Now with regard to the compliment paid me by Captain Eodgers, and injustice to myself, and without assuming to be egotistical, had I not have taken right hold, and in one sense assumed the whole charge of securing the masts, they would have gone over as sure as the world.0 The first lieutenant's place was on the quarter-deck, and* there was not a soul among the rest of the officers that knew anything about fishing a mast, or what to have done, in this emergency; for the very first step towards their security, was knocking out the wedges, in order that the mast might have longer play; and it will be seen in the course of my narrative, that this was not the only scene where " useless lumber " was the means of saving valuable lives.
We arrived at Brooklyn Navy Yard on the 1st of June. Capt. Rodgers wrote to Washington, and in six days my warrant came, which he presented me on the quarter-deck of the brig, with many compliments, and good wishes. A Court of Inquiry was held at the navy yard, by officers sent from Washington for that purpose, to investigate the proceedings of Capt. Bodgers during, and subsequent to the gale. His conduct was highly approved, and a vote of approbation given in his favor. On the 5th of July we were all right again, and the little brig looked beautifully. We sailed with a fine south-west * I saw that I must take the most hazardous part in this affair, while the rest of the carpenters were making wedges and cleats for the lashings, which, considering the rolling of the vessel was of itself a difficult job.
I hung, more than half an hour, thumping against the mast, and drove sixteen spikes while in this perilous position, for had the mast gone over while I was hanging in the bowline, in all probability, 1 should have been killed. wind, for Carthagena, in Spain, the port fixed upon as the rendezvous, in case of separation. On the sixth day out, we fell in with another gale, though nothing like the other; even had it heen so, we wore now in a much better condition to meet it than we were before. Then, our rigging was slack, and our masts were made of single sticks; but now, our rigging was newly fitted, and our masts were built, and in fact, everything was in much better order than before.
I told the reader that I meant to show up the " useless lumber man " again, and here he is. During the gale it was his watch from 8 to 12 in the morning. I was sitting on the forward pivot gun, and a man named Tom Burns, a fine fellow, and a good sailor, was sitting just under me. This gallant officer came puffing along, for he was quite fat, and says to Burns, " Go up and secure that staysail." It had blown out of the netting, and was getting loose. " Aye, aye, sir," said Burns. He went up and hauled it in as well as he could, and, as he thought, secured it. In about half an hour afterwards, this noble lieutenant came forward again, and looking up, saw that a small corner of the sail had got out of the netting.
He sung out, " You Burns, you scoundrel, didn't I send you up to stop that sail? " " Yes, sir." " Well, come here. Boatswain's mate." " Sir." " Come here. Take your jacket off sir," to Burns. The boatswain's mate then put a dozen into him. " Now go up and see if you can stow that sail in a proper manner." Burns, while going up the rigging, merely said, " I thought I did my best before." I heard what he said. " What's that you say? Grumbling again, are you? Come down here, sir. Boatswain's mate." "Sir." " Come here. Take off your jacket, sir," to Burns. The poor fellow took another dozen, and then went up and tried again; and when he came down, he sat in the same place on the gun carriage, which gave me an opportunity of looking down his back, which was covered with blood, and he was then giving vent to a copious flood of tears.