isturbance, on which the
consul was so good as to come and pay it himself. Being all together, he
told us the governor had order'd us eight vintins a man per day; but at the
same time had made a distinction between the officers and seamen, that the
money received was to be paid in the manner following, viz. to the seamen
six vintins per man, and the officers ten. The reason of this distinction
was, that the seamen could go to work, when the officers could not, but
must be oblig'd to live entirely on their allowance. This distinction
caused great uneasiness, the boatswain insisting that the people had a
right to an equal share with us. The officers, willing to make all things
easy, desir'd the consul it might be so. The consul reply'd, The money
should be dispos'd of according to the governor's direction, or not at all.
The boatswain then objected against the cooper, because he was no officer.
The consul said, Master! I believe the cooper to be a very good quiet man,
and I dare say will take it as the men do, but sooner than this be an
objection, I will pay the money out of my own pocket. The boatswain then
began at me, abusing me in a very scandalous and abominable manner, saying,
among other things, that the cooper was got among the rest of the pirates,
for so he term'd me and the rest of the officers. When the money was paid,
we acquainted the consul, that we had, till now, been separated from the
boatswain, that he was of so perverse and turbulent a temper, and so
abusive in speech, that we could not bear with him. The boatswain then
chose to be with the people, and gave us the preference of the fore-room,
where we desir'd to be by ourselves. There were two doors to our room, we
lock'd both of them, and went to take a walk in the country: At our return,
in the evening, we found the doors broke open, and a small sword belonging
to me was broke an inch off the point, and the scabbard all in pieces. The
boatswain had in his room an Irishman, whom he sent in on purpose to
quarrel with us. This Irishman and Richard East, one of our own people,
fell upon the cooper and me: East chose to engage with me, he struck me
several times, he compelled me to stand in my own defence, and I soon
master'd him. During this quarrel the carpenter call'd the guards, at the
sight of whom the Irishman made his escape. I desir'd the guards to secure
East a prisoner, but the officer told me he could not, unless I would go to
prison with him. I to