Page:Full and true account, of the cruel sufferings of the passengers on board the brig Nancy bound for New-York.pdf/7

[ 7 ]  he set out with such a disposition from the first— the vessel was entirely unprovided with many  for the preservation of the passengers, and the  he had, he withheld from them. He had no, nor spy glass, nor candles, even for himself, a small parcel insufficient for the passage, and if  had not been supplied by one of the passengers, who  to bring a box with him, there would have  none to direct the sailing of the vessel.

Notwithstanding the agreement of half a pound of per week for each passenger, it appeared there were  6 barrels shipped in all. There were indeed on 6 large hhds. of good meal, but these it seemed intended to convert to his own use, for he gave the  none of it; he had also for himself and crew,  water in plenty, but gave the passengers only  stinking water, that was of itself sufficient, in  probability, to have destroyed their lives, with, black musty meal, hardly fit for swine to eat,  this to be eaten raw! In short, it seems wonderful any of them escaped with life, and contrary to his  that they did so; for he not only declared it  his actions, but more than once plainly by his words.

On the vessel’s arrival at New-York, the distress of passengers, and captain’s behaviour to them, was, for about ten days, almost entirely  in the city. And when at last it came by degrees part to be known, and the captain was questioned  some parts of his conduct, and made to restore to the  sufferers, the deficiency in their allowance of  and meal; yet by some means or other, that  ought to be enquired into, some material  were, by design or accident, out of the way, and did  appear against him; so that he was permitted to go  large, till Friday evening last, when he in a private  clandestine manner, got on board and went off with  vessel in the night. It is said he is gone to North ; and as it is hoped there is hardly such another of a vessel, and crew, in his Majesty’s dominions;