the superior prowess of my enemy, who was a noted pugilist for his
age, and would not have received the hit from me, if he had supposed my
presumption would have led me to attack him. The captain demanded an
explanation. Murphy told the story in his own way, and gave anything
but the true version. I could have beaten him at that, but truth
answered my purpose better than falsehood on this occasion; so, as soon
as he had done, I gave my round unvarnished tale, and although defeated
in the field, I plainly saw that I had the advantage of him in the
cabinet. Murphy was dismissed in disgrace, and ordered to rusticate on
board till his eye was bright.

"I should have confined you to the ship myself," said the captain, "but
the boy has done it for me; you cannot appear on shore with that black
eye."

As soon as he was gone, I was admonished to be more careful in future.
"You are," said the captain, "like a young bear; all your sorrows are
before you; if you give a blow for every hard name you receive, your
fate in the service may be foreseen: if weak you will be pounded to a
mummy--if strong, you will be hated. A quarrelsome disposition will
make you enemies in every rank you may attain; you will be watched with
a jealous eye, well knowing, as we all do, that the same spirit of
insolence and overbearing which you show in the cockpit, will follow you
to the quarter-deck, and rise with you in the service. This advice is
for your own good; not that I interfere in these things, as everybody
and everything finds its level in a man-of-war; I only wish you to draw
a line between resistance against oppression, which I admire and
respect, and a litigious, uncompromising disposition, which I despise.
Now wash your face and go on board. Try by all means to conciliate the
rest of your mess-mates, for first impressions are everything, and rely
on it, Murphy's report will not be in your favour."

This advice was very good, but had the disadvantage of coming too late
for that occasion by at least half an hour. The fracas was owing to the
captain's mismanagement, and the manners and customs of the navy at the
beginning of the nineteenth century. The conversation at the tables of
the higher ranks of the service in those days, unless ladies were
present, was generally such as a boy could not listen to without injury
to his better feelings. I was therefore "hinted off;" but with due
respect to my captain, who is still living, I sho