or the Purser and
other ward-room gentlemen occasioned no surprise; for almost every day
some bundle or other is coming off for them, especially for the Purser;
and, as the master-at-arms was always present on these occasions, it
was an easy matter for him to hurry the smuggled liquor out of sight,
and, under pretence of carrying the box or bundle down to the Purser's
room, hide it away upon his own premises.

The miserly marine, Scriggs, with the pick-lock eye, was the man who
clandestinely sold the spirits to the sailors, thus completely keeping
the master-at-arms in the background. The liquor sold at the most
exorbitant prices; at one time reaching twelve dollars the bottle in
cash, and thirty dollars a bottle in orders upon the Purser, to be
honored upon the frigate's arrival home. It may seem incredible that
such prices should have been given by the sailors; but when some
man-of-war's-men crave liquor, and it is hard to procure, they would
almost barter ten years of their life-time for but one solitary "_tot_"
if they could.

The sailors who became intoxicated with the liquor thus smuggled on
board by the master-at-arms, were, in almost numberless instances,
officially seized by that functionary and scourged at the gangway. In a
previous place it has been shown how conspicuous a part the
master-at-arms enacts at this scene.

The ample profits of this iniquitous business were divided, between all
the parties concerned in it; Scriggs, the marine, coming in for one
third. His cook's mess-chest being brought on deck, four canvas bags of
silver were found in it, amounting to a sum something short of as many
hundred dollars.

The guilty parties were scourged, double-ironed, and for several weeks
were confined in the "brig" under a sentry; all but the master-at-arms,
who was merely cashiered and imprisoned for a time; with bracelets at
his wrists. Upon being liberated, he was turned adrift among the ship's
company; and by way of disgracing him still more, was thrust into the
_waist_, the most inglorious division of the ship.

Upon going to dinner one day, I found him soberly seated at my own
mess; and at first I could not but feel some very serious scruples
about dining with him. Nevertheless, he was a man to study and digest;
so, upon a little reflection; I was not displeased at his presence. It
amazed me, however, that he had wormed himself into the mess, since so
many of the other messes had declined the honour,