trampled upon. His mistaken apprehension of a
mutinous design in Mr Cozens, the sole motive of this
rash action, was so far from answering the end he proposed
by it, that the men, who before were much dissatisfied
and uneasy, were by this unfortunate step thrown almost
into open sedition and revolt. It was evident
that the people, who ran out of their tents, alarmed
by the report of fire-arms, though they disguised
their real sentiments for the present, were extremely
affected at this catastrophe of Mr Cozens, for he was
greatly beloved by them: their minds were now
exasperated, and it was to be apprehended, that their
resentment, which was smothered for the present, would
shortly shew itself in some desperate enterprize.
The unhappy victim, who lay weltering in his blood
on the ground before them, seemed to absorb their whole
attention; the eyes of all were fixed upon him; and
visible marks of the deepest concern appeared in the
countenances of the spectators. The persuasion
the captain was under, at the time he shot Mr Cozens,
that his intentions were mutinous, together with a
jealousy of the diminution of his authority, occasioned
also his behaving with less compassion and tenderness
towards him afterwards than was consistent with the
unhappy condition of the poor sufferer: for when
it was begged as a favour by his mess-mates, that
Mr Cozens might be removed to their tent, though a
necessary thing in his dangerous situation, yet it
was not permitted; but the poor wretch was suffered
to languish on the ground some days with no other covering
than a bit of canvas thrown over some bushes, where
he died. But to return to our story: the
captain, addressing himself to the people thus assembled,
told them, that it was his resolution to maintain
his command over them as usual, which still remained
in as much force as ever; and then ordered them all
to return to their respective tents, with which order
they instantly complied. Now we had saved our
long-boat from the wreck, and got it in our possession,
there was nothing that seemed so necessary towards
the advancing our delivery from this desolate place
as the new-modelling this vessel, so as to have room
for all those who were inclined to go off in her,
and to put her in a condition to bear the stormy seas
we must of course encounter. We therefore hauled
her up, and having placed her upon blocks, sawed her
in two, in order to lengthen her about twelve feet
by the keel. For this purpose, all those who
could be spared from the more immediate task of procuring
subsistence, were employed in fitting and shaping
timber as the carpenter directed them; I say, in procuring
subsistence, because the weather lately having been
very tempestuous, and the wreck working much, had
disgorged a great part of her contents, which were
every where dispersed about the shore.