me to
silence in the case was, that not one of these five men who were now lost
were of those who went on shore to the massacre of Madagascar, so I
always called it, though our men could not bear to hear the word
_massacre_ with any patience.

But my frequent preaching to them on this subject had worse consequences
than I expected; and the boatswain, who had been the head of the attempt,
came up boldly to me one time, and told me he found that I brought that
affair continually upon the stage; that I made unjust reflections upon
it, and had used the men very ill on that account, and himself in
particular; that as I was but a passenger, and had no command in the
ship, or concern in the voyage, they were not obliged to bear it; that
they did not know but I might have some ill-design in my head, and
perhaps to call them to an account for it when they came to England; and
that, therefore, unless I would resolve to have done with it, and also
not to concern myself any further with him, or any of his affairs, he
would leave the ship; for he did not think it safe to sail with me among
them.

I heard him patiently enough till he had done, and then told him that I
confessed I had all along opposed the massacre of Madagascar, and that I
had, on all occasions, spoken my mind freely about it, though not more
upon him than any of the rest; that as to having no command in the ship,
that was true; nor did I exercise any authority, only took the liberty of
speaking my mind in things which publicly concerned us all; and what
concern I had in the voyage was none of his business; that I was a
considerable owner in the ship. In that claim I conceived I had a right
to speak even further than I had done, and would not be accountable to
him or any one else, and began to be a little warm with him. He made but
little reply to me at that time, and I thought the affair had been over.
We were at this time in the road at Bengal; and being willing to see the
place, I went on shore with the supercargo in the ship's boat to divert
myself; and towards evening was preparing to go on board, when one of the
men came to me, and told me he would not have me trouble myself to come
down to the boat, for they had orders not to carry me on board any more.
Any one may guess what a surprise I was in at so insolent a message; and
I asked the man who bade him deliver that message to me? He told me the
coxswain.

I immediately found out the supercargo, and told