UNPOPULARITY OF CAPTAIN OF THE PAMELIA. 245 



the order; because we did not deem that onr engage- 

 ment obliged us to supply another ship with water, 

 unless she was in absolute distress. All hands aboard, 

 except the first and second officers, united in this 

 view of the case. The mate expostulated, but found 

 it useless. A messenger or spokesman was then 

 dispatched to the captain, who acted with modera- 

 tion ; and the whole matter was amicably adjusted 

 by the captain of the Pamelia complying with our 

 terms ; which were, that we should be paid for the 

 trouble we would have in replacing the water. As 

 soon as this was understood, all hands turned to. 

 The casks were filled, rafted, and towed aboard the 

 Pamelia in double-quick time; and our boat returned 

 with money and several boxes of soap as a compen- 

 sation. 



It may seem, to a disinterested reader, that our 

 thus refusing to supply the wants of a countryman, 

 ill this far oft" sea, was niggardly in the extreme. 

 But the master of the Pamelia was unpopular over 

 the whole ocean, and our men were aft'ected with the 

 general opinion respecting him. They alleged that 

 he had came aboard our ship some months before, 

 and remonstrated with our captain against the quan- 

 tity of provisions he allowed to his crew ; stating, at 

 the same time, that he (meaning himself) did not 

 .give his men all they wanted : which assertion one 

 would indeed find no difficulty to believe on hearing 

 his crew talk, who represented their fare to be ex- 

 tremely meagre. 



This was the nearest approach to insubordination 

 that had thus far occurred amongst us ; and which, 

 if our captain and officers had been bullying, threat- 

 21* 



