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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES

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LOS ANGELBB

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

PETER WILKINS.

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IIAI.I.ANTVNK, HANSON AND CO. IiUINUUR(.H ANO I.ONUON

THE

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

PETER WILKINS.

BY

ROBERT PALTOCK,

OF Clement's inn.

WITH A PREFACE BY

A. H. BULLEN,

RnlTOR OP "the works of JOHN DAV," ' A COLLECTION OF OLD ENGLISH PLAVS," ETC.

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LONDON: REEVES & TURNER, 196 STRAND.

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P R E F A C E.

PREFACE.

|N one of those bright racy essays at which modern dulness dcHghts to sneer, Haz- htt discussed the question whether the dchiic uf posthumous fame is a legitimate aspira- tion ; and the conclusion at which he arrived was that there is " something of egotism and even of pedantry in this sentiment." It is a true saying in literature as in morality that " he that seeketh his life shall lose it." The world cares most for those who have cared least for the world's applause. A nameless minstrel of the North Country sings a bal- lad thai shall stir men's hearts from age to age with haunting melody ; Southey, toiling at his epics, is excluded from Parnassus. Some there are who have knocked at the door of the Temple of Fame, and have been admitted at once and for ever. When Thucydides announced that he intended his history to be a " i)OSSCSsion for all time," there was no mistaking the tone of authority. But to be enthroned in state, to receive the homage of the admiring multitude, and then to be rejected as a

viii PREFACE.

pretender, — that is indeed a sorry fate, and one that may well make us pause before envying literary despots their titles. The more closely a writer shrouds himself from view, the more eager are his readers to get a sight of him. The loss of an arm or a leg would be a slight price for a genuine student to pay if only he could discover one new fact about Shakespeare's history. I will not attempt to impose on the reader's credulity by professing myself eager to acquire information about the author of " Peter Wilkins " at such a sacrifice ; but it would have been a sincere pleasure to me if I could have brought to light some particulars about one whose personality must have possessed a more than ordinary charm. The delightful voyage imaginaire here presented to the reader was first published in 1751.* An edition appeared immediately afterwards at Dublin ; so the book must have had some sale. The in- troduction and the dedication to the Countess of Northumberland (to whom it will be remembered Percy dedicated his " Reliques " and Goldsmith the first printed copy of his " Edwin and Angelina") are signed with the initials " R. P. ; " and for many years the author's full name was unknown. In 1835, Nicol, the printer, sold by auction a number of books and manuscripts in his possession, which had once belonged to Dodsley, the publisher; and when these

* Some copies are said to be daled 1 750. It appears on the list of new books announced in the " Gentleman's Maga- zine" for November 1750.

PREFACE. ix

were being catalogued, the original agreement * for the sale of the MS. of " Peter Wilkins " was brought to light. From this document it appeared that the author was Robert Paltock of Clement's Inn, and that he received for the copyright ^20, twelve copies of the book, and " the cuts of the first impression " (proof impressions of the illustrations). The writer's name shows him to have been, like his hero, of Cornish origin ; but the authors of the ad- mirable and exhaustive " Bibliotheca Cornubiensis" could discover nothing about him beyond the fact that he was not a bencher of Clement's Inn. That Paltock should have chosen Clement's Inn as a place of residence is not surprising. It still keeps something of its pristine repose. The sun-dial is still supported by the negro ; the grass has not lost its verdure, and on August evenings the plane- trees' leaves glint golden in the sun. One may still hear the chimes at midnight as Falstaff and Justice Shallow heard them of old. Here, where only a muffled murmur comes from the work-aday world, a man in the last century might have dreamed

* It is now in the collection, shortly to be dispersed, of the late Mr. James Crossley of Manchester, a gentleman who was esteemed throughout his lon<j life not less for unfailing courtesy than for rare scholarship. Mr. Crossley promised to search for the document and send me a transcript of it ; but his kind intention was frustrated by his death. Paltock's name is sometimes written Paltock or Poltock. There is no ground for identifying the author of "Peter Wilkins" with the " R. P., Gent.," wlio published in 1751 " Memoirs of the Life of Parnese, a Spanish Lady, Translated from the Spanish M.S."

X PREFACE.

away his life, lonely as Peter Wilkins on the island. One can imagine the amiable recluse composing his homely romance amid such surroundings. Per- haps it was the one labour of his life. He may have come to the Inn originally with the aspira- tion of making fame and money ; and then the spirit of cloistered calm turned him from such vulgar paths, and instead of losing his fine feelings and swelling the ranks of the plutocrats, he gave us a charming romance for our fireside. With the lite- rary men of his day he seems to have had no inter- course. Not a single mention of him is to be found among his contemporaries, and we may be sure that he cut no brilliant figure at the club-houses. No chorus of reviewers chimed the praises of " Peter Wilkins." So far as I can discover, the " Monthly Review " was the only journal in which the book was noticed, and such criticism as the following can hardly be termed laudatory : — " Here is a very strange performance indeed. It seems to be the illegitimate offspring of no very natural conjunc- tion, like ' Gulliver's Travels ' and ' Robinson Crusoe ; ' but much inferior to the manner of these two jjcrforniances as to entertainment or utility. It has all that is impossible in the one or impos- sible in the other, without the wit and spirit of the first, or the just strokes of nature and useful lessons of morality in the second. However, if the inven- tion of wings for mankind to fly with is sufficient amends for all the dulness and unmeaning extrava-

PREFACE. xi

gance of the author, we are willing to allow that his book has some merit, and that he deserves some encouragement at least as an able mechanic, if not as a good author." But the book was not for- gotten. A new edition appeared in 1783, and again in the following year. It was included in Weber's " Popular Romances," 1S12, and published separately, with some charming plates by Stothard, in 1816. Within the last fifty years it has been frequently issued, entire or mutilated, in a popular form. A drama founded on the romance was acted at Covent Garden on April 16, 1827; and more than once of late years "Peter Wilkins" has afforded material for pantomimes. In 1763 a French trans- lation (by Philippe Florent de Puisieux) appeared under the title of " Les Hommes Volants, ou les Aventures de Pierre Wilkins," which was included in vols, xxii.-xxiii. of De Perthe's "Voyages Imaginaires" ( 1 788-89). A German translation was published in 1767, having for title "Die fliegenden Menschen, oder wunderbare Begebenheiten Peter Wilkins." Whether the author lived to see the translations of this Vv'ork cannot be ascertained. A Robert Paltock was buried at Ryme Intrinseca Church, Dorset, in 1767, aged seventy (Hutchin's " Dorset," iv. 493- 494, third edition), but it is very doubtful whether he was the author of the romance.

Paltock's fame may be said to be firmly estab- lished. An American writer, it is true, in a recent " History of Fiction," says not a word about " Peter

xii PREFACE.

Wilkins ; " but, we must remember, another Ameri- can wrote a " History of Caricature " without men- tioning Rowlandson. Coleridge admired the book, and is reported to have said : " Peter Wilkins is, to my mind, a work of uncommon beauty. ... I believe that ' Robinson Crusoe ' and 'Peter Wilkins' could only have been written by islanders. No continentalist could have conceived either tale. ... It would require a very peculiar genius to add another tale ejusdcin generis to ' Robinson Crusoe ' and ' Peter Wilkins.' I once projected such a thing, but the difficulty of the preoccupied ground stopped me. Perhaps La Motte Fouque might effect some- thing ; but I should fear that neither he nor any other German could entirely understand what may be called the desei-t island feeling. I would try the marvellous line of ' Peter Wilkins ' if I attempted it rather than the real fiction of ' Robinson Crusoe ' " (" Table-Talk," 1851, pp. 331-332). Southey, in a note on a passage of the " Curse of Kehama," went so far as to say that Paltock's winged people " are the most beautiful creatures of imagination that ever were devised," and added that Sir Weaker Scott was a warm admirer of the book. With Charles Lamb at Christ's Hospital the story was a favourite. " We had classics of our own," he says, " without being beholden to ' insolent Greece or haughty Rome,' that passed current among us — * Peter Wilkins,' the ' Adventures of the Hon. Cap- tain Robert Boyle,' the ' Fortunate Blue-Coat Boy,'

PREFACE. xiii

and the like." But nobody loved the old rom- ance with such devotion as Leigh Hunt, He was never tired of discoursing about its beauties, and he wrote with such thorough appreciation of his subject that he left little or nothing for another to add. " It is interesting," he writes in one place, " to fancy R. P., or ' Mr. Robert Paltock of Cle- ment's Inn,' a gentle lover of books, not successful enough, perhaps, as a barrister to lead a public or profitable life, but eking out a little employment or a bit of a patrimony with literature congenial to him, and looking oftener to ' Purchas's Pilgrims ' on his shelves than to 'Coke on Littleton.' We picture him to ourselves with ' Robinson Crusoe ' on one side of him and ' Gaudentio di Lucca ' on the other, hearing the pen go over his paper in one of those quiet rooms in Clement's Inn that look out of its old-fashioned buildings into the little garden with the dial in it held by the negro : one of the prettiest corners in London, and extremely fit for a sequestered fancy that cannot get any further. There he sits, the unknown, ingenious, and amiable Mr. Robert Paltock, thinking of an imaginary beauty for want of a better, and creating her for the delight of posterity, though his contemporaries were to know little or nothing of her. We shall never go through the place again without regarding him as its crowning interest. . . . Now a sweeter creature [than Youwarkee] is not to be found in books ; and she does him immortal honour. She

xiv PREFACE.

is all tenderness and vivacity ; all born good taste and blessed companionship. Her pleasure con- sists but in his ; she prevents all his wishes ; has neither prudery nor immodesty ; sheds not a tear but from right feeling ; is the good of his home and the grace of his fancy. It has been well observed that the author has not made his flying women in general light and airy enough . . . And it may be said, on the other hand, that the kind of wing, the graundee, or elastic drapery which opens and shuts at pleasure, however inge- niously and even beautifully contrived, would neces- sitate creatures whose modifications of humanity, bodily and mental, though never so good after their kind, might have startled the inventor had he been more of a naturalist ; might have developed a being very different from the feminine, sympathising, and lovely Youwarkee. Muscles and nerves not human must have been associated with inhuman wants and feelings ; probably have necessitated talons and a beak ! At best the woman would have been wilder, more elvish, capricious, and unaccount- able. She would have ruffled her whalebones when angry ; been horribly intimate, perhaps, with birds' nests and fights with eagles ; and frightened Wilkins out of his wits with dashing betwixt rocks and pulling the noses of seals and gulls " (" Book for a Corner," 1868, i. 68, &c.) Could criticism be more delightful ? But in the " London Journal," November 5, 1834, the genial essayist's fancy

1

PREFACE. XV

dallied even more daintily with the theme : " A peacock with his plumage displayed, full of ' rain- bows and starry eyes,' is a fine object, but think of a lovely woman set in front of an ethereal shell and wafted about like a Venus. . . . We are to pic- ture to ourselves a nymph in a vest of the finest texture and most delicate carnation. On a sudden this drapery parts in two and flies back, stretched from head to foot like an oval fan or an umbrella ; and the lady is in front of it, preparing to sweep blushing away from us and ' winnow the buxom air.' "

For many of us the conduct of life is becoming evermore a thing of greater perplexity. It is weari- some to be rudely jostling one another for the world's prizes, while myriads are toiling round us in an Egyptian bondage unlit by one ray of sunshine from the cradle to the grave. Some have attained to Lucretian heights of philosophy, whence they look with indifference over the tossing world-wide sea of human misery ; but others are fain to avert their eyes, to clean forget for a season the actual world and lose themselves in the mazes of romance. In moments of despondency there is no greater relief to a fretted spirit than to turn to the " Odys- sey " or Mr. Payne's exquisite translation of the " Arabian Nights." Great should be our gratitude to Mr. Morris for teaching us in golden verse tliat " Love is Enough," and for spreading wide the gates ofhis "Earthly Paradise." Lucian's "True History,"

xvi PREFACE.

that carries us over unknown seas beyond the Atlantic bounds to enchanted islands in the west, is one of those books which we do not half appre- ciate. And among the world's benefactors Robert Paltock deserves a place. An idle hour could not be spent in a much pleasanter way than in watch- ing Peter Wilkins go a-field with his gun or haul up the beast-fish at the lonely creek. What can be more delightful than the description how, wakened from dreams of home by the noise of strange voices overhead, he sees fallen at his door the lovely winged woman Youwarkee ! Prudish people may be scandalised at the unreserved frankness shown in the account of the consummation of Wilkins' marriage with this fair creature ; but the editor was unwilling to mutilate the book in the interests of such refined readers. A man or a woman who can find anything to shock his or her feelings in the de- scription of Youwarkee's bridal night deserves the commiseration of sensible people. Very charming is the picture of the children sitting round the fire on the long winter evenings listening wide-eyed to the ever-fresh story of their father's marvellous adventures. The wholesome morality, the chari- tableness and homely piety apparent throughout, give the narrative a charm denied to many works of greater literary pretension. When Peter Wilkins leaves his solitary home to live among the winged people, the interest of the story, it must be con- fessed, is somewhat diminished. The author's

PREFACE. xvii

obligations to Swift in the latter part of the book are considerable ; and of course in describing how Peter Wilkins ordered his life on the lonely island, he was largely indebted to Defoe. But the crea- tion of the winged beings is Paltock's own. It has been suggested that he named his hero after John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, who, among other curious theories, had seriously discussed the ques- tion whether men could acquire the art of flying. In the second part of his " Mathematical Magick," the Bishop writes : " Those things that seem very difficult and fearfull at the first may grow veryfacil after frequent trial and exercise : And therefore he that would effect any thing in this kind must be brought up to the constant practice of it from his Youth ; trying first only to use his wings in running on the ground, as an Estrich or tame geese will do, touching the earth with his toes ; and so by de- grees learn to rise higher till he shall attain unto skill and confidence. I have heard it from credible testimony that one of our nation hath proceeded so far in this experiment that he was able by the help of wings to skip constantly ten yards at a time." Youwarkee spread wide her graundee, and in an instant was lost in the clouds. Had the author given her the motion of a goose, or even of an ostrich — bah ! the thought is too dreadful.

Judicious reader, the long winter evenings have come round, and you have now abundance of leisure. Let the poets stand idle on the shelves till the

VOL. I. ^

xviii PREFACE.

return of spring, unless perchance you would fain resume acquaintance with the "Seasons," which you have not read since a boy, or would divert yourself with Prior or be grave with Crabbe. Now is the time to feel once more the charm of Lamb's peer- less and unique essays ; now is the time to listen to the honied voice of Leigh Hunt discoursing daintily of men and books. So you will pass from Charles Lamb and Leigh Hunt to the books they loved to praise. Exult in the full-blooded, bracing life which pulses in the pages of Fielding; and if Smollett's mirth is occasionally too riotous and his taste too coarse, yet confess that all faults must be pardoned to the author of " Humphry Clinker." Many a long evening you will spend pleasantly with ]3efoe; and then, percliance, after a fresh reading of the thrice and four times wonderful adventures of Robinson Crusoe, you will turn to the romance of "Peter Wilkins." So may rheums and catarrhs be far from you, and may your hearth be crowned with content !

A. H. B.

5 Willow Road, IIampstead, November 1883.

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

PETER WILKINS.

THE

LIFE and ADVENTURES

OF

PETER WILKINS,

A Cornish Man :

Relating particularly,

His Shipwreck near the South Pole; his wonder- ful Passage thro' a subterraneous Cavern into a kind of new World ; his there meeting with a Gawry or flying woman, whose Life he preserv'd, and after- wards married her; his extraordinary Conveyance to the Country of Glums and Gawrys, or Men and Women that fly. Likewise a Description of this strange Country, with the Laws, Customs, and Manners of its Inhabitants, and the Author's re- markable Transactions among them.

Taken from his own Mouth, in his Passage to England from off Cape Horn in America, in the ship Hector.

With an INTRODUCTION, giving an Account of the surprizing Manner of his coming on board that Vessel, and his Death on his landing at Plymouth in the Year 1739.

Illustrated with several Cuts, clearly and distinctly re- presenting the Structure and Mechanism of the Wings of the Glums and Gawrys, and the Manner in which they use them either to swim or fly.

By R. S. « Passenger in the Hector.

In Two Volumes.

VOL. I.

LONDON

Printed for J. ROBINSON, at the Golden Lion, in Lud- gate- street ; and R. DODSLEY, at TullVs Head, in Pall-Mall. MDCCLI.

To the Right Honourable

ELIZABETH,

Countess of Northumberland.

Madam,

1 ^EW Authors, I believe, who write in my Way (whatever View they may set out with) can, in the Prosecution of their Works, forbear to dress their fictitious Characters in the real Ornaments themselves have been most delighted with.

THIS^ I confess, hath been my Case, in the Person of Youwarkee, in the followinor Sheets ; for having formed her Body, I found myself at an inexpressible Loss how to adorn her Mind in the masterly Sentiments I coveted to endue her with ; 'till I recollected the most aim[i]able Pattern in your Ladyship ; a single View of which, at a Time of the utmost fatigue to his Lordship, hath charmed my Imagination ever since.

If a Participater of the Cares of Life in general, alleviates the Concerns of Man ; what an invaluable Blessing must that Lady prove, to the Softness of whose Sex Nature hath conjoined an Aptitude for Council, an Ap- plication, Zeal, and Dispatch but too rarely found in his own !

Had my Situation in Life been so happv as to have presented me with Opportunities of more frequent and minuter Remarks upon your Ladyship's Conduct, I might have defy'd the whole British Fair to have outshone my southern Gawry : For if, to a majestic Form

DEDICATION. xxv

and extensive Capacity, I had been qualified to have copied that natural Sweetness of Dispo- sition, that maternal Tenderness, that Cheer- fulness, that Complacency, Condescension, Affability, and unaffected Benevolence, which so apparently distinguish the Countess of NorthuniberlaJid ; I had exhibited in my Youwarkee a Standard for future Genera- tions.

Madam, I am the more sensible of my Speaking but the Truth from the late Instance of your Benignity, which entitles me to the Honour of subscribing myself,

Madam, Your Ladyships s

most obliged and

most obedient Servant,

R. P.

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CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

CHAPTER I.

PACK

Giving an account of the authors birth and family — The fondness of his mother — His being put to an academy at sixteen by the advice of his friend — His thoughts of his own illiterature .... 9

CHAPTER n.

Hoxv he spent his time at the acadetny — An intrigue with a servant maid there— She declares herself with child by him — Her expostulations with him — He is put to it for money — Refused it from home by his friend, who had married his mother — Is drawn in to marry the ?naid — She lies in at her aunt's — Keturns to her service — He has another child by her . . . l6

CHAPTER HI.

Minds his studies — Informs his master of his mothers marriage and usage of him — Hears of her death — Makes his master his guardian — Goes with him to take possession of his estate — Is iiforvied all is given to his father-in-law — Moral 7-eflectioiis on his condi- tion, and on his father'' s crimes . . . -23

xxviii CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV.

PAGE

Departs secretly from his master — Travels to Bristol — Religious thoughts by the xvay — Enters on shipboard, and is made captain^ s steward . . . . -33

CHAPTER V.

His first entertainment en board — Sets sail — His sickness — Engagement with a French privateer — Is taken and laid in irons — Twenty - one prisoners turned adrift in a small boat with only tuuo days^ provisiotis 40

CHAPTER VI.

The boat, two hundred leagues from land, makes no way, but drives more to sea by the ivind — ITie people live nine days at quarter allowance — Four die with hunger the tivelfth day — Five more the fourteenth day — On the fifteenth they eat one just dead — Want of water excessive — They spy a sail — Are taken up — Work their passage to the African shore — One sent on a secret expedition — Are way-laid, taken, made slaves, and sent up the country ...... 48

CHAPTER VII,

The author escapes with Glanlepze, a native — His hard- ships in travel — Flutider of a cottage — His fears — Adventure with a crocodile — Fassage of a river — Adventure with a lioness and whelps — Arrives at Glanlepze' s house — The trial of Glanlepze s wife's constancy — The tender meeting of her and her hus- band— The author's reficctio7ts thereupon. . . 56

CHAPTER VIII.

How the author passed his time with Glanlepze — His acquaintance with some English prisoners — They project an escape — He joins them — They seize a Por- tuguese ship and get off- — Make a long runjrom land — Want water — They anchor at a desert island — The boat goes on shore for water — They lose their anchor in a storm — The author and one Adams

CONTENTS. xxix

PACK

cirvvi; to sea — A miraculous passage to a rock — Adams droivned there — The author's muerable con- dition • • 73

CHAPTER IX.

He thinks of destroying himself^His soliloquy — Strange accident in the hold — His surprise — Can't climb the rock — His method to sweeten his wafer — Lives many months on board — Ventures to sea in his boat sezieral times, and takes many fish — Almost overcome by an eel 84

CHAPTER X.

I. ays in great store of provisions — Resolves to traverse the rock — Sails for three weeks, still seeing it only— Is sucked under the rock, and hurried down a cataract — Continues there five weeks — His description of the cavern — His thoughts and difficulties — His arrival at a great lake, and his landing in the beautiful country of Graundevolet ...... 98

CHAPTER XI.

His joy on his arrival at land — A description of the place — No inhabitants — Wants fresh water — Resides in a grotto — Finds water — Views the country — Carries his things to the grotto . . . . . .105

CHAPTER XII.

An account of the grotto — A room added to it — A view of that building — The author tnakes a little cart — Also a wet dock for his boat — Goes in quest of provision — A description of divers frtdts and plants — He brings home a cartload of different sorts — Makes experiments on them — Loads his cart with others — A great disap- pointment— Makes good bread — Never sees the sun — The nature of the li;ht 1 12

CHAPTER XIII.

The author lays in a store against the dark 7ueather — Hears voices — His thoughts thereon — Persuades

XXX CONTENTS.

PAGE

himself it was a dream — Hears them agai}i — Deter- mines to see if any one lodged itt the rock — Is satisfied there is nobody — Observations on what he sazv — Finds a strong weed like whip-cord — Makes a drag-net — Lengthens it — Catches a tnonster — Its description — Mcikes oil of it 128

CHAPTER XIV.

The author passes the summer pleasantly — Hears the voices in the winter — Ventures out — Sees a strange sight on the lake — His utteasitiess at it — His dream — Soliloquy — Hears the voices again, and perceives a great shock on his building — Takes up a beautiful woman — He thinks her dead, but recovers her — A description of her — She stays with him . . .142

CHAPTER XV.

He is afraid of losing his new mistress — They live toge- ther all winter — A remark on that — They begin to know each other s language — A long discourse between them at cross purposes — She flies — They engage to be man and wife . . . . . . -154

CHAPTER XVI.

The author's disappointme7it at first going to bed with his new wife — Sotne strange circumstances relating there- to— She resolves several questions he asks her, and clears up his fears as to the voices — A description of szvangeans . .......

CHAPTER XVII.

166

Yoinvarkee cannot bear a strom; light — Her husband makes her spectacles, -which help her — A description of them 175

CHAPTER XVIII.

Youwarkee with child — The author s stock of provisions — A^o beast or fish in Youwarkee' s country — The voices again — Her reason for not seeing those who

CONTENTS. xxxi

«

I'AGE

titlered 'em — She bears a son — A hard speech in Iter lying-in — Divers birds appear — Their eggs gathered — IJoiv the author kept account oj tnne . . . iSi

CHAPTER XIX.

Idis concern about clothing for Fedro, his eldest son — ddis discourse with his ivije ai'out the ship — Her flight to it — His melancholy reflections Uill her return — An account of what she had done, and of what she brought — She clothes her children and takes a second flight 1S9

CHAPTER XX.

'J'he author observes her flight — A descriptio7i of a glumm in the graimdee — She finds out the gulf not far from the ship — Brings home more goods — Makes her a goivn by her husband' s instruction . . '199

CHAPTER XXI.

1 he author gets a breed of poultry — By what means — Builds them a house — Hotu he managed to keep them in -amiter ....... 207

CHAPTER XXII.

Reflections on mankind — l^he author wants to be with his ship — Projects going, but perceives it impracticable — Youwarkee offers her service, and goes — An account of her transactions on board — Remarks on her sagi- city — She despatches several chests of goods through ike gulf to the lake — An account of a danger she escaped — 1 he author has a fit of sickness . .213

CHAPTER XXIII. The religion of the author'' s family .... 225

CHAPTER XXIV.

An account of his children — Their names — They are exercised in flying — His boat crazy — Youwarkee in-

xxxii CONTENTS.

VAGK

/cfids a visit to her father, but Ji>st takes another flight to the ship — Sends a Iwat and chests through the gulf — Clothes her children — Is ivith child again, so her visit is put off — An inventory of the last freight of goods — The author s method of treating his children — Youwarkee, her son lomtiiy, with her daughters Patty atid Hallycarnie, set out for her fathers 233

CHAPTER XXV.

Youwarkee'' s account of the stages to Arndnimnstake — The author uneasy at her fight — His employment in her absence, and preparations for ?-eceiving her father — Hozu he spent the evenings with the children . . 246

CHAPTER XXVI.

Plis concern at Youwarkee's stay — Reflections on his con- dition— Hears a voice call him — Youwarkee'' s brother Quangrollart visits him with a companion — He treats them at the grotto — The brother discovers him- self by accident — The author presents his children to him ......... 254

CHAPTER XXVn.

Quangi'ollarfs account of Youwarkee' s journey, and re- ception at her father' s ...... 265

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THE INTRODUCTION.

|T might be looked upon as impertinent in me, who am about to give the life of another, to trouble the reader with any of my own concerns, or the affairs that led me into the South Seas. Therefore I shall only acquaint him, that in my return on board the " Hector," as a passenger, round Cape Horn, for England, full late in the season, the wind and currents setting strong against us, our ship drove more southernly, by several degrees, than the usual course, even to the latitude of 75 or 76 ; when the wind chopping about, we began to resume our intended way. It was about the middle of June, when the days are there at the shortest, on a very starry and moon- light night, that we observed at some distance a very black cloud, but seemingly of no extraordinary size or height, moving very fast towards us, and seeming to follow the ship, which then made great

VOL. I. A

2 THE INTRODUCTION.

way. Every one on deck was very curious in observing its motions ; and perceiving it frequently to divide, and presently to close again, and not to continue long in any determined shape, our captain, who had never before been so far to the southward as he then found himself, had many conjectures what this phenomenon might portend ; and every one offering his own opinion, it seemed at last to be generally agreed that there might possibly be a storm gathering in the air, of which this was the prognostic ; and by its following, and nearly keeping pace with us, we were in great fear lest it should break upon and overwhelm us, if not carefully avoided. Our commander, therefore, as it approached nearer and nearer, ordered one of the ship's guns to be fired, to try if the percussion of the air would dis- perse it. This was no sooner done than we heard a prodigious flounce in the water, at but a small dis- tance from the ship, on the weather-quarter ; and after a violent noise, or cry in the air, the cloud, that upon our firing dissipated, seemed to return again, but by degrees disappeared. Whilst we were all very much surprised at this unexpected accident, I, being naturally very curious and in- quisitive into the causes of all unusual incidents, begged the captain to send the boat to see, if possible, what it was that had fallen from the cloud, and offered myself to make one in her. He was much against this at first, as it would retard his voyage, now we were going so smoothly before the

" THE INTRODUCTION. 3

wind. But in the midst of our debate, we plainly heard a voice calling out for help, in our own tongue, like a person in great distress. I then insisted on going, and not suffering a fellow- creature to perish for the sake of a trifling delay. In compliance with my resolute demand, he slack- ened sail ; and hoisting out the boat, myself and seven others made to the cry, and soon found it to come from an elderly man, labouring for life, with his arms across several long poles, of equal size at both ends, very light, and tied to each other in a very odd manner. The sailors at first were very fearful of assisting or coming near him, crying to each other, " He must be a monster ! " and perhaps might overset the boat and destroy them ; but hearing him speak English, I was very angry with them for their fooUsh apprehensions, and caused them to clap their oars under him, and at length we got him into the boat. He had an extravagant beard, and also long blackish hair upon his head. As soon as he could speak (for he was almost spent), he very familiarly took me by the hand, I having set myself close by him to observe him, and squeezing it, thanked me very kindly for my civility to him, and likewise thanked all the sailors. I then asked him by what pos- sible accident he came there; but he shook his head, declining to satisfy my curiosity. Hereupon reflecting that it might just then be troublesome for him to speak, and that we should have leisure

4 THE INTRODUCTION.

enough in our voyage for him to relate, and me to hear, his story (which, from the surprising manner of his falling amongst us, I could not but believe would contain something very remarkable), I waived any farther speech with him at that time.

We had him to the ship, and taking off his wet clothes, put him to bed in my cabin ; and I hav- ing a large provision of stores on board, and no concern in the ship, grew very fond of him, and supplied him with everything he wanted. In our frequent discourses together, he had several times dropped loose hints of his past transactions, which but the more inflamed me with impatience to hear the whole of them. About this time, having just begun to double the Cape, our captain thought of watering at the first convenient place ; and finding the stranger had no money to pay his passage, and that he had been from England no less than thirty- five years, despairing of his reward for conducting him thither, he intimated to him that he must expect to be put on shore to shift for himself, when we put in for water. This entirely sunk the stranger's spirits, and gave me great concern, inso- much that I fully resolved, if the captain should really prove such a brute, to take the payment of his passage on myself.

As we came nearer to the destined watering, the captain spoke the plainer of his intentions (for I had not yet hinted my design to him or any one else) ; and one morning the stranger came

THE INTRODUCTION. S

Into my cabin, with tears in his eyes, telling me he verily believed the captain would be as good as his word, and set him on shore, which he very much dreaded. I did not choose to tell him immediately what I designed in his favour, but asked him if he could think of no way of satisfying the captain, or any one else, who might thereupon be induced to engage for him ; and farther, how he expected to live when he should get to England, a man quite forgotten and penniless. Hereupon he told me he had, ever since his being on board, considering his destitute condition, entertained a thought of having his adventures written ; which, as there was something so uncommon in them, he was sure the world would be glad to know ; and he had flattered himself with hopes of raising some- what by the sale of them to put him in a way of living ; but as it was plain now he should never see England without my assistance, if I would answer for his passage, and write his life, he would com- municate to me a faithful narrative thereof, which he believed would pay me to the full any charge I might be at on his account. I was very well pleased with this overture, not from the prospect of gain by the copy, but from the expectation I had of being fully satisfied in what I had so long de- sired to know ; so I told him I would make him easy in that respect. This quite transported him : he caressed me, and called me his deliverer, and was then going open-mouthed to the captain to tell

6 THE INTRODUCTION.

him so. But I put a stop to that : For, says I, though I insist upon hearing your story, the cap- tain may yet relent of his purpose, and not leave you on shore ; and if that should prove the case, I shall neither part with my money for you, nor you with your interest in your adventures to me. Whereupon he agreed I was right, and desisted.

When we had taken in best part of our water, and the boat was going its last turn, the captain ordered up the strange man, as they called him, and told him he must go on board the boat, which was to leave him on shore with some few provisions. I happening to hear nothing of these orders, they were so sudden, the poor man was afraid, after all, he should have been hurried to land without my knowledge : but begging very hard of the captain only for leave to speak with me before he went, I was called (though with some reluctance, for the captain disliked me for the liberties I frequently took with him, on account of his brutal behaviour). I expostulated with the cruel wretch on the inhu- manity of the action he was about ; telling him, if he had resolved the poor man should perish, it would have been better to have suffered him to do so when he was at the last extremity, than to ex- pose him afresh, by this means, to a death as cer- tain, in a more lingering and miserable way. But the savage being resolved, and nothing moved by what I said, I paid him part of the passage

THE INTRODUCTION. 7

down, and agreed to pay the rest at our arrival in England.

Thus having reprieved the poor man, the next thing was to enter upon my new employ of amanu- ensis : and having a long space of time before us, we allotted two hours every morning for the pur- pose of writing down his life from his own mouth ; and frequently, when wind and weather kept us jjelow, we spent some time of an afternoon in the same exercise, till we had quite completed it. But then there were some things in it so indescribable by words, that if I had not had some knowledge in drawing, our history had been very incomplete. Thus it must have been, especially in the descrip- tion of the Gluiiwis and Gaivrys therein mentioned. In order to gain (that so I might communicate) a clear idea of these, I made several drawings of them from his discourses and accounts ; and, at length, after divers trials, I made such exact de- lineations, that he declared they could not have been more perfect resemblances if I had drawn tliem from the life. Upon a survey, he confessed the very persons themselves could not have been more exact. I also drew with my pencil the figure of an aerial engagement, which, having likewise had his approbation, I have given a draught of, I>late the sixth.

Then, having finished the work to our mutual satisfaction, I locked it up, in order to peruse it at leisure, intending to have presented it to him at

8 THE INTRODUCTION.

our arrival in England, to dispose of as he pleased, in such a way as might have conduced most to his profit ; for I resolved, notwithstanding our agree- ment, and the obligations he was under to me, that the whole of that should be his own. But he, having been in a declining state some time before we reached shore, died the very night we landed ; and his funeral falling upon me, I thought I had the greatest right to the manuscript, which, how- ever, I had no design to have parted with ; but showing it to some judicious friends, I have by them been prevailed with not to conceal from the world what may prove so very entertaining, and perhaps useful.

R. P.

CA GENUINE Q^CCOUNT

OF THE

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

CHAPTER I.

Givi)ig an account of the anihor^s birth and family — The fondness of his mother — His being put to an academy at sixteen by the advice of his friend — His thoughts of his owti illiterature.

WAS born at Penhale, in the county of Cornwall, on the 21st day of December 1685, about four months after my father, Peter Wilkins, who was a zealous Protestant of the Church of England, had been executed by Jeffreys, in Somersetshire, for joining in the design of raising the Duke of Monmouth to the British throne. I was named, after my father and grandfather, Peter, and was my father's only child by Alice his wife,

lo LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

the daughter of John Capert, a clergyman in a neighbouring village. My grandfather was a shop- keeper at Newport, who, by great frugality and extraordinary application, had raised a fortune of about p^i6o a year in lands, and a considerable sum of ready money, all which at his death devolved upon my father, as his only child ; who, being no less parsimonious than my grandfather, and living upon his own estate, had much improved it in value before his marriage with my mother ; but he coming to that unhappy end, my mother, after my birth, placed all her affection upon me (her growing hope, as she called me), and used every method, in my minority, of increasing the store for my benefit.

In this manner she went on, till I grew too big, as I thought, for confinement at the apron-string, being then about fourteen years of age ; and having met with so much indulgence from her, for that reason found very little or no contradiction from anybody else ; so I looked on myself as a person of some consequence, and began to take all oppor- tunities of enjoying the company of my neighbours, who hinted frequently that the restraint I was under was too great a curb upon an inclination like mine of seeing the world ; but my mother, still impatient of any little absence, by excessive fondness, and encouraging every inclination I seemed to have, when she could be a partaker with me, kept me within bounds of restraint till I arrived at my six- teenth year.

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. ii

About this time I got acquainted with a country gentleman, of a small paternal estate, which had been never the better for being in his hands, and had some uneasy demands upon it. He soon grew very fcwid of me, hoping, as I had reason afterwards to believe, by a union with my mother to set himself free from his entanglements. She was then about thirty-five years old, and still con- tinued my father's widow, out of particular regard to me, as I have all the reason in the world to be- lieve. She was really a beautiful v/oman, and of a sanguine complexion, but had always carried her- self with so much reserve, and given so little en- couragement to any of the other sex, that she had passed her widowhood , with very few solicitations to alter her way of life. This gentleman observing my mother's conduct, in order to ingratiate himself with her, had shown numberless instances of regard for me ; and, as he told my mother, had observed many things in my discourse, actions, and turn of mind, that presaged wonderful expectations from me, if my genius was but properly cultivated.

This discourse, from a man of very good parts, and esteemed by everybody an accomplished gentle- man, by degrees wrought upon my mother, and more and more inflamed her with a desire of adding what lustre she could to my applauded abilities, and influenced her so far as to ask his advice in what manner most properly to proceed with me. My gentleman then had his desire, for he feared not

12 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

the widow, could he but properly dispose of her charge ; so having desired a little time to consider of a matter of such importance, he soon after told her he thought the most useful method of establish- ing me would be at an academy, kept by a very worthy and judicious gentleman, about thirty, or more, miles from us, in Somersetshire ; where, if I could but be admitted, the master taking in but a stated number of students at a time, he did not in the least doubt but I should fully answer the char- acter he had given her of me, and outshine most of my contemporaries.

My mother, over-anxious for my good, seeming to listen to this proposal, my friend (as I call him) proposed taking a journey himself to the academy, to see if any i)lace was vacant for my re- ception, and learn the terms of my admission ; and in three days' time returned with an engaging ac- count of the place, the master, the regularity of the scholars, of an apartment secured for my recep- tion, and, in short, whatever else might captivate my mother's opinion in favour of his scheme ; and indeed, though he acted principally from another motive, as was plain afterwards, I cannot help think- ing he believed it to be the best way of disposing of a lad sixteen years old, born to a pretty fortune, and who, at that age, could but just read a chapter in the Testament ; for he had before beat my mother quite out of her inclination to a grammar-school in the neighbourhood, from a contempt, he said, it

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 13

would bring upon me from lads much my juniors in years, by being placed in the first rudiments of learning with them.

Well, the whole concern of my mother's little family was now employed in fitting me out for my expedition ; and as my friend had been so instru- mental in bringing it about, he never missed a day inquiring how preparations went on ; and during the process, by humouring me, ingratiated himself more and more with my mother, but without seem- ing in the least to aim at it. In short, the hour of my departure arrived ; and though I had never been master of above a sixpence at one time, unless at a fair or so, for immediate spending, my mother, thinking to make my heart easy at our separation (which, had it appeared otherwise, would have broke hers, and spoiled all), gave me a double pistole in gold, and a little silver in my pocket to prevent my changing it.

Thus I (the coach waiting for us at the door), having been preached into a good liking of the scheme by my friend, who now insisted upon making one of our company to introduce us, mounted the carriage with more alacrity than could be expected for one who had never before been be- yond the smoke of his mother's chimney ; but the thoughts I had conceived, from my friend's dis- course, of liberty in the academic way, and tlie weight of so much money in my pocket, as I then imagined would scarce ever be exhausted, were

14 LIFE OF PETER WILKIXS.

prevailing cordials to keep my spirits on the wing. We lay at an inn that night, near the master's house, and the next day I was initiated ; and, at parting with me, my friend presented me with a guinea. When I found myself thus rich, I must say I heartily wished they were all fairly at home again, that I might have time to count my cash, and dis- pose of such part of it as I had already appropriated to several uses then in embryo.

The next morning left me master of my wishes, for my mother came and took her last (though she little thought it) leave of me, and smothering me with her caresses and prayers for my well-doing, in the height of her ardour put into my hand another guinea, promising to see me again quickly ; and desiring me, in the meantime, to be a very good husband, which I have since taken to be a sort of prophetic speech, she bid me farewell.

I shall not trouble you with the reception I met from my master, or his scholars, or tell you how soon I made friends of all my companions, by some trifling largesses which my stock enabled me to bestow as occasion required ; but I must inform you that, after sixteen years of idleness at home, I had but little heart to my nouns and pronouns, which now began to be crammed upon me ; and being the eldest lad in the house, I sometimes regretted the loss of the time past, and at other times despaired of ever making a scholar at my years; and was ashamed to stand like a great lubber,

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 15

declining of hcec mulier, a woman, whilst my school- fellows, and juniors by five years, were engaged in the love stories of Ovid, or the luscious songs of Horace. I own these thoughts almost overcame me, and threw me into a deep melancholy, of which I soon after, by letter, informed my mother ; who (by the advice, as I suppose, of my friend, by this time her suitor) sent me word to mind my studies, and I should want for nothing.

CHAPTER II.

How he spent his titne at the academy — Att intrigue ■with a servant-maid there — She declares herself with child by him — Her expostulations to hifn — He is put to it for money — Refused it from home by his friend, who had married his mother — Is drawn in to marry the maid — She lies in other aunt's— Returns to her service — He has another child by her.

HAD now been passing my time for about three months in this melancholy way, and, you may imagine, under that disadvantage, had made but Uttle progress in my learning, when one of our maids, taking notice one day of my uneasiness, as I sat musing in my cham- ber, according to my custom, began to rally me that I was certainly in love, I was so sad. Indeed I never had a thought of love before, but the good- natured girl seeming to pity me, and seriously ask- ing me the cause, I fairly opened my heart to her ; and for fear my master should know it, gave her

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 1 7

half-a-crown to be silent. This last engagement fixed her my devotee, and from that time we had frequent conferences in confidence together, till at length inclination, framed by opportunity, produced the date of a world of concern to me ; for about six months after my arrival at the academy, instead of proving my parts by my scholarship, I had proved my manhood by being the destined father of an infant which my female correspondent then assured me would soon be my own.

We nevertheless held on our frequent intercourse ; nor was I so alarmed at the news as I ought to have been, till about two months after, when Patty (for that was the only name I then knew her by) explained herself to me in the following terms : — " You know, Mr. Peter, how matters are with me : I should be very sorry, for your sake, and my own too, to reveal my shame, but in spite of us both nature will show itself; and truly I think some care should be taken, and some method proposed, to preserve the infant, and avoid, as far as may be, the inconveniences that may attend us, for here is now no room for delay." This speech, I own, gave me the first reflection I ever had in my life, and locked up all my faculties for a long time ; nor was I able, for the variety of ideas that crowded my brain, to make a word of answer, but stood like an image of stone, till Patty, seeing my confusion, desired me to recollect my reason ; for as it was too late to undo what had been done, it remained

VOL. I. B

1 8 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

now only to act with that prudence and caution which the nature of the case required ; and that, for her part, she would concur in every reasonable measure I should approve of; but I must remem- ber she was only a servant, and had very little due to her for wages, and not a penny besides that ; and that there must necessarily be a preparation made for the reception of the infant when time should produce it. I now began to see the absolute necessity of all she said, but how to accomplish it was not in me to comprehend. My own small matter of money was gone, and had been so a long time ; we therefore agreed I should write to my mother for a fresh supply. I did so ; and to my great confusion was answered by my former friend in the following words : —

"Son Peter, — Your mother and I are much surprised you should write for money, having so amply provided for you ; but as it is not many months to Christmas, when possibly we may send for you home, you must make yourself easy till then ; as a school-boy, with all necessaries found him, cannot have much occasion for money. — Your loving father, J. G."

Imagine, if it is possible, my consternation at the receipt of this letter. I began to think I should be tricked out of what my father and grandfather had with so much pains and industry for many

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 19

years been heaping up for me, and had a thousand thoughts all together jostling out each other, so could resolve on nothing. I then showed Patty the letter, and we both condoled my hard fortune, but saw no remedy. Time wore away, and nothing done, or like to be, as I could see. For my part, I was like one distracted, and no more able to assist or counsel what should be done than a child in arms. At length poor Patty, who had sat thinking some time, began with telling me she had formed a scheme which in some measure might help us ; but fearing it might be disagreeable to me, she durst not mention it till I should assure her, what- ever I thought of that, I would think no worse of her for proposing it. This preparatory introduction startled me a great deal ; for it darted into my head she waited for my concurrence to destroy the child, to which I could never have consented. But upon my assuring her I would not think the worse of her for whatever she should propose, but freely give her my opinion upon it, she told me, as she could see no other way before us but what tended to our disgrace and ruin, if I would marry her she would immediately quit her place and return to her aunt, who had brought her up from a child, and had enough prettily to live upon, who, she did not doubt, would entertain her as my wife ; but she was assured, upon any other score, or under any other name, would prove her most inveterate enemy. When Patty had made an end, I was glad to find

20 LIFE OF PETER W ILK INS.

it no worse ; and revolving matters a little in my mind, both as to affairs at home and the requested marriage, I concluded upon this latter, and had a great inclination to acquaint my mother of it, but was diverted from that, by suspecting it might prove a good handle for my new father to work with my mother some mischief against me ; so determined to marry forthwith, send Patty to her aunt's, and remain still at the academy myself till I should see what turn things would take at home. Accordingly, the next day good part of Patty's wages went to tie the connubial knot, and to the honest parson for a bribe to antedate the certificate ; and she very soon after took up the rest to defray her journey to her aunt's.

Though Patty was within two months of her time, she had so managed that no one perceived it ; and getting safe to her aunt's, was delivered of a daughter, of which she wrote me word, and said she hoped to see me at the end of her month. How, thought I, can she expect to see me ; money I have none ! and then I despaired of leave for a journey if I had it ; and to go without leave would only arm J. G. against me, as I perceived plainly his interest and mine were very remote things ; so I resolved to quit all thoughts of a journey, and wait till opportunity better served for seeing my wife and child, and our good aunt to whom we w^ere so much obliged. While these and such-like cogitations engrossed my whole attention, I was

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 21

most pleasingly surprised one day, upon my return from a musing walk by the river-side at the end of our garden, where I frequently got my tasks, to find Patty sitting in the kitchen with my old mis- tress, my master's mother, who managed his house, he having been a widower many years. The sight of her almost overcame me, as I had bolted into the kitchen, and was seen by my old mistress before I had seen Patty was with her. The old lady, perceiving me discomposed, inquired into the cause, which I directly imputed to the symptoms of an ague that I told her I had felt upon me best part of the morning. She, a good motherly woman, feeling my pulse, and satisfying herself of its disorder, immediately ran to her closet to bring me a cordial, which she assured me had done wonders in the like cases ; so that I had but just time to embrace Patty and inquire after our aunt and daughter before madam returned with the cordial. Plaving drank it, and given thanks, I was going to withdraw, but she would not part with me so ; for nothing less than my knowledge that this cordial was of her own making, from whence she had the receipt, and an exact catalogue of the several cures it had done, would serve her turn ; which, taking up full three-quarters of an hour, gave room to Patty and me to enjoy each other's glances for that time, to our mutual satisfaction. At last the old prattlebox having made a short pause to recover breath from the narrative of the cordial,

22 LIFE OF PETER IVILKINS.

"Mr. Peter," says she, "you look as if you did not know poor Patty ; she has not left me so long that you should forget her ; she is a good tight wench, and I was sorry to part with her ; but she is out of place, she says, and as that dirty creature Nan is gone, I think to take her again." I told her I well knew she was judge of a good servant, and I did not doubt Patty was such, if she thought so ; and then I made my exit, lighter in heart by a pound than I came.

I shall not tire you any farther with the amours between self and Patty ; but to let you know she quitted her place again seven months after, upon the same score.

CHAPTER III.

Minds his studies — Infonns his master of his mother's Diarriage, and usage of him — Hears of her death — Makes his master liis gtcardian — Goes with him to take possession of his estate — Is infor)ned all is given to his father-in-law — Moral reflectio7is o>i his coftdition, and on his father's crimes.

WAS now near nineteen years of age ; and though I had so much more in my head than my school-learning, I know not how it happened, but ever since the commencement of my amour with Patty, having somebody to dis- burden my mind to, and to participate in my concerns, I had been much easier, and had kept true tally with my book, with more than usual delight ; and being arrived to an age to comprehend what I heard and read, I could, from the general idea I had of things, form a pretty regular piece of Latin, without being able to repeat the very rules it was done by ; so that I had the acknowledgment

24 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

of my master for the best capacity he ever had under his tuition : this, he not sparing frequently to mention it before me, was the acutest spur he could have applied to my industry; and now> having his good will, I began to disuse set hour^ of exercise, but at my conveniency applied myself to my studies as I best pleased, being always sure to perform as much, or more, than he ever enjoined me ; till I grew exceedingly in his confidence, and by reason of my age (though I was but small, yet manly) I became rather his companion upon parties than his direct pupil.

It was upon one of these parties I took the opportunity to declare the dissatisfaction I had at my mother's second marriage. "Sir," says I, "surely I was of age to have known it first, especially con- sidering the affection my mother had always shown to me, and my never once having done the least thing to disoblige her ; but, sir," said I, " something else, I fear, is intended by my mother's silence to me ; for I have never received above three letters from her since I came here, which is now, you know, three years, and those were within the first three months. I then showed him the fore-men- tioned letter I received from my new father-in-law, and assured him that gave me the first hint of this second marriage.

I found, by the attention my master gave to my relation, he seemed to suspect this marriage would prove detrimental to me ; but not on the sudden

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 2$

knowing what to say to it, he told me he would consider of it ; and, by all means, advised me to write a very obliging letter to my new father, with my humble request that he would please to order me home the next recess of our learning. I did so under my master's dictation ; and not long after received an answer to the following effect : —

"Son Peter, — Your mother has been dead a good while ; and as to your request, it will be only expensive, and of little use ; for a person who must live by his studies can't apply to them too closely."

This letter, if I had a little hope left, quite sub- dued my fortitude, and well-nigh reduced me to clay. However, with tears in my eyes, I showed it to my master, who, good man ! wishing me w^ell, "Peter," says he, "what can this mean ? here is some mystery concealed in it ; here is some ill design on foot !" Then taking the letter into his hand, " A person who must live by his studies," says he ; "here is more meant than we can think for. Why, have not you a pretty estate to live upon, when it comes to your hands? Peter," says he, "I would advise you to go to your father and inquire how your affairs are left ; but I am afraid to let you go alone, and will, when my students depart at Christmas, accompany you myself with all my heart ; for you must know I have advised on your affair already, and find you are of age to choose yourself a guar-

26 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

dian, who may be any relation or friend you can confide in ; and may see you have justice done you." I immediately thanked him for the hint, and begged him to accept of the trust, as my only friend, having very few, if any, near relations : this he with great readiness complied with, and was admitted accordingly.

So soon as our scholars were gone home, my master lending me a horse, we set out together to possess ourselves of all my father's real estate, and such part of the personal as he had been advised would belong to me. Well, we arrived at the old house, but were not received with such extraordinary tokens of friendship as would give the least room to suppose we were welcome. For my part, all I said, or could say, was that I was very sorry for my mother's death. My father replied so was he. Here we paused, and might have sat silent till this time for me, if my master, a grave man, who had seen the world, and was unwilling any part of our time there, which we guessed would be short, should be lost, had not broke silence. " Mr. G." says he, " I see the loss of Master \\' ilkins's mother puts him under some confusion ; so that you will excuse me, as his preceptor and friend, in making some inquiry how his affairs stand, and how his effects are disposed, as I don't doubt you have taken care to schedule everything that will be coming to him ; and though he is not yet of the necessary age for taking upon himself the manage-

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 27

ment of his estate, he is nevertheless of capacity to understand the nature and quantum of it, and to show his approbation of the disposition of it, as if he was a year or two older." During this discourse, Mr. G. turned pale, then reddened, was going to interrupt, then checked himself; but however kept silence till my master had done ; when, with a sneer, he replied, " Sir, I must own myself a great stranger to your discourse ; nor can I, for my life, imagine what your harangue tends to ; but sure I am, I know of no estate, real or personal, or any- thing else belonging to young Mr. Wilkins, to make a schedule of, as you call it : but this I know, his mother had an estate in land, near two hundred a year, and also a good sum of money when I married her; but the estate she settled on me before her marriage, to dispose of after her decease as I saw fit ; and her money and goods are all come to my sole use, as her husband." I was just ready to drop while Mr. G. gave this relation, and was not able to reply a word ; but my master, though sufficiently shocked at what he had heard, replied, "Sir, I am informed the estate, and also the money you mention, was Mr. Wilkins's father's at his death ; and I am surprised to think any one should have a better title to them than my pupil, his only child." — "Sir," says Mr. G., "you are deceived ; and though what you say seems plau- sible enough, and is in some part true, as that the late Mr. Wilkins had such estate, and some hun-

28 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

dreds — I may say thousands — at his death ; yet you seem ignorant that he made a deed, just before entering into the fatal rebellion, by which he gave my late wife both the estate, money, and every- thing else he had, absolutely, without any con- ditions whatsoever ; all which, on his unhappy execution, she enjoyed, and now of right, as I told you before, belongs to me. However, as I have no child, if Peter behaves well under your direction, I have thoughts of paying another year's board for him, and then he must shift for himself." — " Oh ! " cried I, " for the mercy of some savage beast to devour me ! Is this what I have been cockered up for ? Why was I not placed out to some laborious craft, where I might have drudged for bread in my proper station ? But I fear it is too late to inquire into what is past, and must submit."

My master, good man ! was thunderstruck at what he had heard ; and finding our business done there, we took our leaves ; after Mr. G. had again repeated, that if I behaved well, my preceptor should keep me another year, which was all I must expect from him ; and at my departure he gave me a crown-piece, which I then durst not refuse, for fear of offending my master.

We made the best of our way home again to my tutor's, where I stayed but a week to consider what I should do for myself. In this time he did all he could to comfort me ; telling me if I would stay with him and become his usher, he would com-

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 29

plete my learning for nothing, and allow me a salary for my trouble. But my heart was too lofty to think of becoming an usher within so little way from mine own estate in other hands. However, since I had not a penny of money to endeavour at recovering my right with, I told my master I would consider of his proposal.

During my stay with him he used all methods to make me as easy as possible ; and frequently moralised with so much effect, that I was almost convinced I ought to submit and be content. Amongst the rest of his discourse, he endeavoured to show me (one day after I had been loudly con- demning my cruel fortune, and saying I was born to be unhappy) that I was mistaken if I thought or imagined it was chance or accident that had been against me when I complained of fortune. " For," says he, " Peter, there _is nothing done below but is at least foreknown, if not decreed, above ; and our business in life is to believe so : not that I would have such beUef make us careless, and think it to no purpose to strive, as some do ; who, being persuaded that our actions are not in our own choice, but that, being pressed by an irresistible decree, we are forced to act this or that, fancy we must be necessarily happy or miserable hereafter ; or, as others, who, for fear of falling upon that shocking principle, would even deprive the Al- mighty of foreknowledge, lest it should consequen- tially amount to a decree : for, say they, what is

30 LIFE OF PETER IV ILK INS.

foreknown, will and must be. But I would have you act so as that, let either of these tenets be true, you may still be sure of making yourself easy and happy ; and for that purpose let me recommend to you a uniform life of justice and piety ; always choosing the good rather than the bad side of every action : for this, say they what they will to the contrary, is not above the power of a reasonable being to practise : and doing so, you may without scruple say, — If there is foreknowledge of my actions, or they are decreed, I then am one who is foreknown or decreed to be happy. And this, without farther speculation, you will find the only means always to keep you so ; for all men, of all denominations, fully allow this happy effect to follow good actions. Again, Peter, a person acting in a vicious course, with such an opinion in his head as above, must surely be very miserable, as his very actions themselves must pronounce the decree against him : whilst, therefore, we have not heard the decree read, you see we may easily give sentence whether it be for good or evil to us, by the tenor and course of our own actions.

" You arc not now to learn, Peter, that the crimes of the father are often punished in the children, often in the father himself, sometimes in both, and not seldom in neither, in this life ; and though, at first, one should think the future punishment annexed to bad actions was sufficient, still it is necessary^ some should suffer here also for an

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 31

example to others ; we being much more affected with what the eye sees, than what the heart only meditates upon.

"Now, to bring it to our own case; your father, Peter, rose against the lawful magistrate, to deprive him (it matters not that he was a bad one) of his lawful power. Your father's policy was such, and_. his design so well laid, as he thought, that upon any ill success to himself, he had secured his estate to go in the way of all others he could wish to have it. and sits down very well contented that, happen what would, he should bite the Government in preventing the forfeiture. But lo ! his policy is as a wall of sand blown down with a puff ! for it is to you it ought, even himself being umpire, to have come, as no one would think he would prize any before you, his own child. Now, could he look from the grave, and know what passes here, and see Mr. G. in possession of all he fancied he had secured for you, what a weak and short-sighted creature would he find himself! If it be said he did not know he should have a child, then herein appears God's policy beyond man's ; for He knew it, and has so ordered that that child should be disinherited ; for, by the way, Peter, take this for a maxim, wherever the first principle of an action is ill, no good consequence can possibly ever be an attendant on it. Could he, as I said before, but look up and see you, his only child, undone by the very instrument he designed for your security, how

32 LIFE OF PETER W ILK INS.

pungent would be his anxiety ! I say, Peter, though there is something so unaccountable to human wisdom in such events of things, yet there is something therein so reasonable and just withal, that by a prying eye, the Supreme Hand may very visibly be seen in them. Now, this being plainly the case before us, and herein the glory of the Almighty exalted, rest content under it, and let not this disappointment, befallen you for your father's faults, be attended with others sent down for your own ; but remember this, the Hand that depresses a man is no less able to exalt and esta- blish him."

CHAPTER IV.

Departs secretly from his master — Travels to Bristol — Religious thoughts by the laay — Enters on ship- board, and is made captaift's steward.

SEEMED to be very well satisfied whilst my master was speaking ; but though I thought he talked like an angel, my for- mer uneasiness seized me at parting with him. In short, without more consideration, I rose in the morning early and marched off, having first wrote to my wife at her aunt's, relating the state of the case to her, with my resolution to leave England the first opportunity, giving her what comfort I could, assuring her if I ever was a gainer in life she should not fail to be a partaker, and promising also to let her know where I settled. I walked at a great rate, for fear my master's kindness should prompt him to send after me ; and taking the bye- ways, I reached by dark night a little village, where I resolved to halt. Upon inquiry I found myself thirty-five miles from my master's. I had eaten nothing all day, and was very hungry and weary,

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34 LIFE OF PETER W ILK INS.

but my crown-piece was as yet whole ; however I fed very sparingly, being over-pressed with the dis- tress of my affairs and the confusion of my thoughts. I slept that night tolerably, but the morning brought its face of horror with it. I had inquired over-night where I was, and been informed that I was not above sixteen miles from Bristol, for which place I then resolved.

At my setting out in the morning, after I had walked about three miles, and had recollected a little my master's last discourse, I found by degrees my spirit grew calmer than it had been since I left Mr. G. at my house (as I shall ever call it), and looking into myself for the cause, found another set of thoughts were preparing a passage into my mind, which did not carry half the dread and terror with them that their predecessors had ; for I began to cast aside the difficulties and apprehensions I before felt in my way, and encouraging the present motions, soon became sensible of the benefit of a virtuous education ; and though what I had hitherto done in the immediate service of God, I must own had been performed from force, custom, and habit, and without the least attention to the object of the duty ; yet, as under my mother at home, and my master at the academy, I had been always used to say my prayers, as they called it, morning and night : I began, with a sort of superstitious reflec- tion, to accuse myself of having omitted that duty the night before, and also at my setting out in the

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 35

morning, and very much to blame myself for it, and, at the same instant, even wondered at myself for that blame. What, says I, is the real use of this praying ; and to whom or to what do we pray ? I see no one to pray to ; neither have I ever thought that my prayers would be answered. It is true they are worded as if we prayed to God : but He is in heaven ; does He concern Himself with us who can do Him no service ? Can I think all my prayers that I have said, from day to day, so many years, have been heard by Him? No, sure ; if they had, I should scarce have sustained this hard fate in my fortune. But hold, how have I prayed to Him ? Have I earnestly prayed to Him, as I used to peti- tion my mother for anything when I wanted it against her inclination ? No, I can't say I have. And would my mother have granted me such things, if she had not thought I had from my heart desired them, when I used to be so earnest with her ? No, surely ; I can't say she had any reason for it. But I had her indeed before me ; now I have not God in my view : He is in heaven. Yet, let me see ; my master (and I can't help thinking he must know) used to say that God is a spirit, and not confined by the incumbrance of a body, as we are ; now, if it is so, why may He not virtually be present with me, though I don't perceive Him ? Why may He not be at once in heaven and elsewhere ? For if He consists not in parts, nothing can circumscribe Him : and, truly, I believe it must be so ; for if He

36 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

is of that supreme power as He is represented, He could never act in so unconfined a capacity, under the restraint of place ; but if He is an operative and purely spiritual Being, then I can see no reason why His virtual essence should not be diffused through all nature ; and then (which I begin to think most likely) why should I not suppose Him ever present with me, and able to hear me ? And why should not I, when I pray, have a full idea of the Being, though not of any corporeal parts or form of God, and so have actually somewhat to be intent upon in my prayers, and not do as I have hitherto done, say so many words only upon my knees ; which I cannot help thinking may be as well without either sense or meaning in themselves, as without a proper object in my mind to direct them unto ?

These thoughts agitated me at least two miles, working stronger and stronger in me ; till at length, bursting into tears. Have I been doing nothing, says I, in the sight of God, under the name of prayers, for so many years ? Yes, it is certainly so. Well, by the grace of God, it shall be so no longer ; I will try somewhat more. So looking round about me, to see if I was quite alone, I stepped into an adjoining copse, and could scarce refrain falling on my knees, till I came to a proper place for kneeling in. I then poured forth my whole soul and spirit to God ; and all my strength, and every member, every faculty was to the utmost em-

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 37

ployed, for a considerable time, in the most agree- able as well as useful duty. I would indeed have begun with my accustomed prayers, and had repeated some words of them ; when, as though against and contrary to my design, I was carried away by such rapturous effusions that, to this hour, when I reflect thereon, I cannot believe but I was moved to them by a much more than human impulse. However, this ecstasy did not last above a quarter of an hour ; but it was considerably longer before my spirits subsided to their usual frame. When I had a little composed myself, how was I altered ! how did I condemn myself for all my past disquiet ! what calm thanks did I return for the ease and satisfaction of mind I then enjoyed ! And coming to a small rivulet, I drank a hearty draught of water and contentedly proceeded on my journey. I reached Bristol about four o'clock in the afternoon. Having refreshed myself, I went the same evening to the quay to in- quire what ships were in the river, whither bound, and when they would depart. My business was with the sailors, of whom there were at that time great numbers there ; but I could meet with no employ, though I gave out I would gladly enter myself before the mast. After I had done the best I could, but without success, I returned to the little house I had dined at, and went to bed very pen- sive. I did not forget my prayers ; but I could by no means be roused to such devotion as I felt in the morning. Next day I walked again to the quay,

f"" r\ ^*

59G59

38 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

asking all I met, who looked like seafaring men, for employment ; but could hear of none, there being many waiting for berths ; and I feared my appearance (which was not so mean as most of that sort of gentry is) would prove no small disappoint- ment to my preferment that way. At last, being out of heart with my frequent repulses, I went to a landing-place just by, and as I asked some sailors, who were putting two gentlemen on shore, if they wanted a hand on board their ship, one of the gentlemen, whom I afterwards found to be the master of a vessel bound to the coast of Africa, turned back and looking earnestly on me, " Young man," says he, " do you want employment on board? " I immediately made him a bow, and answered, "Yes, sir." Said he, " There is no talking in this weather (for it then blew almost a storm), but step into that tavern," pointing to the place, "and I will be with you presently." 1 went thither, and not long after came my future master. He asked me many questions, but the first was, whether I had been at sea. I told him no ; but I did not doubt soon to learn the duty of a sailor. He then looked on my hand, and shaking his head, told me it would not do, for I had too soft a hand. I told him I was determined for the sea, and that my hand and heart should go to- gether ; and I hoped my hand would soon harden, though not my heart. He then told me it was a pity to take such a pretty young fellow before the mast; but if I understood accounts tolerably, and

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 39

could write a good hand, he would make me his steward, and make it worth my while. I answered in the affirmative, joyfully accepting his offer ; but on his asking me where my chest was (for, says he, if the wind had not been so strong against me, I had fallen down the river this morning), I looked very blank, and plainly told him I had no other stores than I carried on my back. The captain smiled. Says he, "Young man, I see you are a novice; why, the meanest sailor in my ship has a chest, at least, and perhaps something in it. Come," says he, " my lad, I like your looks ; be diligent and honest ; I will let you have a little money to set you out, and deduct it in your pay." He was then pulling out his purse, when I begged him, as he seemed to show me so great a kindness, that he would order somebody to buy what necessaries he knew I should want for me, or I should be under as great a diffi- culty to know what to get, and where to buy them, as I should have been at for want of them. He commended my prudence, and said he would buy them and send them on board himself; so bid me trouble myself no more about them, but go to the ship in the return of his boat, and stay there till he came ; giving me a ticket to the boat's crew to take me in. When I came to the shore, the boat was gone off and at a good distance ; but I hailed them, and showing my ticket, they put back and took me safe to the ship ; heartily glad that I was entered upon my new service.

CHAPTER V.

His first e)ttertainme)it on board — Sets sail— His sick- ness— Encrao^emctit ivith a French privateer — Is taken and laid in irons — Twenty-one prisoners turned adrift in a small boat with only two days' provision.

|EING once on board and in pay, I thought I was a man for myself, and set aboi t considering how to behave ; and nobody knowing, as yet, upon what footing I came on board, they took me for a passenger, as my dress did not at all bespeak me a sailor; so every one, as I sauntered about, had something to say to me. By and by comes a pert young fellow up : "Sir," says he, " your servant ; what, I see our captain has picked up a passenger at last." — " Passenger ? " says I ; " you are pleased to be merry, sir ; I am no pas- senger."— " Why, pray," says he, " what may you be then?" — "Sir," says I, "the captain's steward." — " You impertinent puppy," says he, " what an answer you give me ; you the captain's steward ! No, sir, that place, I can assure you, is in better

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 41

hands ! " and away he turned. I knew not what to think of it, but was terribly afraid I should draw myself into some scrape. By and by others asked me, some one thing, some another, and I was very cautious what answers I made them, for fear of offence : till a gravish sailor came and sat down by me ; and after talking of the weather and other indifferent matters, " Pray," says I, " sir, who is that gentleman that was so affronted at me soon after I came on board ? " — " Oh," says he, " a proud, insignificant fellow, the captain's steward ; but don"t mind him," says he; "he uses the captain himself as bad ; they have had high words just before the captain went on shore ; and had he used me as he did him, I should have made no ceremony of tipping him overboard — a rascal ! " Says I, " You surprise me ; for the captain sent me on board to be his steward, and agreed with me about it this afternoon." — "Hush," says he, "I see how it will go ; the captain, if that's the case, will discharge him when he comes on board ; and indeed I believe he would not have kept him so long, but we have waited for a wind, and he could not pro- vide himself."

The captain came on board at night ; and the first thing he did was to demand the keys of Mr. Steward, which he gave to me, and ordered him on shore.

The next morning the captain went on shore himself; but the wind chopping about and standing

42 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

fair about noon, he returned then with my chest, and before night we were got into saihng order, and before the wind with a brisk gale.

What happened the first fourteen days of our passage I know not, having been all that time so sick and weak I could scarcely keep life and soul together; but after grew better and better. We prosecuted our voyage, touching for about a week at the Madeiras in our way. The captain grew very fond of me, and never put me to hard duty, and I passed my time, under his favour, very plea- santly. One evening, being within sixty leagues of the Cape of Palms, calm weather, but the little wind we had against us, one of our men spied a sail, and gave the captain notice of it. He, not suspecting danger, minded it litde, and we made what way the wind would permit, but night com- ing on, and the calm continuing, about peep of day we perceived we were infallibly fallen in with a Frencli privateer, who, hoisting French colours, called out to us to strike. Our captain had scarce time to consider what to do, they were so near us ; but as he had twenty-two men on board, and eight guns he could bring to, he called all hands upon deck, and telling them the consequence of a sur- render, asked them if they would stand by him. One and all swore they would fight the ship to the bottom, rather than fall into the privateer's hands. The captain immediately gave the word for a clear deck, prepared his firearms, and begged them to

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 43

be active and obey orders ; and perceiving the privateer out-numbered our hands by abundance, he commanded all the small arms to be brought upon deck loaded, and to run out as many of the ship's guns as she could bring to on one side, and to charge them all with small shot, then stand to till he gave directions. The privateer being a light ship, and a small breeze arising, run up close to us, first firing one gun, then another, still calling out to us to strike, but we neither returned fire nor answer, till he came almost within pistol-shot of us, and seeing us a small vessel, thought to board us directly ; but then our captain ordered a broad- side, and immediately all hands to come on deck ; himself standing there at the time of our first fire with his fusee in his hand, and near him I stood with another. We killed eight men and wounded several others. The privateer then fired a broad- side through and through us. :, By this time our hands were all on deck, and the privateer pushing, in hopes to grapple and board us, we gave them a volley from thence, that did good execution ; and then all hands to the ship's guns again, except four, who were left along with me to charge the small arms. It is incredible how soon they had fired the great guns and were on deck again. This last fire, being with ball, raked the privateer miserably. Then we fired the small arms, and away to the ship's guns. This we did three times suc- cessively without loss of a man, and I believe if we

44 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

could have held it once more, and no assistance had come to the privateer, she had sheered quite off : but our captain spying a sail at some distance behind the privateer, who lay to windward of us, and seeing by his glass it was a Frenchman, was almost dismayed ; the same sight put courage into our enemies, who thereupon redoubled the attack, and the first volley of their small arms shot our captain in the breast, upon which he dropped dead without stirring. I need not say that sight shocked me exceedingly. Indeed it disconcerted the whole action ; and though our mate, a man of good cour- age and experience, did all that a brave man could do to animate the men, they apparently drooped, and the loss of the ship became inevitable ; so we struck, and the Frenchman boarded us.

During the latter part of the engagement we had two men killed and five wounded, who died afterwards of their wounds. We, who were alive, were all ordered on board the Frenchman, who, after rifling us, chained us two and two and turned us into the hold. Our vessel was then ransacked ; and the other privateer, who had suffered much the day before in an engagement with an English twenty-gun ship of war, coming up, the prize was sent by her into port, where she herself was to refit. In this condition did I and fourteen of our crew lie for six weeks, till the fetters on our legs had almost eaten to the bone, and the stench of the place had well-nigh suffocated us.

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 45

The " Glorieux" (for that was the name of the privateer who took us) saw nothing farther in five weeks worth her notice, which very much dis- couraged the men ; and consulting together, it was agreed to cruise more northward, between Sierra Leone and Cape de Verde ; but about noon next day they spied a sail coming west-north-west with a fresh gale. The captain thereupon ordered all to be ready, and lie by for her. But though she discerned us, she kept her way, bearing only more southward ; when the wind shifting to north- east, she ran for it, full before the wind, and we after her, with all the sail we could crowd ; and though she was a very good sailer, we gained upon her, being laden, and before night came pretty well up with her ; but being a large ship, and the evening hazy, we did not choose to engage her till morning. The next morning we found she was slunk away ; but we fetched her up, and hoisting French colours, fired a shot, which she not answer- ing, our captain run alongside of her and fired a broadside ; then slackening upon her, a hard en- gagement ensued ; the shot thumping so against our ship, that we prisoners, who had nothing to do in the action, expected death, one or other of us, every moment. The merchantman was so heavy loaded, and drew so much water, that she was very unwieldy in action ; so after a fight of two hours, when most of her rigging and masts were cut and wounded, she s'.ruck. Twelve men were sent on

46 LIFE OF PETER W ILK INS.

board her, and her captain and several officers were ordered on board us.

There were thirty- eight persons in her, including passengers ; all of whom, except five, and the like number which had been killed in the action, were sent chained into the hold to us, who had lain there almost six weeks. This prize put Monsieur into good heart, and determined him to return home with her. But in two days' time his new acquisition was found to have leaked so fast near the bottom, that before they were aware of it the w^ater was risen some feet. Several hands were employed to find out the leak ; but all asserted it was too low to be come at ; and as the pumps, with all the labour the prisoners, who were the persons put to it, could use, would not reduce it, but it still increased, they removed what goods they could into the privateer ; and before they could unload it the prize sunk.

The next thing they consulted upon was what to do with the prisoners, who, by the loss of the prize, were now grown too numerous to be trusted in tlie privateer ; fearing, too, as they were now so far out at sea, by the great addition of mouths, they might soon be brought to short allowance, it was, on both accounts, resolved to give us the prize's boat, which they had saved, and turn us adrift to shift for ourselves. There were in all forty-three of us ; but the privateer having lost several of their own men in the two engagements,

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S.

47

they looked us over, and picking out tvvo-and- twenty of us, who were the most likely fellows for their purpose, the remaining one-and-twenty were committed to the boat, with about two days' pro- vision and a small matter of ammunition, and turned out.

CHAPTER VI.

The boat, tivo hicitdrea lca:[iics front land, niakes no way, btit drives more to sea by the wind — The people live nine days at quaiier allowance — Four die with hunger the tweljth day — Five more tlie fouiteenth day — On the fifteenth they eat one just dead — Want of water excessive — Spy a sail — Are taken 7ip — Work their passa^s;e to the African shore — Are sent on a secret expedi- tion— Are waylaid, taken slaves, atid sent up the country.

[lEN we, who were in the boat, came to reflect on our condition, the prospect before us appeared very melancholy; though we had at first readily enough embraced the offer, rather than perish in so much misery as we suffered in our loathsome confinement. We now judged we were above two hundred leagues from land, in about eight degrees north latitude ; and it blowing north-east, a pretty stiff gale, we could make no way, but rather lost, for we aimed at some port in Africa, having neither sail, compass,

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 49

nor any other instrument to direct us ; so that all the observation we could make was by the sun for running southward, or as the wind carried us, for we had lost the North Pole. As we had little above two days' provisions, we perceived a necessity of almost starving voluntarily, to avoid doing it quite, seeing it must be many days before we could reach shore, if ever we did, having visibly driven a great deal more southward than we were ; nay, unless a sudden change happened, we were sure of perish- ing, unless delivered by some ship that Providence might send in our way. In short, the ninth day came, but no relief with it ; and though we had lived at quarter allowance, and but just saved life, our food, except a little water, was all gone, and this caused us quite to despair. On the twelfth day four of our company died with hunger in a very miserable way ; and yet the survivors had not strength left to move them to pity their fellows. In truth, we had sat still, attempting nothing in several days ; as we found that, unless the wind shifted, we only consumed the little strength we had left to no manner of purpose. On the four- teenth day, and in the night, five more died, and a sixth was near expiring ; and yet we, the survivors, were so indolent, we would scarce lend a hand to throw them overboard. On the fifteenth day, in the morning, our carpenter, weak as he was, started up, and as the sixth man was just dead, cut his throat, and whilst warm let out what blood would

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50 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

flow ; then pulling off his old jacket, invited us to dinner, and cutting a large slice of the corpse, de- voured it with as much seeming relish as if it had been ox-beef. His example prevailed with the rest of us, one after another, to taste and eat ; and as there had been a heavy dew or rain in the night, and we had spread out everything we had of linen and woollen to receive it, we were a little refreshed by wringing our clothes and sipping what came from them ; after which we covered them up from the sun, stowing them all close together to keep in the moisture, which served us to suck at for two days after, a little and a little at a time ; for now we were in greater distress for water than for meat. It has surprised me, many times since, to think how we could make so light a thing of eating our fellow-creature just dead before our eyes ; but I will assure you, when we had once tasted, we looked on the blessing to be so great, that we cut and eat with as little remorse as we should have had for feeding on the best meat in an English market ; and most certainly, when this corpse had failed, if another had not dropped by fair means, we should have used foul by murdering one of our number as a supply for the rest.

Water, as I said before, to moisten our mouths, was now our greatest hardship, for every man had so often drank his own, that we voided scarce any- thing but blood, and that but a few drops at a time; our mouths and tongues were quite flayed

LIFE OF PETER WILKIKS. 51

with drought, and our teeth just fallen from our jaws ; for though we had tried, by placing all the dead men's jackets and shirts one over another, to strain some of the sea-water through them by small quantities, yet that would not deprive it of its per- nicious qualities ; and though it refreshed a little in going down, we were so sick, and strained our- selves so much after it, that it came up again, and made us more miserable than before. Our corpse now stunk so, what was left of it, that we could no longer bear it on board, and every man began to look with an evil eye on his fellow, to think whose turn it would be next ; for the carpenter had started the question, and preached us into the necessity of it ; and we had agreed, the next morning, to put it to the lot who should be the sacrifice. In this distress of thought it was so ordered by good Pro- vidence, that on the twenty-first day we thought we spied a sail coming from the north-west, which caused us to delay our lots till we should see whether it would discover us or not : we hung up some jackets upon our oars, to be seen as far off as we could, but had so little strength left we could make no way towards it : however, it happened to direct its course so much to our relief, that an hour before sunset it was within a league of us, but seemed to bear away more eastward, and our fear was that they should not know our distress, for wc were not able to make any noise from our throats that might be heard fifty yards ; but the carpenter,

52 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

who was still the best man amongst us, with much ado getting one of the guns to go off, in less than half-an-hour she came up with us, and seeing our deplorable condition, took us all on board, to the number of eleven. Though no methods were un- essayed for our recovery, four more of us died in as many days. When the remaining seven of us came a little to ourselves, we found our deliverers were Portuguese, bound for Saint Salvadore. We told the captain we begged he would let us work our passage wiih him, be it where it would, to shore ; and then, if we could be of no further service to him, we did not doubt getting into Europe again : but in the voyage, as we did him all the service in our power, we pleased him so well that he engaged us to stay with him to work the ship home again, he having lost some hands by fever soon after his setting sail.

We arrived safe in port ; and in a few days the captain, who had a secret enterprise to take in hand, hired a country coasting vessel, and sent her seventeen leagues farther on the coast for orders from some factory or settlement there. I was one of the nine men who were destined to conduct her ; but not understanding Portuguese, I knew little of the business we went upon. We were to coast it all the way ; but on the tenth day, just at sunrise, we fell in with a fleet of boats which had waylaid us, and were taken prisoners. Being carried ashore, we were conducted a long way up the country,

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 53

s'here we were imprisoned, and almost starved, ;hough I never knew the meaning of it ; nor did my of us, unless the mate, who, we heard, was :arried up the country much farther, to Angola ; Dut we never heard more of him, though we were ;old he would be sent back to us.

Here we remained under confinement almost hree months, at the end of which time our keeper old us we were to be removed ; and coupling us wo and two together, sent a guard with us to An- ;ola ; when, crossing a large river, we were set to vork in removing the rubbish and stones of a :astle or fortress, which had been lately demolished )y an earthquake and lightning. Here we con- inued about five months, being very sparingly lieted, and locked up every night.

This place, however, I thought a paradise to our ormer dungeon ; and as we were not overworked, ve made our lives comfortable enough, having the lir all day to refresh us from the heat, and not vanting for company ; for there were at least hree hundred of us about the whole work ; and I )ften fancied myself at the tower of Babel, each abourer almost speaking in a language of his )wn.

Towards the latter end of our work our keepers ;rew more and more remiss in their care of us. U my first coming thither, I had contracted a amiliarity with one of the natives, but of a diffe- ent kingdom, who was then a slave with me ; and

54 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

he and I being able tolerably to understand each other, he hinted to me, one day, the desire he had of seeing his own country and family, who neither knew whether he was dead or alive, or where he was, since he had left them, seven years before, to make war in this kingdom ; and insinuated that as he had taken a great liking to me, if I would en- deavour to escape with him, and we succeeded, he would provide for me. " For," says he, " you see, now our work is almost over, we are but slightly guarded ; and if we stay till this job is once finished, we may be commanded to some new works at the other end of the kingdom, for aught we know, so that our labours will only cease with our lives : and for my part, immediate death in the attempt of liberty is to me preferable to a lingering life of slavery."

These, and such-like arguments, prevailed on me to accompany him, as he had told me he had travelled most of the country before in the wars of the different nations ; so having taken our resolu- tion, the following evening, soon after our day's work, and before the time came for locking up, we withdrew from the rest, but within hearing, think- ing if we should then be missed and called, we would appear and make some excuse for our ab- sence, but if not, we should have the whole night before us.

When we were first put upon this work, we were called over singly, by name, morning and evening,

LIFE OF PETER \V ILK INS.

55

to be let out and in, and were very narrowly ob- served in our motions ; but not one of us having been ever absent, our actions were at length much less minded than before, and the ceremony of call- ing us over was frequently omitted ; so that we concluded if we got away unobserved the first night, we should be out of the reach of pursuers by the next ; which was the soonest it was possible for them to overtake us, as we proposed to travel tlic first part of our journey with the utmost despatch.

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s	^^	^		^^^

CHAPTER VII.

The aiitlior escapes witli Glaiilepze, a native — Their hardsJiips in travel — Plunder of a cottage — His fears — Adventure with a crocodile — Passage of a river — Advettture with a lioness and whelps — Arrive at Glanlepze^s house— Tlie trial of Clan- lepzes wife's constancy — The tender 77tecting of her and her husband — The author's reflections thereupon.

AVING now set out with all possible speed, we seemed to each other as joyful as we could ; though it cannot be supposed we had no fears in our minds the first part of our journey, for we had many ; but as our way ad- vanced our fears subsided ; and having, with scarce any delay, pushed forwards for the first twenty-four hours, nature then began to have two very pressing demands upon us, food and rest ; but as one of them was absolutely out of our power to comply with, she contented herself with the other till we should be better able to supply her, and gave a far- ther time till the next day.

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 57

The next morning found us very empty and sharp-set, though a very sound night's rest had contributed its utmost to refresh us. But what added much to our discomfort was, that though our whole subsistence must come from fruits, there was not a tree to be found at a less distance than twelve leagues, in the open rocky country we were then in ; but a good draught of excellent water we met with did us extraordinary service, and sent us with much better courage to the woods, though they were quite out of the way of our route : there, by divers kinds of fruits, which, though my com- panion knew very well, I was quite a stranger to, we satisfied our hunger for the present, and took a moderate supply for another opportunity. This retarded our journey very much, for in so hard travel every pound weighed six before night.

I cannot say this journey, though bad enough, would have been so discouraging, but for the trouble of fetching our provisions so far ; and then, if we meant not to lose half the next day in the same manner, we must double load ourselves, and delay our progress by that means ; but w^e still went on, and in about eight days got quite clear of Angola.

On the eighth day, my companion, whose name was Glanlepze, told me we w^ere very near the con- fines of Congo, but there was one little village still in Angola by wliich we must pass within half a league ; and if I would agree to it, he would go

58 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

see what might be got here to supply ourselves with. I told him I was in an unknown world, and would follow wherever he should lead me ; but asked him if he was not afraid of the people, as he was not of that country. He told me as there had been wars between them and his country for assist- ing their neighbours of Congo, he was not con- cerned for any mischief he should do them, or they him. "But," says he, "you have a knife in your pocket, and wiih tliat we will cut two stout clubs, and then follow me and fear nothing."

We soon cut our clubs, and marching on, in the midst of some small shrubs and a few scatter- ing trees, we saw a little hovel, larger indeed, but worse contrived, than an English hog-stye, to which we boldly advanced ; and Glanlepze enter- ing first, saluted an old man who was lying on a parcel of rushes. The man attempted to run away, but Glanlepze stopped him, and we tied his hands and feet. He then set up such a hideous howl, that had not Glanlepze threatened to murder him, and prepared to do it, he would have raised the whole village upon us ; but we quieted him, and rummaging to find provision, which was all we wanted, we by good luck spied best part of a goat hanging up behind a large mat at the farther end of the room. By this time in comes a woman with two children, very small. This was the old man's daughter, of about five-and-twenty. Glan- lepze bound her also, and laid her by the old man ;

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 59

but the two children we suffered to He untied. We then examined her, who told us the old man was her father, and that her husband, having killed a goat that morning, was gone to carry part of it to his sister; that they had little or no corn; and finding we wanted victuals, she told us there was an earthen pot we might boil some of the goat in if we pleased.

Having now seen all that was to be had, we were going to make up our bundle, when a muletto very gently put his head into the doorway : him Glanlepze immediately seized ; and bidding me fetch the great mat and the goat's flesh, he in the meantime put a long rope he found there about the beast's neck, and laying the mat upon him, we packed up the goat's flesh and a little corn in a calabash-shell ; and then turning up the mat round about, skewered it together, and over all we tied the earthen pot ; Glanlepze crying out at every- thing we loaded, " It is no hurt to plunder an enemy ! " and so we marched off.

I own I had greater apprehensions from this adventure than from anything before. " For," says I, " if the woman's husband returns soon, or if she or her father can release themselves, they will raise the whole village upon us, and we are undone." But Glanlepze laughed at me, saying we had not an hour's walk out of the Angola dominions, and that the king of Congo was at war with them in helping the king of Loango, whose subject him-

6o LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

self was ; and that the Angolans durst not be seen out of their bounds on that side the kingdom ; for there was a much larger village of Congovians in our way, who would certainly rise and destroy them, if they came in any numbers amongst them ; and though the war being carried on near the sea, the borders were quiet, yet, upon the least stir, the whole country would be in arms, whilst we might retire through the woods very safely.

Well, we marched on as fast as we could all the remainder of that day till moonlight, close by the skirt of a long wood, that we might take shelter therein, if there should be occasion ; and my eyes were the best part of the way behind me; but neither hearing nor seeing anything to annoy us, and find- ing by the declivity of the ground we should soon be in some plain or bottom, and have a chance of water for us all, and pasture for our muletto, which was now become one of us, we would not halt till we found a bottom to the hill, which in half an hour more we came to, and in some minutes after to a rivulet of fine clear water, where we resolved to spend the night. Here we fastened our muletto by his cord to a stake in the ground ; but perceiv- ing him not to have sufficient range to fill his belly in before morning, we, under Glanlepze's direction, cut several long slips from the mat, and soaking them well in water, twisted them into a very strong cord, of sufficient length for the purpose. And now, having each of us brought a bundle of dry

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 6i

fallen sticks from the wood with us, and gathered two or three flints as we came along, we struck fire on"my knife upon some rotten wood, and boiled a good piece of our goat's flesh ; and having made such a meal as we had neither of us made for many months before, we laid us down and slept heartily till morning.

As soon as day broke we packed up our goods, and filling our calabash with water, we loaded our muletto, and got forward very pleasantly that day and several others following, and had tolerable lodgings.

About noon, one day, travelling with great glee, we met an adventure which very much daunted me, and had almost put a stop to my hopes of ever getting where I intended. We came to a great river whose name I have now forgot, near a league over, but full, and especially about the shores, of large trees that had fallen from the mountains and been rolled down with the floods, and lodged there in a shocking manner. This river, Glanlepze toid me, we must pass : for my part, I shrunk at the sight of it, and told him if he could get over, I would not desire to prevent his meeting with his family ; but as for my share, I had rather take my chance in the woods on this side than plunge myself into such a stream only for the sake of drowning. " Oh ! " says Glanlepze, " then you can't swim ? " — " No," says I ; " there's my misfor- tune."— "Well," says the kind Glanlepze, "be of

62 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

good heart ; I'll have you over." He then bade me go cut an armful of the tallest of the reeds that grew there near the shore, whilst he pulled up another where he then was, and bring them to him. The side of the river sloped for a good way with an easy descent, so that it was very shallow where the reeds grew, and they stood very close together upon a large compass of ground. I had no sooner entered the reeds a (ew yards, to cut some of the longest, but (being about knee-deep in the water and mud, and every step raising my feet very high to keep them clear of the roots, which were matted together) I thought I had trod upon a trunk of one of the trees, of which, as I said, there was such plenty thereabouts ; and raising my other foot to get that also upon the tree, as I fancied it, I found it move along with me ; upon which I roared out, when Glanlepze, who was not far from me, imagining what was the matter, cried out," Leap off, and run to shore to the right ! " I knew not yet what was the case, but did what I was bid, and gained the shore. Looking back, I perceived the reeds shake and rustle all the way to the shore, by degrees after me. I was terribly frightened, and ran to Glanlepze, who then told me the danger I had escaped, and that what I took for a tree was certainly a large alligator or crocodile.

IMy blood ran chill within me at hearing the name of such a dangerous creature ; but he had no sooner told me what it was, than out came the

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 63

most hideous monster I had ever seen. Glanlepze ran to secure the muletto ; and then taking the cord which had fastened him, and tying it to each end of a broken arm of a tree that lay on the shore, he marched up to the crocodile without the least dismay, and beginning near the tail, with one leg on one side, and the other on the other side, he straddled over him, still mending his pace as the beast crept forward, till he came to his fore-feet ; then throwing the great log before his mouth, he, by the cord in his hand, bobbed it against the crea- ture's nose, till he gaped wide enough to have taken in the muletto ; then of a sudden, jerking the wood between his jaws with all his force by the cord, he gagged the beast, with his jaws wide open up to his throat, so that he could neither make use of his teeth nor shut his mouth ; he then threw one end of the cord upon the ground, just before the crea- ture's under-jaw, which, as he by degrees crept along over it, came out behind his fore-legs on the contrary side ; and serving the other end of it in the same manner, he took up those ends and tied them over the creature's back, just within his fore- legs, which kept the gag firm in his mouth ; and then calling out to me (tor I stood at a good dis- tance), " Peter," says he, " bring me your knife ! " I trembled at going so near, for the crocodile was turning his head this way and that very uneasy, and wanting to get to the river again, but yet I carried it, keeping as much behind 1 im as I could,

64 LIFE OF PETER WILKISS.

Still eyeing him which way he moved, and at length tossed my knife so near that Glanlepze could reach it; and he, just keeping behind the beast's fore- feet, and leaning forward, first darted the knife into one eye, and then into the other ; and imme- diately leaping from his back, came running to me. *"So, Peter," says he, " I have done the business." — ••Aye ! business enough, I think," says I, "and more than I would have done to have been kingof Congo." ''^— "\STiy, Peter," says he, "there is nothing but a man may compass by resolution, if he takes both ends of a thing in his view at once, and fairly deliberates on both sides what mav be civen and taken from end to end. ^^'hat you have seen me perform is only from a thorough notion I have of this beast and of myself, how far each of us hath power to act and counteract upon the other, and duly applying the means. But," says -he, " this talk will not carry us across the rive; f come, here are the reeds I have pulled up, ;«rhich I believe will be sufficient without any more, for I would not overload the muletto."' — "Why," says I, "is the muletto to cany them ? " — " Xo, they are to carry you," says he. — "I can never ride upon these," says I. — " Hush I' says he, "I'll not lose you, never fear. Come, cut me a good tough stick, the length of these reeds.'" — " Well," says I, " this is all conjur- ation ; but I don't see a step towards my getting over the river yet, unless I am to ride the muletto upon these reeds, and guide myself with the stick."

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 65

"I must own, Peter," says he, "you have a bright guess." So taking an armful of the reeds, and laying them on the ground, " Now, Peter," says he, " lay that stick upon those reeds and tie them tight at both ends." I did so. "Now, Peter," says he, "lay yourself down upon them." I then laying myself on my back, lengthwise, upon the reeds, Glanlepze laughed heartily at me, and turn- ing me about, brought my breast upon the reeds at the height of my arm-pits ; and then taking a hand- ful of the reeds he had reserved by themselves, he laid them on my back, tying them to the bundle close at my shoulders, and again at the ends. "Now, Peter," says he, " stand up ; " which I did, but it was full as much as I could do. I then seeing Glanlepze laughing at the figure I cut, desired him to be serious, and not put me upon losing my life for a joke ; for I could not think what he would do next with me. He bid me never fear; and looking more soberly, ordered me to walk to the river, and so stand just within the bank till he came ; then leading the muletto to me, he tied me to her, about a yard from the tail, and taking the cord in his hand, led the muletto and me into the water. "We had not gone far before my guide began to swim, then the muletto and I were presently chin-deep, and I expected nothing but drowning every moment : however, having gon^ so far, I was ashamed to cry out ; when getting out of my depth, and my reeds coming to their bearing, up I mounted,

VOL. I. E

66 LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S.

and was carried on with all the ease imaginable ; my conductor guiding us between the trees so dexterously, that not one accident happened to either of us all the way, and we arrived safe on the opposite shore.

We had now got into a very low, close, swampy country, and our goat's flesh began to be very stale through the heat, not only of the sun, but the mulet- to's back : however, we pleased ourselves we should have one more meal of it before it was too bad to eat ; so, having travelled about three miles from the river, we took up our lodging on a little rising, and tied our muletto in a valley about half a fur- long below us, where he made as good a meal in his way as we did in ours.

We had but just supped, and were sauntering about to find the easiest spot to sleep on, when we heard a rustling and a grumbling noise in a small thicket just on our right, which seeming to approach nearer and nearer, Glanlepze roused him- self, and was on his legs just time enough to see a lioness and a small whelp which accompanied her, within thirty yards of us, making towards us, as we afterwards guessed, for the sake of our goat's flesh, which now smelt very strong. Glanlepze whipped on the contrary side of the fire to that where the goat's flesh lay, and fell to kicking the fire about at a great rate, which being made of dry wood, caused innumerable sparks to fly about us ; but the beasts still approaching in a couchant manner, and seizing

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 67

the ribs of the goat and other bones (for we had only cut the flesh off), and grumbUng and cracking them Uke rotten twigs, Glanlepze snatched up a fire-brand, flaming, in each hand, and made to- wards them ; which sight so terrified the creatures that they fled with great precipitation to the thicket again,

Glanlepze was a little uneasy at the thoughts of quitting so good a lodging as we had found, but yet held it best to move farther ; for as the lions had left the bones behind them, we must expect another visit if we stayed there, and could hope for no rest ; and, above all, we might possibly lose our niuletto ; so we removed our quarters two miles farther, where we slept with great tranquillity.

Reflections on the nature of mankind have often astonished me. I told you at first my thoughts concerning prayer in my journey to Bristol, and of the benefit I received from it, and how fully I was convinced of the necessity of it ; which one would think was a sufficient motive to a reasonable crea- ture to be constant in it ; and yet, it is too true that, notwithstanding the difficulties I had laboured under, and hardships I had undergone, and the danger of starving at sea or being murdered for food by my fellows, when there was as urgent a necessity of begging Divine assistance as can be conceived, I never once thought of it, nor of the Object of it, nor returned thanks for my being de- livered, till the lioness had just left me; and then

68 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

I felt near the same force urging me to return thanks for my escape, as I had impelling me to prayer before ; and I think I did so with great sincerity.

I shall not trouble you with a relation of the common accidents of our journey, which lasted two months and better, nor with the different methods we used to get subsistence, but shall at once con- duct you to Quamis ; only mentioning that we were sometimes obliged to go about, and were once stopped by a cut that my guide and companion received by a ragged stone in his foot, which grow- ing very bad, almost deprived me of the hopes of his life ; but by rest and constant sucking and licking it, which was the only remedy we had to apply, except green leaves chewed, that I laid to it by his direction, to supple and cool it, he soon began to be able to ride upon the muletto, and sometimes to walk a little.

I say we arrived at Quamis, a small place on a river of that name, where Glanlepze had a neat dwelling, and left a wife and five children when he went out to the wars. We were very near the town when the day closed ; and as it is soon dark there after sunset, you could but just see your hand at our entrance into it. We met nobody in the way, but I went directly to Glanlepze's door, by his direc- tion, and struck two or three strokes hard against it with my stick. On this there came a woman to it stark-naked. I asked her, in her own language,

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 69

if she knew one Glanlepze. She told me, with a deep sigh, that once she did. I asked then where he was. She said, with their ancestors, she hoped, for he was the greatest warrior in the world ; but if he was not dead, he was in slavery. Now you must know Glanlepze had a mind to hear how his wife took his death or slavery, and had put me upon asking these questions before he discovered himself. I proceeded then to tell her I brought some news of Glanlepze, and was lately come from him, and by his order. " And does my dear Glan- lepze live ! " says she, flying upon my neck, and almost smothering me with caresses, till I begged her to forbear, or she would strangle me, and I had a great deal more to tell her ; then ringing for a light, when she saw I was a white man she seemed in the utmost confusion at her own nakedness ; and immediately retiring, she threw a cloth round her waist and came to me again. I then repeated to her that her husband was alive and well, but wanted a ransom to redeem himself, and had sent me to see what she could anyways raise for that purpose. She told me she and her children had lived very hardly ever since he went from her, and she had nothing to sell, or make money of, but her five children ; that as this was the time for the slaving-trade, she would see what she could raise by them, and if that would not do, she would sell herself and send him the money, if he would let her know how to do it.

^o LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

Glanlepze, who heard every word that passed, finding so strong a proof of his wife's affection, could hold out no longer, but bursting into the room, clasped her in his arms, crying, " No, Zulika ! (for that was her name) I am free ; there will be no occasion for your or my dear children's slavery, and rather than have purchased my freedom at that rate, I would willingly have died a slave myself. But my own ears have heard the tender sentiments my Zulika has for me." Then, drowned in tears of joy, they embraced each other so close and so long, that I thought it impertinent to be seen with them till their first transports were over,- So I re- tired without the house, till Glanlepze called me in, which was not less than full half an hour. I ad- mired at the love and constancy of the person I had just left behind me ; and. Good Heaven, thinks I to myself, with a sigh, how happy has this our escape rendered Glanlepze and his wife ! what a mutual felicity do they feel ! And what is the cause of all this ? Is it that he has brought home great treasures from the wars ? Nothing like it ; he is come naked. Is it that, having escaped slavery and poverty, he is returned to an opulent wife, abounding with the good things of life ? No such thing. What, then, can be the cause of this excess of satisfaction, this alternate joy, that Patty and I could not have been as happy with each other ? Why, it was my pride that interposed and prevented it. But what am 1 like to get by it, and

LIFE OF PETER IV ILK INS. Jl

by all this travel and these hazards? Is this the way to make a fortune, to get an estate ? No, surely the very contrary. I could not, forsooth, labour for Patty and her children where I was known ; but am I any better for labouring here where I am not known, where I have nobody to assist me,'^than I could have been where I am known, and where there would have been my friends about me, at least, if they could have afforded no great assistance ? I have been deceived, then, and have travelled so many thousand miles, and undergone so many dangers, only to know at last I had been happier at home ; and have doubled my misery for want of consideration — that very consideration which, impartially taken, would have convinced me I ought to have made the best of my bad circum- stances, and to have laid hold of every commend- able method of improving them. Did I come hither to avoid daily labour or voluntary servitude at home ? I have had it in abundance. Did I come hither to avoid poverty or contempt? Here I have met with them tenfold. And now, after all, was I to return home empty and naked, as Glan- lepze has done, should I meet a wife, as bare as myself, so ready to die in my embraces, and to be a slave herself, with her children, for my sake only ? I fear not.

These and the like reflections had taken posses- sion of me when Glanlepze called me in ; where 1 found his wife, in her manner, preparing our

72

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

supper, with all that cheerfulness which gives a true lustre to innocence.

The bustle we made had by this time awakened the children ; who, stark-naked as they were born, both boys and girls, came crawling out, black as jet, from behind a curtain at the farther end of the room, which was very long. The father as yet had only inquired after them ; but upon sight of them he fell into an ecstasy, kissing one, stroking another, dandling a third, for the eldest was scarce fourteen ; but not one of them knew him, for seven years makes a great chasm in young memories. The more I saw of this sport, the stronger impres- sion Patty and my own children made upon me. My mind had been so much employed on my own distresses, that those dear ideas were almost effaced; but this moving scene introduced them afresh, and imprinted them deeply on my imagination, which cherished the sweet remembrance.

CHAPTER VII I.

Hoiu the author passed his time %vith Clanlepze — His acgttaintance with some English prisoners — They

project an escape — He joins them — They seize a Portui^tecse ship and get off. — Make a long 7UJt

from land — Want water — They anchor at a desett island — The boat goes on shore for water — They lose their anchor in a storm — The author and one Adams drove to sea — A iniraculoiis passage to a rock — Adams drowned there — The a!ctho}''s miser- able condition.

PASSED my time with Glanlepze and his wife, who both really loved me, with sufificient bodily quiet, for about two years : my business was chiefly, in company with my patron, to cultivate a spot of ground wherein we had planted grain and necessaries for the family ; and once or twice a week we went a fishing, and sometimes hunted and shot venison. These were our chief employments ; for as to excursions for slaves, which is a practice in many of those countries, and what the natives get money

74 LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S.

by, since our own slavery, Glanlepze and I could not endure it.

Though I was tolerably easy in my external cir- cumstances, yet my mind hankering after England made my life still unhappy ; and that infelicity daily increased as I saw the less probability of attaining my desire. At length, hearing of some European sailors who were under confinement for contraband trade at a Portuguese fort about two miles from Quamis, I resolved to go to see them ; and if any of them should be English, at least to inquire after my native country. I went and found two Dutchmen who had been sailors in British pay several years, three Scotchmen, an Irishman, and five Englishmen, but all had been long in English merchants' service. They were taken, as they told me, by a Portuguese vessel, together with their ship, as a Dutch prize under pretence of contra- band trade. The captain was known to be a Dutchman, though he spoke good English, and was then in English pay and his vessel English ; therefore they would have it that he was a Dutch trader, and so seized his ship in the harbour, with the prisoners in it. The captain, who was on shore with several of his men, was threatened to be laid in irons if he was taken, which obliged him and his men to abscond, and fly overland to an English factory for assistance to recover his ship and cargo ; being afraid to appear and claim it amongst so many enemies without an additional

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 75

force. They had been in confinement two months, and their ship confiscated and sold. In this miser- able condition I left them, but returned once or twice a week for a fortnight or three weeks to visit them. These instances of regard, as they thought them, created some confidence in me, so that they conversed with me very freely. Amongst other discourse, they told me one day that one of their crew who went with the captain had been taken ill on the way, and being unable to proceed, was returned ; but as he talked good Portuguese, he was not suspected to belong to them ; and that he had been to visit them, and would be there again that day. I had a mind to see him, so stayed longer than I intended, and in about an hour's time he came. After he was seated he asked who I was, and (privately) if I might be trusted. Being satisfied I might, for that I was a Cornish man, he began as follows, looking narrowly about to see he was not overheard : " My lads," says he, " be of good courage ; I have hopes for you ; be but men and we shall see better days yet." I wondered to what this preface tended, when he told us that since his return from the captain, as he spoke good Portuguese and had sailed on board Portuguese traders several years, he mixed among that people, and particularly among the crew of the " Del Cruz," the ship which had taken them ; that that ship had partly unloaded, and was taking in other goods for a future voyage ; that he had informed himself

76 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

of their strength, and that very seldom more than three men and two boys lay on board ; that he had hired himself to the captain, and was to go on board the very next day. "Now," says he, "my lads, if you can break prison any night after to-morrow, and come directly to the ship (telling them how she lay, for, says he, you cannot mistake, you will find two or three boats moored in the gut against the church), I will be ready to receive you, and we will get off with her in lieu of our ship they have taken from us, for there is nothing ready to follow us."

The prisoners listened to this discourse very attentively ; but scratched their heads, fearing the difficulty of it, and severer usage if they miscarried, and made several objections ; but at last they all swore to attempt it the night but one following. Upon which the sailor went away to prepare for their reception on board. After he was gone, I surveyed his scheme attentively in my own mind, and found it not so difficult as I first imagined, if the prisoners could but escape cleverly. So before I went away I told them I approved of their purpose ; and as I was their countryman, I was resolved, with their leaves, to risk my fortune with them. At this they seemed much pleased, and all embraced me. We then fixed the peremptory night, and I was to wait at the water-side and get the boats in readiness.

The prison they were in was a Portuguese fort,

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 77

which had been deserted ever since the building a much better on the other side of the river, a gun- shot lower. It was built with walls too thick for naked men to storm ; the captives were securely locked up every night ; and two soldiers, or sen- tinels, kept watch in an outer-room, who were relieved from the main-guard in the body of the building.

The expected night arrived, and a little before midnight, as had been concerted, one of the prisoners cried out he was so parched up he was on fire, he was on fire ! The sentinels were both asleep, but the first that waked called at the door to know what was the matter. The prisoner still crying out, " I am on fire ! " the rest begged the sentinel to bring a bowl of water for him, for they knew not what ailed him.

The good-natured fellow, without waking his companion, brought the water, and having a lamp in the guard-room, opened the door; when the prisoners seizing his arms, and commanding him to silence, bound his hands behind him, and his feet together ; then serving the other in the same manner, who was now just awake, and taking from them their swords and muskets, they made the best of their way over the fort wall ; which being built with buttresses on the inside was easily sur- mounted. Being got out, they were not long in finding me, who had before this time made the boats ready and was impatiently waiting for them ;

78 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

SO ill we all got and made good speed to the ship, •where we were welcomed by our companion ready to receive us.

Under pretence of being a new-entered sailor, he had carried some Madeira wine on board, and treated the men and boys so freely that he had thrown them into a dead sleep, which was a wise precaution. There being now, therefore, no fear of disturbance or interruption, we drew up the two boats and set all hands at work to put the ship under way ; and plied it so closely, the wind favouring us, that by eleven o'clock the next morn- ing we were out of sight of land ; but we set the men and boys adrift, in one of the boats, nigh the mouth of the river.

The first thing we did after we had made a long run from shore was to consult what course to steer. Now, as there was a valuable loading on board of goods from Portugal and others taken in since, some gave their opinion for sailing directly for India, selling the ship and cargo there and returning by some English vessel ; but that was rejected ; for we did not doubt but notice would be given of our escape along the coast, and if we should fall into the Portuguese's hands, we could expect no mercy ; besides, we had not people sufficient for such an enterprise. Others, again, were for sailing the directest course for England ; but I told them, as our opinions were different, and no time was to be lost, my advice was to

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 79

Stretch southward till we might be quite out of fear of pursuit, and then, whatever course we took, by keeping clear of all coasts, we might hope to come safe off.

My proposal seemed to please the whole crew ; so crowding all the sail we could, we pushed south- wards very briskly before the wind for several days. We now went upon examining our stores, and found we had flour enough, plenty of fish and salt provisions, but were scant of water and wood ; of the first whereof there was not half a ton, and but very little of the latter. This made us very un- easy, and being none of us expert in navigation farther than the common working of the ship, and having no chart on board that might direct us to the nearest land, we were almost at our wits' end, and came to a short allowance of liquor. That we must get water if we could was indisputable ; but where to do it puzzled us, as we had deter- mined not to get in with the African shore on any account whatever.

In this perplexity, and under the guidance of different opinions (for we were all captains now), we sometimes steered eastward, and sometimes westward, for about nine days, when we espied a little bluish cloud-like appearance to the south- west ; this continuing, we hoped it might be land, and therefore made to it. Upon our nearer ap- proach we found it to be, as we judged, an island ; but not knowing its name or whether it was in-

'o

8o LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

habited, we coasted round it two days to satisfy ourselves as to this last 'particular. Seeing no living creature on it during that time, and the shore being very broken, we came to an anchor about two miles from it, and sent ten of our crew in our best boat with some casks to get water and cut wood. The boat returned at night with six men and the casks filled, having left four behind to go on with the cutting of wood against next day. Accordingly next morning the boat went off again and made two turns with water and wood ere night, which was repeated for two or three days after. On the sixth she went off for wood only, leaving none but me and one John Adams on board.

The boat had scarce reached the island this last turn before the day overcast, and there arose such a storm of wind, thunder, lightning, and hail as I had never before seen. At last our cable broke close to the anchor, and away we went with the wind full southward by west ; and not having strength to keep the ship upon a side wind, we were forced to set her head right before it and let her drive. Our hope was, every hour, the storm would abate ; but it continued with equal violence for many days, during all which time neither Adams nor I had any rest, for one or other of us was forced, and sometimes both, to keep her right before the wind, or she would certainly have over- set. When the storm abated, as it did by degrees,

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 8i

neither Adams nor I could tell where we were, or in what part of the world.

I was sorry I had no better a sailor with me, for neither Adams nor myself had ever made more than one voyage till now, so that we were both unacquainted with the latitude, and scarce knew the use of the compass to any purpose ; and being out of all hope of ever reaching the island to our companions, we neither knew which way to steer, nor what to do ; and indeed had we known where we were, we two only could not have been able to navigate the ship to any part we desired, or ever to get to the island, unless such a wind as we had before would of itself have driven us thither.

Whilst we were considering, day after day, what to do, though the sea was now very calm and smooth, the ship seemed to sail at as great a rate as before, which we attributed to the velocity she had acquired by the storm, or to currents that had set that way by the violence of the winds. Content- ing ourselves with this, we expected all soon to be right again ; and as we had no prospect of ever seeing our companions, we kept the best look-out we could to see for any vessel coming that course which might take us in, and resolved to rest all our hopes upon that.

When we had sailed a good while after this manner, we knew not whither, Adams called out, " I see land ! " My heart leapt within me for joy, and we hoped the current that seemed to carry us so

VOL. I. V

82 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

fast set in for some islands or rivers that lay before us. But still we were exceedingly puzzled at the ship's making such way, and the nearer we ap- proached the land, which was now very visible, the more speed the ship made, though there was no wind stirring. We had but just time to think on this unexpected phenomenon, when we found that what we had taken for land was a rock of an extra- ordinary height, to which, as we advanced nearer, the ship increased its motion, and all our strength could not make her answer her rudder any other way. This put us under the apprehension of being dashed to pieces immediately, and in less than half an hour I verily thought my fears had not been groundless. Poor Adams told me he would try when the ship struck if he could leap upon the rock, and ran to the head for that purpose ; but I was so fearful of seeing my danger that I ran under hatches, resolving to sink in the ship. We had no sooner parted but I felt so violent a shock that I verily thought the ship had brought down the whole rock upon her, and been thereby dashed to pieces, so that I never more expected to see the light.

I lay under this terror for at least half an houfj waiting the ship's either filling with water oi bulging every moment. But finding neither motion in her nor any water rise, nor the least noise what soever, I ventured with an aching heart from nij retreat, and stole up the hatchway as if an enemy

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. 83

had been on deck, peeping first one way then an- other. Here nothing presented but confusion, the rock hung over the hatchway at about twenty feet above my head, our foremast lay by the board, the mainmast yard-arm was down, and great part of the mainmast snapped off with it, and almost every- thing upon deck was displaced. This sight shocked me extremely ; and calling for Adams, in whom I hoped to find some comfort, I was too soon con- vinced I had lost him.

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Hife	i^mlfm^[m^§§^mm

CHAPTER IX.

Wilkins thinks of destroying himself— His soliloquy — Strange accident in the hold — His surprise — Cannot climb the rock — His method to sweeten his water — Lives many months on board — Ven- tures to sea in his boat several times, and takes many fish — Almost overcome by an eel.

FTER I had stood a while in the utmost confusion of thought, and my spirits began to be a little composed, I was resolved to see what damage the hull of the ship had received. Accordingly I looked narrowly, but could find none, only she was immovably fixed in a cleft of the rock, like a large archway, and there stuck so fast, that though upon fathoming I could find no bottom, she never moved in the least by the working of the water.

I now began to look upon Adams as a happy man, being delivered by an immediate death from such an inextricable scene of distress, and wished

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 85

myself with him a thousand times. I had a great mind to have followed him into the other world ; yet I know not how it is, there is something so abhorrent to human nature in self-murder, be one's condition what it will, that I was soon determined on the contrary side. Now again I perceived that the Almighty had given me a large field to expatiate in upon the trial of His creatures, by bringing them ioto imminent dangers ready to overwhelm them, and at the same time, as it were, hanging out the flag of truce and mercy to them. These thoughts brought me to my knees, and I poured out my soul to God in a strain of humiliation, resignation to His will, and earnest petitions for deliverance or support in this distress. Having finished, I found myself in a more composed frame ; so having eaten a biscuit and drank a can of water, and not seeing anything to be done whereby I could better my condition, I sat me down upon the deck, and fell into the following soliloquy —

Peter, says I, what have you to do here ? — Alas ! replied I to myself, I am fixed against my will in this dismal mansion, destined, as rats might be, to devour the provisions only, and having eaten all up, to perish with hunger for want of a supply. — Then, says I, of what use are you in the world, Peter ? — Truly, answered I, of no other use that I can see but to be an object of misery for Divine vengeance to work upon, and to show what a deplorable state human nature can be reduced to ;

86 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

for I cannot think any one else can be so wretched, — And again, Peter, says I, what have you been doing ever since you came into the world ? — I am afraid, says I, I can answer no better to this ques- tion than to either of the former ; for if only reason- able actions are to be reckoned among my doings, I am sure I have done little worth recording ; for let me see what it all amounts to. I spent my first sixteen years in making a fool of my mother ; my three next in letting her make a fool of me, and in being fool enough myself to get me a wife and two children before I was twenty. The next year was spent in finding out the misery of slavery from experience. Two years more I repined at the happiness of my benefactor, and at finding it was not my lot to enjoy the same. This year is not yet spent, and how many more are to come, and where they may be passed, and what they may produce, requires a better head than mine even to guess at ; but certainly my present situation seems to promise nothing beside woe and misery. — But hold a little, says I, and let me clearly state my own wretchedness. I am here, it is true ; but for any good I have ever done or any advantage I have reaped in other places, I am as well here as anywhere. I have no present want of food or unjust or cruel enemy to annoy me ; so as long as the ship continues entire and provisions last, I shall do tolerably. Then why should I grieve or terrify myself about what may come ? What my

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 87

frighted imagination suggests may perhaps never happen. Deliverance, though not to be looked for, is yet possible ; and my future fate may be as different from my present condition as this is from the hopes with which I lately flattered myself. And why, after all, may I not die a natural death here as well as anywhere ? All mankind die, and

then there is an end of all An end of all ! did

I say ? No, there is something within that gives me the lie when I say so. Let me see ; Death, my master used to say, is not an end, but a beginning of real life : and may it not be so ? May I not as well undergo a change from this to a different state of life when I leave this world, as be born into it I know not from whence ? Who sent me into this world ? Who framed me of two natures so unlike, that death cannot destroy but one of them ? It must be the Almighty God. But all God's works tend to some end ; and if He has given me an immortal nature, it must be His inten- tion that I should live somewhere and somehow for ever. May not this stage of being then be only an introduction to a preparative for another ? There is nothing in this supposition repugnant to reason. Upon the whole, if God is the author of my being, He only has a right to dispose of it, and I may not put an end thereto without His leave. It is no less true that my continuing therein during His pleasure, and because it is so, may turn vastly to my advantage in His good time ; it

88 LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S.

may be the means of my becoming happy for ever when it is His will that I go hence. It is no less probable that, dismal as my present circumstances appear, I may be even now the object of a kind Providence : God may be leading me by affliction to repentance of former crimes ; destroying those sensual affections that have all my days kept me from loving and serving Him. I will therefore submit myself to His will, and hope for His mercy.

These thoughts, and many others I then had, composed me very much, and by degrees reconciled me to my destined solitude. I walked my ship, of which I was now both master and owner, and employed myself in searching how it was fastened to the rock, and where it rested ; but all to no purpose as to that particular. I then struck a light and went into the hold, to see what I could find useful, for we had never searched the ship since we took her.

In the hold I found abundance of long iron bars, which I suppose were brought out to be trafficked with the blacks. I observed they lay all with one end close to the head of the ship, which I pre- sumed was occasioned by the violent shock they received when she struck against the rock; but seeing one short bar lying out beyond the rest, though touching at the end of one of the long bars, I thought to take it up, and lay it on the heap with the others ; but the moment I had raised the end

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 89

next the other bars, it flew out of my hand with such violence, against the head of the ship, and with such a noise, as greatly surprised me, and put me in fear it had broke through the plank.

I just stayed to see no harm was done, and ran upon deck with my hair stiff on my head ; nor could I conceive less than that some subtle spirit had done this prank merely to terrify me.

It ran in my pate several days, and I durst upon no account have gone into the hold again, though my whole support had lain there ; nay, it even spoiled my rest, for fear something tragical should befall me, of which this amazing incident was an omen.

About a week after, as I was shifting myself (for I had not taken my clothes off since I came there), and putting on a new pair of shoes which I found on board, my own being very bad, taking out my iron buckles, I laid one of them upon a broken piece of the mast that I sat upon ; when to my astonishment, it was no sooner out of my hand but up it flew to the rock and stuck there. I could not tell what to make of it, but was sorry the devil had got above deck. I then held several other things one after another in my hand, and laid them down where I laid the buckle, but nothing stirred till I took out the fellow of that from the shoes ; when letting it go away, it jumped also to the rock

I mused on these phenomena for some time,

90 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS,

and could not forbear calling upon God to protect me from the devil ; who must, as I imagined, have a hand in such unaccountable things as they then seemed to me. But at length reason got the better of these foolish apprehensions, and I began to think there might be some natural cause of them, and next to be very desirous of finding it out. In order to this I set about making experiments to try what would run to the rock and what would not. I went into the captain's cabin, and opening a cup- board, of which the key was in the door, I took out a pipe, a bottle, a pocket-book, a silver spoon, a tea-cup, &c., and laid them successively near the rock ; when none of them answered, but the key which I had brought out of the cupboard on my finger dropping off while I was thus employed, no sooner was it disengaged but away it went to it. After that I tried several other. pieces of iron-ware with the like success. Upon this, and the needle of my compass standing stiff to the rock, I con- cluded that this same rock contained great quan- tity of loadstone, or was itself one vast magnet, and that our lading of iron was the cause of the ship's violent course thereto, which I mentioned before.

This quite satisfied me as to my notions of spirits, and gave me a more undisturbed night's rest than I had had before, so that now, having nothing to affright me, I passed the time tolerably well in my solitude, as it grew by degrees familiar to me.

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 91

I had often wished it had been possible for me to chmb the rock, but it was so smooth in many- places and craggy in others, and over-hanging, con- tinuing just the same to the right and left of me as far as ever I could see, that from the impossi- bility of it, I discharged all thoughts of such an attempt.

I had now lived on board three months, and perceived the days grow shorter and shorter, till, having lost the sun for a little time, they were quite dark : that is, there was no absolute daylight, or indeed visible distinction between day and night ; though it was never so dark but I could see well enough upon deck to go about.

AVhat now concerned me the most was my water, which began to grow very bad (though I had plenty of it) and unsavoury, so that I could scarce drink it, but had no prospect of better. Now and then indeed it snowed a little, which I made some use of, but this was far from contenting me. Here- upon I began to contrive ; and having nothing else to do, I set two open vessels upon deck, and drawing water from the hold I filled one of my vessels, and letting it stand a day and a night I poured it into the other, and so shifted it every twenty-four hours ; this, I found, though it did not bring it to the primitive taste and render it alto- gether palatable, was nevertheless a great help to it, by incorporating the fresh air with it, so that it became very potable, and this method I constantly

92 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

used with my drinking-water, so long as I stayed on board the ship.

It had now been sharp weather for some time, and the cold still increasing, this put me upon rummaging the ship farther than ever I thought to do before ; when opening a litde cabin under deck, I found a large cargo of fine French brandy, a great many bottles, and some small casks of Madeira wine, with divers cordial waters. Having tasted these, and taken out a bottle or two of brandy, and some Madeira, I locked up my door and looked no farther that time.

The next day I inquired into my provisions, and some of my flesh having soaked out the pickle, I made fresh pickle and closed it up again, I that day also found several cheeses cased up in lead, one of which I then opened and dined upon : but what time of day or night it was when I eat this meal I could not tell. I found a great many chests well filled, and one or two of tools which some years after stood me in a very good stead, though I did not expect they would ever be of that service when I first met with them.

In this manner I spent my time till I began to see broad daylight again, which cheered me greatly. I had been often put in hopes during the dark season that ships were coming towards me, and that I should once more have the conversation of mankind, for I had by the small glimmering seen many large bodies (to my thinking) move at a little

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 93

distance from me, and particularly toward the re- appearing of the light, but though I hallooed as loud as I could, and often fired my gun, I never received an answer.

When the light returned, my days increased in proportion as they had before decreased ; and gathering comfort from that, I determined to launch my small boat and to coast along the island, as I judged it, to see if it was inhabited and by whom ; I determined also to make me some lines for fishing, and carry my gun to try for other game, if I found a place for landing ; for though I had never, since my arrival, seen a single living creature but my cat, except insects, of which there were many in the water and in the air before the dark weather, and then began to appear again, yet I could not but think there were both birds and beasts to be met with.

Upon launching my boat I perceived she was very leaky, so I let her fill and continue thus a week or more to stop her cracks, then getting down the side of my ship I scooped her quite dry and found her very fit for use ; so putting on board my gun, lines, brandy bottles, and clothes chest for a seat, with some little water and provisions for a week, I once more committed myself to the sea, having taken all the observation I could to gain my ship again if any accident should happen, though I resolved upon no account to quit sight of the rock willingly.

94 LIFE OF PETER WILKIXS.

I had not rowed very long before I thought I saw an island to my right about a league distant, to which I inclined to steer my course, the sea being very calm ; but upon surveying it nearer, I found it only a great cake of ice, about forty yards high above the water and a mile or two in length. I then concluded that what I had before taken for ships were only these lumps of ice. Being thus disappointed as to my island, I made what haste I could back to the rock again and coasted part of its circumference ; but though I had gone two or three leagues of its circuit, the prospect it afforded was just the same.

I then tried my lines by fastening several very long ones, made of the log-line, to the side of the boat, baiting them with several different baits, but took only one fish of about four pounds weight, very much resembling a haddock, part of which I dressed for my supper after myjeturn to the ship, and it proved very good. Towards evening I re- turned to my home, as I may call it.

The next day I made a voyage on the other side of the rock, though but to a small distance from the ship, with intent only to fish, but took nothing. 1 had then a mind to victual my boat or little cruiser, and prepare myself for a voyage of two or three days, which I thought I might safely undertake, as I had never seen a troubled sea since I came to the island ; for though I heard the wind often roaring over my head, yet it coming always

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 95

from the land-side, it never disturbed the water near the shore. I set out the same way I went at first, designing to sail two or three days out and as many home again, and resolved if possible to fathom the depth as I went. With this view I prepared a very long line with a large shot tied in a rag at the end of it, by way of plummet, but I felt no ground till the second night The next morning I came into thirty fathom water, then twenty, then sixteen. In both tours I could per- ceive no abatement in the height or steepness of the rock.

In about fourteen fathom water I dropped my lines, and lay by for an hour or two. Feeling several jars as I sat on my chest in the boat, I was sure I had caught somewhat, so pulling up my lines successively, I brought first a large eel near six feet long and almost as thick as my thigh, whose mouth, throat, and fins, were of a fine scarlet, and the belly as white as snow : he was so strong while in the water, and weighty, I had much ado to get him into the boat, and then had a harder job to kill him ; for though, having a hatchet with me to cut wood in case I met with any landing- place, I chopped off his head the moment I had him on board, yet he had several times after that have like to have broken my legs and beat me overboard before I had quite taken his life from him, and had I not whipped off his tail and also divided his body into two or three pieces, I could

96 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

not have mastered him. The next I pulled up was a thick fish like a tench, but of another colour and much bigger. I drew up several others, flat and long fish, till I was tired with the sport ; and then I set out for the ship again, which I reached the third day.

During this whole time, I had but one shot, and that was as I came homewards, at a creature I saw upon a high crag of the rock, which I fired at with ball, fearing that my small shot would not reach it. The animal, being mortally wounded, bounded up, and came tumbling down the rock, very near me. I picked it up, and found it to be a creature not much unlike our rabbits, but with shorter ears, a longer tail, and hoofed like a kid, though it had the perfect fluck of a rabbit. I put it into my boat, to contemplate on when I arrived at the ship; and, ply- ing my oars, got safe, as I said, on the third day.

I made me a fire to cook with as soon as I had got my cargo out of the boat into my ship, but was under debate which of my dainties to begin upon. I had sometimes a mind to have broiled my rabbit, as I called it, and boiled some of my fish ; but being tired, I hung up my flesh till the next day, and boiled two or three sorts of my fish, to try which was best. I knew not the nature of most of them, so I boiled a piece of my eel, to be sure, judging that, however I might like the others, I should certainly be able to make a good meal of that. This variety being ready, 1 took a little of

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97

my oil out of the hold for sauce, and sat down to my meal, as satisfied as an emperor. But upon tasting my several messes, though the eel was rather richer than the smaller fishes, yet the others were all so good, I gave them the preference for that time, and laid by the rest of the eel, and of the other fish, till the next day, when I salted them for future use.

I kept now a whole week or miore at home, to look farther into the contents of the ship, bottle off a cask of Madeira, which I found leaking, and to consume my new stores of fish and flesh, which, being somewhat stale when first salted, I thought would not keep so well as the old ones that were on board. I added also some fresh bread to my provision, and sweetened more water by the afore- mentioned method ; and when my necessary domestic affairs were brought under, I then pro- jected a new voyage.

VOL I.

CHAPTER X.

Lays in great store of provisions — Resolves to traverse the rock — Sails for three weeks, still seeing it only — Is sucked binder the rock, and hurried down a cataract — Continues there five weeks — His description of the caverti — His thoughts and difficulties — His arrival at a great lake — And his landing in the beautiful country of Graun- de volet.

HAD for a long time wanted to see the other side of the rock, and at last resolved to try if I could not coast it quite round ; for, as I reasoned with myself, I might possibly find some, landing-places, and per- haps a convenient habitation on shore. But as I was very uncertain what time that might take up, I determined on having provisions, instruments of divers kinds, and necessary utensils in plenty, to guard against accidents as well as I could. I therefore took another sea-chest out of the hold of the ship, and letting it into my boat, replenished it with a stock of wine, brandy, oil, bread, and the

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 99

like, sufficient for a considerable voyage. I also filled a large cask with water, and took a good quantity of salt to cure what fish I should take by the way. I carried two guns, two brace of pistols, and other arms, with ammunition proportionable ; also an axe or two, a saw to cut wood if I should see any, and a few other tools, which might be highly serviceable if I could land. To all these I added an old sail, to make a covering for my goods and artillery against the weather. Thus furnished and equipped, having secured my hatches on board, and everything that might spoil by wet, I set out, with a God's speed, on my expedition, committing myself once more to Providence and the main ocean, and proceeding the same way I Avent the first time.

I did not sail extraordinary fast, but frequently fished in proper places, and caught a great deal, salting and drying the best of what I took. For three weeks' time and more, I saw no entrance into the island, as I call it, nor anything but the same unscalable rock. This uniform prospect gave me so little hopes of landing, that I was almost of a mind to have returned again. But, on mature deliberation, resolving to go forward a day or two more, I had not proceeded twenty-four hours, when, just as it was becoming dark, I heard a great noise, as of a fall of water, whereupon I proposed to lie by and wait for day, to see what it was ; but the stream insensibly drawing me on, I soon found

100 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

myself in an eddy ; and the boat drawing forward beyond all my power to resist it, I was quickly sucked under a low arch, where, if I had not fallen flat in my boat, having barely light enough to see my danger, I had undoubtedly been crushed to pieces or driven overboard. I could perceive the boat to fall with incredible violence, as I thought, down a precipice, and suddenly whirled round and round with me, the water roaring on all sides, and dashing against the rock with a most amazing noise.

I expected every moment my poor little vessel would be staved against the rock, and I over- whelmed with waters ; and for that reason never once attempted to rise up, or look upon my peril, till after the commotion had in some measure ceased. At length, finding the perturbation of the water abate, and as if by degrees I came into a smoother stream, I took courage just to lift up my affrighted head ; but guess, if you can, the horror which seized me, on finding myself in the blackest of darkness, unable to perceive the smallest glimmer of light.

However, as my boat seemed to glide easily, I roused myself and struck a light ; but if I had my terrors before, what must I have now ! I was quite stupefied at the tremendous view of an immense arch over my head, to which I could see no bounds ; the stream itself, as I judged, was about thirty yards broad, but in some places wider, in some narrower. It was well for me I happened to have

LIFE OF PETER WILKIN S. loi

a tinder-box, or, though I had escaped hitherto, I must have at l.st perished ; for in the narrower parts of the stream, where it ran swiftest, there were frequently such crags stood out from the rock, by reason of the turnings and windings, and such sets of the current against them, as, could I not have seen to manage my boat, which I took great care to keep in the middle of the stream, must have thrown me on them, to my inevitable de- struction.

Happy it was for me, also, I was so well victualled, and that I had taken with me two bottles of oil (as I supposed, for I did not imagine I had any more), or I had certainly been lost, not only through hunger, for I was. to my guess, five weeks in the vault or cavern, but for want of light, which the oil furnished, and without which all other con- veniences could have been of no avail to me. I was forced to keep my lamp always burning ; so, not knowing how long my residence was to be in that place, or when I should get my discharge from it, if ever, I was obliged to husband my oil with the utmost frugality ; and notwithstanding all my caution, it grew low, and was just spent, in little above half the time I stayed there.

I had now cut a piece of my shirt for a wick to my last drop of oil, which I twisted and lighted. I burnt the oil in my brass tobacco-box, which I had fitted pretty well to answer the purpose. Sitting down, I had many black thoughts of what

102 LIFE OF PETER ]V ILK INS.

must follow the loss of my light, which I considered as near expiring, and that, I feared, for ever. I am here, thought I, like a poor condemned criminal, who knows his execution is fixed for such a day, nay, such an hour, and dies over and over in imagination, and by the torture of his mind, till that hour comes : that hour, which he so much dreads ! and yet that very hour which releases him from all farther dread ! Thus do I — my last wick is kindled — my last drop of fuel is consuming ! — and I am every moment apprehending the shocks of the rock, the suffocation of the water ; and, in short, thinking over my dying thoughts, till the snuff of my lamp throws up its last curling, expir- ing flame, and then my quietus will be presently signed, and I released from my tormenting anxiety ! Happy minute ! Come then ; I only wait for thee ! My spirits grew so low and feeble upon this, that I had recourse to my brandy bottle to raise them ; but, as I was just going to take a sip, I reflected that would only increase thirst, and, therefore, it were better to take a little of my white Madeira ; so, putting my dram-bottle again into the chest, 1 held up one of Madeira, as I fancied, to the lamp, and seeing it was white (for I had red too) I clapped it eagerly to my mouth, when the first gulp gave me a greater refreshment, and more cheered my heart, than all the other liquors I had put to- gether could have done ; insomuch, as I had almost leaped over the boat's side for joy. " It is oil ! "

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 103

cried I aloud, " it is oil ! " I set it down carefully, with inexpressible pleasure ; and examining the rest of the bottles I had taken for white Madeira, I found two more of those to be filled with oil. " Now," says I, " here is the counterpart of my condemned prisoner ! For let but a pardon come, though at the gallows, how soon does he forget he has been an unhappy villain ! And I, too, have scarce a notion now, how a man, in my case, could feel such sorrow as I have for want of a little oil."

After my first transport, I found myself grow serious, reflecting upon the vigilance of Providence over us poor creatures, and the various instances wherein it interposes to save or relieve us in cases of the deepest distress, where our own foresight, wisdom, and power have utterly failed, and wlien, looking all around, we could discover no means of deliverance. And I saw a train of circumstances leading to the incident I have just mentioned, which obliged me to acknowledge the superinten- dence of Heaven over even my affairs ; and as the goodness of God had cared for me thus far, and manifested itself to me now, in rescuing me, as it were, from being swallowed up in darkness, I had ground to hope He intended a complete deliverance of me out of that dismal abyss, and would cause me yet to praise Him in the full brightness of day.

A series of these meditations brought me (at the end of five weeks, as nearly as I could compute it by my lamp) to a prodigious lake of water, bor-

I04

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

dered with a grassy down, about half a mile wide, of the finest verdure I had ever seen : this again was flanked with a wood or grove, rising like an amphitheatre, of about the same breadth ; and be- hind, and above all, appeared the naked rock to an immense height.

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CHAPTER XL

His joy on kis arrival at Innd^A descrip/ion of the place — No inhabitants — Wants fresh water — Resides in a grotto— Finds ivnter — Views the cotmtry — Carries his things to the grotto.

T is impossible to express my joy at the sight of day once more. I got on the land as soon as possible after my dis- mission from the cavern, and, kneeling on the ground, returned hearty thanks to God for my de- liverance, begging, at the same time, grace to im- prove His mercies, and that I might continue under His protection, whatever should hereafter befall me, and at last die on my native soil.

I unloaded my vessel as well as I could, and hauled her up on the shore ; and, turning her up- side down, made her a covering for my arms and baggage. I then sat down to contemplate the place, and eat a most delightful meal on the grass, being quite a new thing to me.

I walked over the greensward to ihe wood, with

Io6 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

my gun in my hand, a brace of pistols in my girdle, and my cutlass hanging before me ; but, when I was just entering the wood, looking behind me and all around the plain, "Is it possible," says I, "that so much art (for I did not then believe it was natural) could have been bestowed upon this place, and no inhabitant in it ? Here are neither buildings, huts, castle, nor any living creature to be seen ! It cannot be," says I, "that this place was made for nothing ! "

I then w^ent a considerable way into the wood, and inclined to have gone much farther, it being very beautiful, but, on second thoughts, judged it best to content myself at present with only looking out a safe retreat for that night ; for, however agree- able the place then seemed, darkness was at hand, when everything about me would have more or less of horror in it.

The wood, at its first entrance, was composed of the most charming flowering shrubs that can be imagined ; each growing upon its own stem, at so convenient a distance from the other, that you might fairly pass between them any way without the least incommodity. Behind them grew number- less trees, somewhat taller, of the greatest variety of shapes, forms, and verdures the eye ever be- held ; each, also, so far asunder as was necessary for the spreading of their several branches and the growth of their delicious fruits, without a bush, briar, or shrub amongst them. Behind these, and

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 107

still on the higher ground, grew an infinite number of very large, tall trees, much loftier than the for- mer, but intermixed with some underwood, which grew thicker and closer the nearer you approached the rock. I made a shift to force my way through these as far as the rock, which rose as perpendi- cular as a regular building, having only here and there some crags and unevennesses. There was, I observed, a space all the way between the under- wood and the rock, wide enough to drive a cart in ; and, indeed, I thought it had been left for that purpose.

I walked along this passage a good way, having tied a rag of the lining of my jacket at the place of my entrance, to know it again at my coming back, which I intended to be ere it grew dark ; but I found so much pleasure in the walk, and surveying a small natural grotto which was in the rock, that the daylight forsook me unawares : whereupon I resolved to put off my return unto the boat till next morning, and to take up my lodging for that night in the cave.

I cut down a large bundle of underwood with my cutlass, sufficient to stop up the mouth of the grotto, and laying me down to rest, slept as sound as if I had been on board my ship ; for I never had one hour's rest together since I shot the gulf till this. Nature, indeed, could not have supported itself thus long under much labour ; but as I had nothing to do but only keep the middle stream, I

lo8 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

began to be as used to guide myself in it ^vi^h my eyes almost closed, and my senses retired, as a higgler is to drive his cart to market in his sleep.

The next morning I awaked sweetly refreshed ; and, by the sign of my rag, found the way again through the underwood to my boat. I raised that up a little, took out some bread and cheese, and, having eat pretty heartily, laid me down to drink at the lake, which looked as clear as crystal, ex- pecting a most delicious draught ; but I had for- got it brought me from the sea, and my first gulp almost poisoned me. This was a sore disappoint- ment, for I knew my water-cask was nigh emptied ; and, indeed, turning up my boat again, I drew out all that remained, and drank it, for I was much athirst.

However, I did not despair ; I was now so used to God's providence, and had a sense of its opera- tions so riveted in my mind, that though the vast lake of salt water was surrounded by an impene- trable rock or barrier of stone, I rested satisfied that I should rather find even that yield me a fresh and living stream, than that I should perish for want of it.

With this easy mind did I travel five or six miles on the side of the lake, and sometimes stepped into the wood, and walked a little there, till I had gone almost half the diameter of the lake, which lay in a circular or rather an oval figure. I had then thoughts of walking back, to be near my boat

LIFE OF PETER ]VILKIXS. leg

and lodging, for fear I should be again benighted if I went much farther; but, considering I had come past no water, and possibly I might yet find some if I went quite round the lake, I rather chose to take up with a new lodging that night, than to return : and I did not want for a supper, having brought out with me more bread and cheese than had served for dinner, the remainder of which was in the lining of my jacket. When it grew darkish, I had some thoughts of eating ; but I con- sidered, as I was then neither very hungry nor dr}', if I should eat it would but occasion drought, and I had nothing to allay that with ; so I contented myself for that night to lay me down supperless.

In the morning I set forward again upon my water search, and hoped to compass the whole lake that day. I had gone about seven miles more, when, at a little distance before me, I perceived a small hollow or cut in the grass from the wood to the lake ; thither I hasted with all speed, and blessed God for the supply of a fine fresh rill, which, distilling from several small clefts in the rock, had collected itself into one stream, and cut its way through the green sod to the lake.

I lay down with infinite pleasure, and swallowed a most cheering draught of the precious liquid; and, sitting on the brink, made a good meal of what I had with me, and then drank agaia 1 had now got five-sixths of the lake's circumference to go back again to my boat, for I did not suspect any

no LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

passage over the cavern's mouth where I came into the lake ; and I could not, without much trouble, consider that, if I would have this water for a con- stant supply, I must either come a long way for it, or fix my habitation near it. 1 was just going back again, revolving these uneasy thoughts in my breast, when this rose suddenly in my mind, that, if 1 could possibly get over the mouth of the cavern, I should not have above three miles from my grotto to the water. Now, as I could not get home that night otherwise than by crossing it, and as, if I lost my labour, I should be but where I was, where- as if I should get over it, it would very much shorten my journey, I resolved to try whether the thing was practicable, first, however, looking out for a resting-place somewhere near my water, if I should meet with a disappointment.

I then walked into the wood, where, meeting with no place of retreat to my liking, I went to my rill, and taking another sup, determined not to leave that side of the lake till morning ; but having some time to spare, I walked about two miles to view the inlet of the lake, and was agreeably sur- prised, just over the mouth of the cavern, to see a large stone arch like a bridge, as if it had been cut out of the rock, quite across the opening : this cheered me vastly, and, pushing over it, I found a path that brought me to my boat before night.

I then went up to my grotto for the third night in this most delightful place ; and the next morning

LIFE OF PFITER W ILK INS. in

early I launched my boat, and taking my water- cask and a small dipping bucket with me, I rowed away for the rill, and returned highly pleased with a sufficiency of water, whereof I carried a bucket and a copper kettle full up with me to the grotto. Indeed, it was not the least part of my satisfaction that I had this kettle with me ; for though I was in hopes, in my last voyage, I should have come to some shore, where I could have landed and en- joyed myself over some of my fish, and for that reason had taken it, notwithstanding things did not turn out just as I had schemed, yet my kettle proved the most useful piece of furniture I had.

Having now acquainted myself with the circum- ference of the lake, and settled a communication with my rill, I began to think of commencing housekeeper. In order thereunto, I set about re- moving my goods up to the grotto. By constant application, in a few days I had gotten all thither but my two great chests and my water-cask ; and how to drag or drive any of those to it, I was en- tirely at a loss. My water-cask was of the utmost importance to me, and I had thoughts sometimes of stopping it close, and rolling it to the place ; but the ascent through the wood to the grotto was so steep, that, besides the fear of staving it, which would have been an irreparable loss, I judged it impossible to accomplish it by my strength ; so with a good deal of discontent, I determined to re- mit both that and the chests to future consideration.

CHAPTER XI I.

An account of the grotto — A room added to it — A view of that building — The author makes a lit tie cart — Also a wet dock for his boat^Goes in quest of provision — A description of divers fruits and plants— He brings home a cart-load of different sorts — Makes experiments on them — Loads his cart with others — A great disappointment — Makes good bread — Never sees the suti — The nature of the light.

' AVING come to a full resolution of fixing my residence at the grotto, and making that my capital seat, it is proper to give you some description of it.

This grotto, then, was a full mile from the lake, in the rock which encompassed the wood. The entrance was scarcely two feet wide, and about nine feet high, rising from tlie height of seven feet upward to a point in the middle. The cavity was about fifteen feet long within, and about five wide. Being obliged to lie lengthwise in it, full six feet of it were taken up at the farther end for my lodging

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 113

only, as nothing could stand on the side of my bed that would leave me room to come at it. The remaining nine feet of the cave's length were taken up, first, by my fireplace, which was the deepest side of the doorway, ranging with my bed (which I had set close to the rock on one side), and took up near three feet in length ; and my furniture and provisions, of one sort or other, so filled up the rest, that I had much ado to creep between them into my bed.

In the chest which I had taken for a seat in the boat, as aforesaid, upon breaking it open by the water-side, I found a mattress, some shirts, shoes, stockings, and several other useful things ; a small case of bottles with cordials in them, some instru- ments of surgery, plasters and salves ; all which, together with a large quantity of fish that I had salted, I carried to the grotto.

My habitation being thus already overcharged, and as I could not, however, bear the thoughts of quitting it, or of having any of my goods exposed to the weather on the outside, I was naturally bent on contriving how I should increase my accommo- dations. As I had no prospect of enlarging the grotto itself, I could conceive no other way of effecting my desire but by the addition of an ou'.er room. This thought pleased me very much, so that the next day I set myself to plan out the building, and trace the foundation of it.

I told you before there was about the space of

VOL. I. H

114 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

a cart-way between the wood and the rock clear ; but this breadth, as I was building for life (so I imagined), not appearing to me spacious enough for my new apartment, I considered how I should extend its bounds into the wood. Hereupon I set myself to observe what trees stood at a proper distance from my grotto, that might serve as they stood, with a little management of hewing and the like, to compose a noble doorway, posts, and supporters ; and I found, that upon cutting down three of the nearest trees, I should answer my purpose in this respect ; and there were several others, about twenty feet from the grotto, and running parallel with the rock, the situation of which was so happily adapted to my intention, that I could make them become, as I fancied, an out-fence or wall ; so I took my axe and cut down my nearest trees, but as I was going to strike, a somewhat different scheme presented itself to my imagination that altered my resolution.

In conformity with this new plan, I fixed the height of my intended ceiling, and sawed off my nearest trees to that, sloping from the sides to the middle, to support cross-beams for the roof to rest on, and left the trunks standing, by way of pillars, both for the use and ornament of the structure. In short, 1 worked hard every day upon my build- ing for a month, in which time I had cut all my timber into their proper lengths for my outworks and covering, but was at a great stand how to fix

LIFE OF PETER WILKIXS. 115

my side-posts, having no spade or mattock, and the ground almost as hard as flint, for to be sure it had never been stirred since the creation. I then thought I had the worst part of my job to get over; however,! went on, and having contrived, in most of my upright side-quarters, to take the tops of trees, and leave on the lower parts their cleft, where they began to branch out and divide from the main stem, I set one of them upright against the rock, then laid one end of my long ceiling-pieces upon the cleft of it, and laid the other end upon a tree on the same side, whose top I had also sawed off with a proper cleft. I then went and did the same on the other side ; after this I laid on a proper number of cross-beams, and tied all very firmly together with the bark of young trees stripped off in long thongs, which answered that purpose very well. Thus I pro- ceeded, crossing, joining, and fastening all together, till the whole roof was so strong and firm that there was no stirring any part of it. I then spread it over with small lop wood, on which I raised a ridge of dried grass and weeds, very thick, and thatched over the whole with the leaves of a tree very much resembling those of a palm, but much thicker, and not quite so broad ; the entire surface, I might say, was as smooth as a die, and so ordered, by a gentle declivity every way, as to carry off the wet.

Having covered in my building, I was next to finish and close the walls of it : the skeleton of

ii6 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

these was composed of sticks, crossing one another checker-wise and tied together ; to fill up the voids, I wove upon them the longest and most pliable twigs of the underwood I could find, leaving only a doorway on one side, between two stems of a tree which, dividing in the trunk at about two feet from the ground, grew from thence, for the rest of its height, as if the branches were a couple of trees a little distance from one another, which made a sort of stile-way to my room. When this was all done, 1 tempered up some earth by the lake-side, and mixing it to a due consistence with mud, which I took from the lake, applied it as a plaster- ing in this manner : I divided it into pieces, which 1 rolled up of the size of a foot-ball ; these lumps I stuck close by one another on the lattice, press- ing them very hard with my hands, which forced part of them quite through the small twigs, and then I smoothed both sides with the back of my saw, to about the thickness of five or six inches ; so that by this means I had a wall round my new apartment a foot thick. This plaster-work cost me some time and a great deal of labour, as I had a full mile to go to the lake for every load of stuff, and could carry but little at once, it was so heavy ; but there was neither water for tempering, nor proper earth to make it with any nearer. At last, however, I completed my building in every respect but a door, and for this I was forced to use the lid of my sea chest ; which indeed I would have

LIFE OF PETER WILKINS. 117

diosen not to apply that way, but I had nothing else that would do; and there was, however, this conveniency, that it had hinges ready fixed there- on.

I now began to enjoy myself in my new habita- tion, like the absolute and sole lord of the country, for I had neither seen man nor beast since my arrival, save a few animals in the trees like our squirrels, and some water-rats about the lake ; but there were several strange kinds of birds I had never before seen, both on the lake and in the woods.

That which now troubled me most was how to get my water nearer to me than the lake, for I had no lesser vessel than the cask, which held above twenty gallons, and to bring that up was a fatigue intolerable. My next contrivance, therefore, was this : I told you I had taken my chest-lid to make a door for my ante-chamber, as I now began to call it ; so I resolved to apply the body of the chest also to a purpose different from that it originally answered. In order to this, I went to the lake where the body of the chest lay, and sawed it through within about three inches of the bottom. Of the two ends, having rounded them as well as I could, I made two wheels ; and with one of the sides I made two more. I burnt a hole through the middle of each ; then preparing two axle-trees, I fastened them, after putting on the wheels, to the bottom of the chest with the nails I had drawn out

n8 LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.

cf it. Having finished this machine, on which I bestowed no small labour, I was hugely pleased with it, and only wished I had a beast, if it were but an ass, to draw it ; however, that ta.-k I was satisfied to perform myself, since there was no help for it ; so I made a good strong cord out of my fishing-lines, and fixed that to drag it by. When all was thus in readiness, filling my water-cask, I bound it thereon, and so brought it to the grotto with such ease, comparatively, as quite charmed me. Having succeeded so well in the first essay, I no sooner unloaded but down went I again with my cart, or truckle rather, to the lake, and brought from thence on it my other chest, which I had left entire.

I had now nothing remaining near the lake but my boat, and had half a mind to try to bring that up too ; but having so frequent occasion for her to get my water in, which I used in greater abundance now than I had done at first, a great part going to supply my domestic uses, as well as for drinking, I resolved against that, and sought cut for a con- venient dock to stow it in as a preservative against wind and weather, which I soon after effected ; for having pitched upon a swampy place, overgrown with a sort of long flags or reeds, I soon cut a trench from the lake, with a sort of spade or bo