CHALLENGE 37 



speaking of him (Captain S.), that he was a good 

 fellow enough, but that he could pull the long bow ; 

 which the generality of my readers will at once under- 

 stand means that he could exaggerate, and perhaps 

 a little more. This, it seems, the captain cherished 

 in his memory. One day, being at anchor in Port- 

 Royal, Jamaica, a man-of-war was seen steering for the 

 harbour, 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 meeting. The lieutenant, who bore an 

 excellent character as an officer and a gentleman, 

 returned for answer that he had no recollection of 

 having used the words imputed to him ; but if he 

 had incautiously done so, he was ready to make a verbal 

 apology. 



This did not satisfy the caj^tain, who would have 

 nothing short of a wi'itten apology ; this again the 

 lieutenant absolutely refused, saying, to any other man 

 but Captain S. he would readily subscribe 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. 



Accordingly a meeting was appointed. In going to 

 the ground. Captain S. met his adversary's captain ; he 

 stopped, and in the most confident manner said, " I am 

 compelled to deprive you of the services of your first- 

 lieutenant for a short time — I shall only wing him ; " and 

 then walked on to the spot, where he found the 

 lieutenant waiting with his friend. The ground was 



