42 
with a command. They too frequently 
listen to the opinions of their people in 
time of danger, who are generally for quit- 
ting the ship and taking to boats, masts, 
yards and spars formed into rafts, or what- 
ever timbers they can lash together; in- 
deed, as the prejudices and sentiments of 
the common sailors on these occasions are 
so various, it is not to be supposed that any 
thing can arise from such a mistaken con- 
duct but confusion and misfortune. 
A crew, such as mine, composed of peo- 
ple of various nations, require indeed from 
their commander a peculiar attention. It 
may happen, that by humouring their reli- 
gious prejudices at a particular moment, 
an essential service may be obtained ; and 
as the following remarkable anecdote tends 
to elucidate this opinion, I will state the 
circumstances precisely as they occurred. 
At a period when the tempest raged with 
the utmost violence, I had directed most of 
the crew below, particularly the Lascars, to 
work the pumps. One of them, however, 
I perceived coming up the gangway with 
a handkerchief in his hand; and on my 
