cake, and directed us to a well close at hand. We drank a little water, and ate a bit of the cake, which we had difficulty in swallowing, and then hastened to return to our companions in the boat, to acquaint them with our success. Though now necessary to leave the boat, we did not do it without regret; but this was lulled by the importunate cravings of hunger and thirst; therefore, making her fast ashore, we departed. Advancing, or rather crawling, towards the well, another quarrel arose among us, the remembrance of which is so ungrateful, that I shall bury it in silence, the best tomb for controversies. One of our company, William Adams, in attempting to drink, was unable to swallow the water, and sank to the ground, faintly exclaiming, "I am a dead man!" After much straining and forcing, he at length got a little down; and when we were all refreshed with the cake and water, we lay down by the side of the well to wait for morning. 'When it was broad day, we once more applied to the sentinel to point out the way to the nearest house or town, which he did, directing us to a house about two miles distant; but our feet were so raw and blistered by the sun, that it was long before we could get this short journey over; and then the owner of the house, concluding from our garb that we came with a pilfering design, presented a fowling-piece, charg ing us to stand. The first of our number, who could speak the language of the country, mildly endeavoured to undeceive him, saying we were a company of poor creatures whom the wonderful providence of God had rescued from the slavery of Algiers, and hoped that he would show mercy to our afflictions. The honest farmer, moved with our relation, sent out bread and water and olives. After refreshing ourselves with these, we lay down and rested three or four hours in the field; and having given him thanks for his charity, prepared to crawl away. Pleased with our gratitude, he called us into his house, and gave us good, warm bean pottage, which to me seemed the best food ever I had ate. Again taking leave, we advanced towards Majorca, which was about ten miles distant. 'Next morning we arrived in the suburbs, where the singularity of our attire, being barefoot and bare-legged, and having nothing on except loose shirts drawn over our coats, attracted a crowd of inquirers. We gave a circumstantial account of our deliverance; and as they were willing to contribute to our relief, they supplied us with food, wine, strong waters, and whatever else might renovate our exhausted spirits. They said, however, that we must remain in the suburbs until the viceroy had notice of our arrival. We were called before him; and when he had heard the account of our escape and dangers, he ordered us to be maintained at his expense until we should obtain a passage to our own country. In the meantime, the people collected money to buy clothes and shoes. Majorca being a city where English ships seldom trade, we requested the viceroy to allow us a passage in the king of Spain's galleys, then in the road, bound for Spain. The cold reception which we there experienced from some of our own country I would willingly conceal. One merchant, taking compassion on us, conducted us to an Englishman's house, where we lodged, and gave us half a dollar to defray our expenses. Next day, understanding that there was an English vessel in the road homeward bound, we went aboard in quest of a passage. The master told us that he had but little provision; yet, if we would be content with bread and beverage, we might go. That we accounted royal fare, and waited until he set sail, which was a few days afterwards. 'While at sea, we were closely chased by two Turkish galleys; however, being near Gibraltar, we got in there, and escaped. Three of us went ashore and remained, while our other companions ventured with the ship, and arrived in England before us. While at Gibraltar, the Spaniards pitied our condition; and one of them said we might have lodging in his vessel, and that he had fish enough for our consumption. We stayed there until our money was gone, and then resolved to travel with the foot-post by land to Cadiz, which is about sixty miles distant. But while my two companions had gone to inquire for the courier, I stayed on the shore, and saw a small Spanish vessel coming from Malaga, bound for Cadiz. The master freely granted a passage at my request; and having sailed early next morning, arrived in Cadiz Road. Not finding any vessel there bound for England, and hearing that there was one at St. Lucar, which is about twelve miles distant, we travelled thither by land. Her commander was Captain Smith of Redriff. We obtained a passage in her, and he prevailed on the merchants to lay in provision for us. We met with contrary winds in the voyage, which lasted five weeks, and reached the Downs in September 1644.' CHAPTER V. HOW SIEUR DE MONTAUBAN'S VESSEL BLew up. 'SINCE I have so often felt the | presiding over the seas, and by malignant influence of the stars adverse fortune lost all the of danger; whereupon I speedily attacked their convoy, called the Wolf, and took her, as also two merchantmen; but the rest made their escape during the engagement. While carrying my prizes to France, I fell in with an English ship of sixteen guns, bound from Spain for England, which, after a short encounter, struck her colours. She was sold at Rochelle, and I then carried my three other prizes to Bordeaux, in September 1694, and presently sought out purchasers for them. Meantime, my crew, who had been long absent from France, indulged themselves in extravagance, as some compensation for the fatigues they had wealth which, with so much trouble and care, I had amassed together, it should be no source of pleasure recalling to my memory the disasters that befell me previous to the close of the last expedition. But the desire of serving both the public and individuals, and of showing the king my attachment to his service, induced me to communicate my observations to M. de Philipeaux. There he might likewise discover with what eagerness I penetrated to the most remote colonies of our enemies, in order to destroy them, and ruin their trade. I am unwilling to swell this relation with all the voyages I have made, and my adventures on various coasts of America, dur-undergone. Both the merchants ing twenty years. To these I and their hosts advanced them could add my expedition in money without hesitation on 1691, when I ravaged the coast the reputation of their wealth, of Guinea, went up the river and their share of such valuable Sierra Leone, and took a fort prizes. They spent the night from the English mounting in such amusements as best twenty-four pieces of cannon, pleased their fancy, and the which I burst, to render them whole day in traversing the unserviceable. But I shall here town in masquerade. They confine myself to the particulars caused themselves to be carried immediately preceding and sub-in chairs with lighted torches at sequent to the explosion of my vessel. 'In the year 1694, after having ravaged the coast of Caraqua, I stood to the windward towards St. Croix, where I had information of an English fleet of merchantmen, homeward bound, with a convoy. In the latitude of Bermuda Islands they appeared, bearing directly toward me, without any apprehensions noon-day; and the consequence of their indiscretion and debauchery was the death of several of their number. We cruised about the Azores and the Canary Islands in quest of Dutch vessels, but without success, and then bore away for the Cape de Verd Islands, where two English ships were seen at anchor in the road of the Isle of May. I sent out my boat to reconnoitre what they were, and received information of their carrying about thirty guns each. I therefore resolved to board them, and for that purpose stood nearer in; but they, suspecting my design, did not think fit to wait for my arrival, but making all ready, cut their cables, and made their escape. I pursued them all day; and having lost sight of them on the approach of night, returned to the road from which they departed, to take up their anchors and cables left behind, and to sink their boats also lying there. within gunshot I hoisted French colours, and made a signal for her to strike. Instead of doing so, she boldly gave me a broadside, and at the same time received one from my ship. The engagement, thus commenced, continued from morning until four in the afternoon, without our being able to get the weathergage, or advance near enough to use musketry, which is the chief kind of arms in similar vessels. Neither could I prevent her from availing herself of the wind to anchor under the fort of Cape Three Points, where other two Dutch ships lay, one of fourteen, the other of twentyeight guns. Expecting that all three would come out to fight me, I lay off and on nearly a whole day, and even anchored within a league, in hopes that they might come to take their revenge. This, however, they declined; and a small Portuguese ship soon after told me, that they had forced another Frenchman to leave the coast. 'Satisfied, therefore, that the enemy would not fight, and not deeming it advisable to attack them under the cannon of the forts, I determined to go to Cape Lopez, and to Prince and St. Thomas' Isles. On the pas 'We sailed for St. Vincent, one of the Cape de Verd Islands, to caulk the vessel, and likewise to take in wood and water. Here I learnt that there were two English vessels carrying between twenty and thirty guns each at the Isle of Fuego. I sailed in quest of them, but they were gone. Then I steered for the coast of Guinea, and at Cape Three Points met a Dutch frigate, of thirty-two guns, cruis-sage thither I captured an Enging at sea. She directly stood towards me to know what I was; and as I also had discovered her, and was in hopes of coming to a close engagement, I hoisted Dutch colours, to avoid creating any alarm. When she came lish twenty-gun ship, with three hundred and fifty negroes on board, and ivory and wax. The captain said he had come from Ardra, one of the chief towns of Guinea, which stands on the sea-side, and is the residence of a prince who has extensive dominions. There he had taken in five hundred and fifty negroes; but some had been killed because others mutinied against him, and made their escape to land in his boat. In sight of Prince's Isle I took a small Brandenburgh vessel, mounting eight guns, and carrying sixty men. She cruised about this latitude, taking all the barques she could fall in with, and without distinction of nation or colours. I afterwards went into port to clean my ship, which greatly required it, and to free myself of the English prize. Here I sent her to be condemned at St. Domingo in the West Indies; but I understood that she was re-taken by some English men-of-war before Little Goava. Meantime, that my men might not be idle, I ordered my officers to employ them in careening the vessel, while I myself embarked in the Brandenburgh ship with ninety men, and went on a cruise for six weeks on the coast of Guinea. Leaving St. the same town in Guinea. Their 'We next sailed for the coast of Angola, two hundred and fifty leagues on the other side of the line, and arrived there on the 22d of September. When within three leagues of the port of Cabinda, we understood there were two English ships with negroes in that place; therefore, being leeward of the port, I bore out to sea, in hopes of recovering it next day by the south-west wind, which usually blows to the land. When day broke, I saw a ship with English colours bearing down upon me, which I did not immediately suppose a man-of-war. Some time after, however, I discovered that she carried no less than fifty-four guns. I used all my art to deceive her; and with that view, hoisted Dutch colours, that I might approach 'Meeting with no enemy, I returned to Prince's Isle, and got my own vessel victualled, after which I weighed anchor, and sailed for the island of St. Thomas, there designing either to sell or barter the Branden-her the more easily, while she, burgher. I exchanged her for on her part, was not behind some provisions, because I had hand in deluding me, and ennot enough to serve me during deavoured to come up with me a cruise on the coast of Angola, by firing guns from time to time where I meant to spend five or to assure me of her friendship. six months, to avoid three Eng- When I became sensible of the lish men-of-war fitting out at enemy's design, I made a show |