346 
APPENDIX. A. 
Britain, which he had first served and then fought 
against; and was now acting in rebellion to both, 
by hoisting the above-mentioned flag and by de¬ 
claring the island free neutral and independent, 
and at peace with all nations. Captain Jones, 
in consequence of this information, felt it in¬ 
cumbent upon him to require from Mr. Phelps 
an explanation of his conduct, and received in 
answer a brief account of the various transactions 
which had taken place since his landing in the 
island, with the motives which had urged him to 
the measures he had adopted*. Having thus far 
obtained from all parties the most correct in- 
“ which the ship was lying. I would even have submit- 
“ ted to be under an armed escort of the ship’s crew, if 
fC it had been thought necessary, whom I offered to pay for 
the trouble; yet this request Mr. Phelps refused through 
Jorgensen, of whose letter to that purpose I have the honor , 
to add a translation. It is remarkable in particular for 
the assurance it contains that Mr. Phelps could not justify 
“ his conduct to his own government, were he to adopt any 
“ other measures than those which had been taken.”—Even 
supposing it to be true, as here stated by the count, that he 
was reduced to live upon the fare of the common sailors, I 
will not deny that it might appear hard to him who was 
used to a different mode of living, but I am fully persuaded 
that such was far from being the case with the sailors, who 
never had any cause for complaint, nor expressed any. 
* A copy of Captain Jones’ letter to Mr. Phelps, and the 
reply of the latter, which contain a more detailed account 
