NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 341 



CHAP. 

 XV. 



1787. 



gave the chief mate a great deal of abufe, and even threat- 

 ened to take the fifth mate's life. The chief mate beg- 

 ged they would go to their beds, affured them if they of- December. 

 tered to relieve the prifoner, he would inftantly arm and 

 proceed againft them, reprefented how dreadful the confe- 

 quences might be, and he would at any time get afliftance 

 from the other fhips, with which he could with the greatefb 

 cafe fecure every one of them. They ftill continued their 

 abufe, and even refolved not to quit the deck without the 

 prifoner ; however, about two o'clock, many of them be- 

 gan to flip off the deck, and by three there v/ere v^ery few 

 remaining, and every thing was once more quiet, and re- 

 mained fo till the next day at noon. Some time after we 

 had piped to dinner, the chief mate fent for me, told me 

 he believed the people intended forcibly to relieve the pri- 

 foner after dinner, and delired I would order all the quar- 

 ter-maflers to be ready. Before we could get armed, they 

 all rufhed aft in a body; Berry at the head, who threat- 

 ened to knock the iirft man down, who came in their way, 

 with a marlin fpike which he carried in his hand. We 

 the officers and petty officers threw ourfelves in before them, 

 and Berry ftruck the iixth mate on the fhoulder with the 

 marlin fpike, which brought him to the deck. We found it 

 impoffible to detain the prifoner, whom the mutineers car- 

 ried forward, knocked off his irons, and threw them over- 

 board; then Berry called out. We have got the day, let us 

 give three cheers; which they accordingly did. They then 

 went down below, pointed the two bow guns aft, lowered 

 down the ports, and unffiipped ail the ladders. Berry and 

 Lilly came aft into the fteerage, and gave the officers every 

 abufe they could think of; they were even heard to fay from 

 below they would break open the magazine. The boat- 



8 fwain 



