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Twenty-three guns followed in regular succession , with an interval of fifteen seconds between each when the cloud cleared away , and the ship lay dressed in her colors , all day . Jokes were made upon those who showed any interest in the expected news , and everything near and dear was made common stock for rude jokes and unfeeling coarseness , to which no exception could be taken by any one . The rail , fore and aft , the windlass , capstan , the sides of the ship , and every vacant place on deck , were covered with wet hides , on the least sign of an interval for drying . " I knew that this was too true to be answered , but I excused myself from any blame , and told them that I had a right to go home , at all events . I repeated what I had said , and insisted upon my right to return in the ship . Misfortune , extravagance , and the want of funds , or any manner of getting interest on money , soon eat the estate up , and Don Juan Bandini returned from Mexico accomplished , poor , and proud , and without any office or occupation , to lead the life of most young men of the better families - dissolute and extravagant when the means are at hand ; ambitious at heart , and impotent in act ; often pinched for bread ; keeping up an appearance of style , when their poverty is known to each half-naked Indian boy in the street , and they stand in dread of every small trader and shopkeeper in the place . I felt an interest and affection for many of these simple , true-hearted men , such as I never felt before but for a near relation . But they saw that I would not go , unless " vi et armis , " and they knew that I had friends and interest enough at home to make them suffer for any injustice they might do me . An occasional touch of the toe to the ground , seemed all that was necessary to give him a long interval of motion in the air . Down go the braces again ; in come the studding-sails , all in a mess , which half an hour wo n't set right ; yards braced sharp up ; and she 's on the starboard tack , close hauled . Not a drop of anything had been given them during the whole time , ( though the captain , as on the night that I was on deck , had his coffee every four hours , ) except that the mate stole a potful of coffee for two men to drink behind the galley , while he kept a look-out for the captain . His singular character and story had excited our interest ever since the ship came into the port . The captain was on deck nearly the whole night , and kept the cook in the galley , with a roaring fire , to make coffee for him , which he took every few hours , and once or twice gave a little to his officers ; but not a drop of anything was there for the crew .