THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 251 



the rum brought on board yesterday, our excitement be- 

 came so intense that, thoughtless of consequences, some of 

 the men were in danger of committing a monstrous crime, 

 and pulling to the shore during the night by the light of 

 our burning ship. The captain and the second mate wise- 

 ly kept their cabins, and allowed our old favorite, F - , to 

 face the storm. All the great-hearted man could do was to 

 look sorry. There were no tears in his eyes, of course ; but 

 we knew they were in his heart, and we heard them in his 

 voice, as he kindly advised us to be patient under our sup- 

 posed wrongs. This saved the ship. A single harsh word 

 or threat would have fired a train which would have con- 

 signed most of us deservedly to share the fate of our poor 

 mates. 



The action* of the consul, as it appeared to us by the re- 

 port of the returned man, was brutal and tyrannical. On 

 the appearance of the crew before him, he addressed them 

 thus: 



" You infernal rascals, you have been guilty of mutiny, 

 have you ?" 



One of the men replied: "We suppose we have been 

 brought before an American consul to have that question 

 settled by a fair trial." 



Such an idea seemed to amuse him and restore good-hu- 

 mor. He laughed as though* the fellow had perpetrated a 

 capital joke ; but the man spoiled the fun by continuing : 



"As American citizens, I and my shipmates demand a tri- 

 al, with opportunity to call witnesses, now on board the ship, 

 and prevented from appeartng by our accuser." 



The consul angrily replied : " You impudent scoundrel ! 

 do you think I haven't the facts of the case before me? The 

 captain has posted me, and I won't have any more of your 



In vain the men pleaded that Mr. F - , the boat-steer- 



