Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/430

 keeping it secret from Atkiiis; that Bligh desired to include the charge abont importation of a still, and that when CrosBley thought it useless Bligh gave poaitive orders for ii^ inclusion. Other circumstances caused the information te be dropped, but Atlins heard of it from Crossley. It wad intended to revive it, Atkins said, amongst general cliargeaj but in the meantime a breach of the port regulations wa? put forward in order to lay hold of the victim, A schooner, the Panamfftta, of which Macarthur wan part owner, had gone to Tahiti, and an escaped convict had gone thither in her, although she had been searched by the myrmidons of the Provost-Marshal at Sydney before sailing,^ The missionaries at Tahiti complained of the intrusion oH the convict, and i>roceedings were taken against the Parra- matta for breach of the port regulations established by Governor King. The owners were condemned, and their bond for i^DOO (taken on arrival of the vessel from England, and binding lier owners to obey the port orders) was declared to be forfeit. Macarthur asserted that the convict had concealed himself, and was not willingly carried away. He appealed, but the Governor refused to interfere with the forfeiture. The owners refused to pay the penalty; the port officer^S prevented the landing of any cargo, and put constables on" board the vesseL Macarthur thereupon elected to abandon the vessel, and told the master and the crew that he had no more to do with her. The port regulations forbade seamen to absent themselves t*om their ship and to remain on shore, and the master ol' the Purrttmtttta made au affidavit to the effect that be was compelled to leave the ship by reason of Macarthur 's abandonment of her» It ia not easy to see the relevancy of this statement, because if the vessel was forfeited to the government it was manifestly ' necessary for the master to arrange with the governmeukj as to the terms on which he could remain in or leave th« ship. The Judge-Advocate, Atkins, by command of Blightl desired Macarthur '"to show cause** as to his having visions/* and thus compelled them to leave the ship. Mac*^ arthiir replied (from PaYia.maUa'i that the Judge-Advocate
 * deprived the seamen of their usual aUowance of pro*|