Under his system the sailors had good coffee for breakfast, instead of a horrible mixture made of burnt biscuits cooked in foul water.

He gave the men pea-soup and rice instead of burgoo and the wretched oatmeal mess which was the staple thing for breakfast.

He saw to it that the meat was no longer a hateful, repulsive mass, two-thirds bone and gristle, and before it came into the cook's hands capable of being polished like mahogany.

He threatened the cook with punishment if he found the meals ill-cooked.
In all the journey to the West Indian seas there had been only three formal floggings.

His attitude was not that of the commander who declared: "I will see the man's backbone, by God!" He wished to secure discipline without cruelty.