White Jacket; Or, The World on a Man-of-War

by Herman Melville

  CHAPTER V.

  JACK CHASE ON A SPANISH QUARTER-DECK.

  Here, I must frankly tell a story about Jack, which as touching hishonour and integrity, I am sure, will not work against him, in anycharitable man's estimation. On this present cruise of the frigateNeversink, Jack had deserted; and after a certain interval, had beencaptured.

  But with what purpose had he deserted? To avoid naval discipline? Toriot in some abandoned sea-port? for love of some worthless signorita?Not at all. He abandoned the frigate from far higher and nobler, nay,glorious motives. Though bowing to naval discipline afloat; yet ashore,he was a stickler for the Rights of Man, and the liberties of theworld. He went to draw a partisan blade in the civil commotions ofPeru; and befriend, heart and soul, what he deemed the cause of theRight.

  At the time, his disappearance excited the utmost astonishment amongthe officers, who had little suspected him of any such conduct ofdeserting.

  "What? Jack, my great man of the main-top, gone!" cried the captain;"I'll not believe it."

  "Jack Chase cut and run!" cried a sentimental middy. "It must have beenall for love, then; the signoritas have turned his head."

  "Jack Chase not to be found?" cried a growling old sheet-anchor-man,one of your malicious prophets of past events: "I though so; I know'dit; I could have sworn it--just the chap to make sail on the sly. Ialways s'pected him."

  Months passed away, and nothing was heard of Jack; till at last, thefrigate came to anchor on the coast, alongside of a Peruvian sloop ofwar.

  Bravely clad in the Peruvian uniform, and with a fine, mixed martialand naval step, a tall, striking figure of a long-bearded officer wasdescried, promenading the Quarter-deck of the stranger; andsuperintending the salutes, which are exchanged between nationalvessels on these occasions.

  This fine officer touched his laced hat most courteously to ourCaptain, who, after returning the compliment, stared at him, ratherimpolitely, through his spy-glass.

  "By Heaven!" he cried at last--"it is he--he can't disguise hiswalk--that's the beard; I'd know him in Cochin China.--Man the firstcutter there! Lieutenant Blink, go on board that sloop of war, andfetch me yon officer."

  All hands were aghast--What? when a piping-hot peace was between theUnited States and Peru, to send an armed body on board a Peruvian sloopof war, and seize one of its officers, in broad daylight?--Monstrousinfraction of the Law of Nations! What would Vattel say?

  But Captain Claret must be obeyed. So off went the cutter, every manarmed to the teeth, the lieutenant-commanding having secretinstructions, and the midshipmen attending looking ominously wise,though, in truth, they could not tell what was coming.

  Gaining the sloop of war, the lieutenant was received with thecustomary honours; but by this time the tall, bearded officer haddisappeared from the Quarter-deck. The Lieutenant now inquired for thePeruvian Captain; and being shown into the cabin, made known to him,that on board his vessel was a person belonging to the United StatesShip Neversink; and his orders were, to have that person delivered upinstanter.

  The foreign captain curled his mustache in astonishment andindignation; he hinted something about beating to quarters, andchastising this piece of Yankee insolence.

  But resting one gloved hand upon the table, and playing with hissword-knot, the Lieutenant, with a bland firmness, repeated his demand.At last, the whole case being so plainly made out, and the person inquestion being so accurately described, even to a mole on his cheek,there remained nothing but immediate compliance.

  So the fine-looking, bearded officer, who had so courteously doffed hischapeau to our Captain, but disappeared upon the arrival of theLieutenant, was summoned into the cabin, before his superior, whoaddressed him thus:--

  "Don John, this gentleman declares, that of right you belong to thefrigate Neversink. Is it so?"

  "It is even so, Don Sereno," said Jack Chase, proudly folding hisgold-laced coat-sleeves across his chest--"and as there is no resistingthe frigate, I comply.--Lieutenant Blink, I am ready. Adieu! DonSereno, and Madre de Dios protect you? You have been a most gentlemanlyfriend and captain to me. I hope you will yet thrash your beggarlyfoes."

  With that he turned; and entering the cutter, was pulled back to thefrigate, and stepped up to Captain Claret, where that gentleman stoodon the quarter-deck.

  "Your servant, my fine Don," said the Captain, ironically lifting hischapeau, but regarding Jack at the same time with a look of intensedispleasure.

  "Your most devoted and penitent Captain of the Main-top, sir; and onewho, in his very humility of contrition is yet proud to call CaptainClaret his commander," said Jack, making a glorious bow, and thentragically flinging overboard his Peruvian sword.

  "Reinstate him at once," shouted Captain Claret--"and now, sir, to yourduty; and discharge that well to the end of the cruise, and you willhear no more of your having run away."

  So Jack went forward among crowds of admiring tars, who swore by hisnut-brown beard, which had amazingly lengthened and spread during hisabsence. They divided his laced hat and coat among them; and on theirshoulders, carried him in triumph along the gun-deck.