who, through the assistance
of Providence, can compleat the means of our deliverance.

Wednesday the 19th, the carpenter was so much recovered, that he went to
work as usual; at night the lieutenant acquainted us, that the captain
desired to speak with the carpenter and me to-morrow at noon, to consult
what should be done with the two prisoners, having received but four
hundred lashes out of the six, to which they were sentenced by a court-
martial, the other two hundred being remitted by their own officers.

Thursday the 20th, we waited on the captain, who acquainted us with what
the lieutenant had mentioned last night relating to the prisoners: We told
him the people were very uneasy about this mitigation of the punishment
indicted on them by a court-martial; therefore it was agreed they should
provide for themselves as well as they could, but to have no sort of
provisions out of the store-tent for the future.

Saturday, the 22d, we begun upon several contrivances to get provisions,
such as building punts, cask-boats, leather-boats, and the like.

On Sunday the 23d, the store-tent was again robbed, and, on examination,
was found a deficiency of twelve days brandy for ninety men: The
lieutenant, myself, and carpenter, went to the captain to consult some way
which might effectually prevent those villainous practices for the future:
The captain desired us to make a nice inquiry into this robbery, being
determined to inflict the severest punishment on the offenders; though it
would give him the greatest concern if any innocent person should suffer.
This day we confined one of the sentinels for being drunk on his post; the
day following the boatswain gave us information of the persons who had
robbed the tent; they were two sentinels, Smith and Butler; those very
persons were the first who insisted that the seamen, as well as themselves,
should watch the store-tent; their own officers, as yet, have brought them
to no examination: We have also information that the purser holds frequent
conversation with the rebels, contrary to all the laws of the navy,
supplying them with liquors in abundance, to the great distress of his
majesty's faithful subjects, who have but half a pint per day to subsist
on. There are now great disturbances among the people concerning going to
the northward; they believe Captain C----p never intended to return to
England by his proposing this way, in opposition to the opinion of all the
navigators,