And he was a Tartar sure enough, as the following little incident will show. Two young men, who, I believe, were mechanics' apprentices, had shipped for the squadron, and had been at the Navy Yard but a lew days, when, probably feeling a little homesick, took French leave one evening, and went over to the city. On the following morning, they were missed at muster, and their absence reported to Capt. Chauncey, who immediately sent a midshipman to find them. They were both found together, having met with some of their companions, and who had all been on a frolic. These young men were brought on board an old bomb ketch, and confined with double irons two days, and on the morning of the third, at nine o'clock, all hands were called along-side the ketch, to witness punishment.
This was an interesting sight, and reminded me of the whipping through the fleet at Halifax. Here were about three hundred men, boys and marines, assembled round the old hulk to see these two young men nearly flayed alive, for going over to New York without leave. When all had assembled, the two prisoners were G brought from their place of confinement, apparently more dead than alive. The first was stripped and seized up. On these occasions, every man and officer stands with hats off, and perfectly silent, in order to show the supremacy of a law that cuts a man's flesh to pieces. Capt. Chauncey, standing on a slight elevation, and with a stentorian voice, thus addressed the crowTd: " Men! what the law allows you, you shall have, but by the eternal if any one of you disobeys that law, Til cut your back bone out." " Go on with him, boatswain's mate and do your duty, or "by f you shall take his place." The shrieks of the youngster.were dreadful, calling upon God and all the holy angels to save him. xifter the first dozen, another boatswain's mate took the cat, and when he had received two dozen, he fainted, and hung by his wrists.
The punishment was suspended for a few moments until he had revived sufficiently to stand on his feet; he then took four dozen more, making six in all, and when taken down he could not stand. The other received seven dozen; he fainted however, before lie had received the first, and received the greater por-ion of his punishment in that state. The flesh was fairly hanging in strips upon both backs; it was really a sickening sight. The punishment being over, all went to their respective duties. The last I ever heard of this celebrated knight of the cat was, that he was employed at a very high salary in superintending the building and fitting out a frigate for the Greeks.
Notwithstanding my previous determination to make the best of everything, and to become hardened to whatever might come along, discontent seemed to return again with additional force. I began to give a gloomy look into the future. The idea of being captured, and then of lingering in a British prison, and this horrid flogging, and the companions that I must pass the remainder of my servitude with. These feelings seemed to work like an avalanche upon me; and there was a possibility that in my present position, 1 might be flogged at the gangway, too, as many a man has been, without knowing for what. I was heartily disgusted with everything that belonged to a man-of-war; and after a night's deliberation, came to a fixed determination, that I would desert, and get into some foreign country, and there remain until I had accumulated something; and probably by that time I should be forgotten, and could then return to my native country.
Accordingly I took from my bag some letters and other small matters, and made known my intention to a particular friend, and gave my bag into his charge. At sundown, a boat went' to the city for the officers, who had been on liberty during the day. I watched the opportunity, after the boat had been called away, to get into her and to stow myself forward, and as it was rather dark, I was not seen by the midshipman who had charge of the boat. As soon as she touched the wharf at New York, I jumped out, and just as I had got upon my feet, the midshipman sang out, " Who's that? " But I was soon among the crowd upon the wharf, and went up to the house of a friend, who was not then at home; but I communicated the whole matter to his wife, who was an excellent and kind lady, and who had always manifested much interest for mv welfare.