When he was down below, the officers talked over the matter. To
flog every man for the crime of one was the height of injustice, but it
was not for us to oppose him; still the ship's company must have seen,
in our countenances, that we shared their feelings. The men were talking
with each other in groups, until they all appeared to have communicated
their ideas on the subject. The carpenters, who had been slowly bringing
aft the gratings, left off the job; the boatswain's mates, who had came
aft, rolled the tails of their cats round the red handles; and every man
walked down below. No one was left on the quarter-deck but the marines
under arms, and the officers. Perceiving this, I desired Mr Paul, the
boatswain, to send the men up to rig the gratings, and the
quarter-masters with their seizings. He came up, and said that he had
called them, but that they did not answer. Perceiving that the ship's
company would break out into open mutiny, if the captain persisted in
his intention, I went down into the cabin, and told the captain the
state of things, and wished for his orders or presence on deck.
The captain, whose wrath appeared incapable of reflection, immediately
proceeded on deck, and ordered the marines to load with ball-cartridge.
This was done; but, as I was afterwards told by Thompson, who was
standing aft, the marines loaded with powder, and put the balls into
their pockets. They wished to keep up the character of their corps for
fidelity, and at the same time not fire upon men whom they loved as
brothers, and with whom they coincided in opinion.
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