74 



porter's journal. 



hypothenuse forming the foot of the sail, to which is se- 

 cured a boom. These are also worked during a calm with 

 paddles, and appear capable of resisting the sea for a long 

 time. The canoes formed for the sole purpose of going 

 in search of new lands are of a still larger construction, 

 and are rigged in the same manner. They use also occa- 

 sionally a kind of cattamaran, which they construct in a 

 few minutes, and a kind of surf board, similar to that of 

 the natives of the Sandwich islands. Tliese, however, 

 scarcely deserve to be enumerated among their vessels, as 

 they are used chiefly by the boys and girls, and are intend- 

 ed solely for paddling about the harbour. 



About this time I discovered a conspiracy on foot among 

 my prisoners. Their object was to possess themselves of 

 the Essex Junior, and the plan and method by which they 

 expected to effect this object was as follows : 



They had all been permitted to go on shore and on board 

 the different vessels whenever they wished, on a promise 

 of conducting themselves with propriety, and not absent- 

 ing themselves so that they could not be found. They 

 were, in fact, admitted on parole, and all restrictions re- 

 moved. 



This extensive indulgence encouraged them in the hopes 

 of making their escape, and headed by Lawson, the mate 

 of the Sir Andrew Hammond, they had fixed on the night 

 of the 14th to make their attempt, which was to be effected 

 by getting such of her crev/ as remained on board intoxi- 

 cated with rum mixed with laudanum. This was already 

 prepared to administer, and Lawson was to attend to this 

 part of the scheme. The third mate, with the prisoners 

 on shore, was to get possession of the canoes on the beach, ^ 

 and with them surprise the ship and take her to sea, there 

 being no other vessel ready to follow her, and no powder 

 on board the Essex which would enable her to stop them. 

 Such was their plan, and such their expectations. 1 had 

 been informed of it almost as soon as it was conceived, 

 was wiUing to humour the scheme, and gave them every 

 opportunity of making the trial, adopting, at the same 

 time, suitable means to have them secured and punished 

 for their perfidy. At the time of the formation of this 

 plan, and while Lawson and the others were using their 

 greatest exertions to get rum at any price, our rum casks 



