I knew that it would be hopeless
to attempt to prevail upon any of the ship's crew to take twelve
months more upon the California in the brig. I knew, too, that Captain
T--- had received orders to bring me home in the Alert, and he had
told me, when I was at the hide-house, that I was to go home in her;
and even if this had not been so, it was cruel to give me no notice of
the step they were going to take, until a few hours before the brig
would sail. As soon as I had got my wits about me, I put on a bold
front, and told him plainly that I had a letter in my chest
informing me that he had been written to, by the owners in Boston,
to bring me home in the ship, and moreover, that he had told me that I
was to go in the ship.
To have this told him, and to be opposed in such a manner, was
more than my lord paramount had been used to.
He turned fiercely upon me, and tried to look me down, and face me
out of my statement; but finding that that wouldn't do, and that I was
entering upon my defence in such a way as would show to the other
two that he was in the wrong,- he changed his ground, and pointed to
the shipping papers of the Pilgrim, from which my name had never
been erased, and said that there was my name,- that I belonged to
her,- that he had an absolute discretionary power;- and, in short,
that I must be on board the Pilgrim by the next morning with my
chest and hammock, or have some one ready to go in my place, and
that he would not hear another word from me.
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