A Token for Mariners, Part 1

A Token for Mariners · Part 1

p. 34A Remarkable Providence of God in wonderfully preſerving of Eleven or Thirteen poor diſtreſſed mens lives.

11. In the year 68. a Ketch Sailed from Salom in New-England for the Barbadoes; p. 35and when they came into the Latitude of 35. it began to look like foul weather, ſo they took in their Top-ſail, and becauſe it was towards night, they ſtruck down the Main ſail, and Rafed it; and all this time there was but a little wind (which was remarkable, if the enſuing ſtory be obſerv'd) but ſtill it looked like bad weather; ſo they ſent up one to Tallow tho Maſt, and made no great haſt to ſet Sayll; the man at the Top thinks he ſees ſome black thing float upon the Sea, and looking upon it very fixtly, he conceives it to be a Boat, and ſo calls to the men below, ſo they haſten'd to hoiſe Sayl and make towards it; and when they came to them, there was a Long-boat with a 11 or 13 men, (my Author could not abſolutely remember the juſt number) which poor diſtreſſed Creatures, had been bound for Virginia; and the ſhip in which they were, prov'd very Leaky, and ſo exceedingly encreas'd, that in a very little time, ſhe was ready to ſink; ſo all hands haſten'd to get out the boat, but the Maſter ſtept into the Cabbin to fetch a Compaſs, and took ſome Canvas, a Sayl-needle and twine which he thought might be uſeful to them in their Need and Extremity, but while …his poor induſtrious man was endeavouring p. 36to be uſeful to ſome other mens lives, he was in danger to loſe his own; for the boat was put off, and the ſhip ſinking, ſo he crys to them in this diſtreſs, if they would leave him, and let him there Periſh; ſo they came back, and took him in; they had in their boat a Capſtone-bar, which they made uſe of for a Maſt, and the piece of Canvas for a Sayl, and ſo Sayled afore the wind, and had no kind of Food; and now comes dreadful and inexpreſſible diſtreſs upon them, making them wiſh for death it ſelf to give them a deliverance, now all hopes of Relief fail'd them; thus they continu'd five days, ſome grew Lame, others Feeble, and all much diſhearten'd by deſpair of Life; and now upon the 6th. day, they had concluded to caſt Lotts for their lives, who ſhould dye to preſerve others; and they put their Reſolution into Execution, and that poor Creature, upon whom the Lott fell, begs for time; but alas, what will a Reprieve be in this caſe, where there is no hope of Relief; but O what difficult work is it to dye? what a ſtrait was here? Live he could not, and Dye he could not; well, a little time is defer'd, and behold a wonder-working God appears now for him, and for them all; before night, they eſpy'd p. 37this Ketch, which rais'd them all to Admiration; but they had fears in this diſtreſs, that the Ketch did not ſee them; but when they perceiv'd the Ketch made to them, O what a new life did it put into theſe dying men; ſo they all got ſafe Aboard: And ſee here the goodneſs of God: In one hour after there aroſe a moſt dreadful Storm which continu'd for forty hours, and all of them ſafely Arriv'd at Barbadoes.

The Maſters name of the Ketch was Thomas Woodberry of Salom. This the Author had from a very known perſon of Integrity and Godlineſs, now living at Salom.

12. In the year 1606. in the Wars betwixt the Netherlands and the Spaniards, upon the Spaniſh Ocean, fell out this obſervable and remarkable action, taken notice of by Grotius, in his Annals of the Low-Country Wars. Admiral Hauteen being ſent to intercept the Spaniſh Fleet, coming from America and the Indies, he had with him four and twenty Veſſels; but of theſe, ſix were beaten back by Tempeſts; ſoon after Fraſciardo, with eight great Gallions, having a proſperous Gale, fell upon them unprovided, p. 38and e're they were aware; but the Galleys that were with him, not being driven by the Wind, kept by the ſhore; but one of them being grappl'd with a ſhip of Zealand, that was next the Admiral, ſo affrighted the reſt, that as ſoon as they ſaw it, they in the very beginning of the Night, Retreated with all haſt. Hauteen thus left by his Companions, being a man of an Undaunted ſpirit, for two whole days did not leave off the Fight, though moſt of his men were in that time loſt; but with his torne ſhip, caſting off all fear of danger, protracted the Victory; but after he ſaw no hopes of Relief, and that the Waves pour'd in upon him, that none of them might come alive into the Enemies hands, at once they Unanimouſly agreed upon a Reſolute and Terrible action: For kneeling down upon their Knees, they like dying, but deſperate men, beg of God, that he would pleaſe to pardon in that they ſought to ſhun the Mockeries and Cruelties of the Spaniards, by that ſad and lamentable death; ſo they ſet fire to the Gun powder, by which blow threeſcore men were kill'd, two half dead lived a little while, being taken by the Spaniards with wonder, beholding their dreadful Countenances, and their words, p. 39with their ſtrange Reſolution and Obſtinacy in Death.

13. In the year 1607. about the time when the Plantations of Virginia began to be a little ſettled by King James, ſome Britains went to Guyana, but a dangerous Sedition aroſe in the Voyage, and the Ship being loſt, part of the Company remained in the Iſland, where continually vexing the Barbarians with their unkind uſage, they, at laſt, were ſet upon by War as Enemies; by force of which, and the want of Victuals, they committed themſelves to the Sea in a Boat made only of an Hollow Tree; there theſe poor diſtreſſed Creatures were toſſed with continual Tempeſts, betwixt Deſpair and Hope of Life; but at laſt they were driven upon the Rocks, after great miſery endured by them in their little Boat for Ten days together; and now their danger was leſleſſen'd, for here they muſt fall into the hands of the Spaniard, who pardon'd them, in regard they came not to thoſe Parts of their own accord, but by the ſtreſs of Weather. Thus were theſe poor diſtreſſed Men ſaved and preſerved, when all hope of being ſaved was taken away.

p. 4014. The Phoenix Frigot, in the time when Captain Wheſton Commanded her, and Mr. May was Maſter, being Commanded to carry ſome Perſons of Quality from Rye to Deep in France; the Captain and ſeveral of the Gentlemen that belonged to the Frigot was Aſhore; the Captain ſends the Long-boat Aboard, and Order'd the Frigot to weigh and come to ſayl, and ſtand too and fro off in the Bay, and he would come out in his Pinnis; and the Gentlemen that was with him, were namely Sunebank Giles his Chyrurgion, Mr. Goodwin his Chaplain, Mr. Perkins his Barbar and Gentleman, Mr. Richards, and ſome three more Gentlemen Reformadoes, Abraham Car Coxſwain, and about 12 Seamen for his Crew, that ſet out of Rye, and croſſed the Bay to meet the Frigot under Sayl; and when they came near, being a good way a-head, waved to the Frigot to keep her way, and not to come a playſe for her, which ſhe did with a freſh Top-ſail Gail of Wind, till ſhe came up with the Pinnis, and then the Coxen would a-laid her Aboard of the Larboard-ſide; but the Captain ſuppoſing himſelf far enough a-head, Commanded him to ſhout a-head of her, and lay her aboard of the Starboard-ſide, which he aſſuming p. 41to do, the Ship giving a ſaw, and having freſh way, the Pinnis was not paſt, but the Cotwater of the Ship cut the Pinnis in the middle, and run right over, that ſhe lay in a moment of time in 100 pieces, and all the Men floating for their lives; in the interim of which time, with a Cry, they gave a leap, in which leap, the Captain catcht hold o… the Railes of the Head, Mr. Richards on the Captain's heels, Mr. Giles the Chyrurgion on Richard's heels, Mr. Goodwin on Giles's heels, and ſome other perſon on his; ſo that with that ſpring, or leap, no leſs than 4 or 5 providentially catcht about one the others heels or middle, as Boys when at playing Truſs; and in hoyſting in the Captain, they preſerved 4 or 5 more with him; the Coxen ſunk down, and brought ſome of the Tallow of the Lower part of the ſhip on his cloaths, and came up again at the Stern, where he was taken up by the Seamen; ſome by ſwiming, others by the aſſiſtance of the Oar, and pieces of the Boat, by God's bleſſing kept them from drowning, till the Long-boat took them all up, except the Captain's Barber Mr. Perkins, whom it ſeems had ſunk, its thought his laſt time; but Providence ſo order'd it, that the Man in the main p. 42Channel having the hand Lead, there fell a chrockle in the dipſey-Line, and in that very interim, the Lead fell in the very place where the Barber was ſunk, and the chinckle of the Line fell about the Barbers Fingers, hitcht about his Ring, and ſo providentially faſten'd it ſelf, ſo that as the Man in the Sceanes haling up his Lead, found it to come heavier than it uſed to do; admiring, at laſt up comes the Barber faſtned in the chinkle by his Ring, which the Spectators amazed at, immediately took hold of him, and pulled him into the Frigot, with his Eyes fixed, and Teeth ſet, and little appearance of Life; but by the bleſſing of God on the immediate means uſed, and care of him, he ſoon came to himſelf, and recovered; ſo that notwithſtanding this ſhrewd diſaſter, which might have proved fatal to all, or moſt of them, yet there was not one Man of them all miſcarry'd, but was recover'd to their health again, as Monuments of God's Mercy. For truth of this, many of the Men are alive at this day; the Chyr…rgion now living in Grays-Inn-Lane; and at the very interim of time I was then aboard the ſaid Frigot, and was not only an Eye-ſpectator, but an Inſtrument to help in preſerving of ſome p. 43of them, and therefore may Aver it to be Truth. Ezekiel Fog.

15. About Ten years ago, in the Iſland of Barbados, there did arrive one Mr. John Blackleach (from New England) a very honeſt Man, who gave account, that in his then Voyage, his Son being Maſter of the Veſſel, and himſelf Merchant, their Men at Sea did Mutiny, at which occaſion he and his Son was forced to ſtand on their Guard for ſome time, caſting his care on the Lord: But whilſt under this trouble, being in the Long-Reach, in or near the Latitude of Barbadoes, they all did ſee a Great Ship which ſtood toward them; and while they were Looking on her, to ſee how faſt ſhe came towards them (ſhe being pretty near) vaniſh'd away, which ſtruck the Men with Great Fear, and made them humble themſelves to the Good Old Man, and deſired his Prayers for them.

16. In the Month of November, 1669, the Ship Proſperous of Briſtol, …ailed from thence, being bound for Galloway in Ireland, but was forced into Bruts-Bay in Cornwal, where the Ship brake in pieces, ſix Perſons p. 44being Drowned, others wonderfully caſt on Shore and bruiſed; amongſt the reſt John Denny (a Skinner of Briſtol) was caſt a Shore by a Great Sea, being much bruiſed and almoſt Dead; and was by ſome ſtript naked, and laid amongſt the other Dead Folk that were taken up, being only cover'd with ſome Straw or Rubbiſh. But by Providence, an Old Man looking on the Dead People, did perceive ſome Life in the ſaid Denny, and the Lord open'd his heart, that he ſtript himſelf of his own Shirt and ſome Cloaths, and put on him, and took him from amongſt the Dead: through his Labour and Love, by God's bleſſing, the ſaid Denny is now well and liveth at Briſtol. This my Author had from John Denny's own Mouth.

17. In the Year 1671, I being at Boſton in New-England, I oft went to ſee an Acquaintance of mine, one Abraham Darby, a ſober honeſt Man, a Maſter of a Veſſel, who relates the following Story, which he atteſteth to be Truth. That ſome few years ago, he the ſaid Darby being Maſter of a ſmall Ketch, was bound from Barbadoes to Virginia, he having an Iriſh Woman, a Servant, on… Board, to be deliver'd in Virginia, but p. 45ſhe was a vile Perſon, and having often offended, at laſt was puniſh'd, for which ſhe ſaid they ſhould not carry her to Virginia, tho the Wind was very fair, and carried them in ſounding of the Capps of Virginia: That they had bent one Cable to the Anckor, thinking ſoon to get in; but ſhe ſtill ſaid they ſhould not: then the Wind ſprang up of a ſudden, in a meer fret, which forced them many days off, and their Proviſions near ſpent (it being, if I miſtake not, in Mar…h) then the Wind came fair again, a freſh Gaile, and they before it, in hopes to gain their paſſage; but on a ſudden there came a Great Sea that caſt the Veſſel on her ſide (ſhe having but little beſide Ballaſt in her) that her Goods and things in hold ſhifteth. But it pleaſed God they clapt the Helm a weather, and ſhe wore, and all hands as could in the Hold brought her to rights, and the Wind continued fair till they came near the place that it took them ſhort before, and then took them as before, that they were forc'd off again for many days, having then but two or three pieces of Beefe, and no Bread, nor (I think) above a Gallon of freſh Water: But after ſome time the Wind came fair, they making Sail to p. 46get back, it being fine weather, there came a great Sea and laid her down again, and carried her Maſt away, and a part of the Partners that hould the Maſt, that as ſhe lay on one ſide, the Sea ruſh'd into her; but the Maſter with his Bed and Rug ſtopt the force, till it pleaſed God they had ſhifted the things in the hould and brought her to rights again, (now theſe poor Souls were left as a Wrack in the Ocean, and neither Victuals nor Drink, but ſtrong Water and Sugar, to help them) but finding a Spar or Oars, in the hould, made ſhift to get out a ſmal Sail (I had like to have omitted, that whilſt they had any Food, they would have given this wicked Woman a part, but ſhe would not Eat any thing) then it pleaſed God to ſend a fine Gale, and they got on the Coſt of New-England, and ſounding, round about forty Fathom Water, and very calme; then they chopt to an Anckor there, and that Night got two or three Fiſh, wherewith they Refreſhed themſelves (but the Woman would not Eat) but could get no more: and finding a fine Gale, weighed Anckor, and thought to have got within Cape-Cod, not being far of; but the Wind came freſh againſt them, and drove p. 47them off again to Sea, and then 'twas …alm; and about that time the Woman …ad faſted about 21 Days, and yet could Curſe and Damn, and ſay, She ſhould not go Aſhore; but that Night the Maſter and ſome others being on the Deck, ſpied a Great Black Thing Riſe out of the Sea, to their thinking, much bigger than the Ketch, the Sea being Light all about, and the Woman in the Hold made a Great Noyſe; and when ſhe had given a Great Screach or Groan, this Great Black Thing Vaniſh'd, the Water ſeeming like Fire all round, and made a Great Sea and Noiſe: And when the Men came to them ſelves, they looking for the Woman, found her Dead; and after they had …ung her over-Board, they had a brave Wind and Weather, and got ſafe to Plimouth in New-England.

18. At New-England, in the year 1671, … ſpoke with John Grafting of Sal…m, and others of good Repute, who told me, not …ong before the ſaid Grafting ſuffered Shipwrack amongſt the Leward Iſlands, … the Name of the Place I forget) the Ship or Ketch being broken to pieces, himſelf …nd Mate, and one or two were caſt with …he Sea aſhore amongſt the Rocks moſt p. 48wonderfully, not knowing of each other till by Providence they met amongſt the Rocks, it being an Iſland without Inhabitants (if I miſtake not) and they bruiſed yet the Lord provided for them in a wonderful manner, and not only there, but in their getting off that place, and bringin… them ſafe to their Friends and Relation… in Salem in New-England; where Praiſe… was returned to the Lord, who wonderfully preſerves the Children of Men. hope this ere long will be enlarged from the Party himſelf.

19. I being well Acquainted with on… Jeffery Howard a Marriner, who is a Man of Good Repute, he told me as followeth… That about Twelve or Fourteen year… ſince, he was coming through the City o… Salisbury, he was looking on the Stree… Rivers, and ſpies ſomething move on th… Water; but looking earneſtly ſaw it to have Life, ſteps in and got it out, and found it to be a Man-child, only inrapt a… it came into the World from its Mother and it was put to Nurſe, and now is become a fine Youth.

20. At Briſtol, a place well known, no… many years ago, a Man fell into the River… p. 49near about the marſh, and not being ſeen, was carri'd down with the tide ſomeway; and, I think, could not ſwim, but lay as dead on the water, driving with the tide, but by providence, ſome being in the meadow going to work, or coming from the Lymekils, Being by the water ſide playing with a Spaniel, ſaw ſomthing floating, ſlung in things to make the dog fetch it; and the dog accordingly took hold of the man by the cloaths, and brought him a ſhore; and finding ſome ſymptoms of Life, took care of him; and he came to Life, and dwels in New-Briſtol. This I had from the Spectators.

21. In the year 1671 one Mr. Savage, Maſter of the Society Ketch, bound from Briſtol to Boſton in New-England, met on the coaſt of N. E. the Ship called the George of Briſtol, being in diſtreſs, ſpake with them; the ſhip having ſprang a lcak, their men tired and ſpent with Pumping; the Maſter and all his Company went on Board the Ketch with ſpeed, and ſoon after the ſhip ſunk.

This I had from Mr. Savage and other Paſſengers with him, who affirmed it to be truth. David Fogg.

p. 5022. Captain John Trankmore, Commander of a Ship belonging to Apſom, near Exeter; in one of his Voyages of late years, being at Sea in a dark night, and foul weather, fell foul of another ſhip unexpectedly, not then knowing what each other were, but a Sea parting them again; in the interim Captain Trankmore's ſhip, ſhipt a great Sea which waſh'd the ſaid Trankmore over-board; and another Sea, caſt, or hove him into the other ſhip, which fell out to be an Engliſh-man, bound for Plymouth: Thus in the dark, the Wind and Sea parts the ſaid ſhip, without having knowledge of each other, Captain Trankmore concluding that his own ſhip was foundred and all his men Loſt, and God had wrought a wonder of mercy in his Preſervation; but ſo it fell out, that one Samuel Snytal, who was his Apprentice, had obtain'd ſuch knowledge of the Art of Navigation, and his Maſter being gone, and as they ſuppos'd drown'd, being waſh'd over-board, was neceſſitated to improve his skill, and by Gods bleſſing, he carry'd the ſhip ſafe home to Apſom, where Arriving, although they had made … good Voyaye, yet the ſorrow for the loſ… of the Maſter, …at up all the Comfort… and Smiles a Proſperous Voyage otherwiſe p. 51would have made; but ſo Providence order'd it, that about the ſame time, three or four days after, the other ſhip Arrives ſafe in Plymouth; where the ſaid Trankmore Landed, very ſorrowful and dejected, having (as he ſuppoſed) loſt his Ship (wherein he was deeply concern'd as an Adventurer himſelf) and all his Men; as he was in the Morning walking on the Hope at Plymouth very Dejectedly, he Providentially meets with one of his Executors, or Apſom Neighbours, who looks him in the Face with Aſtoniſhment, knowing him well, and yet believing the Report of his being dead, or loſt, in amaze Salutes him with theſe Expreſſions; What, Captain Trankmore? who replyes, A poor Captain; having loſt my Ship richly Laden, and after a good Voyage, with all my Men, not a ſoul ſaved but my ſelf Whom, by a Miracle, God wrought Salvation for, (as before-Recited) giving the Gentleman, his Neighbour, an account of the Providence towards him; when, after a little pauſe, his Friend imbraces him, and with admiring of the Providence, bids him be of good heart, for his Ship and all his Company was well and ſafe Arrived at Apſom; for his Man Samuel Snytal had brought her ſafe home, and all the Sorrow p. 52and cry there, was for the loſs of him. Which reply, ſtruck the ſaid Trankmore in as much amaze on the other hand, being almoſt Incredulous of truth, till his Friend poſſitively affirming it, and then conſulting his own Mercy, ſaw, and was made ſenſible, there was no Mercy too great for God to work, and from thence took heart, recovering himſelf, went home rejoycing, where he found his expectation anſwer'd, and a wellcome given him by all perſons with him concern'd.

For the truth, I have heard it acknowledg'd by Captain Trankmore's own mouth at my Houſe in Briſtol; and farther, the ſame Snytal was my Predeceſſor's Son, and I have heard his Mother-in-law ſpeak of it to ſeveral, and hath affirmed it to me for a truth.

23. The Briſtol Frigot, when Captain Fenn was Commander, being in the Straits in Chace of Captain Popoctiene, a Spaniſh Knight of Malto, who at that time our Squadron took and brought Priſoner to the Tower; in purſuit of which Chace, the Wind began to riſe, the Captain Commands preſently to get the Top-gallant ſails abroad; and the Yards being not then Aloaft, three Men run up preſently, p. 53where one ſtood on the top of the Shroud, under the Main Top-maſt-croſs-trees, a ſecond ſtood a top of the Croſs-trees, and the other ſtood by the Top-gallant-maſt on the Cape, at the Main Top-maſt-head; all expediting their work in getting the Top-gallant-ſail abroad; at which time the wind freſhen'd, and carry'd our Maintop-maſt by the board; in which diſaſter the Man that was lowermoſt, and leaſt in danger, fell over-board and was drowned; and the other two which were in Greateſt danger (one of their Names was Roger Dennis, under the Denomination of a Quaker) inſtead of being bruis'd and their bones broken all to pieces, which the eye of Reaſon could not otherwiſe imagine by ſuch a fall; they both fell forward upon the Bunt of the Main-courſe, and one catches hold of the Main Buntlines, and the other of the Leech-lines, and ſlacke of a bowling. and ſo both comes down to the Deck, and neither of them in the leaſt prejudic'd.

For the truth of this, my Author was then Aboard the ſaid Frigot, and was an Eye-witneſs of this Providence.

24. An Account of two Ships bound for New-found-Land, from ſome part in the p. 54Weſt of England, who by diſtreſs of Weather loſt Company; ſome days after being fair weather, one of the Ships ſprang a Leak, and foundred in the Sea, where every Soul periſh'd, except one Old Man, who had laſht himſelf on the main Hatch, and committed himſelf to the Mercy o… the Sea and God's Providence, where he was floating three days and three nights; in which time, about the middle of the ſecond day, the Devil aſſuming the ſhape of a Mare-maid, ſtarts up before him, and bids him be of good heart, for, i… he would but make a Contract with him he would ingage a Deliverance for him in 24 hours; the Old Man being ſenſible it was the Devil, and doubtleſs, having been a proving of his heart to God, as the Circumſtance of Providence he was under more immediately called for, found in himſelf a renewed ſtrength put into him, inabling him to hold up his head, and looking the Tempter in the Face; Replyes, Ah Satan, if thou canſt propheſy deliverance for me; know, my God in whom I truſt, will deliver me without thy help; but however, know, I will not comply to thy wiles, therefore avoid Satan, avoid; ſo immediately he Vaniſh'd, and appear'd no more to him: But ſo it fell p. 55out, the other Ship being at that time in the ſame Peril or Latitude, that Night▪ the Cabbin-Boy Dreams a Dream, that ſuch a Ship thereabouts was Foundred, and every Soul loſt, except ſuch an Old Man, naming his Name, who was ſaved on a piece of a Ship, and floating in the Sea; which Dream, the Boy in the Morning confidently tells to the Company and his Maſter; at laſt, the Boy began to ſhew more Confidence, affirming it, as if it muſt be true; inſomuch, he receiv'd ſome Checks from his Maſter; but however, at laſt, the Boy grew ſo reſtleſs, that he, running up from one Maſt to another, ſometimes at Fore-top-maſthead, and then on the Main-top-maſthead, looking abroad, that at laſt, crying out aloud; Alow there, I ſee him, I ſee him under our Lee-bon; thus confidently affirming it, ſome of the Men ſtept up, and ſpy'd ſomething at a diſtance no bigger than a Crow to appearance, floating, and adviſed the Maſter of it, who preſently commanded the Helm to be born up, and ſtood away to it; and when they came near, found it to be the Old Man, as the Boy ſaid; ſo they hoyſt out their Boat, and took him in, who then was ſpeechleſs, and almoſt ſpent; but by the care of p. 56the Maſter and the Chyrurgion, with God's Bleſſing, recover'd, and gave a verbal account of his Misfortune, and yet wonderful deliverance; together with Satan's Temptation as before recited; which Ship, in due time, Arriv'd ſafe at her Port in New-found-Land, where this Man was well Landed a-ſhore.

For Confirmation, I had this, and heard it related at my Father's Houſe in Salom in New-England, by Mr. John Blackledge a Merchant, who is a Perſon of a ſober life, and in Fellowſhip there, who then came from New-found-land, and did affirm that he ſpake with the Man himſelf, whom God wrought this wonderful deliverance for, he being then at New-found-Land when the ſaid Ship Arriv'd there, and the Man went firſt aſhore.

25. Anno Chriſti. 1630. May the firſt, the Moſcory Merchants of London ſent a Ship called the Salutation of London for Greenland, which arriv'd there in ſafety the Eleventh of June following, together with two other Ships, all which were commanded by Captaiu William Goodler. The Ship wherein the Captain was ſtayed at Bell-ſound; This of the Salutation at the Foreland: And the Captain meeting p. 57with ſtore of Whales, quickly made a Great Voyage, and ſo ſent for the Salutation to take in part of his Train-Oyl: By the way, as they went to him, meeting with Croſs-Winds, the Maſter ſet-Eight of his Men on Shore to kill ſome Veniſon, in a place where there uſed to be good ſtore. Theſe Men taking with them a Brace of Dogs, a Snaphance, two Lances, and a Tinder-box, went on ſhore, and that day they laid Fourteen Good Deer upon the Ground: And then, being weary, and the Night coming on, they betook themſelves to Reſt, intending the next day to make an end of their Hunting, and ſo to return to their Ship: But the next day proved Foggy, and there was much Ice between the Shore and the Ship, and the Wind coming Southerly, the Ship was …ain to ſtand ſo far off into the Sea to be clear of the Ice, that they loſt the ſight of her; and the Weather growing thicker and thicker, they thought fit to Hunt along the Shoar to Green-Harbour, and there to ſtay aboard the Ship, till their own Ship ſhould come into the Port.

In this paſſage they killed Eight Deer more, and ſo having laden their Shallop with Veniſon, they kept on their courſe p. 56duplicate page p. 57duplicate page p. 58to Green Harbour: But when they came thither, they found, to their Great Aſtoniſhment, that the Ship was departed. Being thus fruſtrated of their Expectation, and having but three days to the uttermoſt expiration of their limitted time for their departure out of that Country, they thought it their beſt courſe to make all ſpeed poſſible to Bell-Sound, to their Captain; and leſt delay ſhould prove dangerous, they lightned their Shallop by heaving their Veniſon over-board into the Sea, and ſo they haſted all they might, and that night got half-way: But the dark Fog increaſing, they were forced to cove in a point of Land till the next day at Noon: At which time the Weather being clearer, they haſted forward; but having no Compaſs to direct their courſe by, they wandred up and down ſo long, till the Ships were departed. This filled them with fear and aſtoniſhment, knowing that neither Chriſtian nor Heathen had ever Inhabited thoſe deſolate Climates: Yea, they had heard that the Merchants had endeavour'd, with proffers of Great Rewards, and of ſufficient Furniture, and Proviſion of all things neceſſary, to hire ſome to undertake to Winter in thoſe parts, but could never meet with p. 59any that would adventure their lives in ſo hazardous an undertaking: They had heard alſo, that the Company of Moſcovy Merchants had once procur'd the Reprieve of ſome Malefactors condemned to death here in England, unto whom they promiſed Pardon, together with Rewards and Proviſion of Cloaths, Victuals, and all other Neceſſaries, if they would ſtay one Winter there: But when they came thither and took a view of the deſolateneſs of the place, they conceiv'd ſuch horrour and fear in their hearts, that they choſe rather to return for England, and there to ſatisfie the Law with the loſs of their lives, than to ſtay in ſo deſolate and darkſom a Country. They remembred alſo a more terrible Example, of Nine Good and Able Men left there formerly by the ſame Maſter that had now left them, who all died miſerably upon the place; and whoſe bodies were fearfully disfigured by the Savage Bears, and Hungry Foxes, which are the only Inhabitants of that comfortleſs Country: All which made them, like amazed Men, to ſtand one looking upon another, every one fore-ſeeing the future Calamities both of himſelf and of his Fellows: and that which much encreaſed their horrour, was, their want of all neceſſary proviſion p. 60for the life of Man, having neither Cloaths to keep them warm, and for ſhift, or food to prevent the Miſeries of cruel Famine, nor a houſe wherein to ſhroud themſelves from the extremity of Cold.

But after a ſpace, knowing that delay in extremities is the Mother of all danger, they began to conceive hope out of the depth of deſpair; and therefore they conſulted together of the likelieſt courſe for their preſervation in that place, and reſolved upon the opportunity of the next fair weather to go to Green-Harbour to kill ſome Veniſon for part of their winter Proviſion, which accordingly ther did, but found not ſo many Deer as they expected; yet the firſt day they killed Seven, and Four Bears to boot, which they alſo intended to eat: The next day they killed Six Deer more, and as they returned, they killed Six more, and then the weather proving foul and cold, they laded their Shallop with the Dear and Bears; and finding another Shallop left there as uſually they do from year to year, they laded it with Graves of Whales that had been boiled there that year; and ſo dividing themſelves into thoſe two Shallops, they took the firſt opportunity of returning to Bell-Sound to their Tent, where they p. 61intended to take up their reſt for the Winter.

But in their paſſage, the night coming on, and the wind blowing hard, they were forc'd to ſtay in the midſt way at Bottel Cove for that night: There they faſten'd their Shallops one to another, and caſting out their Anchor, they left them riding in the Cove.

But here again, for the tryal of their patience, and to teach them to relie more upon God's Providence, than upon any outward means of their own, this miſchance befel them: The wind blowing hard into the Cove, and their Anchor coming home, their Shallop ſunk into the Sea, and ſo wet all their Proviſion, and ſome of it they found ſwimming up and down by the ſhoar: The ſight thereof, wonderfully troubled them, to ſee the beſt part of their Proviſion, the only hope of their lives under God, in danger either utterly to be loſt, or to be ſpoil'd by the Sea-water, for which they had taken ſuch pains, and run ſo many adventures in the getting of it: and in this their miſery, they ſaw but one remedy, and that was a deſperate one, viz. to run into the highwrote Sea to their Shallops to ſave the remainder of their Proviſions, now ready p. 62to be waſhed away by the billows: This they did, and by main force drew the Shallops to the ſhore; then they went along by the Sea-ſide to gather up ſuch of their Proviſions as was ſwimming up and down: and when the weather prov'd fair, they went on to Bell-ſound: where being arrived, they took out their proviſion, and viewed the great Tent which was built of Timber and Boards, and covered with Flemiſh Tiles: The uſe of it was for the Coopers to work and lodge in whilſt they made Cask for the putting up of the Traine-Oyle; and they reſolved to build another ſmaller Tent within that for their Habitations; and accordingly, taking down a leſſer Tent that ſtood near to it, wherein the Landmen lay whilſt they made their Oyle, they fetched their materials from thence, both Boards, Poſts, and Rafters, and from the Chimnies of the Furnaces, they took a thouſand Bricks; they found alſo four Hogſheads of Lime, which mingled with ſand from the ſhoar, made good morter: But the weather was grown ſo extream cold, that they were fain to make two fires on both ſides, to keep their morter from freezing; then they raiſed a wall of one Brick thickneſs againſt the inner planks of the ſide of p. 63the Tent; but by that time they had wall'd two ſides of their houſe, their Bricks failed, ſo that they were forc'd to build the other two ſides of boards; which being nail'd on both ſides the poſts, they were hollow between, which they fill'd up with ſand, that made it ſo tite, that the leaſt breath of air could not poſſibly annoy them. The length of their Tent was twenty foot, and the breadth ſixteen; their Chimney was the breadth of a deal board, and four foot high; they ciel'd it with boards five or ſix times double, that no wind could poſſibly get through: The door they made as cloſe as they could, and lin'd it with a bed that they found there, which came over both the opening and ſhutting of it: they made no Windows, having no light but what came through the Chimney: then ſet they up four Cabins, quartering themſelves two and two in a Cabin; their Beds were the Deerskins dry'd, which was a warm and comfortable lodging for them in their diſtreſs: their next care was for firing, and finding ſeven old Shallops which were unſerviceable, they brake them up, and ſtow'd them over the beams in the great Tent to make it the warmer, and to keep the Snow from driving through the Tiles into p. 64the Tent: and by this time the cold encreaſing, and ſcarce having any day at all, they ſtav'd ſome empty Cask, and brake two old coolers (wherein they coole their Oile) providing whatſoever firing they could without prejudice to the next years Voyage: yet conſidering the ſmall quantity of fuel, the extremity of cold, and the long time of their aboad, they husbanded it as thriftily as poſſibly they could.

Having thus fitted every thing in the beſt manner they could, on the twelfth of September, looking out into the Sound, they eſpied two Sea-horſes lying aſleep on a piece of Ice, whereupon, taking up an old harping-iron, they haſtn'd to them, and firſt ſlew the old one, and then the young; and ſo bringing them aſhore, they … them, roaſted, and eat them. Not long after they kill'd another; but the nights and cold weather encreaſing on them, and they viewing their Proviſion, found it too ſmall by half; whereupon they ſtinted themſelves to one reaſonable meal a day, and agreed to faſt Wedneſdays and Fridays, excepting from the Graves or Fritters of the Whale (which was a very loathſome meat) of which they allow'd themſelves ſufficient for p. 65their preſent hunger: at which diet they continu'd about three months.

Having finiſhed whatever they could invent for their preſervation; they found that all their Cloaths and Shooes were worn, and torn; to repair which, they had this new deviſe; of Rope-yarn they made thread, and of Whale-bones needles to ſew their Cloaths withal: But October the tenth, the nights being grown very long, and the cold ſo violent, that all the Sea was frozen over; and they having now nothing to exerciſe their minds upon, were troubled with a thouſand imaginations: Sometimes they bewail'd their abſence from their Wives and Children, thinking what grief it would be to them to hear of their miſcarriage: then thought they of their Parents, and what a cutting corraſive it would be to them to hear of their untimely deaths, &c. and being thus tormented in their minds with fear, and grief, and pinched in their bodies with hunger, and cold, the hideous monſter of deſperation preſented his uglieſt ſhape unto them: But thinking it not beſt to give way to grief and fear, they doubled their prayers to Almighty God for ſtrength and patience in their miſeries, by whoſe aſſiſtance, they p. 66ſhook off their former thoughts, and cheared up themſelves to uſe the beſt means for their preſervation.

Then for the preſervation of their Veniſon, and lengthening of their firing, they thought beſt to roaſt every day half a Deer, and to ſtow it in Hogſheads, which accordingly they did, leaving ſo much raw as would ſerve to roaſt every Sabbath day a quarter, &c. And when this was over, they began again to think of their enſuing miſery, that in caſe God ſhould give them life, yet they were to live as Baniſhed men from all Company; and as if their ſorrows had been too little, they preſently found an encreaſe of it; for their Whale-Fritters, after they had been drenched in the Sea-water, lying cloſe together, were grown mouldy, and ſpoyled: and again ſurveying their Bear, and Veniſon, they found that it would not afford them five meals a week, whereupon they were fain to cut off one meal more; ſo that for three months after, four day… in the week they fed upon the unſavory mouldy Whale-Fritters, and the other three they feaſted with Bear and Veniſon: But beſides the want of meat, they now began to want light, ſo that all thei… Meals were Suppers: For, from the fourteenth p. 67of October, to the third of February, they never ſaw the Sun ſo much as peep above the Horizon: But the Moon, when not obſcured with Clouds, they always ſaw ſhining as bright as in England: All which darkſome time, they could not certainly tell when it ſhould be day, and when night.

In the beginning of this darkneſs, they ſought ſome means to preſerve light, and finding a piece of ſheet-lead, and ſome Oyl in the Coopers Tent, and Rope-yarn, they made a Lamp, which they kept continually burning, which was a great comfort to them in their extremity; yet their wants and miſeries were ſo many, and great, that ſometimes they brake forth into impatient ſpeeches againſt the cauſers of them, but then their Conſciences again minded them of their own evil deſerts, and ſo they took it as a juſt hand of God for their former wicked lives, or that God intended to make them examples of his Mercy in their wonderful deliverance: Humbling themſelves therefore under the mighty hand of God, they proſtrated themſelves in prayer two or three times a day, which courſe they conſtantly held all the time of their miſery.

p. 68In the beginning of January, as the days began to lengthen, the cold began to ſtrengthen; which proceeded to that extremity, that it raiſed bliſters on their fleſh as if they had been burnt with fire, and if at any time they touched Iron, it would ſtick to their fingers like birdlime: If they went out a doors to fetch in a little water, it would ſo pinch them, that they were ſore as if they had been beaten. In the beginning of Winter, with Pick-axes breaking the Ice daily, they got ſome water on the Sea-ſhore: but after the tenth of January, they had none but Snow water which they melted with hot Irons, which was their only Drink till the twentieth of May following.

By the laſt of January the days were ſeven or eight hours long, and then viewing their victuals again, they found that it would not laſt above ſix weeks longer, which made them fear further Famine; but they had recourſe to God, who they knew, could ſupply them beyond their hopes.

Looking out on a bright day, they ſaw a great ſhe Bear with her Cub coming towards their Tent, whereupon arming themſelves with their Lances, they went p. 69forth, and ſtay'd her coming; ſhe ſoon caſt her greedy Eyes upon them, and hoping to devour them, haſted towards them: But with their Lances they gave her ſuch an hearty welcome, that ſhe tumbled upon the ground, biting the Snow for anger: the Cub ſeeing this, eſcap'd by flight: The weather was ſo extream cold, that they were fain preſently to retire into the Tent, and having warmed themſelves, they drew in the dead Bear, wherewith they dined merrily; and this Bear ſerved them twenty days: Only this miſchance they had, eating her Liver, it made their skins peel off; when ſhe was ſpent, they yet fear'd that their Veniſon would not hold out till the Fleet came out of England; but God ſent many Bears to their Tent, by times, at leaſt forty, whereof they kill'd ſeven; One of which was exceeding great, at leaſt ſix foot high; ſo that their Food encreaſing, they kept not themſelves to ſuch ſhort commons, but oft eat two or three meals a Day, which much encreaſed their ſtrength.

By this, the chearful days lengthen'd ſo faſt, that ſeveral ſorts of Fowl reſorted thither. March 16th one of their Maſtiffs p. 70went abroad which they never ſaw after; upon the coming of the Fowls, the Foxes, which all winter had kept their Burroughs under the Rocks, came abroad to ſeek for their livings; whereupon they ſet up Traps, which they baited with the skin of theſe Fowls, by which means they caught at times fifty Foxes; all which they roſted, and found to be good meat: then taking the Bearskins, …aying the fleſhy ſide upwards, and making ſprings of Whale-bone, they caught about ſixty Fowls as big as Pigeons.

May the firſt, the weather began to be pretty warm, ſo that they went dayly abroad to ſeek for Proviſion: but nothing they could find for many days, till at length they met with abundance of Willocks eggs; of which they carried home thirty, intending the next day to fetch a thouſand more, but the day prov'd ſo cold that they could not ſtir out of their Tent. The ſame day there came two ſhips of Hull into the Sound, who knowing that ſome men had been left there the year before, being very deſirous to know whether they were dead or alive, the Maſter mann'd forth a ſhallop to go as near the ſhore as they p. 71could, and ſo over the Ice to the Tent: When theſe men came near the Tent, they haled them with the uſual word of the Sea, crying Hey: to which one of them in the Tent anſwered again Hoe; which ſudden anſwer almoſt amaz'd them all: but perceiving them to be the very men left there, with joyful hearts they embrac'd one another, and ſo coming into the Tent, they ſhew'd the Hull-Men the curteſie of the Houſe, giving them ſome Veniſon which was roaſted four months before, and a cup of cold Water, which for novelty ſake, they kindly accepted of them.

After a little diſcourſe, theſe eight men reſolved to leave their Tent, and to go with them to their ſhip, where they were welcom'd after the heartieſt and kindeſt Engliſh manner: and ſo they ſtaid with them till the London Fleet came, which was three days after: At which time they went aboard the Admiral, in which Captain William Goodler was, who made them very welcome, and gave order that they ſhould have any thing that was in the ſhip that might do them good: he gave them Apparel alſo, to the value of twenty pounds. So that after fourteen days refreſhment, they grew all perfectly p. 72well: But when ſome of them went to their own Maſter that had left them there, he fell foul upon them, calling them Runaways, with other harſh terms far enough from the Civility of an honeſt man. Thus they continu'd in the Fleet until the twentieth of Auguſt, at which time, with joyful hearts, they ſet ſayl through the foaming Ocean; and though ſometimes croſſed with contrary winds, yet at laſt they came ſafely to an Anchor in the River of Thames: and the Muſcovie Merchants dealt very well by them.

The names of theſe men, were William Fakely Gunner: Edward Pelham Gunners Mate, that wrote this ſtory. John Wiſe, and Robert Good-fellow, Sea-men Thomas Ayers, Whale-cutter: Henry Bet, Cooper: John Dawns, and Richard Kellet, Land-men.

Greenland, is a Country that lies very far North-ward in ſeventy-ſeven Degrees, and forty minutes, It's wonderful Mountainous, which Mountains are all the year long covered with Ice and Snow▪ The plains in part are bare in Summer▪ But there grows neither Tree nor He… in it, except Scurvey-graſs and Sorrel… The Sea is as barren as the Land, affording p. 73no Fiſh but Whales, Sea-horſes, Seals, and ſome few ſmall Fiſhes.

26. In June 1668. the Peach-tree of London, a ſmall Veſſel of the Burthen of about ſixty Tuns, Edward Dixon Maſter, came into the Downs, bound for Guinny, intending there to take in Negroes, and to tranſport them to the Barbadoes, and from thence to come for London, where John Watts, the Son of John Watts, of Eltham, in the Country of Kent, Chyrurgion, ſhipt himſelf with the conſent of Richard Watts, publick Notary of Deal; little dreading that his Nephew, being not above eighteen years old, ſhould meet with ſuch a calamitous Accident. The ſhip had not been long in the Downs, but a fair gale preſenting, they ſuddenly hoiſted Sail, God's Providence ſeeming to fill their Sails with proſperous ſucceſs; the firſt place they touched at, was the Gold Coaſt, where they ſtaid not long, but ſailed to old Calabar, in the Bith of Guinny. They entered a River, called the Croſs River into Piratts Iſland. After they had taken in their Negroes, and ready to ſail, … Anchor being a peek, the Maſter … up the Boatſwain and three men more, whereof the relater was one, and p. 74commands them to look out the Copper Barrs that were left, and carry them on ſhore to try if they could ſell them: the Boatſwain, with his ſmall Company deſired that they might have Arms with them, not believing the report of ſome that inform'd them they were a harmleſs, and innocent people: they took with them three Muſquets and a Piſtol, and ſo row'd towards the ſhore, but not far from it, unhappily our Match fell into the water, and the ſhip being faln down from that narrow part of the River, nearer the Sea, quite out of our ſight, we were conſulting what ſhould be ſafeſt for us to do▪ we were not willing to precipitate our own Ruine, and were alſo aſhamed to return to our ſhip before we had diſpatched what we were commanded to: at length the Boatſwain commanded the Relator John Watts on ſhore, to the firſt houſe to light our Match, which we recover'd out of the water, after it was extinct, which he readily obeyed: but before he was twenty Rods from the water-ſide, he was ſeiz'd on by two blacks (or rather Tawny moors) and by them haled above half … mile up into the Country, and throw… with great violence upon his belly, and ſo compell'd to lye till they ſtript him; an… p. 75more Company coming to them, they were ſo eager for his poor Canvas apparel, that ſome they tore off, others they cut off, and with that ſeveral pieces of his fleſh, to his intolerable pain: with theſe rags, they made little Childrens Aprons to cover their Privities; Linnen and Woolen being ſcarce there. The Boatſwain ſeeing this John Watts was thus carried away, was reſolv'd with his other two Companions to have him again, or elſe to venture all their lives for him: They arm themſelves; but whilſt they were conſulting what to do, whether to venture on ſhore, or not, of a ſudden they were beſet with about a dozen men in ſeveral Canoes, but they valiantly maintained their Boat about the ſpace of three hours, for after two of their three Muſquets were diſcharged, they defended themſelves with their Oars, and Boat-hooks. The Boatſwain receiv'd a mortal wound in his Groin, and fell down in the Boat; the other two adventur'd in the River, endeavouring by ſwimming to eſcape the mercileſs hands of cruel Infidels; but the Negroes with their ſwift Canoes ſoon overtook them, and brought them on ſhore to the place where the relator was. The Negroes took out the Boatſwain out of p. 76the ſhips boat; and inſtead of endeavouring at all to preſerve life which remained in him, immediately they rob'd him of it; one of them with a keen weapon cutting off his head before his Companions faces; and then they prepare for their rare banquet, while he was yet reeking in his blood: they in a barbarous manner cutting off pieces of fleſh from off his Buttocks, and his Thighs, and his Arms, and Shoulders, and broiled them on the coals, and with a great deal of impatience, eagerly eat it before our faces, to our great aſtoniſhment. About fourteen days after, one of the Company fell ſick, and inſtead of being Phyſicians to cure him, they were his Butchers to murther him. They ſerved him as they did the Boatſwain, cut off his head, and broil'd and eat up his fleſh, and rejoyced exceedingly at this rich Banquet. About ten days after, the third fell ſick, whom they ſerved in the ſame manner.

This was no ſmall cauſe of ſorrow to the Relator; the thoughts of their Inhumane and Barbarous actions ſometimes ſurrounded him with fears and ſorrows, hourly expecting to taſt of the ſaid Cruelty. Death did not ſeem ſo terrible to him, as the violent manner of it; being p. 77left now alone, in a ſtrange Country, deſtitute of friends or acquaintance, or any thing that might keep up his Spirits: dye he would fain, but not by the hands of Infidels and barbarous Monſters. But the great God that is moſt compaſſionate in the greateſt extremities had pity on him, and notwithſtanding the alteration of the Climate, and the want of Cloaths, and the ſtrangeneſs of his food, which was only herbs, he continued in good health, and had time enough to lament this direful providence. The Natives who were daily expecting another banquet, met with a diſappointment: either their cuſtoms, or the over-ruling power of God, would not ſuffer them to deſtroy him, he continuing ſtill in health. Therefore they reſolve to ſell him: his Arannia, or Maſter, was pretty free to diſcourſe him, which the Relater was capable of, being about three years before in the Weſt-Indies, where he had learned the Tata language, which is eaſily attain'd, being comprehended in a very few words, and all the Negroes …peak it. He began to diſcourſe his Maſter, to know the reaſon of their Cruelty, who told him that he ſhould reſt himſelf contented, who if he were not ſick, ſhould not have p. 78his head cut off. In the Boat, which in the beginning they took with them, was a Muſquet ſaved of the three which was not diſcharged; which his Maſter, ſome time after he had been with him, brought to him to know the uſe of it: he endeavour'd as much as he could to make him apprehend the uſe of it, but ſtill they profeſt their ignorance: but they commanded and threatned him to ſhew the uſe of it. The fear of his maſters diſpleaſure and their inhumanity, cauſed him to ſhoot it off; but the Negroes, which expected ſome delightful thing, were fruſtrated, and at the ſuddain noiſe and flaſh of fire (which they very much dread) ran from him, and were greatly affrighted; but quickly after, hearing no more of that noiſe, they came up to him again, and commanded him to do the like: he told them he had not powder, which was the cauſe of the noiſe; but this would not ſatisfie theſe Barbarians. He not being able to anſwer their expectation, they concluded he was not willing, they proceed to threaten him, and were about to murder him, had not his maſter reſcued him. Upon diſcourſe after with this Arrannia, or Maſter, he began to underſtand the reaſon of their barbarous dealing p. 79with him and his Friends, he telling him that naturally the People were civil and ſimply honeſt, but if provoked full of revenge; and that this Cruelty was occaſion'd by ſome unhandſome action of carrying a Native away without their leave, about a year before; they reſolving, if any came aſhore, they ſhould never go off alive. He had not been above ſeven weeks in the Country, but his Maſter preſented him to his King, whoſe name was E-fa-me, King of the Blackamores, who immediately gave him to his Daughter, whoſe name was Oni-jah, and when the King went abroad, he attended him alſo as his Page, throughout the whole Circuit of his Dominions, which was not above twelve miles, yet boaſting extremely of his power and ſtrength, but glorying exceedingly that he had a White to attend him, whom he employed to carry his Bow and Arrows; at ſeveral places remote from the Sea-ſide, the people would run away from him for fear, others would fall down and ſeem to worſhip him, and uſe thoſe actions as they do to their God. Their progreſs was never ſo long, but they could return home at night, but never without a handſome load of a cup of the Creature. During p. 80all the time of the Relators ſervitude there he never knew him go abroad and come home ſober. They drink of the beſt Palm Wine, and another ſort of ſtrong liquor, call'd Penrore. The Relator quickly knew how to humour this profound Prince, and if any of the Natives abuſed him, upon his complaint he had redreſs, as once by ſtriving with a Negroe, his arm was broke, which by providence, more than skill, was ſet again. After ſome months, the King of Ca-la-nanch, whoſe name was E-fn…mancha, hearing of this beautiful white, courted his Neighbour Prince, that he would ſell him to him; at length they ſtruck a bargain, and the Relator was ſold for a Cow and a Goat; this King was a very ſober and moderate perſon, free from treacheries and miſchiefs, that the other was ſubject unto; and he would often diſcourſe the Relator, and ask him of his King and Country, and if his Kingdoms and Dominions were as big as his, which were not above twenty-five miles in length, and fifteen in breadth. He told him as much as his underſtanding and years made him capable of, keeping ſtill in the bounds of modeſty, and yet relating as much as poſſible to the honour, p. 81and dignity of his Soveraign; firſt informing him of the greatneſs of one of his Kingdoms, the ſeveral Shires and Counties it contained, with number of its Cities, Towns and Caſtles, and the ſtrength of each, the infinite Inhabitants, and valour of his Subjects. One of theſe Kingdoms was enough to amaze ſufficiently this petty Governour, that he need not to mention any more of his Majeſties Glory and Dignity. It put him into ſuch a profound conſternation, that he reſolved to find out ſome way to tender his reſpects to this mighty Prince, and no way could he find ſo convenient, as to tell the Relator, that if he could find but a paſſage, he would let him go to England, to tell his Majeſty of the great favour and reſpect he had for him. This did not a little rejoyce our Engliſh-man. Withall the King told him, that he would ſend him a Preſent, which ſhould be two Cabareets or Goats, which they do value at a very high rate; the King having not above 16 or 18. He tells the King, that the King of England had many thouſands of his Subjects that were under the degree of Gentlemen, which had a thouſand of Sheep a piece; the fleſh of which, they valu'd at a very much higher rate than p. 82Goats. Though our Engliſh-man lived very handſomely with this E-fn-man-cha, King of the Ca-la-nanch, yet his deſires and his hopes were ſtill for his Native Country: at length he obtain'd a promiſe from his King, that the firſt Engliſh ſhip that came into that Road, ſhould have liberty to Releaſe or Purchaſe him; this very much rejoyced his heart: now he thought every day a year, till he could hear of, or ſee ſome Engliſh ſhip arrived. Many times when he was alone, his heart would be oppreſt with ſighs and ſobbings, when ke thought of his Relations, and the comfortable ſociety that they had together; that it ſhould be his ſad lot to be captivated amongſt barbarous Infidels. Oftentimes did he walk down to the Sea-ſide, ſometimes with hopes, ſometimes with fear, earneſtly expecting the wind of Gods providence to blow in ſome Engliſh Ship thither: his often recourſe to the Sea-ſide was diſcerned by one Ja-ga, a Wizard, and the chiefeſt in three or four Kingdoms there-abouts; they are perſons that the Natives give very much credit to, and on any difficult occaſion, run to them for ſatisfaction. The famous Delphean Oracle was never had in greater adoration, than the prophetical p. 83Speeches of theſe Moriſh Wizards. Though they have infinite numbers of them in every place, yet this Ja-ga had the moſt renown amongſt them; and one day he comes to him, and very kindly ask'd him, Why he ſo very often frequented that place? he told him, To ſee if he could diſcover any Engliſh Veſſel to come in there: but he being not acquainted with his Great fame, Askt him When he did believe there would one come in? not that he was willing to give credit to any of their Divinations, but ſuppoſing that he thereby ſhould pleaſe him and anſwer his expectation. Ja-ga immediately told him, That the Fifteenth day after an Engliſh Ship ſhould come into the Road. Then he askt him, Whether that Ship ſhould carry him away. To this he anſwer'd doubtfully, but told him, That he ſhould be offer'd to the Maſter of the ſhip, and if they could not agree, but that he ſhould come to Shore again, he ſhould not be Sold, and that in a very ſhort time after he ſhould dye for Grief. Theſe Fifteen days ſeem'd very long and tedious; many a look did he caſt on the Sea with an Aking heart: The Fourteenth day he went to the higheſt Hill …, but to no purpoſe, for he could diſcover no p. 84Ship: next Morning he went again two or three times, but ſaw none: about two or three hours after came running into E-fn-man-cha, ſome of the Moores, and told him there was a Canoe coming, ſo they called our Ships; at which our Engliſh-man heartily rejoyc'd, hoping then to be releaſt forthwith, yet durſt not ſhew his joy for fear of puniſhment or of death; for though he lived better now than with his firſt Maſter, yet his ſervice was far worſe than the Slaves in Turkey, and their Diet worſe than Dogs-meat; therefore had he cauſe enough of inward Joy; the Ship came immediately in, and he highs away preſently to Ja-ga, to know if it were an Engliſh Ship, who reſolved him that it was; it happened to be the St. Maloes Merchant, Captain Royden Commander, who haſten'd to diſpatch his Buſineſs, took in his Negroes, and was ready to ſail, and our Engliſh-man heard never a word what ſhould become of him, the King never offering to ſell him; this put him on a reſolution to endeavour to make an eſcape, and to that end had prepared a piece of Timber which he had drawn near the water-ſide, on which he intended to paddle to the Ship, which then lay about a League from the Shore. Juſt p. 85by the Sea-ſide; as he was about to launch his little floating Stick, he eſpied a Great Aligator, which will devour a Man at a Mouthful; this made him alter his Reſolution, and reſolve rather to live with Inhumane Infidels, than to throw himſelf into ſo imminent a danger, which would have been little leſs than ſelf-murther. But the next day, which I may call a day of Jubilee, Almighty God opened the heart of the King to let the poor Engliſh Man go: he ſent him in a Canoe, placed between a Negroe's Legs, with ſome others to Guide this ſmall Veſſel, for fear he ſhould leap over board and ſwim to the Ship. At a diſtance from the Ship he hail'd her in the Engliſh Tongue, which was no ſmall cauſe of admi…ation to thoſe on Board to hear an Engliſh Tongue out of their Canoes: The Negroes gave him leave to ſtand up and ſhew himſelf to the Captain, to whom he gave an Account how four were left there, and only he preſerv'd. It was a pretty while before they could ſtrike a B…rgain, though the Captain was reſolv'd not to leave him behind. Several times the Negroes padled away with their Canoe, reſolving not to part with him; but what with his entreaties and promiſes, he perſwaded them p. 86to the Ship again, and they deliver'd him on board for Forty five Copper Bars and Iron Bars; each Copper bar being about the bigneſs of a Youths little finger, the Iron bars a little bigger. Now were his joys compleated, he thought himſelf, as it were, caught up into the Third Heavens; he could hardly perſwade himſelf but it was a Dream or Viſion, and that he did not really ſee Engliſh faces, or embrace Engliſh bodies. It was ſome time before he could throw himſelf at the Captains feet, and acknwledge his infinite cauſe of joy in himſelf, and thankfulneſs to him for his deliverance from ſuch a ſevere Captivity; that he that lately was a ſlave to Infidels, that worſhip they know not what, ſhould now ſee the Faces of Chriſtians, and joyn with them in Worſhiping the true God; and to him firſt he offer'd up the Sacrifice of hearty thankſgiving, that had ſent his Angel to redeem him from ſo cruel a bondage. When he came on board, his hair was very long, and his skin tawny (Malatto-like) having gone naked all the time he was there, and frequently anointing himſelf with Palm-Oyl he looked like a Tawny Moore; but immediately the Seamen aboard with Chriſtian-like hearts, apparelled him. The p. 87Maſter commanded to hoiſt ſail, and having a fair wind, they ſailed to Barbadoes, where Captain Royden was to tarry ſome time; but the Relator earneſtly deſiring to go to his Native Country, and his Relations, got paſſage to the Downs, in the Katherine of London, Captain South Commander, which through Gods goodneſs in a few weeks arrived in the Downs, where the Relator was put on ſhore to his Unkle Mr. Richard Watts of Deal, his great joy and ſatisfaction, who took this relation from his own mouth.