{"id":"01KG8AMK3JR91S5H4GM7YVH8AD","cid":"bafkreiaklbkptzwkdjpyoxa2kqjoebm3neaudxk3vlmc6guhttllgt2goa","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":11824,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.274Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":11754,"text":"It is, however, while laying in port that gambling most thrives in a\r\nman-of-war. Then the men frequently practice their dark deeds in the\r\nlight of the day, and the additional guards which, at such times, they\r\ndeem indispensable, are not unworthy of note. More especially, their\r\nextra precautions in engaging the services of several spies,\r\nnecessitate a considerable expenditure, so that, in port, the diversion\r\nof gambling rises to the dignity of a nabob luxury.\r\n\r\nDuring the day the master-at-arms and his corporals are continually\r\nprowling about on all three decks, eager to spy out iniquities. At one\r\ntime, for example, you see Leggs switching his magisterial rattan, and\r\nlurking round the fore-mast on the spar-deck; the next moment, perhaps,\r\nhe is three decks down, out of sight, prowling among the cable-tiers.\r\nJust so with his master, and Pounce his coadjutor; they are here,\r\nthere, and everywhere, seemingly gifted with ubiquity.\r\n\r\nIn order successfully to carry on their proceedings by day, the\r\ngamblers must see to it that each of these constables is relentlessly\r\ndogged wherever he goes; so that, in case of his approach toward the\r\nspot where themselves are engaged, they may be warned of the fact in\r\ntime to make good their escape. Accordingly, light and active scouts\r\nare selected to follow the constable about. From their youthful\r\nalertness and activity, the boys of the mizzen-top are generally chosen\r\nfor this purpose.\r\n\r\nBut this is not all. Onboard of most men-of-war there is a set of sly,\r\nknavish foxes among the crew, destitute of every principle of honour,\r\nand on a par with Irish informers. In man-of-war parlance, they come\r\nunder the denomination of _fancy-men_ and _white-mice_, They are called\r\n_fancy-men_ because, from their zeal in craftily reporting offenders,\r\nthey are presumed to be regarded with high favour by some of the\r\nofficers. Though it is seldom that these informers can be certainly\r\nindividualised, so secret and subtle are they in laying their\r\ninformation, yet certain of the crew, and especially certain of the\r\nmarines, are invariably suspected to be _fancy-men_ and _white-mice_,\r\nand are accordingly more or less hated by their comrades.\r\n\r\nNow, in addition to having an eye on the master-at-arms and his aids,\r\nthe day-gamblers must see to it, that every person suspected of being a\r\n_white-mouse_ or _fancy-man_, is like-wise dogged wherever he goes.\r\nAdditional scouts are retained constantly to snuff at their trail. But\r\nthe mysteries of man-of-war vice are wonderful; and it is now to be\r\nrecorded, that, from long habit and observation, and familiarity with\r\nthe _guardo moves_ and _manoeuvres_ of a frigate, the master-at-arms\r\nand his aids can almost invariably tell when any gambling is going on\r\nby day; though, in the crowded vessel, abounding in decks, tops, dark\r\nplaces, and outlandish corners of all sorts, they may not be able to\r\npounce upon the identical spot where the gamblers are hidden.\r\n\r\nDuring the period that Bland was suspended from his office as\r\nmaster-at-arms, a person who, among the sailors, went by the name of\r\nSneak, having been long suspected to have been a _white-mouse_, was put\r\nin Bland’s place. He proved a hangdog, sidelong catch-thief, but gifted\r\nwith a marvellous perseverance in ferreting out culprits; following in\r\ntheir track like an inevitable Cuba blood-hound, with his noiseless\r\nnose. When disconcerted, however, you sometimes heard his bay.\r\n\r\n“The muffled dice are somewhere around,” Sneak would say to his aids;\r\n“there are them three chaps, there, been dogging me about for the last\r\nhalf-hour. I say, Pounce, has any one been scouting around _you_ this\r\nmorning?”\r\n\r\n“Four on ’em,” says Pounce. “I know’d it; I know’d the muffled dice was\r\nrattlin’!”\r\n\r\n“Leggs!” says the master-at-arms to his other aid, “Leggs, how is it\r\nwith _you_—any spies?”\r\n\r\n“Ten on’ em,” says Leggs. “There’s one on ’em now—that fellow stitching\r\na hat.”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AKWJT799BWSQPGFFD7ZXW","peer_type":"subsection","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMK3J2TXMY74RWZJQZGE5","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:42.098Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:52.692Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}