f it. The drum beat to quarters, the fighting
lanterns were up, their light streaming through our ports. Our men
earnestly repeated their request to be allowed to sink rather than
surrender to the mutineers. No sight of the sort could be finer, as the
brave fellows stood stripped to the waist, dauntless and resolute, not
about to fight with a common foe, but one that would prove cruel and
revengeful in the extreme. The wind was extremely light, and the
stranger closed very slowly. The suspense was awful. In a short time
we might be engaged in a deadly struggle with a vastly superior foe, and
deadly all determined that it should be. Nearer and nearer the stranger
drew; at length our captain hailed. The answer came: "The _Huzzar_!
Lord Garlais! from the West Indies." She anchored close to us, and we
exchanged visits. Her people, ignorant of the mutiny, could not
understand the necessity of the precaution we had taken. They were so
struck, when made acquainted with what had occurred, at the bravery and
determination of our ship's company, that they immediately swore they
would stick by us, and that, should any ship be sent to take us back to
the Nore, they would share our fate, whatever that might be. I am sure
that they would have proved as good as their word, but daylight came,
and no enemy appeared. We lay here for some time, that Sir Harry might
ascertain what was occurring on shore. He found that most active and
energetic measures were being taken to repress the mutiny, and in a few
days we heard that the ship's company of the _Sandwich_ had taken her
into Sheerness, and allowed their late leader, Parker, to be arrested by
a guard of soldiers, sent on board for that purpose by Admiral Buckner.
We sailed for Plymouth, and another ship was appointed to have the
honour of taking over the Princess Royal.

I must say a word or two about that mutiny. I am convinced that the
proportion of disaffected men was comparatively small. The seamen had
grievances, but those would have been redressed without their proceeding
to the extremities into which they plunged, led by a few disappointed
and desperate men like Parker. Had greater energy been shown from the
first, during some of the opportunities which occurred, the whole affair
might have been concluded in a more dignified manner, at a much earlier
date. I will instance one occasion. Having one day got leave from the
delegates of our ship, while we lay off Shee