A New Voyage Round the World by a Course Never Sailed Before — John Shaqi
A New Voyage Round the World by a Course Never Sailed BeforeDefoe, Daniel
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A New Voyage Round the World by a Course Never Sailed Before
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories; Voyages around the world -- Fiction
However, to let them see I was not to be daunted with it, I called out
to one of the men among them, whom I saw upon the forecastle; You Jones,
said I, tell me who they are, and come away from them, for I will make
an example of them, whoever they are. Will Jones slunk in among the
rest, and made me no answer, and immediately _One and all_ was cried
again, and a little huzza with it, and some of the men appeared to have
fire-arms with them. There was a great many of them, and I presently
foresaw, that, if I went to the extremity, I should spoil the voyage,
though I conquered them; so I bridled my passion with all my power, and
said calmly, Very well, gentlemen, let me know what you mean by _one and
all_? I offered any of you that did not like to go the voyage to quit
the ship; is that what you intend by _one and all_? If so, you are
welcome, and pray take care to do it immediately; as for what chests or
clothes you have in the ship, you shall have them all with you. Upon
this I made the chief mate, who was now come to me again, advance a
little with some more men, and get between the men upon the forecastle
and those who were upon the main deck; and, as if he had wanted room,
when he had gotten between them, he said to them, Stand aft a little,
gentlemen, and so crowded them towards me.
As they came nearer and nearer to where I stood, I had an opportunity to
speak to them singly, which I did calmly and smilingly.
Why, how now, Tom, says I, to one of them; what are you among the
mutineers?
Lord, sir, says Tom, not I, they are mad, I think; I have nothing to say
to them; I care not where I go, not I; I will go round the globe with
you, it's all one to me.
Well, Tom, says I, but what do you do among them then? come away into
the steerage, and show yourself an honest man.
So Tom comes in, and after him another, and then two more. Upon my
saying to Tom, What do you do among them? one of the fellows says to one
of the officers that stood at a little distance from me, What does the
captain mean by saying, among them? What, does he reckon us to be in the
plot? He is quite wrong, we are all ignorant, and surprised at it. He
immediately tells me this, and I was glad, you may be sure, to hear it,
and said aloud to the man that he spoke to, If they are honest men, and
would not appear in this villany, let them go down between decks, and
get out of the way, that they may have no share in the punishment, if
they have none in the crime. With all my heart, says one; God bless you,
captain, says another, and away they dropt one by one in at the steerage
door, and down between decks, every one in his hammock or cabin, till
there were not above five or six of them left.
By this time, our two boats appeared from the shore, being both manned
with Dutchmen, viz. the Dutch captain's mate and about twenty of his
men, all the water casks full, but not a man of mine with them, for they
were left on shore in safe custody.
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