Respecting corporal punishment and the crew of the Sans Pareil, the subject of this memoir says:
“I hope and believe that it is in all respects true, that by vigilant good management some captains have governed well, without the necessity of any corporal punishment: but it must be recollected, that they were not without the power of inflicting such punishment; and if they had been divested of that power, they would not have had well-regulated ships. I will here exemplify the benefit of this power by an instance of its use.
“I took the command of one of our largest ships, in good order and excellent effective discipline. The crew had been long together, and the only detraction from their general merit was, an inveterate habit of profane oaths and the most offensive language. The flag of a beloved friend and most gallant officer was flying on board her; but public service called him abroad, and the ship remained with my pendant only for upwards of six months.
“On the first occasion on which the whole crew were assembled before me, I spoke strongly on the subject of the debasing language my ears were constantly disgusted by. I explained the possibility that the frequent mention of the most brutal crime might render that crime itself familiar to them, and that they might repeat the dreadful execrations against their comrades, till they really wished their fulfilment. I ended my lecture by an assurance, that although I would not threaten that I would inflict punishment for every oath or vile expression I might hear; yet that whenever any man was brought before me for another fault, however inclined I might be to pardon it, I most certainly would not do so, if accompanied by the use of oaths or bad language, or if the culprit was notoriously addicted to such practice. When my worthy admiral rejoined me, after a few days, he gratified me much by saying, ‘How have you effected such a change of manners? I had no fault to find with my fine fellows but their bad language; and still I did not think it right to flog them for it.’
“I mentioned the mode I had adopted, and that the possession of the power had been alone productive of the effect, which was truly the case. My admiral assured me that he now walked the deck with tenfold satisfaction.”
Among the armed vessels taken by Captain Penrose, while commanding the Sans Pareil, was a valuable Spanish letter of marque, whose name is a little connected with the causes of the revolution in South America. She was called the Guachapin, and her figure-head was a well-dressed lad, holding out in his right hand a letter, and in his left a large empty purse. Her commander told Captain Penrose, that the name and figure meant and represented a needy Spaniard
