HMS Leander

“ BERMUDA IN THE PEACE. The Leander was a fifty-gun ship, and well known to the profession, as having formed one of the line of battle in the action of the Nile, though not strictly of that class, and for having afterwards maintained a glorious, though unsuccessful fight with a large French seventy-four, the Généreux, by which she was taken when on her way to England with Nelson’s despatches. ”

“ Her drifting also left a gap of a thousand feet in front of the Franklin, of which the fifty-gun Leander took advantage with the utmost coolness, calmly anchoring across the bows of the French eighty-gun ship, and raking her with broadside after broadside. And thus the battle raged till just about ten o’clock, when the Orient, which like the Heureux and Tonnant had been completely in our power for some time, blew up. ”

“ Leander, however, were able to get a lease of a piece of land adjoining, and in 1866 built a boat-house, which still exists, though the Club has of late thought of departing from Putney and establishing themselves on one of the upper reaches of the Thames.
The rowing successes of Leander of late years have not been very great, though a Leander crew is always formidable ‘on paper’ and [181] comprises a good selection of ‘Varsity oars. Want of practice and of combination usually outweighs individual skill. ”

“ A few days after Congress adjourned occurred the Leander episode. This frigate was one of several British war vessels whose presence in American waters was a constant menace to merchantmen and an insult to the National Government. From time to time they appeared off Sandy Hook, lying in wait [Pg 182] for American vessels which were suspected of carrying British seamen who had fled from the hard conditions of service on ships of war. An American merchantman was likely at any time to be stopped by a shot across her bow and to be subjected to the humiliation of a visit from a search crew. ”

“ At 2-40, clewed up our sails, following the motions of the commander-in-chief, who, at 2-45, anchored abreast of the Mole, and within half pistol-shot. At 2-47, Leander anchored in her station, close a-head of the Queen Charlotte, in five fathoms water, when the enemy opened a most tremendous fire, which was instantly returned by the broadsides of the Queen Charlotte and Leander, the fleet anchoring in the stations assigned them, and opening a vigorous fire. ”

“ Who-e'er thou art, that hither bend'st thy way,
Oh! for a while the pleasing coast survey!
This, this the tow'r, whence the kind light did guide
The swimming lover to his Sestian bride:
That the fam'd Hellespont, he nightly crost,
Which still in murmurs groans Leander lost.
But haste we love's soft triumphs to relate,
From the first dawnings to its ripen'd state:
And whence the youth so passionate became,
And how the nymph glow'd with as fierce a flame. ”

“ The large frigates, and the Dutch squadron, particularly the Melampus, their flag-ship, went into action under a very heavy fire, and with a gallantry that never was surpassed. The Leander had placed herself on the Queen Charlotte's larboard bow, at the entrance of the harbour; her starboard broadside bearing upon the Algerine gun-boats with the after guns, and upon the Fishmarket battery with the others. The Severn lay ahead of the Leander, with all her starboard broadside bearing upon the Fishmarket battery. Beyond her the Glasgow fired upon the town batteries with her larboard guns. ”

“ When the fair Hero came near the arbour where Leander was, he ventured out, and with a low submission, falling at her feet, thus expressed himself. Pardon me, divine creature, if I thus presume to prostrate myself before you, in hopes that so much goodness can pardon a crime of so high a nature, and especially this, seeing it is authorised by love, whose commands must be obeyed, and whose flames are irresistable. O turn not away those dazzling suns of light that guide me to my happiness ”

“ The ships contrived to near each other, keeping up a constant and heavy fire, until half-past ten, when it was evident the Généreux intended to lay her opponent on board. The Leander’s sails and rigging were so much cut up, and the wind was so light, that she could not avoid the shock, and the French ship struck her on the port bow, and, dropping alongside, continued there for some time. The French crew were, however, prevented from boarding by the musketry fire of the Leander’s few marines, upon her poop, and the small-arm men on the quarter-deck. ”

“ All our ships anchored by the stern; by which means, the British line became inverted from van to rear. Captain Thompson, of the Leander of fifty guns, with a degree of judgment highly honourable to his professional character, advanced towards the enemy's line on the outside, and most judiciously dropped his anchor athwart hause of Le Franklin, raking her with great success; the shot, from the Leander's broadside, which passed that ship, all striking L'Orient, the flag-ship of the French commander in chief. ”

“ He killed a Rebel. After that everything was quiet. The man who relieved him toward dawn said that Hilary could not be found.
Leander as a man of forty, sleepless in his empty house, repeated that night in his imagination. The dawn when it appeared was greenish and sluggish—so had that other dawn been. They had not been able to find Hilary among the bodies which lay in the bushes. Leander felt sick at dawn, but he was a strong man; so he would get up, harness the mare, go on his mail route, and work in the garden; he could do what had to be done. ”

“ Leander's reply was a vigorous negative.
"Not a bit," he declared. "He hates the cap'n worse than ever, if that's possible, and he'll do him some bad turn some day, if he can, I'm afraid. You must think it's queer my speaking this way of my own father," he added. "Well, I don't to any one else. Somehow a fellow always feels as if he could say just what he thinks to you, Jed Winslow. I feel that way, anyhow."
He and Jed shook hands at the door in the early November twilight. Leander was to eat his Thanksgiving dinner at home and then leave for camp on the afternoon train. ”

“ Therefore, unhampered by music or literature, Leander addressed himself to the plough-handles, and together that season he and “Neighbor” made the best crop of their lives.
Laurelia sighed for the violin and Leander's music, though, as she always made haste to say, some pious people misdoubted whether it were not a sinful pastime. On such occasions it went hard with Leander not to divulge his late experiences and the connection of the pious Uncle Nehemiah therewith. ”

“ Leander did not want to know. But the boy continued: "I'm a man now. You take things too hard. You love me too much. I'm too young." He spoke very gently. "I feel like a brute. I don't feel easy here. Things like this'll keep happening. I want to do what I feel like and like other fellows do. I can't stand it.”
"All right," Leander said. Each time there was a silence of the same size as the words which had been spoken. "I'm going to bed now. Get some supper for yourself. I'm not hungry."
He came back to the door. Timothy had not moved. "What do you want to do? Where do you want to go?" ”

“ At all events, it seems quite clear that, while we can hold it, we will never give up the right of search, or the right of impressment. We may and ought, certainly, to exercise so disagreeable a power with such temper and discretion as not to provoke the enmity of any friendly nation.
But at the time I speak of, and on board our good old ship the Leander, whose name, I was grieved, but not surprised, to find, was still held in detestation three or four and twenty years afterwards at New York, I am sorry to own that we had not much of this discretion in our proceedings ”

“ It must have been a curious sight in old days to see a Leander crew rowing in front of the ‘Varsity race in their ‘cutter’ steered by Jim Parish, their waterman coxswain. The crew used to wear the orthodox top-hats on their heads, whilst the coxswain was arrayed in all the glories of ‘green plush kneebreeches, silk stockings, “Brummagem” coat, and tall white silk hat.’
The match between Oxford and Leander in 1831 had ended in the defeat of Oxford, and when, six years later, Cambridge challenged Leander, it was thought by the London division to be a rash venture on the part of the Cantabs. ”

“ These friends to liberty and equality even carried their inhumanity to such an extreme, that at the very moment the surgeon of the Leander was performing the chirurgical operations, they robbed him of his instruments, and the wounds which Captain Thompson had received were nearly proving fatal by their forcibly withholding the attendance of that gentleman. ”

“ Soon after this the [I-292] breeze entirely died away, and the sea became as smooth as glass; but the cannonade between the two ships continued, with unabated fury, until half-past three in the afternoon. A light breeze then sprang up, and the Généreux had passed the Leander’s bows, and stationed herself on the latter’s starboard side. Unfortunately, a great wreck of spars and rigging had fallen on that side of the Leander, and disabled her guns. This checked the English ship’s fire, and the French now hailed to know if she had surrendered. ”

“ Critical doubts have likewise arisen, with respect to the probability of Leander's 'watry excursion'—The latter must be determined by the distance. However practicable the Knight, or rather Night Errantry, I am contented to admire the Fable, as a sacrifice to the prevalence of Love, which is well known to remove (at least to attempt it) obstacles of the most forbiding aspect. Those, who wish to give the same air of ease to the present, which has been more recently experienced to attend Love-expeditions, may reduce at will the limits of the Hellespont to those of the Tweed ”

“ About midnight signals were noticed passing between the fort at Puerto Cabello and the guardacostas; Captain Lewis beat to quarters, and kept his men at their guns until morning. At daybreak the Bacchus was seen close in shore, carrying a press of sail and closely pursued by the Spanish vessels. The Leander bore down with a flowing sheet upon the enemy, fired a few ineffective shot, and then, for some reason best known to her captain, or to Miranda, hauled on to the wind, and sailed away, leaving the schooners to take care of themselves. ”

“ Silas had given him those touching lines.
When the train finally hurried in and stopped it landed a drummer, the road-master, and a woman holding a girl of perhaps twelve years of age by the hand. Leander felt a wave of disappointment surge through his breast and muttered mournfully: “Them men ain't her, an' that there woman's got a incumbrance hangin' onto her.” ”

“ He reached forward and took hold of Lee's jacket collar, lifting him back on to the wharf.
"I'd rather be alone," he explained; "and Aunt Tishy'd be sure to worry about you."
As he spoke he leaped into the boat and began to push it off from the planks.
Contrary to Lawrence's expectation, Leander submitted calmly, not to say hilariously. He was heard to dance about on the wharf, and to laugh.
"Goin' alone, are you? All right; go it. If you want any chaperonin' done, just send a cable message; money back if you're not suited. Ta-ta! Be good!" ”

“ Nelson, not being one to abandon an enterprise until after a stout struggle to accomplish it, resolved to give his seasoned men a chance at the Santa Cruz garrison as soon as possible. On the 24th the 50-gun ship Leander joined the squadron, having been sent to reinforce it, by Lord St. Vincent. Her captain had considerable experience as a cruiser in those parts, and his local knowledge was therefore valuable; while the additional force was very acceptable and added to the hopes of the attacking party. ”

“ This news she sent Leander in a letter all blotted with tears, which made him for sometime like a man beside himself, but resolving to hazard all for his mistress, he concluded to appear like himself, and so in the most rich attire, which he sent for out of Greece, he appeared one of the most goodly persons that had ever been seen at the court; so that all admired who this stranger should be, till Hero’s father one day casting his eyes upon him as he passed by, ran to him with tears in his eyes, crying out, O my deliverer and good angel, have I found you again! ”

“ Captain Lewis had chartered at Port-au-Prince the Bee, a small, unarmed schooner, and had bought the Bacchus, a vessel of the same class, last from Laguayra, whose captain and men disappeared mysteriously after their arrival at Jacquemel. Some of the Leander's hands volunteered for the schooners, to get out of the crowded ship; others were forced on board, to make up a crew. The little fleet steered for Bonair, but, through the ignorance of their pilot, or of their captain, found themselves, after a ten-days' cruise, seventy miles to leeward, off the Gulf of Venezuela. ”

“ For when its flame expires, I breathe my last.
What more?———Leander is the name I bear,
And only to be thy Leander swear.
Thus did the youthful pair resolve to know
From mutual love what mighty pleasures flow;
Secret they fix'd the place, the time to meet;
(For sweetest joys, if stoll'n, are doubly sweet)
When ebbing darkness seem'd to bid adieu,
And both unwilling by constraint withdrew.
She to her tow'r fled swifter than the wind,
The careful lover wisely stay'd behind ”