^74 
DEATH OF MR. CARTER. 
also to send on board some of his slaves, to assist the small crew of the 
Essex in working her up to that place. In an unfortunate hour the 
offer was accepted ; and the same night the twenty Caffres murdered 
the Captain, Mr. Carter, and every white man on board, and threw 
their bodies into the sea. In the morning the Seid came on board, 
took out the treasure, amounting, as it is said, to one hundred and 
twenty thousand dollars, and then scuttled the ship. Poor Carter's 
body was washed on shore, where it was found, and recognised by 
Hyder, who was my servant during my first voyage in the Red 
Sea. He mentioned it to Captain Court ; in consequence of which 
the Dola threatened his life ; and so alarmed him, that he escaped 
on board the Panther, with a determination to leave his wife and 
children, his parents and country, and depart for India. This was 
not what the Dola wished : he therefore applied to Devaje, who 
offered himself as security, that Hyder should not be injured either 
in his person or property. This was considered as satisfactory by 
the lad ; but Captain Court thought it advisable to state, in the 
strongest terms, to the Dola, that he considered Hyder as entitled 
to the protection of the British Government, and that they would 
certainly resent any injury offered to him, for having reported the 
cruel fate of a British subject. Seid Mahommed Akil, I fear, still 
exists unpunished ; and as a retreat is ever open to him in Arabia, 
:)here are but little hopes of his meeting with the fate he merits. 
The Mornington and Ternate were sent from Bombay to seize him, 
and to drive him and his allies the French from Camaran ; but he 
had timely intelligence of their destination, and quitted the island, 
leaving but little vestige of his having been there. 
It was some counterbalance to this unfortunate intelligence, that 
