h returned to the "Sylvia"
as her first lieutenant. Owen was very glad to have Mr Leigh on board,
as he had shown him so much kindness, and equally well pleased that
Ashurst remained in the "Venus."

Ashurst, however, paid two or three visits to the "Sylvia," during which
he made disparaging remarks about Owen in the mess.

Although several of the things were said in his presence, Owen took no
notice of them. He trusted that he might win the regard of his new
messmates by his uniform good conduct and gentlemanly bearing towards
them. Still, he found that he had much to put up with. Ashurst
possessed considerable influence in the berth, and there is an old
saying, that "dirt cannot be thrown without some of it sticking." Owen
was often treated in a contemptuous manner by several of the mates and
midshipmen. He heard himself called a wretched young quill-driver,
Cheeseparings, junior--Cheeseparings being the name gived to the
purser--the captain's spy, or licenced talebearer, with many similar
uncomplimentary epithets. He made no complaint even when Mr Leigh once
kindly asked him if he was happy in the berth, nor did he reply in a way
to excite the anger of those who were endeavouring to annoy him.

He knew that it could not last long. He had written to Mr Fluke,
stating the position in which he was on board the "Sylvia," and asking
whether it was his wish that he should return home and resume his duties
in the counting-house. He dispatched a much longer letter to his
friends at Fenside, giving a full account of his adventures. He did not
forget either to write to Mrs Aggett, describing her husband's peaceful
death, feeling that a knowledge of this would be far more consolatory to
the widow, than should she suppose that he had been lost during the
horrors of a shipwreck, which otherwise she would very naturally have
concluded to have been the case. He was greatly puzzled whenever he
thought the matter over, to account for Ashurst's manner. As far as
Owen could judge, Ashurst did not treat any of his other young messmates
in the same way, although he might have been somewhat supercilious in
his manner towards them, as if he considered himself a being of a
superior order. Captain Stanhope was anxious, as soon as possible, to
get away from Batavia, there being much sickness in the place, as is
usually the case in that unhealthy town. He hoped, however, that the
ships would escape, as he allowed none of the of