Camps and Firesides of the Revolution | ||
15. A Practical Joke
BY WILLIAM BLACK (1744)
WE took barge to go on board the Margaret, then lying off the mouth of the river. In an hour we were out of sight of Annapolis; at four we were at dinner. Properly speaking some of us made but one meal a day, and that lasting from morning to night.
The biscuit[30] barrel, standing open upon deck by the pump, every other minute one hand or another would be diving in it. You might hear our grinders like so many hogs under a peach tree in a very high wind.
Towards the going down of the sun we saw a boat and canoe fishing inshore. We hailed them with, "Have you got any fish?" They returned with, "Have you got any rum?" We answered, "Yes, will you come on board and taste it?"
Then they untied and made directly for us, but were very much surprised with the manner of reception they met with. We had the blunderbush[31] ready loaded and aimed on the side while they were to board us. Mr. Littlepage, who was to act the part of the lieutenant of a man of war, was furnished with four loaded pistols and the like number of swords.
With his laced hat and romantic countenance he made an appearance much like another Black-beard.[32] Several more of our company were armed each with a drawn sword and cocked pistol. Several pistols, three fowling pieces loaded, and some drawn swords were lying in view on a table on the main deck.
In this manner were we equipped and stationed ready to receive the poor fishermen. When they
A WELL-DRESSED GENTLEMAN.
(NICHOLAS BOYLSTON.)
[Description: Portrait of Nicholas Boylston, seated with his legs crossed.
He wears a rich, ornate coat or cape, and a hat made of shiny
fabric.]
On hearing this, as if recovered from a trance, they called out to one another with signs of the greatest fear imaginable in their countenances: "Pull about! Pull about! for God's sake!" With all the eagerness possible they set to pulling and paddling as if pursued by a Spanish privateer.
A call was made to haul up the barge and man her. This being done, Littlepage and myself got in with each a pair of pistols and a sword and made directly after them. Upon this, they quickened if possible their strokes, pulling for life directly to the shore. Now and then one or other of them would look behind and then cry out, "Pull away! Pull away! or we are all taken."
At last they gained the shore. As soon as their vessels struck the ground they got their jackets on their shoulders, and without the least care of their craft made directly for the woods. We were pursuing, hallowing, and brandishing our swords, and they were flying with their whole might, now looking behind them to see how near we were, then before them to see how far they were from the shore.
It was a scene sufficient to create pleasure and a
As they were now in safety on solid land and in some measure freed from that dreadful apprehension of serving his majesty, they opened on us all at once, like so many hounds on a warm scent. They called us a parcel of scoundrels, and told us that if we would only come ashore man for man they would teach us what it was to fire guns at people and frighten them in so unaccountable a manner.
After exchanging a little Billingsgate[34] with them we returned on board, where we found the rest of our company very much pleased with the adventure. Night appeared cloudy, and it looked very squally when I betook myself to my cabin. In a very little time I got into the drowsy god's dominions, where let me rest till you turn over the leaf.
Camps and Firesides of the Revolution | ||