, 1843-01-21

vealed. | resolved 20 make mysel
sure of his person. In the evening
gave orders 10 M. Perry, my Clerk
to have all the officers come aft upon
the quarter deck. When thev were
all assembled, approached Mr.. Spen.
Ger, and said, learn you aspire ID
the comman Of the Somers. | have
not sir-wi.h a defereniial air. Did
YOU not tell Mr.. Wales so! Oh yes.
but in a joke. This joke is a forbid
den subject. and may cost you your
life. asked him TO take off his era
vat and produce the paper in it
There was no paper. asked where
it was; he said it was 4 paper Of his
days work, which he had torn. An
odd place, | remarked, for a days
work. A convenient one he replied.
! then ordered Lieut.. Gansevoort to
put him in irons and place him in the
Observation-Disclosures also- and with
orders that he should be put to in
slant death if detected in any at
tempt to communicate with the crew.
Lieutenant Gansevoort executed
this order with exemplary tenderness,
but equal firmncss.
10 the evening, Mr.. Spencer's books
were examined, and in a z case
was found a list. in Greek characters;
this was rendered into English, by
Midshipman Rogers. The list con-
tained well known names OF men.
ana they were found to be marked
s'doubtfuI," ..certain,"-their duty as
signed to murder the different ap-
prentices.
Next day, Saturday. the crew
were mustered and inspected as usu-
Al, and Cromwell and Small particu-
larry. were faultlessIy clean. The
conduct and bearing of Cromwell.
was bold and absoIute-that of Small
uncertain. and he shifted his weight
from foot to lo2t, andaltogether mani
tested fear.
After inspection, when the sails
were set. and the wind freshening,
there was a brace let 60, which caus-
ed the fore-top gallant mast to be car
ried away. and the whole seemed pos
sibly a design, to create confusion,
and to take advantage of it TO carry
the mutiny into effect. Yet the chief
men named were the busiest in clear
ing the wreck, and working al the
mast head. were the chief-conspira-
tors; and Mr.. Spencer's eye constant
ly was turned with its peculiar ey-
preston to those men al the mast
head.
Night comes, and it seems out Of
the question to permit Cromwell TO
60 al large-and as he directed, /
caused him TO be ar~rested--and charg-
ed him with having held a secret con-
v~ersation the night before with Spen-
Ger. He said it was Small, not he,
yet Small was the shortest, he the
tallest on board.
But on this accusation, Small too,
was arrested and ironed.
On Monday, two crimes against
the discipline of the ship we're COM
mitted-and ! concluded, that The
proprieiy of punishment was inGis-
penslble under the circumstances,
and it was administered according
ly.
| then addressed the crew, and
without exciting the idea that | had
any evidence against any of Them.
| dllated upon the enormity of Mr..
Spencer's project, and so affected the
crew that | considered the vessel
Finding Mr.. Spencer was holding
communication with the crew,1eaus-
ed the three prisoners to be turnedto
the stern, and stopped the tobacco.
This was much complained of, espe-
cIalIy by MIR. Spencer, and when his
tobacco was gone, it seemed that his
spirit entirel, abandoned him. He |,
MD his head in his cloak, and when
ne raised it, it was bathed in tears;
md touched by the kindness of Mr..
he said all should be re-
5ealed to him. !,
That the crew were not tranquiliz-
'd-seditIous words were heard,
collected during the night =
nd some not before suspected-,
Wales detected one man in showing +,
h~andspike with a view to knock 4
lin (Wales) down and when Wales I
pistol the offender made a =
anne apology. ;
Some of the worst men missed their !;
and gave no good reason for it. =
All the indications made me very 7
nxious. never left the deck-and I
II considerations impressed upon me y
he necessity of farther means TO pre-. +
erye the vessel "