with Middleton from whom he learned that there was no immediate hope of his and his fellow-captives' release. Finding that there was nothing to be done for the time being, Downton took the Darling and the Peppercorn over to the Abyssinian coast to secure fresh supplies, and gave the vessels a much-needed overhauling. He returned to the old anchorage later to find that Middleton and all the captives "with the exception of the carpenters and the hurt men" had been despatched to Sana, where the rigours of their treatment had been somewhat relaxed. On the occasion of this transfer Pemberton, one of the factors, managed to give the guard the ship and get away to the coast, where he found a canoe in which, after suffering many hardships, he managed to make good his escape. His presence in the fleet facilitated intercourse with Middleton, between whom and Downton and others on board the ships he maintained a regular correspondence.
Pemberton was anxious to have the commander follow his example, and suggested to him that by disguising himself in Oriental apparel, cutting his hair from his face and "besmutting" his skin he might easily get away. He intimated that he himself would have shaved his beard and disguised himself to have effected this business, but doubted whether his "pock-eated face" with "some kind of show" on the part of the men would not have betrayed him. Middleton declined to entertain any suggestion of escape in which he alone would be concerned. He rightly perceived that even if he secured his freedom the difficulties of the situation would not be lessened.
Downton chafed under the delay which the continued detention of the prisoners imposed upon the fleet. He would have adopted energetic action, seized the Indian
