ortably seated at table, helping
himself to the best bits of the boiled beef and duff, and laughing at
our simplicity, or, as he remarked, at our being so easily sold. He got
a cobbing by the by, as a wind-up to his amusement, after dinner was
over. It is an operation by no means over-pleasant to the person on
whom it is inflicted. The weapon employed is a handkerchief with a
corner knotted; or a stocking, with the end filled with socks, or
something to make a hard knot. The patient is laid across the
mess-table, and each member of the berth inflicts a blow on a part of
his body, over which his clothes are tightly drawn. As the day drew on,
the wind increased. Dickey Snookes having been properly cobbed, we all
hurried on deck. As we looked through our glasses, we saw that the
schooner was staggering along under as much canvas as she could carry;
while the frigate glided on with becoming dignity, we having decidedly
the advantage in a strong wind. I asked Sommers what he thought about
the matter. "We are coming up with her, lad, hand over hand, and if the
wind holds she will be under our guns before nightfall," he answered.
As you may suppose, I was highly delighted with the thoughts of this,
and hoped that I might be sent on board with the prize crew. Still the
schooner held on her course, and her determined attempts to escape
convinced us more and more that she had good reason for so doing. The
evening was now drawing on. We had gained on her very considerably, but
still she was sufficiently ahead, should the night prove dark, to escape
us. The very idea that she would do so was provoking. Some did not
seem to care so much about it as others. Dickey made a joke of the
matter, and said how foolish we should all look in the morning when the
schooner was nowhere; and Polly was provokingly indifferent. The sun
went down, and darkness came on, and very dark it was; and though I
looked and looked I could not see the chase, but there were many on
board who could, and we began firing away, the flashes of the guns
looking very bright through the darkness. At last I saw the schooner's
dark hull and masts, like a shadow against the sky, and there then was a
cry that her foretopmast was shot away, and our people gave a loud
cheer. Directly after this the first lieutenant shouted that she had
struck, and we ceased firing. Two boats were ordered away to take
possession. The second lieutenant went in one, and Sommer