The Nineteenth Century 71 



cutlass and pistols and breathing defiance; and this notwithstanding that the 

 Captain had given notice that any passenger who disliked the impending 

 pastimes of the crew might retire into his (the Captain's) cabin. It is not 

 clear why Maw did not do so, and without in the least excusing the violence 

 to which he was subjected one can see that a difEerent demeanour on his part 

 might probably have avoided the whole affair. 



Perhaps he took a youthful pride in tilting at estabUshed custom, though 

 it is impossible now to say exactly how the matter came to a head; but after 

 the display of the cutlass and the touch-me-who-dare attitude, further offers 

 of liquor to be suppUed on arrival at Bombay, even when backed by the 

 suretyship of Mr. Patterson, the fourth officer, were of no avail. Father Nep- 

 time was evidently roused and determined to vindicate his importance, for 

 Mr. Learmouth, the first officer, when Maw asked ff he might go into his own 

 cabin during the ceremony, told him that he would not be safe there. Maw, 

 however, went, barricaded the door with boxes and trunks, and even took 

 care to close his port to prevent invasion from without. But the stubbornness 

 which led him thus to deprive himseff of light and air in a stuffy cabin under 

 the Line during the hottest part of the day was matched by that of the other 

 side. Learmouth was right, and Raymond, the third mate, now gave coun- 

 tenance to the proceedings of the crew, and suggested, i£ he did not actually 

 direct, that the door should be forced and the port opened. Maw does not 

 seem to have known how to fasten the latter properly: and whilst one con- 

 tingent of Neptune's party took the carpenter below to unscrew the hinges 

 from the door, a seaman named Edwards was let down the ship's side to 

 negotiate the port. This worthy, who had a drawn cutlass in one hand, suc- 

 ceeded in Lifting up the port to a certain extent with a stick which he carried 

 in the other, and he proceeded to make thrusts with the more lethal weapon 

 through the aperture. Mr. Maw was probably not placed in much jeopardy 

 thereby, and his military instinct no doubt rejoiced in the clash of steel upon 

 steel as he parried with his sword. How long Edwards, precariously thrusting 

 from outside, and Mr. Maw, fencing in the semi-darkness inside, con- 

 tinued this comical combat does not appear: but the former bore in mind the 

 superior armament of Mr. Maw in having two pistols and did not venture 

 further through the port-hole until he heard them fired off. Then he leapt 

 into the cabin at the same moment as the other myrmidons of the sea-god 

 burst open the door. Apparently they had all been waiting for the pistols to 

 go off, not aware that Mr. Maw with a restraint and care for theatrical effect 

 alike creditable to him had only loaded them with powder. Once Mr. Maw's 

 barriers were down he was an easy victim and quickly disarmed of his cut- 

 lass. His assailants then dragged him up on deck, where he managed for 

 some time to delay his execution by hanging on to the door-post of the cuddy, 

 calling out lustuy meanwhile for the Captain. That officer, however, remained 

 discreetly in his cabin during the whole performance and afterwards pro- 

 fessed to have heard nothing either of the shouts or of the struggle. Messrs. 

 Learmoutli and Raymond, the first and third officers, were on deck, but so 



