524 "^^"^^ LIFE O? 



fliore, and Solicited his Excellency, in cafe \vd 

 were with hiin> to engage us to fend him a re- 

 port of the tranfadion: he added, that he wars 

 the more anxious for this, as he could rely upon 

 our report, though not upon that of the muti- 

 neers. 



Ilis Excellency communicated the purport of 

 this letter to me, and urged me to make a re- 

 port, to be tranfmitted to the Governor of 

 Mante Video ; but 1 returned the fame anfwer 

 that I had done before, and excufed myfelf to 

 him as having no command in the lliip, and 

 having left home in difgrace. 



Two reports were tKen made, one by Enfignt 

 iviinchin, and one by Mr. Black, the Purfer ; 

 the latter was dcine with candour^ good fenfe» 

 and propriety ; but the former was of a very 

 different dcfcriptiori. Minchin, whether he 

 really thought what he wrote, or whether Hsr 

 had private reafons for mifrcprcfentation, re- 

 peated the ridiculous charge which has been al- 

 ready hinted, of the prompt obedience of the 

 failors to the mutineers ; this he reprefented iff 

 a criminal light, though it was evident to every 

 pcrfon on board that they only obeyed from ne- 

 ^cflity, and becaufe ai refufal would, in all pro- 

 "bability, have been punifhed with deat'h. 



The Surgeon of the Ihip, a fpifited, amiable^ 

 aind intelligent young man, had, as I before ob-.- 



fervedi 



