most impartial justice. I made the oldsters pay their
mess, which they had not correctly done before; I caused an equal
distribution of all luxuries, from which the juniors had till then been
debarred; and I flatter myself I restored, in some degree, the golden
age in the cockpit. There were no more battles, for there was no hope
of victory on their part, nor anything to contend for on mine. I never
took any advantage of my strength further than to protect the
youngsters. I proved by this that I was not quarrelsome, but had only
struggled for my own emancipation--that gained, I was satisfied. My
conduct was explained to the captain and the officers; and being fully
and fairly discussed, did me great service. I was looked upon with
respect, and treated with marks of confidence not usual towards a person
so young.

We left Malta, expecting to find our commander-in-chief off Toulon; but
it seldom happens that the captain of a frigate is in any hurry to join
his admiral, unless charged with despatches of importance. This not
being our case, we somehow or other tumbled down the Mediterranean
before a strong Levanter, and then had to work back again along the
coast of Spain and France. It is an ill wind, they say, that blows
nobody good; and we found it so with us; for off Toulon, in company with
the fleet, if we did take prizes they became of little value, because
there were so many to share them. Our captain, who was a man of the
most consummate _ruse de guerre_ I ever saw or heard of, had two reasons
for sending his prizes to Gibraltar. The first was, that we should, in
all probability, be sent down there to receive our men, and have the
advantage of the cruise back; the second, that he was well aware of the
corrupt practices of the Admiralty-Court at Malta.

All the vessels, therefore, which we had hitherto captured, were sent to
Gibraltar for adjudication, and we now added to their number. We had
the good fortune to take a large ship laden with barilla, and a brig
with tobacco and wine. The charge of the last I was honoured with: and
no prime minister ever held a situation of such heavy responsibility
with such corrupt supporters. So much was the crew of the frigate
reduced by former captures and the unlucky affair with the Maltese
privateer, that I was only allowed three men. I was, however, so
delighted with my first command, that, I verily believe, if they had
only given me a dog and a pig I should have