454 AVIIALE FISHERY. 



pumping, I could observe them treating the service 

 in which they were employed as a mere jest. The 

 two great pumps being worked with the same ma- 

 chine, the men on one side of the deck would frequent- 

 ly baulk the stroke of those on the other by an un- 

 timely jerk; then the whole gang would express 

 their amusement by bursting into a laugh ! I was 

 so grieved with their conduct, that I was on the 

 point of ordering them to leave the ship, when I 

 was fortunately relieved from the trial, by their vo- 

 luntary departure, immediately on the arrival of 

 the fresh force from the lloyal Bounty and Mar- 

 garet *. The tantalizing behaviour of these men, 

 might possibly be encouraged, if not excited, by 

 the unmanly spirit which was evinced by many 

 of my own crevv'. j\len of whom I had conceived 

 the highest opinion for firmness and bravery, great- 

 ly disappointed my expectations at this crisis. 

 Among the whole crevv', indeed, scarcely a dozen 

 spirited fellows were to be seen. One of the prin- 

 cipal officers refused to work any longer in the 

 hold, until I appeared at the hatchway and put 

 him to the blush ; another officer, a boat-steerer, 



" Captain Allen being informed, that one or two of his men 

 had been guilty of some improprieties of conduct while on board 

 the Esk, ordered the future alloAvance of grog of the guilty in- 

 dividuals to be stopped during the voyage. This gentleman 

 likewise, I was told, enforced a caution to his crew against 

 plundering, by threatening to stop the v.ages of any man who 

 should be found to trespass in thia respect. 



