464 WHALK-FISHEEY. 



hence the lives of the crew would in all probability 

 fall a sacrifice to their temerity ; — these numerous 

 and important considerations were so strongly im- 

 pressed on the minds of the sailors, that they ap- 

 peared determined to quit the ship and take re- 

 fuge in the John, as soon as she should attempt 

 to leiive us. That they had determined on this, 

 I had sufficient information to convince me ; and, 

 from the knowledge of the character of many of 

 my crew, who, from their conduct during the pre- 

 ceding operations and trials, proved themselves to 

 be in general a spiritless set of men, I was confident, 

 that unless the assistance of the John were by some 

 means secured, the Esk, after all the labour bestow- 

 ed on her, and the progress which had been made to- 

 wards her preservation, must yet be abandoned as a 

 wreck ! Some of my men had long importuned me to 

 hire the attendance and co-operation of the John, by 

 giving up to her the half of our cargo, if less would 

 not suffice : — these importunities I constantly resist- 

 ed, until, finding tlie necessity of the case, I at length, 

 at the unanimous request of my whole crew, made 

 the proposal to Captain Jackson, who, with the 

 consent of his crew, agreed to stay by us and assist 

 us, agreeably to the conditions of the following 

 contract ; the original of which was voluntarily 

 signed by every individual of both ships' compa- 

 nies. 



