The boatswain and seamen, who were to go in the boat, were allowed to
collect twine, canvas, lines, sails, cordage, an eight and twenty gallon
cask of water, and the carpenter to take his tool chest. Mr. Samuel got
150lbs of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine. He also got a
quadrant and compass into the boat; but was forbidden, on pain of death,
to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical observations,
sextant, time-keeper, or any of my surveys or drawings.
The mutineers now hurried those they meant to get rid of into the boat.
When most of them were in, Christian directed a dram to be served to
each of his own crew. I now unhappily saw that nothing could be done to
effect the recovery of the ship: there was no one to assist me, and
every endeavour on my part was answered with threats of death.
[Sidenote: 1789. APRIL.]
The officers were called, and forced over the side into the boat, while
I was kept apart from every one, abaft the mizen-mast; Christian, armed
with a bayonet, holding me by the bandage that secured my hands. The
guard round me had their pieces cocked, but, on my daring the ungrateful
wretches to fire, they uncocked them.
Isaac Martin, one of the guard over me, I saw, had an inclination to
assist me, and, as he fed me with shaddock, (my lips being quite parched
with my endeavours to bring about a change) we explained our wishes to
each other by our looks; but this being observed, Martin was instantly
removed from me; his inclination then was to leave the ship, for which
purpose he got into the boat; but with many threats they obliged him to
return.
The armourer, Joseph Coleman, and the two carpenters, M'Intosh and
Norman, were also kept contrary to their inclination; and they begged of
me, after I was astern in the boat, to remember that they declared they
had no hand in the transaction. Michael Byrne, I am told, likewise
wanted to leave the ship.
It is of no moment for me to recount my endeavours to bring back the
offenders to a sense of their duty: all I could do was by speaking to
them in general; but my endeavours were of no avail, for I was kept
securely bound, and no one but the guard suffered to come near me.
To Mr. Samuel I am indebted for securing my journals and commission,
with some material ship papers. Without these I had nothing to certify
what I had done, and my honour and character might have been suspected,
without my possessing a proper document to have defended them. All this
he did with great resolution, though guarded and strictly watched. He
attempted to save the time-keeper, and a box with all my surveys,
drawings, and remarks for fifteen years past, which were numerous; when
he was hurried away, with "Damn your eyes, you are well off to get what
you have."
[Sidenote: 1789. APRIL.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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