Some of the officers unfortunately believed that we were to remain, and followed the captain’s example by sending their linen on shore to be washed.  Skysail was firm, and so was I; the lieutenant cocked his eye, and said, “Messmate, depend on it there is something in the wind.  I have sent one shirt on shore to be washed; and when that comes off, I will send another; if I lose that it is no great matter.”

That night, at ten o’clock, Captain Jacky came on board, bringing his trunk and dirty linen, turned the hands up, up anchor, and ran out of Carlisle Bay and went to sea, leaving most of the officers’ linen on shore.  This was one of his tricks.  He had received his orders when he landed in the morning; they were waiting for him, and his coming on board for his things, was only a run to throw us off our guard, and I suppose compel us, by the loss of our clothes, to be as dirty in appearance as he was himself, “but he always liked to make his officers comfortable.”

We arrived at Nassau, in New Providence, without any remarkable incident, although the service continued to be carried on in the same disagreeable manner as ever.  I continued, however, to get leave to go on shore; and finding no prospect of bringing the captain to justice, determined to quit the ship, if possible.  This was effected by accident, otherwise I should have been much puzzled to have got clear of her.  I fell between the boat and the wharf as I landed, and by the sudden jerk ruptured a small bloodvessel in my chest; it was of no great importance in itself, but in that climate required care, and I made the most of it.  They would have carried me on board again, but I begged to be taken to the hotel.  The surgeon of the regiment doing duty there attended me, and I requested him to make my case as bad as possible.  The captain came to see me—­I appeared very ill—­his compassion was like that of the Inquisitor of the Holy Office, who cures his victim in order to enable him to go through further torments.  His time of sailing arrived, and I was reported to be too ill to be removed.  Determined to have me, he prolonged his stay.  I got better; the surgeon’s report was more favourable; but I was still unwilling to go on board.  The captain sent me an affectionate message, to say that if I did not come, he would send a file of marines to bring me:  he even came himself and threatened me; when, finding there were no witnesses in the room, I plainly told him that if he persisted in having me on board, it would be to his own destruction, for that I was fully determined to bring him to a court-martial for drunkenness and unofficerlike conduct, the moment we joined the admiral.  I told him of the state in which I had found him.  I recapitulated his blasphemies, and his lubberly conduct in losing the two men; he stared and endeavoured to explain; I was peremptory, and he whined and gave in, seeing he was in my power.