Exploits and adventures of a soldier ashore and afloatAdams, William Llewellyn
History
Exploits and adventures of a soldier ashore and afloat
Adams, William Llewellyn
Adams, William Llewellyn; Americans -- Foreign countries; United States. Army -- Military life
A circuitous route of three miles through narrow streets, with
buildings crumbling to decay and indicative of architecture of an
early period, led us to the cemetery on a shady plateau near the
outskirts of the city. Here the cortege halted, and the last rites
were solemnized by Chaplain Chidwick of the _New York_, well known as
the late chaplain of the ill-fated battleship _Maine_. Three volleys
were fired over the sailor’s grave, and the services closed
impressively with the sound of “taps,” “lights out.”
As the band struck up “In the good old summer-time,” ranks were
broken, and the men roamed at will through the narrow, spicy-scented
streets, thronged with semi-barbarians, rough-riding vassals of the
Sultan costumed in turbans, sandals, and flowing robes, whose contempt
for all foreigners cannot brook restraint. It was a pleasant relief to
escape the fumes of this incensed city, to inhale the fresh ozone
aboard the man-of-war.
On departing from Morocco, our cruise led to ports along the coast of
the great Mediterranean Sea.
III.
Thrilling Adventure with Moors in the “Kasbah” of Algiers
Moonlight on the Mediterranean――Meeting with O’Mally, a Pedestrian
of the Globe――“Birds of a Feather” in the Moulin Rouge――A Midnight
Hold-up by Moors; O’Mally with Gendarmes and French Soldiers to
the Rescue――A Pitched Battle in which Blood Flows Freely――French
Soldiers Drink the Health of the United States――Malta and Singers
of the “Yama Yama.”
A calm moonlight night on the waters of the Mediterranean Sea is the
most awe-inspiring feeling that can be manifested in the heart of a
man-of-war’s-man. The dark blue billows, resembling a carpet of
velvet, surging in mountainous swells, seem to reflect the glitter of
every star in the celestial firmament, while moonbeams dance in
shadowy vistas o’er the surface of the deep. It was on such a night
that our cruiser plowed her course from Palermo, Sicily, and entered
the land-locked harbor of the quaint old capital of Algeria.
I can vividly remember the embodiment of contentment with which I was
possessed as I leaned on the taffrail of the ship and beheld the
illuminated city of Algiers, rising from the water’s edge diagonally
to an immense altitude.
Life-buoys dotted the harbor, and a small light-house played a
search-light to our anchorage. After the anchors had been cast, booms
spread, the gig, barge, and steam-launches lowered, the deep
stentorian voice of the boatswain’s mate could be heard through the
ship, piping silence about the deck; taps had been sounded, and all
except those on duty were supposed to be swinging in their hammocks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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