This transfer to the _Grampus_ greatly alarmed me; since the more men I saw, the greater, of course, was my chance of detection. I had already escaped being known on board of two seventy-fours; but I could not promise myself the same impunity much longer. However, as I saw no one whose face was familiar, when I went on board, I felt a little more easy. But that night, I had occasion for great trepidation and alarm. About nine o’clock, I heard the order from an officer, of “Pass the word for the boy Leech.” This was followed by several voices hallooing, “Boy Leech! boy Leech!” My heart beat like a trip-hammer against my bosom, and a cold sweat crept over my whole body. My shipmates said they meant me; but I would not reply. After a few moments, I breathed more freely, and the fear of death passed away. I heard some one saying, “Your master wants you;” which convinced me that there was a “boy Leech” among the crew of the _Grampus_, as well as another boy Leech among the American prisoners.
On our passage, we made a strange sail. Coming up to her, to our infinite satisfaction we beheld the stars and stripes at her mast-head. “Brother Jonathan has come to town,” said one of our men. “He is a most welcome visitor,” the rest replied; for indeed “the old gridiron” never looked so pleasant as it did then. This meeting confirmed us in the report of peace between the two nations. This was as gratifying to the crew of the _Grampus_ as to us; for they had recently heard that the war with France was ended, and they were all hoping to get discharged. This expectation was defeated, however, by intelligence from some passing ship, that Napoleon was at Paris again, with a force of sixty thousand men.
Nothing could exceed the joy of the officers, and the vexation of the crew, at this piece of information. The former dreaded a peace, because it would place many of them on half-pay; while the chances of war inspired them with hopes of promotion; hence they ran alongside almost every ship in the fleet, shouting, “Have you heard the news? Bonaparte has got to Paris with sixty thousand men!” Really, some of them seemed crazy with joy at the idea of protracted war. Not so, however, the seamen; they longed for peace, since war only brought them hard usage, wounds and death. While, therefore, the officers were rejoicing, they were muttering curses and oaths, wishing Bonaparte and his army at perdition. Nor was it strange that they felt thus; for the discipline on board the _Grampus_ was excessively severe. They were constantly flogging in the most harsh and cruel manner. The _Sirens_ were astonished at what they saw; for on board our brig, we seldom saw more than a dozen lashes inflicted at one time, and that not very often.