The 6th of _September_, we were under the Tropic of _Cancer_, in 23 Degrees 30 Minutes of North Latitude and 319 of Longitude. There Mons. _de la Sale’s_ Obstructing the Ceremony the Sailors call Ducking, gave them Occasion to mutter again, and render’d himself privately odious. So many have given an Account of the Nature of that Folly, that it would be needless to repeat it here; it may suffice to say, that there are three things to authorize it, 1. Custom. 2. The Oath administer’d to those who are duck’d, which is to this Effect, _That they will not permit any to pass the Tropics or the Line, without obliging them to the same Ceremony_. And 3, which is the most prevailing Argument, the Interest accruing to the Sailors upon that Occasion, by the Refreshments, Liquors or Money given them by the Passengers to be excus’d from that Ceremony.
Monsr. _de la Sale_, being inform’d that all Things were preparing for that Impertinent Ceremony of Ducking, and that a Tub full of Water was ready on the Deck (_the French Duck in a great Cask of Water, the English in the Sea, letting down the Person at the Yard Arm_)[35] sent Word, that he would not allow such as were under his Command to be subject to that Folly, which being told to Monsr. _de Beaujeu_, he forbid putting of it in Execution, to the great Dissatisfaction of the inferior Officers and Sailors, who expected a considerable Sum of Money and Quantity of Refreshments, or Liquors, because there were many Persons to Duck, and all the Blame was laid upon Monsr. _de la Sale_.
On the 11th of _September_, we were in the Latitude of the Island of _Santa Domingo_, or _Hispaniola_, being 20 Degrees North, and the Longitude of 320 Degrees. We steer’d our Course West, but the Wind flatting, the ensuing Calm quite stopp’d our Way. That same Day Monsr. _Dainmaville_, the Priest,[36] went aboard the Bark _la Belle_, to administer the Sacraments to a Gunner, who died a few Days after. Monsr. _de la Sale_ went to see him, and I bore him Company.
The 21st,[37] the Ketch, which we had before lost sight of, join’d us again; and some Complaints being made to Monsr. _de la Sale_, by several private Persons that were aboard the Flyboat, he order’d me to go thither to accomodate those Differences, which were occasion’d only by some Jealousies among them.