36 CAPTAIN MACNAMARA 



an impression on me, that it is as fresh in my memory 

 as if it had happened but yesterday. 



A fatal instance of imprudence occurred on the West 

 India station, a few years after I left the service ; and 

 although I believe it has been recorded by one or 

 more of our nautical novelists, it may not be considered 

 out of course repeated here, as it was related to me by 

 an old shipmate of mine, who was, I believe, an eye- 

 witness, not many months after it happened — T allude 

 to a duel that took place between Captain Stackpole 

 of the Statira frigate, and a lieutenant of another 

 of H.M. ships on the same station, named Cecil. 

 The captain was considered a dead shot, having 

 sailed as a lieutenant with that celebrated duellist, 

 Captain Macnamara, who, it may be remembered by 

 some of the oldest of my readers, killed Colonel 

 Montgomery ; and though himself wounded, was tried 

 with his second at the Old Bailey for that affair. 



It was their custom, when at sea, to practise pistol- 

 shooting, by putting a solitary fowl in a hen-coop, 

 placed prominently before the others on the spars — 

 that is, between the main and foremasts ; a little 

 barley would be strewed in the trough, and when the 

 bird put its head out to feed, it presented a fair mark 

 to the two officers who stood on the poop, when one 

 or the other seldom missed ; and this was repeated till 

 a sufficient number had been killed to supply the 

 captain's and ward-room officers' tables. By this method 

 they became experienced and excellent marksmen. 



The captain had heard from some officious talebearer 

 that a young and excellent officer had said, when 



