never should enter a British port. He did not know where the leaks were
situated, though it was evident to me that they were in the after and
also in the fore parts of the ship, low down, and now deep under water,
both inside as well as out. The black man added that the captain had
let the water in, and that was all he knew.

I again spoke to the captain, but he was too far gone to reason with: he
had got drunk to die, because he was afraid to die sober--no unusual
case with sailors.

"Don't tell me; damn me, who is afeard to die? I ain't. I swore she
should never enter a British port, and I have kept my word."

He then began to use curses and execrations; and at last fell on the
deck in a fit of drunken frenzy.

I now called my people all together, and having stated to them the peril
of our situation, we agreed that a large boat which lay on the booms
should be instantly hoisted out, and stowed with everything necessary
for a voyage. Our clothes, bread, salt meat, and water, were put into
her, with my sextant and spy-glass. The liquor which was in the cabin I
gave in charge to the midshipman who was sent with me; and, having
completely stowed our boat, and prepared her with a good lug-sail, we
made her fast with a couple of stout tow-ropes, and veered her astern,
with four men in her, keeping on our course in the supposed track of the
frigate till daylight.

That wished for hour arrived, but no frigate was to be seen, even from
the mast-head. The ship was getting deeper and deeper, and we prepared
to take to the boat. I calculated the nearest part of South America to
be seven hundred miles from us, and that we were more than twice that
distance from Rio Janeiro. I did not however despond, for, under all
circumstances, we were extremely well off: and I inspired the men with
so much confidence, that they obeyed in everything with the utmost
alacrity and cheerfulness, except in one single point.

Finding the ship could not in all, probability float more than an hour
or two, I determined to quit her, and ordered the boat alongside. The
men got into her, stepped the mast, hooked on the lug-sail, ready to
hoist at my orders; and, without my bidding, had spread my boat cloak in
the stern-sheets, and made a comfortable place for me to repose in. The
master proceeded to get into the boat, but the men repulsed him with
kicks, blows, and hisses, swearing most dreadfully that if he attempted
to come in, they would