The captain then ordered some tackle to be made fast to
the limbs of the said Peter Green, in which situation he was then
hoisted up, and afterwards let down into a boat, which was lying
alongside the ship. Michael Cunningham was then sent to loose the
tackle, and to leave him there.
In the middle watch, or between one and two next morning, George Ormond
looked out of one of the port-holes, and called to Green, but received
no answer. Between two and three, Paul Berry, a seaman, was sent down
into the boat, and found him dead. He made his report to one of the
officers of the ship. About five in the morning the body was brought up,
and laid on the waist near the half-deck door. The captain on seeing the
body when he rose, expressed no concern, but ordered it to be knocked
out of irons, and to be buried at the usual place of interment for
seamen, or Bonny Point. I may now observe, that the deceased was in good
health before the punishment took place, and in high spirits; for he
played upon the flute only a short time before Rodney asked him for the
keys, while those seamen, who were in health, danced.
On hearing this cruel relation from George Ormond, who was throughout a
material witness to the scene, I had no doubt in my own mind of the
truth of it; but I thought it right to tell him at once that I had seen
a person, about four weeks ago, who had been the same voyage with him
and Peter Green, but yet who had no recollection of these circumstances.
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