consented to let us leave. We all went ashore in this canoe, then, and
were soon alongside of a wharf. On landing, we were near a large store,
and looking in at a window, we saw a man sitting asleep, with a gun in the
hollow of his arm. His head was on the counter, and there was a lamp
burning. One of the blacks pitched through the window, and was on him in a
moment. The rest followed, and we made him a prisoner. The poor fellow
said he had come to look after his property, and he was told no one would
hurt him. My blacks now began to look about them, and to help themselves
to such articles as they thought they wanted. I confess I helped myself to
some tea and sugar, nor will I deny that I was in such a state as to think
the whole good fun. We carried off one canoe load, and even returned for a
second. Of course such an exploit could not have been effected without
letting all in the secret share; and one boat-load of plunder was not
enough. The negroes began to drink, however, and I was sober enough to see
the consequences, if they were left ashore any longer. Some riflemen came
in, too, and I succeeded in getting my jokers away.

The recklessness of sailors may be seen in our conduct. All we received
for our plunder was some eight or ten gallons of whiskey, when we got back
to the harbour, and this at the risk of being flogged through the fleet!
It seemed to us to be a scrape, and that was a sufficient excuse for
disobeying orders, and for committing a crime. For myself, I was
influenced more by the love of mischief, and a weak desire to have it said
I was foremost in such an exploit, than from any mercenary motive.
Notwithstanding the severity of the orders, and one or two pretty sharp
examples of punishment inflicted by the commodore, the Black Jokers were
not the only plunderers ashore that night. One master's-mate had the
buttons taken off his coat, for stealing a feather bed, besides being
obliged to carry it back again. Of course he was a shipped master's-mate.