t were correct. Captain
Hawkins replied that it was true that he had detained these papers, as
there was so much mutiny and disaffection in them, and that he should
not return them to me.

"That I cannot permit," replied the captain of the _Acasta_, who was
aware of the character of Captain Hawkins; "if, by mistake, you have
been put in possession of any of Mr Simple's secrets, you are bound in
honour not to make use of them; neither can you retain property not your
own." But Captain Hawkins was determined, and refused to give them to
me.

"Well, then, Captain Hawkins," replied the captain of the _Acasta_, "you
will oblige me by remaining on my quarter-deck till I come out of the
cabin."

The captain of the _Acasta_ then wrote an order, directing Captain
Hawkins immediately to deliver up _to him_ the papers of mine in his
possession; and coming out of the cabin, put it into Captain Hawkins'
hands, saying, "Now, sir, here is a written order from your superior
officer. Disobey it, if you dare. If you do, I will put you under
arrest, and try you by a court-martial. I can only regret, that any
captain in His Majesty's service should be forced in this way to do his
duty as a gentleman and a man of honour."

Captain Hawkins bit his lip at the order, and the cutting remarks
accompanying it. "Your boat is manned, sir," said the captain of the
_Acasta_, in a severe tone. Captain Hawkins came on board, sealed up the
books, and sent them to the captain of the _Acasta_, who re-directed
them to me, on His Majesty's service, and returned them by the same
boat. The public may therefore thank the captain of the _Acasta_ for the
memoirs which they are now reading.

From my messmates I gained the following intelligence of what had passed
after I had quitted the brig. The fire of the praam had cut them up
severely, and Captain Hawkins had been struck in the arm with a piece of
the hammock-rail, which had been shot away shortly after I left.
Although the skin only was razed, he thought proper to consider himself
badly wounded; and giving up the command to Mr Webster, the second
lieutenant, had retreated below, where he remained until the action was
over. When Mr Webster reported the return of the boats, with the capture
of the gun-boat, and my supposed death, he was so delighted, that he
quite forgot his wound, and ran on deck, rubbing his hands as he walked
up and down. At last, he recollected himself, went down into his cabin,
and