of any
man. On the fifth day, I walked down to the rocks, to where one of the
seamen was fishing, and having greeted him, I told him that I was
starving, and asked for something to eat.

"`I cannot help you,' replied he; `I have no power to give anything
away; it is more than I dare do. You must apply to Mr Henniker, who is
the governor now. What a foolish fellow you were to mutiny, as you did;
see what it has brought you to.'

"`Why,' replied I, `if it were not for fishing, you would not be better
off than I am.'

"`Oh yes we should be; but we have to thank him for that--without him, I
grant, we should not have been. We have plenty of provisions, although
we fish to help them out.'

"This puzzled me amazingly, but there was no help for it. I could
starve no longer, so up I went to the level where your father was
standing with the captain, and in a swaggering sort of tone, said that I
had come back, and wanted to join my comrades. The captain looked at me
and referred me to your father, who said that he would consult with the
rest when they came to dinner, as without their permission he could do
nothing; and then they both turned away. In the meantime I was ravenous
with hunger, and was made more so by perceiving that two large fish were
slowly baking on the embers of the fire, and that your mother was
watching them. However, there was no help for it, and I sat down at
some little distance, anxiously waiting for the return of the rest of
the party, when my fate would be decided. My pride was now brought down
so low, that I could have submitted to any terms which might have been
dictated. In about two hours they were all assembled to dinner, and I
remained envying every morsel that they ate, until the repast was
finished; when, after some consultation, I was ordered to approach--
which I did--and your father addressed me: `Jackson, you deserted us,
when you might have been very useful, and when our labour was severe;
now that we have worked hard, and made ourselves tolerably comfortable,
you request to join us, and partake with us of the fruits of our labour
and foresight. You have provided nothing, we have--the consequence is,
that we are in comparative plenty, while you are starving. Now I have
taken the opinion of my companions, and they are all agreed, that as you
have not assisted when you were wanted, should we now allow you to join
us, you will have to work more than the others to make up an equiva