90 VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. [December, 
gan passing up the pepper to two of the crew upon a stage made 
fast to the outside. 
' As but a few hands could work at a time in the pepper-boat, 
numbers of the Malays came on board ; and, on being questioned 
by Mr. Knight, the first officer, who was in the gangway, taking 
an account of the pepper, as to their business, their reply was, 
that they had come to see the vessel. Mr. Knight ordered them 
into their boat 'again, and some of them obeyed ; but only to re- 
turn immediately to assist in the work of death, which was now 
commenced by attacking Mr. Knight and the rest of the crew on 
board. The crew of the vessel being so scattered, it was impos- 
sible to concentrate their force so as to make a successful resist- 
ance. Some fell on the forecastle, one m the gangway, and Mr. 
Knight fell upon the quarterdeck, severely wounded by a stab in 
the back, while in the act of snatching from the bulwarks a board- 
ing-pike, with which to defend himself. 
The two men on the stage having vainly attempted to get on 
board to the assistance of their comrades, were compelled to leap 
into the sea. One of them, Charles Converse, of Salem, being 
very severely wounded, succeeded in swimming to the bobstays, 
to which he clung until taken on board by the Malays ; and, from 
some cause, he was not afterward molested. His companion, 
John Davis, being unable to swim, drifted with the tide near the 
hoat tackle, or davit falls, the blocks being overhauled down near 
the water ; one of these he laid hold of, which the Malays per- 
ceiving, dropped their boat astern, and despatched him ! The 
cook sprang into a canoe alongside, and in attempting to push off, 
she capsized ; and, being unable to swim, he got on the bottom, 
and paddled ashore with his hands, where he was made prisoner. 
Gregory, an ItaUan, sought shelter in the foretopgallant-crosstrees, 
where he was fired at several times by the Malays, with the mus- 
kets of the Friendship, which were always kept loaded and ready 
for use, while on the coast. • • 
Joseph Powell, John Muzzy, William ■ , and a Swede, 
leaped into the sea, and swam to a point of land near a mile dis- 
tant, to the northward of the town ; and, unperceived by the Ma- 
lays on shore, pursued their course to the northward, towards 
Cape Felix, intending to go to the port of Annalaboo, about forty- 
five miles distant. Having walked all night, they found them- 
