They
Treated Me With As Much Respect As I Could Wish, And Even In A Body
Thanked Me For The
Prospect of their deliverance; while I never failed
to encourage them by telling them stories of the great things that
Had
been accomplished by the united efforts of men in similar distresses. I
always pressed them to stick close to the work, that we might get our
bark ready in time; and told them that we fortunately had three of the
best ports in Chili within 120 leagues of us. This inspired them with
life and vigour, and they often declared that they would exert their
utmost endeavours to finish her with all expedition. At last, however,
we became a prey to faction, so that it was a miracle we ever got off
from this place. For, after completing the most laborious part of the
work, they entirely neglected it; and many of my officers, deserting my
society, herded with the meanest of the ship's company. I was now
convinced in a suspicion I had long entertained, that some black design
was in embryo; for when I met any of my officers, and asked what they
were about, and the reason of their acting so contrary to their duty, by
diverting the people from their work, some used even to tell me they
knew not whether they would leave the island or not, when my bundle of
sticks was ready; that they cared not how matters went, for they could
shift for themselves as well as the rest. When I spoke with the common
men, some were surly, and others said they would be slaves no longer,
but would do as the rest did. In the midst of these confusions, I
ordered my son to secure my commission in some dry place among the woods
or rocks, remembering how Captain Dampier had been served in these
seas.
At length, I one afternoon missed all the people, except Mr Adamson the
surgeon, Mr Hendric the agent, my son, and Mr Dodd, lieutenant of
marines, which last feigned lunacy, for some reason best known to
himself. I learnt at night that they had been all day assembled at the
great tree, in deep consultation, and had framed a new set of
regulations and articles, by which the owners in England were excluded
from any share in what we might take for the future, divested me of all
authority as captain, and regulated themselves according to the Jamaica
discipline.[269] Even the chief officers, among the rest, had concurred
in electing one Morphew to be their champion and speaker, who addressed
the assembly to the following purport: "That they were now their own
masters, and servants to none: and as Mr Shelvocke, their former
captain, took upon him still to command, he ought to be informed, that
whoever was now to be their commander, must be so through their own
courtesy. However, that Mr Shelvocke might have the first offer of the
command, if the majority thought fit, but not otherwise. That Mr
Shelvocke carried himself too lofty and arbitrarily for the command of a
privateer, and ought to have continued in men-of-war, where the people
were obliged to bear all hardships quietly, whether right or wrong."
[Footnote 269: This expression is not explained, but seems to have been,
according to the model of the Buccaneers, all prizes to be divided among
the captors. - E.]
Some persons present, who had a regard for me, represented, "That they
had never seen or known me treat any one unjustly or severely; and that
however strict I might be, they had no one else to depend upon, and that
they ought all to consider how many difficulties I had already brought
them through. That, although they were not now in the hands of our
enemies, no one could tell how soon others might come upon them: and, if
they ever looked to get back to England, there was no other way but by
going round the world, for which there was no one capable of undertaking
the charge except Captain Shelvocke. They ought also to consider his
commission, and the respect due to him on that account; besides the
protection that would afford them, should they happen to fall into the
hands of the Spaniards."
This remonstrance had some effect on the common men, but they were
diverted from the thoughts of returning to obedience by no less a
person than my first lieutenant, Mr Brooks, who had made Morphew his
confidant even on board ship: for having served before the mast before
he was made my lieutenant, he had contracted a liking for forecastle
conversation. They were also supported and encouraged by Mr Randal, my
second lieutenant, who was brother-in-law to Brooks, and by others. The
first remarkable outrage committed by this gang of levellers was to Mr
La Porte, my third lieutenant, whom Morphew knocked down on the beach,
while Brooks stood by and witnessed this brutality. This affair came
soon after to be fully explained; for the men framed a new set of
articles, putting themselves upon the Jamaica discipline, and declaring,
as I had been their captain, I might be so still; and that they were
willing to allow me six shares, as a mark of their regard, though I
ought only to have four, according to the Jamaica articles. Most of the
officers were reduced, according to the same plan: for instance, Mr La
Porte, Mr Dodu, and Mr Hendrie were declared midshipmen; and as the
superior officers consented to this scheme, it could not be prevented
from being carried into execution. Mr Coldsea the master was the only
person who preserved a kind of neutrality, neither promoting nor
opposing their designs. In this distressed emergency, I thought it
lawful, and even necessary, to submit to their demands, and therefore
signed their articles, in conjunction with the rest of my officers.
I now thought to have got them to work on our bark; but, instead of
listening to me, they demanded what little money I had saved belonging
to the owners, with which I was obliged to comply, being 750 dollars in
virgin silver, a silver dish weighing 75 ounces, and 250 dollars in
coin.
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