_The Author leaves this fine Country; the Ways he contriv'd to
get out of it. He meets again on the Sea-Side with some of the
Ship's Company with whom he had formerly been cast away upon the
Coast_, &c.
As soon as those honest Fellows had left us, we took our Course
towards the River, but still kept in those Divisions of the
Cantons where there were no Houses. I think we had saunter'd
scarce two Days, when a little before Midnight we found ourselves
at the End of the Canals where were Sluices which we knew nothing
at all of before we came to them. This cursed Passage alarm'd us,
and we tugg'd hard near an Hour before we discover'd which way
the Sluice-Doors were to be open'd. At length we master'd the
Difficulty, but then we were as weary as Dogs. In the mean time,
there was a Necessity for our going over. It would have been a
dangerous Enterprise in the Day-time, because no Body was
suffer'd to enter this River without Leave from the Judges, not
only by Reason of the Fishery, but in Respect to the Laws which
hinder the Inhabitants from going beyond the Bounds of their
Country; whereas in the Night-time there was seemingly no Danger
of being so much as seen by any Person whatsoever. We had not
above 4 Miles and a half to pass. _La Foret_, as he was more
zealous to push on than I, so he was more tir'd. I bid him take
a little Rest, because one of us at a time was enough to steer
the Boat.
I kept exactly in the middle of the Current, and it being fine
still Weather, our Boat drove down with the Stream imperceptibly.
This together with the Fatigues we had undergone made me so
drousy that I could not keep my Eyes open, and we slept so
soundly that whether we were always so fortunate as to keep off
of the Shore, or whether we did not sometimes dash against it, is
more than I can tell, for we were not easily to be awak'd. Nor
did I exactly know how long we slept; probably it would have
lasted long enough to have refresh'd us, but as Misfortune would
have it, it was interrupted on a sudden. Our paltry little Boat
dash'd so vehemently against a Rock, that it push'd me out of my
Place, and I fell with such Violence against a Shoal, that my
Face look'd as if it had been scarify'd. My Comrade started out
of his Sleep not knowing what the Noise meant, nor where he was,
for he had quite forgot he was upon the Water, and cry'd all at
once, Oh God! what's the matter? where am I? Tho' I had done
myself a great deal of Mischief, I could not help laughing
heartily. Are you there, _said he_, pray where are we? Hell
itself can't be darker than it is here. Don't ask me, _said I_,
for I can't resolve you, only this I am certain of that our Boat
has just now beat against some Place, which gave me such a Fall
that my Head is broke, and if I guess right, we must be got into
that Cave which we are to pass thro'. I was so very sleepy, _said
he_, that I did not consider we were in a Bark. Good God, how
dark it is here! I think you were not mistaken when you guess'd
that we were under Ground. Handle an Oar, _said I_, and try if
you can feel what we are fasten'd to; we must certainly stick to
something for I don't perceive that we stir, and yet my Hand
tells me the Stream runs down apace, so that the Passage here
must be very narrow.
_La Foret_ was a bold Man, yet he was daunted at this dreadful
Gulph; he was afraid to stir, and would willingly have stay'd
where we were. When I saw there was no Good to be done with him,
I grop'd with my Hands and my Oar, and found that we were
inclos'd between two Points of the Rock. Come on, said I, there's
no Harm, we are where I told you, I feel the Roof of the Cave
with my Oar. Thereupon he bestirr'd himself, but notwithstanding
all that we could do, I believe we were three Hours in getting
out of that damn'd Place, after which we turn'd to the Right.
Wherever we came we met with Shoals, which no doubt were form'd
by Parts of the Mountain that broke off every now and then, and
obstructed the Passage. We run a-ground, or else beat against the
Shore, at every Turn, so that it had been well for us if the Boat
had not been so swift, but we could not stop her. In the mean
time the Passage grew still narrower the farther we went, so that
at last we could not go at all. Then my Blood came into my Face,
and verily believing that we were absolutely lost, I was going to
knock _La Foret_ in the Head, to be reveng'd for the Mischief he
had been the Cause of to me, without any Necessity. But I
remember'd very luckily that I had formerly plung'd him in the
like Scrapes, and that these were only the Consequences of our
former Misfortunes.
Now, said I, my Friend, we are hamper'd, and I know not how we
shall get off. If we had but steer'd to the Left, no doubt we
should have had room, but I don't see how we can go back, 'tis a
pretty way, and besides the Current here is too rapid. Upon this
he sounded the Water, and finding it but three or four Foot deep,
he stripp'd without saying a Word, and leap'd all at once into
the Water. O Heavens! I cry'd, what are you doing? I thought I
heard you fall over-board. Don't be afraid, said he, 'twas a
voluntary Fall, I am going to examine the Depth and Breadth of
this Pass. He had not been gone 20 Steps, but he guess'd he was
at the very Point where the two Branches unite. He came to tell
me the agreeable News, and added, that undoubtedly we were in the
narrowest Part. Observing that there were but two Peaks where the
Rock hinder'd our Passage, I took the Pickax and Mallet, and in
less than two Hours demolish'd one of those Peaks. This Exercise,
with what we had gone through before, made me extremely faint; we
took some Nourishment in order to strengthen us, and we relied
till we were in a Condition to begin our Work again. _La Foret_
too try'd to demolish the other Peak that hinder'd our Passage,
but whether the Stone there was harder, or that he did not act
with that Strength as I did, he observ'd that he made but a very
small Progress, so that I was fain to give him a Lift, and we
work'd at it alternately.
We had labour'd a long time, and had not a great deal to do, when
we heard a confused Noise approaching to us like Men talking; we
stood still for a few Minutes to hearken to it, and perceiv'd
that some Men were coming to us. Verily, said I to _La Foret_,
our Flight has not been so secret, but it has been observ'd;
perhaps the Day was far advanc'd before we enter'd this River, or
it may be some body spy'd us in the Canals: Be it as it will,
'tis very probable that the Court was acquainted of it at Noon,
and the King order'd Men to be sent out to apprehend us. You hear
how they advance, continued I, they are just at our Heels; what
shall we do now? Upon my Word, said _La Foret_, as for my part, I
am of opinion that we should fight to the last Gasp. We have
Tools here which will be of great Use to us for that Purpose; and
on the other hand, if we suffer our selves to be taken, I
apprehend that some unlucky Prank will be play'd us, and that we
shall be sent to the Mines. Not at all, said I, there is no
Danger; the King is too _debonnaire_ to treat us after that
manner; he has such a Value for our Workmanship, that he would
not deprive himself of it by banishing us; besides, we can say
with great Probability, that as we went upon the River with
Design to examine the Diversity of its Shores, it happen'd
unluckily in the Night-time that our Boat got loose before we
perceiv'd it, so that we were drove down by the Current to the
Place where they have found us. They will laugh perhaps at this
little Disaster, but they'll be glad that they came so seasonably
to our Assistance.
As my Comrade was going to make answer, we spy'd a Light. They
could not be above 30 Paces from us, and they were in the same
Arm of the River that we were, but in that Part of it which
form'd an Elbow, so that tho' they had Candles, they did not see
us. They were no sooner come thither, but their Boat, which
probably was larger than ours, was hamper'd all of a sudden, and
they seem'd to be uneasy at it. What shall we do now? said one of
them. Why, said another, we will make the best Shift we can to
get out of this Place, and we'll try to pass to the Left, which
we should have done before, if you would but have been rul'd by
me. We will do as you would have us, reply'd the former, but for
my own part, I believe we may as well do nothing at all; 'tis
possible that the Men we are in pursuit of have been gone this
way twelve or fifteen Hours ago, so that by this time they are a
great way off, or else have been cast away somewhere, as we had
like to have been several times. If you will take my Opinion, we
will return and say, which is true, that we met with such
Obstructions that we could go no farther. The King, indeed, would
be very glad to have those Men again, but he does not propose to
hurt a Hair of their Heads; and you know that we were injoin'd to
intreat them civilly to return, or to let them go in Peace in
case they would not come back with us. We may say likewise, if
you please, that we overtook them, but that not withstanding all
we could say, it was not in our Power to persuade them to return,
because they have not true Enjoyment in a Country, whose Maxims
are so different from theirs, and that they have a mind to see if
they can't find a way to their own Country, where they may have
the free Exercise of their Worship, whereas here they dare not so
much as defend it, as they have declar'd upon more Occasions than
one. Upon this, they all said, Come away, we will agree upon what
to say as we are going back.
After they were gone out of our Hearing, we did not budge for
some time, because we were afraid they might alter their Minds,
and that when they heard the strokes of our Mallet, they might be
tempted to come back again. This Inactivity cast us naturally
into a Doze, and at length into a profound Slumber. When we
awak'd, we began to put our selves into the greater Hurry,
because we were far from being hot, and were as fresh and brisk
as if we had rested in a good Bed. Consequently we beat down the
Angles that stopp'd us, and by main Strength forc'd open a
Passage. Afterwards we found things as my Comrade thought we
should, for immediately we had Room enough, but then the Place
was so full of strong Echoes, that what would have charm'd us at
another time, frighten'd us now from speaking, because at every
Sentence you would have thought there had been a thousand Devils
in the Air mocking you with their monstrous Voices.
Then we advanc'd very slowly, and in the mean time began to hear
another confused Noise, not unlike the Rumbling of Thunder at a
small distance, which made us even more afraid than we were
before. A Man that thinks himself in Danger need have no other
Affliction. Each of us rack'd his Brains to find out the Meaning
of it. We were not very wide of the Mark when we imagin'd there
must needs be a Place with a great Fall, and that the Noise we
heard must proceed from some Cataract. There we thought our Ruine
would be unavoidable. I did not dream then of what was told us of
the _Portuguese_ who formerly went that way, for if I had
consider'd of it, I should not have been in so much Pain. As we
had Cordage enough, I thought it high time to make use of it; we
immediately took ten or twelve Spades and Mattocks, ty'd them up
in a Bundle as tight as we could, and cast them into the Water as
an Anchor. The Remedy was effectual, the Ground being uneven, our
Machine stuck in a good Place, so that we advanc'd no further
than the Rope would let us out. At the end of about twenty-five
Fathom, my Comrade, who was commonly at the Head of the Boat to
sound with his Oar, and to feel on both Sides what hinder'd our
Passage, call'd out to me on a sudden to stand fast, because
there fell some Water from the Top with which he was already wet
to his Skin. Upon this I call'd him in, and after we had agreed
that the Water we heard, and which no doubt was the same he then
felt, could come from no other Place but the Top of the Mountain,
from whence it precipitated by some Crevice into our River, we
resolv'd to hale in our Anchor, but before we had got it half way
up, our Cable broke, a Loss which however was not very
considerable at that Juncture. I only endeavour'd to put my self
in such a Situation as to avoid the impetuous Fall of the Torrent
we so much dreaded. _La Foret_, by meer Force of Rowing, turn'd
my Rudder so as to carry us against the Rock, so that we had the
happiest Passage that could be without being in the least wet,
but not without danger of being swallow'd up by the dreadful
tossing and tumbling of the Waves, occasion'd by the Fall of so
great a Quantity of Water from such an Eminence, and 'tis
probable that if we had gone on the other Side, we should have
been swallow'd up.
The rest of the Way that we had to go was not near so dangerous,
and it pleas'd God we saw the End of it. When our Eyes began to
see the Light again, we thank'd the Lord most heartily, and our
Joy was such, that we have no Words in our Language strong enough
to express it. However, we could not land immediately the Shores
being too steep, so that we were oblig'd to fall down at least 3
Miles below the Mouth of the River, and then we went Ashore on
the left Side in a Place of such Verdure as Nature seem'd to have
made on purpose to solace us after having escap'd such manifest
Dangers.
The Provisions we had, came very seasonably to our Relief, so
that we made a very hearty Meal, and did not spare our Cider. By
the Height of the Sun it could not be then less than two o' Clock
in the Afternoon, therefore 'twas pretty plain we must have been
about 30 Hours in that dark Place. From hence we made the best of
our Way.
This River has prodigious Turnings and Windings, and is full of
Rocks 'twixt Wind and Water, Shoals and Islands which in some
Places form ten or a dozen difficult narrow Passages. There are
some Falls in it too which are extremely dangerous, nevertheless,
as we pass'd them without any Damage or any extraordinary
Accident that might naturally be expected in a Voyage of this
Nature, I will not stand to mention the Particulars, for fear the
Reader should think me tedious.
I will only add that about 35 Leagues from the Sea, this River is
divided into two Branches of which we chose the least, because we
had a mind to keep to the Left, and we thought the other led us
too far out of our Way. It was just at this Division that a
swinging Salmon leap'd 7 or 8 Foot above Water, and fell into our
Boat where we receiv'd it with great Joy in Hopes of making a
Feast of it, which we did for several Days. Notwithstanding all
the Speed we made, we were a Month in our Voyage.
Our Joy to think we were drawing towards our own dear Country,
tho' after all we were not sure that we should ever see it again,
made us indefatigable; we scarce gave ourselves time to rest,
insomuch that we could not have been more in a Hurry if a Ship
had actually staid to take us on Board for _Europe_. But alas!
when we arriv'd at the Mouth of the River, our Hopes were all
dash'd in an instant. We saw a dreadful Passage before our Eyes,
which seem'd to us impracticable. When we are Ashore there's room
for contriving Ways and Means to overcome such Obstacles as fall
in the Way, and let what will happen almost, a little Patience
and Pains-taking will bring us out of it, but the merciless
Ocean gives one a Disgust against venturing from the Shore.
We had been five Years seeking our Fortune since we left these
Coasts. We had indeed encounter'd various Dangers, and undergone
extraordinary Fatigues, but then on the other hand we had our
Share of Diversion, and even now, I would not for any thing but
have seen so fine a Kingdom; on the contrary, I repent a thousand
times that I left it. My Comrade, who was the Cause of it, knew
not what to say now; the poor Devil was quite confounded, but
something however must be resolv'd on.
It was as yet fine Weather, and by good Luck we had a Stock of
useful Materials, only we had not many Nails. I was of Opinion,
that the first thing we ought to do, was to provide ourselves the
best Lodging we could, and that for this Purpose our Hatchets and
Mattocks would be of great Service. About 50 Paces from the
River, and consequently from our Boat there was a vast Lime-tree,
under which we built a fine large triangular Hut, whither we
brought our Baggage. Our Bows were also of great Use to us for
hunting, otherwise we should have been in Danger of being
famish'd; but the Birds were not so tame as those we had formerly
met with, so that it requir'd a great deal of Art to catch them.
The thing that gave us some Trouble was to make a Fire for the
first Time, because we had lost our Steel, and the Fire that we
had sav'd went out the Day before we came hither. The Place
where we were was so full of Sand and Shells, that we had several
Days Ramble into the Country before we could meet with Flints
that were for our Purpose; these were all that we wanted; for we
had Rags which we caus'd to be well dry'd in the Sun for Tinder,
and we did not want old Iron. As we had plenty of Wood, we did
not let the first Fire we made go out, nor was there a
Probability of its being extinguish'd a long time, for there were
whole Trees which were burning continually.
We stay'd about 8 Months in this Canton, where we liv'd by
hunting. One while, in order to pass away the Time, which we
thought extremely tedious, we took our Boat, and made a short
Voyage upon the River, or out at Sea, according as the Weather
and Tide permitted us, and sometimes we climb'd up to the highest
Eminences in Hopes of spying some Vessel to carry us out of our
melancholy Solitude.
Being weary at length of staying always in the same Place, we
resolv'd to make a Sail some Leagues to the Well in Hopes not
only of finding out the Place where our Ship was cast away, for
we could not be very far from it, but also of making some new
Discovery. We took in Provisions for a few Days, and rising very
early one Morning, we made towards the Strand in order to keep
near the Sea. We walk'd so stoutly that if I am not mistaken, we
had travell'd above 15 Leagues by the Close of next Day. The
Shore was every where uniform, and there was no Variety of
Objects to delight the Eye. We ascended to the Downs, which in
that Place were very high, and the Prospect was the same as far
as our Eyes could reach it. A little fresh Gale of Wind that blew
from the North East, oblig'd us to take Shelter all Night under a
Hill, where the Sand retain'd a great deal of the Heat which it
had contracted from the Sun in the Day. As soon as Morning
appear'd, we enter'd the Flat Country where there was greater
Variety, but then the Ways were much worse. If we had been
dispos'd to have loaded ourselves with Game, it was in our Power
to have kill'd what we would, because we had each a good Bow, and
there was abundance of Animals of all Sorts.
At length, on the fifth Day, as I take it, after our Departure,
and about two or three o' Clock in the Afternoon we arriv'd at
our River. As we had rambled a little from the Sea-side, we
perceiv'd immediately by several Tokens with which we were very
well acquainted, that we were no more than a League and a half
distant from it, at which we were overjoy'd because we were
afraid that we had gone too far. Nevertheless, this little way
seem'd very tedious to us; we knew it was a round-about Way which
we might have avoided, tho' indeed we chose it, and we were glad
when we perceiv'd our Barrack at a Distance, because there we
expected to take our Rest.
But we were soon after struck with a Damp that chill'd the very
Blood in our Veins, when we saw our Boat gone. We thought at
first that we had not fasten'd it well, or that the violent
Motion of the Water had broke the Rope by which it was moor'd.
The Curiosity of knowing what was become of it, made us mend our
Pace. We curs'd the very Day that we went upon this fatal
Voyage, which depriv'd us of the Advantages that we receiv'd from
this little Machine, and we began to blame one another for having
first propos'd it, when _La Foret_ on my Left-Hand, turning his
Head about by chance towards our Hut, which was but a little Way
behind us, gave a sudden Start, and cry'd out, Oh Lord; what's
that? what terrible Monster is that in our Hut! I immediately
turn'd about, and never was more surpriz'd in my Life than to see
a great Creature there lain down, so that we could only discover
its Back, and by the Hair of it we concluded it must be a Bear.
To speak the Truth, the Sight of so fierce an Animal as that
seem'd to be, surpriz'd us. The Bows that we had were not Weapons
fit to attack it, yet we were twenty times in the mind to advance
towards it as softly as possible, and let fly an Arrow at it from
each of our Bows, and then to bend them again instantly in order
to be ready to shoot it again, in case it had Strength enough
left to make towards us; but for fear of missing it and being
torn to Pieces, we chose to go on without making any Noise,
imagining that when it was awake it would go off towards the Wood
rather than towards the Shore.
We travell'd as if we had not made use of our Legs for a Week, so
little did we feel the Fatigues we had undergone. Fear carry'd us
on as swift as the Wind, without giving a Look either to the
Right Hand or the Left, and as we always kept by the Side of the
River, we were within two or three Paces of our Boat before we
spy'd it, and when we thought no more of it. This unexpected
Sight reviv'd us in a Moment, but when we went to it, and found
it fasten'd in another manner from what it us'd to be, we could
not help being surpriz'd again. The Boat was in a nasty pickle,
and the Oars and Stretchers were not in the order we left them.
Besides, we observ'd a Wicker-Basket about 18 Foot long in the
form of a Bow just under the Water, with Cords ty'd to the two
Ends, which was made use of for fishing, as was evident from
several little dead Fishes about the Machine, which those who had
made use of it, had neglected to throw into the Water.
These Instances of humane Industry, made us conclude that the
Country was not uninhabited, but the Point was to know what
People they were; we could not imagine them to be sociable and
civiliz'd, and there was all the Appearance of their being
Cannibals. Mean time, we were as hungry as Horses, we had sav'd
none of the Provisions we took with us, and the two or three
Fowls that we brought were raw, so that if we would eat them we
must dress them, and we had Fire still burning near our Hut, as
we could easily see by the Smoak, but we could not get to it for
fear of the Bear. The Day was almost spent, so that there was a
Necessity of coming to a Determination, if we intended to lie
there. We resolv'd therefore to carry our Boat with all Speed to
that part of the River which was over-against our Hut, and then
to give a terrible Hollow and Hoot, in order to frighten the
Beast away.
We did as we intended, but instead of rousing the Bear, we were
very much startled to see a couple of Men run dress'd in Skins
down to their Knees. Tho' the River, which was very deep,
separated us, yet we were afraid and kept upon our Guard; they
approach'd us, and seeing us both dress'd, one of 'em call'd out,
and ask'd who we were. O Heavens, _said I_, that's _Normand_, I
know him by his Voice. We are your Friends, _said I_, and perhaps
more than you imagine. Come over then in God's Name, _said they_,
and be not terrify'd at our Dress. We are poor unfortunate
Wretches abandon'd by God and Man, but we are civiliz'd
Christians. That was enough to oblige us to go over to them. The
Tears fall from my Eyes whenever I think on't; tho' they were
very much alter'd, yet we knew them; we embrac'd one another with
inexpressible Marks of Tenderness, and cry'd for Joy like
Children. We went together to our Hut, where they gave us some
little Fishes broil'd, but our Hearts were so full that we could
not eat a Bit. Any Body that had seen us would have taken us for
Statues; for we had no Motion, except in our Eyes, and all that
we did was to stare at one another in such a manner as shew'd our
Astonishment.
At length when we began to know one another, they oblig'd us to
take some Nourishment, and after having heartily reproach'd us
for our having left them, without giving them notice, and
declar'd that they were both firmly of Opinion that we had been
torn to pieces by wild Beasts, they ask'd us, where we had been
so long, and what was become of _Du Puis_, upon which we were
fain to oblige them with a general Account of our Voyage. They
wish'd a thousand times they had been in our Place, and according
to them, we were very wrong in coming away from so fine a
Country. Talk no more of it, _said I_, you don't yet know the
tenth Part of what I shall tell you hereafter. If it had not been
for _La Foret_, you would not have seen us here, for I should
never have had a Thought of coming away as long as I liv'd.
To-morrow you shall tell us how you came to our Hut, and how you
have subsisted so long in this Place without any manner of
Commerce; but now I must retire to Rest, for in truth I can hold
out no longer: And indeed I slept like a Dormouse, for our
Savages were up 4 Hours before _La Foret_ and I were awake.
We had scarce bid one another Good-morrow, but we renew'd the
Conversation upon the Subject of our last. _Normand_ was desirous
to know more than I had told him, and we long'd to hear of their
Adventures. It was at that time very hot, for we were not only in
the middle of Autumn, or if you please in the Month of _May_, but
the Sky was clear for many Days together, and the Weather mild
and agreeable, so that we went and sat down under the Shade of
our Hut. About four Days ago, said _Normand_, having a mind to
bathe my self in the River, I ask'd my Comrades, if any of 'em
would go with me; but the only Man that consented was
_Alexander._ Tho' we each took a Bow with us, we did not intend
to spend any time in hunting; nevertheless a very beautiful large
Fowl sprung up before us in the Way which we had a mind to shoot
at, and we went out of our Road to follow it. You will say 'twas
a Bird of good Omen to conduct us to this Place, for as soon as
it was almost within Bow-shot, it again flew straight before us
in a direct Line without turning either to the Right Hand or the
Left, and we pursued it till we came full-but, as one may say,
upon your Barrack, and discover'd the little Boat; and then the
Fowl disappear'd, and we thought no more of it. A Hut and a Boat
were such Rarities in a Country like this, that we were
astonish'd to see them. We thought at first, that some Ship had
met with the Misfortune of being cast away here-abouts, and that
some few of the Company had escap'd Ashore, so that we made no
Scruple to come to the Door of this Hut, and seeing no Body
appear notwithstanding we talk'd loud, we both enter'd, and found
a great many Things which confirm'd us in our Opinion.
Nevertheless, my Comrade was for our returning, and coming again
next Day with more in Company, but I forc'd him to stay out of a
Principle of Curiosity which I had to know the Owner of so well
contriv'd a Lodging. To pass the time, we contriv'd a great
Basket in form of a Semicircle, which by the Help of your Boat we
made use of with Success to bring the Fish Ashore at those Places
where the Coast was steep, and where the River had broke in upon
the Land. The third Day you came, and found us, God be prais'd,
at a Time when we little thought of one another.