Nettled at this observation of his brother officer, the tall captain was put upon his metal, and insisted that the question last proposed was not satisfactorily answered, and swore by G——­ that he never would sign my certificate until I did it.

I persisted; the two works were compared:  I was threatened to be turned back; when, lo, to the dismay of the party, the error was found in their own work.  The fat captain, who was a well-meaning man, laughed heartily; the other two looked very silly and very angry.

“Enough of this, Sir,” said the martinet:  “now stand up, and let us see what you can do with a ship.”  A ship was supposed to be on the stocks; she was launched; I was appointed to her, and, as first lieutenant, ordered to prepare her for sea.  I took her into dock, and saw her coppered; took her along the sheer-hulk, masted her; laid her to the ballast-wharf, took in and stowed her iron ballast and her tanks; moved off to a hulk or receiving ship, rigged her completely, bent her sails, took in guns, stores, and provisions; reported her ready for sea, and made the signal for a pilot; took her out of harbour, and was desired to conduct her into other harbours, pointing out the shoals and dangers of Portsmouth, Plymouth, Falmouth, the Downs, Yarmouth Roads, and even to Shetland.

But the little martinet and the tall captain had not forgiven me for being right in the problem, and my examination continued.  They put my ship into every possible situation which the numerous casualties of a sea life present in such endless variety.  I set and took in every sail, from a sky-sail to try-sail.  I had my masts shot away, and I rigged jury-masts:  I made sail on them, and was getting fairly into port, when the little martinet very cruelly threw my ship on her beam-ends on a dead lee-shore, a dark night, and blowing a hurricane, and told me to get her out of that scrape if I could.  I replied that, if there was anchorage, I should anchor, and take my chance; but if there was no anchorage, neither he nor any one else could save the ship, without a change of wind, or the special interference of Providence.  This did not satisfy old Chili Vinegar.  I saw that I was persecuted, and that the end would be fatal to my hopes:  I therefore became indifferent; was fatigued with the endless questions put to me; and, very fortunately for me, made a mistake, at least in the opinion of the tall captain.  The question at that time was one which was much controverted in the service; namely, whether, on being taken flat aback, you should put your helm a turn or two alee, or keep it amidship?  I preferred the latter mode; but the tall captain insisted on the former, and gave his reasons.  Finding myself on debatable ground, I gave way, and thanked him for his advice, which I said I should certainly follow whenever the case occurred to me; not that I felt convinced then, and have since found that he was wrong; still my apparent tractability pleased his self-love, and he became my advocate.  “He grinned horribly a ghastly smile,” and, turning to the other captains, asked if they were satisfied.