ships at anchor and raided the local craft, if Middleton had not strongly interdicted such procedure on the ground that it would be perilous to him and his fellow-captives. For a time Downton acquiesced in the instructions, though reluctantly. But when as the weeks slipped by the confident expectations of an early release were not realized, he became restive in the presence of the re-iterated injunctions of his superior to do nothing. He wrote strongly to Middleton, telling him plainly that he must be the judge of what was best to do and intimating that he could accept no instructions which clashed with what he deemed to be necessary.
Middleton took umbrage at this frankness and replied in what Downton described as "a very carping and most distasteful letter." The relations between the two old friends seemed to threaten a rupture, but happily the good sense of each saved the situation. Downton, more in sorrow than in anger, wrote saying how hurt he was at the tone of Middleton's missive and intimating that he would write no more letters for mischief-makers to "cant, construe and cavil at." To this Middleton replied with a "very kind letter," asking Downton not to take the worst view of his last "melancholy letter," which, he explained, was written under circumstances of great mental depression. The frank and manly acknowledgment of error went home to the sensitive heart of Downton, who now cheerfully carried out Middleton's orders to take his ships to Assab Bay on the opposite coast of the Red Sea, and have them careened with a view to future eventualities.
About this time news reached Downton of the arrival at Mocha of a number of small craft from Swes (Suez). There are other references subsequently to this traffic down
