burlesques-第19节

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pale…faces。　　Neither　the　Legs　nor　the　Sailor　cared　for　the　gayety

and　the　crowd　of　cities；　the　stout　mariner's　home　was　in　the

puttock…shrouds　of　the　old　〃Repudiator。〃　　The　stern　and　simple

trapper　loved　the　sound　of　the　waters　better　than　the　jargon　of　the

French　of　the　old　country。　　〃I　can　follow　the　talk　of　a　Pawnee；〃　he

said；　〃or　wag　my　jaw；　if　so　be　necessity　bids　me　to　speak；　by　a

Sioux's　council…fire　and　I　can　patter　Canadian　French　with　the

hunters　who　come　for　peltries　to　Nachitoches　or　Thichimuchimachy；

but　from　the　tongue　of　a　Frenchwoman；　with　white　flour　on　her　head；

and　war…paint　on　her　face；　the　Lord　deliver　poor　Natty　Pumpo。〃



〃Amen　and　amen！〃　said　Tom　Coxswain。　　〃There　was　a　woman　in　our　aft…

scuppers　when　I　went　a…whalin　in　the　little　'Grampus'and　Lord

love　you；　Pumpo；　you　poor　land…swab；　she　WAS　as　pretty　a　craft　as

ever　dowsed　a　tarpaulingthere　was　a　woman　on　board　the　'Grampus；'

who　before　we'd　struck　our　first　fish；　or　biled　our　first　blubber；

set　the　whole　crew　in　a　mutiny。　　I　mind　me　of　her　now；　Natty；her

eye　was　sich　a　piercer　that　you　could　see　to　steer　by　it　in　a

Newfoundland　fog；　her　nose　stood　out　like　the　'Grampus's'　jibboom；

and　her　woice；　Lord　love　you；　her　woice　sings　in　my　ears　even　now：

it　set　the　Captain　a…quarrelin　with　the　Mate；　who　was　hanged　in

Boston　harbor　for　harpoonin　of　his　officer　in　Baffin's　Bay；it　set

me　and　Bob　Bunting　a…pouring　broadsides　into　each　other's　old

timbers；　whereas　me　and　Bob　was　worth　all　the　women　that　ever

shipped　a　hawser。　　It　cost　me　three　years'　pay　as　I'd　stowed　away

for　the　old　mother；　and　might　have　cost　me　ever　so　much　more；　only

bad　luck　to　me；　she　went　and　married　a　little　tailor　out　of

Nantucket；　and　I've　hated　women　and　tailors　ever　since！〃　　As　he

spoke；　the　hardy　tar　dashed　a　drop　of　brine　from　his　tawny　cheek；

and　once　more　betook　himself　to　splice　the　taffrail。



Though　the　brave　frigate　lay　off　Havre　de　Grace；　she　was　not　idle。

The　gallant　Bowie　and　his　intrepid　crew　made　repeated　descents　upon

the　enemy's　seaboard。　　The　coasts　of　Rutland　and　merry

Leicestershire　have　still　many　a　legend　of　fear　to　tell；　and　the

children　of　the　British　fishermen　tremble　even　now　when　they　speak

of　the　terrible　〃Repudiator。〃　　She　was　the　first　of　the　mighty

American　war…ships　that　have　taught　the　domineering　Briton　to

respect　the　valor　of　the　Republic。



The　novelist　ever　and　anon　finds　himself　forced　to　adopt　the

sterner　tone　of　the　historian；　when　describing　deeds　connected　with

his　country's　triumphs。　　It　is　well　known　that　during　the　two

months　in　which　she　lay　off　Havre；　the　〃Repudiator〃　had　brought

more　prizes　into　that　port　than　had　ever　before　been　seen　in　the

astonished　French　waters。　　Her　actions　with　the　〃Dettingen〃　and　the

〃Elector〃　frigates　form　part　of　our　country's　history；　their

defenceit　may　be　said　without　prejudice　to　national　vanitywas

worthy　of　Britons　and　of　the　audacious　foe　they　had　to　encounter；

and　it　must　be　owned；　that　but　for　a　happy　fortune　which　presided

on　that　day　over　the　destinies　of　our　country；　the　chance　of　the

combat　might　have　been　in　favor　of　the　British　vessels。　　It　was　not

until　the　〃Elector〃　blew　up；　at　a　quarter　past　three　P。M。；　by　a

lucky　shot　which　fell　into　her　caboose；　and　communicated　with　the

powder…magazine；　that　Commodore　Bowie　was　enabled　to　lay　himself　on

board　the　〃Dettingen；〃　which　he　carried　sword　in　hand。　　Even　when

the　American　boarders　had　made　their　lodgment　on　the　〃Dettingen's〃

binnacle；　it　is　possible　that　the　battle　would　still　have　gone

against　us。　　The　British　were　still　seven　to　one；　their　carronades；

loaded　with　marline…spikes；　swept　the　gun…deck；　of　which　we　had

possession；　and　decimated　our　little　force；　when　a　rifle…ball　from

the　shrouds　of　the　〃Repudiator〃　shot　Captain　Mumford　under　the　star

of　the　Guelphic　Order　which　he　wore；　and　the　Americans；　with　a

shout；　rushed　up　the　companion　to　the　quarter…deck；　upon　the

astonished　foe。　　Pike　and　cutlass　did　the　rest　of　the　bloody　work。

Rumford；　the　gigantic　first…lieutenant　of　the　〃Dettingen；〃　was　cut

down　by　Commodore　Bowie's　own　sword；　as　they　engaged　hand　to　hand；

and　it　was　Tom　Coxswain　who　tore　down　the　British　flag；　after

having　slain　the　Englishman　at　the　wheel。　　Peace　be　to　the　souls　of

the　brave！　　The　combat　was　honorable　alike　to　the　victor　and　the

vanquished；　and　it　never　can　be　said　that　an　American　warrior

depreciated　a　gallant　foe。　　The　bitterness　of　defeat　was　enough　to

the　haughty　islanders　who　had　to　suffer。　　The　people　of　Herne　Bay

were　lining　the　shore；　near　which　the　combat　took　place；　and　cruel

must　have　been　the　pang　to　them　when　they　saw　the　Stars　and　Stripes

rise　over　the　old　flag　of　the　Union；　and　the　〃Dettingen〃　fall　down

the　river　in　tow　of　the　Republican　frigate。



Another　action　Bowie　contemplated：　the　boldest　and　most　daring

perhaps　ever　imagined　by　seaman。　　It　is　this　which　has　been　so

wrongly　described　by　European　annalists；　and　of　which　the　British

until　now　have　maintained　the　most　jealous　secrecy。



Portsmouth　Harbor　was　badly　defended。　　Our　intelligence　in　that

town　and　arsenal　gave　us　precise　knowledge　of　the　disposition　of

the　troops；　the　forts；　and　the　ships　there；　and　it　was　determined

to　strike　a　blow　which　should　shake　the　British　power　in　its

centre。



That　a　frigate　of　the　size　of　the　〃Repudiator〃　should　enter　the

harbor　unnoticed；　or　could　escape　its　guns　unscathed；　passed　the

notions　of　even　American　temerity。　　But　upon　the　memorable　26th　of

June；　1782；　the　〃Repudiator〃　sailed　out　of　Havre　Roads　in　a　thick

fog；　under　cover　of　which　she　entered　and　cast　anchor　in　Bonchurch

Bay；　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　To　surprise　the　Martello　Tower　and　take

the　feeble　garrison　thereunder；　was　the　work　of　Tom　Coxswain　and　a

few　of　his　blue…jackets。　　The　surprised　garrison　laid　down　their

arms　before　him。



It　was　midnight　before　the　boats　of　the　ship；　commanded　by

Lieutenant　Bunker；　pulled　off　from　Bonchurch　with　muffled　oars；　and

in　another　hour　were　off　the　Common　Hard　of　Portsmouth；　having

passed　the　challenges　of　the　〃Thetis〃　and　the　〃Amphion〃　frigates；

and　the　〃Polyanthus〃　brig。



There　had　been　on　that　day　great　feasting　and　merriment　on　board

the　Flag…ship　lying　in　the　harbor。　　A　banquet　had　been　given　in

honor　of　the　birthday　of　one　of　the　princes　of　the　royal　line　of

the　Guelphsthe　reader　knows　the　propensity　of　Britons　when　liquor

is　in　plenty。　　All　on　board　that　royal　ship　were　more　or　less

overcome。　　The　Flag…ship　was　plunged　in　a　deathlike　and　drunken

sleep。　　The　very　officer　of　the　watch　was　intoxicated：　he　could　not

see　the　〃Repudiator's〃　boats　as　they　shot　swiftly　through　the

waters；　nor　had　he　time　to　challenge　her　seamen　as　they　swarmed　up

the　huge　sides　of　the　ship。



At　the　next　moment　Tom　Coxswain　stood　at　the　wheel　of　the　〃Royal

George〃the　Briton　who　had　guarded；　a　corpse　at　his　feet。　　The

hatches　were　down。　　The　ship　was　in　possession　of　the　〃Repudiator's〃

crew。　　They　were　busy　in　her　rigging；　bending　her　sails　to　carry　her

out　of　the　harbor。　　The　well…known　heave　of　the　men　at　the　windlass

woke　up　Kempenfelt　in　his　state…cabin。　　We　know；　or　rather　do　not

know；　the　result；　for　who　can　tell　by　whom　the　lower…deck　ports　of

the　brave　ship　were　opened；　and　how　the　haughty　prisoners　below　sunk

the　ship　and　its　conquerors　rather　than　yield　her　as　a　prize　to　the

Republic！



Only　Tom　Coxswain　escaped　of　victors　and　vanquished。　　His　tale　was

told　to　his　Captain　and　to　Congress；　but　Washington　forbade　its

publication；　and　it　was　but　lately　that　the　faithful　seaman　told　it

to　me；　his　grandson；　on　his　hundred…and…fifteenth　birthday。







A　PLAN　FOR　A　PRIZE　NOVEL。



IN　A　LETTER　FROM　THE　EMINENT　DRAMATIST　BROWN　TO　THE　EMINENT

NOVELIST　SNOOKS。





〃CAFE　DES　AVEUGLES。



〃MY　DEAR　SNOOKS；I　am　on　the　look…out　here　for　materials　for

original　comedies　such　as　those　lately　produced　at　your　theatre；

and；　in　the　course　of　my　studies；　I　have　found　something；　my　dear

Snooks；　which　I　think　will　suit　your　book。　　You　are　bringing；　I

see；　your　admirable　novel；　'The　Mysteries　of　May　Fair；'　to　an　end

（by　the　way；　the　scene；　in　the　200th　number；　between　the　Duke；　his

Grandmother；　and　the　Jesuit　Butler；　is　one　of　the　most　harrowing

and　exciting　I　ever　read）and；　of　course；　you　must　turn　your　real

genius　to　some　other　channel；　and　we　may　expect　that　your　pen　shall

not　be　idle。



〃The　original　plan　I　have　to　propose　to　you；　then；　is　taken　from

the　French；　just　like　the　original　dramas　above　mentioned；　and；

indeed；　I　found　it　in　the　law　report　of　the　National　newspaper；　and

a　French　literary　gentleman；　M。　Emanuel　Gonzales；　has　the　credit　of

the　invention。　　He　and　an　advertisement　agent　fell　out　about　a

question　of　money；　the　affair　was　brought　before　the　courts；　and

the　little　plot　so　got　wind。　　But　there　is　no　reason　why　you　should

not　take　the　plot　and　act　on　it　yourself。　　You　are　a　known　man；