Chapter 15 - Page 2

Gatte,
keeping the ship under her canvass quite three months. We took in supplies
at sea, the object being to keep us from getting rusty. On the fourth of
July we had a regular holiday. At four in the morning, the ship was close
in under the north shore, and we wore off the land. Sail was then
shortened. After this, we had music, and more saluting and grog. The day
was passed merrily, and I do not remember a fight, or a black eye, in
the ship.

I volunteered to go one cruise in the Warren, under Mr. Byrne. The present
Commodore Kearny commanded this ship, and he took us down to the Rock. The
reason of our volunteering was this. The men-of-war of the Dutch and the
French, rendezvoused at Mahon, as well as ourselves. The French and our
people had several rows ashore. Which was right and which wrong, I cannot
say, as it was the Java's men, and not the Delaware's, that were engaged
in them, on our side. One of the Javas was run through the body, and a
French officer got killed. It was said the French suspected us of a design
of sending away the man who killed their officer, and meant to stop the
Warren, which was bound to the Rock on duty. All I know is, that two
French brigs anchored at the mouth of the harbour, and some of us were
called on to volunteer. Forty-five of us did so, and went on board
the sloop.

After the Warren got under way, we went to quarters, manning both
batteries. In this manner we stood down between the two French brigs, with
top-gallant-sails furled and the courses in the brails. We passed directly
between the two brigs, keeping a broadside trained upon each; but nothing
was said, or done, to us. We anchored first at the Rock, but next day
crossed over to the Spanish coast. In a short time we returned to Mahon,
and we volunteers went back to the Delaware. The two brigs had gone, but
there was still a considerable French force in port. Nothing came of the
difficulty, however, so far as I could see or hear.

In the season of 1830, the Constellation, Commodore Biddle, came out, and
our ship and Commodore were relieved. We had a run up as far as Sicily,
however, before this took place, and went off Tripoli. There I saw a
wreck, lying across the bay, that they told me was the bones of the
Philadelphia frigate. We were also at Leghorn, several weeks, the
commodore going to some baths in the neighbourhood, for his health.

Among other ports, the Delaware visited Carthagena, Malta, and Syracuse.
At the latter place, the ship lay six weeks, I should think. This was the
season of our arrival out. Here we underwent a course of severe exercise,
that brought the crew up to a high state of discipline. At four in the
morning, we would turn out, and commence our work. All the manoeuvres of