by C. H. Layman
These being a desperate and factious set did not distress us much by their departure, but rather added to our future security. One in particular, James Mitchell by name, we had all the reason in the world to think had committed no less than two murders since the loss of our ship, one on the person found strangled on board, another on the body of a man whom we discovered among some bushes upon Mount Misery, stabbed in several places and shockingly mangled.
This diminution of our number was succeeded by an unfavourable accident much more affecting in its consequences: I mean the death of Mr Cozens, midshipman; in relating which, with the necessary impartiality and exactness, I think myself obliged to be more than ordinarily particular. Having one day among other things got a cask of pease out of the wreck, about which I was almost constantly employed, I brought it to shore in the yawl, when the Captain came down upon the beach and bid me to go up to some of the tents, and order hands to come down and roll it up; but finding none except Mr Cozens, I delivered him the orders, who immediately came down to the Captain, where I left them when I returned to the wreck. Upon my coming on shore again I found that Mr Cozens was put under confinement by the Captain for being drunk and giving him abusive language; however, he was soon after released. A day or two after, he had some dispute with the Surgeon, and came to blows. All these things incensed the Captain greatly against him. I believe this unfortunate man was kept warm with liquor, and set on by some ill-designed persons: for when sober I never knew a better natured man, or more inoffensive.
Some little time after, at the hour of serving provisions, Mr Cozens was at the store-tent; and having, it seems, lately had a quarrel with the Purser, and now some words arising between them, the latter told him he was come to mutiny; and without any further ceremony fired a pistol at his head, which narrowly missed him. The Captain, hearing the report of the pistol, and perhaps the Purser’s words that Cozens was come to mutiny, ran out of his hut with a cocked pistol, and without asking any questions immediately shot him through the head. I was at this time in my hut, as the weather was extremely bad; but running out upon the alarm of this firing the first thing I saw was Mr Cozens on the ground weltering in his blood. He was sensible, and took me by the hand, as he did several others, shaking his head as if he meant to take leave of us.
A critical moment.
This engraving of Captain Cheap shooting Midshipman Cozens comes from A Voyage to the South Seas, 1745, one of several anonymous accounts that were published before the authorised one came out in 1748. Cozens lingered on for 14 days before he died, with the ship’s company becoming increasingly mutinous.
If Mr Cozens’ behaviour to the Captain was indecent and provoking, the Captain’s on the other hand was rash and hasty. If the first was wanting in that respect and observance which is due from a petty officer to his commander, the latter was still more inadvised in the method he took for the enforcement of his authority, of which indeed he was jealous to the last degree, and which he saw daily declining and ready to be trampled upon. His mistaken apprehension of a mutinous design in Mr Cozens, the sole motive of his rash action, was so far from answering the end he proposed by it, that the men, who before were much dissatisfied and uneasy, were by this unfortunate step thrown almost into open sedition and revolt. It was evident that the people, who ran out of their tents alarmed by the report of fire-arms, though they disguised their real sentiments for the present, were extremely affected with this catastrophe of Mr Cozens, for he was greatly beloved by them. Their minds were now exasperated, and it was to be apprehended that their resentment, which was smothered for the present, would shortly show itself in some desperate enterprise.
The unhappy victim, who lay weltering in his blood before them, seemed to absorb their whole attention. The eyes of all were fixed upon him, and visible marks of the deepest concern appeared in the countenances of the spectators. The persuasion the Captain was under at the time he shot Mr Cozens that his intentions were mutinous, together with a jealousy of the diminution of his authority, occasioned also his behaving with less compassion and tenderness towards him afterwards than was consistent with the unhappy condition of the poor sufferer. For when it was begged as a favour by his mess-mates that Mr Cozens might be removed to their tent, though a necessary thing in his dangerous situation, yet it was not permitted; but the poor wretch was suffered to languish on the ground some days, with no other covering than a bit of canvas thrown over some bushes, where he died.
“I even proceeded to extremities,” the Captain had said. His action in shooting Mr Cozens was so controversial, and had such a disastrous effect on subsequent events, that it is worth scrutinising other versions of it. There are three of them, but the one that seems closest to the truth is that of the only eye-witness to the whole affair from the beginning, John Young, the Cooper.
His account follows.
Chapter 5
The Cooper’s Version
Wager Island, 10th June 1741. John Young, the Cooper, gives a detailed and level-headed account of the actions of all participants in the Cozens affair, and hints at its consequences.
From the account of John Young, Cooper
On this day a quarrel happened between the Surgeon and Cozens. The former coming on some occasion to the tent where the other lodged, words arose between them. Cozens followed the Surgeon out, still provoking him with abusive language, till at length blows ensued, when Cozens was overpowered and his hands were tied behind him, in which condition he continued some hours, but not in the least mended by it. The very next day when provisions were serving, he somehow came to hear that one of the men’s allowance was stopped. This concerned him no more than it did everyone else. However, as his delight was to fish in troubled waters, he officiously ran to demand the reason of it. The Purser, knowing his restless disposition, and having been in his turn very lately embroiled with him, swore he was come to a mutiny, and without more ado fired a pistol at his head; which would probably have ended him if it had not been diverted by the Cooper’s[19] striking it aside just as it went off. It were to be wished his death had then immediately happened, for it would have been less misery to himself, and attended with far less mischief to others. But it was the will of Providence that our commander should be the instrument of his unlucky fate, and thereby bring upon his own head an almost insupportable load of vexation.
In few words, the Captain and the Lieutenant of Marines, hearing in their tent the discharge of the Purser’s pistol, were both of them greatly alarmed. The latter ran out with a loaded piece in his hand, and seeing Cozens with the face and gesture of a mere fury, and the Purser raging at him with the titles Rogue, Incendiary, and the like, called eagerly to the Captain repeating the Purser’s accusation. The Captain having a sufficient reason to apprehend everything of this sort from the fellow, and so taking it for certain that what the Lieutenant bawled out was the real case, he snatched up a loaded pistol which lay on his table ready cocked, and stepping hastily out cried, “Where is the villain?”
The unfortunate wretch, perhaps conscious of his innocence, and moreover inspired by his native insolence, advanced with an audacious bravado almost to the Captain’s nose; who, thinking he intended some violence which it was necessary to prevent, let fly the pistol that was in his hand too precipitately, and shot him in the cheek. Cozens immediately dropped to the ground, where he lay a while bleeding and speechless, but sensible. The Captain ordered some who were by to carry him to the sick tent, where the Surgeon’s Mate dressed him, and probing the wound felt a ball somewhat below the right eye. The Surgeon himself refused meddling with him, which some imputed to a revengeful ill-nature because there had been just before a bickering between them. But we may as justly ascribe it to the Surgeon’s prudence, who thought if the patient should die under his hands it might be suggested that he, bearing him a grudge, had injured him or at least not done what he might to save him. Besides, as he saw nothing in the case above his Mate’s ability, there seemed to be no pressing cause o
f his interfering.
And, to speak plainly, the Captain’s aversion to the fellow was so intense that as nobody supposed he was very solicitous for his preservation, so no one who desired to be on good terms above was over-forward to administer any relief to him. This was obvious; for the Mate being about to extract the ball (as he did very skilfully) was desirous some more experienced person might be at the operation, to direct or assist should any unforeseen difficulty occur. The Surgeon having declined being at all present, that favour was requested of Dr Oakley of the land forces, who answered as if he would be there. But when the hour came he refused going because, as he said, he perceived it was not agreeable to the Captain. This was the report of the Surgeon’s Mate. The Carpenter gave out also that going the next morning on some business to the Captain’s tent he saw the Surgeon by the way, who asked him how that unhappy creature Cozens did. The Carpenter answered that he had not seen him that day. The Surgeon then said he would have visited him but the Captain would not give him leave.
After the extraction of the ball the wound dressed kindly, and there was a likelihood of his recovering. Hereupon he expressed an inclination of being moved to the tent where he had lodged before this mischief befell him. The Gunner and Carpenter, whose tent that was, not presuming to act in this matter without the Captain’s permission, waited on him for that purpose, earnestly praying him to indulge the sick man’s desire. Here was an occasion offered for discovering that humanity of temper which is supposed to be in everyone towards enemies themselves in distress, and the want of which is a disreputation to a man’s character, even in the eyes of the hard-hearted. The Captain had nothing to sacrifice but his revenge in granting the request of these petitioners; and his doing so might have been considered as some atonement for the cruelty he had exercised on the wretched object, in whose behalf they interceded. But so far was he from condescending to what they most reasonably asked, that he vehemently replied, “No. The scoundrel shan’t be gratified.”[20] These things, being reported among the crew, and according to the usual manner in such cases much aggravated, provoked them greatly and made the Captain to be excessively hated. The people propagated the disaffection from one to another in their cabals, muttering it would be more honourable of him to dispatch the prisoner at once than force him thus to languish out his miserable hours in a doleful cold wet place, dying as it were by piecemeal.
It is to be wished this gentleman had been of a disposition a little milder and more appeasable. Severity is sometimes necessary to answer the ends of government; but he who would rule over the hearts of men, and that surely is the most absolute and lasting dominion, must by all means shun the imputation of being inexorable. We find mercy ascribed even to the Almighty in scripture, as a ground or reason for his being feared. Yet it is but fair to say that the Captain’s austerity, in respect of Cozens, might not proceed from inhumanity or mere resentment (for though warm and hasty, as aforesaid, he was of a generous forgiving nature) but from an apprehension of its being fitting at that time and in those circumstances to behave with intrepid steadiness, and to bewray no symptom of irresolution or weakness.
On Wednesday the 24th instant this unfortunate contentious fellow expired, after lingering fourteen days from the time of his being wounded. His shipmates buried him with all the decent formality their situation would then admit of. There were no tears shed at the funeral, for those distil but rarely from the eyes of sailors, but several resentful speeches dropped from envenomed tongues, and the obsequies were solemnised with volleys of scandal. It was among other like things said, that though the deceased was a conceited busy fellow, and would be always meddling, that was not a sufficient reason for killing him; that he had never appeared in arms on any occasion since they came ashore; and that to shoot a man through the head on a mere surmise, without any inquisition or process of law at all, was something worse than manslaughter, and what the Captain’s commission would not bear him out in.[21] And that he should find if ever they returned to England.
Chapter 6
Murmuring and disaffection
Wager Island, 17th June 1741. The long-boat is lengthened by 12 feet. Everyone suffers desperate hunger. Mutinous schemes by disaffected men begin to emerge.
From Midshipman Byron’s narrative
Now we had saved the long-boat from the wreck and got it in our possession, there was nothing that seemed so necessary towards the advancing our delivery from this desolate place, as the new modelling this vessel so as to have room for all those who were inclined to go off in her, and to put her in a condition to bear the stormy seas we must of course encounter. We therefore hauled her up, and having placed her upon blocks sawed her in two, in order to lengthen her about twelve feet by the keel. For this purpose all those who could be spared from the more immediate task of procuring subsistence were employed in fitting and shaping timber as the Carpenter directed them. I say, in procuring subsistence, because the weather lately having been very tempestuous, the wreck working much had disgorged a great part of her contents, which were every where dispersed about the shore. We now sent frequent parties up the lagoons, which sometimes succeeded in getting some sea-fowl for us.
The Indians appearing again in the offing, we put off our yawl in order to frustrate any design they might have of going up the lagoon towards the deserters, who would have availed themselves of some of their canoes to have got upon the main. Having conducted them in, we found that their intention was to settle among us, for they had brought their wives and children with them, in all about fifty persons, who immediately set about building themselves wigwams, and seemed much reconciled to our company. Could we have entertained them as we ought, they would have been of great assistance to us, who were extremely put to it to subsist ourselves, being a hundred in number; but the men, now subject to little or no control, endeavoured to seduce their wives, which gave the Indians such offence that in a short time they found means to depart, taking every thing along with them. And we, being sensible of the cause, never expected to see them return again.
The Carpenter having made some progress in his work upon the long-boat, in which he was enabled to proceed tolerably by the tools and other articles of his business retrieved from the wreck, the men began to think of the course they should take to get home; or rather, having borrowed Sir John Narborough’s[22] Voyage from Captain Cheap, by the application of Mr Bulkeley, which book he saw me reading one day in my tent, they immediately upon perusing it concluded upon making their voyage home by the Straits of Magellan. This plan was proposed to the Captain, who by no means approved of it, his design being to go northwards with a view of seizing a ship of the enemy’s, by which means he might join the Commodore. At present, therefore, here it rested. But the men were in high spirits from the prospect they had of getting off in the long-boat, overlooking all the difficulties and hazards of a voyage almost impracticable, and caressing the Carpenter, who indeed was an excellent workman, and deserved all the encouragement they could give him.
The Indians having left us, and the weather continuing tempestuous and rainy, the distresses of the people for want of food became insupportable. Our number, which was at first 145, was now reduced to 100, and chiefly by famine, which put the rest upon all shifts and devices to support themselves. One day when I was at home in my hut with my Indian dog, a party came to my door and told me their necessities were such, that they must eat the creature or starve. Though their plea was urgent, I could not help using some arguments to endeavour to dissuade them from killing him, as his faithful services and fondness deserved it at my hands. But without weighing any arguments they took him away by force and killed him; upon which, thinking that I had at least as good a right to a share as the rest, I sat down with them and partook of their repast. Three weeks after that I was glad to make a meal of his paws and skin, which, upon recollecting the spot where they had killed him, I found thrown aside and rotten.
The pressing calls of hunger drove our men to their wits’ end, an
d put them upon a variety of devices to satisfy it. Among the ingenious this way, one Phipps, a Boatswain’s Mate, having got a water puncheon, scuttled it. Then lashing two logs, one on each side, he set out in quest of adventures in this extraordinary and original piece of embarkation. By this means he would frequently, when all the rest were starving, provide himself with wild-fowl; and it must have been very bad weather indeed which could deter him from putting out to sea when his occasions required. Sometimes he would venture far out in the offing and be absent the whole day. At last it was his misfortune, at a great distance from shore, to be overset by a heavy sea; but being near a rock, though no swimmer, he managed so as to scramble to it, and with great difficulty ascended it. There he remained two days with very little hopes of any relief, for he was too far off to be seen from shore; but fortunately a boat, having put off and gone in quest of wild-fowl that way, discovered him making such signals as he was able, and brought him back to the island. But this accident did not so discourage him, but that soon after, having procured an ox’s hide, used on board for sifting powder, and called a gunner’s hide, by the assistance of some hoops he formed something like a canoe, in which he made several successful voyages.
When the weather would permit us we seldom failed of getting some wild-fowl, though never in any plenty, by putting off with our boats; but this most inhospitable climate is not only deprived of the sun for the most part by a thick, rainy atmosphere, but is also visited by almost incessant tempests. It must be confessed we reaped some benefit from these hard gales and overgrown seas, which drove several things ashore; but there was no dependence on such accidental relief and we were always alert to avail ourselves of every interval of fair weather, though so little to be depended on that we were often unexpectedly, and to our peril, overtaken by a sudden change. In one of our excursions I, with two more, in a wretched punt of our own making, had no sooner landed at our station upon a high rock, than the punt was driven loose by a sudden squall; and had not one of the men, at the risk of his life, jumped into the sea and swam on board her, we must in all probability have perished; for we were more than three leagues from the island at the time.