"We were running down the north-east trades with all our port stu'n'sails set, and at eleven o'clock one night in the second mate's watch, a very heavy squall struck her. The mate jumped out on deck and called all hands, without saying anything to the 'old man.' We didn't get out of the forecastle quick enough for him, and he and the third mate stood by the door on one side, and the second mate and boatswain on the other side of the deck, and every man as he came out got struck. "Jackson said to me, 'Hold on, Bangs, don't you go out till I do.' "Just then the mate looked in and said, 'Bangs you hurry, get out on deck!' "'He's coming out when I do,' said Jackson. "'Jackson,' said the mate, 'when you're ready come out on deck,' and he went away. He never tried to impose on Jackson, and I thought I'd keep close to him to secure my own safety. As the third mate struck one of the sailors, the man drew his sheath-knife and cut him slightly. Then there was a race. The man ran aft and the third mate after him. Away they went around the poop and forward again, until the third mate tumbled over a man that the second mate had knocked down, and so lost the chase. "When Jackson and I got out there was a general fight going on; some of the watch on deck had pitched in, and belaying-pins and handspikes were flying round at a lively rate. The 'old man' got on deck in the midst of all this, and I guess he thought the Old Nick was let loose, or else his officers had gone crazy. The man at the wheel had run her off before the wind to save the sails, but there hadn't been the first thing done about taking in anything. "'Haul down that main-topmast studding-sail,' shouted the captain; for the tack had parted and the sail was blowing all to pieces. "The fighting stopped now, I hardly know how. But several of the sailors were 'ended over' on deck with broken heads, and some of us were at the main-hatch keeping clear of the 'muss.' I believe the rest gave it up and ran forward of the foremast. "The 'old man' kept singing out his orders, and at last the mate went aft and had some words with him, while we went to work and saved the pieces. The man at the wheel said the mate cursed the 'old man' all up in a heap, and told him to go below and he'd look out for the ship, and after a little jaw, the captain backed down and went into the cabin. We blew away a lot of sails that night; one topmast and two top-gallant stu'n'sails, a flying-jib, main-topmast staysail, fore royal, and broke off the foretopmast stu'n'sail-boom, which tore an awful big hole in the foresail. I guess if the owner knew how much that fight cost him he would be still more of a sailors' friend. I never could quite account for the officers not taking in sail sooner, unless it was they had been drinking.