Poor deluded creatures! We found the ship Two Catherines, of Providence, Capt. Wyat, lying here. The captain had sold the greater part of his cargo, and intended going to another port. One night there come up a tremendous thunder shower, with very sharp lightning; one flash struck the Two Catherines, commencing at the main-royal-mast head, and taking everything clean as it came down, leaving nothing standing but a shivered piece of the mainmast, about ten feet above deck. Capt. Wyat came on board the frigate early next morning to consult with Capt. Downes, who advised him to apply to the governor for assistance. He did so, and the governor told him it would require five weeks to get a spar from the country suitable for a mast; also that he had no engineers — ■ meaning carpenters.
It was the intention of Capt. Downes to have sailed the morning after the tornado, but was willing to remain if he could be of any service to Capt. Wyat. Now here was a dilemma; the ship without a mainmast, and no means of procuring one. Capt. Downes wished me to go on board and take a look and see what could be done. I went on board and began to plan. That part of the mast below deck about four feet above was perfectly sound; then there was a shattered part, about ten feet long above that. Themainyard could be repaired, but the rest must be new. There were spare spars on board the Two Catherines, and we had some on board the frigate that could be used, and then there were also our twelve mast-fishes, if the captain would be willing to part with them, and run the risk of wanting them ourselves.
I made my report to Mr. Maury, who asked me if, with P the materials within our reach, a mast could be made so that she could go to sea? My reply to him was: " that if Mr. Percival would go on board, with a gang of our men, and take out the stump of the mainmast, I could take my carpenters and make a mast and what other spars she wanted.'7 This lie reported to Capt. Downes, who acceded to the arrangements, and accordingly, next morning, myself and six others turned to on board the Two Catherines. The stump was hoisted out, and by much contrivance we succeeded in making a substantial mast. I set our blacksmith at work on the hoops, as fortunately we had plenty of bar iron onboard, the hoops were made as soon as required, and in three days, the mainmast was ready for stepping, and as good and strong a mast as could be made anywhere.
The other spars and maintop were soon made, and on the fourth day she was ready for sea. But very few of us eat idle bread during these four days. Foster, the deserter, was now brought up to receive what he richly deserved. He had been kept in irons since he was taken, a condition often attended with much suffering. All hands were called to witness punishment. He was seized up, and six dozen were put upon him in good fashion. He then had a yoke placed around his neck, with " thief" printed upon it. The yoke consisted of two pieces of oak board, each three feet long and five inches wide, the two pieces were fastened together with two bolts, with a hole in the middle of the voke for the neck, which is not to be taken off during the punishment.
And in addition to this, he was placed in " the head," a most degrading position, and must mess alone, being considered as unworthy to associate with his former incarnates. Certainly, " the way of the transgressor is hard." AYhile at San Bias, we came near having another duel, and I believe had it not been for my exertion, (please pardon the ►tism^ we should have been under the painful necessity of •nling another untimely death. Two midshipmen had quarrelled about some trifling affair, which of course resulted in a challenge. One of the parties, an amiable young gentleman, and with whom I was on very friendly terms, came frequently into my state-room for the purpose of arranging for this probably fatal climax.
He had often conversed with me, and talked over his happy boyish days, and about his kind parents, his lovely sisters, and his extensive circle of friends. But now he was sad and downcast; the chance of an inglorious death, and the impossibility of avoiding it without the loss of what was dearer than life, particularly among naval officers, honor. He had accepted the challenge, and of course could not back out without disgrace. The gentleman he was to fight with was exactly his opposite, both in character and disposition. He was from Virginia, very intemperate, quarrelsome, and what is called by this class an excellent shot, and was very mean and unofficerlike in his deportment. This was the man before whom my highly esteemed young friend from New York was to stand, at a distance of ten paces, and ten chances to one receive the death bullet.