Upon this he immediately seized me by the throat, and drawing a knife, made several ineffectual efforts to stab me in the stomach; an atrocity which his excessive debility alone prevented him from accomplishing.

In the meantime, being roused to a high pitch of anger, I forced him to the vessel's side, with the full intention of throwing him overboard.

He was saved from his fate, however, by the interference of Peters, who now approached and separated us, asking the cause of the disturbance.

This Parker told before I could find means in any manner to prevent him.
The effect of his words was even more terrible than what I had anticipated.

Both Augustus and Peters, who, it seems, had long secretly entertained the same fearful idea which Parker had been merely the first to broach, joined with him in his design and insisted upon its immediately being carried into effect.