Published by: Marcus Ward & Co Place: Format: HC Date: 1876 ISBN-10: ISBN-13:
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