entertainment, afford me any agreeable delight; a state of idleness I
found to be the very dregs of life, and most hurtful to body and soul.
It was now the beginning of the year 1684, at which time my nephew (who
as I before observed had been brought up to the sea, and advanced to be
captain of a ship) was returned from a short voyage to Bilboz, the first
he had made in that station. He comes to me one morning, telling me that
some merchants of his acquaintance had proposed to him to go a voyage
for them to the East Indies and China in the manner of private traders;
_and now uncle_, said he, _if you'll accompany me thither, I'll engage
to land you upon your old island, to visit the state of your
little kingdom_.
Just before he came in, my thoughts were fixed to get a patent for its
possession, and then to fill it with inhabitants. After I had paused a
while, and looked stedfastly on him. _What devil or spirit_, said I,
_sent you with this unlucky errand_? He started at first; but recovering
himself, when he perceived I was not offended; _Sir_, replied he, _what
I have proposed cannot I hope, be styled unlucky, since certainly you
must be desirous to see your little territory, where you reigned with
more content, than any of your brother kings in the universe. Nephew_,
said I, _if you will leave me there, and call for me as you came back, I
care not if I give my consent_: but he answered, _that the merchants
would not allow their vessel loaden with an infinite value, to return
there again, which was a month's sail out of the way; besides, Sir_ said
he, _if I should miscarry, was your request granted, why then you would
be locked up as before_. This indeed carried a great deal of reason in
it; but we found out a remedy, and that was to carry a framed sloop on
board, ready to be set up in the island, by the assistance of some
carpenters, which we should carry with us, that might be fitted in a few
days to go to sea. I was not long in forming my resolution, which
overswayed my good friend the widow's persuasions, and the natural
affection I bore to my young children. I made my will, and settled my
estate in such manner, that I was perfectly sure my poor infants would
have justice done them. The good widow not only undertook to make
provision, for my voyage, but also took the charge of my domestic
affairs, and to provide for my children's education; and indeed no
mother could take more care, or understood that office better; for which
I lived to reward and return her my hearty thanks.
The beginning of January, 1694.5, my nephew being ready to sail, I and
Friday went on board in the Downs on the 8th, having, besides that sloop
already mentioned, a very considerable cargo for my new colony. First, I
had some servants, whom I proposed to leave there, as they should appear
willing; there were two carpenters, a smith, and a very ingenuous fellow
who was Jack-of-all-trades; for he was not only a cooper by trade, but
also he was dexterous at making wheels and hand-mills to grind corn,
likewise a good turner, and a good pot-maker. I also carried a tailor,
who consented to stay in my plantation, and proved a most necessary
fellow in the island. As to my cargo, it consisted of a sufficient
quantity of linen, and English stuffs for clothing the Spaniards that I
expected to find there; as likewise gloves, hats, shoes, stockings;
together with beds, bedding, and household stuff, especially kitchen
utensils, with pots, kettles, pewter, brass, &c. also nails, tools of
all sorts, staples, hooks, hinges, and all other things necessary; all
which, I think, cost me about three hundred pounds. Nor was this all for
I carried an hundred spare arms, muskets, & fusees, besides some
pistols, a considerable quantity of several sorts of shot, two brass
cannon, besides swords, cutlasses, and the iron part of some pikes and
halberts. I made my nephew take with us two small quarter-deck guns,
more than he had occasion for in his ship, to leave behind, if there was
a necessity; so that we might build a fort there, and man it against all
opposers whatsoever.
Well, we put out to sea; and though I can't say this voyage was so
unprosperous as my others had been, yet contrary winds drove us so far
northward, that we were obliged to put in at Galway in Ireland, where we
lay wind-bound two and twenty days. Here indeed our provisions were very
cheap, and we added to our ship's stores by taking several live hogs,
two cows and calves, which I then resolved to put on shore in my island,
if our necessities did not call for them. On the 5th of February we
sailed from Ireland, with a very fair gale, which lasted for some days;
and I think it was about the 20th of the same month late in the evening,
when the mate informed us, that he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gun
fired: and when he was speaking a boy came in and told us, that the
boatswain had heard another. Upon which we all ran to the quarter-deck,
from whence, in a few moments, we perceived a terrible fire at a
distance. We had immediately recourse to our reckonings, in which, we
were all of opinion, that there could be no land that way, it appearing
to be at N.N.W. Hereupon we concluded that some ship had taken fire at
sea, and that it could not be far off by the report of the guns which we
had heard. We made up directly to it, and in half an hour's time the
wind being fair, we could plainly perceive a great ship on fire in the
middle of the sea. Touched with this unhappy disaster, and considering
my former circumstances, when the Portuguese Captain took me up, I
immediately ordered five guns to be fired that the poor creatures, not
seeing us, it being dark, (though we could perceive their flame) might
be sensible there was deliverance at hand, and consequently might
endeavor to save themselves in their boat. Nor was it long before the
ship blew up in the air and the fire was extinguished in the ocean. But
supposing them all to be in their boats, we hung out our lanterns and
kept firing till eight o'clock in the morning; when with our
perspectives, we beheld two boats full of people making towards us tho'
the tide was against them then spreading out our ancient; and hanging
out a waft, as a signal for them to come on board, in half an hour's
time; we came up to them, and took them all in, there being no less than
sixty-four men, women, and children. It was a French merchant ship of
three hundred tons; homeward bound from Quebec in the river of Canada.
The master informed me how, by the negligence of the steersman, the
steerage was set on fire: that, at his outcry for help, the fire was, as
we thought totally extinguished; but, that some sparks getting between
the timber, and within the ceiling, it proceeded into the hold, where
there was no resisting it; & then they got into their boats, as
creatures in the last extremity, with what provision they had, together
with oars, sails, and a compass, intending to go back to Newfoundland,
the wind blowing at S.E. and by E. though there were several chances
against them as storms to overset and founder them, rains and colds to
benumb and perish their limbs, and contrary winds to keep them back and
starve them; _But_, said he, _in this our great distress we heard the
welcome report of your guns, when with unspeakable joy, taking down our
masts and sails, we were resolved to lie by till morning; but perceiving
your light, we set our oars at work, to keep our boat a head, the sooner
to attain your ship, the happy instrument of our deliverance_.
Indeed no one can express the joy of these poor creatures on this
occasion: fear and grief are easily set forth; sighs and tears, with a
few motions of the hands and head, are all the demonstrations of these
passions; but an excess of joy, carries in it a thousand extravagancies;
especially, I think, among the French, whose temper is allowed to be
more volatile, passionate, sprightly, and gay, than that of other
nations. Some were weeping, tearing themselves in the greatest agonies
of sorrow, and running stark mad about the ship, while the rest were
stamping with their feet, wringing their hands, singing, laughing,
swooning away, vomiting, fainting, with a few returning hearty thanks to
the Almighty; and crossing themselves. I think, if I am not mistaken,
our surgeon was obliged to let thirty of them blood. But among the
passengers, there were two priests, the one an old, and the other a
young man; but what amazed me more was, that the oldest was in the worst
plight; for no sooner did he perceive himself freed from danger, but he
dropt down as it were without life, and to every one's appearance quite
dead; but the surgeon chasing and rubbing his arm, opened a vein, which
at first dropped, and then flowing more freely, the old man began to
open his eyes; and in a quarter of an hour was well again. But soon
remembering this happy change, the joy of which whirled his blood about
faster than the vessels could convey it, he became so feverish, as made
him more fit for bedlam than any other place. But the surgeon giving
him a sleepy dose, he was perfectly composed the next morning.
Remarkable indeed was the behaviour of the young priest. At his entrance
on board the ship, he fell on his face in the most humble prostration to
the Almighty. I thought, indeed, he had fallen into a swoon, and so ran
to help him up; but he modestly told me, _he was returning his thanks to
the Almighty, desiring me to leave him a few moments, and that, next to
his Creator, he would return me thanks also_. And indeed he did so about
three minutes after, with great seriousness, and affection, while the
tears stood in his eyes, which convinced me of the gratitude of his
soul. Nor did he less show his piety and wisdom in applying himself to
his country people, and labouring to compose them, by the most powerful
reasons, arguments, and persuasions. And when, indeed, these people had
taken their night's repose, in such lodgings as our ship would allow, we
found nothing but the best of manners, and the most civil
acknowledgements, for which the French are eminently remarkable. The
next day the Captain and one of the priests desired to speak with me and
my nephew the commander. They told us, _that they had saved some money
and valuable things out of the ruined vessel, which was at our service;
only that they desired to be set on shore some where in our way_. At the
first my nephew was for accepting the money; but I (who knew how hard my
case would have been, had the Portuguese Captain served me so) persuaded
him to the contrary; and therefore told them, _that as we had done
nothing but what we were obliged to do, by nature and humanity, and what
we ourselves might expect from others in such calamity; so we took them
up to save them, not to plunder them, or leave them naked upon the land,
to perish for want of subsistance, and therefore would not accept their
money: but as to landing them, that was a great difficulty; for being
bound to the East Indies, it was impossible wilfully to change our
voyage upon their particular account, nor could my nephew_ (who was
under charter party to pursue it by was of Brazil) _answer it to the
freighters_. All that we could do, was to put ourselves in the way of
meeting some ships homeward bound from the West Indies, that, if
possible, they might get a passage to France or England. Indeed, they
were very thankful for our first kindness; but were under great concern,
especially the passengers, at their being carried to the East Indies.
_They begged therefore, I would keep on the banks of Newfoundland,
where, probably, they might meet with some ship, or sloop to carry them
to Canada, whence they came._ As this was but a reasonable request, I
was inclined to grant it, since it was no breach of charter party, and
that the laws of God and nature obliged us to do what good we could to
our fellow-creatures; and besides the danger we ourselves should be in
for want of provisions: so we consented to carry them to Newfoundland,
if wind and weather would permit; if not, that we should carry them to
Martinico in the West Indies. But, as it happened, in a week's time we
made the banks of Newfoundland, where the French people hired a bark to
carry them to France. But the young priest being desirous to go to the
East Indies, I readily agreed to it, because I liked his conversation,
and two or three of the French sailors also entered themselves on
board our ship.
Now directing our course for the West Indies, steering S. and S. by E.
about twenty days, with little wind, another adventure happened to
exercise our humanity. In the latitude of 27 degrees, 5 minutes north,
the 19th of March 1694-5, we perceived a sail, (our course S. E. and by
S.) which bore upon us, and then she appeared to be a large vessel,
having lost her main topmast and boltsprit; when firing a gun as a
signal of distress, wind N. N.W. we soon came to speak with her. She was
a ship from Bristol, bound home from Barbadoes, out of which road she
had been forced in a hurricane to the westward, in which they lost
their masts.
They told us, _their expectations were to see the Bahama islands, but
were driven away by a strong wind at N.N.W. and having no sails to work
the ship with, but the main-course and a kind of square sail upon a jury
foremast, because they could not come near the land, were endeavouring
to stand for the Canaries: nay what was worse, besides all their
fatigue, they were almost starved for want of provision, having ate
nothing for eleven all that they had aboard, was sugar, a barrel of
fresh water and seven casks of rum_. In this ship were passengers, a
youth, his mother, and a maid-servant, who were in a most deplorable
condition for want of food. If I had not gone on board their ship, the
knowledge of their misery had been concealed from me, and they would
have inevitably perished; though, indeed, their second mate who was
Captain, by reason the true Captain was not on board when the hurricane
happened, had before informed me that there was such persons on board,
whom he supposed to be dead, being afraid to inquire after them, because
he had nothing to give them for relief. Hereupon we resolved to let them
have what we could spare, ordering the mate to bring some of his men on
board us, which he did accordingly: as he and they looked like
skeletons, when meat was set before them, I ordered them to eat
sparingly. But, however they soon fell sick; which obliged the surgeon
to mix something in their broth, which was to be to them both food and
physic. When they were fed, we ordered our mate to carry them a sack of
bread, and four or five pieces of beef; but the surgeon charged them to
see it boiled, and to keep a guard on the cook-room, to prevent the men
from eating it raw, and consequently killing themselves with what was
designed for their relief. But, particularly, I desired the mate to see
what condition the poor passengers were in, and the surgeon gave him a
pitcher of the same broth which he had prepared for the men. And being
curious to see this scene of misery myself, I took the Captain (as we
called the mate of the ship) in our own boat, and sailed after them.
Here was a sad sight indeed! scarce were the victuals half boiled in the
pot; but they were ready to break open the cook-room door. To stay their
stomachs the mate gave them biscuits, which were dipped in and softened
them with the liquor of the meat, which they call _bruise_; telling
them, it was for their own safety, that he was obliged to give them but
a little at a time; and so feeding them gradually, their bellies were
comfortable filled, and the men did very well again. But when they came
to the poor gentlewoman in the cabin, who for several days had continued
without food, giving what she had to her son, they found her as it were
in the arms of death. She was sitting upon the floor of the deck, with
her back up against the sides, between two chairs, which were lashed
fast, and her head shrunk, between her shoulders, like a senseless
corpse. Nothing was wanting in my mate to revive and encourage her;
opening her lips, and putting some broth into her mouth with a spoon.
But not having strength to speak, she lifted up her head with much
difficulty, intimating that it was now too late! at the same time
pointing to the youth her son, as though she desired him to do what he
could to save the lad; and in a little time after she died.
The youth, indeed, was not so far gone; yet lay stretched out on a cabin
bed, like one that had scarce any life. In his mouth was a piece of an
old glove, the rest of which he had ate up. At first he vomited what the
mate had given him; but at length began sensibly to revive, though in
the greatest concern for the death of his tender mother.
As to the poor maid, she lay by her mistress, like one in the last pangs
of death: her limbs were distorted, one of her hands were clasped round
the frame of a chair, which she grasped so hard, that it was with some
difficulty we separated her from it; her other arm lay over her head,
and her feet lay both together, set fast against the frame of the cabin
table; not only being, starved with hunger, but overcome with grief at
the loss of her mistress, whom she loved most tenderly. It was a great
while before the surgeon could bring her to life, and a much longer time
before she came to her senses.
After we had sailed with them some days, we sent them five barrels of
beef, one of pork, two hogsheads of biscuit, with peas, flour, and other
things; taking three casks of sugar, some rum, and some pieces of eight
as payment, we left them, but took the youth and maid with us, with all
their goods. The lad was about seventeen years old, very handsome,
modest, sensible, and well-bred, but mightily concerned for the loss
of his honoured mother, having lost his father at Barbadoes but a few
months before. He beseeched the surgeon to intercede with me to take him
out of the ship; for that the sailors, not sparing a small sustenance,
had starved his mother. But hunger has no bounds, no right, and
consequently is incapable of any compassion. When the surgeon told him,
our voyage might put him in bad circumstances, and farther from his
friends, he said _he did not care, if he was delivered from that terrible
crew; that as the Captain_ (meaning me) _had saved him from death, so he
was sure he would do him no harm; and, as for the maid, when she was
restored to her senses, she would be no less thankful, let us carry them
where we would_. And indeed the surgeon so represented their case to me,
that I consented, and took them on board with all their goods, except
eleven hogsheads of sugar; but the youth having a bill of lading, I made
the commander oblige himself to deliver a letter and the deceased widow's
goods to Mr. Rogers, a merchant in Bristol; but I believe the ship was
lost at sea, for we never could hear what became of her afterwards. We
were now in the latitude 19 deg. 32 min. having as yet a tolerable good
voyage. But, passing by several little incidents relating to wind and
weather, I shall relate what is most remarkable concerning my little
kingdom, to which I was then drawing near. I had great difficulty in
finding it, for as I came to, and went from it before, on the south and
east side of the island, as coming from the Brazils, so now approaching
between the main and the island, not having any chart for the coast, nor
land mark, it obliged us to go on shore on several islands in the mouth
of the river Oroonoko, but to the purpose. Thus I perceived, that what
I thought was a continent before, was no such thing, but a long island,
or rather a ridge of sands. On one of these islands I found some
Spaniards, but they belonged to the isle of Trinidad, who came hither
in a sloop to make salt, and try to find some pearl muscles. But at
length I came fair on the south side of my island, and there I
presently knew the countenance of my little kingdom; so we brought the
ship safe to an anchor, broadside within the creek, where stood my
ancient and venerable castle.
No sooner did I see the place, but calling for Friday, I asked him where
he was? But when he looked a little, he clapped his hands, crying, _O
joy, O there, O yes, O there!_ pointing to our old abode, and then fell
a dancing and capering as if he was mad, and I had much ado to keep him
from jumping into the sea, to swim ashore. 'Friday,' said I, 'what do you
think, shall we go to see your father?' at the mentioning his father's
name, the poor affectionate creature fell a-weeping: _No, no,_ says he,
_me see him no more, never see poor father more! he long ago die, die
long ago: he much old man._ 'You don't know that,' said I, 'but shall we
see anybody else?' He looks about, and pointing to the hill above my
house, cries out, _We see, we see there much men and there_: which,
though I could not perceive them with my perspective glass, was true,
by what the men themselves told me the next day.
When the English ancient was spread, and three guns fired, as a signal
of friendship, we perceived a smoke rise from the creek; upon which I
ordered the boat out, taking Friday with me, and hanging out a white
flag of truce, I went on shore, accompanied also by the young friar, to
whom I had related the history of the first part of my life; besides we
had sixteen men well armed, in case we had met with any opposition.
After we had rowed directly into the creek, the first man I fixed my eye
upon was the Spaniard, whose life I had saved, and whose face I
perfectly well knew. I ordered them all to stay in the boat for a while:
but Friday, perceiving his father at a distance, would have jumped into
the sea, had they not let the boat go. No sooner was he on shore, but he
flew like a swift arrow out of a bow to embrace his aged father.
Certainly it would melt a man of the firmest resolution into the softest
tears to see with what uncommon transports of joy he saluted him; he
first kissed him, then stroked his face, took him in his arms, laid him
under a shady tree, sat down by him, then looked as earnestly at him as
one could do at a picture, for a quarter of an hour together. After this
he would lie upon the ground, stroke his legs and kiss them, then get up
and stare at him, as though he was bewitched; but the next day one could
not forbear laughter to see his behaviour, for he would walk several
hours with his father along the shore, leading him by the hand as tho'
he was a lady; while, every now and then, he would run to the boat to
get something for him, as a lump of sugar, dram, biscuit, or something
or other that was good. His frolics ran in another channel in the
afternoon; when he set old Friday on the ground, he would dance round
him, making comical postures and gestures; and all this while would be
telling him one story or another of his travels and adventures.