| Citation |
EJMP.775.012
15 Feb 1775:41 (2/61)
Marine Anecdote. The character of a true British seaman is
a good one: his being ignorant of the value of money, is the
cause of his dissipation when he receives it; and the only
use he can conceive for his money is to spend it as soon as
possible. The following is an instance of the truth of the
latter assertion: at the close of the last war a sailor had
received five years pay from one of the ships paid off at
Portsmouth; at the same time some ships were to sail from
thence in a fortnight for Statia, and as Jack was known to
be an excellent seaman by the Commodore he was solicited to
enter as quarter master on board the Commodore's own ship;
Jack refused, alledging the following reason: "An't please
your honour, I have just received five years pay; now by my
reckoning it will last me a month or so, and your honour's
being to sail in a fortnight, I can't d'y'see, enter with
your honour now, as I never carries any money to sea." The
Commodore smiled, and questioned Jack respecting his
oeconomy in making five years pay last a whole month. Jack
replied, "An't please your honour, I mean to keep a w----
and a fidler; now, new rigging Moll and myself, paying off
Catgut, and the allowance of provision and liquor that we
shall take in, I reckon as how I shall expend all the rhino
in a month; but if I could spend it in less I should be
glad, as I should like to sail with your honour; but I'm
afraid it won't do." "O! Jack, says the Commodore, I'll put
you in a way to spend it in a fortnight." "How, an't please
you?" says Jack with a stare of joyal surprise: "Why, keep
two w----- and two fidlers." "D--n my eyes if I don't,"
replied the overjoyed sailor, and clapped his hands together
with all the earnestness of a man who had just hit upon some
scheme of the utmost importance. He set out on his
expedition, kept his word, and in little more than a
fortnight set sail with his Commander pennyless and content;
who Jack ever after swore, had the genteelest notion of
spending money of any man in the navy.
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