Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/313

 never injured any soul breathing, except in the way of fair fighting; but if either you, or any of your crew, offer to bribe me, or in any way to make me turn my back on my king and country, I'll lay him on his back as flat as a flounder, if I am able, and if I am not able, Ill try for it."

"That's well spoken," said the captain, "and I honour you for it. You may rely on it that I shall never tempt you, and if any of mine do it, they must take:their chance."

Captain Green heard all this conversation; he took no part in it, but walked the deck in his usual pensive manner. When the captain of the privateer went below to work his reckoning, this unhappy man entered into conversation with me —he began by remarking—

"What a noble specimen of a British sailor you have with you."

"Yes," I replied, "he is one of the right sort—he comes from the land where the ec'acation of the poor contributes to the security of the rich; where a man is never thought the worse