A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.

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This foon convinced them, that their defign mud be to get a greater ftock of pro-vifions on board, and then to take the opportunity of my being affiore, cut heradrift out of the road, and fo go a pirating j which might have eafily been accom-plilhed.

Here we were, a fecond time time delivered from the hellifh defign of thofe repro-bates. The governor and council, after having ftrictly and impartially examined thewhole matter, ordered the ringleaders to be feized and punifhed, according to theirdefert, by whipping at the flag-ftaff, and then put on board another fhip in irons, inorder to be brought to England; they not being fit to be trufted among honefl men.Many of my failors, being good, quiet, harmlefs fellows, were drawn in to fign thispaper innocently; for thefe fellows had perfuaded them that in fo doing they fhouldhave a larger allowance of arrack, &c. This, they confefied, was the only reafon whythey figned the paper; but what further defign the ringleaders had in their headsthey were ignorant of.

Thefe troubles detained me here much longer than I had defigned; alfo the fhipHanover, Captain Ofborne commander, was detained feveral days on demorage byorder of the governor and council to accompany me home, for fear there might be yetfome hidden fpark of villainy, that might blow up to a fatal confequence, if I were atfea alone : for mutiny is very epidemical on board the merchant fhips, where the cap-tain has fcarce the power of giving the leaft correction to his crew, though for neverfo great faults, without being plagued with fuits of law, when he comes home : thefailor’s pretended caufe being generally undertaken by fome common barretor ofWapping, on the condition of no purchafe no pay : in which cafe they never wantwitnelfes enough : for they never fail to take one another’s part, and fwear tightly, forone another; whereby the captains are often put to great trouble and charges, forwant of witnelfes to juftify his conduct, by a knot of forfworn rogues that hang all 'together. I cannot but think, that if all the employers of captains were pleafed often,or ever, to look into the merits of thofe matters, and, by diligent enquiry, learnwhether fuch punilhment be defervedly inflicted, or not ; and if defervedly, that theywould take the captain’s part, and Hand by them, and not fuffer them to be torn topieces; this would contribute much to difcourage thefe rogues, and to overfet theirunjult defigns ; and would be a great encouragement to commanders, and other chiefofficers, to have a greater authority over their men on board ; whereby they mightprevent many evil confequences that happen from the want thereof.

On the 7th of July 1715, I received my difpatches from the governor, and failedaway about feven in the evening, in company with the Hanover, and fleered for Eng-land. On the third day following my Ihip fprung a dangerous leak in the bow. Sothat we refolved to put into the ifland of Afcenfion, which lay in our way, withinthree or four days fail; and accordingly on the fifteenth we anchored in Afcenfionroad, where we lay only-twenty four hours ; then having completely llopt, and fecuredthe leak, we fet fail, making the befl: of our way towards England.

This ifland lies in the latitude of feven degrees fifteen minutes fouth, and in thelongitude of three hundred and forty-five degrees fifty-two minutes. It is a barrenplace, not inhabited, and feems as if it had been formerly on fire; a great part of therocks being burnt to a pumice. Here are many wild goats, which are fo unaccuftomedto fear, that a great flock of them buffered our men to come very near; but having noarms they could not kill any. The ifland is fomewhat larger than St. Helena ; hasmore level ground, and feems more capable of being improved, but is not fo wellwatered : fome fay that in the very dry feafon there is no frefh water at all, which I

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