IV - Proceedings from the Rejunction of the Ships, to the Abandonment of the Island of Bulama by the major Part of the Colonists, in the Ship Calypso.

Summary

WHEN I quitted the Hankey on the morning of the 5th, I had left a quiet, clean, healthy, and orderly ship, the colonists contented and in good spirits; but when I returned on the 7th, I found a noisy, dirty, disorderly ship, the colonists dissatisfied and dispirited. That such a change could have been operated in so short a time was scarcely credible, but such was the effect of the Calypso's rejunction. The fever, from which the Hankey was still free, had already made its appearance in the former ship; and, instead of separating the infected from the well, and taking any steps to prevent the spreading of that dangerous disease, by prohibiting any unnecessary intercourse between the two ships, the whole time, since the arrival of the Calypso, had been taken up in the constant interchange of visits: nay, the affected themselves, the very persons who had the fever on them at the time, had been actually on board the Hankey; and the consequence was that many days did not elapse before the fever made its appearance in that ship also.

Nothing was heard but mutual reproaches from the people of the Calypso. The colonists accused the members of the council, in that ship, of a want of attention to their comfort and accommodation; they were tired with the length of the voyage, irritated with sickness, the loss of their associates, and the disappointment of their hopes; and became extremely dissatisfied with their situation.

The members of the council, on the contrary, attributed their principal misfortune to the unruly and disobedient conduct of the colonists; these general and reciprocal complaints, produced, in the minds of a few, contempt; but in the majority of the colonists, despondency.

The first object after the junction of the ships was the redemption of our women and children. For this purpose I returned the same evening to Bissao, to negociate with Mr. de Sylva Cordoza, the mode of affecting their ransom; which he readily undertook to accomplish, by dispatching some of his grumetas in a sloop, to the Isle of Canabac,i (whither they had been carried) with a proper assortment of goods.