He passed a high compliment on our good looking crew, and also spoke of having been on board the Macedonian, when under another flag. The reader is probably aware that she was taken by the U. S. frigate, United States, Commodore Decatur, during our late war with England. His Lordship with much politeness left the Macedonian, and on the next day sailed for Callao. The Chilians bought the Eose, which is the one now fitting for guns. We had a man on board the frigate that was a notorious thief, who belonged to the third cutter, his name was Foster. This fellow made a practice of stealing frocks, trowsers, jackets, and also of robbing bags whenever he could get access to them.
And when the boat was called away would run below, get his stolen goods, shove them under his jacket, and while the boat was on shore would sell them for aquadiente, (rum), which he managed to carry on board in a bladder, or skin, as sailors call it. Men frequently missed their clothes, not being able to account for them to the officers of their division, to whom they must account every month for every piece of clothing, and failing to do this, are either flogged or punished in some other way. Foster was finally detected in his villany. The midshipman of the boat caught him in the act of selling his plunder, and rather than suffer the penalty of theft, he ran from the boat, and fled into the mountains.
Officers in disguise went in search of him, but without success. He was given up as not worth looking after. One day, some time after he had deserted, I was on board the iVrchimedes, a Nantucket whaler, Capt. Folger, under French colors. I had some carpenters at work on board of her. She was moored near the Rose, and when we swung, both ships came so near together, that it was an easy matter to jump from one to the other; and while in this close proximity, one of my carpenters says to me, in a low voice, " There's Foster! " I looked, and sure enough, there was his head plainly to be seen through the stern port.
I immediately went into the whaler's cabin, and wrote the following note to the first lieutenant: " Mr. Maury, Sir: Foster, the deserter, is on board the Rose; I think if Mr. Percival goes on board, he will succeed in getting him. Respectfully, S. F. Holbrook. I hailed one of our boats that was just passing, and requested the midshipman to give the note to the first lieutenant as quick as possible. It was now 4 o'clock, P. M., and it would probably take the remainder of the afternoon to get him. Very soon after our boat reached the frigate, I saw two boats leave the ship, Mr. Percival and two midshipmen in one, and one midshipman in the other.
Mr. Percival went along-side the Rose, and all went on board. The other boat proceeded to the shore with a written request from Capt. Downes to the Governor, for permission to search the Rose for a deserter, which permission was immediately given in writing, and taken on board the Rose, to Mr. Percival, who now, having authority, commenced the search, the officers persisting that no such man was on board. She was searched from stem to stern, every sail opened, not a hole but was probed with a sword, and when just about giving up the search, Mr. Percival stepped into his boat and came along-side the whaler, and asked me if I was positive that I saw him?
My reply was, " Yes, sir, and he is now on board that ship." As he went into the boat to continue the search, he observed to me, " I should relinquish the search, had I not the greatest confidence in your eye." I must confess I felt rather unpleasant, as probably he might have been slyly put into a boat, or stowed away in some place where he could not be discovered; in which case, doubt might have existed whether I had seen him, notwithstanding I was so certain about it. The sundown boat had now come for us; myself and carpenters returned to the frigate. It was now dark; Mr. Maury observed to me that if I was sure I had seen him, he was also sure he was there.
In less than half an hour, the boat approached the ship; she was hailed, and asked, " Have you got him V " " Yes," was the answer. This of course relieved my anxiety, and the doubts of others. He was discovered in a singular manner, and in a singular place. They had, after commencing the second time, examined every hole large enough for a cat to crawl through, and were about giving it up, when accidentally looking down between some barrels of bread, they saw what appeared to be a platform of loose plank. Mr. Fercival run his sword down through every joint, and although he felt it go through what he supposed to be old rigging, paid no attention to it; but just as they were about leaving, a young chap crouched down and looked under the plank, and sung out, " Here he is!