Part 1 (2/2)

Here I ht take to effect it, but found no way that had the least probability in it; nothing presented to make the supposition of it rational; for I had nobody to communicate it to that would elishman, Irishman, or Scotchh I often pleased ination, yet I never had the least encouraging prospect of putting it in practice

After about two years, an odd circu so at ho out his shi+p, which, as I heard, was for want of money, he used constantly, once or twice a week, sometimes oftener if the weather was fair, to take the shi+p's pinnace and go out into the road a- fishi+ng; and as he always tookMaresco with him to row the boat, wefish; insomuch that sometimes he would send me with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the youth - the Maresco, as they called him - to catch a dish of fish for hi in a calh ere not half a league fro we knew not whither or which e laboured all day, and all the next night; and when theca in for the shore; and that ere at least two leagues froreat deal of labour and soan to blow pretty fresh in the ry

But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to takeby hilish shi+p that he had taken, he resolved he would not go a- fishi+ng any more without a compass and some provision; so he ordered the carpenter of his shi+p, who also was an English slave, to build a little state-roo- boat, like that of a barge, with a place to stand behind it to steer, and haul home the main-sheet; the room before for a hand or two to stand and work the sails She sailed e call a shoulder-of-mutton sail; and the boo and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with a slave or two, and a table to eat on, with some sht fit to drink; and his bread, rice, and coffee

We went frequently out with this boat a-fishi+ng; and as I was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never ithout o out in this boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in that place, and for whom he had provided extraordinarily, and had, therefore, sent on board the boat overnight a larger store of provisions than ordinary; and had ordered et ready three fusees with powder and shot, which were on board his shi+p, for that they designed soot all things ready as he had directed, and waited the nextwith the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and everything to accouests; when by-and-by uests had put off going from some business that fell out, and ordered o out with the boat and catch them some fish, for that his friends were to sup at his house, and co it home to his house; all which I prepared to do

This hts, for now I found I was likely to have a little shi+p at one, I prepared to furnish h I knew not, neither did I so et out of that place was my desire

My first contrivance was tofor our subsistence on board; for I told him we must not presume to eat of our patron's bread He said that was true; so he brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit, and three jars of fresh water, into the boat I knehere my patron's case of bottles stood, which it was evident, by the lish prize, and I conveyed them into the boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had been there before for our reat luhed about half a hundred-weight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hareat use to us afterwards, especially the wax, to make candles Another trick I tried upon him, which he innocently came into also: his name was Ismael, which they call Muley, or Moely; so I called to hiuns are on board the boat; can you not get a little powder and shot? It may be we may kill some alcamies (a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he keeps the gunner's stores in the shi+p” ”Yes,” says he, ”I'll bring soreat leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of powder, or rather more; and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some bullets, and put all into the boat At the sareat cabin, hich I filled one of the large bottles in the case, which was al as in it into another; and thus furnished with everything needful, we sailed out of the port to fish The castle, which is at the entrance of the port, knee were, and took no notice of us; and ere not above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail and set us down to fish The wind blew from the NNE, which was contrary to my desire, for had it blown southerly I had been sure to have made the coast of Spain, and at least reached to the bay of Cadiz; but one from that horrid place where I was, and leave the rest to fate

After we had fished so - for when I had fish on ht not see them - I said to the Moor, ”This will not do; our master will not be thus served; we reed, and being in the head of the boat, set the sails; and, as I had the helht her to, as if I would fish; when, giving the boy the hel as if I stooped for so behind him, I took him by surprise with my arm under his waist, and tossed him clear overboard into the sea He rose ied to be taken in, toldafter the boat that he would have reachedbut little wind; upon which I stepped into the cabin, and fetching one of the fowling-pieces, I presented it at him, and told him I had done him no hurt, and if he would be quiet I would do hih to reach to the shore, and the sea is calm; make the best of your way to shore, and I will do you no harh the head, for I am resolved to have my liberty;” so he turned himself about, and swam for the shore, and I make no doubt but he reached it with ease, for he was an excellent swimmer

I could have been content to have taken this Moor withto trust hione, I turned to the boy, whom they called Xury, and said to hireat man; but if you will not stroke your face to be true to me” - that is, swear by Mahomet and his father's beard - ”I must throw you into the sea too” The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently that I could not distrust hio all over the world with me

While I was in view of the Moor that i, I stood out directly to sea with the boat, rather stretching to ard, that they one towards the Straits' mouth (as indeed any one that had been in their wits must have been supposed to do): for ould have supposed ere sailed on to the southward, to the truly Barbarian coast, where whole nations of negroes were sure to surround us with their canoes and destroy us; where we could not go on shore but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or es of hu, I changedht keep in with the shore; and having a fair, fresh gale of wind, and a smooth, quiet sea, I made such sail that I believe by the next day, at three o'clock in the afternoon, when I first made the land, I could not be less than one hundred and fifty miles south of Sallee; quite beyond the E thereabouts, forno people

Yet such was the fright I had taken of the Moors, and the dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that I would not stop, or go on shore, or co fair till I had sailed in thatto the southward, I concluded also that if any of our vessels were in chase of ive over; so I ventured to make to the coast, and came to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew not what, nor where, neither what latitude, what country, what nation, or what river I neither saw, nor desired to see any people; the principal thing I wanted was fresh water We ca to swim on shore as soon as it was dark, and discover the country; but as soon as it was quite dark, we heard such dreadful noises of the barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, of we knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was ready to die with fear, and begged of o on shore till day ”Well, Xury,” said I, ”then I won't; but it may be that we may see men by day, ill be as bad to us as those lions” ”Then we give the, ” alad to see the boy so cheerful, and I gave him a dram (out of our patron's case of bottles) to cheer hiood, and I took it; we dropped our little anchor, and lay still all night; I say still, for we slept none; for in two or three hoursvast great creatures (we knew not what to call them) of many sorts, co and washi+ng the thes, that I never indeed heard the like

Xury was dreadfully frighted, and indeed so was I too; but ere both hty creatures coht hear hie and furious beast Xury said it was a lion, and it ht I know; but poor Xury cried to h the anchor and roay; ”No,” says I, ”Xury; we can slip our cable, with the buoy to it, and go off to sea; they cannot follow us far” I had no sooner said so, but I perceived the creature (whatever it ithin two oars' length, which so surprised me; however, I iun, fired at him; upon which he iain

But it is impossible to describe the horrid noises, and hideous cries and howlings that were raised, as well upon the edge of the shore as higher within the country, upon the noise or report of the gun, a thing I have some reason to believe those creatures had never heard before: this convinced ht on that coast, and how to venture on shore in the day was another question too; for to have fallen into the hands of any of the savages had been as bad as to have fallen into the hands of the lions and tigers; at least ere equally apprehensive of the danger of it

Be that as it would, ere obliged to go on shore somewhere or other for water, for we had not a pint left in the boat; when and where to get to it was the point Xury said, if I would let hio on shore with one of the jars, he would find if there was any water, and bring soo, and he stay in the boat? The boy answered with so much affection as made me love hio wey” ”Well, Xury,” said I, ”ill both go and if the wild mans coave Xury a piece of rusk bread to eat, and a dram out of our patron's case of bottles which I mentioned before; and we hauled the boat in as near the shore as we thought was proper, and so waded on shore, carrying nothing but our aro out of sight of the boat, fearing the co a low place about a mile up the country, ra towards hted with some wild beast, and I ran forward towards hi hanging over his shoulders, which was a creature that he had shot, like a hare, but different in colour, and longer legs; however, ere very glad of it, and it was very good reat joy that poor Xury caood water and seen no wild mans

But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains for water, for a little higher up the creek where e found the water fresh when the tide was out, which flowed but a little way up; so we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare he had killed, and prepared to go on our way, having seen no footsteps of any human creature in that part of the country

As I had been one voyage to this coast before, I knew very well that the islands of the Canaries, and the Cape de Verde Islands also, lay not far off from the coast But as I had no instruments to take an observation to knohat latitude ere in, and not exactly knowing, or at least re, what latitude they were in, I knew not where to look for theht now easily have found so this coast till I calish traded, I should find son of trade, that would relieve and take us in

By the best of my calculation, that place where I noasbetween the Eroes, lies waste and uninhabited, except by wild beasts; the negroes having abandoned it and gone farther south for fear of the Moors, and the Moors not thinking it worth inhabiting by reason of its barrenness; and indeed, both forsaking it because of the prodigious nuers, lions, leopards, and other furious creatures which harbour there; so that the Moors use it for their hunting only, where they go like an army, two or three thousand ether upon this coastnothing but a waste, uninhabited country by day, and heard nothing but howlings and roaring of wild beasts by night

Once or twice in the daytih top of the Mountain Teneriffe in the Canaries, and had a greattried twice, I was forced in again by contrary winds, the sea also going too high for n, and keep along the shore

Several tied to land for fresh water, after we had left this place; and once in particular, being early in , we came to an anchor under a little point of land, which was pretty high; and the tide beginning to floe lay still to go farther in Xury, whose eyes were more about him than it seems o farther off the shore; ”For,” says he, ”look, yonder lies a dreadful monster on the side of that hillock, fast asleep” I looked where he pointed, and saw a dreadful reat lion that lay on the side of the shore, under the shade of a piece of the hill that hung as it were a little over him ”Xury,” says I, ”you shall on shore and kill hihted, and said, ”Me kill! he eat me at one mouth!” - one mouthful he meant However, I said no est gun, which was ale of powder, and with two slugs, and laid it down; then I loaded another gun with two bullets; and the third (for we had three pieces) I loaded with five smaller bullets I took the best aim I could with the first piece to have shot hi raised a little above his nose, that the slugs hit his leg about the knee and broke the bone He started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again; and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard I was a little surprised that I had not hit him on the head; however, I took up the second piece iain, and shot him in the head, and had the pleasure to see hi for life Then Xury took heart, and would have o,” said I: so the boy juun in one hand, swa close to the creature, put the ain, which despatched hiame indeed to us, but this was no food; and I was very sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a creature that was good for nothing to us However, Xury said he would have soive him the hatchet ”For what, Xury?” said I ”Me cut off his head,” said he However, Xury could not cut off his head, but he cut off a foot, and brought it with hiht ht, one way or other, be of some value to us; and I resolved to take off his skin if I could So Xury and I went to ith him; but Xury was much the better workman at it, for I knew very ill how to do it Indeed, it took us both up the whole day, but at last we got off the hide of hi it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually dried it in two days' time, and it afterwards served me to lie upon

CHAPTER III

- WRECKED ON A DESERT ISLAND

AFTER this stop, we made on to the southward continually for ten or twelve days, living very sparingly on our provisions, which began to abate very ed to for fresh water My design in this was to al, that is to say anywhere about the Cape de Verde, where I was in hopes to meet with some European shi+p; and if I did not, I knew not what course I had to take, but to seek for the islands, or perish there aroes I knew that all the shi+ps from Europe, which sailed either to the coast of Guinea or to Brazil, or to the East Indies, made this cape, or those islands; and, in a word, I put the whole of le point, either that I must meet with some shi+p or must perish

When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer, as I have said, I began to see that the land was inhabited; and in two or three places, as we sailed by,people stand upon the shore to look at us; we could also perceive they were quite black and naked I was once inclined to have gone on shore to theo, no go” However, I hauled in nearer the shore that Ithe shore by ood way I observed they had no weapons in their hand, except one, who had a long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance, and that they could throw theood ains as well as I could; and particularlyto eat: they beckoned to me to stop my boat, and they would fetch me some meat Upon this I lowered the top of my sail and lay by, and two of them ran up into the country, and in less than half-an- hour caht with them two pieces of dried flesh and some corn, such as is the produce of their country; but we neither knehat the one or the other was; however, illing to accept it, but how to come at it was our next dispute, for I would not venture on shore to them, and they were as much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all, for they brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great way off till we fetched it on board, and then cans of thanks to the to make them ae the by the shore ca the other (as we took it) with great fury from thethe fee, we could not tell, any e, but I believe it was the latter; because, in the first place, those ravenous creatures seldoht; and, in the second place, we found the people terribly frighted, especially the women The man that had the lance or dart did not fly from them, but the rest did; however, as the two creatures ran directly into the water, they did not offer to fall upon any of the negroes, but plunged themselves into the sea, and swam about, as if they had coan to come nearer our boat than at first I expected; but I lay ready for hiun with all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the others As soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him directly in the head; immediately he sank down into the water, but rose instantly, and plunged up and down, as if he were struggling for life, and so indeed he was; he immediately made to the shore; but between the wound, which was hisof the water, he died just before he reached the shore

It is impossible to express the astonishun: some of them were even ready to die for fear, and fell down as dead with the very terror; but when they saw the creature dead, and sunk in the water, and that I ns to thean to search for the creature I found hi the water; and by the help of a rope, which I slung round hied him on shore, and found that it was a ree; and the negroes held up their hands with admiration, to think what it was I had killed hihted with the flash of fire and the noise of the gun, swam on shore, and ran up directly to the mountains from whence they came; nor could I, at that distance, knohat it was I found quickly the negroes wished to eat the flesh of this creature, so I illing to have thens to theht take him, they were very thankful for Ih they had no knife, yet, with a sharpened piece of wood, they took off his skin as readily, and much more readily, than we could have done with a knife They offeredout that I would give it theave reat deal h I did not understand, yet I accepted I then ns to the it bottom upward, to show that it was empty, and that I wanted to have it filled They called immediately to soreat vessel made of earth, and burnt, as I supposed, in the sun, this they set down to me, as before, and I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and filled them all three The women were as naked as the men

I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it was, and water; and leaving roes, I o near the shore, till I saw the land run out a great length into the sea, at about the distance of four or five leagues beforetothe point, at about two leagues from the land, I saw plainly land on the other side, to seaward; then I concluded, as it was most certain indeed, that this was the Cape de Verde, and those the islands called, froreat distance, and I could not well tell what I had best to do; for if I should be taken with a fresh of wind, I ht neither reach one or other

In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the cabin and sat down, Xury having the helm; when, on a sudden, the boy cried out, ”Master, hted out of his wits, thinking it must needs be some of his master's shi+ps sent to pursue us, but I kneere far enough out of their reach I jumped out of the cabin, and imuese shi+p; and, as I thought, was bound to the coast of Guinea, for negroes But, when I observed the course she steered, I was soon convinced they were bound son to come any nearer to the shore; upon which I stretched out to sea asto speak with them if possible

With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be able to coone by before I could nal to thean to despair, they, it seelasses that it was so to some shi+p that was lost; so they shortened sail to let ed with this, and as I had my patron's ancient on board, I nal of distress, and fired a gun, both which they saw; for they told un Upon these signals they very kindly brought to, and lay by for me; and in about three hours; time I cauese, and in Spanish, and in French, but I understood none of them; but at last a Scotch sailor, as on board, called to lishman, that I had made my escape out of slavery from the Moors, at Sallee; they then bade oods

It was an inexpressible joy to me, which any one will believe, that I was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from such a miserable and almost hopeless condition as I was in; and I immediately offered all I had to the captain of the shi+p, as a return for enerously toldfrom me, but that all I had should be delivered safe to me when I came to the Brazils ”For,” says he, ”I have saved your life on no other terlad to be saved myself: and it may, one time or other, be my lot to be taken up in the same condition Besides,” said he, ”when I carry you to the Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if I should take from you what you have, you will be starved there, and then I only take away that life I have given No, no,” says he: ”Seignior Inglese” (Mr Englishs will help to buy your subsistence there, and your passage hoain”

As he was charitable in this proposal, so he was just in the performance to a tittle; for he ordered the sea that I had: then he took everything into his own possession, and gave ht have them, even to my three earthen jars

As to ood one; and that he saw, and told me he would buy it of me for his shi+p's use; and asked enerous tothat I could not offer to make any price of the boat, but left it entirely to hiive ht for it at Brazil; and when it caive more, he would ht more for my boy Xury, which I was loth to take; not that I was unwilling to let the captain have him, but I was very loth to sell the poor boy's liberty, who had assistedmy own However, when I let him know my reason, he owned it to be just, and offered ation to set him free in ten years, if he turned Christian: upon this, and Xury saying he illing to go to him, I let the captain have him

We