ld him it was my desire, and accordingly I went. The
prison was in the governor's house. I had not been there but a few minutes
before the governor sent for me; he enquir'd of the officer concerning the
disturbance, and order'd me to my habitation, but detain'd East a prisoner.
When I came home I found the boatswain and two renegadoes with him, all
about the cooper. On seeing me, he repeated his former abusive words. He
made us so uneasy in our lodging, that, to prevent murder, we were obliged
to lie out of the house. Next morning Mr Oakley and Mr Cummins went to the
consul; he came with them to the house, where we were all sent for; he told
us it was very strange that people who had undergone so many hardships and
difficulties could not agree lovingly together. We answer'd, we never used
to mess together, and sooner than we would be with the boatswain, we would
make it our choice to take a house in the country at our own expence. The
boatswain, on hearing this, fell again into his usual strain of slander and
abusive language, calling us rogues, villains, and pirates. It was the
governor's first request that we might have no disturbance among us, yet
the boatswain hath not suffer'd us to have a quiet minute since we have
been here. The consul went with us two miles out of the city, at a fishing
village, where we took a house at our own expence, to pay at the rate of
ten shillings per month, there being seven of us in all, viz. myself, the
carpenter, surgeon, the two mates, the cooper, and a seaman. Here we
thought ourselves safe and secure. The next day, in the afternoon, two of
the boatswain's friends, which had lately deserted from his majesty's
service, and an Irish clerk with them, came to pay us a visit. They were so
impertinent, as not only to enquire into the reasons of the disturbance
among ourselves, but they also instructed us in our duty, telling us, they
came from our commander the boatswain, with orders to see my journal. I
told them the journal shou'd not be a secret to any person who cou'd read;
but, at the same time, I wou'd never part with it to be copied out: They
then drank a glass of punch with us, and left us. This is a place that a
man is oblig'd sometimes to suffer himself to be used ill; if he resents
all affronts, he runs a great hazard of losing his life, for here ruffians
are to be hir'd at a small expence, and there is no place in the world
where people will commit murder at so cheap a rate. Betw