t many very disparaging reports
reflecting on his honour were circulating in Jamaica respecting his
conduct at the taking of Omoa. This made him at once resolve to return
to the island, to vindicate his character. He immediately demanded a
Court of Inquiry, which was held on board the Niger, when he was
honourably acquitted of one and all the malicious charges alleged
against him. Officers, especially in the navy, would always do well to
imitate the commodore's conduct in this particular. All men may have
dirt thrown at them, but the honourable man will never allow it to
remain a moment longer than can be avoided, lest it should leave a stain
behind.

Captain Luttrell's return to Jamaica had a considerable influence on my
fortunes. I was in high feather at having so far escaped all the
dangers of the voyage with the old Galleon, and was making every
preparation to fit her yet further for encountering the passage in
mid-winter across the Atlantic. During this period I had not altogether
an unpleasant time of it, for the merchants and planters of Kingston
were proverbially hospitable, and I had many friends among them, so that
every moment I could spare from my duties on board ship was occupied in
receiving the attentions and civilities they showered on me. This was
all very agreeable. I made haste to enjoy the moments as they passed,
for I expected to be at sea and far away in a very few days. My
pleasure was, however, of shorter duration even than I anticipated. I
met O'Driscoll one day, who had just come from the admiral.

"I say, Hurry, my boy," he began; "do you know what they talk of doing
with your old galleon?"

"Send her to sea at once, before her repairs are finished," I answered.
"It's the way they too often do things."

"Not a bit of it," he replied. "They say that she is not fit to go to
sea, so they propose transferring her cargo to the old `Leviathan,'
which to my certain knowledge is very much out of repair, and sending
her home with it."

"Some abominable job!" I exclaimed, stamping with rage. "It's too bad,
after all I have gone through, to deprive me of the credit I ought to
have gained. I won't believe it."

I soon found, however, that O'Driscoll's account was too true. A survey
was held on the Saint Domingo, and she was condemned as unfit to proceed
on her voyage to England. Her cargo, consisting of twelve hundred and
thirty-two saroons of indigo, and a large quantity of sarsapa