This kind of rehearsing might probably have induced Captain Roche to have refented it on the fpot, had he not wifely confidered, that their anfwer would have been," Sir, who addreffed their difcourfe to you?" and a queftion naturally arifes, whether a third perfon has any right, or even business, to make applications of this fort. We all know that nothing ftrengthens a farcafm fo much, or affords fuch opportunities for laughter, as a third perfon applying a double enten dre. It argues at once a conscioufnefs of guilt, and manifefts too low a degree of ignorance for a gentleman. Capt. Roche, therefore, difplayed his fenfe and gentility, and that in a very penetrating ftile, by difdaining to fhew them he was any way affected by their mountebank exhibitions. His refentment was probably too reftrained, by reflecting that the devil and the church of Rome can at all times quote fcripture for villainy.

Thefe felect paffages of theatrical fcripture, in order that they might operate with fufficient force to throw Captain Roche off his guard, were at different times differently repeated, and with additional strokes of bloody humour; and the whole account of Falltaff's making eleven men out of two, repeated with every forcible epithet that unfortunately retorted the highest ridicule on themselves, fuch as, "Should I turn upon the true prince? Was it for me to kill the heir apparent? Why, thou know'ft I am as valiant as Hercules; but beware inflinct; the lion will not touch the true prince: I was a coward on instinct." We beg pardon for detaining our readers with this account of their provocations, it was wrote only on two confiderations, the first to let the world fee to what pitch of infolence determined villainy can arrive, and how reconcileable it was to the natures of Ferguson and Grant, to fport with blood in the height of merriment, and devife means of revenge in the midft of jocularity; when their hearts were dipped in a feven-fold die of envy, hatred and malice; and the fecond to let the reader know what actually paffed on board. To a man of lefs courage and worse conduct than Captain Roche, how applicable would have been the words of the fame author in the mouth of his Othello. If the flave had fifty thousand lives, they would be all too poor, too weak for my revenge."

To give a ferious anfwer to this kind of conduct, would be a disgrace to common fenfe; fuffice it to fay, it was a conduct they perfifted in whenever an

opportunity offered itself. Nor was this the whole of their meannefs; dead to every fenfe of politenefs, they neither refrained their fpeeches, or their comments, their fneers and loud laughters, though in the prefence of a lady, to whom at least fome little decency, fome degree of decorum was due. It was impoffible for a lady to have offended fo as to have deserved fuch behaviour from gentlemen; but we prostitute the meaning of that word, when we apply it to Lieut. Ferguson and Mr. Grant, else they never would have violated the laws of good manners and humanity, when, in her hearing, they caft their invectives on her friend, her protector and her hufband.

Proceedings of this kind paffed daily, and Capt. Roche and his lady often heard Ferguson and Grant fencing in their cabin, and from thence could not but conclude, Ferguson was practifing in order to prepare himself for a duel with Capt. Roche. Every one must acknowledge their furmifes to be just and well grounded, when we affirm, thatFrancois, (as he was called) a Frenchman, and fervant to Grant, previous to their fencing, was fent with Grant's foils publicly to the poop, and openly declared they were for the practice of Ferguson and his master. Their fencing even continued from time to time, till their arrival at the Cape, two days previous to which, Lieut. Ferguson gave his pistols to Serjeant Brown to have them cleaned, and at the fame time ordered him to make fix rounds of ball cartridges, and fit them exceeding well to his piftols; for that he intended to ufe them with Capt. Roche. Thefe ball cartridges were made, and Ferguson actually fired two of them off at the Captain's gallery, then returned to Serj. Brown, and told him, they fitted exceeding well. The night alfo of cafting anchor before the Cape, Lieut. Ferguson fenced from feven to nine with his brother Adam Fergufon, and fcarce a day paffed from the intercourse with Capt. Roche's lady, that Fergufon did not practise fencing with his brother Adam or Grant, and at different times made ufe of expreffions that fignified his intentions of fighting, but the manner in which he intended to fight we fhall in due courfe relate.

At feven o'clock the next morning, Mrs. Roche going on deck to take a view of the Cape Town, the obferv'd Lieut. Ferguson and his brother Adam looking into a cheft that stood upon deck, from which he took out three fwords,.

weighed

weighed and poised each in his hand, and after fixing on one, turned round towards Mrs. Roche, and making a lunge, as at fencing, faid to her, "This fall do the rascal's bufinefs before night."

We beg leave to make one obfervation; it will not be quite impertinent, nor, we hope, totally unfatisfactory to the reader. Mr. Grant fwears in his depofition at the Cape of Good Hope, before the fifcal, (the fupreme Judge of the Court of Judicature) with all the rancour of a diabolical agent, that Capt. Roche was "ignorant, prefumptuous, captious, and revengeful, a liar, and a coward, in a word, unprincipled; that he was foolish, turbulent, and infolent. That from what he heard of Capt. Roche's behaviour at Madeira, he thought him not capable of fighting any man upon fair terms, that he advised him to use a cane, (which cane was indeed after ufed) and that Capt. Roche had forfeited all his pretenfions to courage or honour." Let us compare this oath with Ferguson's and Grant's previous preparations, and we shall find the whole as contrary to truth, as he is by nature a promoter of quarrrels, and diabolically falfe and malicious.

He fays, Capt. Roche is a coward, and afraid to fight any man; he prepares Lieut. Ferguson for fighting Capt. Roche. They practise fencing for three months, they melt lead for bullets, they try those bullets whether they are well made for the pistols, and declare them fit for the purpose. Grant fends his fervant upon deck to clean his foils, the fervant declares they are for the purpose of his master's and Furgufon's fencing: they practife the night of cafting anchor, Fergufon approve of a fword in the prefence of Mrs. Roche, and, lunging, fays, not only in her hearing, but to her, This hall do the rafcal's bufinefs before night."

After all this preparation of melting, fencing, poifing, and lunging on the part of Lieut. Fergufon, Grant does not believe Capt. Roche capable of fighting! we appeal then to the heart and to the head, to God and to the confcience, to know what could induce them jointly to act in this manner, and Grant to 1 wear thus palpably contradictory to all his words and actions? If any construction can be put upon their behaviour, and his oath, it is demonftrably true, the intention was to affaffinate Capt. Roche, and, failing in the enterprize, Grant's determination to fwear away his life, as December, 1775.

an atonement for the blood of a man, who fell a facrifice to his own brutality. But thanks to an Almighty God, who rules the caufe of justice, and infpires the judges of his earthly tribunal, with wifdom to discern falfhood, and uprightnefs of heart to protect the innocent; the honourable the Dutch Court of Judicature, declared that Capt. Roche behaved like a man of honour, that he stood in his own defence, and honourably acquitted him.

To return. Whilft the fhip was lying at anchor before the town, Lieut. Fergufon went round among his affociates, in order to procure the heaviest cane he could find amongst them; and after trying feveral, by triking the head of the cane downwards, fixed upon one, which was the heavieft; and of that fort, round the head of which is twisted catgut, a knob at the top, and a large bullet laid in the centre. This cane he several times ftruck against the fhip, and faid, "It will do for the villain." We shall prove that Lieut. Ferguson actually knocked down Capt. Roche, that he cut his head with his cane, in a most dangerous part, and broke his (Capt. Roche's arm) before Capt. Roche had an opportunity to draw his fword; and that Lieut. Ferguson fought afterwards with both fword and cane; which fhews he made ufe of the cane, to knock afide the fword of Capt. Roche, and to plunge his own fword to the heart of Capt. Roche, when in that defenceless situation.

About eleven o'clock of the fame morning, Lieut. Ferguson went into a Dutch boat, accompanied by his brother Adam Ferguson, who looked extremely dejected; the Lieut. took with him a brace of piftols in a red bag in one hand, and his fword and cane in the other, and departed publickly in this manner from the fhip, Mr. Berkley, the third mate, and friend of Lieut. Ferguson's at the Lieut. departure, bidding him "mind how you come on, remember your bigbland twift." To which Ferguson replied, never fear me, I warrant you I'll come on board a live or dead."

Going down the fide of the thip Lieut. Ferguson gave a beckon to Capt. Roche, who was ftanding upon deck, with his head, as a motion for the Captain to follow him; to which motion Captain Roche thought proper to return no anfwer, either by word or action, and Lieut. Fergufon departed. About an hour af ter, Capt. Young fpoke to Capt. Roche, and told him, that as foon as his pinnace had returned from fetting Mr. Grant and his family on fhore, it should be ready X X X X

to

"1

to attend Capt. Roche and his lady. In the interim, a Dutchman came on board, whofe name was William Mols, and entering Captain Roche's cabin, offered his fervice to Captain Roche and his lady, if they should think proper to take up their refidence with him at the Cape, as lodgers. After the ufual compliments had paited, Captain Roche informed him, that he fufpected a very rafh and violent man, by his preparatory measures, would attack his perfon; and begged Mr. Mols would wait upon the governor in his name, and acquaint him of thefe matters, and defire he would put him under an arrest, Mr. Mols, who had promifed to execute what Captain Roche had requested, waited upon the Governor, but too late, for it was after the rencontre between Lieut. Ferguson and Capt. Roche had happencd.

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Previous to the departure of Lieut. Fergufon a converfation enfued between him and his man, Alex. M'Clafhum; in which the fervant expreffed his forrow at this perfeverance of inveteracy in his mafter to Captain Roche; and added, he was very forry, becaufe he had heard Captain Roche was a very good fwordfmau. To this obfervation of M'Clafhum's, Ferguson replied, "Don't make yourfelf uneafy, for there is very little danger of him, I'll never give him time to draw his fword, I'll do his bufiaefs in another manner, and before he is aware of it." That this converfation happened between M'Clafhum and Fergufon, will be proved by an annexed affidavit; as will likewife many expreffions of the Lieutenant's, that affected the life of Capt. Roche, during their paifage from Madeira to the Cape, fuch as, "If I live to fee that rafcal, Roche, on fhore, I will either blow, or knock out his brains:" the evident meaning of which was, that if the blow from the loaded cane, had not the proper effect, the ball cartridges fhould finish what the cane had not effected. Add to this, that Mr. Caringerofs, the furgeon of the fhip, applied to Mr. Fergulon, at the request of Capt. Roche, and earnetily begged him to accommodate and fettle all difputes, as they originated from nothing. To this intreaty of Caringcrofs, by Capt. Roche, Mr. Ferguson's answer was, "that he was determined to have Capt. Roche's blood;" and Caringcrofs returned with this answer to Mr. Roche, as alfo this addition, "that he, (Caringerofs,) had interfered in the matter, but now begged to wath his hands of the whole." Before we come to the ancer part of this narrative, it will be

extremely neceffary to fet one matter to rights. It has been given out, by the enemies of Capt, Roche, that on the paffage to the Cape from Madeira, he was expelled their fociety, and not permitted to eat in the Captain's cabin. In answer to which, we fall only fay, it is void of truth. The truth is, after Capt.Roche's refufal to fign the memorial, their refentment grew more malevolent than ever; which induced Mr. and Mrs. Roche, by the intreaty of Capt. Young, to eat in their own cabin, to prevent any future altercations; and this is the actual reason why Captain Roche and his lady chofe to eat by themfelves: one caufe more may be affigued, and that is, the illiterate and low behaviour, not only of Ferguson and Grant, and their affociates, but alfo the indelicacies and rudenefs of the three ladies. When the tender fex muft become fubjects of accufation; when not only their delicacy,.but their mod city must be impeached, a pang mutt enter the heart of every fufceptible man. Was it not abfolutely neceffary to clear up this point of expulfion, their behaviour fhould have been buried in oblivion; and however great the misfortunes of Captain Roche, he fhould have suttered in filence: but when a lady of character, family and fortune is concerned, it behoves us to truly reprehend the mifconduct of those who are totally deftitute of the whole. The men were objects to he defpifed by Capt. Roche, the women exci ted the contempt and pity of his lady.

The firit inftance of rudeness was in Mrs. Grant, who having, at times, feveral odds and ends on her plate, put them back again into the difh, faying, "They'll do for any body elfe." Another frequent practice of this lady was, to cut a lemon in two at dinner, rub it over her hands, wipe her hands with the cloth, and then fqueeze that very piece of lemon on the meat at table. Another very particular inftance of her indelicacy was, in giving the following toalt but a few days after they had been on board, and before a number of gentlemen, "All we quish, and all we want." We appeal to the ideas of our readers, what opinion they can entertain of the modetty of fuch a lady.The language is undoubtedly peculiar to ladies of the faux pas in the purlieus of Covent Garden; and as fuch, Captain Roche confidered it. when he made the ufual addition; "And all our wanton wines," but in a low tone of voice, and in a jocular manner to the gentleman fitting next him. Grant, who had a long time waited for an opportuni

order and time.

To proceed. Between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, Captain Roche and his lady went afhore, where they found two flaves belonging to Mr. Petrus Vanderpoel, Burger and Old Deacon at the Cape, and at whofe houfe Captain Roche had taken lodgings, ready to carry them to their master's houfe in a fedan; but chufing rather to walk, the chair followed them to the town, and they went immediately to the houfe of Vanderpoel, without flopping any where. When arrived at the houfe of Mr. Vanderpoel, tea was immediately ordered; and Captain Roche, not doubting but the governor had taken proper precautions with respect to the affairs of him and Ferguson, after tea, as ufual with travellers, begged Mr. Vanderpoel would let him have one of his flaves to walk with him, and fhew him the Cape and town; and accordingly a flave boy, named Jeptha, about the age of eleven, was fent with Captain Roche; Captain Roche having been about a quarter of an hour in the house, and quite day light, then went to view the town, &c. before the evening came on. This was about five o'clock, and as Captain Roche was walking by the Dutch company's garden, in his way home, he oblerved a little black boy watching him, and as foon as he came to that part of it where Lieutenant Ferguson and his company refided, (then unknown to Captain Roche) the boy immediately ran into a houfe. In a few minutes after, Mr. Roche was fuck on the back part of the head with a cane, in fuch a violent manner, that the blood ran down very faft, and he immediately fell to the ground almost stunned. But recovering directly, he looked round and faw Lieutenant Ferguson, who purfued his blows with his cane, and then

in a manner fo hafty and revengeful, that he was knocked down twice before he had time to draw his fword, and from the repetition of blows, his arm was broke, and fwelled in a very extraordinary and frightful manner. Thus affaulted, and

in danger of his life, the world, we hope, will think Captain Roche juliified in drawing his fword, and calling upon Ferguson to do the fame; which he did, and fought with both fword and cane, attempting to beat down Captain Roche's fword, and at the fame time lunging with his, both of which Captain Roche repulfed, and defended himself. In the midst of this fcuffle Mr. Grant came running out of the houfe, to whom Capt. Roche called out, "Mr. Grant, are you a man, and will fee me used in this manner." To which Mr. Grant, with all the ho nour and humanity that he poffeffed, cried, "yes." As we take those words from Grant's own affidavit, they are indifputable. Here let the reader make his own comment; for it would be a disgrace to reason, and put humanity too much to the bluth, to obferve any thing farther, than, that it too plainly proves a confpiracy against the life of Captain Roche, and a long premeditated defign of affaffination.

In this fituation were Captain Roche and Lieutenant Ferguson at Grant's arrival; and matters were now coming hafiily to the extreme. Captain Roche's fword had been bent by a blow from Ferguson's cane; and therefore now Captain Roche fought under every difadvantage, the one with sword and cane, the other with a bent fword; notwithflanding which, in order to make Ferguson delift, Captain Roche pricked him feveral times in the fword hand; and as Ferguson pushed on violently, Captain Roche pricked him again on the thigh above knee; and fill kept retreating, Fergufon pursuing with the utmost acrimony, lunging with his fword, and ftriking with the cane alternately. The acrimony that discovered itfeif in the mind of Mr. Fergufon, made him ftill pufh on; and Captain Roche, to convince Fergufon of his inferiority in the art of fencing, gave him a flight wound in the tender part of the belly, even on the left fide, at the fame time calling out to Mr. Grant to take him away. To this very humane and merciful requeft, Grant thought proper to make no anfwer; and as Fergufon's malice encreafed, and Captain Roche faw himfelf at laft in the utm_dan_er of his life, he made a lunge at Ferguson, which, owing to the fword being bent, entered X X X X 2

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