; and then they tore up the
large oak benches, tied ropes to them, and run with them round the
deck, drawing the benches after them like a sled, at the same time
hollowing, screaming and yelling, and making every noise that their
ingenuity or malice could devise. Sometimes they drove these oaken
benches full butt against the aft bulk head, so as to make the ship
tremble again with the noise, like cannon. They jarred down the
crockery belonging to the marines, which was set up on the opposite
side of the cock-pit, and frightened their wives out of their beds.
The noise and jarring were so great, that it seemed as if they were
breaking up the ship, for the sake of her iron work. Lieut. Osmore
sent a marine down, to order them to be still and go to sleep. They
replied, that they had no conveniences for sleeping, and that Osmore
had acted like a villain, in depriving them unnecessarily of their
hammocks, for which brutality, they were determined that he should not
sleep more than they. After which they recommenced their riot and
thundering noise, which brought Osmore out of his cabin, who called
one of the committee to him, and told him to tell the men, that if
they did not directly cease their noise, he would confine every man of
them below, for three days. The committee man replied, that nothing
could then be done, for that the mob had fairly capsized the
government of the ship; and all that he could say, would only add to
the riot and confusion. "Then," said he, "I'll be d--d if I do not
fire upon them." Some of the mob answered, "fire, and be d--d." And
the commander hesitated a moment, and returned to his cabin; for he
saw the men were wrought up to the battle pitch, and rather wished him
to fire, by way of excuse for their attack upon him, whom they most
cordially despised.

Directly upon this, they collected all the tin and copper pans, pots
and kettles, and every sonorous metallic substance they could lay
their hands on. These they tied together, and hitched bunches of them
here and there, upon the oaken planks; and then, what with screaming,
yelling, like the Indian war-whoop, cheering, and the thundering
noise of the planks, grating along the deck, together with the ringing
and clattering of their metallic vessels, they made altogether such a
hideous "rattle-come-twang," that it was enough to raise all Chatham.
All this was transacted in utter darkness. The officers doubtless saw,
that bloodshed and promiscuous d