Of the The lieutenants, and marine officers of
marines and other off commissioned gentlemen officers forming
the Captain Vere 's staff it is not necessary here parti
to particularize, not nor not specially to mention
needs it to specialize the warr make special any
mention of any of the warrant-officers. But
among the petty -officers was one who whom can not
be passed it as well who having much to do
with the story, claim attention may as well
be forthwith introduced. His portrait
I we essay, without presuming but shall never hit it. to hit it. This was
was John
John Claggart, the Master-at-arms. But
the titl that sea- tittle may to some
most landsman seem somewhat
equivocal. Originally, doubtless
the
this
that
petty-officer's
function
of the officer so entitled
was the instruction of the men in the
use of arms , . sword and or cutlas . But
very long ago, oweing to the advance
in gunnery making hand-to-hand
encounters nev less frequent and giving
to nitre and sulpher the preeminence
over steel, that function ceased; the
master-at-arms of a great war-ship
becoming a sort of Chief of Police
charged among other matters with the duty of preserving
order on the populous lower gun-decks.
Claggat Clagga r t was a man about
forty years of age. five and thirty,
was the instruction of the men in the
use of arms , . sword and or cutlas . But
very long ago, oweing to the advance
in gunnery making hand-to-hand
encounters nev less frequent and giving
to nitre and sulpher the preeminence
over steel, that function ceased; the
master-at-arms of a great war-ship
becoming a sort of Chief of Police
charged among other matters with the duty of preserving
order on the populous lower gun-decks.
Claggat Clagga r t was a man about
forty years of age. five and thirty,
somewhat spare and
tallish
tall
, yet of no
ill figure upon the whole. His hand was
too small and shapely to have been
accustomed to hard toil. The face His contenance was
a notable one; the features all except the chin cleanly cut
as those on a fine Greek medallion;
yet the chin, beardless as Tecumsah's, had
something of strange protuberant broadness in its make that strangely recalled the
prints of the Revd Dr. Titus Oates, the historic veracious
clergyman and historic deponant and drawling historic deponant with the drawl, clerical drawl deponant witness in the time
of Charles II and the infamous fraud of the alleged Popish
Plot. It served Claggart in his function office
that his eye could cast a tutoring glance.
His brow was of the sort phrenologically
associated with more than average
intellect; thinish silken fla jet curls partly
ill figure upon the whole. His hand was
too small and shapely to have been
accustomed to hard toil. The face His contenance was
a notable one; the features all except the chin cleanly cut
as those on a fine Greek medallion;
yet the chin, beardless as Tecumsah's, had
something of strange protuberant broadness in its make that strangely recalled the
prints of the Revd Dr. Titus Oates, the historic veracious
clergyman and historic deponant and drawling historic deponant with the drawl, clerical drawl deponant witness in the time
of Charles II and the infamous fraud of the alleged Popish
Plot. It served Claggart in his function office
that his eye could cast a tutoring glance.
His brow was of the sort phrenologically
associated with more than average
intellect; thinish silken fla jet curls partly
falling
clustering
over it, making a foil to the
palor pallor below, a palor pallor tinged with a
faint shade of amber akin to the
hue of some time-tinted white marbles . of old.
of antiquity. This complexion, one so
in a marked way singularly contrasting with
the red or deeply d red the tanned bronzed visages of the sailors, and
in part the result of his official
seclusion from the sunlight, tho it
was not exactly displeasing, nevertheless
seemd to hint of something defective or
or unwholesome in the blood. His abnormal in the constitution and blood. These abnormal in the constitution and blood.
For his general aspect But his general aspect and manner , these were so suggestive
of an education and career incongruous
with his position naval function position that when
palor pallor below, a palor pallor tinged with a
faint shade of amber akin to the
hue of some time-tinted white marbles . of old.
of antiquity. This complexion, one so
in a marked way singularly contrasting with
the red or deeply d red the tanned bronzed visages of the sailors, and
in part the result of his official
seclusion from the sunlight, tho it
was not exactly displeasing, nevertheless
seemd to hint of something defective or
or unwholesome in the blood. His abnormal in the constitution and blood. These abnormal in the constitution and blood.
For his general aspect But his general aspect and manner , these were so suggestive
of an education and career incongruous
with his position naval function position that when
not actively engaged in it he looked
to be some person of like a man He was an Englishman
of high quality, social and moral, who for reasons of his
own was keeping going incog. Tho or made up for a disguise. Nothing
was known of his former life. But
It might be that he was an Englishman;
and yet there was lurked a bit of accent
in his speech suggesting that possibly
he was not such by birth, but through
naturalization in early childhood.
to be some person of like a man He was an Englishman
of high quality, social and moral, who for reasons of his
own was keeping going incog. Tho or made up for a disguise. Nothing
was known of his former life. But
It might be that he was an Englishman;
and yet there was lurked a bit of accent
in his speech suggesting that possibly
he was not such by birth, but through
naturalization in early childhood.
among
Among
certain grizzled sea-gossips
of the gun-decks and forecastle went a rumor perdue
that the this gentlemanly master-at-arms
was a chevalier who had volunteered
into His Magesty's service the King's navy by way
of compounding for some sort of
a mysterious polite swindle whereof
not long previous he had been arraigned convicted in London.
at the King's Bench. The fact Though That that nobody, King's Bench
of course, could substantiate this , report
of the gun-decks and forecastle went a rumor perdue
that the this gentlemanly master-at-arms
was a chevalier who had volunteered
into His Magesty's service the King's navy by way
of compounding for some sort of
a mysterious polite swindle whereof
not long previous he had been arraigned convicted in London.
at the King's Bench. The fact Though That that nobody, King's Bench
of course, could substantiate this , report
vague
report,
was
,
of course,
nothing against its secret currency.
Such a New Chapter rumor once started on the
gun-decks agan in reference to almost
anyone below the rank of a commissioned
officer would, during the period era assigned to
this narrative, have seemed not altogether
defi wanting in credibility plausability plausibility at least to the tarry
old wiseacres of a man-of-war crew.
And indeed a man of Claggart's
accomplishments, without any prior nautical
experience entering the navy at mature
life, as he did, and neccessarily alloted
to at the start to a true? the lowest no xx his noble grade in it . ;
Such a New Chapter rumor once started on the
gun-decks agan in reference to almost
anyone below the rank of a commissioned
officer would, during the period era assigned to
this narrative, have seemed not altogether
defi wanting in credibility plausability plausibility at least to the tarry
old wiseacres of a man-of-war crew.
And indeed a man of Claggart's
accomplishments, without any prior nautical
experience entering the navy at mature
life, as he did, and neccessarily alloted
to at the start to a true? the lowest no xx his noble grade in it . ;
a man too who never made allusion to his
previous life ashore; these were circumstances
which in the dearth of exact knowledge as to his
true anticedents opened to the invidious a
vague field for unfavorable surmise.
But the sailors'
dog-watch
gossip concerning him
derived a vague plausability from the fact that
now for some period the British
Navy could so little afford to
be squeamish in the matter of
keeping up as far as possible its
the muster-role muster-rolls , that not only were
the press-gangs notoriously abroad
both afloat and ashore, but there was
little or no secret about the fact
another matter, namely that the London police were
encouraged at liberty to capture
derived a vague plausability from the fact that
now for some period the British
Navy could so little afford to
be squeamish in the matter of
keeping up as far as possible its
the muster-role muster-rolls , that not only were
the press-gangs notoriously abroad
both afloat and ashore, but there was
little or no secret about the fact
another matter, namely that the London police were
encouraged at liberty to capture
any able-bodied
suspect
suspect
,
and
any
questionable fellows fellow at large and
summarily ship them him to the dock-yard
or fleet. Furthermore, even among
voluntary enlistments there were
instances where the motive to it
thereto partook neither of patriotic
impulse nor yet of a random
desire to experice a bit of sea-life
and martial adventure. Insolvent
debtors of the minor grade, together
with the promiscuous lame ducks
of morality found in the Navy
a convenient and secure refuge.
Secure, because once enlisted
aboard a King's-Ship, they were as
much were in sanctuary, as it were.
the transgressor of the Middle Ages harboring himself
under the shadow of the altar.
questionable fellows fellow at large and
summarily ship them him to the dock-yard
or fleet. Furthermore, even among
voluntary enlistments there were
instances where the motive to it
thereto partook neither of patriotic
impulse nor yet of a random
desire to experice a bit of sea-life
and martial adventure. Insolvent
debtors of the minor grade, together
with the promiscuous lame ducks
of morality found in the Navy
a convenient and secure refuge.
Secure, because once enlisted
aboard a King's-Ship, they were as
much were in sanctuary, as it were.
the transgressor of the Middle Ages harboring himself
under the shadow of the altar.
These facts Such sanctioned irregularities which for obvious
reasons the Government would
hardly think to parade at the time
and which consequently, and as
affecting the least influential
class of mankind, have all but
dropped into oblivion, would seem
lends color to something for the truth whereof
I do not vouch, and hence have some scruple
in stateing; something I remember having
seen in print though the book I can not recall;
but the same thing was personally communicated
to me now more than forty years ago by an
old pensioner in a cocked hat with I whom
I had a most interesting talk on the
terrace at Greenwich, a Baltimore negro,
a Trafalgar man.
I do not vouch, and hence have some scruple
in stateing; something I remember having
seen in print though the book I can not recall;
but the same thing was personally communicated
to me now more than forty years ago by an
old pensioner in a cocked hat with I whom
I had a most interesting talk on the
terrace at Greenwich, a Baltimore negro,
a Trafalgar man.
it
It
was to this effect:
in
In
the case of a
war-
ship
short of hands and whose speedy sailing
was imperative, the deficient quota in lack of any other way of
making it good, would
be eked out by draughts culled direct from
the jails.
For reasons previously suggested it would not
perhaps be easy at the present day directly
to prove or disprove the allegation. But
allowed as a verity, how significant would
it be of England's straits at the time
confronted by those momentous terrible horrible wars
which like a flight of harpies rose shrieking from the
din and dust of the fallen Bastile.
short of hands and whose speedy sailing
was imperative, the deficient quota in lack of any other way of
making it good, would
be eked out by draughts culled direct from
the jails.
For reasons previously suggested it would not
perhaps be easy at the present day directly
to prove or disprove the allegation. But
allowed as a verity, how significant would
it be of England's straits at the time
confronted by those momentous terrible horrible wars
which like a flight of harpies rose shrieking from the
din and dust of the fallen Bastile.
That era,
now long past,
appears measurably
clear to us who wh look back at it, and
but read of it. But to our the grandfathers of us graybeards ,
the more thoughful of them, the genius of it presented
an aspect like that of Camoen's Spirit
of the Cape, an eclipsing menace mysterious
and prodigious. Not America was
exempt from apprehension. After At the height of Napoleon's
unexampled conquests, when he bowled
down kings and states like ninepins, there
were some Americans who had fought at Bunker Hill
who looked forward to the possibility
that the Atlantic might prove no effectual
barrier against the ultimate world-wide schemes of the upstart
Corsican. So I had it from venerable
men know to me in my youth. this french portentous upstart from the revolutionary chaos
who seemed the in act of
fulfilling the direful judgment proclaim
prefigured in the Apocalypse.
clear to us who wh look back at it, and
but read of it. But to our the grandfathers of us graybeards ,
the more thoughful of them, the genius of it presented
an aspect like that of Camoen's Spirit
of the Cape, an eclipsing menace mysterious
and prodigious. Not America was
exempt from apprehension. After At the height of Napoleon's
unexampled conquests, when he bowled
down kings and states like ninepins, there
were some Americans who had fought at Bunker Hill
who looked forward to the possibility
that the Atlantic might prove no effectual
barrier against the ultimate world-wide schemes of the upstart
Corsican. So I had it from venerable
men know to me in my youth. this french portentous upstart from the revolutionary chaos
who seemed the in act of
fulfilling the direful judgment proclaim
prefigured in the Apocalypse.
But the less credence was
to be given to the gun-deck talk
touching Claggart, seeing that no man
holding his office in a man-of-war
can ever hope to be popular with the
crew. Besides, in derogatory comments
upon anybody anyone against whom they have
a grudge, or for any reason or no reason
mislike, sailors in some degree are much like
landsmen, they are apt to exaggerate or
romance . it. about him
About as much was really
known to the Indomitable 's tars of the
master-at-arms' career before entering
the service as an astronomer knows
to be given to the gun-deck talk
touching Claggart, seeing that no man
holding his office in a man-of-war
can ever hope to be popular with the
crew. Besides, in derogatory comments
upon anybody anyone against whom they have
a grudge, or for any reason or no reason
mislike, sailors in some degree are much like
landsmen, they are apt to exaggerate or
romance . it. about him
About as much was really
known to the Indomitable 's tars of the
master-at-arms' career before entering
the service as an astronomer knows
about a comet's travels
previous
prior
to
its first observable appearance in the sky.
The verdict babble of the sea quid-nuncs has been cited only by way of
showing what sort of moral
impression the man made upon rude
uncultivated natures whose conceptions
of human wickedness were necessarily
of the narrowest, limited to ideas of
vulgar rascality , — a thief among the
swinging hammocks during a night-watch,
or the man-brokers and land-sharks
of the sea-ports.
its first observable appearance in the sky.
The verdict babble of the sea quid-nuncs has been cited only by way of
showing what sort of moral
impression the man made upon rude
uncultivated natures whose conceptions
of human wickedness were necessarily
of the narrowest, limited to ideas of
vulgar rascality , — a thief among the
swinging hammocks during a night-watch,
or the man-brokers and land-sharks
of the sea-ports.
It was no gossip, however, but fact,
that tho though , as before hinted, Claggart upon
his entrance into the navy was, as a novice,
assigned to the least honorable section of
a man-of-war's crew, embracing the waisters drudges drudgery , he did
not long remain there.
The superior capacity xxx xxxx he immediatly
evinced, his constitutional sobriety,
flatte ingratiating deference to superiors,
together with a peculiar ferreting
genius manifested on a singular
occasion, all this capped by a
certain austere patriotism which he evinced
developed had rapidly abruptly abruptly advanced him
rapidly to the influential position
he now occupied in the seventy-four.
of master-at-arms of master-at-arms.
that tho though , as before hinted, Claggart upon
his entrance into the navy was, as a novice,
assigned to the least honorable section of
a man-of-war's crew, embracing the waisters drudges drudgery , he did
not long remain there.
The superior capacity xxx xxxx he immediatly
evinced, his constitutional sobriety,
flatte ingratiating deference to superiors,
together with a peculiar ferreting
genius manifested on a singular
occasion, all this capped by a
certain austere patriotism which he evinced
developed had rapidly abruptly abruptly advanced him
rapidly to the influential position
he now occupied in the seventy-four.
of master-at-arms of master-at-arms.
Of this maratime Chief of
Police the ship's-corporals, so called,
were the immediate subordinates, and
compliant ones; and this, as is to be noted
in some business departments ashore,
all almost in to a degree inconsistent
with entire moral volition. His place
put various converging wires of underground
influence influence under action into the Chief's control, capable
when astutely worked thro' his understrappers
of operating to the mysterious discomfort
if nothing worse, of any of the
sea-commonalty.
Police the ship's-corporals, so called,
were the immediate subordinates, and
compliant ones; and this, as is to be noted
in some business departments ashore,
all almost in to a degree inconsistent
with entire moral volition. His place
put various converging wires of underground
influence influence under action into the Chief's control, capable
when astutely worked thro' his understrappers
of operating to the mysterious discomfort
if nothing worse, of any of the
sea-commonalty.