47 
and the exchange was not discovered, 
“ At 7 P. M. we began to make prep¬ 
arations for our escape with the ship.— 
I went below to prepare some weapons 
for our defence should we be attacked 
by Payne, while the others, as silently 
as possible, were employed in clearing 
the running rigging, for every thing was 
in the utmost confusion. Having found 
one musketj three bayonets, and some 
whale lances, they were laid handy, to 
prevent the ship being boarded. A 
handsaw well greased was laid upon 
the windlass to saw off the cable, and the 
only remaining hatchet on board, was 
placed by the mizen mast, to cut the 
stern moorings when the ship should 
have sufficiently swung off. Taking 
one man with me, we went upon the 
fore-top-s ail- y ar d, loosed the sail and 
turned out the reefs, while two others 
were loosing he main-top-sail and main 
sail. I will not insult the reader’s good 
sense, by assuring him, that this was a 
duty, upon the success of which seem¬ 
ed to hang our very existence. By this 
