l30 . THELIFEOF 



twelve months and more; and it may be feert 

 from Mr. Kirby's note, that I had no reafon to 

 think that I fliould be hurried off without time- 

 ly notice. I had even much higher authority, 

 which I am not at liberty to give up, for be- 

 lieving that it was not the intent of government 

 that I Ihould go at all ; indeed his Majefly's 

 Miniflers feemed inclined to take into confider- 

 ation the blood I hadfpilt for my country, and 

 make fome allowance on that account. This 

 their liberal condud towards me, determined 

 mine in the hour of danger, when the mutineers 

 feized the fliip, and when my refiftance was 

 firm, but reridered ineftedual by the inaSiion of 

 the officers of the troops. Whether however 

 circumftances might afterwards have induced 

 them to fend me away, I cannot with abfolute 

 certainty determine; but I am confident they 

 "would have fent me immediately to the fhip, 

 and they would have given me fufficient notice, 

 to make the neceffary preparations for fo long a 

 "Voyage, and this was all I had defired ! But 



the benevolent Jfjcriffsy 



would have fuppofed 



themfelves degraded by a generous or humane 

 ad; and, I dare fay, would have thought it 

 rare fun to fend a gentleman to the hulks. 



I remained without any further interruption, 

 till, I think, about the end of February, when, 



after 



