“Upon my word,” said I, “I do not know; but one of the mates says it was done by a round shot.” (_This the mate had said in joke._) The captain, who was very jocular, perceiving P. M. was rather uneasy at the information, merely replied, “Ah, and I had a very narrow escape on the occasion. I was sitting at the head of the table at the time, nearly opposite the spot.” P. M. exclaimed, in great trepidation, “What do you say, captain?--it was a cannon-ball which broke the glass?” “I did not say so,” replied the captain, “but such, unfortunately, is the case.” “Well,” said P. M., “I do not like the job I have undertaken. You don’t mean to say our lives will be endangered at Balaklava?” “Oh dear, no; not in the least, except they fire upon us.” “I tell you what it is, I shall not stand it; for I bargained for nothing of the kind.” “At any rate,” said I, looking at the captain, who was laughing in his sleeve, “if you are killed by a shot or shell, or die by illness, all your former bargains will be of no avail, and off you must go.” “Had I been aware of that, I certainly should never have left Scutari.” The next morning we heard that some of the men having raised a kind of mutiny or fight on board, had been imprisoned. Being anxious to see a prison on board a ship, I proceeded with Major Campbell to visit them. The prison was upon deck, in the open air, and instead of being in chains, the prisoners were made fast with ropes to the deck. Two of them seemed in great trouble, having entirely lost their senses the night before. They were trying to recollect and inform the commander how the quarrel began, when another, who imagined he had completely recovered, stated the fact thus: “General, if you will allow me, I will tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and instead of kissing the good book, which I have not got by me, but which I had when I paid my last visit to his Majesty the Lord Mayor of London, let me kiss your glove instead.” “We want no nonsense here; so look sharp, and tell us what it was all about.” “Yes, Colonel, I will, as far as I know. You see, Jarvis, who is a relation of Martin’s wife, called her ugly names, and said she wasn’t proper. Upon that we fought--Joe fought--I fought--till we couldn’t fight any longer, and being dark we found it very troublesome, as we didn’t know whom we might be hitting. I do not know who said she wasn’t proper--I don’t know the wench--she might be proper, after all, for what I know--that’s all.” “Corporal,” said the Major, “don’t let those men land till I see you.”