Thirty Years from Home, Or A Voice from the Main Deck: Being the Experience of Samuel Leech, who was for Six Years in the British and American Navies: was Captured in the British Frigate Macedonian: Afterwards Entered the American Navy, and was Taken in the United States Brig Syren, by the British Ship Medway ... |
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Thirty Years From Home - Or, A Voice From The Main Deck - Being The ... Samuel Leech Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
American anchor ashore battle Bladen boat boatswain boatswain's mate Bob Hammond brave brig British called canister shot Cape Cape Town captain Carden carried carronades cheerful clothes command crew cruise delight England English escape favor feelings fell felt fire fleet flogged forecastle frigate gave go to sea Grampus guns hammock hands handspike harbor heard hope lashes laughed lieutenant Lisbon looked Lord Macedonian main deck mast-head mate mess messmates midshipman mind morning mother naval navy never night offence officers once ordered passed pleasant poor port Portuguese prayer prison punishment quarter deck reader received replied returned rigging round Sabbath sail sailor Samuel Leech scene seamen sent ship ship's shipmates shore shot Simon's Town soon spirit station struck suffered surgeon Syren tion told took vessel voyage Wanstead ward-room watch wind wounded yard
Popular passages
Page 266 - ALAS ! and did my Saviour bleed ? And did my Sovereign die ? Would he devote that sacred head For such a worm as I...
Page 133 - I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that at 5 o'clock PM on the 6th of August last, in latitude 24° 44...
Page 110 - Toll for the brave ! Brave Kempenfelt is gone; His last sea-fight is fought, His work of glory done. It was not in the battle ; No tempest gave the shock; She sprang no fatal leak; She ran upon no rock. His sword was in its sheath; His fingers held the pen, When Kempenfelt went down With twice four hundred men.
Page 111 - Weigh the vessel up, Once dreaded by our foes ! And mingle with our cup The tear that England owes. Her timbers yet are sound, And she may float again, Full charged with England's thunder, And plough the distant main. But Kempenfelt is gone ; His victories are o'er ; And he and his eight hundred Shall plough the wave no more.
Page 110 - Toll for the brave! The brave that are no more! All sunk beneath the wave, Fast by their native shore ! Eight hundred of the brave, Whose courage well was tried, Had made the vessel heel, And laid her on her side. A land-breeze shook the shrouds, And she was overset; Down went the Royal George, With all her crew complete.
Page 50 - ... boatswain's mate is ready, with coat off and whip in hand. The captain gives the word. Carefully spreading the cords with the fingers of his left hand, the executioner throws the cat over his right shoulder ; it is brought down upon the now uncovered herculean shoulders of the MAN. His flesh creeps — it reddens as if blushing at the indignity ; the sufferer groans ; lash follows lash, until the first mate, wearied with the cruel employment, gives place to a second. Now two dozen of these dreadful...
Page 133 - Sir, it is with the deepest regret I have to acquaint you, for the information of my lords commissioners of the admiralty, that his majesty's late ship Macedonian was captured on the 25th instant by the United States' ship United States, commodore Decatur, commander.
Page 127 - ... could catch a glance at all who were carried below. A glance was all I could indulge in, for the boys belonging to the guns next to mine were wounded in the early part of the action, and I had to spring with all my might to keep three or four guns supplied •with cartridges. I saw two of these lads fall nearly together. One of them was struck in the leg by a large shot ; he had to suffer amputation above the wound. The other had a grape or canister shot sent through his ankle.
Page 134 - ... it prudent, though a painful extremity* to surrender His Majesty's ship; nor was this dreadful alternative resorted to till every hope of success was removed, even beyond the reach of chance; nor till, I trust their Lordships will be aware, every effort had been made against the enemy by myself...