can't pick up a
few hands as volunteers, for I know where they all be stowed away, I was
looking at the craft this morning, and rather took a fancy to her. She
has a damned pretty run; but I hope Captain O'Brien will take off her
fiddle-head, and get one carved: I never knew a vessel do much with a
_fiddle_-head."

"I rather think that Captain O'Brien has already applied to the
Commissioner on the subject," replied I; "at all events, it won't be
very difficult to make the alteration ourselves."

"To be sure not," replied Swinburne; "a coil of four-inch will make the
body of the snake; I can carve out the head; and as for a _rattle_ be
blessed if I don't rob one of those beggars of watchmen this very night!
So good-bye, Mr Simple, till we meet again."

Swinburne kept his word; he joined the ship that afternoon, and the next
day came off with six good hands, who had been induced from his
representations to join the brig. "Tell Captain O'Brien," said he to
me, "not to be in too great a hurry to man his ship. I know where there
are plenty to be had; but I'll try fair means first." This he did, and
every day almost he brought off a man, and all he did bring off were
good able seamen. Others volunteered, and we were now more than half
manned, and ready for sea. The admiral then gave us permission to send
pressgangs on shore.

"Mr Simple," said Swinburne, "I've tried all I can to persuade a lot of
fine chaps to enter, but they won't. Now I'm resolved that my brig
shall be well manned; and if they don't know what's good for them, I do,
and I'm sure that they'll thank me for it afterwards; so I'm determined
to take every mother's son of them."

The same night, we mustered all Swinburne's men, and went on shore to a
crimp's house which they knew, surrounded it with our marines in blue
jackets, and took out of it twenty-three fine able seamen, which nearly
filled up our complement. The remainder we obtained by a draft from the
admiral's ship; and I do not believe that there was a vessel that left
Plymouth harbour and anchored in the Sound, better manned than the
_Rattlesnake_. So much for a good character, which is never lost upon
seamen.

O'Brien was universally liked by those who had sailed with him; and
Swinburne, who knew him well, persuaded many, and forced the others, to
enter with him, whether they liked it or not. This they in the event
did, and, with the exception of those drafted from the flag-ship, we