This was the first time I had ever considered the peril
of the undertaking. But we arrived safe; and though on the same evening
I left my name at the captain's house, as that of the person who had
taken away his mate, I never heard more about it.
In pursuing my inquiries into the new topic suggested by Mr.
Falconbridge, I learnt that two or three of the seamen of the ship
Thomas, which had arrived now nearly a year from the Coast, were in a
very crippled and deplorable state; I accordingly went to see them. One
of them had been attacked by a fever, arising from circumstances
connected with these voyages. The inflammation, which had proceeded from
it, had reached his eyes; it could not be dispersed; and the consequence
was, that he was then blind. The second was lame; he had badly ulcerated
legs, and appeared to be very weak. The third was a mere spectre; I
think he was the most pitiable object I ever saw. I considered him as
irrecoverably gone. They all complained to me of their bad usage on
board the Thomas. They said they had heard, of my being in Bristol, and
they hoped I would not leave it without inquiring into the murder of
William Lines.
On inquiring who William Lines was, they informed me that he had been
one of the crew of the same ship, and that all on board believed that he
had been killed by the chief mate; but they themselves had not been
present when the blows were given him; they had not seen him till
afterwards; but their shipmates had told them of his cruel treatment,
and they knew that soon afterwards he had died.
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