Now, some weeks prior to the Neversink’s sailing from home—nearly three years before the time here spoken of—some of the seamen had clubbed together, and made up a considerable purse, for the purpose of purchasing a theatrical outfit having in view to diversify the monotony of lying in foreign harbours for weeks together, by an occasional display on the boards—though if ever there w-as a continual theatre in the world, playing by night and by day, and without intervals between the acts, a man-of-war is that theatre, and her planks are the boards indeed.
The sailors who originated this scheme had served in other American frigates, where the privilege of having theatricals was allowed to the crew. What was their chagrin, then, when, upon making an application to the Captain, in a Peruvian harbour, for permission to present the much-admired drama of “The Ruffian Boy,” under the Captain’s personal patronage, that dignitary assured them that there were already enough ruffian boys on board, without conjuring up any more from the green-room.
The theatrical outfit, therefore, was stowed down in the bottom of the sailors’ bags, who little anticipated then that it would ever be dragged out while Captain Claret had the sway.
But immediately upon the announcement that the embargo was removed, vigorous preparations were at once commenced to celebrate the Fourth with unwonted spirit. The half-deck was set apart for the theatre, and the signal-quarter-master was commanded to loan his flags to decorate it in the most patriotic style.
As the stage-struck portion of the crew had frequently during the cruise rehearsed portions of various plays, to while away the tedium of the night-watches, they needed no long time now to perfect themselves in their parts.
Accordingly, on the very next morning after the indulgence had been granted by the Captain, the following written placard, presenting a broadside of staring capitals, was found tacked against the main-mast on the gun-deck. It was as if a Drury-Lane bill had been posted upon the London Monument.
CAPE HORN THEATRE.
* * * * * * * *
Grand Celebration of the Fourth of July.
DAY PERFORMANCE.
UNCOMMON ATTRACTION.
THE OLD WAGON PAID OFF!
JACK CHASE. . . . PERCY ROYAL-MAST.
STARS OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE.
For this time only.
THE TRUE YANKEE SAILOR.
The managers of the Cape Horn Theatre beg leave to inform
the inhabitants of the Pacific and Southern Oceans that,
on the afternoon of the Fourth of July, 184—, they will
have the honour to present the admired drama of
THE OLD WAGON PAID OFF!
Commodore Bougee . . . . Tom Brown, of the Fore-top.
Captain Spy-glass . . . . Ned Brace, of the After-Guard.
Commodore’s Cockswain. . . Joe Bunk, of the Launch.
Old Luff . . . . . . . Quarter-master Coffin. Mayor . . . . . . . . Seafull, of the Forecastle.
PERCY ROYAL-MAST . . . . JACK CHASE.
Mrs. Lovelorn . . . . . Long-locks, of the After-Guard.
Toddy Moll . . . . . . Frank Jones.
Gin and Sugar Sall. . . . Dick Dash.
Sailors, Mariners, Bar-keepers, Crimps, Aldermen,
Police-officer’s, Soldiers, Landsmen generally.
* * * * * * * *
Long live the Commodore! :: Admission Free.
* * * * * * * *
To conclude with the much-admired song by Dibdin,
altered to suit all American Tars, entitled
THE TRUE YANKEE SAILOR.
True Yankee Sailor (in costume), Patrick Flinegan,
Captain of the Head.
Performance to commence with “Hail Columbia,” by the Brass
Band. Ensign rises at three bells, P.M. No sailor permitted
to enter in his shirt-sleeves. Good order is expected to be
maintained. The Master-at-arms and Ship’s Corporals to be in
attendance to keep the peace.
At the earnest entreaties of the seamen, Lemsford, the gun-deck poet, had been prevailed upon to draw up this bill. And upon this one occasion his literary abilities were far from being underrated, even by the least intellectual person on board. Nor must it be omitted that, before the bill was placarded, Captain Claret, enacting the part of censor and grand chamberlain ran over a manuscript copy of “The Old Wagon Paid Off,” to see whether it contained anything calculated to breed disaffection against lawful authority among the crew. He objected to some parts, but in the end let them all pass.
The morning of The Fourth—most anxiously awaited—dawned clear and fair. The breeze was steady; the air bracing cold; and one and all the sailors anticipated a gleeful afternoon. And thus was falsified the prophecies of certain old growlers averse to theatricals, who had predicted a gale of wind that would squash all the arrangements of the green-room.
As the men whose regular turns, at the time of the performance, would come round to be stationed in the tops, and at the various halyards and running ropes about the spar-deck, could not be permitted to partake in the celebration, there accordingly ensued, during the morning, many amusing scenes of tars who were anxious to procure substitutes at their posts. Through the day, many anxious glances were cast to windward; but the weather still promised fair.