o_199m9vaui14ib1cnu10di10pocoj4h.pdf

DELEGATES FROM THE NORE 169
are very unpleasant ; but bad as they are, I fear we must
come to that issue at last." 1 Duncan made haste to carry
out his unwelcome instructions. He weighed anchor on
27 May, intending to sail to a rendezvous between ten
and fifteen leagues to the west of the Texel. 2 But it
happened in his squadron as it had happened at Spithead
and St. Helens, that at the prospect of putting to sea, the
whole fleet broke into mutiny.
Although Duncan and his officers had not the least
suspicion beforehand of the misfortune that was coming
upon them, there was in fact some slight forewarning of
the mutiny. In addition to the little disputes in the first
half of the month, there had been some trouble on the
Nassau. The crew had not been paid for nineteen
months, and they sent a petition to Duncan asking that
they might be paid before they put to sea. 3 On 21 May
they were ordered to go to the Nore to receive their
wages, though they were naturally kept waiting at
Yarmouth in the hope that the Nore mutiny would
subside. 4 Five days later some delegates from the Nore
came to Yarmouth in the Cygnet cutter. 5 There is no
1. Spencer to Nepean (Sheerness), 29 May, A.S.M. 137.
2. F 146, 147. Schomberg (vol. iii, p. 25) gives the date of sailing
wrongly as 26 May; Brenton (vol. i, p. 423) gives it as the 29th.
Clowes (vol. iv, p. 173) has copied Schomberg's mistake.
3. F133. On 26 May Onslow moved his flag to the Adamant, because
it was intended that the Nassau should stav behind to be paid (F 146).
4. F136.
5. F147a (27 May). Neale (p. 203) says that the Cygnet sloop went
with delegates to Yarmouth. Presumably he is confusing the Cygnet
cutter and the Swan sloop. The Cygnet was provided with two pilots
on 26 May; (evidence of Bray, Master of the Sandwich, A.S.I. 3685).
The fact that the lieutenant in command of the Cygnet had been sent
ashore on the previous day (25 May) suggests that the crew were
preparing for this voyage (Buckner to Nepean, A.S.I. 727, C340).
They were not, however, very zealous mutineers, for on 5 June they
escaped to Feversham, and surrendered their boat. Two days later
Lieut. Caspal manned the Cygnet and took it to the Thames mouth
(Pro. B 14a, Digest). He was employed in holding up and examining
all boats that came from the Nore (A.S.I. 2807, Lieuts. C, 28). The
Cygnet thus did service both to the supporters and the opponents of
the mutiny. In the note enclosed with F 151 it is said that Duncan was
forewarned of the approach of 18 delegates from the Nore in the
Cygnet cutter.