• ( 3*5 ) 

 My prefence was more neceflary on board than 

 I thought it would have been. Our Tailors, during 

 the captain's abfence, had thought fit to drown the 

 fenfe of their misfortunes in wine: in fpite of the 

 lieutenant, whom they did not much regard, and 

 whom feveral did not love, they had broken open the 

 captain's cafe of liquors, and had got almoft all of 

 them dead drunk. I, befides, perceived in rhe 

 crew, fome feeds of diflention from which 1 ima- 

 gined every thing was to be apprehended, if not 

 remedied in time; and the more fo as the captain, 

 tho' well enough liked by the failors, could not 

 make himfelf obeyed by his officers, moft of 

 whom were difpofed to mutiny, and could not en- 

 dure his lieutenant. 



To increafe our perplexity, a number of the In- 

 dians had followed clofe after us, and we perceived 

 if we had nothing to fear from their violence, it 

 would not be eafy to get rid of their importuni- 

 ties, efpecially as it behoved us to be very watch- 

 ful over them, to prevent their ftealing. He that 

 feemed the principal man, called himfelf Don An- 

 tonio, and fpoke indifferent good Spanifh. He had 

 been more fuccefsful in imitating the gravity and 

 manners of the Spaniards. Whenever he faw any 

 one tolerably drefled, he afked if he was a Caval- 

 ier c 9 having before told us that he was one him- 

 fejf and one of the greateft diftinclion in his na- 

 tion. His difpofitions, however, were not much 

 of the gentleman; every thing that he faw he co- 

 veted, and if he had not been prevented, he and 

 his people would have left us nothing they could 

 have carried away. He afked me for my girdle, 

 I told him I had occafion for it, and could not part 

 with it; notwithflanding which, he continued to 

 demand it with great earneftnefs. 



t 3 We 



