NARRATIVE OF THE MUTINY, &c. 217 



home by what is called the Governor's Path, I thought it proper 

 to shew, to such as might be watchful, that the violent anonymoifs 

 letter, the writing on the church, " A hot dinner and a bloody sup- 

 per," and that on the castle gate, " T/iis house to let on Christ mas- 

 day ;" the one alluding to the festival dinner, and the other to 

 my vacating the Castle by being sent off the island, had produced 

 no apprehension in my mind. I therefore desired my liorses to 

 be brought to the Castle gate, where I mounted, passed slowly in 

 front of the main guard, who were supposed to be concerned in 

 the intended mutiny, and proceeded gently through the town, 

 stopping occasionally, and conversing with several persons I met. 

 It seems that one of the most forward in the mutiny (Berwick, 

 who has since been hanged) passed close to me. I did not 

 observe him, but he was seen from a window, after I had 

 proceeded a few yards beyond him, to turn round, and, in the 

 most contemptuous manner, by his gestures, and the action of 

 his clenched fist and arm, fully to express his desperate inten- 

 tions. This information did not reach me until after he was 

 hanged. 



About five o'clock in the evening, I arrived at Plantation- 

 house. I sent for Mr. Ford, the head overseer, to enquire re- 

 garding the characters and disposition of the artillery and infantry 

 stationed there as a working party. He assured me they were all 

 good men, and that I might depend on them. Lieutenant David 

 Pritchard, whom I had selected to take charge of this guard, 

 soon after arrived. I desired him to inspect their arms, and to 

 get the men immediately accoutred. I had previously ordered 

 supplies of musket and rifle ammunition to be sent, which arrived 

 before sun-set. 



The men of the guard, consisting of 32, were then ordered 

 into Plantation-house ; and as Captain Benjamin Uodson had 



Ff 



