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My reader may possibly question how so much craft, so much treachery, such an abuse of power, could meet together in the person of one man: but I here solemnly aver every circumstance of this affair to be true; and appeal to all persons concernd therein, besides the depositions aforesaid.

Nor is it so much to be wonder’d at, if we consider a commander of a ship in a far distant latitude, with unlimited power, bad views, ill nature and ill principles all concurring.——I say, it’s not to be wondered at whatever such a Man does, for he is past all restraint.

A late instance of this kind is captain Jayne, of Bristol who, in a most extraordinary lingering manner, cruelly starved and tortured his cabin boy to death; nor could his whole ship’s company hinder it, tho’ it was long a doing: however, when ashore, the men were freed from that tyrannical power, and were bold enough to speak the truth, which hanged him.

But to return. Thus was Shelvocke’s great estate to be got suddenly, without any one in the ship to be a check upon him, or even a witness of the quantum or quomodo, how or how much; for now ’tis evident all must pass through his own and his two creatures hands; Shelvocke being agent for the owners, his kinsman for us of the cabin, and Stewart agent for the petty officers and men.