"I suppose during that time you met once or twice with bad weather?"
"We had one tremendous squall, sir."
"It came suddenly upon you?"
"Yes, sir. Our first intimation of it was that we saw two native craft suddenly lower their sails."
"Let us know exactly the measures that you took and the orders you gave."
Wilkinson described what had passed from the time that the first order was given until the violence of the squall abated.
"That will do as far as seamanship is concerned," the officer said.
Another now asked him a few questions as to navigation, and these being answered correctly, the president, after a word with the others, said:
"That will do, Mr. Wilkinson. You have answered creditably, and, indeed, the mere fact that Sir Sidney Smith should have considered you fit to command the Tigress in so difficult and dangerous a work as cruising among those islands is in itself a better guarantee of your fitness for promotion than the most rigid examination could be."
A few further questions were asked, and then Wilkinson was congratulated upon having passed successfully. He then went to the prize court, saw the President, and presented Sir Sidney Smith's note to him. He read it through, and then glanced at a copy of the bill of lading which had been taken when the cargo was transferred.