twenty days returned again, freighted with all necessary provisions for
our voyage, and for a long time; and, as I say, we had a great deal of
other goods: he brought us back about three-and-thirty thousand pieces
of eight, and some diamonds, which, though William did not pretend to
much skill in, yet he made shift to act so as not to be imposed upon,
the merchants he had to deal with, too, being very fair men.
They had no difficulty at all with these merchants, for the prospect
they had of gain made them not at all inquisitive, nor did they make the
least discovery of the sloop; and as to the selling them spices which
were fetched so far from thence, it seems it was not so much a novelty
there as we believed, for the Portuguese had frequently vessels which
came from Macao in China, who brought spices, which they bought of
the Chinese traders, who again frequently dealt among the Dutch Spice
Islands, and received spices in exchange for such goods as they carried
from China.
This might be called, indeed, the only trading voyage we had made; and
now we were really very rich, and it came now naturally before us to
consider whither we should go next. Our proper delivery port, as we
ought to have called it, was at Madagascar, in the Bay of Mangahelly;
but William took me by myself into the cabin of the sloop one day,
and told me he wanted to talk seriously with me a little; so we shut
ourselves in, and William began with me.
"Wilt thou give me leave," says William, "to talk plainly with thee upon
thy present circumstances, and thy future prospect of living? and wilt
thou promise, on thy word, to take nothing ill of me?"
"With all my heart," said I. "William, I have always found your advice
good, and your designs have not only been well laid, but your counsel
has been very lucky to us; and, therefore, say what you will, I promise
you I will not take it ill."
"But that is not all my demand," says William; "if thou dost not like
what I am going to propose to thee, thou shalt promise me not to make it
public among the men."
"I will not, William," says I, "upon my word;" and swore to him, too,
very heartily.
"Why, then," says William, "I have but one thing more to article with
thee about, and that is, that thou wilt consent that if thou dost not
approve of it for thyself, thou wilt yet consent that I shall put so
much of it in practice as relates to myself and my new comrade doctor,
so that it be nothing to thy detriment and loss."
"In anything," says I, "William, but leaving me, I will; but I cannot
part with you upon any terms whatever."
"Well," says William, "I am not designing to part from thee, unless it
is thy own doing. But assure me in all these points, and I will tell my
mind freely."
So I promised him everything he desired of me in the solemnest manner
possible, and so seriously and frankly withal, that William made no
scruple to open his mind to me.
"Why, then, in the first place," says William, "shall I ask thee if thou
dost not think thou and all thy men are rich enough, and have really
gotten as much wealth together (by whatsoever way it has been gotten,
that is not the question) as we all know what to do with?"
"Why, truly, William," said I, "thou art pretty right; I think we have
had pretty good luck."
"Well, then," says William, "I would ask whether, if thou hast gotten
enough, thou hast any thought of leaving off this trade; for most people
leave off trading when they are satisfied of getting, and are rich
enough; for nobody trades for the sake of trading; much less do men rob
for the sake of thieving."
"Well, William," says I, "now I perceive what it is thou art driving at.
I warrant you," says I, "you begin to hanker after home."
"Why, truly," says William, "thou hast said it, and so I hope thou dost
too. It is natural for most men that are abroad to desire to come home
again at last, especially when they are grown rich, and when they are
(as thou ownest thyself to be) rich enough, and so rich as they know not
what to do with more if they had it."
"Well, William," said I, "but now you think you have laid your
preliminary at first so home that I should have nothing to say; that is,
that when I had got money enough, it would be natural to think of going
home. But you have not explained what you mean by home, and there you
and I shall differ. Why, man, I am at home; here is my habitation; I
never had any other in my lifetime; I was a kind of charity school boy;
so that I can have no desire of going anywhere for being rich or poor,
for I have nowhere to go."
"Why," says William, looking a little confused, "art not thou an
Englishman?"
"Yes," says I, "I think so: you see I speak English; but I came out of
England a child, and never was in it but once since I was a man; and
then I was cheated and imposed upon, and used so ill that I care not if
I never see it more."
"Why, hast thou no relations or friends there?" says he; "no
acquaintance--none that thou hast any kindness or any remains of respect
for?"
"Not I, William," said I; "no more than I have in the court of the Great
Mogul."
"Nor any kindness for the country where thou wast born?" says William.
"Not I, any more than for the island of Madagascar, nor so much neither;
for that has been a fortunate island to me more than once, as thou
knowest, William," said I.
William was quite stunned at my discourse, and held his peace; and I
said to him, "Go on, William; what hast thou to say farther? for I hear
you have some project in your head," says I; "come, let's have it out."
"Nay," says William, "thou hast put me to silence, and all I had to say
is overthrown; all my projects are come to nothing, and gone."
"Well, but, William," said I, "let me hear what they were; for though
it is so that what I have to aim at does not look your way, and though
I have no relation, no friend, no acquaintance in England, yet I do not
say I like this roving, cruising life so well as never to give it over.
Let me hear if thou canst propose to me anything beyond it."
"Certainly, friend," says William, very gravely, "there is something
beyond it;" and lifting up his hands, he seemed very much affected, and
I thought I saw tears stand in his eyes; but I, that was too hardened
a wretch to be moved with these things, laughed at him. "What!" says I,
"you mean death, I warrant you: don't you? That is beyond this trade.
Why, when it comes, it comes; then we are all provided for."
"Ay," says William, "that is true; but it would be better that some
things were thought on before that came."
"Thought on!" says I; "what signifies thinking of it? To think of death
is to die, and to be always thinking of it is to be all one's life long
a-dying. It is time enough to think of it when it comes."
You will easily believe I was well qualified for a pirate that could
talk thus. But let me leave it upon record, for the remark of other
hardened rogues like myself,--my conscience gave me a pang that I never
felt before when I said, "What signifies thinking of it?" and told me I
should one day think of these words with a sad heart; but the time of my
reflection was not yet come; so I went on.
Says William very seriously, "I must tell thee, friend, I am sorry to
hear thee talk so. They that never think of dying, often die without
thinking of it."
I carried on the jesting way a while farther, and said, "Prithee, do not
talk of dying; how do we know we shall ever die?" and began to laugh.
"I need not answer thee to that," says William; "it is not my place to
reprove thee, who art commander over me here; but I would rather thou
wouldst talk otherwise of death; it is a coarse thing."
"Say anything to me, William," said I; "I will take it kindly." I began
now to be very much moved at his discourse.
Says William (tears running down his face), "It is because men live
as if they were never to die, that so many die before they know how
to live. But it was not death that I meant when I said that there was
something to be thought of beyond this way of living."
"Why, William," said I, "what was that?"
"It was repentance," says he.
"Why," says I, "did you ever know a pirate repent?"
At this he startled a little, and returned, "At the gallows I have
[known] one before, and I hope thou wilt be the second."
He spoke this very affectionately, with an appearance of concern for me.
"Well, William," says I, "I thank you; and I am not so senseless of
these things, perhaps, as I make myself seem to be. But come, let me
hear your proposal."
"My proposal," says William, "is for thy good as well as my own. We may
put an end to this kind of life, and repent; and I think the fairest
occasion offers for both, at this very time, that ever did, or ever
will, or, indeed, can happen again."
"Look you, William," says I; "let me have your proposal for putting an
end to our present way of living first, for that is the case before
us, and you and I will talk of the other afterwards. I am not so
insensible," said I, "as you may think me to be. But let us get out of
this hellish condition we are in first."
"Nay," says William, "thou art in the right there; we must never talk of
repenting while we continue pirates."
"Well," says I, "William, that's what I meant; for if we must not
reform, as well as be sorry for what is done, I have no notion what
repentance means; indeed, at best I know little of the matter; but the
nature of the thing seems to tell me that the first step we have to take
is to break off this wretched course; and I'll begin there with you,
with all my heart."
I could see by his countenance that William was thoroughly pleased with
the offer; and if he had tears in-his eyes before, he had more now; but
it was from quite a different passion; for he was so swallowed up with
joy he could not speak.
"Come, William," says I, "thou showest me plain enough thou hast an
honest meaning; dost thou think it practicable for us to put an end to
our unhappy way of living here, and get off?"
"Yes," says he, "I think it very practicable for me; whether it is for
thee or no, that will depend upon thyself."
"Well," says I, "I give you my word, that as I have commanded you all
along, from the time I first took you on board, so you shall command me
from this hour, and everything you direct me I'll do."
"Wilt thou leave it all to me? Dost thou say this freely?"
"Yes, William," said I, "freely; and I'll perform it faithfully."
"Why, then," says William, "my scheme is this: We are now at the mouth
of the Gulf of Persia; we have sold so much of our cargo here at Surat,
that we have money enough; send me away for Bassorah with the sloop,
laden with the China goods we have on board, which will make another
good cargo, and I'll warrant thee I'll find means, among the English and
Dutch merchants there, to lodge a quantity of goods and money also as
a merchant, so as we will be able to have recourse to it again upon any
occasion, and when I come home we will contrive the rest; and, in the
meantime, do you bring the ship's crew to take a resolution to go to
Madagascar as soon as I return."
I told him I thought he need not go so far as Bassorah, but might run
into Gombroon, or to Ormuz, and pretend the same business.
"No," says he, "I cannot act with the same freedom there, because
the Company's factories are there, and I may be laid hold of there on
pretence of interloping."
"Well, but," said I, "you may go to Ormuz, then; for I am loth to
part with you so long as to go to the bottom of the Persian Gulf." He
returned, that I should leave it to him to do as he should see cause.
We had taken a large sum of money at Surat, so that we had near a
hundred thousand pounds in money at our command, but on board the great
ship we had still a great deal more.
I ordered him publicly to keep the money on board which he had, and to
buy up with it a quantity of ammunition, if he could get it, and so to
furnish us for new exploits; and, in the meantime, I resolved to get a
quantity of gold and some jewels, which I had on board the great ship,
and place them so that I might carry them off without notice as soon as
he came back; and so, according to William's directions, I left him
to go the voyage, and I went on board the great ship, in which we had
indeed an immense treasure.
We waited no less than two months for William's return, and indeed
I began to be very uneasy about William, sometimes thinking he had
abandoned me, and that he might have used the same artifice to have
engaged the other men to comply with him, and so they were gone away
together; and it was but three days before his return that I was just
upon the point of resolving to go away to Madagascar, and give him over;
but the old surgeon, who mimicked the Quaker and passed for the master
of the sloop at Surat, persuaded me against that, for which good advice
and apparent faithfulness in what he had been trusted with, I made him a
party to my design, and he proved very honest.
At length William came back, to our inexpressible joy, and brought a
great many necessary things with him; as, particularly, he brought sixty
barrels of powder, some iron shot, and about thirty ton of lead; also
he brought a great deal of provisions; and, in a word, William gave me
a public account of his voyage, in the hearing of whoever happened to be
upon the quarter-deck, that no suspicions might be found about us.
After all was done, William moved that he might go up again, and that
I would go with him; named several things which we had on board that he
could not sell there; and, particularly, told us he had been obliged to
leave several things there, the caravans being not come in; and that he
had engaged to come back again with goods.
This was what I wanted. The men were eager for his going, and
particularly because he told them they might load the sloop back with
rice and provisions; but I seemed backward to going, when the old
surgeon stood up and persuaded me to go, and with many arguments pressed
me to it; as, particularly, if I did not go, there would be no order,
and several of the men might drop away, and perhaps betray all the rest;
and that they should not think it safe for the sloop to go again if I
did not go; and to urge me to it, he offered himself to go with me.
Upon these considerations I seemed to be over-persuaded to go, and all
the company seemed to be better satisfied when I had consented; and,
accordingly, we took all the powder, lead, and iron out of the sloop
into the great ship, and all the other things that were for the ship's
use, and put in some bales of spices and casks or frails of cloves, in
all about seven ton, and some other goods, among the bales of which I
had conveyed all my private treasure, which, I assure you, was of no
small value, and away I went.
At going off I called a council of all the officers in the ship to
consider in what place they should wait for me, and how long, and we
appointed the ship to stay eight-and-twenty days at a little island on
the Arabian side of the Gulf, and that, if the sloop did not come in
that time, they should sail to another island to the west of that place,
and wait there fifteen days more, and that then, if the sloop did not
come, they should conclude some accident must have happened, and the
rendezvous should be at Madagascar.
Being thus resolved, we left the ship, which both William and I, and
the surgeon, never intended to see any more. We steered directly for the
Gulf, and through to Bassorah, or Balsara. This city of Balsara lies
at some distance from the place where our sloop lay, and the river
not being very safe, and we but ill acquainted with it, having but an
ordinary pilot, we went on shore at a village where some merchants live,
and which is very populous, for the sake of small vessels riding there.
Here we stayed and traded three or four days, landing all our bales and
spices, and indeed the whole cargo that was of any considerable value,
which we chose to do rather than go up immediately to Balsara till the
project we had laid was put in execution.
After we had bought several goods, and were preparing to buy several
others, the boat being on shore with twelve men, myself, William, the
surgeon, and one fourth man, whom we had singled out, we contrived
to send a Turk just at the dusk of the evening with a letter to the
boatswain, and giving the fellow a charge to run with all possible
speed, we stood at a small distance to observe the event. The contents
of the letter were thus written by the old doctor:--
"BOATSWAIN THOMAS,--We are all betrayed. For God's sake make off with
the boat, and get on board, or you are all lost. The captain, William
the Quaker, and George the reformade are seized and carried away: I am
escaped and hid, but cannot stir out; if I do I am a dead man. As
soon as you are on board cut or slip, and make sail for your lives.
Adieu.--R.S."
We stood undiscovered, as above, it being the dusk of the evening, and
saw the Turk deliver the letter, and in three minutes we saw all the men
hurry into the boat and put off, and no sooner were they on board than
they took the hint, as we supposed, for the next morning they were out
of sight, and we never heard tale or tidings of them since.
We were now in a good place, and in very good circumstances, for we
passed for merchants of Persia.
It is not material to record here what a mass of ill-gotten wealth we
had got together: it will be more to the purpose to tell you that I
began to be sensible of the crime of getting of it in such a manner as
I had done; that I had very little satisfaction in the possession of
it; and, as I told William, I had no expectation of keeping it, nor much
desire; but, as I said to him one day walking out into the fields near
the town of Bassorah, so I depended upon it that it would be the case,
which you will hear presently.
We were perfectly secured at Bassorah, by having frighted away the
rogues, our comrades; and we had nothing to do but to consider how to
convert our treasure into things proper to make us look like merchants,
as we were now to be, and not like freebooters, as we really had been.
We happened very opportunely here upon a Dutchman, who had travelled
from Bengal to Agra, the capital city of the Great Mogul, and from
thence was come to the coast of Malabar by land, and got shipping,
somehow or other, up the Gulf; and we found his design was to go up the
great river to Bagdad or Babylon, and so, by the caravan, to Aleppo and
Scanderoon. As William spoke Dutch, and was of an agreeable, insinuating
behaviour, he soon got acquainted with this Dutchman, and discovering
our circumstances to one another, we found he had considerable effects
with him; and that he had traded long in that country, and was making
homeward to his own country; and that he had servants with him; one an
Armenian, whom he had taught to speak Dutch, and who had something of
his own, but had a mind to travel into Europe; and the other a Dutch
sailor, whom he had picked up by his fancy, and reposed a great trust in
him, and a very honest fellow he was.
This Dutchman was very glad of an acquaintance, because he soon found
that we directed our thoughts to Europe also; and as he found we were
encumbered with goods only (for we let him know nothing of our money),
he readily offered us his assistance to dispose of as many of them as
the place we were in would put off, and his advice what to do with the
rest.
While this was doing, William and I consulted what to do with ourselves
and what we had; and first, we resolved we would never talk seriously
of our measures but in the open fields, where we were sure nobody could
hear; so every evening, when the sun began to decline and the air to be
moderate we walked out, sometimes this way, sometimes that, to consult
of our affairs.
I should have observed that we had new clothed ourselves here, after
the Persian manner, with long vests of silk, a gown or robe of English
crimson cloth, very fine and handsome, and had let our beards grow so
after the Persian manner that we passed for Persian merchants, in view
only, though, by the way, we could not understand or speak one word of
the language of Persia, or indeed of any other but English and Dutch;
and of the latter I understood very little.
However, the Dutchman supplied all this for us; and as we had resolved
to keep ourselves as retired as we could, though there were several
English merchants upon the place, yet we never acquainted ourselves with
one of them, or exchanged a word with them; by which means we prevented
their inquiry of us now, or their giving any intelligence of us, if any
news of our landing here should happen to come, which, it was easy for
us to know, was possible enough, if any of our comrades fell into bad
hands, or by many accidents which we could not foresee.
It was during my being here, for here we stayed near two months, that
I grew very thoughtful about my circumstances; not as to the danger,
neither indeed were we in any, but were entirely concealed and
unsuspected; but I really began to have other thoughts of myself, and of
the world, than ever I had before.
William had struck so deep into my unthinking temper with hinting to me
that there was something beyond all this; that the present time was the
time of enjoyment, but that the time of account approached; that the
work that remained was gentler than the labour past, viz., repentance,
and that it was high time to think of it;--I say these, and such
thoughts as these, engrossed my hours, and, in a word, I grew very sad.
As to the wealth I had, which was immensely great, it was all like dirt
under my feet; I had no value for it, no peace in the possession of it,
no great concern about me for the leaving of it.
William had perceived my thoughts to be troubled and my mind heavy and
oppressed for some time; and one evening, in one of our cool walks, I
began with him about the leaving our effects. William was a wise and
wary man, and indeed all the prudentials of my conduct had for a long
time been owing to his advice, and so now all the methods for preserving
our effects, and even ourselves, lay upon him; and he had been telling
me of some of the measures he had been taking for our making homeward,
and for the security of our wealth, when I took him very short. "Why,
William," says I, "dost thou think we shall ever be able to reach Europe
with all this cargo that we have about us?"
"Ay," says William, "without doubt, as well as other merchants with
theirs, as long as it is not publicly known what quantity or of what
value our cargo consists."
"Why, William," says I, smiling, "do you think that if there is a God
above, as you have so long been telling me there is, and that we must
give an account to Him,--I say, do you think, if He be a righteous
Judge, He will let us escape thus with the plunder, as we may call it,
of so many innocent people, nay, I might say nations, and not call us to
an account for it before we can get to Europe, where we pretend to enjoy
it?"
William appeared struck and surprised at the question, and made no
answer for a great while; and I repeated the question, adding that it
was not to be expected.
After a little pause, says William, "Thou hast started a very weighty
question, and I can make no positive answer to it; but I will state it
thus: first, it is true that, if we consider the justice of God, we
have no reason to expect any protection; but as the ordinary ways of
Providence are out of the common road of human affairs, so we may hope
for mercy still upon our repentance, and we know not how good He may be
to us; so we are to act as if we rather depended upon the last, I mean
the merciful part, than claimed the first, which must produce nothing
but judgment and vengeance."
"But hark ye, William," says I, "the nature of repentance, as you have
hinted once to me, included reformation; and we can never reform; how,
then, can we repent?"
"Why can we never reform?" says William.
"Because," said I, "we cannot restore what we have taken away by rapine
and spoil."
"It is true," says William, "we never can do that, for we can never come
to the knowledge of the owners."
"But what, then, must be done with our wealth," said I, "the effects
of plunder and rapine? If we keep it, we continue to be robbers and
thieves; and if we quit it we cannot do justice with it, for we cannot
restore it to the right owners."
"Nay," says William, "the answer to it is short. To quit what we have,
and do it here, is to throw it away to those who have no claim to it,
and to divest ourselves of it, but to do no right with it; whereas we
ought to keep it carefully together, with a resolution to do what right
with it we are able; and who knows what opportunity Providence may
put into our hands to do justice, at least, to some of those we have
injured? So we ought, at least, to leave it to Him and go on. As it is,
without doubt our present business is to go to some place of safety,
where we may wait His will."