m New York; three
midshipmen, who had been left behind on account of fever, and who were
promising fair, by the life they were now leading, to be very soon sent
to the hospital again; and one or two planters from the other islands.
The latter and I were very well behaved, but the civilians were noisy,
drinking and smoking from morning till night. The midshipmen were
equally troublesome; and as for the new-made lieutenants, they were so
authoritative and so disagreeable, and gave themselves such
consequential airs, that Mammy Crissobella, as the slaves called her,
was quite indignant--she had never had such a disorderly set in her
house.

She complained to me, and I spoke to them, but that was of little use.
I had no power over the young merchants, and the three midshipmen did
not belong to my ship. As for my lieutenants, I could not say much at
their giving themselves airs at an hotel where they paid for what they
had. It was not an offence that a captain could remonstrate upon. I
therefore merely said, that Mammy Crissobella could not have them in her
house if they did not leave off their treatment of the slaves, and if
they continued to give her so much trouble and annoyance. At last our
hostess would stand their behaviour no longer, and ordered them all to
leave the hotel, sending in their bills; but they all were unanimous in
declaring that they would not go, and it was not very easy to use force
on such occasions. I tried all I could to make matters right, but my
efforts were of little avail. At last Mammy Crissobella became quite
furious. She did not make any alteration in the meals, as that would be
punishing all of us; but she refused wine and spirits; this they did not
care for, as they sent for it elsewhere by their own servants, and there
was nothing but noise and confusion all day along. Mammy often came to
appeal to me, and wished to go to the governor, but I persuaded her not
to do so; and the mutiny continued, and every day there was nothing but
altercation at the meals.

"So help me God, gemmen, you no gemmen. You make wish me dead, dat you
do. I tak obeah water some day. I not live like this," said Mammy
Crissobella. "I take pepper-pot--I kill myself."

"Pray don't do that," replied Tommy Dott; "we shall be put to the
expense of mourning."

"And I shall weep my eyes out," continued one of the mercantile
gentlemen.

"Weep your eyes out--is that all? I shall blow my brains out," said