Such A Punishment Inflicted
Upon An Able Seaman In A Vessel Of War, Would Break His Spirit Down
More Than A Flogging.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And promised to "ride him down as he would the main tack;" and when
officers are once determined to "ride a man down," it is a gone
case with him.
He had had several difficulties with the captain,
and asked leave to go home in the Lagoda; but this was refused him.
One night he was insolent to an officer on the beach, and refused
to come aboard in the boat. He was reported to the captain; and
as he came aboard, - it being past the proper hour, - he was called
aft, and told that he was to have a flogging. Immediately, he fell
down on the deck, calling out - "Don't flog me, Captain T - - -;
don't flog me!" and the captain, angry with him, and disgusted
with his cowardice, gave him a few blows over the back with a
rope's end and sent him forward. He was not much hurt, but a
good deal frightened, and made up his mind to run away that
very night. This was managed better than anything he ever did
in his life, and seemed really to show some spirit and forethought.
He gave his bedding and mattress to one of the Lagoda's crew,
who took it aboard his vessel as something which he had bought,
and promised to keep it for him. He then unpacked his chest,
putting all his valuable clothes into a large canvas bag, and told
one of us, who had the watch, to call him at midnight. Coming on
deck, at midnight, and finding no officer on deck, and all still
aft, he lowered his bag into a boat, got softly down into it,
cast off the painter, and let it drop silently with the tide
until he was out of hearing, when he sculled ashore.
The next morning, when all hands were mustered, there was a
great stir to find F - - -. Of course, we would tell nothing, and all
they could discover was, that he had left an empty chest behind him,
and that he went off in a boat; for they saw it lying up high and dry
on the beach. After breakfast, the captain went up to the town,
and offered a reward of twenty dollars for him; and for a couple
of days, the soldiers, Indians, and all others who had nothing to do,
were scouring the country for him, on horseback, but without effect;
for he was safely concealed, all the time, within fifty rods of
the hide-houses. As soon as he had landed, he went directly to
the Lagoda's hide-house, and a part of her crew, who were living
there on shore, promised to conceal him and his traps until the
Pilgrim should sail, and then to intercede with Captain Bradshaw
to take him on board the ship. Just behind the hide-houses,
among the thickets and underwood, was a small cave, the entrance
to which was known only to two men on the beach, and which was so
well concealed that, though, when I afterwards came to live on
shore, it was shown to me two or three times, I was never able to
find it alone.
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