At the close of the week we were ready to sail, but were delayed a
day or two by the running away of F---, the man who had been our
second mate, and was turned forward. From the time that he was
"broken," he had had a dog's berth on board the vessel, and determined
to run away at the first opportunity. Having shipped for an officer
when he was not half a seaman, he found little pity with the crew, and
was not man enough to hold his ground among them. The captain called
him a "soger,"* and promised to "ride him down as he would the main
tack;" and when officers are once determined to "ride a man down,"
it is a gone case with him. He had had several difficulties with the
captain, and asked leave to go home in the Lagoda; but this was
refused him. One night he was insolent to an officer on the beach, and
refused to come aboard in the boat. He was reported to the captain;
and as he came aboard,-it being past the proper hours-he was called
aft, and told that he was to have a flogging. Immediately, he fell
down on the deck, calling out-"Don't flog me, Captain T---; don't flog
me!" and the captain, angry with him, and disgusted with his
cowardice, gave him a few blows over the back with a rope's end and
sent him forward.
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