obtained from his fears. The affair made a noise in
the ship. With the officers in the gun-room I lost ground, because it
was misrepresented. With the men I gained favour, because they hated
Murphy. They saw the truth, and admired me for my determined
resistance.

Sent to Coventry by the officers, I sought the society of the men. I
learned rapidly the practical part of my duty, and profited by the
uncouth criticism of these rough warriors on the defective seamanship of
their superiors. A sort of compact was made between us: they promised
that whenever they deserted, it should not be from my boat when on duty,
and I promised to let them go and drink at public-houses as long as I
could spare them. In spite, however, of this mutual understanding, two
of them violated their faith the night before we went to sea, and left
the boat of which I had charge; and as I had disobeyed orders in letting
them go into a public-house, I was, on my return to the ship, dismissed
from the quarter-deck, and ordered to do my duty in the fore-top.

CHAPTER THREE.

The might of England flush'd
To anticipate the scene;
And her van the fleeter rush'd
O'er the deadly space between.
"Hearts of oak!" our captains cried; when each gun
From its adamantine lips
Spread a death-shade round the ships,
Like the hurricane eclipse
Of the sun.
CAMPBELL.

Considering my youth and inexperience, and the trifling neglect of which
I was accused, there are few, even of the most rigid disciplinarians,
who will not admit that I was both unjustly and unkindly treated by the
first lieutenant, who certainly, with all my respect for him, had lent
himself to my enemies. The second lieutenant and Mr Murphy did not
even conceal their feelings on the occasion, but exulted over my
disgrace.

The ship was suddenly ordered to Portsmouth, where the captain, who had
been on leave, was expected to join us, which he did soon after our
arrival, when the first lieutenant made his reports of good and bad
conduct during his absence. I had been about ten days doing duty in the
fore-top, and it was the intention of Mr Handstone, to which the
captain seemed not disinclined, to have given me a flogging at the gun,
as a gratuity for losing the men. This part of the sentence, however,
was not executed. I continued a member of the midshipmen's mess, but
was not allowed to enter the berth: my meals were sent to me, and I took
them _solus_ on my ch