634 THE BOATSWAIN COMPLAINS

this case; but the boatswain very warmly told me he thought I
went further in my censures than I could show any warrant for in
Scripture, and referred to the thirteenth of St. Luke, verse fourth,
where our Saviour intimates that those men on whom the tower
of Siloam fell were not sinners above all the Galileans. But that
which indeed put me to silence in the case was, that not one of
these five men who were now lost were of the number of those who
went on shore to the massacre of Madagascar (so I always called
it, though our men could not bear the word “ massacre” with any
patience). And, indeed, this last circumstance, as I have said, put
me to silence for the present.

But my frequent preaching to them on this subject had worse
consequences than I expected; and the boatswain, who had been
the head of the attempt, came up boldly to me one time, and told
me he found that I continually brought that affair upon the stage;
that I made unjust reflections upon it, and had used the men very
ill on that account, and himself in particular; that as I was but a
passenger, and had no command in the ship or concern in the
voyage, they were not obliged to bear it; that they did not know
but I might have some ill design in my head, and perhaps to call
them to account for it when they came to England; and that
therefore, unless I would resolve to have done with it, and also not
to concern myself any further with him or any of his affairs, he
would leave the ship, for he did not think it was safe to sail with
me among them.

I heard him patiently enough until he had done, and then told
him that I did confess I had all along opposed the massacre of
Madagascar, for such I would always call it: and that I had on
all occasions spoken my mind freely about it, though not more
upon him than any of the rest: that as to my having no command
in the ship, that was true, nor did I exercise any authority, only
took my liberty of speaking my mind in things which publicly
concerned us all; and what concern I had in the voyage was none
of his business: that I was a considerable owner of the ship, and
in that claim I conceived I had a right to speak even further than
Thad yet done, and would not be accountable to him or any one
else, and began to be a little warm with him. He made but