arble. "We must draw our swords,"
observed an officer. "No, no," replied O'Brien, "that will not do; if
once we shed blood, they will never let us get on board with our lives.
The boat's crew by this time must be aware that there is a row."
O'Brien was right. He had hardly spoken, before a lane was observed to
be made through the crowd in the distance, which in two minutes was open
to us. Swinburne appeared in the middle of it, followed by the rest of
the boat's crew, armed with the boat's stretchers, which they did not
aim at the heads of the blacks, but swept them like scythes against
their shins. This they continued to do, right and left of us, as we
walked through and went down to the boats, the seamen closing up the
rear with their stretchers, with which they ever and anon made a sweep
at the black fellows if they approached too near. It was now broad
daylight, and in a few minutes we were again safely on board the
frigate. Thus ended the first and last dignity ball that I attended.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

I AM CLAIMED BY CAPTAIN KEARNEY AS A RELATION--TRIAL OF SKILL BETWEEN
FIRST LIEUTENANT AND CAPTAIN WITH THE LONG BOW--THE SHARK, THE PUG DOG,
AND THE WILL--A QUARTER-DECK PICTURE.

As the admiral was not one who would permit the ships under his command
to lie idle in port, in a very few days after the dignity hall which I
have described, all the squadron sailed on their various destinations.
I was not sorry to leave the bay, for one soon becomes tired of
profusion, and I cared nothing for either oranges, bananas, or
shaddocks, nor even for the good dinners and claret at the tables of the
army mess and gentlemen of the island. The sea breeze soon became more
precious to us than anything else; and if we could have bathed without
the fear of a shark, we should have equally appreciated that most
refreshing of all luxuries under the torrid zone. It was therefore with
pleasure that we received the information that we were to sail the next
day to cruise off the French island of Martinique. Captain Kearney had
been so much on shore that we saw but little of him, and the ship was
entirely under the control of the first lieutenant, of whom I have
hitherto not spoken. He was a very short, pock-marked man, with red
hair and whiskers, a good sailor, and not a bad officer; that is, he was
a practical sailor, and could show any foremast man his duty in any
department, and this seamen very much appreciate, as it i