{"id":"01KG8AMDKTSXYK8GGQPZ6CKF5Z","cid":"bafkreif36odkiwfhjc7ktjzqw7zcbb54j7l3zp3hhblth3pdwiiu32b4pa","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":770,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":690,"text":"CHAPTER V.\r\nJACK CHASE ON A SPANISH QUARTER-DECK.\r\n\r\n\r\nHere, I must frankly tell a story about Jack, which as touching his\r\nhonour and integrity, I am sure, will not work against him, in any\r\ncharitable man’s estimation. On this present cruise of the frigate\r\nNeversink, Jack had deserted; and after a certain interval, had been\r\ncaptured.\r\n\r\nBut with what purpose had he deserted? To avoid naval discipline? To\r\nriot in some abandoned sea-port? for love of some worthless signorita?\r\nNot at all. He abandoned the frigate from far higher and nobler, nay,\r\nglorious motives. Though bowing to naval discipline afloat; yet ashore,\r\nhe was a stickler for the Rights of Man, and the liberties of the\r\nworld. He went to draw a partisan blade in the civil commotions of\r\nPeru; and befriend, heart and soul, what he deemed the cause of the\r\nRight.\r\n\r\nAt the time, his disappearance excited the utmost astonishment among\r\nthe officers, who had little suspected him of any such conduct of\r\ndeserting.\r\n\r\n“What? Jack, my great man of the main-top, gone!” cried the captain;\r\n“I’ll not believe it.”\r\n\r\n“Jack Chase cut and run!” cried a sentimental middy. “It must have been\r\nall for love, then; the signoritas have turned his head.”\r\n\r\n“Jack Chase not to be found?” cried a growling old sheet-anchor-man,\r\none of your malicious prophets of past events: “I though so; I know’d\r\nit; I could have sworn it—just the chap to make sail on the sly. I\r\nalways s’pected him.”\r\n\r\nMonths passed away, and nothing was heard of Jack; till at last, the\r\nfrigate came to anchor on the coast, alongside of a Peruvian sloop of\r\nwar.\r\n\r\nBravely clad in the Peruvian uniform, and with a fine, mixed martial\r\nand naval step, a tall, striking figure of a long-bearded officer was\r\ndescried, promenading the Quarter-deck of the stranger; and\r\nsuperintending the salutes, which are exchanged between national\r\nvessels on these occasions.\r\n\r\nThis fine officer touched his laced hat most courteously to our\r\nCaptain, who, after returning the compliment, stared at him, rather\r\nimpolitely, through his spy-glass.\r\n\r\n“By Heaven!” he cried at last—“it is he—he can’t disguise his\r\nwalk—that’s the beard; I’d know him in Cochin China.—Man the first\r\ncutter there! Lieutenant Blink, go on board that sloop of war, and\r\nfetch me yon officer.”\r\n\r\nAll hands were aghast—What? when a piping-hot peace was between the\r\nUnited States and Peru, to send an armed body on board a Peruvian sloop\r\nof war, and seize one of its officers, in broad daylight?—Monstrous\r\ninfraction of the Law of Nations! What would Vattel say?\r\n\r\nBut Captain Claret must be obeyed. So off went the cutter, every man\r\narmed to the teeth, the lieutenant-commanding having secret\r\ninstructions, and the midshipmen attending looking ominously wise,\r\nthough, in truth, they could not tell what was coming.\r\n\r\nGaining the sloop of war, the lieutenant was received with the\r\ncustomary honours; but by this time the tall, bearded officer had\r\ndisappeared from the Quarter-deck. The Lieutenant now inquired for the\r\nPeruvian Captain; and being shown into the cabin, made known to him,\r\nthat on board his vessel was a person belonging to the United States\r\nShip Neversink; and his orders were, to have that person delivered up\r\ninstanter.\r\n\r\nThe foreign captain curled his mustache in astonishment and\r\nindignation; he hinted something about beating to quarters, and\r\nchastising this piece of Yankee insolence.\r\n\r\nBut resting one gloved hand upon the table, and playing with his\r\nsword-knot, the Lieutenant, with a bland firmness, repeated his demand.\r\nAt last, the whole case being so plainly made out, and the person in\r\nquestion being so accurately described, even to a mole on his cheek,\r\nthere remained nothing but immediate compliance.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJPBDSXYVZG9DAY95FD51","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMDKT3EGEGYW6Y1JMGFGF","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.474Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:43.203Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}