hat instant the purser coming
down, and seeing his effects going to wreck, complained bitterly of the
injustice done to him, and asked the fellow what occasion he had
for liquor when, in all likelihood, he would be in eternity in a few
minutes. "All's one for that," said plunderer, "let us live while we
can." "Miserable wretch that thou art!" cried the purser, "what must be
thy lot in another world, if thou diest in the commission of robbery?"
"Why, hell, I suppose," replied the other, with great deliberation,
while the purser fell on his knees, and begged of Heaven that we might
not all perish for the sake of Jonas.

During this dialogue I clothed myself in my bed apparel, girded on
my hanger, stuck my pistols, loaded, in my belt, disposed of all my
valuable moveables about my person, and came upon deck with a resolution
of taking the first opportunity to get on shore, which, when the day
broke, appeared at the distance of three miles ahead. Crampley, finding
his efforts to get the ship off ineffectual, determined to consult his
own safety, by going into the boat, which he had no sooner done, than
the ship's company followed so fast, that she would have sunk alongside,
had not some one wiser than the rest cut the rope and put off. But
before this happened, I had made several attempts to get in, and was
always balked by the captain, who was so eager in excluding me, that he
did not mind the endeavours of any other body. Enraged at this inhuman
partiality, and seeing the rope cut, I pulled one of my pistols from my
belt, and cocking it, swore I would shoot any man who would presume to
obstruct my entrance. So saying, I leaped with my full exertion, and got
on board of the boat with the loss of the skin of my shins. I chanced in
my descent to overturn Crampley, who no sooner got up than he struck
at me several times with a cutlass, and ordered the men to throw me
overboard; but they were too anxious about their own safety to mind what
he said. Though the boat was very deeply loaded, and the sea terribly
high, we made shift to get upon dry land in less than an hour after
we parted from the sloop. As soon as I set my foot on terra firma,
my indignation, which had boiled so long within me, broke out against
Crampley, whom I immediately challenged to single combat, presenting my
pistols, that he might take his choice: he took one without hesitation,
and, before I could cock the other, fired in my face, throwing the
pistol aft