Gentlemen, Captain P——n has nothing
to do with me, I am your commander still, I will shew
you my instructions, which he did to the people, on
this we came out. He then call’d his officers
a second time, and said, What is this for? He
was answer’d as before, that assistance was demanded
by Captain P——n to take him prisoner
for the death of Mr Cozens. He still insisted,
Captain P——n has no business with
me, I could not think you would serve me so.
It was told him, Sir, it is your own fault, you have
given yourself no manner of concern for the publick
good, on our going from hence, but have acted quite
the reverse, or else been so careless and indifferent
about it, as if we had no commander, and if other persons
had given themselves no more trouble and concern than
you have, we should not be ready to go from hence
as long as provisions lasted. The captain said,
Very well, gentlemen, you have caught me napping; I
do not see any of you in liquor, you are a parcel
of brave fellows, but my officers are scoundrels:
Then turning himself to me, he said, Gunner, where’s
my lieutenant? did not he head you? I told him,
No, sir, but was here to see it executed, and is here
now. One of you, says the captain, call Mr B——s.
When Mr B——s came, he said, What
is all this for, sir? Sir, it is Captain P——n’s
order. Captain P——n hath no
business with me, and you will answer for it hereafter,
if I do not live to see England, I hope some of my
friends will. On this the lieutenant left him.
The captain then address’d himself to the seamen,
saying, My lads, I do not blame you, but it is the
villainy of my officers, which they will answer for
hereafter. He then call’d Mr B——s
again, and said, Well, sir, what do you design to do
by me? The lieutenant answer’d, Sir, your
officers have design’d the purser’s tent
for you. Hum! I should be obliged to the
gentlemen, if they would let me stay in my own tent.
The lieutenant came to acquaint the officers of the
captain’s request, but they judg’d it inconvenient,
as Mr H——n’s tent join’d
the purser’s, one guard might serve ’em
both; accordingly all his things were mov’d
to the purser’s tent: As he was coming along,
he said, Gentlemen, you must excuse my not pulling
my hat off, my hands are confin’d. Well,
Captain B——s you will be call’d
to an account for this hereafter. The boatswain,
after the captain’s confinement, most barbarously
insulted him, reproaching him with striking him, saying,
Then it was your time, but now, G—d d—n
you, it is mine; The captain made no reply but this,
You are a scoundrel for using a gentleman ill when
he is a prisoner. When the captain was a prisoner,
he declar’d, he never intended to go to the
southward, having more honour than to turn his back
on his enemies; and farther, he said, Gentlemen, I
do not want to go off in any of your craft, for I
never design’d to go for England, and would rather
cause to be shot by you; there is not a single man
on the beach dare engage me, but this is what I fear’d.