thward of where she picked us up. Most disastrous
consequences were to occur. William and Trundle told me that they had
been making their observations; that they wondered how the ship had got
thus far, and that they should be much surprised if she got much
farther. A very large proportion of the ships cast away and lives
sacrificed are so in consequence of the habitual intoxication of the
masters and their officers. I venture to make this distinct assertion
from the very numerous instances I have known and heard of. We did not
wish to alarm the passengers, none of whom had been at sea before, and
were not aware of the danger they were running. Had our schooner still
floated, I should have proposed taking her to the first island we could
make and there repairing her. We asked Mr Gregson if he would
undertake to land us at Port Louis, offering him at the same time
payment if he would do so; but he positively refused, declaring that
nothing should induce him to go out of his course, and that we must
stick to the ship and work our passage till she reached her destination.

Believing that, as he was short-handed, his object in detaining us was
to get more hands to work the ship, this we positively refused to do.
"Very well, then, we'll see who is master on board the _Kangaroo_," he
replied, with an oath. "You tell me that three of you belong to a
man-of-war; but I find you in a French boat, and how do I know that you
are not deserters or convicts? and I'll treat you as such if you don't
look out." This conduct was so unexpected, and so different from the
kind way in which we had been treated by the passengers, that we did not
know what to say. We agreed to wait till we could consult O'Carroll;
and Trundle undertook to get a look at the chart the captain was using,
and to try and find out where he had placed the ship. The wind had
hitherto continued very light, so that we had made but little way since
we came on board. The day following the unpleasant conversation I have
described, O'Carroll was so much recovered that he was able to come on
deck. Though Irishmen have not the character in general of being good
seamen, I considered from what I had seen of him that he was an
exception to the general rule. I told him what we had remarked.

"When the time comes I'll see what I can do," he answered; "but it is
ticklish work interfering with such fellows as the present master of
this ship, unless one advises the very t