Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/151

 triumph of my talents; and as I wiped away the perspiration from my forehead, I related my difficulties, my trials, and my success, with a degree of self-complacency that in any other person, I should have called egregious vanity One good effect resulted from my long examination, which continued an hour and a half— this was, that the captains passed all the other midshipmen with very few questions. They were tired of their employment; and thus it was only the poor unlucky devils that took off the fiery edge of their morning zeal, who suffered; and among " the plucked," it was known there were much cleverer fellows than many of those who had come off with flying colours. There was one circumstance which amused me. When the captains came on deck, the little Chili Vinegar called me to him, and inquired whether I was any relation of Mr. ——. I replied that he was my uncle.

"Bless my soul, Sir! why he is my most