n her complement of men, and
this deficiency was supplied by impressment from crews of British
vessels in port. The commander was a young man, who in common with most
of the British naval officers of that day, had an exalted opinion of his
dignity and importance, and held the Yankees in contempt.

The pennant at the main is a distinguishing mark of a man-of-war, and
it was considered disrespectful on the part of the master of a merchant
vessel to wear a pennant in the presence of a cruiser. But on the Sunday
following the arrival of the gun brig the captain of a fine-looking
American brig, who did not entertain that respect for John Bull which
the representatives of that dignitary were disposed to exact, hoisted
his colors, as usual, on the Sabbath. He did not confine his display of
bunting to the ensign at the peak, a burgee studded with stars at
the fore, and a jack on the bowsprit, but ran up a pennant of most
preposterous length at the main, which proudly flaunted in the breeze,
as if bidding defiance to the Englishman.

The young naval commander foolishly allowed himself to be annoyed by
this proceeding on the part of the Yankee, and resolved to administer an
appropriate rebuke. He sent an officer alongside the American brig, who,
in a peremptory tone, told the mate to cause that Yankee pennant to be
hauled down immediately.

The captain, hearing of the mandate, made his appearance on deck; and
on a repetition of the order from the officer, exhibited unequivocal
symptoms of a choleric temper. After letting off a little of his
exuberant wrath, he declared with emphasis that he had a RIGHT to wear
a pennant, and WOULD wear it in spite of all the officers in the British
navy.

The midshipman, finding it of no avail to continue the parley, told
his cockswain to go aloft and "dowse the pennant and leave it in the
cross-trees." This was done, regardless of the protest of the captain,
and his threats to lay the subject before the government and make it a
national matter. The boat had hardly reached the man-of-war, when the
pennant was again flying on board the American brig, and seemed to wave
more proudly than before.

The man-of-war's boat was sent back, and some sharp words were exchanged
between the British officer and the Yankee captain; but the former,
possessing superior physical force, was triumphant. The pennant was
again hauled down, but this time it was not left in the cross-trees. The
cockswain took it w