220 Voyage to the Western Coast of Africa. 



of their professional duties, and the injurious consequences 

 which mav happen to themselves. I was willing to indulge the 

 people in this practice, which they look upon in some measure 

 as a birthright, and allowed them to throw the water about, 

 and to amuse themselves in whatever way they pleased. I had 

 given strict orders, however, that no liquor should be offered by 

 the petty officers to be exempted from the ceremony of being 

 ducked and shaved, but only half-a-crown in money ; and I 

 myself gave four bottles of old rum to Neptune and his attend- 

 ants, which I calculated would yield about a glass of grog to 

 each. In spite of all my precautions, they continued to procure 

 more spirits, either privately from the petty officers, or by ha- 

 vincp saved so much out of their own daily allowance. In con- 

 sequence, many of them were intoxicated, and unable to do duty 

 in the first watch, being found lying in their wet clothes asleep 

 in the open air. On the next and second day afterwards, several 

 applied to the surgeon, complaining of colds and slight fevers. 



On the 3d, we anchored in Port Praya Bay, at the Island of 

 St Jago, and immediately sent ashore as many empty casks for 

 water as it was possible to fill and bring back to the ship before 

 dark : for I had resolved that no person should be on shore late 

 in the evening. Those who went ashore with the empty casks 

 early in the morning, always received bark and wine before 

 leaving the ship ; and, after breakfast, at the usual hour, the 

 rest of the party followed. In this way, one raft of casks always 

 reached the ship by 12 o'clock, in time for dinner. I took care 

 that every attention should be given to the cooking of their 

 provisions. Their soup, besides the common ingredients, always 

 contained slices of pumpkin, onions, some pepper- pods, and rice, 

 which rendered it excellent. In about half an hour afterwards, 

 m-op- was served out, and strict orders were given that the officer 

 who superintended should allow none to be given to any man 

 who had not dry clothes on. This was a precaution which I 

 am satisfied was attended with the best possible effects, as it 

 caused the people to throw off their wet dress whenever they 

 came on board, and thus rendered them less liable to catch cold 

 or fever. In the course of an hour and a quarter after dinner, 

 the watering party again left the ship, and before six o'clock 

 they always came back with the second raft. The usual allow- 



