Williams overruled his objections, and the "Don Juan" was built according to his cherished fancy.

"When it was finished," says Trelawny, "it took two tons of iron ballast to bring her down to her bearings, and then she was very crank in a breeze, though not deficient in beam.

She was fast, strongly built, and Torbay rigged." She was christened by Lord Byron, not wholly with Shelley's approval; and one young English sailor, Charles Vivian, in addition to Williams and Shelley, formed her crew.
"It was great fun," says Trelawny, "to witness Williams teaching the poet how to steer, and other points of seamanship.

As usual, Shelley had a book in hand, saying he could read and steer at the same time, as one was mental, the other mechanical." "The boy was quick and handy, and used to boats.

Williams was not as deficient as I anticipated, but over-anxious, and wanted practice, which alone makes a man prompt in emergency.