Indeed, we afterwards
discovered that it was a _marine_ who had taken off the _head_ of the
snake a second time.
The captain then ordered the boatswain to turn the hands up. The
boatswain made his appearance with his right arm in a sling.--"What's
the matter with your arm, Mr Paul?" said I, as he passed me.
"Tumbled down the hatchway just now--can't move my arm; I must go to the
surgeon as soon as this is over."
The hands were piped up again, but no one obeyed the order. Thus was the
brig in a state of mutiny. "Mr Simple, go forward to the main hatchway
with the marines, and fire on the lower deck," cried the captain.
"Sir," said I, "there are two frigates within a cable's length of us;
and would it not be better to send for assistance, without shedding
blood? Besides, sir, you have not yet tried the effect of calling up the
carpenter's and boatswain's mates by name. Will you allow me to go down
first, and bring them to a sense of their duty?"
"Yes, I presume you know your power; but of this hereafter."
I went down below and called the men by name.
"Sir," said one of the boatswain's mates, "the ship's company say that
they will not submit to be flogged."
"I do not speak to the ship's company generally, Collins," replied I;
"but you are now ordered to rig the gratings, and come on deck. It is an
order that you cannot refuse. Go up directly, and obey it.
Quarter-masters, go on deck with your seizings. When all is ready, you
can then expostulate.
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