After lying at Padang for a few days a bark appeared in the offing, and with the spy-glass I discovered that she had our owner's flag at the main. I started for her in my boat, introduced myself to the captain and piloted him into an anchorage.
Capt. Blowhard was a stranger to me, but I was much pleased to have the companionship of a countryman in this far-off port. As we passed the _Rocket_, he remarked she looked very well, only she was rusty outside. We had finished painting her the day before, so this comment excited my surprise; but I soon discovered the captain's eye-sight was defective, and I had the pleasure of supplying him with a pair of spectacles. We went on shore together, and I introduced him to his consignee; but the polite Dutchman was startled at seeing the captain swing his legs over the arm of the chair and monopolize all the talk with boasts about his clipper bark and her performances. In the evening I took him to drive, and attempted to point out the sights of the place and the beauty of the scenery, but his attention was not to be secured; during the whole of the drive he kept his face toward me, and poured forth a continuous stream of narrative and self-adulation. I learned that he had resigned the command of one of the finest ships in the world to serve his country. He passed highest in examination on Navigation, was appointed executive officer of a large frigate, and soon, for his valor, was given the command of a gunboat. After a celebrated naval battle his vessel was so riddled with shot, that she was sent to Alexandria for the Government to inspect as a curiosity. President Lincoln and a committee from the Senate visited her and gave the captain public thanks for his brave conduct. Commodore ---- remarked that there were only three gentlemen in the Volunteer Navy: Smith, Jones, and Blowhard. At the close of the war he was offered a position in the regular Navy, with a splendid command, but he declined, saying he only had desired to serve his country, and he wished no reward. I was much impressed with all this information, and his invitation to breakfast on board the next morning, with so brave, polite and magnanimous a man, inspired me with gratitude and awe. I went on board to breakfast and was politely received. His politeness was then exercised towards his steward, who, being unable to find the napkins (which probably were not often used,) was led around the cabin by the ear until they were discovered, the captain remarking to me, "He's a good-natured nigger or he'd have been killed long ago." The meal was enlivened by frequent abuse of this poor darkey, and I was not sorry when it was time to go on shore. We went in the same boat, and as the captain continually talked with his face toward me, I perceived, what I certainly thought were the fumes of whiskey; but I discovered the injustice I had done him, after a while, when he remarked, "I bought some Cologne at Batavia, and it's the queerest stuff I ever saw; it smells just like whiskey. I put some on my handkerchief just before I left the vessel, and I thought I'd mention it to you lest you might think I'd been drinking, which I never do." This should be a warning to temperance men to be careful in their choice of eau de cologne. We dined together at the hotel that day, and the captain entertained the whole company with his conversation. At one time, addressing a remark to a young Dutch officer, the latter replied: "No speak Engleesh," when the captain rejoined: "Every _gentleman_ speaks English." The officer understood this and accepted it as an insult. Withdrawing from the table he found friendly assistance in concocting an English note, challenging the captain to fight a duel with broadswords. But this met with no response from the captain.