3-052-455 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

A Forecastle Yarn, 1880. 'The old sailor who beguiles an idle hour with his messmates, in what they call " the fo'csle " of their ship, where " baccy " is to be smoked and " grog, more grog " is to be wished for, has now begun a prodigious "yarn" of his own imaginative spinning, to the edification of that simple youngster who sits beneath the spell of this marvellous romance, believing every word of it, and pleased in so believing. What may be the subject of the tale, except that it most likely refers to some fictitious exploits and adventures of the ancient mariner himself, and is therefore quite beyond reach of sceptical question we are not here prepared to discuss; but the older comrades in the background, lounging about the stove, appear to know pretty well the sort of thing which is coming, as they have perhaps often heard it told by the same tongue upon former occasions. The wonders of seafaring experience, with plenty of frolics ashore, fights and perils of every kind, visits to the strangest tribes of savage folk, love-making with African or Polynesian female beauties, hunting and fishing and all manner of sport, to say nothing of shipwrecks and other common maritime disasters, are freely dispensed in these "Fo'csle Yarns".' From "Illustrated London News", 1880.