genius of our commander kept the young mids., in particular, in constant employment.  Besides that some of the number were stationed on every yard in the ship, the mizen-mast from the deck to the truck was entirely managed in the sails and rigging by the midshipmen, who were not such dandies as to despise the tar-bucket, or even volunteering the laborious task of working the oars of one of the boats in harbour.  They were all emulous to leave nothing undone to make themselves practical seamen, and they all found the advantage of such examples as they had then before them, many years afterwards, at the breaking out of the revolutionary war.

“In the course of this year we visited every harbour, nook, and corner, on the east coast of Newfoundland, that the ship could be squeezed into; and the seamanship displayed by the captain, in working the ship in some most difficult cases, was not lost upon the officers and crew.  With respect to his personal activity, I have often heard the most active seamen, when doubting the possibility of doing what he ordered to be done, finish by saying, ‘Well, he never orders us to do what he won’t do himself;’ and they often remarked, ’Blow high, blow low, he knows to an inch what the ship can do, and he can almost make her speak.  On our return from Newfoundland, he applied to cruise after smugglers in the winter months, instead of being kept idle in harbour until the season opened for visiting Newfoundland again; but this did not come within the scope of the management of that day.  In 1787, we returned to our station at Newfoundland.  The summers there are very hot, and on the birthday of the good old king, George III., the 4th of June, the ship’s company obtained permission to bathe.  The ship was at anchor in St. John’s harbour, and the captain prepared himself for the public dinner at the Governor’s by dressing in his full uniform, and mounted the deck to step into his barge, which was ready to take him ashore.  The gambols and antics of the men in the water caught his attention, and he stepped on one of the guns to look at them; when a lad, a servant to one of the officers, who was standing on the ship’s side near to him, said, ’I’ll have a good swim by-and-by, too.’  ‘The sooner the better,’ said the captain, and tipped him into the water.  He saw in an instant that the lad could not swim, and quick as thought he dashed overboard in his full dress uniform, with a rope in one hand, which he made fast to the lad, who was soon on board again, without injury, though a little frightened, but which did not prevent his soon enjoying the ludicrous finish of the captain’s frolic.  The lad’s boasting expression gave an idea that he was a good swimmer, and I believe if ever the captain was frightened, it was when he saw the struggles in the water:  but his self-possession and activity did not forsake him, and no one enjoyed the laugh against himself more than he did when the danger was over.