Thus, in twenty-four hours, I had subdued the great allies who had so long oppressed me.  I immediately effected a revolution; dismissed the doctor from the office of caterer—­took the charge on myself, and administered the most impartial justice.  I made the oldsters pay their mess which they had not correctly done before; I caused an equal distribution of all luxuries from which the juniors had till then been debarred; and I flatter myself I restored, in some degree, the golden age in the cockpit.  There were no more battles, for there was no hope of victory on their part, nor anything to contend for on mine.  I never took any advantage of my strength, further than to protect the youngsters.  I proved by this that I was not quarrelsome, but had only struggled for my own emancipation—­that gained, I was satisfied.  My conduct was explained to the captain and the officers; and being fully and fairly discussed, did me great service.  I was looked upon with respect, and treated with marks of confidence, not usual towards a person so young.

We left Malta, expecting to find our commander-in-chief off Toulon; but it seldom happens that the captain of a frigate is in any hurry to join his admiral, unless charged with despatches of importance.  This not being our case, we somehow or other tumbled down the Mediterranean before a strong Levanter, and then had to work back again along the coast of Spain and France.  It is an ill wind, they say, that blows nobody good; and we found it so with us; for off Toulon, in company with the fleet, if we did take prizes they became of little value, because there were so many to share them.  Our captain, who was a man of the most consummate ruse de guerre I ever saw or heard of, had two reasons for sending his prizes to Gibraltar.  The first was, that we should, in all probability, be sent down there to receive our men, and have the advantage of the cruise back; the second, that he was well aware of the corrupt practices of the admiralty-court at Malta.

All the vessels, therefore, which we had hitherto captured, were sent to Gibraltar for adjudication, and we now added to their number.  We had the good fortune to take a large ship laden with barilla, and a brig with tobacco and wine.  The charge of the last I was honoured with:  and no prime minister ever held a situation of such heavy responsibility with such corrupt supporters.  So much was the crew of the frigate reduced by former captures and the unlucky affair with the Maltese privateer, that I was only allowed three men.  I was, however, so delighted with my first command, that, I verily believe, if they had only given me a dog and a pig I should have been satisfied.