In a moment the cabin door flew open, the
sentinel closed it after me, and I found myself in the presence of this
most awful triumvirate. I felt very like Daniel in the lion's den. I
was desired to take a chair, and a short discussion ensued between the
judges, which I neither heard nor wished to hear: but while it lasted I
had time to survey my antagonists from head to foot. I encouraged
myself to think that I was equal to one of them; and if I could only
neutralise him, I thought I should very easily floor the other two.

One of these officers had a face like a painted pumpkin; and his hand,
as it lay on the table, looked more like the fin of a turtle; the nails
were bitten so close off, that the very remains of them seemed to have
retreated into the flesh, for fear of further depredation, which the
other hand was at the moment suffering. Thinks I to myself, "If ever I
saw `lodgings to let, unfurnished,' it is in that cocoa-nut, or pumpkin,
or gourd of yours."

The next captain to him was a little, thin, dark, dried-up, shrivelled
fellow, with keen eyes, and a sharp nose. The midshipmen called him,
"Old Chili Vinegar," or, "Old Hot and Sour." He was what we term a
martinet. He would keep a man two months on his black list, giving him
a breech of a gun to polish and keep bright, never allowing him time to
mend his clothes, or keep himself clean, while he was cleaning that
which, for all the purposes of war, had better have been black. He
seldom flogged a man; but he tormented him into sullen discontent, by
what he called "keeping the devil out of his mind." This little
nightmare, who looked like a dried eel-skin, I soon found was the leader
of the band.

The third captain was a tall, well-looking, pompous man (he was the
junior officer of the three), with commanding and most unbending
countenance: "He would not ope his mouth in way of smile, though Nestor
swore the jest was laughable."

I had just time to finish my survey, and form a rough estimate of the
qualities of my examiners, when I was put upon my trial, by the
president, who thus addressed me:--

"You are perfect in the theory of navigation, I presume, sir, or you
would not come here?"

I replied, that I hoped I should be found so, if they would please to
try me.

"Ready enough with his answer," said the tall captain; "I dare say this
fellow is jaw-master general in the cockpit.--Whom did you serve your
time with, sir?"

I stated the differ