LIBERTY DAY — AND AFTER. 165 



prowess on the part of one man against twelve seems 

 hardly credible ; but it must be remembered that Goliath 

 fought, with all the moral force of the ship's officers 

 behind him, against a disorganized crowd without back- 

 bone, who would never have dared to face him but for 

 the temporary mania induced by the stuff they had 

 drunk. It was a conflict between a lion and a troop of 

 jackals, whereof the issue was never in doubt as long as 

 lethal weapons were wanting. 



Standing erect among the cowering creatures, the 

 great negro looked every inch a mediaeval hero. In a 

 stern voice he bade his subjugated enemies to get into 

 the boat, assisting those to do so who were too badly 

 hurt to rise. Then we shoved off for the ship — a 

 sorrowful gang indeed. 



As I bent to my oar, I felt very sorry for what had 

 happened. Here were half the crew guilty of an act of 

 violence upon an officer, which, according to the severe 

 code under which we lived, merited punishment as 

 painful as could be inflicted, and lasting for the rest of 

 the voyage. Whatever form that punishment might 

 take, those of us who were innocent would be almost 

 equal sufferers with the others, because discrimination 

 in the treatment between watch and watch is always 

 difficult, and in our case it was certain that it would 

 not be attempted. Except as regarded physical violence, 

 we might all expect to share alike. Undoubtedly things 

 looked very unpleasant. My gloomy cogitations were 

 abruptly terminated by the order to " unrow " — we were 

 alongside. Somehow or other all hands managed to 

 scramble on board, and assist in hoisting the boat up. 



As soon as she was secured we slunk away forward, 

 but we had hardly got below before a tremendous 



