PORTER'S JOURNAL. 



173 



should be enabled to take the most of them. I asked him 

 how he reconciled it to himself to sail from England under 

 the British flag, and in an armed ship, after hostilities had 

 taken place between the two countries. He said he found 

 no difficulty in reconcihng it to himself; for, although he 

 was born in America, he was an Englishman at heart. 

 This man appeared the polished gentleman in his manners, 

 but evidently possessed a corrupt heart, and, like all other 

 renegadoes, was desirous of doing his native country all 

 the injury in his power, with the hope of thereby ingratia- 

 ting himself with his new friends. I permitted him to re- 

 main in his error some time, but at length introduced to 

 him the captains of the Montezuma and the Georgiana, who 

 soon undeceived him with respect to our being an English 

 frigate. I had felt great pity for these two last gentlemen, 

 and had made the evils of war bear as light on them as pos- 

 sible, by purchasing of them, for the use of the crew, their 

 private adventures, consisting of slop-clothing, tobacco, 

 and spirits, for which they were sincerely grateful. But 

 towards this man 1 could not feel the same favourable dis- 

 position, nor could I conceal my indignation at his conduct. 

 He endeavoured to do away the impression his conduct had 

 made, by artfully putting the case to myself; and with a 

 view of rendering him easy, as I did not wish to triumph 

 over the wretch, I informed him that I was willing to make 

 some allowances for his conduct. 



After the capture of the Greenwich, I informed her com- 

 mander, John Shuttleworth, as well as Obadiah Wier, of 

 the Atlantic, that I felt every disposition to act generously 

 toward them. Shuttleworth was however so much intoxi- 

 cated, and his language so insulting, that it Avas with diffi- 

 culty I could refrain from turning him out of ray cabin* 

 Wier was more reserved during my presence there ; but, 

 duty requiring me on deck, he, in the presence of some of 

 the officers, used the most bitter invectives against the go- 

 vernment of the United States ; and he, as well as Shuttle- 

 worth, consoled themselves with the pleasing hope, that 

 British frigates would soon be sent to chastise us for our te- 

 merity in venturing so far from home. I'hey were at 

 length, however, shown to the apartment allotted them, 

 where feeling, in some measure, restraint removed, they 

 gave full vent to their anger, and indulged in the most abu- 



