The pilot: a tale of the sea. By J. Fenimore Cooper.

't E: l.:.F. )93
e}xplic it and cletar, a s they ascelnded in the sc-ale of
rank, until it came to tlhe tllrn of thte captain of
iTarintes to speak.'tIhere was a tritttig exhibtition
of ptoteissionlt1 pride about the soldier, in deliverin"
)is sinttimnents on a suhljct that embratced a goad
deal mt'e of his pe:culiar sort of duty than orditlaJily occurred in the usutal operations of the firwiatce
It I)appeatrs to me, sir, that thle success of tblhis
expedition depends altogether upon thre 11manner in
whicht it is condu:ctc d. After this lucid o 1pcniiti,
ti>he so.tdier hesitated a.moment, as if to colle( t htis
idteas fhr a charge tat slhoult look down atl olJ')sition, and proceeded. " The landingt of ourse,
will be efftted on a airt beaclh, under cover of tlhe
friigate's guns, and could it be possibly do'ne, tle
schootner sh}ouldl e alnchore1 d in such t a anne.' rt as
to throw in a flanking ftire onl tte point of debarkation. The arrantt ements tbr the order of march
mutst a good ( deal (.depend on the distance to go
aver; thouglh} I should think, sir, an advanced party
of seamen, to tact as l,piole ers r trhe column ofr
mnarines, should be pushle a sttort distance in front,
wl the baggage an Iagg(g a-e un ld mIight rest
upoh the friigate, until the enemtcy was driven in1to
the interior, when it (c-tould ad(lvane wvithout danget. T1here should be ftlank-guards, under the ordlers of two of' the oldest midshlipmen; and a li)ht
corps mioit be ftortmed of the top-men, to eo ope0'ate with the marines. Of course sir, Mr. (wGriffith
will leadl in p)erson, the musket-men and boartdfiers,
armed with their long pikes, 1whmom I presume li
will hold in reserve, as I trust my military caituns
and experiene tentitle tme to tlhe commanl of tile
main body.''tWell done, field marshal!" cried Balrnstable,
with a glee thltt seA3ldomt regardet d time or place t
C you shoulnd never let salt-water mould your buit