“That,” I replied, “is a case of which I shall not allow you to be the judges.  I hold in my pocket a commission from the King’s Lord High Admiral, or the commissioners for executing that duty.  Your captain, and mine also, holds a similar commission.  Under this authority I act.  Let me see the man that dares dispute it—­I will hang him at the yard-arm of the wreck before she goes down;” and, looking at the man whom Thompson had thrown overboard, and who still held by the gunwale of the boat, without daring to get in, I asked him if he would obey me or not?  He replied that he would, and hoped I would forgive him.  I said that my forgiveness would depend entirely on the conduct of himself and the others; that he must recollect that if our own ship, or any other man-of-war, picked us up, he was liable, with three or four more, to be hanged for mutiny; and that nothing but his and their future obedience could save them from that punishment, whenever we reached a port.

This harangue had a very tranquillising effect.  The offenders all begged pardon, and assured me they would deserve my forgiveness by their future submission.

All this passed at some little distance from the wreck, but within hearing; and while it was going on, the wind, which had been fair when we put off, gradually died away, and blew faintly from the south-west, directly towards the sinking wreck.  I took advantage of this circumstance to read them a lecture.  When I had subdued them, and worked a little on their feelings, I said I never knew any good come of cruelty:  whenever a ship or a boat had left a man behind who might have been saved, that disaster or destruction had invariably attended those who had so cruelly acted; that I was quite sure we never should escape from this danger, if we did not show mercy to our fellow-creatures.  “God,” said I, “has shown mercy to us, in giving us this excellent boat, to save us in our imminent danger; and He seems to say to us now, ’Go back to the wreck, and rescue your fellow-sufferer.’  The wind blows directly towards her, and is foul for the point in which we intend to steer; hasten, then,” pursued I, “obey the Divine will; do your duty, and trust in God.  I shall then be proud to command you, and have no doubt of bringing you safe into port.”

This was the “pliant hour;” they sprang upon their oars, and pulled back to the wreck with alacrity.  The poor captain, who had witnessed all that passed, watched the progress of his cause with deep anxiety.  No sooner did the boat touch the ship, than he leaped into her, fell down on his knees, and thanked God aloud for his deliverance.  He then fell on my neck, embraced me, kissed my cheek, and wept like a girl.  The sailors, meanwhile, who never bear malice long, good-naturedly jumped up, and assisted him in getting his little articles into the boat; and as Mungo followed his master, shook hands with him all round, and swore he should be a black prince when he went back to Guinea.  We also took in one or two more little articles of general use, which had been forgotten in our former hurry.