United States or Northern Mariana Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Some of the press-gang were eager to jump in and swim to their shipmates' assistance, but the officer forbade them, ordering three or four to make another search for a boat. At length the sounds of struggling ceased, but which party had been defeated it was impossible to ascertain. The sound of oars in the water was now heard, and a boat was observed slowly approaching the shore.
In July the income-tax was reinstituted and a bill was actually carried authorising a levy en masse in case of invasion. Pending its enforcement, the navy was vigorously recruited by means of the press-gang; the yeomanry were called out, and a force of infantry volunteers was enrolled, which reached a total of 300,000 in August, and of nearly 400,000 at the beginning of the next session.
He seized the drunken cleric and with the assistance of James Howell, one of the city watchmen, forcibly removed him to the watch-house, whence he was next day taken before the mayor and bound over to appear at the Sessions. Now it happened that certain members of the local press-gang were Carey's boon companions, so no sooner did he leave the presence of the mayor than he looked them up.
'Been! he repeated; then, coming a step nearer to her, and taking her hand, not tenderly this time, but with a resolution to be satisfied. 'Did not your cousin Hepburn, I mean did not he tell you? he saw the press-gang seize me, I gave him a message to you I bade you keep true to me as I would be to you. Between every clause of this speech he paused and gasped for her answer; but none came.
His bound if it could be so-called was very successful, for the next moment he was balanced upon his chest across the gunwale, gripping at the edge of the fore-locker, with his legs sticking out behind, and exulting over the sensation of the boat dancing under him, when he felt himself seized by one of the press-gang party, who had dashed in after the boat and made a grab at the first thing that offered in the dark.
His first coherent thoughts were as to what he should say how he should enter into full explanations of his movements since that eventful night when he encountered the press-gang.
Bill let go the brace, turned as white as a sheet, and exclaimed, "I'm gone!" At first, the men near him thought he was shot, but a gesture towards the boat which had fired, explained his meaning. The order was given to belay the head braces, and we waited the result in silence. The press-gang was soon on board us, and its officer asked to have the crew mustered.
"Tom Bodger's right; the press-gang has landed again, but, instead of going to Rockabie, they've come here." He was as right as Tom Bodger, for at last when he made his way to the edge of the cliff it was to look down on the lanthorns carried by three boats, which were close up to the shingly patch of beach from which the fishing craft put off.
Instead of passing them the gig was steered straight for the boat, and Ruby saw that it was full of men-of-war's men. He sprang up at once and seized an oar. "Out oars!" he cried. "Boys, if ever you pulled hard in your lives, do so now. It's the press-gang!"
Whenever seamen were required to man the royal fleet in time of war, the press-gang instantly came into operation. Its mode of action was simple and straight-forward, and consisted of the forcible arrest and complete capture of merchant seamen and fishermen, or stalwart young men of any kind, in seaport towns, who looked as if they had seen service on some kind of sailing craft.
Word Of The Day