APPENDIX.

No. II.

'ACCOUNT OF THE SECOND VOYAGE OF THE SHIP DUFF.

Referred to at p. 158.

Two years after the London Missionary Society first sent out a company of missionaries with Captain Wilson in the Duff to the South Seas, they sent out another company to join their brethren. It consisted of thirty persons, ten of whom were married, and one of whom had two children.

They embarked in the Duff under the command of Captain Robson, and left the shores of England on December 20th, 1798.

As England was at this time at war with France and Spain, there was much danger of meeting with the ships of enemies in crossing the ocean.

Whenever a strange sail was seen, the missionaries felt alarmed, and had recourse to prayer; especially on one occasion when they thought a ship was pursuing them. Their prayers were always turned into praises by the deliverances that God afforded them.

It might have been supposed that a company of Christians, shut out from the world, would have

found much happiness and improvement from the society of each other. This, however, was not the case with the brethren on board the Duff. Their various sins and infirmities disturbed their peace of mind, and made them feel that they were not yet fit for the heavenly inheritance. God in his mercy brought those afflictions upon them which were necessary for their profit, and which were the means of preparing some of them for his service in heathen lands.

They had arrived near the coast of South America, and were eagerly hoping to touch at a Portuguese town, called Rio Janeiro, on the next day, when they beheld a small sail at a great distance. No one on board was alarmed at the sight, because the vessel appeared no more than a fishing-smack, and even seemed to be at anchor. The day was passed chiefly in catching dolphins, and in preparing for landing soon at the desired port: some washed their clothes, others wrote letters to their friends, and all indulged in the most pleasing hopes. No danger was feared, and no prayers for preservation were offered. At four o'clock that same afternoon a fresh breeze sprang up, and the Duff spread its sails, and proceeded swiftly towards the port. The missionaries observed the distant vessel also sailing quickly in the same direction, but still no one imagined that it was chasing the Duff.

At ten o'clock some of the missionaries had retired to rest, and others were lingering upon deck, when the strange vessel, which had now almost

APPENDIX.

453

overtaken the Duff, fired a

shot.

This was a

A second shot was

signal to the Duff to heave to. soon fired, and a man on board the strange vessel hallooed out in English, through a speaking-trumpet, "What ship? Whither come? Where

bound?"

Those on board the Duff now began to tremble, fearing that the strange ship belonged to an enemy. Their fears were confirmed when they were commanded to send their boat to the ship, and at the same time threatened, that if they disobeyed, they should be sent to the bottom. The first mate and four seamen set out towards the strange ship in the boat. Meanwhile a boat arrived from the unknown vessel at the Duff; it was filled with French sailors, who at length made the missionaries and their companions understand that the Duff was seized as a prize.

An order was soon given for all the men on board the Duff to leave the vessel. Their grief was very great; especially that of the married people, who were now to be separated from each other. Some began to pray, and others to collect their clothes to take with them; but they were not permitted to linger, for the French officers, with their swords drawn, hurried them into the boats, and then, in an unfeeling manner, threw luggage upon them. The French sailors ran down into the cabins, and began to plunder them of all the property they could find, throwing what they did not want, such as Bibles and other books, into the sea.

It was dreadful indeed to the married missionaries

to leave their wives in the ship with such men; but they could not even make their enemies understand the entreaties that they uttered. When the missionaries arrived at the strange ship, which was called the Buonaparte, they were overwhelmed with horror at the scene they beheld. The ship contained two hundred sailors, whose savage countenances and brutal manners bespoke their ungodly character.

The poor missionaries and English sailors were directed to stand all together in one part of the ship -where they remained for several hours, occupied with their distressing thoughts, and scarcely able to find any comfort in the promises of God.

The married missionaries earnestly implored permission to return to their wives and children. As one of them could speak French, they could make their request known. There was also an English interpreter on board. The request was refused; but as several of the women were ill, the English doctor was permitted to return to the Duff.

At two o'clock in the morning, the missionaries were conducted below deck, into the place where they were to sleep. It was extremely hot, close, and dirty, so low that they could scarcely stand upright in it, and filled with the hammocks of the sailors.

The poor missionaries spent the night on the floor of this loathsome place, but, of course, found it impossible to sleep.

They were suffocated with heat; for though the hatchway (or door) was left open, there was scarcely

any air stirring; nor was there room to turn round in. They were also parched with thirst, but could not obtain a draught of water, and were continually trampled upon by the sailors, as they went in and out to watch upon deck.

But none of these sufferings were equal to the tortures of their minds from dreadful apprehensions. After spending the night in looking upon each other, their eyes were cheered by the light of returning day. Now they hoped to be allowed to return to the deck, and often implored this permission, but it was not granted till eight o'clock in the morning.

It was inexpressibly refreshing to them again to breathe the pure air, after a night of such suffering. But what painful feelings they experienced, when they cast their eyes upon the Duff, (which was still in sight, in consequence of the calm,) and considered that they might never behold it more, nor the living treasures it contained! Their souls were indeed disquieted within them.

When they had been an hour upon deck, they were provided with food. They were first divided into parties of ten, who were to mess together. Their breakfast consisted of hard biscuit and cheese, with a little port wine and water; their dinner of

very fat salt pork and biscuit; their supper of thick soup composed of white French beans and biscuit, and a little pork fat. This soup was served in a wooden vessel. As each mess had only one spoon between them, they were obliged at first to hand the spoon round amongst them, but