, Spanish
government vessels, commanded by lieutenants, well armed, manned and
equipped. We joined the ship next morning, and gave a Flemish account of
our cruise. One of the wounded men, through loss of blood, died soon after
coming on board. The other three having received flesh wounds, soon
returned to their duty. The surgeon examined my ear, and found the
tympanum ruptured. It destroyed my hearing on that side for ever, and for
years after I was distressed with a loud roaring noise on the left side of
my head. A fortnight later we fell in with a Spanish eighty-gun ship, a
large frigate and a heavy-armed store ship. We were soon alongside the
former, having beat to quarters previously. We asked her where she came
from. Her answer was, "From sea." We then asked her where she was bound
to. Her answer was, "To sea." Our skipper then jumped upon one of the
quarter-deck carronades, with his eyes glistening like a Cornish diamond.
The muzzles of our guns were at this time almost touching her side. One of
our crew spoke Spanish. He was desired to hail her, and say that if she
did not answer the questions which had been put she should be fired into.
"From Cadiz" was the prompt answer, and "Bound to the Havannah." "You
might have answered that before," said the skipper; "if I had given you a
good dressing, you richly deserved it." "I do not understand what you
say," was the reply. "You be d----d," said our man of war, and we turned off
on our heel. The same evening a court of inquiry was held by the mids, who
were unanimous in declaring that the captain of the line of battle ship
ought to be superseded and made swab-wringer, and that their own captain
had acted with that spirit which became a British commander of a
man-of-war, and that he deserved to have his health drunk in a bumper of
grog, which was accordingly done. Here the court broke up, hoping the mate
of the hold would bring with him, after serving the grog, an extra pint of
rum to make up the deficiency. The captain, having heard of our
proceedings, sent his steward to us with a bottle of the true sort as a
proof of his satisfaction.

CHAPTER VIII.

MUTINY ON H.M.S. _HERMIONE_.

Tea with the boatswain's wife--News of the mutiny at the Nore
causes trouble among the sailors--Sent to cruise in consequence--A
white squall and waterspout--Capture of a Spanish cruiser--Return to
Port R