Punch (72.1877)

118 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [March 17, 1877.

OUB NOVEL SERIES.
ALL IN THE DOWNS.

OE, THE BOTTOMEY BOND!

A NAUTICAL NOVEL, BY

S. PL-MS-LL M.P.

If so, how was it that his name was Geogblossom ? * We shall
see.

"I understand" said the Stevedore, darkly frowning. "The
grain will be overpacked ; on the voyage it will swell, it will gra-
dually burst the sacks, distend itself upwards, force the seams of
the boards-"

" Which are only secured with sham bolts," interposed the
Warden.

"Ay, ay—devils all—and then the masts will go overboard, and
the ship, if once filled with water in every part, with all hands must
CnAr. V\—The Able-bodied Seamen depart in a Coffin-rigged Vessel. 8irik to ihe botiom."i

And how many hands are aboard the Albert Ross, think you ? " Then she is certain to go to the bottom ? " asked the Warden.
Only nine; and the Captain is but seventeen years old. This is " Sure!" replied the Stevedore,

economy on the part of "Since that is the

the owners. But, alas! case, you will at once

the Albert Hoss will -—■ —-=-_j±±---- sign the bond which

suffer as other vessels . „ binds us together to the

have suffered, and, as ^f"T^^^^/'uSt^^ "\ ;~r' - (------ deed, by which you

my friend Mr. Wh-l- =4~':^ltllt^ x ^s'------ undertake that the ship

l-y, of Peterborough, ' ' "• v^llltlk^<^^ MBM -^^IpRj^^^~"~ B^a^ g0 to tne b°ttom
would say the Roman ^ ^^^I^P^^^^^r^r^i Ilk within a certain time."
Catholics in England \ >■/' /^S' >^x I ; And so saying he pro-
suffer, from a long \ ' /vC ^ " iMV^L, "V \ duced a parchment.

course of Under-Man- \ \ / / - '---'""^ \ Tnis Parcnment. Wlth

ning. But that is his Ye^e; =^ j -x^v ^/n^^^T^-^^*— ll^ its seals an(* Govern"

joke, not mine ; and he \ \ Ay "y^i^B^—^VV ' ' ment stamps, is called

is earnest about his \ \, ff i^^HISO^} a "Bottomry Bond."

work, as I am about j /[ / ' xXWi^^^^- The drawer of such a

mine. So heave ahead! \ • . / / ^^y^^^^^^^^^^O ^s^N^^^"1-<^?^=^ bond undertakes that the

and let me pitch the A -\\\ " ' / / ^^^^^j^^Bli^^^^^^^xV ^\ \^\n\\nv 'v^H. ship *n his possession

next line overboard. H \x (\\ \-x:>~|/ I /^^^^^llElg^S^A W^tf V--' : shall go to Davy Jones's

The Stevedore held \ \ ' Yv^ li Aw^C^^^V^^V^ \ /IflP^ <^g5^^ Locker within a speci-

the policy for £500,000 K\ e^W' lytfiS^^L JP!>A.,£^P^ fl fied period.

in his pocket. The 111 v \ JiSKssHSfil f^^SSHK^^^^T^ M« These Bottomry Bonds

Junior Warden joined I'M \ \ V l^^^V '^Hfe' r^F** are drawn only by the

him, and grasped his ^^^^_^\^\ I \ lf^£&j&ro ( ^JM^^^^^"^ Wardens of Sink Ports.

hand. They, the Own- tV^^=^- ' '\ 1 W liPWfiKfesBL ^ffllW^sis^^^^^.^sL It is one of the old

ers, were safe. If only V-\^^^^=g^|y li^^P^^^^^' .-■J^^y ZiSfHr*^^ " v-rA* ' feudal privileges yet

William Tailleue, AlJj^K )y : \ \Uj - j V J^^^m^^^S^i^^^-^-t^^^^^^^ remaining to them. I

Don Jose's rival in | \y ^^^SgS^A v^lI ^^PotST -^Zr^^^?551^^^^^^^^7 trust before long to see

the affections of Maey l ^j^^X \^r>M\ this iniquitous system

come out of ffaol and B^^^^B 1V^^^^"^^ ^5^c!r ' "Just so. But

embark on hoard the il A '^^^SP^P^^P- hark!" and the Junior

Bad Ship A Ibert Ross! |ll!|t)r%1^^ Sj^^il^^ Warden lifted up his

The Junior Warden ^)f^^^/^^M\ W^fl YCHk Ife^'^xTm^^^^^ifilllSi^and to arrest tne

had ether matters on \ VW^^P^L^^^^l vtw^i) Y§§IL/iR?^ ' l^^^H^^M^PSMSBr Stevedore's attention,

his mind which no less \ Wy/vT A^^^***< V^^^^^P^g^^^ A shrill whistle,

concerned the Steve- \ > ^M»Mf //^W^^ %s}^^^^^^^- '-- The Bo'sen's call to

dore. It was to his, the ' \ \^\i /M\wm' ^Vnl^^^«:"::::A summon all hands

Warden's, interest, and * \ ^'' Wxf Mli'^Ck ?^We/II aboard,

for their joint safety, , J ! MlMlliW^k/ N \sM&m J j \ B^^^^fc" And William?

that Maey should he /^M; / / I MmM&V Jf^^^fe What of him?

the Stevedore's bride. /j^^^'jM^r^/// ^Jk^^^r^^^^wSS^^^^^^^^^^^^^' There are other

Thus their interests, //mWfV/ , \ y^^^^^^^^s^^^^^-^^''^ Devils besides sham

like their capital, were fWi/ /// /w^^^^^Mmm LL^H ' ^^Sfi^i: -~^r^~±:: ' ship's bolts, ^ and these

identical. ^WM/^V^/ M MmlMaffi&P^^ y^^SH^^ ^^^^S^^^^^i- seemed to mix them-

The moon slowly / ^ ■ M y^MBaS^I (^Z '<■'■. selves up in the Steve-
rose, and cast a dull \ tfr / / iff Illllimmvm i^^r^^5^^ lisL***^ ^^^^g^—'"' dore's affairs, for at
light on the scene. }\w / / /ff lUIIIlWaaXm ^^JK^^fe^^^^' that moment William

"We understand one '/.///// //I/I/JImlmu I aPV^^tF^^^^^^l""" 5 Tailleue, released
another?" asked the ./'// / // ///S/llllmJmll I JrC^x^a=^ fe^—--^^^------ from prison, stepped

Stevedore of his com- W/J/////U //J/Iliilll&klMl m^/^^^fF1^ $^^==E===--~-7'" from the Quay on to the

panion, in a hoarse M Fw/Jff ^HOl /fifil/llllimlml ffl r^=r^>^y'' deck of the Albert Ross.

whisper. , '^ Mm lllulUlllmK The word was given

"Ay, ay!" replied ft. 'W///// 1/MilUUfWnmk ^ "^8^ • ■ T^^—ZZ^, . to weigh anchor,

the other, in the same 1 sr If/'Ik7/|/f|M//#l "^^^¥^1^$^^ The answer, of course,

tone. - J|. '"J 'iifSiflj^A^ffl S ^=^f}— / was tnat ^ weighed

"Who are on board?" ' R k, 'fffymMWlla —~ K~—------- - , , - - exactly a hundred tons.

"The Skipper, the J1 ^ ^ nm(/WI\m T2-^-—The reply to this

ship's husband, with " (from the Captain) was

the first and second rude in the extreme.

Mates, the Purser (who pays out), the Scuttler (who looks after the
coals), and the third Mate with five hands."
" A useful person this last."

" Yery handy. But we have been one too many for him."
4" Is the fate of the ship assured ? "

" Yes, assured as you know—insured. The ship is overloaded.
Its load-line is painted high up over a false level."
Who did that ? " asked the Stevedore, anxiously.
The painter, of course."
" But he will split," returned the Stevedore.
"The Ship's Painter split!" replied the other, disdainfully.
Not he ! He is overboard by this time ! " and the ruffian laughed
heartily.

Could such a scoundrel be really the father of Maey Maybud ?

* "We have already asked this question.—Ed. t Fact.—S. P.

x So do we. But surely this isn't the real meaning of a Bottomry Bond ?
"We are not Maritime Lawyers, but we certainly think there must be some
error. To this effect we have written to the learned and enthusiastic Author.
—Ed.

Answer from the Learned and Unthusiastie.—Founded on fact. Sounds
all right,—I mean it sounds all wrong.—Yours, S. P.

6 I wouldn't have believed this statement if I hadn't seen it myself, but
it's a fact for which I can vouch, vide my pamphlet under the head of
Defective Construction. When a ship's timbers are held together by only
plumbago or black-lead pencil bolts, called Devils (for the same reason that a
junior barrister is so termed when he 'a doing the work of a senior), if she
doesn't go down the very deuce is in it!—S. P., M.P.