80 
PORTER’S JOURNAL- 
of procuring sandal-wood: the Albatross did not get in until th© 
next day. The arrival of this ship gave me no pleasure; for al¬ 
though the meeting with my countrymen in any part of the world 
but this would have proved a joyous event, I was in hopes that 
our arrival and operations here would for a long time be kept a 
secret, and the evils I apprehended from her making her know¬ 
ledge of us public, far more than counterbalanced any satisfac¬ 
tion which I expected from her arrival. Some short time prior 
to this an event took place which threatened disagreeable conse¬ 
quences; the matter was however adjusted much to my satisfac¬ 
tion, and on the whole I considered the circumstance which gave 
rise to it as the most fortunate that could have happened, as it re- 
leived me entirely from my anxiety on a subject which of all others 
had given me the most uneasiness. 
Robert Dunn, quarter-master, had been threatened (by the of¬ 
ficer of the watch) with punishment for some neglect of duty. 
Dunn said the time for which he enlisted had expired, and if he 
was punished he would never again do duty in the ship. When 
this was reported to me it occasioned me much uneasiness; most 
of my crew were in the situation of Dunn, and it became neces¬ 
sary to find a remedy for the evil; promptness and decision were 
necessary, and with as little loss of time as possible I caused all 
hands to be called on the quarter-deck, w hen I informed them of 
the offence of Dunn, then directing him to strip, I assured him 
that I should punish him severely, and to prevent his ever doing- 
duty in the ship I should turn him on shore on the island, observ¬ 
ing that his time was out, and it was proper he should have his 
discharge; then addressing myself to the ship’s company, I ex¬ 
postulated with them on the impropriety and the evils likely to re¬ 
sult from such conduct as Dunn’s, and expressed a determina¬ 
tion to have no man under my command who had it in his pow¬ 
er to say his time was out, and he would no longer do duty. I 
informed them that the times of many were out, and from that 
moment I gave up all claim on them for their services; that they 
were their own masters, and should have their discharge on the 
spot. If they wished to enlist again for the cruise, I would en¬ 
list them, and give them the usual advance, and on a suitable 
Occasion I would give them three days liberty on shore. That' 
