144 F. W. Howay ceeding from a dishonest principle, which they have so fatally imbib'd, that even their honour, the risk of the loss of all their property cannot eradicate, for I am sure when honour and honesty is made the rule of a man's con- duct, he cares not for the damage ten thousand spies can do him. You must think my situation truly an unhappy one. — though I well know it is a delicate matter, to dele- gate powers to a young inexperienc'd man like myself, who has so many ill examples, so many temptations be- fore him & who is to be for so great a length of time from the face of his employers, but Sir give me leave to say, it would have been better for me, not to have had any concern in this business ; then I should not have lain open to the censorious world, for though I may be innocent, yet I may fall a sacrifice to the faults of others, or as I am concern'd that you had not have granted me more & fuller powers, or sent a man that knew how to command him- self, then he would have known how to command his Ship and to shew his officers there places, with such a man I should have had authority enough. — Your letter p Capt. Magee directed to Capt. Gray & myself has rais'd me a little in their opinion. I could wish there was some per- son in Canton, who had your orders to take the Ship & Cargo out of the present hands, if there was I think it would be to your advantage. You may from what I have said think I am a preju- diced, discontented boy ; believe me Sir I am discontented and will not say I am altogether unprejudiced; which I who so well know your disposition, believe you would be equally so with a man who has not even the least principle of honour or honesty but appears to be divested of every virtue, and who is in grain if not openly a Knave and a Fool, let all I have said remain entre nos until my re- turn, when to your and their faces I will retale every circumstance. I hope however you will take measures to prevent anything on your side of the water. The last season we did not collect many skins, we went
