t back empty, with this
answer, I will give him none. This sudden change of the captain's behaviour
to the carpenter, proceeded from some words which the latter dropt, and
were carried to the captain; the words the carpenter spoke were to this
purport, that he was not to be led by favour or affection, nor to be
biassed by a bottle of brandy. To-day we heeled the long-boat, and caulked
the star-board side, paid her bottom with wax, tallow, and soap that came
out of the ship.

Tuesday the 6th, hard gales at N.W. and N., with rain: This morning the
lieutenant acquainted us of the captain's resolution, which was to be
captain as before, and to be governed by the rules of the navy, and to
stand or fall by them; it was objected in the present situation, the rules
of the navy are not sufficient to direct us, several rules being requisite
in our circumstances which are not mention'd there, that the whole body of
officers and people are determin'd not to be govern'd by those rules at
present. This objection was started, not from a disrespect to those rules,
but we imagin'd, if Captain C----p was restor'd to the absolute command he
had before the loss of the Wager, that he would proceed again on the same
principles, never on any exigency consult his officers, but act
arbitrarily, according to his humour and confidence of superior knowledge;
while he acts with reason, we will support his command with our lives, but
some restriction is necessary for our own preservation. We think him a
gentleman worthy to have a limited command, but too dangerous a person to
be trusted with an absolute one. This afternoon the people insisted to be
serv'd brandy out of the casks that were buried under ground, accordingly
they were serv'd half a pint each man. Got the long-boat upright.

Thursday the 18th, this day the master went to the captain concerning ten
half barrels of powder more than can be carried off, which will make good
water casks for the boats; the captain told him not to start the powder, or
destroy any thing, without his orders, and said, he must have time, to
consider of it. In the afternoon Captain P--m-b--rt--n, of the land forces,
came on the beach and desired the assistance of the seamen to take Captain
C----p a prisoner, for the death of Mr Cozens, the midshipman, telling us,
he should be call'd to an account, if he did not. This evening the
carpenter went up to the hill-tent, so called from its situation; the
people were shoot