We were all anxious to know what sort of a person our new captain was, whose name was Kearney; but we had no time to ask the midshipmen, except when they came in charge of the boats which brought his luggage; they replied generally, that he was a very good sort of fellow, and there was no harm in him. But when I had the night watch with Swinburne, he came up to me, and said, "Well, Mr Simple, so we have a new captain. I sailed with him for two years in a brig."
"And pray, Swinburne, what sort of a person is he?"
"Why, I'll tell you, Mr Simple: he's a good-tempered, kind fellow enough, but--"
"How do you mean? He's not a very stout man."
"Bless you, Mr Simple, why you don't understand English. I mean that he's the greatest liar that ever walked a deck. Now, Mr Simple, you know I can spin a yarn occasionally."
"Yes, that you can, witness the hurricane the other night."
"Well, Mr Simple, I cannot _hold a candle_ to him. It a'n't that I might not stretch now and then, just for fun, as far as he can, but, d----n it, he's always on the stretch. In fact, Mr Simple, he never tells the truth except _by mistake_. He's as poor as a rat, and has nothing but his pay; yet to believe him, he is worth at least as much as Greenwich Hospital. But you'll soon find him out, and he'll sarve to laugh at behind his back, you know, Mr Simple, for that's _no go_ before his face."
Captain Kearney made his appearance on board the next day. The men were mustered to receive him, and all the officers were on the quarter-deck. "You've a fine set of marines here, Captain Falcon," observed he; "those I left on board of the _Minerve_ were only fit to be _hung_; and you have a good show of reefers too--those I left in the _Minerve_ were not _worth hanging_. If you please, I'll read my commission, if you'll order the men aft." His commission was read, all hands with their hats off from respect to the authority from which it proceeded. "Now, my lads," said Captain Kearney, addressing the ship's company, "I've but few words to say to you. I am appointed to command this ship, and you appear to have a very good character from your late first lieutenant. All I request of you is this: be smart, keep sober, and always _tell the truth_--that's enough. Pipe down. Gentlemen," continued he, addressing the officers, "I trust that we shall be good friends; and I see no reason that it should be otherwise." He then turned away with a bow, and called his coxswain--"Williams, you'll go on board, and tell my steward that I have promised to dine with the governor to-day, and that he must come to dress me; and, coxswain, recollect to put the sheepskin mat on the stern gratings of my gig--not the one I used to have when I was on shore in my _carriage_, but the blue one which was used for the _chariot_--you know which I mean." I happened to look Swinburne in the face, who cocked his eye at me, as much as to say--"There he goes." We afterwards met the officers of the _Minerve_, who corroborated all that Swinburne had said, although it was quite unnecessary, as we had the captain's own words every minute to satisfy us of the fact.