PORTER^S JOURNAL. 



ler deck of the Greenwich, about four in the morning, he 

 saw a man apparently bathing in the surf; but soon after, 

 hearing him call out for help, he was convinced that the 

 poor fellow was struggling for life. A boat was immedi- 

 ately ordered to pull towards him with all possible expedi- 

 tion ; but alas ! John Witter, a marine, had already disap- 

 peared. The loss even of some one of the worthless scoun- 

 drels with whom lieut. Gamble was surrounded, would, at 

 this time, have proved severe ; but in parting with this faith- 

 ful German, he felt that one of his main supports had fallen 

 from him. On the 6th of March, Isaac Coffin left the en- 

 campment without permission, under pretence of washing 

 his clothes at a brook, distant about half a mile. As he did 

 not return on the firing of the usual gun at sunset, lieut. 

 Gamble strongly suspected him to have deserted ; and 

 therefore at 9 P. M. taking eight of his best men, armed 

 with muskets, cutlasses, and pistols, he went in search of 

 him. In marching through the valley, but few of the na- 

 tives were found awake ; and these, after being informed 

 of the object of his visit, were cautioned to remain quiet. 

 Having proceeded about two miles within the land, a girl, 

 who accompanied the party in the character of guide, 

 pointed to a house not far off, in which, she said, the de- 

 serter would be found. There being no other way for hina 

 to escape, except through a small door, Heut. Gamble pla- 

 ced his men in front of the house, and then went in himself. 

 He found the fellow dozing in the midst of a group of na- 

 tives ; and, after ordering him a severe flogging, set out 

 with him for the ships, without being molested by any one. 

 The natives appeared to be greatly alarmed when lieut. 

 Gamble reproached them for having knowingly harboured 

 one of his men ; and, on being threatened with punish- 

 ment, gave evident signs of their conviction, that such con- 

 duct towards him was illiberal and unjust. 



During the night of the 8th, the rain, as usual, fell, at 

 intervals, in showers, accompanied by heavy claps of thun- 

 der, and sharp flashes of lightning. On the 10th, the sen- 

 tinel on shore gave the alarm of a sail in sight ! and all 

 hands were immediately called to prepare for defence. 

 The stranger, however, proved to be no other than a large 

 war canoe, standing into the Bay, from Rooahoogah, carry- 

 ing a lateen sail, at least twenty-five feet high, and crowded 



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