{"id":"01KG8AMDKX20E8SXPXRWT0SMF6","cid":"bafkreiavmlh6tcwnvxeefkbeevv6fzvrrjwkek4xvrtg4as2vufzse7oea","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":7043,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.274Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":6965,"text":"CHAPTER XLIV.\r\nA KNAVE IN OFFICE IN A MAN-OF-WAR.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe last smuggling story now about to be related also occurred while we\r\nlay in Rio. It is the more particularly presented, since it furnishes\r\nthe most curious evidence of the almost incredible corruption pervading\r\nnearly all ranks in some men-of-war.\r\n\r\nFor some days, the number of intoxicated sailors collared and brought\r\nup to the mast by the master-at-arms, to be reported to the\r\ndeck-officers—previous to a flogging at the gangway—had, in the last\r\ndegree, excited the surprise and vexation of the Captain and senior\r\nofficers. So strict were the Captain’s regulations concerning the\r\nsuppression of grog-smuggling, and so particular had he been in\r\ncharging the matter upon all the Lieutenants, and every understrapper\r\nofficial in the frigate, that he was wholly at a loss how so large a\r\nquantity of spirits could have been spirited into the ship, in the face\r\nof all these checks, guards, and precautions.\r\n\r\nStill additional steps were adopted to detect the smugglers; and Bland,\r\nthe master-at-arms, together with his corporals, were publicly\r\nharangued at the mast by the Captain in person, and charged to exert\r\ntheir best powers in suppressing the traffic. Crowds were present at\r\nthe time, and saw the master-at-arms touch his cap in obsequious\r\nhomage, as he solemnly assured the Captain that he would still continue\r\nto do his best; as, indeed, he said he had always done. He concluded\r\nwith a pious ejaculation expressive of his personal abhorrence of\r\nsmuggling and drunkenness, and his fixed resolution, so help him\r\nHeaven, to spend his last wink in sitting up by night, to spy out all\r\ndeeds of darkness.\r\n\r\n“I do not doubt you, master-at-arms,” returned the Captain; “now go to\r\nyour duty.” This master-at-arms was a favourite of the Captain’s.\r\n\r\nThe next morning, before breakfast, when the market-boat came off (that\r\nis, one of the ship’s boats regularly deputed to bring off the daily\r\nfresh provisions for the officers)—when this boat came off, the\r\nmaster-at-arms, as usual, after carefully examining both her and her\r\ncrew, reported them to the deck-officer to be free from suspicion. The\r\nprovisions were then hoisted out, and among them came a good-sized\r\nwooden box, addressed to “Mr. —— Purser of the United States ship\r\nNeversink.” Of course, any private matter of this sort, destined for a\r\ngentleman of the ward-room, was sacred from examination, and the\r\nmaster-at-arms commanded one of his corporals to carry it down into the\r\nPurser’s state-room. But recent occurrences had sharpened the vigilance\r\nof the deck-officer to an unwonted degree, and seeing the box going\r\ndown the hatchway, he demanded what that was, and whom it was for.\r\n\r\n“All right, sir,” said the master-at-arms, touching his cap; “stores\r\nfor the Purser, sir.”\r\n\r\n“Let it remain on deck,” said the Lieutenant. “Mr. Montgomery!” calling\r\na midshipman, “ask the Purser whether there is any box coming off for\r\nhim this morning.”\r\n\r\n“Ay, ay, sir,” said the middy, touching his cap.\r\n\r\nPresently he returned, saying that the Purser was ashore.\r\n\r\n“Very good, then; Mr. Montgomery, have that box put into the ‘brig,’\r\nwith strict orders to the sentry not to suffer any one to touch it.”\r\n\r\n“Had I not better take it down into my mess, sir, till the Purser comes\r\noff?” said the master-at-arms, deferentially.\r\n\r\n“I have given my orders, sir!” said the Lieutenant, turning away.\r\n\r\nWhen the Purser came on board, it turned out that he knew nothing at\r\nall about the box. He had never so much as heard of it in his life. So\r\nit was again brought up before the deck-officer, who immediately\r\nsummoned the master-at-arms.\r\n\r\n“Break open that box!”\r\n\r\n“Certainly, sir!” said the master-at-arms; and, wrenching off the\r\ncover, twenty-five brown jugs like a litter of twenty-five brown pigs,\r\nwere found snugly nestled in a bed of straw.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJS32V8KWVR1XVNNS595G","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AME6YK8MPCNDN5YGEJPS0","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.477Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:48.307Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}