Chapter LVI

Consequences of the action--A ship without a fighting captain is like a
thing without a head--So do the sailors think--A mutiny, and the loss
of our famous ship's company.

During our stay at Yarmouth, we were not allowed to put our foot on
shore, upon the plea that we must repair damages, and proceed
immediately to our station; but the real fact was, that Captain Hawkins
was very anxious that we should not be able to talk about the action.
Finding no charges preferred against him, he re-commenced his system of
annoyance. His apartments had windows which looked out upon where the
brig lay at anchor, and he constantly watched all our motions with his
spy-glass, noting down if I did not hoist up boats, &c., exactly at the
hour prescribed in his book of orders, so as to gather a list of charges
against me if he could. This we did not find out until afterwards.

I mentioned before, that when Swinburne joined us at Plymouth, he had
recommended a figure-head being put on the brig. This had been done at
O'Brien's expense--not in the cheap way recommended by Swinburne, but in
a very handsome manner. It was a large snake coiled up in folds, with
its head darting out in a menacing attitude, and the tail, with its
rattle appeared below. The whole was gilded, and had a very good effect;
but after the dock-yard men had completed the repairs, and the brig was
painted, one night the head of the rattlesnake disappeared. It had been
sawed off by some malicious and evil disposed persons, and no traces of
it were to be found. I was obliged to report this to the captain, who
was very indignant, and offered twenty pounds for the discovery of the
offender; but had he offered twenty thousand he never would have found
out the delinquent. It was, however, never forgotten; for he understood
what was implied by these manoeuvres. A new head was carved, but
disappeared the night after it was fixed on.

The rage of the captain was without bounds: he turned the hands up, and
declared that if the offender was not given up, he would flog every hand
on board. He gave the ship's company ten minutes, and then prepared to
execute his threat. "Mr Paul, turn the hands up for punishment," said
the captain, in a rage, and descended to his cabin for the articles of
war. When he was down below, the officers talked over the matter. To
flog every man for the crime of one was the height of injustice, but it
was not for us to oppose him; still th