also of the savage disposition of his late captain, which he had even
dared to manifest through lying in an English port. I was impressed by
this account of his rough manners; and the wind having risen before and
the surf now rolling heavily, I began to think what an escape I might
have had; how easy it would have been for the savage captain, if he had
been on board, or for any one at his instigation, to have pushed me over
the ship's side. This was the first time I had ever considered the peril
of the undertaking. But we arrived safe; and though on the same evening
I left my name at the captain's house, as that of the person who had
taken away his mate, I never heard more about it.

In pursuing my inquiries into the new topic suggested by Mr.
Falconbridge, I learnt that two or three of the seamen of the ship
Thomas, which had arrived now nearly a year from the Coast, were in a
very crippled and deplorable state; I accordingly went to see them. One
of them had been attacked by a fever, arising from circumstances
connected with these voyages. The inflammation, which had proceeded from
it, had reached his eyes; it could not be dispersed; and the consequence
was, that he was then blind. The second was lame; he had badly ulcerated
legs, and appeared to be very weak. The third was a mere spectre; I
think he was the most pitiable object I ever saw. I considered him as
irrecoverably gone. They all complained to me of their bad usage on
board the Thomas. They said they had heard, of my being in Bristol, and
they hoped I would not leave it without inquiring into the murder of
William Lines.

On inquiring who William Lines was, they informed me that he had been
one of the crew of the same ship, and that all on board believed that he
had been killed by the chief mate; but they themselves had not been
present when the blows were given him; they had not seen him till
afterwards; but their shipmates had told them of his cruel treatment,
and they knew that soon afterwards he had died.

In the course of the next day, the mother of Lines, who lived in
Bristol, came to me and related the case. I told her there was no
evidence as to the fact, for that I had seen three seamen, who could not
speak to it from their own knowledge. She said, there were four others
then in Bristol who could; I desired her to fetch them. When they
arrived I examined each separately, and cross-examined them in the best
manner I was able; I could find no variati