130 
notice, was brought on deck, and 
ordered to receive a dozen lashes. 
The punishment was not inflicted with 
more than ordinary severity, but the 
feelings of the man under it seemed 
very poignant : he made the strongest 
efforts to extricate himself from his 
situation, and was frequently thrown 
into convulsions. Such suffering be- 
ing never witnessed by the bye- 
standers, on the fourth or fifth lash the 
punishment was stopped; when, being 
almost in a state of insensibility, he 
was released, and returned to his 
duty. 
Some months ‘afterwards he was 
guilty of a similar offence, but in an 
aggravated degree: he struck the 
mnidshipman, and was, consequently, 
put again into irons. En consequence 
of the severity of his sufferings on the 
former occasion, it was determined to 
keep him a good while in confinement ; 
and Jet that punishment, together with 
his contrition,—which it was expected 
he would of course manifest—plead 
an excuse against further corporal 
punishment. With this intention he 
was ordered on deck ; but, conceiving 
the nature of his offence did not admit 
ef excuse, he made an effort to cut 
his throat, and then attempted to rush 
Overboard; in both which he was pre- 
vented. It being thought equally im- 
possible, under such circumstances, 
either to pardon or punish the man, 
he was re-ordered to his confinement ; 
from which he was, after suitable ex- 
hortation, released. 
There was afterwards a confused 
story in the ship, whieh caused a good 
deal of conversation among the people, 
of. some extraordinary situations in 
which this man had .been; and it 
was said he had in his chest a book 
which recorded some wicked scenes. 
His conduct haying marked a some- 
thing particular in this man, his chest 
was ordered to be searched; which 
being done, the following journal was 
found. He was at that time upwards 
-of thirty years of age; had received 
some education; was a north-country 
man;- of a dark complexicn, gloomy, 
and saturnine. When he was ques- 
‘tioned concerning the Journal, he 
‘always said it was a faithful record of 
the events he had witnessed, 
On being asked how he could be 
guilty of such multiplied cruelties, 
and yet himself shrink from a punish- 
ment trifling compared with those he 
had inflicted, he said the thought of 
Christian Warfare against the Turks in 1788-9. 
[Sept. } ry 
punishnient was dreadful beyond de- 
scription to‘his mind, and that deatle 
m any shape was preferable to it. It 
being enquired ‘of him if he felt any 
remorse for the barbarities he had 
committed, he turned aside, and said 
he wislied to God he had never seen 
that vessel: he protested that neither 
himself nor any of his countrymen had 
a thought of getting into the situation 
they found themselves i in, until it was 
too late to be extricated ; that at 
first they viewed with horror: those 
scenes of blood, and eould not be 
brought to partakein the execution of 
them: but their dread and repugnance-: 
wore off by degrees; and he confirmed 
that extraordinary remark in’ the 
Journal, that “in the end our country- 
men not only performed their parts, 
but became volunteers in the barba- 
rities,” 
Davidson deserted from the Niger 
at Portsmouth in 1794; and,’ it was: 
reported,-he was afterwards pressed 
on-board the Royal George, and 
drowned by accident. 
Journal of a Voyage ried by Willian 
Davidson, seaman on-board a Russian 
Privateer in the Year 1789. 
Dec. 3, 1788.—We sailed from Leg- 
horn, in a prosperous gale, on-board 
the St. Dimian Russian privateer , 
bound to Messina, in Sicily, as a mer- 
ehant-vessel. From thence she was 
to get a clearance, and to go cruizing. 
Dec. 7.—We had not been long out, 
before the wind came to the eastward, 
and, blowing very hard, we were 
obliged to bear away for Porto Fer- 
rajo, in the island of Elba. Soon got 
in, and moored. At that place, we 
were getting the guns and shot from 
under the ballast, and fixing them on 
the carriages, when, on their taking 
notice from the shore that we were 
fitting out as a vessel of war, they sent 
an order on-board for as to sail imme- 
diately: if not, that they would stop 
the ship; as it is not allowed for a 
ship of war to fit-out in any port be- 
longing to the Grand Duke of Tus- 
eany. 
Dee, 22.—Sailed for Messinia witha 
fair wind, and clear weather, 
Dec. 25.—The wind coming a-head, 
and blowing hard, obliged to bear 
away for Leghorn. 
Dec. 27.—Got into Leghorn, and | 
moored ship. Lay there thirteen 
days; in which time we got all our 
guns fixed, and every thing ready far 
sea. 
Jan, 
