56 LYNCH LAW. 



tain himself, absolutely roared with pain. 

 The punishment over, the prisoner was cast 

 off, when he immediately ascended to the 

 captain's cabin. 



I was a silent spectator of this specimen 

 of Lynch law, as it may be termed, and was 

 not thought of importance enough to be 

 included in the unanimity with which the 

 whole proceeding was conducted ; but I 

 looked with something between compassion 

 for the delinquent and anger and horror 

 at the two principal perpetrators in this, 

 to me, diabolical affair, and marked the 

 fearful silence that reigned among them, 

 till they were one and all summoned to 

 the captain's presence. 



I followed, as did my two young 

 messmates, who had been for the same 

 reason excluded with myself from any 

 participation in the crime or folly of 

 the others. Those, also, who fortunately 

 had the watch on deck at the time of 

 this unjust assumption of authority and 



