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days of open house at Northiam and golden hope of my aunt's
fortune； the family was supposed to stand in need of restoration。
But the past is apt to look brighter than nature； above all to
those enamoured of their genealogy； and the ravages of Stephen and
Thomas must have always given matter of alarm。
What with the flattery of bishops and admirals； the fine company in
which he found himself at Portsmouth； his visits home； with their
gaiety and greatness of life； his visits to Mrs。 Buckner （soon a
widow） at Windsor； where he had a pony kept for him； and visited at
Lord Melville's and Lord Harcourt's and the Leveson…Gowers； he
began to have 'bumptious notions；' and his head was 'somewhat
turned with fine people'； as to some extent it remained throughout
his innocent and honourable life。
In this frame of mind the boy was appointed to the CONQUEROR；
Captain Davie； humorously known as Gentle Johnnie。 The captain had
earned this name by his style of discipline； which would have
figured well in the pages of Marryat： 'Put the prisoner's head in
a bag and give him another dozen！' survives as a specimen of his
commands； and the men were often punished twice or thrice in a
week。 On board the ship of this disciplinarian； Charles and his
father were carried in a billy…boat from Sheerness in December；
1816： Charles with an outfit suitable to his pretensions； a
twenty…guinea sextant and 120 dollars in silver； which were ordered
into the care of the gunner。 'The old clerks and mates；' he
writes； 'used to laugh and jeer me for joining the ship in a billy…
boat； and when they found I was from Kent； vowed I was an old
Kentish smuggler。 This to my pride； you will believe； was not a
little offensive。'
THE CONQUEROR carried the flag of Vice…Admiral Plampin； commanding
at the Cape and St。 Helena； and at that all…important islet； in
July； 1817； she relieved the flagship of Sir Pulteney Malcolm。
Thus it befel that Charles Jenkin； coming too late for the epic of
the French wars； played a small part in the dreary and disgraceful
afterpiece of St。 Helena。 Life on the guard…ship was onerous and
irksome。 The anchor was never lifted； sail never made； the great
guns were silent； none was allowed on shore except on duty； all day
the movements of the imperial captive were signalled to and fro；
all night the boats rowed guard around the accessible portions of
the coast。 This prolonged stagnation and petty watchfulness in
what Napoleon himself called that 'unchristian' climate； told
cruelly on the health of the ship's company。 In eighteen months；
according to O'Meara； the CONQUEROR had lost one hundred and ten
men and invalided home one hundred and seven； being more than a
third of her complement。 It does not seem that our young
midshipman so much as once set eyes on Bonaparte； and yet in other
ways Jenkin was more fortunate than some of his comrades。 He drew
in water…colour； not so badly as his father； yet ill enough； and
this art was so rare aboard the CONQUEROR that even his humble
proficiency marked him out and procured him some alleviations。
Admiral Plampin had succeeded Napoleon at the Briars； and here he
had young Jenkin staying with him to make sketches of the historic
house。 One of these is before me as I write； and gives a strange
notion of the arts in our old English Navy。 Yet it was again as an
artist that the lad was taken for a run to Rio； and apparently for
a second outing in a ten…gun brig。 These； and a cruise of six
weeks to windward of the island undertaken by the CONQUEROR herself
in quest of health； were the only breaks in three years of
murderous inaction； and at the end of that period Jenkin was
invalided home； having 'lost his health entirely。'
As he left the deck of the guard…ship the historic part of his
career came to an end。 For forty…two years he continued to serve
his country obscurely on the seas； sometimes thanked for
inconspicuous and honourable services； but denied any opportunity
of serious distinction。 He was first two years in the LARNE；
Captain Tait； hunting pirates and keeping a watch on the Turkish
and Greek squadrons in the Archipelago。 Captain Tait was a
favourite with Sir Thomas Maitland； High Commissioner of the Ionian
Islands … King Tom as he was called … who frequently took passage
in the LARNE。 King Tom knew every inch of the Mediterranean； and
was a terror to the officers of the watch。 He would come on deck
at night； and with his broad Scotch accent； 'Well； sir；' he would
say； 'what depth of water have ye？ Well now； sound； and ye'll just
find so or so many fathoms；' as the case might be； and the
obnoxious passenger was generally right。 On one occasion； as the
ship was going into Corfu； Sir Thomas came up the hatchway and cast
his eyes towards the gallows。 'Bangham' … Charles Jenkin heard him
say to his aide…de…camp； Lord Bangham … 'where the devil is that
other chap？ I left four fellows hanging there； now I can only see
three。 Mind there is another there to…morrow。' And sure enough
there was another Greek dangling the next day。 'Captain Hamilton；
of the CAMBRIAN； kept the Greeks in order afloat；' writes my
author； 'and King Tom ashore。'
From 1823 onward； the chief scene of Charles Jenkin's activities
was in the West Indies； where he was engaged off and on till 1844；
now as a subaltern； now in a vessel of his own； hunting out
pirates； 'then very notorious' in the Leeward Islands； cruising
after slavers； or carrying dollars and provisions for the
Government。 While yet a midshipman； he accompanied Mr。 Cockburn to
Caraccas and had a sight of Bolivar。 In the brigantine GRIFFON；
which he commanded in his last years in the West Indies； he carried
aid to Guadeloupe after the earthquake； and twice earned the thanks
of Government： once for an expedition to Nicaragua to extort；
under threat of a blockade； proper apologies and a sum of money due
to certain British merchants； and once during an insurrection in
San Domingo； for the rescue of certain others from a perilous
imprisonment and the recovery of a 'chest of money' of which they
had been robbed。 Once； on the other hand； he earned his share of
public censure。 This was in 1837； when he commanded the ROMNEY
lying in the inner harbour of Havannah。 The ROMNEY was in no
proper sense a man…of…war； she was a slave…hulk； the bonded
warehouse of the Mixed Slave Commission； where negroes； captured
out of slavers under Spanish colours； were detained provisionally；
till the Commission should decide upon their case and either set
them free or bind them to apprenticeship。 To this ship； already an
eye…sore to the authorities； a Cuban slave made his escape。 The
position was invidious； on one side were the tradition of the
British flag and the state of public sentiment at home； on the
other； the certainty that if the slave were kept； the ROMNEY would
be ordered at once out of the harbour； and the object of the Mixed
Commission compromised。 Without consultation with any other
officer； Captain Jenkin （then lieutenant） returned the man to shore
and took the Captain…General's receipt。 Lord Palmerston approved
his course； but the zealots of the anti…slave trade movement （never
to be named without respect） were much dissatisfied； and thirty…
nine years later； the matter was again canvassed in Parliament； and
Lord Palmerston and Captain Jenkin defended by Admiral Erskine in a
letter to the TIMES （March 13； 1876）。
In 1845； while still lieutenant； Charles Jenkin acted as Admiral
Pigot's flag captain in the Cove of Cork； where there were some
thirty pennants； and about the same time； closed his career by an
act of personal bravery。 He had proceeded with his boats to the
help of a merchant vessel； whose cargo of combustibles had taken
fire and was smouldering under hatches； his sailors were in the
hold； where the fumes were already heavy； and Jenkin was on deck
directing operations； when he found his orders were no longer
answered from below： he jumped down without hesitation and slung
up several insensible men with his own hand。 For this act； he
received a letter from the Lords of the Admiralty expressing a
sense of his gallantry； and pretty soon after was promoted
Commander； superseded； and could never again obtain employment。
In 1828 or 1829； Charles Jenkin was in the same watch with another
midshipman； Robert Colin Campbell Jackson； who introduced him to
his family in Jamaica。 The father； the Honourable Robert Jackson；
Custos Rotulorum of Kingston； came of a Yorkshire family； said to
be originally Scotch； and on the mother's side； counted kinship
with some of the Forbeses。 The mother was Susan Campbell； one of
the Campbells of Auchenbreck。 Her father Colin； a merchant in
Greenock； is said to have been the