J.G. Austin - "Outpost"

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Juliana Horatia Ewing - "Jan of the Windmill"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: Mr. Midshipman Easy

F >> Frederick Marryat >> Mr. Midshipman Easy




All was dismay and confusion for a minute or two: at last Captain
Wilson, who had himself lost his sight for a short time, called for
the carpenter and axes--they climbed up, that is, two or three of
them, and he pointed to the mizzen-mast; the master was also there,
and he cut loose the axes for the seamen to use; in a few minutes the
mizzen-mast fell over the quarter, and the helm being put hard up, the
frigate payed off and slowly righted. But the horror of the scene was
not yet over. The boatswain, who had been on the forecastle, had been
led below, for his vision was gone for ever. The men who lay
scattered about had been examined, and they were assisting them down
to the care of the surgeon, when the cry of "Fire!" issued from the
lower deck. The ship had taken fire at the coal-hole and carpenter's
store-room, and the smoke that now ascended was intense.

"Call the drummer," said Captain Wilson, "and let him beat to
quarters--all hands to their stations--let the pumps be rigged and the
buckets passed along. Mr Martin, see that the wounded men are taken
down below. Where's Mr Haswell? Mr Pottyfar, station the men to pass
the water on by hand on the lower deck. I will go there myself. Mr
Jones, take charge of the ship."

Pottyfar, who actually had taken his hands out of his pockets,
hastened down to comply with the captain's orders on the main deck, as
Captain Wilson descended to the deck below.

"I say, Jack, this is very different from this morning," observed
Gascoigne.

"Yes," replied Jack, "so it is; but I say, Gascoigne, what's the best
thing to do?--when the chimney's on fire on shore, they put a wet
blanket over it."

"Yes," replied Gascoigne; "but when the coal-hole's on fire on board,
they will not find that sufficient."

"At all events, wet blankets must be a good firing, Ned, so let us
pull out the hammocks; cut the lanyards and get some out--we can but
offer them, you know, and if they do no good, at least it will show
our zeal."

"Yes, Jack, and I think when they turn in again, those whose blankets
you take will agree with you, that zeal makes the service very
uncomfortable. However, I think you are right."

The two midshipmen collected three or four hands, and in a very short
time they had more blankets than they could carry--there was no
trouble in wetting them, for the main deck was afloat--and followed by
the men they had collected, Easy and Gascoigne went down with large
bundles in their arms to where Captain Wilson was giving directions to
the men.

"Excellent, Mr Easy, excellent, Mr Gascoigne" said Captain Wilson.
"Come, my lads, throw them over now, and stamp upon them well"; the
men's jackets and the captain's coat had already been sacrificed to
the same object.

Easy called the other midshipmen, and they went up for a further
supply; but there was no occasion, the fire had been smothered: still
the danger had been so great that the fore magazine had been floated.
During all this, which lasted perhaps a quarter of an hour, the
frigate had rolled gunwale under, and many were the accidents which
occurred. At last all danger from fire had ceased, and the men were
ordered to return to their quarters, when three officers and
forty-seven men were found absent--seven of them were dead, most of
them were already under the care of the surgeon, but some were still
lying in the scuppers.

No one had been more active or more brave during this time of danger,
than Mr Hawkins, the chaplain. He was everywhere, and when Captain
Wilson went down to put out the fire he was there, encouraging the men
and exerting himself most gallantly. He and Mesty came aft when all
was over, one just as black as the other. The chaplain sat down and
wrung his hands--"God forgive me!" said he, "God forgive me!"

"Why so, sir?" said Easy, who stood near. "I am sure you need not be
ashamed of what you have done."

"No, no, not ashamed of what I've done; but, Mr Easy--I have sworn so,
sworn such oaths at the men in haste--I, the chaplain! God forgive
me!--I meant nothing." It was very true that Mr Hawkins had sworn a
great deal during his exertions, but he was at that time the
quarter-deck officer and not the chaplain; the example to the men and
his gallantry had been most serviceable.

"Indeed, sir," said Easy, who saw the chaplain was in great
tribulation, and hoped to pacify him, "I was certainly not there all
the time, but I only heard you say, 'God bless you, my men! be smart,'
and so on; surely, that is not swearing."

"Was it that I said, Mr Easy, are you sure? I really had an idea that
I had d---d them all in heaps, as some of them deserved--no, no, not
deserved. Did I really bless them--nothing but bless them?"

"Yes, sir," said Mesty, who perceived what Jack wanted: "it was
nothing, I assure you, but 'God bless you, Captain Wilson!--Bless your
heart, my good men!-Bless the king!' and so on. You do nothing but
shower down blessing and wet blanket."

"I told you so," said Jack. "Well, Mr Easy, you've made me very
happy," replied the chaplain; "I was afraid it was otherwise."

So indeed it was, for the chaplain had sworn like a boatswain; but as
Jack and Mesty had turned all his curses into blessings, the poor man
gave himself absolution, and shaking hands with Jack, hoped he would
come down into the gun-room and take a glass of grog; nor did he
forget Mesty, who received a good allowance at the gun-room door, to
which Jack gladly consented, as the rum in the middy's berth had all
been exhausted after the rainy morning; but Jack was interrupted in
his third glass, by somebody telling him the captain wanted to speak
with Mr Hawkins and with him.

Jack went up, and found the captain on the quarter-deck with the
officers. "Mr Easy," said Captain Wilson, "I have sent for you, Mr
Hawkins, and Mr Gascoigne, to thank you on the quarter-deck, for your
exertions and presence of mind on this trying occasion." Mr Hawkins
made a bow. Gascoigne said nothing, but he thought of having extra
leave when they arrived at Malta. Jack felt inclined to make a
speech, and began something about when there was danger that it
levelled every one to an equality even on board of a man-of-war.

"By no means, Mr Easy," replied Captain Wilson; "it does the very
contrary; for it proves which is the best man, and those who are the
best raise themselves at once above the rest."

Jack was very much inclined to argue the point, but he took the
compliment and held his tongue, which was the wisest thing he could
have done; so he made his bow, and was about to go down into the
midshipmen's berth when the frigate was pooped by a tremendous sea,
which washed all those who did not hold on down into the waist. Jack
was among the number, and naturally catching at the first object which
touched him, he caught hold of the chaplain by the leg, who commenced
swearing most terribly: but before he could finish the oath, the water
which had burst into the cabin through the windows--for the dead
lights, in the confusion, had not yet been shipped--burst out of the
cross bulk-heads, sweeping like a torrent the marine, the cabin-door,
and everything else in its force, and floating Jack and the chaplain
with several others down the main hatchway on to the lower deck. The
lower deck being also full of water, men and chests were rolling and
tossing about, and Jack was sometimes in company with the chaplain,
and at other times separated; at last they both recovered their legs,
and gained the midshipmen's berth, which, although afloat, was still a
haven of security. Mr Hawkins spluttered and spit, and so did Jack,
until he began to laugh.

"This is very trying, Mr Easy," said the chaplain; "very trying indeed
to the temper. I hope I have not sworn I hope not."

"Not a word," said Jack--"I was close to you all the time--you only
said 'God preserve us!'"

"Only that? I was afraid that I said 'God d--n it!'"

"Quite a mistake, Mr Hawkins. Let's go into the gun-room, and try to
wash this salt water out of our mouths, and then I will tell you all
you said, as far as I could hear it, word for word."

So Jack by this means got another glass of grog, which was very
acceptable in his wet condition, and made himself very comfortable,
while those on deck were putting on the dead lights, and very busy
setting the goose-wings of the mainsail, to prevent the frigate from
being pooped a second time.


CHAPTER XXVI

In which our hero becomes excessively unwell, and agrees to go through
a course of medicine.

The hammocks were not piped down that night: some were taken
indiscriminately for the wounded, but the rest remained in the
nettings, for all hands were busy preparing jury masts and jury
rigging, and Mr Pottyfar was so well employed that for twelve hours
his hands were not in his pockets. It was indeed a dreadful night:
the waves were mountains high, and chased the frigate in their fury,
cresting, breaking, and roaring at her taffrail. But she flew before
them with the wings of the wind; four men at the helm, assisted by
others at the relieving tackles below. Jack, having been thanked on
and washed off the quarter-deck, thought that he had done quite
enough: he was as deep as he could swim before he had satisfied all
the scruples of the Chaplin and, stowing himself away on one of the
lockers of the midshipmen's berth, was soon fast asleep,
notwithstanding that the frigate rolled gunwale under. Gascoigne had
done much better; he had taken down a hammock, as he said, for a poor
wounded man, hung it up and turned in himself. The consequence was,
that the next morning the surgeon, who saw him lying in the hammock,
had put him down in the report, but as Gascoigne had got up as well as
ever, he laughed and scratched his name out of the list of wounded.

Before morning the ship had been pumped out dry, and all below made as
secure and safe as circumstances would permit; but the gale still
continued its violence, and there was anything but comfort onboard.

"I say, Martin, you ought to be thrown overboard!" said Gascoigne;
"all this comes from your croaking--you're a Mother Cary's chicken."

"I wish I had been anyone's chicken," replied Martin; "but the devil a
thing to nestle under have I had since I can well remember."

"What a bore to have no galley-fire lighted," said one of the
youngsters; "no tea, and not allowed any grog."

"The gale will last three days," replied Martin, "and by that time we
shall not be far from the Admiral; it won't blow home there."

"Well, then, we shall be ordered in directly, and I shall go on shore
to-morrow," replied Easy.

"Yes, if you're ill," replied Gascoigne.

"Never fear, I shall be sick enough. We shall be there at least six
weeks, and then we'll forget all this."

"Yes," replied Martin, "we may forget it, but will the poor fellows
whose limbs are shrivelled forget it? and will poor Miles, the
boatswain, who is blind forever?"

"Very true, Martin; we are thinking about ourselves, not thankful for
our escape, and not feeling for others," replied Gascoigne.

"Give us your hand, Ned," said Jack Easy. "And, Martin, we ought to
thank you for telling us the truth--we are a selfish set of fellows."

"Still we took our share with the others," replied one of the
midshipman.

"That's more reason for us to be grateful and to pity them," replied
Jack; "suppose you had lost your arm or your eyesight--we would have
pitied you; so now pity others."

"Well, so I do, now I think of it."

"Think oftener, youngster," observed Martin, going on deck. What a
change from the morning of the day before; but twenty-four hours had
passed away, and the sea had been smooth; the frigate dashed through
the blue water, proud in all her canvas, graceful as a swan. Since
that there had been fire, tempest, lightning, disaster, danger, and
death; her masts were tossed about on the snowy waves, hundreds of
miles away from her, and she--a wreck--was rolling heavily, groaning
and complaining in every timber, as she urged her impetuous race with
the furious running sea.

How wrong are those on shore who assert that sailors are not
religious!--how is it possible, supposing them to be possessed of
feeling, to be otherwise? On shore, where you have nothing but the
change of seasons, each in its own peculiar beauty--nothing but the
blessings of the earth, its fruits, its flowers--nothing but the
bounty, the comforts, the luxuries which have been invented, where you
can rise in the morning in peace, and lay down your head at night in
security--God may be neglected and forgotten for a long time; but at
sea, when each gale is a warning, each disaster acts as a check, each
escape as a homily upon the forbearance of Providence, that man must
be indeed brutalised who does not feel that God is there. On shore we
seldom view Him but in all His beauty and kindness; but at sea we are
as often reminded how terrible He is in His wrath. Can it be supposed
that the occurrences of the last twenty-four hours were lost upon the
minds of any one man in that ship? No, no. In their courage and
activity they might appear reckless, but in their hearts they
acknowledged and bowed unto their God.

Before the day was over, a jury-foremast had been got up, and sail
having been put upon it, the ship was steered with greater ease and
safety--the main brace had been spliced to cheer up the exhausted
crew, and the hammocks were piped down.

As Gascoigne had observed, some of the men were not very much pleased
to find that they were minus their blankets, but Captain Wilson
ordered their losses to be supplied by the purser and expended by the
master; this quite altered the case, as they obtained new blankets in
most cases for old ones, but still it was impossible to light the
galley fire, and the men sat on their chests and nibbled biscuit. By
twelve o'clock that night the gale broke, and more sail was
necessarily put on the scudding vessels for the sea still ran fast and
mountains high. At daylight the sun burst out and shone brightly on
them, the sea went gradually down, the fire was lighted, and Mr
Pottyfar, whose hands were again in his pockets, at twelve o'clock
gave the welcome order to pipe to dinner. As soon as the men had
eaten their dinner, the frigate was once more brought to the wind, her
jury-mast forward improved upon, and more sail made upon it. The next
morning there was nothing of the gale left except the dire effects
which it had produced, the black and riven stump of the foremast still
holding up a terrific warning of the power and fury of the elements.

Three days more, and the Aurora joined the Toulon fleet. When she was
first seen it was imagined by those on board of the other ships that
she had been in action, but they soon learnt that the conflict had
been against more direful weapons than any yet invented by mortal
hands. Captain Wilson waited upon the Admiral, and of course received
immediate orders to repair to port and refit. In a few hours the
Aurora had shaped her course for Malta, and by sunset the Toulon fleet
were no longer in sight.

"By de holy poker, Massa Easy, but that terrible sort of gale the
other day anyhow--I tink one time, we all go to Davy Joney's lacker."

"Very true, Mesty; I hope never to meet with such another."

"Den, Massa Easy, why you go to sea? when man ab no money, noting to
eat, den he go to sea, but everybody say you ab plenty money why you
come to sea?"

"I'm sure I don't know," replied Jack, thoughtfully; "I came to sea on
account of equality and the rights of man."

"Eh, Massa Easy, you come to wrong place anyhow. Now I tink a good
deal lately, and by all de power, I tink equality all stuff."

"All stuff, Mesty, why? You used to think otherwise."

"Yes, Massa Easy, but den I boil de kettle for all young gentleman.
Now dat I ship's corporal and hab cane, I tink so no longer."

Jack made no reply, but he thought the more. The reader must have
perceived that Jack's notions of equality were rapidly disappearing;
he defended them more from habit, and perhaps a wilfulness which would
not allow him to acknowledge himself wrong;--to which may be added his
love of argument. Already he had accustomed himself to obedience of
his superiors, and, notwithstanding his arguments, he would admit of
no resistance from those below him; not that it was hardly ever
attempted, for Jack was anything but a tyrant and was much beloved by
all in the ship. Every day brought its lesson, and Captain Wilson was
now satisfied that Jack had been almost cured of the effects of his
father's ridiculous philosophy.

After a few minutes, Mesty tapped his cane on the funnel and
recommenced. "Then why you stay at sea, Massa Easy?"

"I don't know, Mesty, I don't dislike it."

"But, Massa Easy, why you stay in midshipman berth, eat hard biscuit,
salt pig, salt horse, when you can go shore and live like gentleman?
Dat very foolish! Why not be your own master? By all power! suppose
I had money, catch me board ship. Little sea very good, Massa Easy,
open one's eyes; but tink of the lightning t'other night. Poor massa
boatswain he shut um eyes for ebber!"

"Very true, Mesty."

"Me hope you fink of this, sar, and when you go on shore you take
Mesty wid you. He sarve you well, Massa Easy, long as he live, by de
holy St Patrick. And den, Massa Easy, you marry wife--hab
pickaninny--lib like gentleman. You tink of this, Massa Easy."

The mention of the word marriage turned the thoughts of our hero to
his Agnes and he made no reply. Mesty walked away leaving our hero
in deep thought.

This conversation had more effect upon Jack than would have been
imagined, and he very often found he was putting to himself the
question of Mesty--"Why do you stay at sea?" He had not entered the
service with any particular view, except to find equality, and he
could not but acknowledge to himself that, as Mesty observed, he had
come to the wrong place. He had never even thought of staying to
serve his time, nor had he looked forward to promotion, and one day
commanding a ship. He had only cared for the present, without
indulging in a future anticipation of any reward, except in a union
with Agnes. Mesty's observations occasioned Jack to reflect upon the
future for the first time in his life; and he was always perplexed
when he put the question of Mesty, and tried to answer to himself as
to what were his intentions in remaining in the service.

Nevertheless Jack did his duty very much to the satisfaction of Mr
Pottyfar; and after a tedious passage, from baffling and light winds,
the Aurora arrived at Malta. Our hero had had some conversation with
his friend Gascoigne, in which he canvassed his future plans; all of
which, however, ended in one settled point, which was that he was to
marry Agnes. As for the rest, Gascoigne was of opinion that Jack
ought to follow up the service and become a captain. But there was
plenty of time to think about that, as he observed; now all they had
to consider was how to get on shore, for the refitting of the ship was
an excuse for detaining them on board, which they knew Mr Pottyfar
would avail himself of.

Jack dined in the gun-room on the day of their arrival, and he
resolved that he would ask that very evening. Captain Wilson was
already on shore at the Governor's. Now, there had been a little
difference of opinion between Mr Pottyfar and Mr Hawkins, the
chaplain, on a point of seamanship, and most of the officers sided
with the chaplain, who, as we have before observed, was a first-rate
seaman. It had ended in high words, for Mr Hawkins had forgotten
himself so far as to tell the first lieutenant that he had a great
deal to learn, not having even got over the midshipman's trick of
keeping his hands in his pockets; and Mr Pottyfar had replied that it
was very well for him as chaplain to insult others, knowing that his
cassock protected him.

This was a bitter reply to Mr Hawkins, who at the very time that the
insinuation made his blood boil, was also reminded that his profession
forbade a retort. He rushed into his cabin, poor fellow, having no
other method left, vented his indignation in tears, and then consoled
himself by degrees with prayer. In the meantime Mr Pottyfar had gone
on deck, wroth with Hawkins and with his messmates, as well as
displeased with himself. He was, indeed, in a humour to be pleased
with nobody, and in a most unfortunate humour to be asked leave by a
midshipman. Nevertheless, Jack politely took off his hat, and
requested leave to go on shore and see his friend the Governor. Upon
which Mr Pottyfar turned round to him, with his feet spread wide open,
and, thrusting his hands to the very bottom of his pockets, as if in
determination, said:

"Mr Easy, you know the state of the ship. We have everything to do--
new masts, new rigging, everything almost to refit--and yet you ask to
go on shore! Now, sir, you may take this answer for yourself, and all
the other midshipmen in the ship, that not one soul of you puts his
foot on shore until we are again all a-taunto."

"Allow me to observe, sir," said our hero, "that it is very true that
all our services may be required when the duty commences, but this
being Saturday night, and tomorrow Sunday, the frigate will not be
even moved till Monday morning; and as the work cannot begin before
that, I trust you will permit leave until that time."

"My opinion is different, sir," replied the first lieutenant.

"Perhaps, sir, you will allow me to argue the point," replied Jack.

"No, sir, I never allow argument; walk over to the other side of the
deck, if you please."

"O certainly, sir," said Jack, "if you wish it." Jack's first idea was
to go on shore without leave, but from this he was persuaded by
Gascoigne, who told him that it would displease Captain Wilson, and
that old Tom, the Governor, would not receive him. Jack agreed to
this, and then, after a flourish about the rights of man, tyranny,
oppression, and so forth, he walked forward to the forecastle, where
he found his friend Mesty, who had heard all that had passed, and who
insidiously said to him in a low tone--

"Why you stay at sea, Massa Easy?"

"Why, indeed," thought Jack, boiling with indignation; "to be cooped
up here at the will of another? I am a fool--Mesty is right--I'll ask
for my discharge to-morrow." Jack went down below, and told Gascoigne
what he had determined to do.

"You'll do no such thing, Jack," replied Gascoigne; "depend upon it,
you'll have plenty of leave in a day or two. Pottyfar was in a pet
with the chaplain, who was too much for him. Captain Wilson will be
on board by nine o'clock."

Nevertheless, Jack walked his first watch in the magnificents, as all
Biddies do when they cannot go on shore, and turned in at twelve
o'clock with the resolution of sticking to his purpose, and quitting
his majesty's service; in fact, of presenting his Majesty with his
between two and three years' time, served as midshipman, all free,
gratis, and for nothing, except his provisions and his pay, which some
captains are bold enough to assert that they not only are not worth,
but not even the salt that accompanies it; forgetting that they were
once midshipmen themselves, and at the period were, of course, of
about the same value.

The next morning Captain Wilson came off; the ship's company were
mustered, the service read by Mr Hawkins, and Jack, as soon as all the
official duties were over, was about to go up to the captain, when the
captain said to him,--"Mr Easy, the Governor desired me to bring you
on shore to dine with him, and he has a bed at your service."

Jack touched his hat and ran down below, to make his few preparations.
By the time that Mesty, who had taken charge of his chest, etc, had
put his necessaries in the boat, Jack had almost made up his mind that
his Majesty should not be deprived yet awhile of so valuable an
officer. Jack returned on deck, and found that the captain was not
yet ready; he went up to Mr Pottyfar, and told him that the captain
had ordered him to go on shore with him; and Mr Pottyfar, who had
quite got over his spleen, said,--

"Very well, Mr Easy--I wish you a great deal of pleasure."

"This is very different from yesterday," thought Jack; "suppose I try
the medicine?"

"I am not very well, Mr Pottyfar, and those pills of the doctor's
don't agree with me--I always am ill if I am long without air and
exercise."

"Very true," said the first lieutenant, "people require air and
exercise. I've no opinion of the doctor's remedies; the only thing
that is worth a farthing is the universal medicine."

"I should so long to try it, sir," replied Jack; "I read the book one
day, and it said that if you took it daily for a fortnight or three
weeks, and with plenty of air and exercise, it would do wonders."

"And it's very true," replied Mr Pottyfar; "and if you'd like to try
it you shall--I have plenty--shall I give you a dose now?"

"If you please, sir," replied Jack; "and tell me how often I am to
take it, for my head aches all day."