But, although this one game was allowable in the frigate5, all kinds of gambling6 were strictly7 interdicted8, under the penalty of the gangway; nor were cards or dice9 tolerated in any way whatever. This regulation was indispensable, for, of all human beings, man-of-war's-men are perhaps the most inclined to gambling. The reason must be obvious to any one who reflects upon their condition on shipboard. And gambling—the most mischievous11 of vices13 anywhere—in a man-of-war operates still more perniciously than on shore. But quite as often as the law against smuggling14 spirits is transgressed15 by the unscrupulous sailors, the statutes16 against cards and dice are evaded17.
Sable10 night, which, since the beginning of the world, has winked18 and looked on at so many deeds of iniquity—night is the time usually selected for their operations by man-of-war gamblers. The place pitched upon is generally the berth-deck, where the hammocks are swung, and which is lighted so stintedly as not to disturb the sleeping seamen19 with any obtruding20 glare. In so spacious21 an area the two lanterns swinging from the stanchions diffuse22 a subdued23 illumination, like a night-taper in the apartment of some invalid25. Owing to their position, also, these lanterns are far from shedding an impartial26 light, however dim, but fling long angular rays here and there, like burglar's dark-lanterns in the fifty-acre vaults27 of the West India Docks on the Thames.
It may well be imagined, therefore, how well adapted is this mysterious and subterranean28 Hall of Eblis to the clandestine29 proceedings30 of gamblers, especially as the hammocks not only hang thickly, but many of them swing very low, within two feet of the floor, thus forming innumerable little canvas glens, grottoes, nooks, corners, and crannies, where a good deal of wickedness may be practiced by the wary31 with considerable impunity32.
Now the master-at-arms, assisted by his mates, the ship's corporals, reigns33 supreme34 in these bowels35 of the ship. Throughout the night these policemen relieve each other at standing36 guard over the premises37; and, except when the watches are called, they sit in the midst of a profound silence, only invaded by trumpeters' snores, or the ramblings of some old sheet-anchor-man in his sleep.
The two ship's corporals went among the sailors by the names of Leggs and Pounce38; Pounce had been a policeman, it was said, in Liverpool; Leggs, a turnkey attached to "The Tombs" in New York. Hence their education eminently39 fitted them for their stations; and Bland40, the master-at-arms, ravished with their dexterity41 in prying42 out offenders43, used to call them his two right hands.
When man-of-war's-men desire to gamble, they appoint the hour, and select some certain corner, in some certain shadow, behind some certain hammock. They then contribute a small sum toward a joint44 fund, to be invested in a bribe45 for some argus-eyed shipmate, who shall play the part of a spy upon the master-at-arms and corporals while the gaming is in progress. In nine cases out of ten these arrangements are so cunning and comprehensive, that the gamblers, eluding46 all vigilance, conclude their game unmolested. But now and then, seduced47 into unwariness, or perhaps, from parsimony48, being unwilling49 to employ the services of a spy, they are suddenly lighted upon by the constables51, remorselessly collared, and dragged into the brig there to await a dozen lashes52 in the morning.
Several times at midnight I have been startled out of a sound sleep by a sudden, violent rush under my hammock, caused by the abrupt53 breaking up of some nest of gamblers, who have scattered in all directions, brushing under the tiers of swinging pallets, and setting them all in a rocking commotion54.
It is, however, while laying in port that gambling most thrives in a man-of-war. Then the men frequently practice their dark deeds in the light of the day, and the additional guards which, at such times, they deem indispensable, are not unworthy of note. More especially, their extra precautions in engaging the services of several spies, necessitate55 a considerable expenditure56, so that, in port, the diversion of gambling rises to the dignity of a nabob luxury.
During the day the master-at-arms and his corporals are continually prowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities57. At one time, for example, you see Leggs switching his magisterial58 rattan59, and lurking60 round the fore-mast on the spar-deck; the next moment, perhaps, he is three decks down, out of sight, prowling among the cable-tiers. Just so with his master, and Pounce his coadjutor; they are here, there, and everywhere, seemingly gifted with ubiquity.
In order successfully to carry on their proceedings by day, the gamblers must see to it that each of these constables is relentlessly61 dogged wherever he goes; so that, in case of his approach toward the spot where themselves are engaged, they may be warned of the fact in time to make good their escape. Accordingly, light and active scouts62 are selected to follow the constable50 about. From their youthful alertness and activity, the boys of the mizzen-top are generally chosen for this purpose.
But this is not all. Onboard of most men-of-war there is a set of sly, knavish63 foxes among the crew, destitute64 of every principle of honour, and on a par24 with Irish informers. In man-of-war parlance65, they come under the denomination66 of fancy-men and white-mice, They are called fancy-men because, from their zeal67 in craftily68 reporting offenders, they are presumed to be regarded with high favour by some of the officers. Though it is seldom that these informers can be certainly individualised, so secret and subtle are they in laying their information, yet certain of the crew, and especially certain of the marines, are invariably suspected to be fancy-men and white-mice, and are accordingly more or less hated by their comrades.
Now, in addition to having an eye on the master-at-arms and his aids, the day-gamblers must see to it, that every person suspected of being a white-mouse or fancy-man, is like-wise dogged wherever he goes. Additional scouts are retained constantly to snuff at their trail. But the mysteries of man-of-war vice12 are wonderful; and it is now to be recorded, that, from long habit and observation, and familiarity with the guardo moves and manoeuvres of a frigate, the master-at-arms and his aids can almost invariably tell when any gambling is going on by day; though, in the crowded vessel69, abounding70 in decks, tops, dark places, and outlandish corners of all sorts, they may not be able to pounce upon the identical spot where the gamblers are hidden.
During the period that Bland was suspended from his office as master-at-arms, a person who, among the sailors, went by the name of Sneak71, having been long suspected to have been a white-mouse, was put in Bland's place. He proved a hangdog, sidelong catch-thief, but gifted with a marvellous perseverance72 in ferreting out culprits; following in their track like an inevitable73 Cuba blood-hound, with his noiseless nose. When disconcerted, however, you sometimes heard his bay.
"The muffled74 dice are somewhere around," Sneak would say to his aids; "there are them three chaps, there, been dogging me about for the last half-hour. I say, Pounce, has any one been scouting75 around you this morning?"
"Four on 'em," says Pounce. "I know'd it; I know'd the muffled dice was rattlin'!"
"Leggs!" says the master-at-arms to his other aid, "Leggs, how is it with you—any spies?"
"Ten on' em," says Leggs. "There's one on 'em now—that fellow stitching a hat."
"Halloo, you, sir!" cried the master-at-arms, "top your boom and sail large, now. If I see you about me again, I'll have you up to the mast."
"What am I a-doin' now?" says the hat-stitcher, with a face as long as a rope-walk. "Can't a feller be workin' here, without being 'spected of Tom Coxe's traverse, up one ladder and down t'other?"
"Oh, I know the moves, sir; I have been on board a guardo. Top your boom, I say, and be off, or I'll have you hauled up and riveted76 in a clinch—both fore-tacks over the main-yard, and no bloody77 knife to cut the seizing. Sheer! or I'll pitch into you like a shin of beef into a beggar's wallet."
It is often observable, that, in vessels78 of all kinds, the men who talk the most sailor lingo79 are the least sailor-like in reality. You may sometimes hear even marines jerk out more salt phrases than the Captain of the Forecastle himself. On the other hand, when not actively80 engaged in his vocation81, you would take the best specimen82 of a seaman83 for a landsman. When you see a fellow yawning about the docks like a homeward-bound Indiaman, a long Commodore's pennant84 of black ribbon flying from his mast-head, and fetching up at a grog-shop with a slew85 of his hull86, as if an Admiral were coming alongside a three-decker in his barge87; you may put that man down for what man-of-war's-men call a damn-my-eyes-tar, that is, a humbug88. And many damn-my-eyes hum-bugs there are in this man-of-war world of ours.
点击收听单词发音
1 draughts | |
n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 scattered | |
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 lieutenant | |
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 lenient | |
adj.宽大的,仁慈的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 frigate | |
n.护航舰,大型驱逐舰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 gambling | |
n.赌博;投机 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 interdicted | |
v.禁止(行动)( interdict的过去式和过去分词 );禁用;限制 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 dice | |
n.骰子;vt.把(食物)切成小方块,冒险 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 sable | |
n.黑貂;adj.黑色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 mischievous | |
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 vices | |
缺陷( vice的名词复数 ); 恶习; 不道德行为; 台钳 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 smuggling | |
n.走私 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 transgressed | |
v.超越( transgress的过去式和过去分词 );越过;违反;违背 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 statutes | |
成文法( statute的名词复数 ); 法令; 法规; 章程 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 evaded | |
逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 ); 避开; 回避; 想不出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 winked | |
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 seamen | |
n.海员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 obtruding | |
v.强行向前,强行,强迫( obtrude的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 diffuse | |
v.扩散;传播;adj.冗长的;四散的,弥漫的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 par | |
n.标准,票面价值,平均数量;adj.票面的,平常的,标准的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 invalid | |
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 impartial | |
adj.(in,to)公正的,无偏见的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 subterranean | |
adj.地下的,地表下的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 clandestine | |
adj.秘密的,暗中从事的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 wary | |
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 reigns | |
n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 bowels | |
n.肠,内脏,内部;肠( bowel的名词复数 );内部,最深处 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 pounce | |
n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 eminently | |
adv.突出地;显著地;不寻常地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 bland | |
adj.淡而无味的,温和的,无刺激性的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 dexterity | |
n.(手的)灵巧,灵活 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 prying | |
adj.爱打听的v.打听,刺探(他人的私事)( pry的现在分词 );撬开 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 offenders | |
n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 );犯规者;罪犯;妨害…的人(或事物) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 joint | |
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 bribe | |
n.贿赂;v.向…行贿,买通 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 eluding | |
v.(尤指机敏地)避开( elude的现在分词 );逃避;躲避;使达不到 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 seduced | |
诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 parsimony | |
n.过度节俭,吝啬 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 unwilling | |
adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 constable | |
n.(英国)警察,警官 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 constables | |
n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 lashes | |
n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 );鞭子;突然猛烈的一击;急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 abrupt | |
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 necessitate | |
v.使成为必要,需要 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 expenditure | |
n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出;使用,消耗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 iniquities | |
n.邪恶( iniquity的名词复数 );极不公正 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 magisterial | |
adj.威风的,有权威的;adv.威严地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 rattan | |
n.藤条,藤杖 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 lurking | |
潜在 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 relentlessly | |
adv.不屈不挠地;残酷地;不间断 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 scouts | |
侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 knavish | |
adj.无赖(似)的,不正的;刁诈 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 parlance | |
n.说法;语调 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 denomination | |
n.命名,取名,(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 craftily | |
狡猾地,狡诈地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 abounding | |
adj.丰富的,大量的v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 sneak | |
vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝);偷偷摸摸做;n.潜行;adj.暗中进行 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 perseverance | |
n.坚持不懈,不屈不挠 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 inevitable | |
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74 muffled | |
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75 scouting | |
守候活动,童子军的活动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76 riveted | |
铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 ); 把…固定住; 吸引; 引起某人的注意 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
78 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
79 lingo | |
n.语言不知所云,外国话,隐语 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
80 actively | |
adv.积极地,勤奋地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
81 vocation | |
n.职业,行业 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
82 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
83 seaman | |
n.海员,水手,水兵 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
84 pennant | |
n.三角旗;锦标旗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
85 slew | |
v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
86 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
87 barge | |
n.平底载货船,驳船 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
88 humbug | |
n.花招,谎话,欺骗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |