yellow fever was then raging at Jamaica; many of the Brunswick’s officers and crew had fallen victims to it; and as she had but few midshipmen left, Mr. Dougal was at once placed on her quarter-deck. In Mar. 1800, he followed Captain Rutherford into the Decade frigate; from which ship we find him paid off, at Portsmouth, Oct. 7th, 1802. Previous to this he had witnessed the surrender of Curaçoa, assisted in cutting out several vessels on the coast of the Spanish Main, and been, on one occasion, no less than fifteen days in an open boat, endeavouring to regain his ship, which had suddenly left her station off Porto Cabello. During this time, provisions running short, he was obliged to go on shore at various places to procure some, and once obliged to fight his way to the beach, having been surprised by a party of cavalry.
Being soon tired of an idle life, Mr. Dougal next embarked on board the Trusty, a frigate-built Guineaman, which ship, alter seven months’ service on the African coast, proceeded with 400 slaves to Jamaica, where her cargo, the original cost of which was about £5,000., sold for no less than £26,000. the late Dr. M‘Leod, surgeon of the Alceste frigate, during Lord Amherst’s embassy to China, was then one of Mr. Dougal’s fellow voyagers.
After his arrival at Kingston, the subject of this memoir, being second mate of the Trusty, was employed for about six months, in the command of a droger, bringing rum and sugar from various parts of Jamaica. When the ship was loaded and ready to return home, she anchored at Port Royal, to wait for convoy. Her commander there associated with a number of naval officers, and, one night, returning on board in a state of inebriety, was so very abusive to Mr. Dougal that he could not avoid resenting it. In the heat of passion, the skipper ordered a boat to be manned, went on board the Theseus 74, and asserted that he was in danger of being murdered. His unoffending officer was consequently sent for, and next morning questioned as to the nature of the quarrel which had taken place; his ungarbled version of the affair received credit, and he was immediately ordered to do
