Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/81

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THE NAVAL OFFICER.
75

and his offer to pilot the vessel in, was accepted. As I had never been there before, I could be of no use; but being extremely doubtful of the skill of our pilot, I watched his proceedings with some anxiety.

In half an hour, we found ourselves on shore on Cornwallis Island, as I afterwards learned, and the sea made a fair breach over us. This sobered the lieutenant and his officers: and as the tide fell, we found ourselves high and dry. The vessel fell over on her side, and | walked on shore, determined to trust myself no more with such a set of beasts. Boats came down from the dock-yard at day-light, and took me and some others who had followed my example, together with our luggage, to the flag-ship. After two days' hard labour, the vessel was got off, and brought into the harbour. The admiral was informed of the whole transaction, and one of the captains advised him to try the lieutenant by a court-martial, or, at least, to turn him out of the vessel, and send him home. Unfortu-