At length the time arrived—they were at Weymouth—they saw the ships at anchor—nay more, they saw the king and royal party going on board the yacht. The ships were manned; the water was as smooth as milk. Mr. Willock had taken care to carry with him, for the amusement of the young people, the Passions of Le Brun, which he took out of his pocket as they were going on board the Rainbow, in the captain’s barge, that had been sent for them.
Henry was delighted—“Only, sir,” said he to his father, “look what a number of men in blue jackets and white trowsers are standing upon the sails!”—“Those people, my dear,” said he,“are our gallant defenders, our brave English tars; they do not stand, as you call it, on the sails, but on the yards, to which the sails are fastened, or bent.”—“Dear sir,” interrupted William, “what beautiful boat is that?”—“That, my dear boy,” said he,“is the barge in which is our dear sovereign, King George the Third. There he is!—do you not see him?—Here (said he, opening the book of Passions), look at this; this expresses the sentiment you ought to feel; it is
VENERATION.
“Veneration is (according to Le Brun) the result of admiration and esteem, when it has something for its object divine, beyond our comprehension, or majestic in virtue. The face is modestly reclined; the eyebrows bent down; the eyes almost shut and fixed, and the mouth gentle, humble, and full of respect. Who is it that must not feel the passion of Veneration, at the name even of our beloved sovereign, eminent as he is in virtue, and mild and merciful as he is on the throne? No wild acts of ambition, no base perfidy, no lawless stretch of power, has dishonoured his reign. He is the father of his people, and he has the affection and Veneration of every good man.”
The barge now approached the side of the ship, which was manned, that is, the seamen stood on each side to hand the side-ropes (which were covered with red baize) to the company; and Mr. Willock was received on the quarter-deck by captain Manly, who commanded the Rainbow.
A Description of a Man of War.
Captain Manly, who was a very well-bred man, received his guests with great politeness, and gratified their curiosity by taking them all over the ship. He showed them the fore-castle, which is the fore part of the deck; the main deck, the gally-fire, and the coppers wherein the sailors’ dinner is cooked; from thence he took them down the hatchways, to show them the midshipmens’ births; and between decks, where the hammocks are slung, and the cable tiers, where the cables which hold the ship are coiled, or as you would call it, laid round; and the bread-room, where the provisions are served out.
Captain Manly next took his visitors into his own cabin. Some refreshment was prepared, and among other things, he gave them some real salt junk, that is, salt beef, and some sea biscuit instead of white bread, which the sailors, with great contempt, call soft tommy. He gave them also some grog, as well as wine. They then returned to the quarter-deck, when John, William and Henry amused themselves with the young midshipmen, some of whom were old schoolfellows, and showed them how to go aloft up the shrouds (called by the landsmen rope-ladders) into the mizen-top, whither they followed them a little way, but did not like climbing to get over the top rim, nor did they choose to go through lubber’s hole, which is a way of more safety, used by landsmen, for fear they should be laughed at. Henry, however, expressed a great inclination to go to sea; and on hearing captain Manly relate to his father the gallant achievements of Lord Nelson, his eyes sparkled with the love of glory. Captain Manly showed his guests a picture of his gallant friend; and the passion of Veneration was again visible in every face.