68 TEMPTING OFFER TO THE MEN. 



The Alburkah came over the bar in good style 

 this morning, and I repaired on board her imme- 

 diately to inform Mr. Lander of our melancholy 

 loss. On reaching her I found that he had buried 

 a man the evening before, and that the symptoms 

 under Vi^hich he had died had been the same as 

 those of Captain Harries, and had shown them- 

 selves at the same time. 



I found that King Boy was expected the fol- 

 lowing day. In the course of the day I dis- 

 covered that the worthy character who com- 

 manded the Susan had been offering high wages 

 to my men ; and as I did not wish to force any 

 man up the river against his will, I mustered the 

 crew, and informed them that the Susan was in 

 want of hands ; that the man in command of her, 

 as they well knew, had been offering them very 

 high wages ; and that if any of them wished to 

 leave the Quorra, they were perfectly at liberty 

 to do so. I found that I had not been mistaken 

 in my calculations on the spirit of British seamen, 

 for only two accepted the offer.* 



* I need scarcely say, that when the awful mortality took 

 place afterwards, it was most consolatory to my mind tliat I 

 had adopted this measure — one which I would recommend to 

 any person under similar circumstances. 



