and a half bags of flour, and 9 baskets of
plums. In consequence of information that the crew of the Runnymede
meant to help themselves to the beer which formed part of the cargo,
and had laid a plan to plunder the ship, they were in the evening all
ordered on board the Briton. The only persons who remained on board
the Runnymede were Captain Doutty and his officers, and a few steady
soldiers of the 50th, and watches were regularly kept throughout the
night.

There appears to be a very prevalent opinion amongst common sailors
and private soldiers, that when a vessel is wrecked, all controul over
private property is from that moment lost too, and that it is not
stealing to lay hands on all they can take. Numerous instances of this
kind took place on the present occasion. And this crime, as well as
that of drunkenness, were scarcely checked by severe corporeal
punishment. Some of the men attempted thefts at the risk of their
lives; and, in one instance, a cask of bottled beer having been landed
too late to be got into store, was placed, by a serjeant's tent, in
care of a sentry, whose musket was known to be loaded with ball.
During the night two fellows attempted to get at it, and being
discovered were fired at, which so alarmed them, that one of them, in
his hurry to escape, fell into a mangrove swamp, which caused him so
much pain that he was easily captured. He proved to be a man of bad
character.

_Thursday, 14th._--Weather moderate, wind east, barometer 29 deg. 55".
The crew employed this day landing stores, cleansing the decks from the
accumulated filth and rubbish. The carpenters employed on the long
boat. The stores landed were 3 baskets of sugar, 2 barrels of flour,
7 tierces and 1 barrel of salt provisions, 1 cask of vinegar, 1
puncheon of arrack, 2 cases of bottled fruits, 2 boxes of pickles, 6
barrels of pale ale, and 1 cask of sherry. The soldiers were employed
on shore clearing the ground of trees, many having been thrown down by
the hurricane, some of them very large, and apparently of the growth
of a century. They were also employed in erecting tents and making
roads and bridges. The tents were made of the sails of both ships, and
the flags or camp-colours used to distinguish the companies, were
Marryat's signals, also from the ships.

_Friday, 15th._--Wind east and moderate. Weather fine. Continued
landing provisions consisting of soap, preserved potatoes, biscuit,
flour, sugar, dholl or split peas,