United States or Bahamas ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He was never exactly drunk, for he had a strong, well-seasoned head; but the craving to hear the last news of the actions of the press-gang drew him into Monkshaven nearly every day at this dead agricultural season of the year; and a public-house is generally the focus from which gossip radiates; and probably the amount of drink thus consumed weakened Robson's power over his mind, and caused the concentration of thought on one subject.
It is assumed that compliance with those demands was as a rule not voluntary, but was enforced by the press-gang.
For on a certain Tuesday evening yet remembered by old inhabitants of North Shields, the sailors in the merchant service met together and overpowered the press-gang, dismissing them from the town with the highest contempt, and with their jackets reversed.
A virtuous good song, too; and the merry fellow that made it won't need to cast about and excuse himself when the graves open and he turns out with his fiddle under his arm. My own mother taught it to me; the more by token that she came from Saltash, and "Ye sexes, give ear" was a terrible favourite with the Saltash females by reason of Sally Hancock and her turn-to with the press-gang. Hey?
John stood looking in with some surprise at the group collected in his usually empty parlour. 'It's my cousin, said Philip, reddening a little; 'she came wi' her friend in to market, and to make purchases; and she's got a turn wi' seeing the press-gang go past carrying some of the crew of the whaler to the Randyvowse. 'Ay, ay, said Mr.
We have not been fifty years in dragging up the very poor whom we neglected and left to themselves, the gallows, the cat, and the press-gang only a hundred years ago. And how slow, how slow and sometimes hopeless, is the work! The establishment of river police and the construction of docks have cleared the river of all this gentry.
'But they're a deep set, they'll be here before we know where we are, some of these days. 'See thee here! said Daniel, exhibiting his maimed hand; 'a reckon a served 'em out time o' t' Ameriky war. And he began the story Sylvia knew so well; for her father never made a new acquaintance but what he told him of his self-mutilation to escape the press-gang.
Besides, there's to be this grand burryin' o' t' man t' press-gang shot, and 't will be like killing two birds at once. 'I should like to go, said Sylvia. 'I feel so sorry like for the poor sailors shot down and kidnapped just as they was coming home, as we see'd 'em o' Thursday last. I'll ask mother if she'll let me go. 'Ay, do.
Why, I thought the press-gang had taken you right away?" "Did yer?" growled the man, breathlessly, through his set teeth, while his dark eyes seemed to glitter. "Then you see they haven't. What are you doing here?" "Having the skin rubbed off the back of my head, I think," cried Aleck, struggling to get free. "Be quiet! Are you mad?" "'Most," panted the man, tightening his grasp.
When we read of the military being called in to assist the civil power in backing up the press-gang, of parties of soldiers patrolling the streets, and sentries with screwed bayonets placed at every door while the press-gang entered and searched each hole and corner of the dwelling; when we hear of churches being surrounded during divine service by troops, while the press-gang stood ready at the door to seize men as they came out from attending public worship, and take these instances as merely types of what was constantly going on in different forms, we do not wonder at Lord Mayors, and other civic authorities in large towns, complaining that a stop was put to business by the danger which the tradesmen and their servants incurred in leaving their houses and going into the streets, infested by press-gangs.
Word Of The Day