s kind: such a
character as Captain G--- was rarely met with in the navy then, and, for
reasons which I shall give, will be still more rare in future. The
first lieutenant told me that I had acted very judiciously in resisting
at first his undue exertion of authority; that he was at once a tyrant,
a bully, and a coward, and would be careful how he attacked me again.
"But be on your guard," said he, "he will never forgive you; and when he
is most agreeable there is the most mischief to be dreaded. He will
lull you into security, and whenever he can catch you tripping, he will
try you by a court-martial. You had better go on shore, and settle all
your business, and, if possible, be on board before your leave is out.
It is only your threat of writing to the port-admiral that procured you
leave of absence. You have nothing to thank him for: he would have kept
you on board if he dared. I have never quitted the ship since I joined
her; and never has a day passed without a scene similar to what you have
this morning witnessed. And yet," continued he, "if it were not for his
cruelty to the men, he is the most amusing liar I ever heard. I am
often more inclined to laugh than to be angry with him; he has a vein of
wit and rich humour that runs through his composition and never quits
him. There is drollery even in his malice, and, if we cannot get clear
of him, we must take the best of him."

I went on shore, collected all my clothes and the other articles of
which I stood in need, and was on board my ship again the next morning
before eight o'clock.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

He will lie sir, with such volubility, that you would think truth were
a fool: drunkenness is his best virtue, for he will be swine-drunk,
and in his sleep he does little harm. SHAKESPEARE.

When Captain G--- made his appearance, he seemed to be in the most
amiable humour possible. As soon as he saw me, he said, "Ah, this is
what I like; never break your leave even for five minutes. Now that I
see I can trust you, you may go on shore again as soon as you please."

This speech might have done very well to any person before the mast; but
as applied to an officer, I thought it rude and ungentlemanly.

The caterer had prepared lunch in the gun-room: it consisted of
beef-steaks and broiled bullocks' kidneys, with fried onions; and their
savoury smell rose in grateful steams up the sky-light, and assailed the
nostrils of the skipper. His face