CHAPTER XXIX
Mackshane's malice--I am taken up and imprisoned for a spy--Morgan
meets with the same fate--Thompson is tampered with to turn
evidence against us--disdains the proposal, and is maltreated for
his integrity--Morgan is released to assist the Surgeon during an
engagement with some French ships-of-war--I remain fettered on the
poop, exposed to the enemy's shot, and grow delirious with fear--am
comforted after the battle by Morgan, who speaks freely of the
captain, is overheard by the sentinel, who informs against him, and
again imprisoned--Thompson grows desperate, and, notwithstanding
the remonstrances of Morgan and me, goes overboard in the night
In the meantime the storm subsided into a brisk gale, that carried
us into the warm latitudes, where the weather became intolerable,
and the crew very sickly. The doctor left nothing unattempted
towards the completion of his vengeance against the Welshman and
me. He went among the sick under pretence of inquiring into their
grievances, with a view of picking up complaints to our prejudice;
but, finding himself frustrated in that expectation by the goodwill
we bad procured from the patients by our diligence and humanity,
he took the resolution of listening to our conversation, by hiding
himself behind the canvas that surrounded our berth; here too he
was detected by the boy of our mess, who acquainted us with this
piece of behaviour, and one night, while we were picking a large
bone of salt beef, Morgan discerned something stir on the outside
of our hangings, which immediately interpreting to be the doctor,
he tipped me the wink, and pointed to the place, where I could
perceive somebody standing; upon which, I snatched up the bone,
and levelled it with all my force at him, saying, "Whoever you are,
take that for your curiosity.
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