can you say to justify so horrid an action, as to murder us in cold
blood?_ So far, Sir, was the wretch from denying it, that he swore,
_damn him but he would do it still. But what have we done to you, Seignor
Atkins_, said I, _or what will you gain by killing us? What shall we do
to prevent you? Must we kill you, or you kill us? Why will you Seignor
Atkins,_ said I, smiling, _put us to such an unhappy dilemma, such a
fatal necessity?_ But so great a rage did my scoffing and yet severe
jest put him into, that he was going to fly at me and undoubtedly had
attempted to kill me if he had been possessed of weapons, and had not
been prevented by three Spaniards. This unparalleled and villainous
carriage, made us seriously consider what was to be done. The two
Englishmen and the Spaniard, who had saved the poor Indian's life,
mightily petitioned me to hang one of them, for an example to the
others, which should be him that had twice attempted to commit murder
with his hatchet, it being at that time thought impossible the poor
slave should recover. But they could never gain my consent to put him to
death, for the reasons above mentioned, since it was an Englishman (even
yourself) who was my deliverer; and as merciful counsels are most
prevailing when earnestly pressed, so I got them to be of the same
opinion as to clemency. But to prevent them doing us any farther
mischief; we all agreed, that they should have no weapons, as sword,
gun, powder, or shot, but be expelled from the society, to live as they
pleased by themselves; that neither the two Englishmen, nor the rest of
the Spaniards, should have conversation with them upon any account
whatsoever; that they should be kept from coming within a certain
distance of our castle; and if they dared to offer us any violence,
either by spoiling, burning, killing, or destroying any of the corn,
plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle, belonging to the society, we
would shoot them as freely as we would do beasts of prey, in whatsoever
places we should find them.
"This sentence seemed very just to all but themselves; when, like a
merciful judge, I called out to the two honest Englishmen, saying, _You
must consider they ought not to be starved neither: and since it will be
some time before they can raise corn and cattle of their own, let us
give them some corn to last them eight months, and for seed to sow, by
which time they'll raise some for themselves; let us also bestow upon
them six milch goats, four he ones, and six kids, as well for their
present support, as for a further increase; with tools necessary for
their work, as hatchets, an ax, saw, and other things convenient to
build them huts:_ all which were agreed: but before they took them into
possession, I obliged them solemnly to swear, never to attempt any thing
against us, or their countrymen for the future. Thus dismissing them
from our society, They went away, sullen & refractory, as though neither
willing to go nor stay; however seeing no remedy, they took what
provision was given them, proposing to choose a convenient place where
they might live by themselves.
"About five days after, they came to those limits appointed, in order
for more victuals, and sent me word by one of my Spaniards, whom they
called to, where they had pitched their tents; and marked themselves out
an habitation and plantation, at the N.E. and most remote part of the
island. And, indeed, there they built themselves two very handsome
cottages, resembling our little castle, being under the side of a
mountain, with some trees already growing on three sides of it; so that
planting a few more, it would be obscured from sight, unless
particularly sought for. When these huts were finished, we gave them
some dry goat-skins for bedding and covering; & upon their giving us
fuller assurances of their good behaviour for the future, we gave them
some pease, barley, and rice for sowing and whatever tools we
could spare.
"Six months did they live in this separate condition, in which they got
their first harvest in, the quantity of which was but small, because
they had planted but little land; for, indeed, all their plantations
being to form, made it more difficult; especially as it was a thing out
of their element; and when they were obliged to make their boards and
pots, &c. they could make little or nothing of it. But the rainy season
coming on, put them into a greater perplexity for want of a cave to keep
their corn dry, and prevent it from spoiling: and so much did this
humble them, that they begged of my Spaniards to help them, to which the
good-natured men readily consented, and in four days space, worked a
great hole in the side of the hill for them, large enough for their
purpose, to secure their corn and other things from the rain, though not
comparable to ours, which had several additional appartments.
"But a new whim possessed these rogues about three quarters of a year
after, which had like to have ruined us, and themselves too: for it
seems, being tired and weary of this sort of living, which made them
work for themselves, without hopes of changing their condition, nothing
would serve them, but that they would make a voyage to the continent,
and try if they could seize upon some of the savages, and bring them
over as slaves, to do their drudgery, while they lived at ease
and pleasure.
"Indeed the project was not so preposterous, if they had not gone
farther; but they neither did, nor proposed any thing, but what had
mischief in the design, or the event. One morning, these three fellows
came down to the limited station, and humbly desired to be admitted to
talk with us, which we readily granted; they told us in short, that
_being tired of their manner of living, and the labour of their hands in
such employments, not being sufficient to procure the necessaries of
life, they only desired one of the canoes we came over in, with some
arms and ammunition for their defence, and they would seek their
fortunes abroad, and never trouble us any more._ To be sure we were glad
enough to get rid of such wretched plagues; but yet honesty made us
ingenuously represent to them, by what we ourselves had suffered, the
certain destruction they were running into, either of being starved to
death or murdered by the savages. To this they very audaciously replied,
_that they neither could nor would work: and consequently that they
might as well be starved abroad as at home: & neither had they any wives
or children to cry after them: nay, so intent were they upon their
voyage, that if the Spaniards had not given them arms, so they had but
the canoe they would have gone without them._
"Though we could not well spare our fire arms, rather than they should
go like naked men, we let them have two muskets, a pistol, a cutlass,
and three hatchets, which were thought very sufficient: we gave them
also goat's flesh, a great basket full of dried grapes, a pot of fresh
butter, a young live kid, and a large canoe sufficient to carry twenty
men. And thus, with a mast made of a long pole, and a sail of six large
goat-skins dried, having a fair breeze, and a flood-tide with them, they
merrily sailed away, the Spaniards calling after them, _Bon voyaje_, no
man ever expecting to see them more.
"When they were gone, the Spaniards and Englishmen would often say to
one another, _O how peaceably do we now live, since these turbulent
fellows have left us!_ Nothing could be farther from their thoughts than
to behold their faces any more; and yet scarce two and twenty days had
passed over their heads, but one of the Englishmen, being abroad a
planting, perceived at a distance, three men well armed, approaching
towards him. Away he flies with speed to our castle, and tells me and
the rest, that we were all undone, for that strangers were landed upon
the island, and who they were he could not tell; but added that they
were not savages but men habited, bearing arms. _Why then,_ said I, _we
have the less occasion to be concerned, since, if they were not Indians,
they must be friends; for I am sure there is no Christian people upon
earth, but what will do us good rather than harm._ But while we were
considering of the event, up came the three Englishmen, whose voices we
quickly knew, and so all our admiration of that nature ceased at once.
And our wonder was succeeded by another sort of inquiry, which was, what
could be the occasion of their returning so quickly to the island, when
we little expected, and much less desired their company? But as this was
better to be related by themselves, I ordered them to be brought in,
when they gave me the following relation of their voyage.
"After two days sail, or something less, they reached land, where they
found the people coming to give them another sort of reception than what
they expected or desired; for, as the savages were armed with bows and
arrows, they durst not venture on shore, but steered northward, six or
seven hours, till they gained an opening, by which they plainly
perceived, that the land that appeared from this place, was not the main
land, but an island. At their entrance into the opening of the sea, they
discovered another island, on the right hand northward, and several more
lying to the westward; but being resolved to go on shore some where or
other, they put over to one of the western islands. Here they found the
natives very courteous to them, giving them several roots and dried
fish; nay, even their women too were as willing to supply them with what
they could procure them to eat, bringing it a great way to them upon
their heads. Among these hospitable Indians they continued some days,
inquiring by signs and tokens, what nations lay around them; and were
informed, that there were, several fierce and terrible people lived
every way, accustomed to eat mankind; but for themselves they never used
such diet, except those that were taken in battle, and of them they made
a solemn feast.
"The Englishmen inquired how long it was since they had a feast of that
kind? They answered, _about two moons ago_, pointing to the moon, and
then two fingers; that, _at this time, their king had two hundred
prisoners, which were fattening up for the slaughter_. The Englishmen
were mighty desirous of seeing the prisoners, which the others
mistaking, thought that they wanted some of them for their own food:
upon which they beckoned to them, pointing to the rising, and then to
the setting of the sun; meaning, that by the time it appeared in the
east next morning, they would bring them some: and indeed they were as
good as their word; for by that time they brought eleven men & five
women, just as so many cows & oxen are brought to sea-port towns to
victual a ship. But as brutish as these Englishmen were, their stomachs
turned at the sight. What to do in this case, they could not tell: to
refuse the prisoner, would have been the highest affront offered to the
savage gentry; and to dispose of them, they knew not, in what manner;
however, they resolved to accept them, and so gave them, in return, one
of their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven of their
bullets; things which, tho' they were wholly ignorant of, yet of seemed
entirely contented with; & dragging the poor wretches into the boat,
with their hands bound behind them, delivered them to the Englishmen.
But this obliged them to put off as soon as they had these presents,
lest the donors should have expected two or three of them to be killed,
and to be invited to dinner the next day; and so taking leave with all
possible respect and thanks, though neither of them understood what the
others said, they sailed away back to the first island, and there set
eight of the prisoners at liberty. In their voyage they endeavoured to
comfort, and have some conversation with the poor captives; but it was
impossible to make them sensible of any thing; and nothing they could
say or give, or do for them, could make them otherwise persuaded, but
that they were unbound only to be devoured: if they gave them any food,
they thought it was only to fatten them for the slaughter; or looked at
any one more particularly, the poor creature supposed itself to be the
'first sacrifice'; and even when we brought them to our island, and
began to use them with the greatest humanity and kindness, yet they
expected every day that their new masters would devour them.
"And thus, Sir, did these three strange wanderers conclude their
unaccountable relation of their voyage, which was both amazing and
entertaining. Hereupon, I asked them, where there new family was? They
told me _they had put them into one of their huts, and they came to beg
some victuals for them_. This, indeed, made us all long to see them; and
taking Friday's father with us, leaving only two at our castle, we came
down to behold these poor creatures.
"When we arrived at the hut, (they being bound again by the Englishmen,
for fear of escaping) we found them stark naked, expecting their fatal
tragedy: there were three lusty men, well shaped, with straight and good
limbs, between thirty and five and thirty years old; and five women, two
of them might be from thirty to forty, two more not above four and
twenty; and the last, a comely tall maiden of about seventeen. Indeed,
all the women were very agreeable, both in proportion and features,
except that they were tawny, which their modest behaviour, and other
graces, made amends for, when they afterwards came to be clothed.
"This naked appearance, together with their miserable circumstances, was
no very comfortable sight to my Spaniards, who, for their parts, I may
venture, Sir, without flattery, to say, are men of the best behaviour,
calmest tempers, and sweetest nature, that can possibly be; for they
immediately ordered Friday's father to see if he knew any of them, or if
he understood what they could say. No sooner did the old Indian appear,
but he looked at them with great seriousness; yet, as they were not of
his nation, they were utter strangers to him, and none could understand
his speech or signs, but one woman. This was enough to answer the
design, which was to assure them they would not be killed, being fallen
into the hands of Christians, who abhorred such barbarity. When they
were fully satisfied of this, they expressed their joy by such strange
gestures, and uncommon tones, as it is not possible for me to describe.
But the woman their interpreter, was ordered next to enquire, whether
they were content to be servants, and would work for the men who had
brought them hither to save their lives? Hereupon, (being at this time
unbound) they fell a capering and dancing, one taking this thing upon
her shoulders, and the other that, intimating, that they were willing to
do any thing for them. But now, Sir, having women among us, and dreading
that it might occasion some strife, if not blood, I asked the three men
'what they would do, and how they intended to use these creatures,
whether as servants or women?' One of them very pertly and readily
answered, 'they would use them as both,' _Gentlemen_, said I _as you are
your own masters, I am not going to restrain you from that; but
methinks, for avoiding dissentions among you, I would only desire you to
engage, that none of you will take more than one for a woman or wife,
and that having taken this one, none else should presume to touch her;
for though we have not yet a priestly authority to marry you, yet it is
but reasonable, that whoever thus takes a woman, should be obliged to
maintain her, since nobody has any thing to do with her_; and this,
indeed, appeared so just to all present, that it was unanimously agreed
to. The Englishmen then asked my Spaniards, 'whether they designed to
take any of them? but they all answered, _No_; some declaring they had
already wives in Spain; and others that they cared not to join with
infidels. On the reverse, the Englishmen took each of them a temporary
wife, and so set up a new method of living. As to Friday's father, the
Spaniards, and the three savage servants we had taken in the late
battle, they all lived with me in our ancient castle; and indeed we
supplied the main part of the island with food, as necessity required.
But the most remarkable part of the story is, how these Englishmen, who
had been so much at variance, should agree about the choice of those
women; yet they took a way good enough to prevent quarreling among
themselves. They let the five women in one of their huts, and going
themselves to the other, drew lots which should have the first choice.
Now, he that had the first lot went to the hut, and fetched out her he
chose; and it is remarkable, that he took her that was the most homely
and eldest of the number, which made the rest of the Englishmen
exceedingly merry; the Spaniards themselves could not help but smile at
it; but as it happened, the fellow had the best thought, in choosing
one fit for application and business; and indeed she proved the best
wife of all the parcel.
"But when the poor creatures perceived themselves placed in a row, and
separated one by one, they were again seized with an unspeakable terror,
as now thinking they were going to be slain in earnest; and when the
Englishmen came to take the first, the rest set up a lamentable cry,
clasped their arms around her neck, and hanging about her, took their
last farewell, as they thought, in such trembling agonies, and
affectionate embraces, as would have softened the hardest heart in the
world, and made the driest eyes melt into tears; nor could they be
persuaded but that they were going to die, till such time as Friday's
father made them sensible that the Englishmen had chosen them for their
wives, which ended all their terror and concern upon this occasion.
"Well, after this, the Englishmen went to work, and being assisted by my
good natured Spaniards, in a few hours they, erected every one of them a
new hut or tent for their separate lodging, since those they had already
were, filled with tools, household stuff, and provision. They all
continued on the north shore of the island, but separate as before; the
three wicked ones pitching farther off, and the two honest men nearer
our castle; so that the island seemed to be peopled in three places,
three towns beginning to be built for that purpose. And here I cannot
but remark, what is very common, that the two honest men had the worst
wives, (I mean as to industry, cleanliness, and ingenuity) while the
three reprobates enjoyed women of quite contrary qualities.
"But another observation I made was, in favour of the two honest men, to
show what disparity there is between a diligent application to business,
on the one hand, and a slothful negligent, and idle temper, on the
other. Both of them had the same parcel of ground laid out, and corn to
sow, sufficient either in their cultivation or their planting. The two
honest men had a multitude of young trees planted about their
habitations, so that when you approached near them, nothing appeared but
a wood, very pleasing and delightful. Every thing they did prospered and
flourished: their grapes, planted in order, seemed as though managed in
a vineyard and were infinitely preferable to any of the others. Nor were
they wanting to find out a place of retreat, but dug a cave in the most
retired part of a thick wood, to secure their wives and children, with
their provision and chiefest goods, surrounded with innumerable stakes,
and having a most subtle entrance, in case any mischief should happen
either from their fellow countrymen, or the devouring savages.
"As to the reprobates, (though I must own they were much more civilized
than before) instead of delightful wood surrounding their dwellings, we
found the words of King Solomon too truly verified: _I went by the
vineyard of the slothful, and it was all overgrown with thorns_. In many
places their crop was obliterated by weeds: the hedges having several
gaps in them, the wild goats had got in, and eaten up the corn, and here
and there was a dead bush to stop these gaps for the present, which was
no more than shutting the stable door after the steed was stolen away.
But as to their wives, they (as I observed before) were more diligent,
and cleanly enough, especially in their victuals, being instructed by
one of the honest men, who had been a cook's mate on board a ship: &
very well it was so, for as he cooked himself, his companion and their
families lived as well as the idle husbands, who did nothing but loiter
about, fetch turtle's eggs, catch fish and birds, and do any thing but
work, and lived accordingly; while the diligent lived very handsomely
and plentifully, in the most comfortable manner.
"And now, Sir, I come to lay before your eyes a scene quite different
from any thing that ever happened to us before, and perhaps ever befel
you in all the time of your residence on this island. I shall inform you
of its original in the following manner.
"One morning, Sir, very early, there came five or six canoes of Indians
on shore, indisputably upon their old custom of devouring their
prisoners. All that we had to do upon such an occasion, was to lie
concealed, that they, not having any notice of inhabitants, might depart
quietly after performing their bloody execution: whoever first
discovered the savages, was to give notice to all the three plantations
to keep within doors, and then a proper scout was to be placed to give
intelligence of their departure. But notwithstanding these wise
measures, an unhappy disaster discovered us to the savages, which was
like to have caused the desolation of the whole island; for, after the
savages were gone off in their canoes, some of my Spaniards and I
looking abroad; and being inflamed with a curiosity to see what they had
been doing, to our great amazement beheld three savages fast asleep on
the ground, who, either being gorged, could not awake when the others
went off, or having wandered too far into the woods, did not come
back in time.
"What to do with them as first, we could not tell; as for slaves we had
enough of them already; and as to killing them, neither Christianity or
humanity would suffer us to shed the blood of persons who never did us
wrong. We perceived they had no boat left them to transport them to
their own nation; and that, by letting them wander about, they might
discover us, and inform the first savages that should happen to land
upon the same bloody occasion, which information might entirely ruin us;
and therefore I counselled my Spaniards to secure them, and set them
about some work or other, till we could better dispose of them.
"Hereupon we all went back, and making them awake, took them prisoners.
It is impossible to express the horror they were in, especially when
bound, as thinking they were going to be murdered and eaten, but we soon
eased them of their fear as to that point. We first took them to the
bower, where the chief of our country work lay as keeping goats,
planting corn, &c and then carried them to the two Englishmen's
habitation, to help them in their business; but happy it was for us all
we did not carry them to our castle, as by the sequel will appear. The
Englishmen, indeed, found them work to do; but whether they did not
guard them strictly, or that they thought they could not better
themselves, I cannot tell; but certainly one of them ran away into the
woods, and they could not hear of him for a long time after.
"Undoubtedly there was reason enough to suppose he got home in some of
the canoes, the savages returning in about four weeks time, and going
off in the space of two days. You may be certain, Sir, this thought
could not but terrify us exceedingly, and make us justly conclude, that
the savage would inform his countrymen of our abode in the island, how
few and weak we were in comparison to their numbers & we expected it
would not be long before the Englishmen would be attacked in their
habitations; but the savages had not seen their places of safety in the
woods, nor our castle, which it was a great happiness they did not know.