In the morning after the captain came on board, our first mate, according to custom, went to wait on him with a sick list, which, when this grim commander had perused, he cried with a stern countenance, "Blood and cons! sixty-one sick people on board of my ship! Harkee, you sir, I'll have no sick in my ship, by G--d." The Welshman replied, "he should be very glad to find no sick people on board: but, while it was otherwise, he did no more than his duty in presenting him with a list." "You and your list may be d--n'd," said the captain, throwing it at him; "I say, there shall be no sick in this ship while I have the command of her." Mr.Morgan, being nettled at this treatment, told him his indignation ought to be directed to Cot Almighty, who visited his people with distempers, and not to him, who contributed all in his power towards their cure.

The bashaw, not being used to such behaviour in any of his officers, was enraged to fury at this satirical insinuation, and, stamping with his foot, called him insolent scoundrel, threatening to have him pinioned to the deck, if he should presume to utter another syllable.

But the blood of Caractacus being thoroughly heated, disdained to be restricted by such a command, and began to manifest itself in, "Captain Oakum, I am a shentleman of birth and parentage (look you), and peradventure I am moreover." Here his harangue was broken off by the captain's steward, who, being Morgan's countryman, hurried him out of the cabin before he had time to exasperate his master to a greater degree, and this would certainly have been the case; for the indignant Welshman could hardly be hindered by his friend's arguments and entreaties from re-entering the presence-chamber, and defying Captain Oakum to his teeth.

He was, however appeased at length, and came down to the berth, where, finding Thompson and me at work preparing medicines, he bade us leave off our lapour to go to play, for the captain, by his sole word, and power, and command, had driven sickness a pegging to the tevil, and there was no more malady on board.

So saying, he drank off a gill of brandy sighed grievously three times, poured fort an ejaculation of "Cot pless my heart, liver, and lungs!" and then began to sing a Welsh song with great earnestness of visage, voice, and gesture.