The Battle of Flamborough Head, an eye witness account of the battle of Flamborough Head by John Paul Jones's Midshipman Nathaniel Fanning of Conneticut (part d)

Here it must be acknowledged that Capt Jones treated his midshipmen with a good deal of respect in some particulars, and in others with a degree of severity.  It was a constant practise with Captain Hones every day, to invite two midshipmen to dine with him, there were six of us in all.  When we went to dine with him, we were obliged to appear in the cabain with our best clothes on, otherwise we were not to meet a favourable reception from him.  He almost always conversed with his midshipmen as freely as he did with his lieutenants; but he made us do our duty.   When at sea, he would always, I mean in the daytime, have one midshipman aloft to look out the main top gallant yard.  And it sometimes happened Jones thought that he was not so attentive as  he ought to be in looking out, he would himself let go the topgallant haulyards, and the poor midshipman would come down by the run until the lifts of the yard brought him up of sudden, and he would, you may be sure, feel himself happy, if he did not by the shock get severely hurt.