630 NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



justifiable barbarous conduct that could be made use of: they stood 

 it as long as men could stand it ; they would have been either more 

 or less than men had they stood it any longer. Still, though they 

 all felt desperate and determined, they had no plans. Mutiny is, 

 with a sailor, his last resource ; and even when driven to the brink 



of this dreadful precipice you may think these fine words are mine, 



but they are not ; I recollect they were in the letter to my father " 



" Go on ; go on, Jack," said everybody, who were listening with 

 the greatest attention. 



" Well, as my uncle said, ' even when driven to the brink of this 

 dreadful precipice, he neglects to mature his plans till the last mo- 

 ment, still hoping something will prevent the necessity of his taking 

 what is always a fatal leap. For, however successful mutineers may 

 be at first, they must ultimately be overtaken by the laws of the 

 country, or else perish on a foreign soil.' Well, that's a part of my 

 uncle's letter that I just remembered. While they were doubting this 

 way, they were called upon, as usual, to reef topsails, and rig the 

 gratings. There it was hurrah ! the Devil take the hindmost 

 they were all determined they would do their duty well, and not give 

 him any just cause of complaint. The topsail was reefed they 

 were laying in off the yard the last fellow was trying to catch hold 

 of the backstay to get into the top before the others he missed 

 his hold ! Down he went flying, and struck his head on the deck, 

 and dashed out his brains, just at the captain's feet! ' Throw the 

 damn'd rascal overboard !' said the captain ; the men hesitated. 

 ' Throw him overboard immediately ' nobody moved. s Marines, 

 load your muskets ram down present ! throw that man over- 

 board.' Two men came forward, took him up, and threw him over- 

 board. They were hissed by all that were by. ' Marines, present !' 

 said the captain. All was silence, but the clicking noise of the 

 marines cocking their fire-arms. It was done ; and again all was 

 silent. ( Now,' said the captain, ' the first man that speaks I'll fire. 

 Where are the last men off the yards ?' Two came forward 

 e Where's the other ?' no answer c Where's the other ?' asked the first 

 lieutenant; ' Dead, Sir,' said the boatswain a low moan went through 

 all the men. The captain turned to see if the marines were ready, 

 and then said, ' O, he's dead, is he ? well, I will flog the man that 

 was next to him. Come forward, Sir ; who is it ?' Up came the cap- 

 tain of the top. ( O, you were last, were you ? very well I'll make you 

 set a better example.' ' Please your honour, I wasn't last, and I was at 

 the earing'. ' I don't care ; strip, Sir; I would have flogged the other 

 blackguard, but he's gone overboard ; so I'll give you his share.' 

 Well, to cut it short, he gave them five dozen each, as usual, and 

 then piped down. 



" It was past seven ; they looked at each other, then at the cutlasses 

 over the guns nobody spoke silence is more dangerous than the 

 loudest exclamations. Eight bells struck; the watch was called, yet 

 nobody went to their hammocks. The main-deck was full, some 

 sitting on the combing of the hatches, some on the guns. They 

 appeared to want nothing but a leader to break out. My uncle was 

 a messmate of poor Tom Browne, who had been killed. They had 



