The Moonstone - Page 400/404

The Statement of THE CAPTAIN (1849)

I am requested by Sergeant Cuff to set in writing certain facts,

concerning three men (believed to be Hindoos) who were passengers, last

summer, in the ship BEWLEY CASTLE, bound for Bombay direct, under my

command.

The Hindoos joined us at Plymouth. On the passage out I heard no

complaint of their conduct. They were berthed in the forward part of the

vessel. I had but few occasions myself of personally noticing them.

In the latter part of the voyage, we had the misfortune to be becalmed

for three days and nights, off the coast of India. I have not got the

ship's journal to refer to, and I cannot now call to mind the latitude

and longitude. As to our position, therefore, I am only able to state

generally that the currents drifted us in towards the land, and that

when the wind found us again, we reached our port in twenty-four hours

afterwards.

The discipline of a ship (as all seafaring persons know) becomes relaxed

in a long calm. The discipline of my ship became relaxed. Certain

gentlemen among the passengers got some of the smaller boats lowered,

and amused themselves by rowing about, and swimming, when the sun at

evening time was cool enough to let them divert themselves in that way.

The boats when done with ought to have been slung up again in their

places. Instead of this they were left moored to the ship's side.

What with the heat, and what with the vexation of the weather, neither

officers nor men seemed to be in heart for their duty while the calm

lasted.

On the third night, nothing unusual was heard or seen by the watch on

deck. When the morning came, the smallest of the boats was missing--and

the three Hindoos were next reported to be missing, too.

If these men had stolen the boat shortly after dark (which I have no

doubt they did), we were near enough to the land to make it vain to send

in pursuit of them, when the discovery was made in the morning. I have

no doubt they got ashore, in that calm weather (making all due allowance

for fatigue and clumsy rowing), before day-break.

On reaching our port I there learnt, for the first time, the reason

these passengers had for seizing their opportunity of escaping from the

ship. I could only make the same statement to the authorities which I

have made here. They considered me to blame for allowing the discipline

of the vessel to be relaxed. I have expressed my regret on this score to

them, and to my owners.