" It had the desired effect, for we
heard the listener tumble down, and afterwards crawl to his own
cabin. I applauded myself much for this feat, which turned out
one of the most unlucky exploits of my life, Mackshane, from that
time, marking me out for destruction.
About a week after this exploit, as I was going my rounds among
the sick, I was taken prisoner, and carried to the poop by the
master-at-arms, where I was loaded with irons, and stapled to the
deck, on pretence that I was a spy on board, and had conspired
against the captain's life. How ridiculous soever this imputation
was, I did not fail to suffer by it all the rigour that could be
shown to the worst of criminals, being exposed in this miserable
condition to the scorching heat of the sun by day, and the unwholesome
damps by night, during the space of twelve days, in which I was
neither brought to trial, nor examined touching the probability
of the charge. I had no sooner recovered the use of my reflection,
which had been quite overthrown by this accident, than I sent for
Thompson, who, after condoling me on the occasion, hinted, that
I owed this misfortune to the hatred of the doctor, who had given
an information against me to the captain, in consequence of which
I was arrested, and all my papers seized.
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