ion of the men could not be withheld. After they
went down to supper they gave three heavy groans in concert; indeed,
during the whole of that night, the officers who kept the watches had
great difficulty in keeping the men from venting their feeling, in what
might be almost termed justifiable mutiny. As for myself, I could
hardly control my vexation. The brig was our certain prize; and this
was proved, for the next day she hauled down her colours immediately to
a much smaller man-of-war, which fell in with her, still lying in the
same crippled state; the captain and first lieutenant killed, and nearly
two-thirds of her ship's company either killed or wounded. Had we
attacked her, she would have hauled down her colours immediately, for it
was our last broadside which had killed the captain, who had shown so
much courage. As first lieutenant, I should have received my promotion
which was now lost. I cried for vexation when I thought of it as I lay
in bed. That his conduct was severely commented upon by the officers in
the gun-room, as well as by the whole ship's company, I hardly need say.
Thompson was for bringing him to a court-martial, which I would most
gladly have done, if it only were to get rid of him; but I had a long
conversation with old Swinburne on the subject, and he proved to me that
I had better not attempt it. "For, d'ye see, Mr Simple, you have no
proof. He did not run down below; he stood his ground on deck, although
he did nothing. You can't _prove_ cowardice then, although there can be
no great doubt of it. Again, with regard to his not renewing the
attack, why, is not a captain at liberty to decide what is the best for
His Majesty's service? And if he thought, in the crippled state of the
brig, so close to the enemy's coast, that it wasn't advisable, why, it
could only be brought in as an error in judgment. Then, there's another
thing which must be remembered, Mr Simple, which is, that no captains
sitting on a court-martial will, if it be possible to extricate him,
ever prove _cowardice_ against a brother captain, because they feel that
it's a disgrace, to the whole cloth."

Swinburne's advice was good, and I gave up all thoughts of proceeding;
still, it appeared to me, that the captain was very much afraid that I
would, he was so extremely amiable and polite during our run home. He
said, that he had watched how well I had behaved in the action, and
would not fail to notice it. This was