ral other ships
of war were there. On one occasion I had the honour of dining with
Captain Collyer, when two or three captains and several lieutenants and
midshipmen were present. Among the captains was rather a fine-looking
man, a Captain Staghorn, commanding the Daring frigate. He was an
Irishman, and though I thought our boatswain could beat any man at
pulling the longbow, I must say Captain Staghorn equalled him. He
poured forth the most astounding stories with wonderful rapidity and
self-assurance. I observed that all the other officers bowed politely
at the end of each, no one questioning any of his statements. Even
Captain Collyer let him run on without differing from him in the
slightest degree. I took a dislike to him from the first from his
overbearing manner at times. Still he was certainly amusing, and
everybody present laughed very much at his jokes. He talked
incessantly, and did not scruple to interrupt anybody speaking. Among
his stories was an account he gave of his own prowess, when a lieutenant
in command of a schooner. He was sent in search of a piratical craft.
He came up with her, and running alongside, sprang on board, expecting
his men to follow. The vessels, he declared, separated, but he laid
about him with such good will that he not only kept the pirates at bay,
but drove them below before his own schooner again got alongside.
Captain Collyer, politely bowing, observed that he had often heard of
his having taken a piratical craft in a very gallant way, which, in
fact, he had, but not, as he asserted, alone; he had a dozen stout hands
to back him, which makes all the difference. The name of a cousin of
mine, Captain Ceaton, was mentioned. I had just before received the
news from home that he had been appointed to the command of a corvette
which would very probably be sent out to the West Indies. He was only a
lieutenant when I came to sea, and had not long been a commander. I had
seen but little of him, but I knew him to be a thoroughly brave honest
fellow. What, therefore, was my surprise and annoyance to hear Captain
Staghorn open out roundly on him, and abuse him in no measured terms.
One of the other captains asked why he did so.

"Why?" exclaimed Captain Staghorn, "five years ago or more he was a
lieutenant of a ship I commanded. On his being superseded, at length,
the lieutenant who succeeded him asked him what sort of a person I was,
and he had the impudence to say that