Page 372
An.1687
The Crew disgusted at their Captain.
find what he was sent for, among other things took out the Captains Journal, from America to the Island Guam, and laid it down by him. This Journal was taken up by one John Reed, a Bristol man, whom I have mentioned in my 4th Chapter. He was a pretty ingenious young man, and of a very civil carriage and behaviour. He was also accounted a good Artist, and kept a Journal, and was now prompted by his curiosity, to peep into Captain Swan's Journal, to see how it agreed with his own ; a thing very usual among Sea-men that keep Journals, when they have an opportunity, and especially young men, who have no great ex- perience. At the first opening of the Book he light on a place in which Captain Swan had inveighed bitterly against most of his men, especially against another John Reed, a Jamaica-man. This was such stuff as he did not seek after : But hitting so pat on this subject, his curiosity led him to pry farther ; and therefore while the Gunner was busie, he convey'd the Book away, to look over it at his leisure. The Gunner having dispatch'd his business, lock'd up the Cabbin-door not missing the Book, and went ashore. Then John Reed shew'd it to his Name- sake, and to the rest that were aboard ; who were by this time the biggest part of them ripe for mischief; only wanting some fair pretence to set themselves to work about it. Therefore looking on what was written in this Journal to be matter sufficient for them to accomplish their ends, Cap- tain Teat, who, as I said before, had been abused by Captain Swan, laid hold on this opportunity to be revenged for his injuries, and aggravated the matter to the heighth ; perswading the men to turn out Captain Swan from being Commander, in hopes to have commanded the Ship himself. As for the Sea-men, they were easily perswaded to any thing ; for they were quite tired with this long and tedious