he eventually signed on as surgeon aboard the "warren hastings", an ex-east indiaman of 600 tons flying genoese colors, with a british captain, and a crew from 13 different nations, bound for the cape of good hope and oostende. but, led by the french chief mate, the french, spanish, portuguese and italian crew mutinied and took possession of the ship, confining bacstrom and others below deck as prisoners. they then sailed to mauritius where the ship and her cargo were condemned as a french prize of war.