Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/90

74 Crimp to a large nominal amount, by what is called a long-shore attorney, or more appropriately, a black shark, and thrown into jail!!! There he lits until his body is wanted, and then the Incarcerator negotiates with him for his liberty, to be permitted to enter on board again. Seamen should take care of their tickets and discharges, though they spend all their money; but if he wants a bit of lark, why nothaveit with his relations and friends, in his own native place, to which a stage coach would carry him in a day or two, at th.e rate of ten knots an hour? Advice that ought not to be thrown away at any time, much less during war.

The same class in society, who thus entrap the incautious sailor, are not likely to be compunctuous in taking in the lands-man. One of their chief moves at this game is to charge an innocent person with a crime; first by inuendo, if in-doors at a public house, and then direct, provided they have there a good assemblage of their fellows. These will swear to any thing that may be suggested by their spokesman; and it is best to rebut their most insignificant impertinencies at the outset, and to shew the proper indignalion consistently with your character: If you once evince symptoms of fear, standing silently horror-struck,