I shall never forget his first words.  He was a handsome young man, with fine features, darkened, however, by a deep scowl.  As he stepped over the side he greeted us by saying to the first lieutenant in a loud voice, ‘Put all my boat’s crew in irons for neglect of duty.’  It seems that one of them kept him waiting for a couple of minutes when he came down to embark.  After giving this order our captain honoured the officers who received him with a haughty bow, read aloud his commission, and retired to his cabin, having ordered the anchor to be weighed in two hours.

Accordingly at eight o’clock we stood out to sea, the weather being fine and wind favourable.  At eleven all hands were called to attend the punishment of the captain’s boat’s crew.  I cannot describe the horror with which I witnessed six fine sailor-like looking fellows torn by the frightful cat, for having kept this officer waiting a few minutes on the pier.  Nor will I dwell on this illegal sickening proceeding, as I do not write to create a sensation, and, thank goodness! such things cannot be done now.

I had not much time for reflection, for my turn came next.  I believe I cried or got into somebody’s way, or did something to vex the tyrant; all I know is that I heard myself addressed as ‘You young scoundrel,’ and ordered to go to the ‘mast-head.’  Go to the mast-head indeed! with a freshening wind, under whose influence the ship was beginning to heel over, and an increasing sea that made her jump about like an acrobat.  I had not got my sea legs, and this feat seemed an utter impossibility to me.  I looked with horror up aloft; then came over me the remembrance of Marryat’s story of the lad who refused to go to the mast-head, and who was hoisted up by the signal halyards.  While thinking of this, another ‘Well, sir, why don’t you obey orders?’ started me into the lower rigging, which I began with the greatest difficulty to climb, expecting at every step to go headlong overboard.

A good-natured sailor, seeing the fix I was in, gave me a helping hand, and up I crawled as far as the maintop.  This, I must explain to my non-nautical reader, is not the mast-head, but a comparatively comfortable half-way resting-place, from whence one can look about feeling somewhat secure.

On looking down to the deck my heart bled to see the poor sailor who had helped me undergoing punishment for his kind act.  I heard myself at the same time ordered ‘to go higher,’ and a little higher I did go.  Then I stopped, frightened to death, and almost senseless; terror, however, seemed to give me presence of mind to cling on, and there I remained till some hours afterwards; then I was called down.  On reaching the deck I fainted, and knew no more till I awoke after some time in my hammock.

Now, I ask anyone, even a martinet at heart, whether such treatment of a boy, not thirteen years of age, putting his life into the greatest danger, taking this first step towards breaking his spirit, and in all probability making him, as most likely had been done to the poor men I had seen flogged that morning, into a hardened mutinous savage, was not disgraceful?