Year: 1876

ing joined cause with the enemies OF his
most sacred Majesty George III.


Arraigned they were accordingly, and
in spite of all that poor Hastings could
say-in spite even of the exculpatory
evidence of the French officers, which
Capt. Bulmer, MT comprehending,
sneered at-they were found guilty and
condemned to be hung, all four, from
the yard-arm


You can imagine the CONSERVATION of
the unfortunate fellows, who had indeed
fallen from Scylla into Charybdis. III
vain did the unhappy Hastings pro test
against the injustice of the proceeding,
stating that Notwithstanding the wound
he had received, which was one of the
points ON which special stress was laid
by his accusers. despite the suspicious
appearance which he and his companions
by this time necessarily presented, he
had the honor of wearing his Majestys
uniform and serving his country as truly
and faithfully as any officer on board.
To each of these asseverations the only
answer he received was, "You lie, sir !"
until, half frantic with indignation and
despair, he and his companions were
sent back into irons until their sentence
could conveniently be carried into ef-
feet


The First Lieutenant, who was the
only soul in that great ship who evinced
the smallest compassion toward them,
luckily happened to pay the unfortunate
prisoners visit in the course of the day,
with a view to their safe custody. Though
strictly against orders, he could not re-
frain from speaking to young Hastings,
who had bright, attractive face, and
asking him how On earth he found him
self dams cette gGlere. BY dint of cross
questioning in the course of conversation
it came out that not only had the fami
lies of Hastings and Ashburtons-the
name of the First Lieutenant-beenc con-
nected in olden times, but that actually
Hastings mother had interested herself
in obtaining for this same Ashburton his
commission in the Royal Navy! There
was now no doubt that Mr.. Hastings was
bona tide the person he represented him
self to be; so Ashburton went to the
Captain and terrified tho old sea-bear
into granting reprieve, sorely against
his will, until the arrival Of the Invinci-
bic III port. Accordingly when the man
of-war anchored of Spithead, Hastings
obtained permission to be confronted
with the officers of his own ship, the
Hornet, then opportunely stationed at
Plymouth, and in addition his father
and other relatives hurried to the spot,
so that there was no lack of evidence
sufficient to satisfy the crusty old Cap
tain that for once IL his lie he had
jumped rather too hastily to conclusions.
His conduct was moreover severely cen
sured by the Admiralty, "inasmuch as
through his rashness and pertinacity "A
very promising young officer was nearly
lost to his Majestys service" In addi-
ton to which well-merited contumely,
full fifty years after Death and his jour
neymap, Gout in the Stomach, had
claimed him Tor their own, we children,
with infinite gusto, tarred, feathered,
and set fire to him in effigy, our enjoy
ment being only slightly marred by the
reflection that, after all, he would never
know anything about it,


Such was my grandfathers story,
which he was never tired of telling or
we of hearing. Few have had so hair
breadth an escape, SO exciting personal
adventure. Many time did the dear
old man say-it was favorite joke of
his when ne overheard any discussion
on the subject" Children, don't boast;
remember you've a grandfather who was
all but hung !'-Bei9TaUi0.