| Page 370373
On going below I spoke to all hands announcing
my intention of summarily shooting
down any one caught in the act of desertion
or in the performance of any unauthorised
act directly lending to the injury
of the sick. These remarks at such a
time came in naturally as incident to
the occasion and were therefore not offensive
to a collective body. At the present
moment there is on the part of the crew and
officers - I think - a warm personal feeling
towards myself and a strict staunch
fidelity, but I am obliged for
moral reasons easily understood to mingle
among them without restraint - to act as
a servant to their wants - to encourage colloquial
equality - and good humour - and
looking ahead to the time when I must
assume the strictest discipline - I know
that my present stand will be of value. There are those on board who
are exceptions - in their secret hearts - to
the mass of apparent fidelity quoted above, with them
I hope to God my intentions will have
a conclusive effect. It is horrible to
me - as a man yearning with love to his
fellows - to be obliged to say it but
I so truly believe that our future safety
and comfort would be promoted by
the absence of John or Godfrey that
I regret that my bullet did not take
effect.
No comment was made upon my
remarks - but I could see that they were
received with general satisfaction - Except
Mr. Ohlsen who a short time after remarked
in my hearing that the Hamburg
law for desertion was “twelve
days in irons.” to this assertion -
in keeping with the vaccilating unreliable | Page 370373
On going below I spoke to all hands announcing
my intention of summarily shooting
down any one caught in the act of desertion
or in the performance of any unauthorised
act directly lending to the injury
of the sick. THese remarks at such a
time came in naturally as incident to
the occasion and were therefore not offensive
to a collective body. At the present
moment there is on the part of the crew and
officers - I think - a warm personal feeling
towards myself and a strict staunch
fidelity, but I am obliged for
moral reasons easily understood to mingle
among them without restraint - to act as
a servant to their wants - to encourage colloquial
equality - and good humour - and
looking ahead to the time when I must
assume the strictest discipline - I know
that my present [stand?] will be of value. There are those on board who
are exceptions - in their secret hearts - to
the mass of apparent fidelity quoted above, with them
I hope to God my intentions will have
a conclusive effect. It is horrible to
me - as a man yearning with love to his
fellows - to be obliged to say it but
I so truly believe that our future safety
and comfort would be promoted by
the absence of John or Godfrey that
I regret that my bullet did not take
effect.
No comment was made upon my
remarks - but I could see that they were
received with general satisfaction - Except
Mr. Ohlsen who a short time after remarked
in my hearing that the Hamburg
law for desertion was “twelve
days in irons.” to this assertion -
in keeping with the vaccilating unreliable |
EN