CHALLENGE. 63 



hour, and upon her number being made 

 known, he recognized the ship of which 

 his intended victim was first-lieutenant. 

 He immediately sent a note on board, 

 stating the nature of the offence, and 

 demanding a written apology, or a meet- 

 ing. The lieutenant, who bore an excel- 

 lent character, as an officer and a gen- 

 tleman, returned for answer, that he had 

 no recollection of having used the words 

 imputed to him ; but if he had incau- 

 tiously done so, he was ready to make 

 a verbal apology. 



This did not satisfy the captain, who 

 would have nothing short of a written 

 apology ; this again the lieutenant abso- 

 lutely refused, saying, to any other man 

 but Captain S. he would readily sub- 

 scribe to the terms proposed, but to him 

 never, as, from his well-known practice, 

 his doing so would be attributed to 

 cowardice, and for ever ruin him in the 

 service. 



