On their arrival at Algiers, were properly cared for, until the sloop-of-war, Erie, took them away." When we left Port Mahon, the John Adams was stripping her rigging requiring to be fitted, and some of it to be replaced with new. The commodore had ordered her to be ready for sea against his return, as he intended to send her I home with despatches. All the rigging, provisions and stores that came in the Alert, were put into a Government store, and when the account of the loss of the Ferdinand reached Spain, the Spanish Government were disposed to be suspicious, that there had been some foul play, and gave an order to the Governor of Mahon. not to allow any stores belonging to the United States, to be taken from the public store.
In consequence of this order, the John Adams could not proceed in fitting for home. When the commodore arrived at Mahon, and found how matters stood, and feeling much vexed at not finding the John Adams ready for sea, he sent a polite note to the Governor, requesting the store key. The Governor had always been on good terms with the American officers; and the commodore knew that the detention of the stores was by an order from the Government, and not from the Governor of Mahon. The Frigate was hauled up abreast the store, the guns double shotted, our ship lay just astern with guns shotted. No key was received. The commodore sent another messenger, saying to the Governor, that if the store was not opened in one hour, he would open it with his guns.
The people on shore became now much alarmed, knowing the determined character of Com. Shaw: but before the expiration of the hour, the store wa3 opened, so ended this matter. The John Adams was fitted, and went home with despatches-, and with the sick men of the fleet. A few days after our arrival, a wreck came to the Harbor, that had struck on a reef out-side, she filled, but floated with her deck only out of water; the crew were all on the deck, and had been in that exposed condition, two days and nights, without food or water. They had promised old St. Antonio, that if he would bring them safe into port, they would walk on their bare knees to church, and return thanks, and on landing from the wreck, they made known their vow to the people, who immediately commenced sweeping a path for them.
Several old women came with brooms, and continued sweeping before them; but notwithstanding the way was swept, before they had got half- way up the hill, their knees were in a dreadful condition, torn, and streaming with blood. At last the j reached the church, which unfortunately for them was up a hill, and there performed their promised vows. An unpleasant and fatal affair took place while we lay here, which cast a gloom throughout the fleet. The Frigate Constellation. Capt. Gordon, returned from a cruise, and on the following Sunday, fifty men from each of the frigates, and twenty-live from the Ontario, were permitted to go on shore on liberty. Now, all who know anything of the character of a man-of-war sailor, knows also that he heartily despises a soldier.
There is but one general resort for seamen at Port Mahon, which is at the farther end of the town, near the barracks of the soldiers. The principal house, is well known by all who have ever been there, as the " Jackass tavern," where is an abundant supply of ruinous liquor. Around this place, are hundreds of " donkey boys," who keep theee animals, to let to sailors, for a ride to Georgetown, about four miles from Mahon. These donkeys will not budge a step without a club, which must b.e constantly applied by the boys upon the rump of the brutes. And frequently they jam the half drunken sailor up against a stone wall, thus tearing his trousers, and bruising his limbs.
The price of hire is about twenty cents; which is generally clear gain to the boys, as the sailor seldom, or never succeeds in making him go; and all the fun lies in seeing the sailor thrown off and sometimes much injured. On the Sunday that our men had liberty on shore, they of course went up to Jackass Tavern, and after partaking freely of miserable sour wine, they had got into the right trim for fun. Went out among the donkey boys where they went through all the usual evolutions of drunken sailors. During this time the soldiers had mingled with the crowd, which rather disconcerted the sailors, the latter supposing that all the ground and all the fun belonged to them.