CHAPTER LVIII.
A QUARTER-DECK OFFICER BEFORE THE MAST.
As we were somewhat short-handed while we lay in Rio, we received asmall draft of men from a United States sloop of war, whose threeyears' term of service would expire about the time of our arrival inAmerica.
Under guard of an armed Lieutenant and four midshipmen, they came onboard in the afternoon. They were immediately mustered in the starboardgangway, that Mr. Bridewell, our First Lieutenant, might take downtheir names, and assign them their stations.
They stood in a mute and solemn row; the officer advanced, with hismemorandum-book and pencil.
My casual friend, Shakings, the holder, happened to be by at the time.Touching my arm, he said, "White-Jacket, this here reminds me ofSing-Sing, when a draft of fellows in darbies, came on from the StatePrison at Auburn for a change of scene like, you know!"
After taking down four or five names, Mr. Bridewell accosted the nextman, a rather good-looking person, but, from his haggard cheek andsunken eye, he seemed to have been in the sad habit, all his life, ofsitting up rather late at night; and though all sailors do certainlykeep late hours enough--standing watches at midnight--yet there is nosmall difference between keeping late hours at sea and keeping latehours ashore.
"What's your name?" asked the officer, of this rather rakish-lookingrecruit.
"Mandeville, sir," said the man, courteously touching his cap. "Youmust remember me, sir," he added, in a low, confidential tone,strangely dashed with servility; "we sailed together once in the oldMacedonian, sir. I wore an epaulet then; we had the same state-room,you know, sir. I'm your old chum, Mandeville, sir," and he againtouched his cap.
"I remember an _officer_ by that name," said the First Lieutenant,emphatically, "and I know _you_, fellow. But I know you henceforth fora common sailor. I can show no favouritism here. If you ever violatethe ship's rules, you shall be flogged like any other seaman. I placeyou in the fore-top; go forward to your duty."
It seemed this Mandeville had entered the Navy when very young, and hadrisen to be a lieutenant, as he said. But brandy had been his bane. Onenight, when he had the deck of a line-of-battle ship, in theMediterranean, he was seized with a fit of mania-a-potu, and being outof his senses for the time, went below and turned into his berth,leaving the deck without a commanding officer. For this unpardonableoffence he was broken.
Having no fortune, and no other profession than the sea, upon hisdisgrace he entered the merchant-service as a chief mate; but his loveof strong drink still pursuing him, he was again cashiered at sea, anddegraded before the mast by the Captain. After this, in a state ofintoxication, he re-entered the Navy at Pensacola as a common sailor.But all these lessons, so biting-bitter to learn, could not cure him ofhis sin. He had hardly been a week on board the Neversink, when he wasfound intoxicated with smuggled spirits. They lashed him to thegratings, and ignominiously scourged him under the eye of his oldfriend and comrade, the First Lieutenant.
This took place while we lay in port, which reminds me of thecircumstance, that when punishment is about to be inflicted in harbour,all strangers are ordered ashore; and the sentries at the side have itin strict charge to waive off all boats drawing near.