k was discovered at some distance coming towards the
tent. It had been before proposed to Smith by Payne, to shoot him; but
poor Smith like ourselves, dare do no other than remain upon the side
of neutrality.

Oliver, whom the reader will recollect as one of the wretches
concerned in the mutiny, hurried on shore, and with Payne and others,
made preparations to put him to death. After loading a number of
muskets they stationed themselves in front of the tent, and waited his
approach--a bushy spot of ground intervening, he did not make his
appearance until within a short distance of the tent, which, as soon
as he saw, drew his sword and walked quick towards it, in a menacing
manner; but as soon as he saw a number of the muskets levelled at
him, he waved his hand, and cried out, "don't shoot me, don't shoot
me! I will not hurt you!" At this moment they fired, and he
fell!--Payne fearing he might _pretend_ to be shot, ran to him with an
axe, and nearly severed his head from his body! There were four
muskets fired at him, but only two balls took effect, one entered his
right breast, and passed out near the back bone, the other through his
head.

Thus ended the life, of perhaps as cruel, blood-thirsty, and
vindictive a being as ever bore the form of humanity.

All hands were now called to attend his burial, which was conducted in
the same inconsistent manner which had marked the proceedings of the
actors in this tragedy. While some were engaged in sewing the body in
a piece of canvas, others were employed in digging a grave in the
sand, adjacent to the place of his decease, which, by order of Payne,
was made five feet deep. Every article attached to him, including his
cutlass, was buried with him, except his watch; and the ceremonies
consisted in _reading a chapter from the bible over him, and firing a
musket_!

Only twenty-two days had elapsed after the perpetration of the
massacre on board the ship, when with all his sins upon his head, he
was hurried into eternity!

No duty was done during the remainder of the day, except the selection
by Payne, of six men, to go on board the ship and take charge of her,
under the command of Smith; who had communicated his intentions to a
number of running away with the ship. We think we cannot do better
than to give an account of their escape in the words of Smith himself.
It may be well to remark, that Payne had ordered the two binacle
compasses to be brought on shore, they being