142 NARRATIVE OF AN 



GHAP. Here all the elements now feemed to unite in oppoflni^ 



VII J. i. o 



^- _i us ; the water pouring down like a deluge, the heavy- 

 rains forced themfelves fore and aft into the veffel, 

 where they fet every thing afloat ; the air was infefted 

 with myriads of mufquitoes, which, from fun-fet to fun- 

 rifing, conftantly kept us company, and prevented us 

 from getting any fleep, and left us in the morning be- 

 fmeared all over with blood, and full of blotches. The 

 fmoak of the fire and tobacco, which we burnt to annoy 

 them, was enough to choak us ; and not a foot-ftep of 

 land could we find, where we might cook our fait pro- 

 vifions in fafety. To all this mifery may be added, that 

 difcord broke out between the marines and the negroes, 

 with whom, as promifes or threats had as yet no weight, 

 I was obliged to have recourfe to other means. I tied 

 up the ringleaders of both parties ; and after ordering 

 the firfi: to be well flogged, and the latter to be horfe- 

 whipped for half an hour, after due fufpence and expec- 

 tation, I pardoned them all without one lafh. This 

 had equally the effe^ft of the punifliment, and peace was 

 perfectly re-eflabliflied ; but to prevent approaching dif- 

 eafe was totally out of my power. Not all the golden 

 rules in Doctor Armftrong's beautiful poem upon health 

 could avail in this fituation. 



We rowed down on the 20th, till we arrived before the 

 Cafepoere Creek, in hopes of meeting fome relief, but 

 were equally uncomfortable. So very thick were the 

 mufquitoes now, that by clapping my two hands to- 

 t gether, 



