_Robinson’s Captivity at Sallee--Escape with Xury--Arrival at the
Brazils_
I was now set up for a Guinea trader; and my friend, to my great
misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I resolved to go the same
voyage again, and I embarked in the same vessel with one who was his
mate in the former voyage, and had now got the command of the ship.
This was the unhappiest voyage, that ever man made; for though I did
not carry quite £100 of my new-gained wealth, so that I had £200 left,
and which I lodged with my friend’s widow, who was very just to me,
yet I fell into terrible misfortunes in this voyage; and the first was
this, viz., our ship making her course toward the Canary Islands, or
rather between those islands and the African shore, was surprised in
the gray of the morning by a Turkish rover of Sallee, who gave chase
to us with all the sail she could make. We crowded also as much canvas
as our yards would spread, or our masts carry, to have got clear; but
finding the pirate gained upon us, and would certainly come up with
us in a few hours, we prepared to fight, our ship having twelve guns,
and the rogue eighteen. About three in the afternoon he came up with
us, and bringing to, by mistake, just athwart our quarter, instead of
athwart our stern, as he intended, we brought eight of our guns to bear
on that side, and poured in a broadside upon him, which made him sheer
off again, after returning our fire and pouring in also his small-shot
from near 200 men which he had on board. However, we had not a man
touched, all our men keeping close. He prepared to attack us again, and
we to defend ourselves; but laying us on board the next time upon our
other quarter, he entered sixty men upon our decks, who immediately
fell to cutting and hacking the decks and rigging. We plied them with
small-shot, half-pikes, powder-chests, and such like, and cleared our
deck of them twice. However, to cut short this melancholy part of our
story, our ship being disabled, and three of our men killed and eight
wounded, we were obliged to yield, and were carried all prisoners into
Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors.
The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I apprehended,
nor was I carried up the country to the emperor’s court, as the rest
of our men were, but was kept by the captain of the rover as his
proper prize, and made his slave, being young and nimble, and fit for
his business. At this surprising change of my circumstances from a
merchant to a miserable slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed; and now I
looked back upon my father’s prophetic discourse to me, that I should
be miserable, and have none to relieve me, which I thought was now so
effectually brought to pass, that it could not be worse; that now the
hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was undone without redemption.
But alas; this was but a taste of the misery I was to go through, as
will appear in the sequel of this story.
As my new patron, or master, had taken me home to his house, so I was
in hopes that he would take me with him when he went to sea again,
believing that it would some time or other be his fate to be taken by
a Spanish or Portuguese man-o-war; and that then I should be set at
liberty. But this hope of mine was soon taken away; for when he went to
sea, he left me on shore to look after his little garden, and do the
common drudgery of slaves about his house; and when he came home again
from his cruise, he ordered me to lie in the cabin to look after the
ship.
Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method I might take
to effect it, but found no way that had the least probability in it.
Nothing presented to make the supposition of it rational; for I had
nobody to communicate it to that would embark with me, no fellow-slave,
no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotsman there but myself; so that for two
years, though I often pleased myself with the imagination, yet I never
had the least encouraging prospect of putting it in practice.
After about two years an odd circumstance presented itself, which put
the old thought of making some attempt for my liberty again in my head.
My patron lying at home longer than usual without fitting out his ship,
which, as I heard, was for want of money, he used constantly, once or
twice a week, sometimes oftener, if the weather was fair, to take the
ship’s pinnace, and go out into the road a-fishing; and as he always
took me and a young Maresco with him to row the boat, we made him very
merry, and I proved very dexterous in catching fish; insomuch, that
sometimes he would send me with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the
youth the Maresco, as they called him, to catch a dish of fish for him.
It happened one time that, going a-fishing in a stark calm morning, a
fog rose so thick, that though we were not half a league from the shore
we lost sight of it; and rowing we knew not whither or which way, we
labored all day, and all the next night, and when the morning came we
found we had pulled off to sea instead of pulling in for the shore; and
that we were at least two leagues from the shore. However, we got well
in again, though with a great deal of labor, and some danger, for the
wind began to blow pretty fresh in the morning; but particularly we
were all very hungry.
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more care of
himself for the future; and having lying by him the long-boat of our
English ship which he had taken, he resolved he would not go a-fishing
any more without a compass and some provisions; so he ordered the
carpenter of his ship, who also was an English slave, to build a little
state-room, or cabin, in the middle of the long-boat, like that of
a barge, with a place to stand behind it to steer and haul home the
main-sheet, and room before for a hand or two to stand and work the
sails. She sailed with what we call a shoulder-of-mutton sail; and the
boom jibed over the top of the cabin, which lay very snug and low, and
had in it room for him to lie, with a slave or two, and a table to eat
on, with some small lockers to put in some bottles of such liquor as he
thought fit to drink; particularly his bread, rice, and coffee.
We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing, and as I was most
dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me. It happened
that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either for pleasure or
for fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in that place,
and for whom he had provided extraordinarily; and had therefore sent on
board the boat overnight a larger store of provisions than ordinary;
and had ordered me to get ready three fusees with powder and shot,
which were on board his ship, for that they designed some sport of
fowling as well as fishing.
I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next morning
with the boat, washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and
everything to accommodate his guests; when by and by my patron came
on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going, upon some
business that fell out, and ordered me with the man and boy, as usual,
to go out with the boat and catch them some fish, for that his friends
were to sup at his house; and commanded that as soon as I had got some
fish I should bring it home to his house; all which I prepared to do.
This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into my thoughts,
for now I found I was like to have a little ship at my command; and
my master being gone I prepared to furnish myself, not for a fishing
business, but for a voyage; though I knew not, neither did I so much
as consider, whither I should steer; for anywhere, to get out of that
place, was my way.
My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to this Moor,
to get something for our subsistence on board; for I told him we must
not presume to eat of our patron’s bread. He said that was true; so
he brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit of their kind, and three
jars with fresh water, into the boat. I knew where my patron’s case of
bottles stood, which it was evident by the make were taken out of some
English prize; and I conveyed them into the boat while the Moor was on
shore, as if they had been there before for our master.
I conveyed also a great lump of beeswax into the boat, which weighed
above half a hundredweight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a
hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all which were of great use to us
afterwards, especially the wax to make candles. Another trick I tried
upon him, which he innocently came into also. His name was Ismael, who
they call Muly, or Moely; so I called to him, “Moely,” said I, “our
patron’s guns are on board the boat; can you not get a little powder
and shot? It may be we may kill some alcamies (a fowl like our curlews)
for ourselves for I know he keeps the gunner’s stores in the ship.”
“Yes,” said he, “I’ll bring some”; and accordingly he brought a great
leather pouch which held about a pound and a half of powder, or rather
more; and another with shot, that had five or six pounds with some
bullets, and put all into the boat. At the same time I had found some
powder of my master’s in the great cabin, with which I filled one of
the large bottles in the case, which was almost empty, pouring what
was in it into another; and thus furnished with everything needful, we
sailed out of the port to fish. The castle, which is at the entrance
of the port, knew who we were, and took no notice of us; and we were
not above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail, and set
us down to fish. The wind blew from the N.N.E., which was contrary to
my desire; for had it blown southerly I had been sure to have made
the coast of Spain, and at least reached to the bay of Cadiz; but my
resolutions were, blow which way it would, I would be gone from the
horrid place where I was, and leave the rest to Fate.
After we had fished some time and caught nothing, for when I had fish
on my hook I would not pull them up, that he might not see them, I said
to the Moor, “This will not do; our master will not be thus served; we
must stand farther off.” He, thinking no harm, agreed, and being in the
head of the boat set the sails; and as I had the helm I run the boat
out near a league farther, and then brought her to as if I would fish;
when giving the boy the helm, I stepped forward to where the Moor was,
and making as if I stooped for something behind him, I took him by
surprise with my arm under his twist, and tossed him clear overboard
into the sea. He rose immediately, for he swam like a cork, and called
to me, begged to be taken in, told me he would go all the world over
with me.
He swam so strong after the boat, that he would have reached me very
quickly, there being but little wind; upon which I stepped into the
cabin, and fetching one of the fowling-pieces, I presented it at him,
and told him I had done him no hurt, and if he would be quiet I would
do him none. “But,” said I, “you swim well enough to reach to the
shore, and the sea is calm; make the best of your way to shore, and
I will do you no harm; but if you come near the boat I’ll shoot you
through the head, for I am resolved to have my liberty.” So he turned
himself about, and swam for the shore, and I make no doubt but he
reached it with ease, for he was an excellent swimmer.
I could have been content to have taken this Moor with me, and have
drowned the boy, but there was no venturing to trust him. When he was
gone I turned to the boy, whom they called Xury, and said to him,
“Xury, if you will be faithful to me I’ll make you a great man; but
if you will not stroke your face to be true to me,” that is, swear by
Mahomet and his father’s beard, “I must throw you into the sea too.”
The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently, that I could not
mistrust him, and swore to be faithful to me, and go all over the world
with me.
While I was in view of the Moor who was swimming, I stood out directly
to sea with the boat, rather stretching to windward, that they might
think me gone toward the straits’ mouth (as indeed any one that had
been in their wits must have been supposed to be); for who would have
supposed we would sail on to the southward to the truly barbarian
coast, where whole nations of negroes were sure to surround us with
their canoes, and destroy us; where we could ne’er once go on shore but
we should be devoured by savage beasts, or more merciless savages of
human kind?
But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening, I changed my course, and
steered directly south and by east, bending my course a little toward
the east, that I might keep in with the shore; and having a fair, fresh
gale of wind, and a smooth, quiet sea, I made such sail that I believed
by the next day at three o’clock in the afternoon, when I first made
the land, I could not be less than 150 miles south of Sallee; quite
beyond the Emperor of Morocco’s dominions, or indeed of any other king
thereabouts, for we saw no people.
Yet such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and the dreadful
apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that I would not stop,
or go on shore, or come to anchor, the wind continuing fair, till I
had sailed in that manner five days; and then the wind shifting to the
southward, I concluded also that if any of their vessels were in chase
of me, they also would now give over; so I ventured to make to the
coast, and came to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew not
what, or where; neither what latitude, what country, what nation, or
what river. I neither saw, or desired to see, any people; the principal
thing I wanted was fresh water. We came into this creek in the evening,
resolving to swim to shore as soon as it was dark, and discover the
country; but as soon as it was quite dark we heard such dreadful
noises of the barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, of we
knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was ready to die with fear,
and begged of me not to go on shore till day. “Well, Xury,” said I,
“then I won’t; but it may be we may see men by day, who will be as bad
to us as those lions.” “Then we give them the shoot gun,” said Xury,
laughing; “make them run away.” Such English Xury spoke by conversing
among us slaves. However, I was glad to see the boy so cheerful, and
I gave him a dram (out of our patron’s case of bottles) to cheer him
up. After all, Xury’s advice was good, and I took it; we dropped our
little anchor and lay still all night. I say still, for we slept none;
for in two or three hours we saw vast great creatures (we knew not what
to call them) of many sorts come down to the sea-shore and run into the
water, wallowing and washing themselves for the pleasure of cooling
themselves; and they made such hideous howlings and yellings, that I
never indeed heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frightened, and indeed so was I too; but we were
both more frightened when we heard one of these mighty creatures come
swimming towards our boat; we could not see him, but we might hear him
by his blowing to be a monstrous huge and furious beast. Xury said it
was a lion, and it might be so for aught I know; but poor Xury cried to
me to weigh the anchor and row away. “No,” says I, “Xury; we can slip
our cable with the buoy to it, and go off to sea; they cannot follow us
far.” I had no sooner said so, but I perceived the creature (whatever
it was) within two oars’ length, which something surprised me; however,
I immediately stepped to the cabin door, and taking up my gun, fired at
him, upon which he immediately turned about and swam towards the shore
again.
But it is impossible to describe the horrible noises, and hideous cries
and howlings, that were raised, as well upon the edge of the shore as
higher within the country, upon the noise or report of the gun, a thing
I have some reason to believe those creatures had never heard before.
This convinced me that there was no going on shore for us in the night
upon that coast; and how to venture on shore in the day was another
question too; for to have fallen into the hands of any of the savages,
had been as bad as to have fallen into the hands of lions and tigers;
at least we were equally apprehensive of the danger of it.
Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore somewhere or other
for water, for we had not a pint left in the boat; when or where to get
to it, was the point. Xury said if I would let him go on shore with one
of the jars, he would find if there was any water and bring some to
me. I asked him why he should go? why I should not go and he stay in
the boat? The boy answered with so much affection, that made me love
him ever after. Said he, “If wild mans come, they eat me, you go way.”
“Well, Xury,” said I, “we will both go; and if the wild mans come, we
will kill them, they shall eat neither of us.” So I gave Xury a piece
of rusk bread to eat, and a dram out of our patron’s case of bottles
which I mentioned before; and we hauled in the boat as near the shore
as we thought was proper, and so waded to shore, carrying nothing but
our arms and two jars for water.
I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the coming of
canoes with savages down the river; but the boy seeing a low place
about a mile up the country, rambled to it; and by and by I saw him
come running towards me. I thought he was pursued by some savage, or
frightened with some wild beast, and I ran towards him to help him; but
when I came nearer to him, I saw something hanging over his shoulders,
which was a creature that he had shot, like a hare, but different in
color, and longer legs. However, we were very glad of it, and it was
very good meat; but the great joy that poor Xury came with was to tell
me he had found good water, and had seen no wild mans.
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains for water, for
a little higher up the creek where we were we found the water fresh
when the tide was out, which flowed but a little way up; so we filled
our jars, and feasted on the hare we had killed, and prepared to go on
our way, having seen no footsteps of any human creature in that part of
the country.
As I had been one voyage to this coast before, I knew very well that
the islands of the Canaries, and the Cape de Verde Islands also, lay
not far off from the coast. But as I had no instruments to take an
observation to know what latitude we were in, and did not exactly know,
or at least remember, what latitude they were in, I knew not where to
look for them, or when to stand off to sea towards them; otherwise I
might now easily have found some of these islands. But my hope was,
that if I stood along this coast till I came to that part where the
English traded, I should find some of their vessels upon their usual
design of trade, that would relieve and take us in.
By the best of my calculation, that place where I now was must be that
country which, lying between the Emperor of Morocco’s dominions and
the negroes, lies waste and uninhabited, except by wild beasts; the
negroes having abandoned it and gone farther south for fear of the
Moors, and the Moors not thinking it worth inhabiting, by reason of
its barrenness; and indeed both forsaking it because of the prodigious
numbers of tigers, lions, leopards, and other furious creatures which
harbor there; so that the Moors use it for their hunting only, where
they go like an army, two or three thousand men at a time; and indeed
for near an hundred miles together upon this coast we saw nothing but
a waste uninhabited country by day, and heard nothing but howlings and
roarings of wild beasts by night.
Once or twice in the daytime I thought I saw the Pico of Teneriffe,
being the high top of the Mountain Teneriffe in the Canaries, and had
a great mind to venture out, in hopes of reaching thither; but having
tried twice, I was forced in again by contrary winds, the sea also
going too high for my little vessel; so I resolved to pursue my first
design, and keep along the shore.
Several times I was obliged to land for fresh water after we had left
this place; and once in particular, being early in the morning, we came
to an anchor under a little point of land which was pretty high; and
the tide beginning to flow, we lay still to go farther in. Xury, whose
eyes were more about him than it seems mine were, called softly to me,
and told me that we had best go farther off the shore; “For,” said he,
“look, yonder lies a dreadful monster on the side of that hillock fast
asleep.” I looked where he pointed, and saw a dreadful monster indeed,
for it was a terrible great lion that lay on the side of the shore,
under the shade of a piece of the hill that hung as it were a little
over him. “Xury,” said I, “you shall go on shore and kill him.” Xury
looked frightened, and said, “Me kill! he eat me at one mouth”; one
mouthful he meant. However, I said no more to the boy, but bade him lie
still, and I took our biggest gun, which was almost musket-bore, and
loaded it with a good charge of powder, and with two slugs, and laid it
down; then I loaded another gun with two bullets; and the third (for we
had three pieces) I loaded with five smaller bullets. I took the best
aim I could with the first piece to have shot him into the head, but he
lay so with his leg raised a little above his nose, that the slugs hit
his leg about the knee, and broke the bone. He started up growling at
first, but finding his leg broke, fell down again, and then got up upon
three legs and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard. I was a
little surprised that I had not hit him on the head. However, I took up
the second piece immediately, and, though he began to move off, fired
again, and shot him into the head, and had the pleasure to see him
drop, and make but little noise, but lay struggling for life. Then Xury
took heart, and would have me let him go on shore. “Well, go,” said I;
so the boy jumped into the water, and taking a little gun in one hand,
swam to shore with the other hand, and coming close to the creature,
put the muzzle of the piece to his ear, and shot him into the head
again, which despatched him quite.
This was game indeed to us, but this was no food; and I was very sorry
to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a creature that was good
for nothing to us. However, Xury said he would have some of him; so he
comes on board, and asked me to give him the hatchet. “For what, Xury?”
said I. “Me cut off his head,” said he. However, Xury could not cut off
his head, but he cut off a foot, and brought it with him, and it was a
monstrous great one.
I bethought myself, however, that perhaps the skin of him might one way
or other be of some value to us; and I resolved to take off his skin
if I could. So Xury and I went to work with him; but Xury was much the
better workman at it, for I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed, it took
us up both the whole day, but at last we got off the hide of him, and
spreading it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually dried it in
two days’ time, and it afterwards served me to lie upon.
After this stop we made on to the southward continually for ten or
twelve days, living very sparing on our provisions, which began
to abate very much, and going no oftener into the shore than we
were obliged to for fresh water. My design in this was to make the
river Gambia or Senegal--that is to say, anywhere about the Cape de
Verde--where I was in hopes to meet with some European ship; and if I
did not, I knew not what course I had to take, but to seek out for the
islands or perish there among the negroes. I knew that all the ships
from Europe, which sailed either to the coast of Guinea or to Brazil,
or to the East Indies, made this cape, or those islands; and in a word,
I put the whole of my fortune upon this single point, either that I
must meet with some ship, or must perish.
When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer, as I have
said, I began to see that the land was inhabited; and in two or three
places, as we sailed by, we saw people stand upon the shore to look
at us; we could also perceive they were quite black, and stark naked.
I was once inclined to have gone on shore to them; but Xury was my
better councilor, and said to me, “No go, no go.” However, I hauled in
nearer the shore that I might talk to them, and I found they ran along
the shore by me a good way. I observed they had no weapons in their
hands, except one, who had a long slender stick, which Xury said was a
lance, and that they would throw them a great way with good aim. So I
kept at a distance, but talked with them by signs as well as I could,
and particularly made signs for something to eat; they beckoned to me
to stop my boat, and that they would fetch me some meat. Upon this I
lowered the top of my sail, and lay by, and two of them ran up into
the country, and in less than half-an-hour came back, and brought with
them two pieces of dried flesh and some corn, such as is the produce
of their country; but we neither knew what the one or the other was.
However, we were willing to accept it, but how to come at it was our
next dispute, for I was not for venturing on shore to them, and they
were as much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all, for
they brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood a
great way off till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us
again.
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to make them
amends. But an opportunity offered that very instant to oblige them
wonderfully; for while we were lying by the shore came two mighty
creatures, one pursuing the other (as we took it) with great fury from
the mountains towards the sea; whether it was the male pursuing the
female, or whether they were in sport or in rage, we could not tell,
any more than we could tell whether it was usual or strange, but I
believe it was the latter: because, in the first place, those ravenous
creatures seldom appear but in the night; and in the second place, we
found the people terribly frightened, especially the women.
The man that had the lance or dart did not fly from them but the rest
did; however, as the two creatures ran directly into the water, they
did not seem to offer to fall upon any of the negroes, but plunged
themselves into the sea, and swam about, as if they had come for their
diversion. At last, one of them began to come nearer our boat than at
first I expected; but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun with
all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the others. As soon as
he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him directly into the
head; immediately he sunk down into the water, but rose instantly, and
plunged up and down, as if he was struggling for life, and so indeed he
was. He immediately made to the shore; but between the wound, which was
his mortal hurt, and the strangling of the water, he died just before
he reached the shore.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor creatures,
at the noise and the fire of my gun; some of them were even ready to
die for fear, and fell down as dead with the very terror. But when they
saw the creature dead, and sunk in the water, and that I made signs to
them to come to the shore, they took heart and came to the shore, and
began to search for the creature. I found him by his blood staining the
water: and by the help of a rope, which I slung round him, and gave the
negroes to haul, they dragged him on the shore, and found that it was a
most curious leopard, spotted, and fine to an admirable degree; and the
negroes held up their hands with admiration, to think what I had killed
him with.
The other creature, frightened with the flash of fire and the noise
of the gun, swam on shore, and ran up directly to the mountains from
whence they came; nor could I, at that distance, know what it was. I
found quickly the negroes were for eating the flesh of this creature,
so I was willing to have them take it as a favor from me; which when I
made signs to them that they might take him, they were very thankful
for. Immediately they fell to work with him; and though they had no
knife, yet, with a sharpened piece of wood, they took off his skin as
readily, and much more readily than we could have done with a knife.
They offered me some of the flesh, which I declined, making as if I
would give it them, but made signs for the skin, which they gave me
very freely, and brought me a great deal more of their provision,
which though I did not understand, yet I accepted. Then I made signs
to them for some water, and held out one of my jars to them, turning
it bottom upward, to show that it was empty, and that I wanted to have
it filled. They called immediately to some of their friends, and there
came two women, and brought a great vessel made of earth, and burnt, as
I suppose, in the sun; this they set down for me, as before, and I sent
Xury on shore with my jars, and filled them all three. The women were
as stark naked as the men.
I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it was, and water;
and leaving my friendly negroes, I made forward for about eleven days
more, without offering to go near the shore, till I saw the land rim
out a great length into the sea, at about the distance of four or five
leagues before me; and the sea being very calm. I kept a large offing,
to make this point. At length doubling the point, at about two leagues
from the land, I saw plainly land on the other side, to seaward; then
I concluded, as it was most certain indeed, that this was the Cape de
Verde, and those the islands, called from thence Cape de Verde Islands.
However, they were at a great distance, and I could not well tell what
I had best to do; for if I should be taken with a fresh wind, I might
neither reach one nor other.
In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the cabin, and
sat me down, Xury having the helm; when, on a sudden, the boy cried
out, “Master, master, a ship with a sail!” and the foolish boy was
frightened out of his wits, thinking it must needs be some of his
master’s ships sent to pursue us, when I knew we were gotten far enough
out of their reach. I jumped out of the cabin, and immediately saw not
only the ship, but what she was, viz., that it was a Portuguese ship,
and, as I thought, was bound to the coast of Guinea, for negroes. But
when I observed the course she steered, I was soon convinced they were
bound some other way, and did not design to come any nearer to the
shore; upon which I stretched out to sea as much as I could, resolving
to speak with them, if possible.
With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be able to come
in their way, but that they would be gone by before I could make any
signal to them; but after I had crowded to the utmost, and began to
despair, they, it seems, saw me by the help of their perspective
glasses, and that it was some European boat, which, as they supposed,
must belong to some ship that was lost, so they shortened sail to let
me come up.
I was encouraged with this; and as I had my patron’s flag on board, I
made a waft of it to them for a signal of distress, and fired a gun,
both of which they saw; for they told me they saw the smoke, though
they did not hear the gun. Upon these signals they very kindly brought
to, and lay by for me; and in about three hours’ time I came up with
them.
They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, and in Spanish, and in French,
but I understood none of them; but at last a Scots sailor, who was
on board, called to me, and I answered him, and told him I was an
Englishman, that I had made my escape out of slavery from the Moors, at
Sallee. Then they bade me come on board, and very kindly took me in,
and all my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me, that any one will believe, that I
was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from such a miserable, and almost
hopeless, condition as I was in; and I immediately offered all I had
to the captain of the ship, as a return for my deliverance. But he
generously told me he would take nothing from me, but that all I had
should be delivered safe to me when I came to the Brazils. “For,” says
he, “I have saved your life on no other terms than I would be glad to
be saved myself; and it may, one time or other, be my lot to be taken
up in the same condition. Besides,” says he, “when I carry you to the
Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if I should take from
you what you have, you will be starved there, and then I only take
away that life I have given. No, no, Seignior Inglese,” says he, “Mr.
Englishman, I will carry you thither in charity, and those things will
help you to buy your subsistence there, and your passage home again.”