CONDUCT OF CAPTAIN OF THE COIMBRA. 351 



upon his entering any port on the coast of New Hol- 

 land, owing to his having carried a prisoner away 

 in his vessel. This prisoner, who was a thief, doing 

 a good business at Freemantle, report says, paid one 

 thousand dollars for the accommodation. The cap- 

 tain of the Columbus had little or no trouble with 

 him — merely carrying him outside, and then trans- 

 ferring him to a merchant-ship. Being debarred 

 from entering these ports, where the cost of re- 

 cruiting ships is comparatively trifling, and having 

 kept his crew out of port as long as a wholesome 

 dread of the scurvy would allow, he, with an eye to 

 economy, made the following address to his men, 

 to wit: "Boys, I would like to go into a good port, 

 where we could all enjoy ourselves. Such a port is 

 Hobartown; but the limits set to my expenses by 

 my owners will not allow of my indulging in such 

 an outlay as lying with the ship in that harbor would 

 occasion ; but, if you by subscription pay a certain 

 sum apiece out of your earnings, I will go there." 

 Several of the ship's company assenting, a document 

 was drawn up, and most of them attached their 

 names : agreeing to contribute towards the port- 

 expenses sums varying in amount from two to twenty 

 dollars. One of the ft)remast hands demurrins;' to 

 this arrangement, the old fellow told him that he 

 would get it out of him some way or other ; and so 

 he did, by persisting in tormenting him until his 

 victim was glad to pay the two dollars, and thereby 

 gain somewhat of an exemption from further bad 

 treatment. 



This is not a solitary case of such sharp business- 

 operations. A certain captain once boasted aboard 



