806 
A VOYAGE TO 
[East Coast. 
August * owe t0 ca P ta ’ n Park a similar acknowledgement. The people were 
Friday 19. then assembled upon the top of the bank ; and I informed the seamen 
of the Cato, one or two of whom had shown signs of discontent at 
being ordered to work, that as they doubtless expected to be fed 
from our provisions, so they must exert themselves to save as much 
as possible ;* and although they were not in the King’s pay, yet as 
a magistrate acting within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty, I would 
punish all deviations from obedience and good conduct in them, the 
same as amongst our own seamen. I ordered the Cato’s men, who 
had saved nothing, to be quartered in the messes of our people, in 
the proportion of one to three ; and directed lieutenant Fowler, who 
had charge of the provisions, to victual all alike. The surgeon of 
the Porpoise was ordered to examine the wounded, and give in a list 
of those really incapable of duty ; and a large party, consisting of 
as many men as the two cutters could contain, went off to the wreck 
under the command of Mr. Fowler, to disembark provisions and stores. 
A top-sail yard was set up and secured as a flag staff on the 
highest part of the bank, and a large blue ensign hoisted to it 
with the union downward, as a signal to the Bridgewater. We 
expected, if no accident had happened, that she would come to re- 
lieve us from our critical situation so soon as the wind should be 
perfectly moderate; but I judged it most prudent to act as if we had 
no such resource, and this was justified by the event. Captain Palmer 
had even then abandoned us to our fate, and was, at the moment, 
steering away for Batavia, without having made any effort to give 
us assistance. He saw the wrecks, as also the sand bank, on the 
morning after our disaster, and must have known that the reef was 
not all connected, since it is spoken of jby him as lying in patches ; 
but he did not seek to ascertain whether any of the openings were 
* When a merchant ship is lost, the seamen not only cease to be in pay, hut lose all 
wages due to them after the last delivery of the cargo ; and the sole interest they have to 
save the stores, even of their own ship, is for the preservation of themselves, or the pro- 
spect of being rewarded by the owners or insurers. 
