ere
steadily approaching the point when it would become an open and
recognised struggle between the captain and the crew for supremacy in
respect of dogged obstinacy and determination. What made it all the
worse was that the officers, in the maintenance of proper order and
discipline in the ship, were compelled--very much against their will--to
support and countenance the skipper in his arbitrary mode of dealing
with the crew; thus dividing the inmates of the frigate into two well-
defined parties--namely, those on the quarter-deck and those on the
forecastle. We were _all_ unpopular in varying degrees, from the
captain down to the midshipmen. I have good reason to believe that the
first lieutenant on more than one occasion remonstrated with Captain
Pigot upon his excessive harshness to the men, and strongly urged him to
try the effect of more lenient measures with them; but, if such was the
case, the remonstrances proved wholly unavailing. Added to all this
there was, especially after we joined the squadron, incessant sail, gun,
musketry, and cutlass drill, in addition to the daily combined
evolutions of the ships; all of which made our poor lads pray for a
change of some sort--they cared not what--it could scarcely be for the
worse, and might very reasonably be hoped to be somewhat for the better.

Under such circumstances the joy of the men may be imagined when, one
morning at daylight, the signal was made by the admiral to chase to the
eastward. Nevertheless, our unfortunate lookout aloft was promptly
booked for two dozen at the gangway that day because he had failed to be
the first to discover the stranger.

We were cruising at this time in the Windward Channel, the squadron
being at the moment of the discovery about midway between Points Malano
and Perle. We were working to windward under double-reefed topsails on
the starboard tack, the trade-wind blowing fresh at about east-nor'-
east.

The strange sail was about ten miles dead to windward of us; and that
she had sharp eyes on board her was manifest from the fact that, before
we had time to acknowledge the admiral's signal, she had shaken the
reefs out of her topsails and had set topgallant-sails. Every ship in
the squadron of course at once did the same, and forthwith a most
animated chase commenced. The _Hermione_ happened to be the weathermost
British ship, and, consequently, nearest the chase; and most anxiously
did Captain Pigot struggle to maint