gangway, he ascended the side, and joined his
master. We called to him to come back, or we, should leave him behind.

"No massa," replied the faithful creature; "me no want to lib: no takee
master Green no takee me! Mungo lib good many years wi massa cappen.
Mungo die with massa, and go back to Guinea!"

I now thought we had given the captain a sufficient lesson for his
treachery and murderous intentions. Had I, indeed, ever seriously
intended to leave him, the conduct of poor Mungo would have awakened me
to a sense of my duty. I ordered Thompson, who was steering the boat,
to put the helm a starboard, and lay her alongside again. No sooner was
this command given, than three or four of the men jumped up in a
menacing attitude, and swore that they would not go back for him; that
he was the cause of all their sufferings; and that if I chose to share
his fate, I might, but into the boat he should not come. One of them,
more daring than the rest, attempted to take the tiller out of
Thompson's hand; but the trusty seaman seized him by the collar, and in
an instant threw him overboard. The other men were coming aft to avenge
this treatment of their leader; but I drew my sword, and pointing it at
the breast of the nearest mutineer, desired him, on pain of instant
death, to return to his seat. He had heard my character, and knew that
I was not to be trifled with.

A mutineer is easily subdued with common firmness. He obeyed, but was
very sullen, and I heard many mutinous expressions among the men. One
of them said that I was not their officer--that I did not belong to the
frigate.

"That," I replied, "is a case of which I shall not allow you to be the
judges. I hold in my pocket a commission from the king's lord high
admiral, or the commissioners for executing that duty. Your captain,
and mine also, holds a similar commission. Under this authority I act.
Let me see the man that dares dispute it--I will hang him at the
yard-arm of the wreck before she goes down;" and, looking at the man
whom Thompson had thrown overboard, and who still held by the gunwale of
the boat, without daring to get in, I asked him if he would obey me or
not? He replied that he would, and hoped I would forgive him. I said
that my forgiveness would depend entirely on the conduct of himself and
the others: that he must recollect that if our own ship or any other
man-of-war picked us up, he was liable, with three or four more, to be
hanged