Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/84

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
46
He resolves for the B. of All Saints.

tion, in my taking such Measures sometimes for prosecuting the Voyage as the state of my Ships Crew, rather than my own Judgment and Experience, determin'd me to. The Disorders of my Ship made me think at present that Pernambuc would not be so fit a Place for me; being told that Ships ride there two or three Leagues from the Town, under the Command of no Forts; so that whenever I should have been ashore it might have been easy for my discontented Crew to have cut or slipped their Cables, and have gone away from me: Many of them discovering already an Intention to return to England, and some of them declaring openly that they would go no further onwards than Brazil. I alter'd my Course therefore, and stood away for Bahia de todos los Santos, or the Bay of All Saints, where I hop'd to have the Governor's help, if need should require, for securing my Ship from any such Mutinous Attempt; being forc'd to keep my self all the way upon my Guard, and to lie with my Officers, such as I could trust, and with small Arms, upon the Quarter-deck; it scarce being safe for me to lie in my Cabin, by Reason of the Discontents among my Men.