THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
77 
tie between them, made them unanimoufly requeft Captain 
Wilson to be that one fuperior , and that he would take 
the command upon him, faithfully promiling that they 
would, in all things, implicitly obey his orders, equally as 
when the Antelope was on float-; that fhe now being 
a wreck, they would form themfelves as a people of a dock¬ 
yard, and would conflder Captain Wilson (whofe former 
conduct they faid they fliould ever remember with the 
warmed; affedtion) as the mailer, or manager of the yard, 
and fubmit to fuch laws and regulations as ufually govern 
places of that kind. Nothing could more affedt the fenfibi- 
lity of fuch a character as Captain Wilson’s, than to fee all 
thofe who had ferved under him, voluntarily again feek him 
as their Commander, to lhare Hill far feverer toils. With 
a degree of joy, only exceeded by his gratitude, he accepted 
the flattering dillindtion their generality offered him, ex- 
prefling at the fame time an earned; wifh, that in cafe any 
cenfure or punilhment Ihould hereafter be found neceffary 
to be paffed on any individual, that this unpleafant office 
might not red; with him, but be decided by the majority 
of voices. This alfo was affented to, and all joined in ac¬ 
knowledgments to Mr. Barker, whofe aflillance had been 
fo effential in forming the plan of the veffel, which their 
* As every reader may not be acquainted with maritime proceedings, to fuch it will 
not be improper to remark, that when a merchant-fhip is wrecked, all authority im-= 
mediately ceafes, and every individual is at full liberty to fliift for himfelf. 
1783. 
AUGUST 
OWE 
