He
Contrived To Execute Any Iron-Work Wanted By The Carpenter, And Even
Finished A Large Serviceable Boat, Of Which We Stood Much In Need.
In the beginning of this great work the people behaved themselves very
well, half of them working regularly one day, and the other half the
next, seeming every day to grow easier under our misfortunes.
They
treated me with as much respect as I could wish, and even in a body
thanked me for the prospect of their deliverance; while I never failed
to encourage them by telling them stories of the great things that had
been accomplished by the united efforts of men in similar distresses. I
always pressed them to stick close to the work, that we might get our
bark ready in time; and told them that we fortunately had three of the
best ports in Chili within 120 leagues of us. This inspired them with
life and vigour, and they often declared that they would exert their
utmost endeavours to finish her with all expedition. At last, however,
we became a prey to faction, so that it was a miracle we ever got off
from this place. For, after completing the most laborious part of the
work, they entirely neglected it; and many of my officers, deserting my
society, herded with the meanest of the ship's company. I was now
convinced in a suspicion I had long entertained, that some black design
was in embryo; for when I met any of my officers, and asked what they
were about, and the reason of their acting so contrary to their duty, by
diverting the people from their work, some used even to tell me they
knew not whether they would leave the island or not, when my bundle of
sticks was ready; that they cared not how matters went, for they could
shift for themselves as well as the rest. When I spoke with the common
men, some were surly, and others said they would be slaves no longer,
but would do as the rest did. In the midst of these confusions, I
ordered my son to secure my commission in some dry place among the woods
or rocks, remembering how Captain Dampier had been served in these
seas.
At length, I one afternoon missed all the people, except Mr Adamson the
surgeon, Mr Hendric the agent, my son, and Mr Dodd, lieutenant of
marines, which last feigned lunacy, for some reason best known to
himself. I learnt at night that they had been all day assembled at the
great tree, in deep consultation, and had framed a new set of
regulations and articles, by which the owners in England were excluded
from any share in what we might take for the future, divested me of all
authority as captain, and regulated themselves according to the Jamaica
discipline.[269] Even the chief officers, among the rest, had concurred
in electing one Morphew to be their champion and speaker, who addressed
the assembly to the following purport:
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