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the remonstrances of Morgan and me, countenance of my fellow-prisoner, who, goes overboard in the night.

without speaking one word, allowed his feet

to be inclosed in the rings provided for that In the mean time, the storm subsided into a purpose ; but when they pretended to fasten brisk gale, that carried us into the warm him on his back, he grew outrageous, and latitudes, where the weather became intoler- drawing a large couteau from his side-pocket, able, and the crew very sickly. The doctor threatened to rip up the belly of the first man left nothing unattempted towards the com- that should approach him, in order to treat him pletion of his vengeance against the Welsh- in such an unworthy manner. They were man and me. He went among the sick, preparing to use him very roughly, when the under pretence of inquiring into their griev- lieutenant on the quarter deck called up to ances, with a view of picking up complaints them to let him remain as he was. He then to our prejudice; but finding himself frus- crept towards me, and taking me by the trated in that expectation, by the good will hand, bade me,—“put my trust in Got.” we had procured from the patients, by our And looking at Thomson, who sat by us diligence and humanity, he took the resolu- trembling, with a pale visage, told him, there tion of listening to our conversation, by were two more rings for his feet, and he hiding himself behind the canvass that sur. should be glad to find him in such good rounded our berth ; here too he was detected company. But it was not the intention of by the boy of our mess, who acquainted us our adversary to include the second mate in with this piece of behaviour; and one night our fate; him he expected to be his drudge while we were picking a large bone of salt in attending the sick, and, if possible, his beef, Morgan discerned something stir on the evidence against us; with this view, he outside of our hangings, which immediately sounded him afar off; but finding his integrity interpreting to be the doctor, he tipt me the incorruptible, harassed him so much out of wink, and pointed to the place, where I could spite, that, in a short time, this mild creature perceive somebody standing; upon which I grew weary of his life. snatched up the bone, and levelled it with all While I and my fellow-prisoner comforted my force at him, saying,—“Whoever you each other in our tribulation, the admiral disare, take that for your curiosity.” It had covered four sail to leeward, and made sigthe desired effect, for we heard the listener nal for our ship and four more to chase; here. tumble down, and afterwards crawl to his upon every thing was cleared for an engage. own cabin. I applauded myself much for ment; and Mackshane, foreseeing he should this feat, which turned out one of the most have occasion for more assistants than one, unlucky exploits of my life, Mackshane from obtained Morgan's liberty, while I was left that time marking me out for destruction. in this deplorable posture to the chance of About a week after this exploit, as I was battle. It was almost dark when we came going my rounds among the sick, I was up with the sternmost chase, which we hailed, taken prisoner, and carried to the poop by and inquired who they were : they gave us to the master at arms, where I was loaded with understand they were French men of war: irons and stapled to the deck, on pretence upon which Captain Oakum commanded that I was a spy on board, and had con- them to send their boat on board of him ; spired against the captain's life. How but they refused, telling him, if he had any ridiculous soever this imputation was, I did business with them, to come on board of not fail to suffer by it all the rigour that could their ship: he then threatened to pour in a be shown to the worst of criminals, being broadside upon them, which they promised exposed in this miserable condition to the to return. Both sides were as good as their scorching heat of the sun by day, and the word, and the engagement began with great unwholesome damps by night, during the fury. The reader may guess how I passed space of twelve days, in which I was neither my time, lying in this helpless situation, brought to trial, nor examined touching the amidst the terrors of a sea fight; expecting probability of the charge. I had no sooner every moment to be cut asunder, or dashed recovered the use of my reflection, which in pieces by the enemy's shot! I endeavourhad been quite overthrown by this accident, ed to compose myself as much as possible, than I sent for Thomson, who, after condoling by reflecting that I was not a whit more ex. mne on the occasion, hinted, that I owed this posed than those who were stationed about misfortune to the hatred of the doctor, who me; but when I beheld them employed withhad given an information against me to the out intermission in annoying the foe, and en. captain, in consequence of which I was couraged by the society and behaviour of one arrested, and all my papers seized. While another, I could easily perceive a wide difI was cursing my capricious fate, I saw ference between their condition and mine : Morgan ascend the poop, guarded by two however, I concealed my agitation as well as corporals, who made him sit down by me, I could, till the head of the officer of marines, that he might be pinioned in the same who stood near me, being shot off, bounced machine. Notwithstanding my situation, from the deck athwart my face, leaving me I could scarce refrain from laughing at the well nigh blinded with brains. I could con

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tain myself no longer, but began to bellow he did not choose to accompany us in our with all the strength of my lungs; when a confinement. Thomson, foreseeing that the drummer coming towards me, asked if I was whole slavery of attending the sick and wounwounded? and before I could answer, receiv. ded, as well as the cruelty of Mackshane, ed a great shot in his belly, which tore out his must now fall upon his shoulders, grew desentrails, and he fell flat on my breast. This perate at the prospect, and, though I never accident entirely ereft me of all discretion: heard him swear before, imprecated dreadful I redoubled my cries, which were drowned curses on the heads of his oppressors, declarin the noise of the battle ; and finding myself ing that he would rather quit life altogether, disregarded, lost all patience, and became than be much longer under the power of such frantic: I vented my rage in oaths and exe- barbarians. I was not a little startled at his crations, till my spirits being quite exhausted, vivacity, and endeavoured to alleviate his I remained quiet, and insensible of the load complaints, by representing the subject of that oppressed me. The engagement lasted my own; with as much aggravation as it till broad day, when Captain Oakum, finding would bear, by which comparison he might that he was like to gain neither honour nor see the balance of misfortune lay on my side, advantage by the affair, pretended to be un- and take an example from me of fortitude deceived by seeing their colours; and, hail- and submission, till such time as we could ing the ship with whom he had fought all procure redress, which, I hoped, was not far night, protested he believed them Spaniards; off, considering that we should probably be and the guns being silenced on each side, in a harbour in less than three days, where ordered the barge to be hoisted out, and went we should have an opportunity of preferring on board of a French commodore. Our loss our complaints to the admiral. The Welshamounted to ten killed, and eighteen wound. man joined in my remonstrance, and was at ed, most part of whom afterwards died. great pains to demonstrate, that it was every My fellow mates had no sooner dispatched man's duty, as well as interest, to resign their business in the cockpit, than, full of himself to the divine will, and look upon him. friendly concern, they came to visit me. self as a sentinel upon duty, who is by no Morgan ascended first, and seeing my face means at liberty to leave his post before he almost covered with brains and blood, con- is relieved. Thomson listened attentively to cluded I was no longer a man for this world; what we said, and at last, shedding a flood of and calling to Thomson with great emotion, tears, shook his head, and left us without bade him come up and take his last farewell making any reply. About eleven at night he of his comrade and countryman, who was came to see us again, with a settled gloom posting to a petter place, where there were on his countenance, and gave us to under. no Mackshanes nor Oakums to asperse and stand, that he had undergone excessive toil torment him. “ No,” said he, taking me by since he saw us, and in recompense had been the hand, "you are going to a country where grossly abused by the doctor, who taxed him there is more respect shown to unfortunate with being confederate with us in a design of shentlemen, and where you will have the taking away his life, and that of the captain. satisfaction of peholding your adversaries After some time spent in mutual exhortation, tossing upon pillows of purning primstone." he got up, and squeezing me by the hand with Thomson, alarmed at this apostrophe, made an uncommon fervour, cried—“ God bless haste to the place where I lay, and sitting you both ;" and left us to wonder at his sin. down by me, with tears in his eyes, inquired gular manner of parting with us, which did into the nature of my calamity. By this not fail to make a deep impression on us. time I had recollected myself so far, as to be Next morning, when the hour of visitation able to converse rationally with my friends, came round, this unhappy young man was whom, to their great satisfaction, I imme- missing, and, after strict search, supposed to diately undeceived with regard to their ap- have gone overboard in the night ; and this prehension of my being mortally wounded. was certainly the case. After I had got myself

disengaged from the carnage in which I wallowed, and partaken of a refreshment which my friends brought

CHAPTER XXX. along with them, we entered into discourse upon the hardships we sustained, and spoke We lament the fate of our companion-the very freely of the authors of our misery: but captain offers Morgan his liberty, which our discourse being overheard by the sentinel he refuses to accept-we are brought be. who guarded me, he was no sooner relieved, fore him, and examined-Morgan is sent than he reported to the captain every syllable back into custody, whither also I am reof our conversation, according to the orders manded, after a curious trial. he had received. The effect of this information soon appeared in the arrival of the mas. The news of this event affected my fellowter at arms, who replaced Morgan in his for. prisoner and me extremely, as our unfortumer station, and gave the second mate a cau: nate companion had justly acquired, by his tion to keep a strict guard over his tongue, if.) amiable disposition, the love and esteem of

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both; and the more we regretted his untime- | been informed you have spoken disrespectful ly fate, the greater horror we conceived for words against your captain, who, to be sure, the villain who was undoubtedly the occasion is the most honourable and generous coinman. of it. This abandoned miscreant did not der in the king's service, without asparagediscover the least syinptom of concern for ment or acception of man, woman, or child." Thomson's death, although he must have been Having uttered this elegant harrangue, on conscious to himself of having driven him by which he seemed to plume himself, Morgan reill usage to that fatal resolution ; but desired plied, "I do partly guess, and conceive, and the captain to set Morgan at liberty again, to understand your meaning, which I wish could look after the patients. Accordingly, one of be more explicit; but, however, I do suppose the corporals was sent up to unfetter him; but I am not to be condemned upon bare hearsay; he protested he would not be released until or if I am convicted of speaking disrespecthe should know for what he was confined ; fully of Captain Oakum, I hope there is no nor would he be a tennis-ball, nor a shuttle treason in my words.” “But there's mutiny, cock, nor a trudge, nor a scullion, to any cap- by G-d, and that's death by the articles of tain under the sun. Oakum finding him ob- war," cried Oakum ;—" in the mean time, stinate, and fearing it would not be in his let the witnesses be called." Hereupon power to exercise his tyranny much longer Mackshane's servant appeared, and the boy with impunity, was willing to show some ap- of our mess, whom they had seduced and pearance of justice, and therefore ordered us tutored for the purpose. The first declared, both to be brought before him on the quarter that Morgan, as he descended the cockpit deck, where he sat in state, with his clerk on ladder one day, cursed the captain, and called one side, and his counsellor Mackshane on him a savage beast, saying, he ought to be the other. When we approached, he hon- hunted down as an enemy to mankind. oured us with this salutation :“So, gentle"This," said the clerk, " is a strong premen, d-n my blood ! many a captain in the sumption of a design formed against the capnavy would have ordered you both to be tuck'd tain's life. For why? It presupposes mal. up to the yard's arm, without either judge or ice aforethought, and a criminal intention a jury, for the crimes you have been guilty of; priori.”. Right,” said the captain, to this but, d-n my blood, I have too much good miserable grub, who had been an attorney's nature, in allowing such dogs as you to make boy ; " you shall have law enough; here's your defence.” ** Captain Oakum," said my Cook and Littlejohn for it.” This

evidence fellow-sufferer, “ certainly it is in your power was confirmed by the boy, who affirmed he (Got help the while) to tuck us all up at heard the first mate say, that the captain your will, and desire, and pleasures. And had no more bowels than a bear, and the surperhaps it would be petter for some of us to geon had no more brains than an ass. Then be tucked up, than undergo the miseries to the sentinel who heard our discourse on the which we have been exposed. So may the poop was examined, and informed the court farmer hang his kids for his diversion, and that the Welshman assured me, Captain amusement and mirth; but there is such a Oakum and Dr Mackshane would toss upon thing as justice, if not upon earth, surely in billows of burning brimstone in hell for their heaven, that will punish with fire and prim- barbarity. The clerk observed, that there stone all those who take away the lives of was an evident prejudication, which confirminnocent people out of wantonness and par. ed the former suspicion ofa conspiracy against parity (look you). In the mean time, I shall the life of captain Oakum; for, because, how be glad to know the crimes laid to my charge, could Morgan so positively pronounce that and see the person who accuses me." “That the captain and surgeon would be damned, you shall,” said the captain ; "here, doctor, unless he had an intention to make away with what have you to say ?" Mackshane, step- them before they could have time to repent? ping forward, hemmed a good while, in order This sage explanation had great weight with to clear his throat; and before he began, our noble commander, who exclaimed, Morgan accosted him thus :-"Doctor Mack. "What have you to say to this, Taffy ! you shane, look in my face--look in the face of seem to be taken all a-back, brother, ha!" an honest man, who abhors a false witness as Morgan was too much of a gentleman to he abhors the tevil, and Got be judge between disown the text, although he absolutely de. you and me.” The doctor, not minding this nied the truth of the comment : upon which conjuration, made the following speech, as the captain, strutting up to him with a feronear as I can remember:-“ I'll tell you what, cious countenance, said,—“So Mr son of a Mr Morgan, to be sure, what you say is just, b—, you confess you honoured me with the in regard to an honest man ; and if so be it names of bear and beast, and pronounced my appears as how you are an honest man, then damnation ? Damn my heart! I have a good it is my opinion that you deserve to be ac- mind to have you brought to a court-martial, quitted, in relation to that there affair; for I and hanged, you dog.” Here Mackshane, tell you what, Captain Oakum is resolved having occasion for an assistant, interposed, for to do every body justice. As for my own and beyged the captain to pardon Mr Morgan, part, all that I have to allege is, that I have l with his wonted goodness, upon condition,

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that he, the delinquent, should make such they pretended to support by the evidence of submission as the nature of his misdemeanour our boy, who declared he had often heard the demanded. Upon which the Cambro-Briton, deceased Thomson and me whispering towho on this occasion would have made no gether, and could distinguish the words submission to the great Mogul, surrounded Oakum, rascal, poison, pistol.”—By which with his guards, thanked the doctor for his expressions it appeared, we did intend to use mediation, and acknowledged himself in the sinister means to accomplish his destruction. wrong for calling the image of Got a peast; That the death of Thomson seemed to con. - But,” said he, “I spoke by metaphor, firm this conjecture ; who, either feeling the and parable, and comparison, and types : as stings of remorse, for being engaged in such we signify meekness by a lamb, lechery by a a horrid confederacy, or fearing a discovery, goat, and craftiness by a fox ; so we liken ig- by which he must have infallibly suffered an norance to an ass, and brutality to a bear, ignominious death, had put a fatal period to and fury to a tiger ; therefore I made use of his own existence. But what established these similes to express my sentiments (look the truth of the whole, was a book in ciphers, you), and what I said before Got, I will not found among my papers, which exactly tal. unsay before man or peast neither." Oakum lied with one found in his chest after his was so provoked at this insolence (as he term disappearance. This, he observed, was a ed it), that he ordered him forthwith to be presumption very near proof positive, and carried to the place of his confinement, and would deterinine any jury in Christendom his clerk to proceed on the examination of to find me guilty. In my own defence, I al. me. The first question put to me, was touch- leged that I had been dragged on board first, ing the place of my nativity, which I declared very much against my inclination, as I could to be the north of Scotland. “ The north prove by the evidence of some people now in of Ireland, more like,” cried the captain, the ship; consequently could have no design " but we shall bring you up presently." He of becoming a spy at that time; and ever then asked what religion I professed ; and since had been entirely out of the reach of when I answered," the protestant," swore any correspondence that could justly entail I was as arrant a Roman as ever went to that suspicion upon me. As for conspiring

“Come, come, clerk," continued he, against my captain's life, it could not be sup"catechise him a little on this subject.” But posed that any man in his right wits would before I relate the particulars of the clerk's harbour the least thought of such an underinquiries, it will not be amiss to inform the taking, which he could not possibly perform reader, that our commander himself was an without certain infamy and ruin to himself, Hibernian, and, if not shrewdly belied, a even if he had all the inclination in the world. Roman catholic to boot. You say you are That, allowing the boy's evidence to be true a protestant,” said the clerk, “ make the sign (which I affirmed was false and malicious), of the cross with your fingers, so, and swear nothing conclusive could be gathered from a upon it to that affirmation.” When I was few incoherent words : neither was the fate about to perform this ceremony, the captain of Mr Thomson a circumstance more favourcried, with some emotion,—"No, no, damme! able for the charge ; for I had in my pocket I'll have no profanation neither.

But go on

a letter which too well explained that myswith your interrogations.". “Well, then," tery, in a very different manner from that proceeded my examiner, “how many sacra- which was supposed. With these words I ments are there ?" To which I replied, produced the following letter, which Jack “ Two." “What are they?" said he. I Rattlin brought to me the very day after answered,—" Baptism and the Lord's sup. Thomson disappeared ; and told me it was per.” “And so you would explode confirm committed to his care by the deceased; who ation and marriage altogether ?" said Oak- made him promise not to deliver it sooner. um, “ I thought this fellow was a rank Ro- The clerk, taking it out of my hand, read man." The clerk, though he was bred un- aloud the contents, which were these :der an attorney, could not refrain from blush- “Dear Friend,—I am so much oppressed ing at this blunder, which he endeavoured to with the fatigue I daily and niglıtly undergo, conceal, by, observing, that these decoys and the barbarous usage of Doctor Mack. would not do with me, who seemed to be shane, who is bent on your destruction an old offender. He went on with asking if well as mine, that I anı resolved to free myI believed in transubstantiation : but I treat. self from this miserable life, and, before you ed the notion of a real presence with such receive this, shall be no more. I could have disrespect, that his patron was scandalized at wished to die in your good opinion, which my impiety, and commanded him to proceed I am afraid I shall forfeit by the last act of to the plot. Whereupon this miserable pet. my life ; but if you cannot acquit me, I know tifogger told me there was great reason to you will at least preserve some regard for suspect me of being a spy on board ; and that the memory of an unfortunate young man I had entered into a conspiracy with Thom- who loved you. I recommend it to you to son, and others not yet detected, against the beware of Mackshane, whose revenge is life of Captain Oakum : which accusation implacable. I wish all prosperity to you and

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Mr Morgan, to whom, pray, offer my last | proclaimed, that if any of them could speak respects, and beg to be remembered as your Greek, he or they so qualified should ascend unhappy friend and countryman,

the quarter deck immediately. After some “ WILLIAM Thomson." pause, two foremast men came up and proThis letter was no sooner read, than Mack- fessed their skill in that language, which, shane, in a transport of rage, snatched it out they said, they acquired during several voyaof the clerk's hands, and tore it into a thou- ges to the Levant, among the Greeks of the sand pieces, saying, it was a villainous Morea. The captain exulted much in this forgery, contrived and executed by myself. declaration, and put my journal-book into the The captain and clerk declared themselves hands of one of them, who candidly owned of the same opinion, although I insisted on he could neither read nor write: the other having the remains of it compared with other acknowledged the same degree of ignorance, writings of Thomson, which they had in but pretended to speak the Greek lingo with their possession; and I was ordered to answer any man on board : and, addressing himself the last article of my accusation, namely, the to me, pronounced some sentences, of a barbook of ciphers found among my papers. barous corrupted language which I did not “ That is easily done,” said I. • What you understand. I asserted, that the modern are pleased to call ciphers, are no other than Greek was as different from that spoken and the Greek characters, in which, for my amuse- written by the ancients, as the English used ment, I kept a diary of every thing remarka- now from the old Saxon spoken in the time ble that has occurred to my observation, of Hengist; and as I had only learned the since the beginning of the voyage till the day true original tongue, in which Homer, Pinon which I was put in irons;

and the same dar, the evangelists, and other great men of method was practised by Mr Thomson, who antiqnity wrote, it could not be supposed copied mine.'' “ A very likely story!" cried that I should know any thing of an imperfect Mackshane. " What occasion was there for Gothic dialect that rose on the ruins of the using Greek characters, if you were not afraid former, and scarce retained any traces of the of discovering what you had wrote ? But old expression. But if Doctor Mackshane, what d'ye talk of Greek characters ? D'ye who pretended to be master of the Greek think I am so ignorant of the Greek language, language, could maintain a conversation with as not to distinguish its letters from these, these seamen, I would retract what I had which are no more Greek than Chinese ? No, said, and be content to suffer any punishment no, I will not give up my knowledge of the he should think proper to inflict. I had no Greek for you, nor none that ever came from sooner uttered these words, than the surgeon, your country.” So saying, with an unpa- knowing one of these fellows to be his counralleled effrontery, he repeated some gibber- tryman, accosted him in Irish, and was anish, which, by the sound, seemed to be Irish, swered in the same brogue; when a dialogue and made it pass for Greek with the captain, ensued between them, which they affirmed who, looking at me with a contemptuous to be in Greek, after having secured the sneer, exclaimed—“Ah! ah! have you caught secrecy of the other tar, who had his cue in a Tartar ?" I could not help smiling at the the language of the Morea from his compaconsummate assurance of this Hibernian, nion, before they could venture to assert and offered to refer the dispute to any body such an intrepid falsehood. “I thought," on board who understood the Greek alphabet, said Oakum, "we should discover the imupon which Morgan was brought back, and posture at last. Let the rascal be carried being made acquainted with the affair, took back to his confinement. I find he must the book and read a whole page in English dangle.” Having nothing further to urge without hesitation, deciding the controversy in my own behalf

, before a court so prejuin my favour. The doctor was so far from diced with spite, and fortified with ignorance being out of countenance at this detection, against truth, I suffered myself to be rethat he affirmed Morgan was in the secret, conducted peaceably to my fellow-prisoner, and repeated from his own invention. Oak- who, hearing the particulars of my trial, um said, “Ay, ay, I see they are both in a lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, and story ;" and dismissed my fellow mate to the uttered a dreadful groan; and not daring to cockloft, although I proposed that he and I disburthen his thoughts to me by speech, should read and translate, separately, any lest he might be overheard by the sentinel, chapter or verse in the Greek Testament, in burst forth into a Welsh song, which he his possession, by which it would appear accompanied with a thousand contortions whether we or the surgeon spoke truth. Not of face, and violent gestures of body. being endued with eloquence enough to convince the captain that there could be no juggle nor confederacy in this expedient, I begged

CHAPTER XXXI. to be examined by some unconcerned person on board, who understood Greek : according. I discover a subornation against me, by ly, the whole ship's company, officers and all, means of a quarrel between two of the eviwere called upon deck, among whom it was dences; in consequence of which I am set

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