Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/166

 then, and have been made sure of it since, that her owners (like all other owners) were cheating the government out of thousands of pounds a-year. She was lying exactly in the part of the bay assigned for the prizes; and as I saw no other possible mode of "bringing the ship to anchor," I steered for "the lobster-smack," and ran slap on board of her, to the great astonishment of the master, mate, and crew.

The usual expletives, a volley of oaths and curses on our lubberly heads, followed the shock. This I expected, and was as fully prepared for as I was for the fall of my foremast, which, taking the fore-yard of the transport, fell over the starboard quarter, and greatly relieved me on the subject of shortening sail. Thus, my pretty brig was first reduced to a sloop and then toa hulk; fortunately, her bottom was sound. I was soon cut clear of the transport, and called out in a very manly voice, " Let go the anchor."

This order was obeyed with promptitude: