I had received letters from my father, who wished me to come home, that he might present me to some of the great men of the nation, and secure my promotion to the highest ranks of the service.  This advice was good, and, as it suited my views, I followed it.  I parted with my captain on the best terms, took leave of all my messmates and the officers in the same friendly manner, and last, not least, went round to the ladies, kissing, hugging, crying, and swearing love and eternal attachment.  Nothing, I declared, should keep me from Halifax, as soon as I had passed; nothing prevent my marrying one, as soon as I was a lieutenant; a second was to have the connubial knot tied when I was a commander; and a third, as soon as I was made a captain.  Oh, how like was I to Don Galaor!  Oh, how unlike the constant Amadis de Gaul!  But, reader, you must take me as I was, not as I ought to have been.

After a passage of six weeks, I arrived at Plymouth, and had exactly completed my six years’ servitude.

Chapter XV

    Examine him closely, goodman Dry; spare him not.  Ask him
    impossible questions.  Let us thwart him, let us thwart him.

    BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.

Soon after my arrival at Plymouth, notice was given by a general order, issued from the flag-ship, that a passing-day for the examination of midshipmen, as touching their qualifications for the rank of lieutenant, would be held on board the Salvador del Mundo, in Hamoaze.  I lost no time in acquainting my father with this, and telling him that I felt quite prepared, and meant to offer myself.  Accordingly, on the day appointed, your humble servant, with some fourteen or fifteen other youthful aspirants, assembled on board the flag-ship.  Each was dressed out in our No.  I suits, in most exact and unquizzable uniform, with a large bundle of log-books under our arms.  We were all huddled together in a small screened canvas cabin, like so many sheep ready for slaughter.

About eleven o’clock, the captains who were to be our Minos and our Rhadamanthus, made their appearance, and we all agreed that we did not much like the “cut of their jibs.”  At twelve o’clock the first name was called.  The “desperate youth” tried to pluck up a little courage—­he cleared his throat, pulled up his shirt collar, touched his neck-handkerchief, and seizing his cocked hat and journals, boldly followed the messenger into the captain’s cabin, where three grave-looking gentlemen, in undress uniform, awaited him.  They were seated at a round table; a clerk was at the elbow of the president; Moore’s navigation, that wise redoubtable, lay before them; together with a nautical almanack, a slate and pencil, ink and paper.  The trembling middy advanced to the table, and having most respectfully deposited his journals and certificates of sobriety and good conduct, was desired to sit down.  The first questions were merely theoretical; and although in the gun-room, or in any other company, he would have acquitted himself with ease, he was so abashed and confounded, that he lost his head entirely, trembled at the first question, stared at the second, and having no answer to make to the third, was dismissed, with directions “to go to sea six months longer.”