Citation - Connecticut Courant: 1775.01.16

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Index Entry Fiddlers, in Portsmouth, and whores, kept by seaman to spend pay faster 
Location Portsmouth 
Citation
CC-H.775.007
16 Jan 1775:12 (525)
Marine Anecdote.  The character of a true British seaman is
a good one: his being ignorant of the value of money, is the
cause of his dissipation when he receives it; and the only
use he can conceive for his money is to spend it as soon as
possible.  The following is an instance of the truth of the
latter assertion: at the close of the last war a sailor had
received five years pay from one of the ships paid off at
Portsmouth; at the same time some ships were to sail from
thence in a fortnight for station, and as Jack was known to
be an excellent seaman by the Commodore he was solicited to
enter as quarter master on board the Commodore's own ship;
Jack refused, alleging the following reason: "An't please
your honour, I have just received five years pay; now by my
reckoning it will last me a month or so, and your honour's
being to sail in a fortnight, I can't d'y'see, enter with
your honour now, as I never carries any money to sea."  The
Commodore smiled, and questioned Jack respecting his
accuracy in making five years pay last a whole month.  Jack
replied, "An't please your honour, I mean to keep a w----
and a fidler; now, now rigging Mill and myself, paying off
Catgut, and the allowance of provision and liquor that we
shall take in, [ ] reckon as how I shall expend all the
thine in a month; but if I could spend it in less I should
be glad, as I should like to sail with your honour; but I'm
afraid it won't do." "O? Jack, says the Commodore, I'll put
you in a way to spend it in a fortnight." "How, an't please
you?" says Jack with a stare of joyal surprise: "Why, keep
two w----- and two fidlers." "D--n my eyes if I don't,"
replied the overjoyed sailor, and clapped his hands together
with all the earnestness of a man who had just hit upon some
scheme of the utmost importance.  He set out on his
expedition, kept his word, and in little more than a
fortnight set sail with his Commander pennyless and content;
who Jack ever after swore had the genteelest notion of
spending money of any man in the navy.


Generic Title Connecticut Courant 
Date 1775.01.16 
Publisher Watson, Ebenezer 
City, State Hartford, CT 
Year 1775 
Bibliography B0012716
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