lost.
She put into my arms a dear little black-eyed girl, who was born a week
after the action. After spending three delightful weeks, the happiest of
the happy, I tore myself away. On my rejoining the ship I found her in
dock, and all the crew on board a hulk. I now became commanding officer,
as the first lieutenant had leave of absence. I have here to remark that
forty seamen and ten marines had leave to go to their families and friends
for three weeks or a month, according to the distance, and out of six
hundred men only one desertion occurred. I mention this circumstance to
prove that seamen, when they become accustomed to a man-of-war, have no
dislike to her discipline, provided they are properly encouraged when
deserving, and the cat is only used when it is absolutely necessary, which
was the case in our ship. Seamen are too valuable to be ill used.

Admiral Montague was the commander-in-chief at this port, and Sir Isaac
Coffin, of inspecting memory, the rear-admiral. One morning one of the
midshipmen, in stepping into the dockyard boat, had the misfortune to lose
his dirk overboard. As it was blowing strong, he could not return to the
hulk to borrow another. He consequently went to the yard without one. The
rear-admiral, who was always in search of adventure, met him. "Hulloa!
officer," said he; "why are you without side arms?" The youngster related
what had happened. "Then, sir," said he, "you must buy another as fast as
you can." "I have no money, sir," replied the mid, "and I know no one
here." "Then I will put you in the way to get one. Come with me to my
office." The youngster followed him, and received the address of a sword
cutler. "And tell him," said Sir Isaac, "from me that you are to have a
dirk. But," added he, "I had better write my name; he will then know I
sent you." Next morning the mid lost no time in repairing to the shop of
the vendor of slaying instruments. He produced the rear-admiral's paper.
The cutler at first hesitated. At length he said, "Do you pay for it?"
"No," answered the mid, "not till I return from my next cruise." "Oh,
never mind," said the man of cut and thrust; "Sir Isaac has signed the
paper, and he will, of course, be responsible. What kind of dirk do you
wish to have?" "Oh, a good one," returned the mid; "one at about forty
shillings." It was given him; he gave his name and ship, and left the
shop. In a few days after this an order came on board from the admiral to
discharge