{"id":"01KG8AMGEBXE09QTSB18189489","cid":"bafkreicg5neayf2kjdb644zhvsrxrcgcwm3kd3aqwvcn62j22qsg7mmju4","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3583,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":3535,"text":"citizens are the most patriotic—especially toward the Fourth of July.\r\n\r\nBut how could Captain Claret, the father of his crew, behold the grief\r\nof his ocean children with indifference? He could not. Three days\r\nbefore the anniversary—it still continuing very pleasant weather for\r\nthese latitudes—it was publicly announced that free permission was\r\ngiven to the sailors to get up any sort of theatricals they desired,\r\nwherewith to honour the Fourth.\r\n\r\nNow, some weeks prior to the Neversink’s sailing from home—nearly three\r\nyears before the time here spoken of—some of the seamen had clubbed\r\ntogether, and made up a considerable purse, for the purpose of\r\npurchasing a theatrical outfit having in view to diversify the monotony\r\nof lying in foreign harbours for weeks together, by an occasional\r\ndisplay on the boards—though if ever there w-as a continual theatre in\r\nthe world, playing by night and by day, and without intervals between\r\nthe acts, a man-of-war is that theatre, and her planks are the _boards_\r\nindeed.\r\n\r\nThe sailors who originated this scheme had served in other American\r\nfrigates, where the privilege of having theatricals was allowed to the\r\ncrew. What was their chagrin, then, when, upon making an application to\r\nthe Captain, in a Peruvian harbour, for permission to present the\r\nmuch-admired drama of “_The Ruffian Boy_,” under the Captain’s personal\r\npatronage, that dignitary assured them that there were already enough\r\n_ruffian boys_ on board, without conjuring up any more from the\r\ngreen-room.\r\n\r\nThe theatrical outfit, therefore, was stowed down in the bottom of the\r\nsailors’ bags, who little anticipated _then_ that it would ever be\r\ndragged out while Captain Claret had the sway.\r\n\r\nBut immediately upon the announcement that the embargo was removed,\r\nvigorous preparations were at once commenced to celebrate the Fourth\r\nwith unwonted spirit. The half-deck was set apart for the theatre, and\r\nthe signal-quarter-master was commanded to loan his flags to decorate\r\nit in the most patriotic style.\r\n\r\nAs the stage-struck portion of the crew had frequently during the\r\ncruise rehearsed portions of various plays, to while away the tedium of\r\nthe night-watches, they needed no long time now to perfect themselves\r\nin their parts.\r\n\r\nAccordingly, on the very next morning after the indulgence had been\r\ngranted by the Captain, the following written placard, presenting a\r\nbroadside of staring capitals, was found tacked against the main-mast\r\non the gun-deck. It was as if a Drury-Lane bill had been posted upon\r\nthe London Monument.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJQSBWVB672XQ56H8G5AZ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMFYGZYE9YQVM6SZJ70HG","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AMGEB726PSQF9WXXDMQMX","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:39.371Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:45.360Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}