On the occasion I refer to, a vessel which, though not under the English flag, had in some way or other obtained English protection, was leaving the port; so we sent an officer and a party of armed men to prevent her being interfered with.  I was of the party, which was commanded by our second lieutenant.  Our doing this gave great offence to the French commander, who shortly after we had gone on board also sent a party of armed men, with positive orders to search the vessel at all risks.  On our part we were ordered not to allow the vessel to be searched or interfered with.  The French officer, a fine young fellow, came on board with his men and repeated his orders to Lieutenant C——.  The vessel, I may mention, was a schooner of perhaps a couple of hundred tons, about 130 feet long.  We had taken possession of the after-part of the deck, the French crew established themselves on the fore-part.

Never was there a more awkward position.  The men on both sides loaded and cocked their muskets.  The English and French officers stood close to one another.  The former said, ’Sir, you have no business here, this vessel is under English protection.  I give you five minutes to leave or take the consequences.’  The other replied, ’Sir, I am ordered to search the vessel, and search her I will.’  They both seemed to, and I am sure did, mean business; for myself, I got close to my lieutenant and cocked a pistol, intending to shoot the French officer at the least show of fighting.  Nevertheless, I thought it a shockingly cruel and inhuman thing to begin a cold-blooded fight under such circumstances.

However, to obey orders is the duty of every man.  Lieutenant C——­ looked at his watch; two minutes to spare.  The marines were ordered to prepare, and I thought at the end of the two minutes the deck of the little vessel would have been steeped in blood.  Just then, in the distance, there appeared a boat pulling towards us at full speed; it seems that wiser counsels had prevailed between the captains of the two ships:  the French were told to withdraw and leave the vessel in our hands.

I was much amused at the cordial way in which the two lieutenants shook hands on receiving this order.  There would indeed have been a fearful story to tell had it not arrived in time; for I never saw determination written so strongly on men’s countenances as on those of both parties, so nearly engaged in what must have proved a most bloody fight.

After this incident cordial relations were never re-established between ourselves and our French friends; fortunately, shortly afterwards we sailed for Buenos Ayres.

Buenos Ayres, that paradise of pretty women, good cheer, and all that is nice to the sailor who is always ready for a lark!  We at once went in for enjoying ourselves to our heart’s content; we began, every one of us, by falling deeply in love before we had been there forty-eight hours—­I say every one, because such is a fact.