He went by the name of "Gentleman Chucks"--the latter was his
surname. He appeared to have received half an education; sometimes his
language was for a few sentences remarkably well chosen, but, all of a
sudden, he would break down at a hard word; but I shall be able to let
the reader into more of his history as I go on with my adventures. He
had a very handsome person, inclined to be stout, keen eyes, and hair
curling in ringlets. He held his head up, and strutted as he walked.
He declared that "an officer should look like an officer, and _comport_
himself accordingly." In his person he was very clean, wore rings on
his great fingers, and a large frill to his bosom, which stuck out like
the back fin of a perch, and the collar of his shirt was always pulled
up to a level with his cheek bones. He never appeared on deck without
his "persuader," which was three rattans twisted into one, like a cable;
sometimes he called it his Order of the Bath, or his Tri_o_ junct_o_ in
uno; and this persuader was seldom idle. He attempted to be very
polite, even when addressing the common seamen, and, certainly, he
always commenced his observations to them in a very gracious manner,
but, as he continued, he became less choice in his phraseology. As a
specimen of them, he would say to the man on the forecastle, "Allow me
to observe, my dear man, in the most delicate way in the world, that you
are spilling that tar upon the deck--a deck, sir, if I may venture to
make the observation, I had the duty of seeing holystoned this morning.
You understand me, sir, you have defiled His Majesty's forecastle. I
must do my duty, sir, if you neglect yours; so take that--and that--and
that,"--(thrashing the man with his rattan)--"you damned haymaking son
of a seacook. Do it again, damn your eyes, and I'll cut your liver
out."

The master was the officer who had charge of the watch to which I was
stationed; he was a very rough sailor, who had been brought up in the
merchant service, not much of a gentleman in his appearance, very
good-tempered, and very fond of grog. He always quarrelled with the
boatswain, and declared that the service was going to the devil, now
that warrant officers put on white shirts, and wore frills to them. But
the boatswain did not care for him; he knew his duty, he did his duty,
and if the captain was satisfied, he said that the whole ship's company
might grumble. The master was very kind to me, and used to send me do