_Hence he sailed for _Bantam_; by the way he recounts the
danger he had like to have sustained, by ascending a
_burning Mountain_._
Weighing Anchor, we steer’d our course for _Bantam_; but being much
straitned by the way, for want of fresh water, we were compell’d to make
up to the first Land we descry’d. Though the darkness of the night
blinded our eyes from such discoveries, yet flames of fire not far
distant from us, gave us perfect intelligence that land was not far off.
That night we cast Anchor, fearing we might run foul of some rock or
shelf: In the morning we saw a large track of Land before us, not
knowing what place it should be. Our Captain commanded the Long-boat to
be man’d out, to procure water, if any good were there: amongst the
rest, I went for one; for I was very greedy to observe novelties. Coming
on shore, and seeing this Hill now and then belch out flames, by my
perswasions I made my fellows forget for a time their duty or errand
they came about, to make some inquisition into this _miracle_ of Nature.
Whereupon we all resolved unanimously to ascend the Hill, and with much
difficulty we came so nigh the top, that we heard a most hideous noise
proceeding from the Concave thereof: so terrible it was, that we now
began to condemn our rash attempt, and stood at a convenient distance,
judging it the only _medium_ of our safety. Whilst we were thus in a
_delirium_, not knowing what was the best to be done; the Mountain was
instantly possest with an _Ague-fit_, and afterwards vomiting up smoak
and stones into the Air (which afterwards fell down in a shower upon our
heads) we thought we could not escape without a miracle: and whilst we
were all striving which way, with greatest expedition, we might eschew
the danger, there rose in the midst of us such an heap of earth, ashes,
and fire, with such kinde of combustible matter, as that we all seem’d
as so many _moveable burning Beacons_: and without any thoughts of
helping each other, every one endeavoured to secure himself. And
although I was the last in the company, yet in this expedition it was
much available to me; for my companions making more haste than good
speed, tumbling down the Hill before me, fell several of them together;
which _blocks_ lying in my way, obstructed my passage, & so sav’d the
breaking of my neck, which otherwise would have been inevitable. In this
prodigious conflict, most of us lost the hair of our heads, not without
receiving several _batteries_ upon the _Out-works_ of our bodies. At
first sight we were much afraid; but the consequence made it appear, we
were not more afraid than hurt. We made a shift to crawl down the rest
of the way; and having fixt our unadvised feet on the bottom of the
Mountain, we resolv’d we would never again pay so dearly for our
curiosity, but forthwith went in search of some Spring, that might serve
as well to quench our cloathes, as our thirst. What we sought for we
quickly found; and so filling our empty Cask, we made what haste we
could aboard. The Captain and the rest stood amaz’d to see us look so
ghastly, and were very impatient to know what was the matter with us; we
told them succinctly what had happened, and what great dangers we
underwent: instead of pitying us, they only laught at us for being such
adventurous fools. Having thus furnished our selves with what we wanted,
we set sail again for _Bantam_; where we safely arriv’d in a short time.