was not only a traitor to his own country
(Denmark), but equally so to Great Britain,
which he had first served and then fought
against; and was now acting in rebellion to
both, by hoisting the above-mentioned flag'
and by declaring the island free, neutral and
independent, and at peace with all nations.
Captain Jones, in consequence of this information,
felt it incumbent upon him to
require from Mr. Phelps an explanation of
his conduct, and received in answer a brief
account of the various transactions which
had taken place since his landing in the
island, with the motives which had urged
under an armed escort of the ship s crew, if it had
been thought necessary, whom I offered to pay for the
trouble j yet this request Mr. Phelps refused through
Jorgensen, of whose letter to that purpose I have the
honor to add a translation. It is remarkable in particular
for the assurance it contains that Mr. Phelps
could not justify his conduct to his own government,
were he to adopt any other measures than those which
had been taken.”—Even supposing it to be true, as
here stated by the count, that he was reduced to live
upon the fare of the common sailors, I will not deny
that it might appear hard to him who was used to a
different mode of living, but I am fully persuaded that
such was far from being the case with the sailors, who
never had any cause for complaint, nor expressed any.
ICELANDIC REVOLUTION. 5®
him to the measures he had adopted *.
Having thus far obtained from all parties
the most correct information upon the affairs
of the island, and having understood from
Mr. Jorgensen himself how he was situated
with regard to England, Captain Jones
considered himself called upon by his official
situation to interfere in a business in which
the honor of his country appeared to him to
be implicated, and he accordingly issued
orders that the new Icelandic flag should be
taken down; that Mr. Phelps should no
lono-er leave the command of the island in
the hands of Mr. Jorgensen, but should, till
thè will of the British government could be
known, either restore the former authorities,
or commit the supreme command to some of
the most respectable among the inhabitants;
that the battery should be destroyed, and the
guns taken off the island; that the natives
* A copy of Captain Jones’ letter to Mr. Phelps, and
the reply of the latter, which contains a more detailed
account of what transpired at this time than I have
thought necessary to insert in the narrative, will be
found in the Appendix B., Nos. 6 and 7 • No. 8 of the
same Appendix is the copy of a letter from Captain Jones
to Admiral Sir Edmund Neagle, explaining in few words
his motives for having interfered in the manner he did,