h more of the like; which words I
liked well,--my mind, alas! being given altogether to carnal pleasure
and vanity,--as did William Penberthy, my good comrade, on whom I trust
God has had mercy. But the rest, sirs, took the matter all across, and
began murmuring against the captain, saying that poor honest mariners
like them had always the labor and the pain, while he took his delight
with his lady; and that they would have at least one merry night before
they were slain by the Cimaroons, or eaten by panthers and lagartos;
and so got out of the pinnace two great skins of Canary wine, which were
taken in the Lima prize, and sat themselves down to drink. Moreover,
there were in the pinnace a great sight of hens, which came from the
same prize, by which Mr. O. set great store, keeping them for the lady
and the little maid; and falling upon these, the men began to blaspheme,
saying, 'What a plague had the captain to fill the boat with dirty live
lumber for that giglet's sake? They had a better right to a good supper
than ever she had, and might fast awhile to cool her hot blood;' and
so cooked and ate those hens, plucking them on board the pinnace, and
letting the feathers fall into the stream. But when William Penberthy,
my good comrade, saw the feathers floating away down, he asked them if
they were mad, to lay a trail by which the Spaniards would surely track
them out, if they came after them, as without doubt they would. But they
laughed him to scorn, and said that no Spanish cur dared follow on
the heels of true English mastiffs as they were, and other boastful
speeches; and at last, being heated with wine, began afresh to murmur at
the captain. And one speaking of his counsel about the island, the rest
altogether took it amiss and out of the way; and some sprang up crying
treason, and others that he meant to defraud them of the plate which he
had promised, and others that he meant to desert them in a strange land,
and so forth, till Mr. O., hearing the hubbub, came out to them from
the house, when they reviled him foully, swearing that he meant to cheat
them; and one Edward Stiles, a Wapping man, mad with drink, dared to say
that he was a fool for not giving up the prisoners to the negroes, and
what was it to him if the lady roasted? the negroes should have her yet;
and drawing his sword, ran upon the captain: for which I was about to
strike him through the body; but the captain, not caring to waste steel
on such a riba