An instance of our commander’s tyranny occurred while we were ascending the river. He had requested a seaman, named Daily, who was somewhat acquainted with the river, to act as pilot. By accident or negligence, he suffered the brig to strike the bottom, though without the least injury. The captain flew into a passion, ordered him to the gangway, and commanded the boatswain’s mate to lay on with his rope’s-end. I did not witness this flogging, for the hands were not called up to witness punishment, unless administered by the cat-o’-nine-tails, but one of my messmates said that he received at least one hundred lashes. I saw him several days afterwards, with his back looking as if it had been roasted, and he unable to stand upright. He wore the same shirt in which he was flogged for some time afterwards. It was torn to rags, and showed the state of his back beneath. His object in wearing it was to mortify and shame the captain for his brutality. The severity of flogging with the rope’s end is justly described in Mr. Dana’s excellent book, called “Two Years before the Mast.” Though not _so_ cruel as the cat, it is nevertheless a harsh, degrading punishment. Our men used to say that “they would as lief be cut up on the bare back with the cat, as have back and shirt cut up together,” as was poor Daily’s. In truth, that flogging was both unjust and illegal. The articles of war provide, that not more than _twelve_ lashes shall be given for a crime; but here _one hundred_ were inflicted for _no crime_--for an accident, which might have happened to the best pilot who ever ascended the Mississippi. But though the captain was thus rendered amenable to the law, who would believe a poor sailor? Had he complained, it would doubtless have been to his own injury; for law, and especially naval law, is always on the side of the strong. This was not the only case of illegal flogging; but the justification of these excessive whippings, was found in the pretended existence of _several_ crimes in the helpless offenders.