regularly read, and the muster-book had been kept the same as if he had been afloat-by which means they were entitled to their pay.

Viewing the circumstance thus, Fitzjohn felt it a duty he owed to the rest, and to the future safety of all, to keep up the discipline as substantially, as if the pendant still flew over their heads.

Having, soon after his first entry into the service, determined never to punish any of his men, without sleeping on it, he awoke in the morning feverish and unhappy. Not only from the pain it gave him to witness the tearing of a fellow-creature's flesh, but from the indelible disgrace it attaches to the individual so punished.

Many a brave and good man, it was his lot in later life to witness, so cowed and disgraced in his own opinion, that even in the day of battle he has not done his duty with that alacrity and proper feeling which he would otherwise have displayed; and although he very much feared that corporal punishment could never be dispensed with, whilst British men-of-war are obliged

to take part of their crews from gaols and prisons, as in the last war, still it is very possible, and not difficult to form, on board the ship in which the offence is committed, a court of inquiry, composed of commanding and warrant officers, and superior seamen: there to judge, whether the alleged crime has been proved, the captain being left to decide on the quantum of punishment to be inflicted.

At the least, the articles of war themselves should-as we believe they now do-forbid any kind of corporal punishment being inflicted, sooner, than at the expiration of twenty-four hours after the supposed breach of discipline has taken place, for accusation is not proof, and in the army, no soldier can be corporeally punished by the sole will of the colonel.

To return-the time at last arrived, when it was necessary that poor Gentleman Jack should decide on the fate of the delinquent. At the usual hour of seven bells the hands were turned up, when six of the best men stepped forward, and asked it as a favour from all the ship's company, that Fitzjohn would forgive him, offer

ing themselves as hostages for his good behaviour.

Greatly indeed did Fitz rejoice at being thus relieved from so painful a part of his duty, but being determined to show them that his forgiveness of the culprit did not proceed from any fear of their numbers, he gave no answer until the offender was stripped and tied up. He then desired the six men to attend, and told the prisoner, it was entirely owing to their general good conduct, that he granted their request, which had saved him from the three dozen lashes he would otherwise most certainly have received.

CHAPTER III.

"How pleasant were the songs of Toobonai When summer's suns went down the coral bay.

Come let us to the islets' softest shade,

And hear the warbling birds!"

THE ISLAND.

As every day brought with it less employment, Fitzjohn established a kind of school, so that in a few weeks every seaman could read writing, and many of them were enabled to write a sort of scrawl themselves. To have a sentinel at each battery, and one at his door, now appeared unnecessary, so he withdrew the guns from their embrasures, and placed the whole of them in an half-moon form before his cabin, which front he had changed towards the island as soon as the

ship fell over. By this arrangement, one sentinel served for himself and the guns.

As there were no canoes on the island, Gentleman Jack was anxious to secure the boats, by turning them bottom upwards, under a sail purposely extended to make a boat-house. Previously to this, the boats had been put in thorough repair, and were fit for service; and, as the natives could not make use of them, Fitz was anxious to keep from the latter, the knowledge of the number and size of those boats he had left, and which were quite sufficient to carry himself, crew, and provisions, to the Mauritius, or to Madagascar, when the N.E. monsoon had fairly set in.

The position occupied on the beach by the seamen was extremely low, and, as they knew only a corner of the island, Fitz obtained permission to make a tour into the interior, particularly to a high hill which they could distinctly see with their glasses, about twelve miles off. On this eminence, it was the wish of Fitzjohn to keep, if possible, an union-jack continually flying, in the hope of attracting the notice of some passing sail.