Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/161

 probability, be sent down there to receive our men, and have the advantage of the cruize back; the second, that he was well aware of the corrupt practices of the admiralty-court at Malta. All the vessels, therefore, which we had hitherto captured, were sent to Gibraltar for adjudication, and we now added to their number. We had the good fortune to take a large ship laden with barilla, and a brig with tobacco and wine. The charge of the last I was honoured with; and no prime minister ever held a situation of such heavy responsibility with such corrupt supporters. So much was the crew of the frigate reduced by former captures and the unlucky affair with the Maltese privateer, that I was only allowed three men. I was, however, so delighted with my first command, that, I verily believe, if they had only given me a dog and a pig, I should have been satisfied.

The frigate's boat put us on board. It blew fresh from the eastward, and I instantly put the