Patrick O'brian said this quote
“ [Babbington] What did [the Doctor, Stephen] do to you, sir?[Captain Aubrey] Well, I am ashamed to say he took a pistol-ball out of the small of my back. It must have been when I turned to hail for more hands- thank God I did not. At the time I thought it was one of those vile horses that were capering about abaft the wheel.Oh, sir, surely a horse would never have fired off a pistol? ”