Dispute Over the Alleged Cipher Diary
The final accusation concerns a book of “ciphers” found among the narrator’s papers. The narrator explains these are simply Greek characters, used to keep a diary of everything remarkable since the voyage began until he was put in irons. Thompson copied this method. Mackshane scoffs at the explanation, demanding what occasion there was for Greek characters if not to hide seditious writings. He claims the characters are not Greek but Chinese. The doctor even produces gibberish that sounds like Irish and passes it off as Greek, supported by the captain’s credulity. Morgan is brought back to examine the book and reads an entire page in English, proving the characters are indeed Greek and legible. Rather than concede, Mackshane claims Morgan was in on the deception.
Fraudulent Greek Language Test
The narrator proposes referring the dispute to any qualified person on board who understands Greek. Oakum orders the entire ship’s company, officers and all, summoned to deck. Two foremast men claim skill in Greek acquired during voyages to the Levant among Greeks of the Morea. When tested, one admits he can neither read nor write, while the other produces only barbarous corrupted language. The narrator explains that modern Greek differs from ancient Greek as much as modern English differs from old Saxon. He offers to face Mackshane in conversation with these seamen, but Mackshane instead addresses one of them in Irish, and they conduct a dialogue they claim is Greek. The captain accepts this false testimony and declares the narrator’s protestations an imposture. Despite the narrator’s offer to translate any passage from the Greek Testament to prove the truth, the court refuses, and Morgan is dismissed to confinement.
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