defend their comrade the marines resisted.
A long, clamorous, and angry dispute succeeded, during which each party
maintained its right to pursue the course it had adopted. From words the
disputants were not long in passing to the signs of hostilities. It was
while the peace of the ship hung, as it were, suspended by a hair, that
the General saw fit to express the disgust of such an outrage upon
discipline, which had, throughout the whole scene, possessed his mind.

"I protest against this riotous and unmilitary procedure," he said,
addressing himself to his still abstracted and thoughtful superior. "I
have taught my men, I trust, the proper spirit of soldiers, and there is
no greater disgrace can happen to one of them than to lay hands on him,
except it be in the regular and wholesome way of a cat.--I give open
warning to all, that, if a finger is put upon one of my bullies, unless,
as I have said, in the way of discipline, it will be answered with a
blow."

As the General had not essayed to smother his voice, it was heard by his
followers, and produced the effect which might have been expected. A
vigorous thrust from the fist of the sergeant drew mortal blood from the
visage of the God of the Sea, and at once established his terrestrial
origin. Thus compelled to support his manhood, in more senses than one,
the stout seaman returned the salutation, with such additional
embellishments as the exigencies of the moment seemed to require. Such an
interchange of civilities, between two so prominent personages, was the
signal of general hostilities among their respective followers. The uproar
that attended the onset, had caught the attention of Fid, who, the instant
he saw the nature of the sports below, abandoned his companion on the
yard, and slid downwards to the deck by the aid of a backstay, with about
as much facility as that caricature of man, the monkey, could have
performed the same manoeuvre. His example was followed by all the topmen;
and in less than a minute, there was every appearance that the audacious
marines would be borne down by the sheer force of numbers. But, stout in
their resolution, and bitter in their hostility, these drilled and
resentful warriors, instead of seeking refuge in flight, fell back upon
each other, for support. Bayonets were seen gleaming in the sun; while
some of the seamen, in the exterior of the crowd, were already laying
their hands on the half-pikes that formed a warlike ornament