I'ORTER S JOURNAL, 



239 



messmates ; this he threw overboard in the presence of the 

 officer of the deck, and at the same time demanded permis- 

 sion to go below ; and while the ofiicer of the watch was 

 reporting to me his conduct, he left the deck. I then caused 

 him to be confined there in irons, and as he had dropped 

 some expressions respecting his time being out, and treated 

 with derision (more bj his actions than his words) his con- 

 finement, I determined at once to discharge him. I there- 

 fore directed the purser to make out his accounts, and send 

 him on board the Seringapatam, until we should arrive at 

 some place where he could be put on shore. The dis- 

 charge of Rynard produced an elfect I little expected ; it 

 rendered every man in the ship sober, attentive, and active 

 in the performance of his duty, and assiduous to please. 

 Those who had shown themselves more forward than the 

 rest, now appeared desirous, by their good behaviour, to 

 do away any unfavourable impression that their conduct at 

 that time might have produced. 



The officer having charge of the New Zealander inform- 

 ed me, that his ship required caulking in every part. I 

 consequently set my carpenters at work on her, and in the 

 mean time the Sir Andrew^ Hammond was painted and other- 

 wise put in order. The crews of the prizes were again sent 

 to them, and on the 28th, we had completed all our work ; 

 each ship had provided a stock of turtle, and we had no- 

 thing now to detain us but the expected arrival of the Es- 

 sex Junior. We had, ever since our arrival, kept men con- 

 stantly on the lookout from the top of the hill forming the 

 north side of the port, \vhich commanded a view of both 

 bays. Here we had a flag-stafT erected, and suitable sig- 

 nals established, to which point the attention of every 

 one was now turned. On the meridian of the 30th, a 

 signal was made for a ship in the south bay, and shortly 

 after another was hoisted for a boat standing in for the 

 harbour. A fresh breeze springing up, she soon rounded 

 the southeast point of Narborough, and from her general 

 appearance all believed it to be the Essex Junior, which 

 opinion was soon confirmed by the arrival of heutenant 

 Downes, who had left the ship early in the morning, while 

 she was becalmed. His arrival was welcomed by our sea- 

 men with three cheers ; and at three P. M. the Essex Ju- 

 nior anchored near us^ By this ship I received several let- 



