Farther than this, it would not be safe to go. The
captain must be the judge when it is necessary to keep his crew from
their sleep; and sometimes a retrenching, not of the necessaries,
but of some of the little niceties of their meals, as, for instance,
duff on Sunday, may be a mode of punishment, though I think
generally an injudicious one.
I could not do justice to this subject without noticing one part
of the discipline of a ship, which has been very much discussed of
late, and has brought out strong expressions of indignation from
many,- I mean the infliction of corporal punishment. Those who have
followed me in my narrative will remember that I was witness to an act
of great cruelty inflicted upon my own shipmates; and indeed I can
sincerely say that the simple mention of the word flogging, brings
up in me feelings which I can hardly control. Yet, when the
proposition is made to abolish it entirely and at once; to prohibit
the captain from ever, under any circumstances, inflicting corporal
punishment; I am obliged to pause, and, I must say, to doubt
exceedingly the expediency of making any positive enactment which
shall have that effect.
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