It is a well-known fact, that they are
usually much better treated when there are passengers on board. The
presence of passengers is a restraint upon the captain, not only
from his regard to their feelings and to the estimation in which
they may hold him, but because he knows they will be influential
witnesses against him if he is brought to trial. Though officers may
sometimes be inclined to show themselves off before passengers, by
freaks of office and authority, yet cruelty they would hardly dare
to be guilty of. It is on long and distant voyages, where there is
no restraint upon the captain, and none but the crew to testify
against him, that sailors need most the protection of the law. On such
voyages as these, there are many cases of outrageous cruelty on
record, enough to make one heartsick, and almost disgusted with the
sight of man; and many, many more, which have never come to light, and
never will be known, until the sea shall give up its dead. Many of
these have led to mutiny and piracy,- stripe for stripe, and blood
for blood. If on voyages of this description the testimony of seamen
is not to be received in favor of one another, or too great a
deduction is made on account of their being seamen, their case is
without remedy; and the captain, knowing this, will be strengthened in
that disposition to tyrannize which the possession of absolute
power, without the restraints of friends and public opinion, is too
apt to engender.
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