e the wounded were
removed, and saw all the amputations performed, without flinching; when
men who had behaved well in the action fainted at the sight. I am
afraid I almost took a pleasure in observing the operations of the
surgeon, without once reflecting on the pain suffered by the patient.
Habit had now begun to corrupt my mind. I was not cruel by nature; I
loved the deep investigation of hidden things; and this day's action
gave me a very clear insight into the anatomy of the human frame, which
I had seen cut in two by shot, lacerated by splinters, carved out with
knives, and separated with saws!

Soon after the action, we were ordered to Spithead, with duplicate
despatches. One morning I heard a midshipman say, "he would do his old
father out of a new kit." I inquired what he meant, was first called a
greenhorn for not knowing, and then had it explained to me. "Don't you
know," said my instructor, "that after every action there is more
canvas, rope, and paint expended in the warrant-officer's accounts than
were destroyed by the enemy?"

I assented to this on the credit of the informer, without knowing
whether it was true or false, and he proceeded. "How are we to have
white hammock-clothes, skysail masts, and all other finery, besides a
coat of paint for the ship's sides every six weeks, if we don't expend
all these things in action, and pretend they were lost overboard, or
destroyed? The list of defects are given in to the admiral, he signs
the demand, and the old commissioner must come down with the stores,
whether he will or not. I was once in a sloop of war, when a large
forty-four-gun frigate ran on board of us, carried away her jib-boom,
and left her large fine-weather jib hanging on our foreyard. It was
made of beautiful Russia duck, and, to be sure, didn't we make a gang of
white hammock-cloths fore and aft, besides white trousers for the men?
Well now, you must know, that we make _Uncle George_ suffer for the
stores, so I mean to make dad suffer for my traps. I mean to lose my
chest overboard, with all my `kit,' and return home to him and the old
woman just fit for the fashion."

"And do you really mean to deceive your father and mother in that way?"
replied I, with much apparent innocence.

"Do I? to be sure I do, you flat. How am I to keep up my stock, if I
don't make the proper use of an action like this that we have been in?"

I took the hint: it never once occurred to me, that if I had