STATE OF ENGLAND IN 1685 .

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of the aristocratical Captains were those who completely aban-doned to others the direction of the vessels, and thought -only of making money and spending it. The way in whichthese men lived was so ostentatious and voluptuous that,greedy as they were of gain, they seldom became rich. Theydressed as if for a gala at Versailles, ate off plate, drank therichest wines, and kept harams on board, while hunger andscurvy raged among the crews, and while corpses were dailyflung out of the port-holes.

Such was the ordinary character of those who were thencalled gentlemen Captains. Mingled with them were to befound, happily for our country, naval commanders of a verydifferent description, men whose whole life had been passedon the deep, and who had worked and fought their way fromthe lowest offices of the forecastle to rank and distinction.One of the most eminent of these officers was Sir ChristopherMings, who entered the service as a cabin boy, who fellfighting bravely against the Dutch, and whom his crew,weeping and vowing vengeance, carried to the grave. Fromhim sprang, by a singular kind of descent, a line of valiantand expert sailors. His cabin boy was Sir John Narborough;and the cabin boy of Sir John Narborough was Sir CloudesleyShovel. To the strong natural sense and dauntless courageof this class of men England owes a debt never to be for-gotten. It was by such resolute hearts that, in spite of muchmaladministration, and in spite of the blunders of morecourtly admirals, our coasts were protected and the reputa-tion of our flag upheld during many gloomy and perilousyears. But to a landsman these tarpaulins, as they werecalled, seemed a strange and half savage race. All theirknowledge was professional; and their professional know-ledge was practical rather than scientific. Off their ownelement they were as simple as children. Their deportmentwas uncouth. There was roughness in their very good na-

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