CHAP. I.
An Account of the Author’s Return out of the South Seas, to his Landing near Cape St. Lawrence, in the Isthmus of Darien: With an Occasional Description of the Moskito Indians.
April the 17th, 1681, about Ten a Clock in the morning, being 12 leagues N.W. from the Island Plata, we left Captain Sharp, and those who were willing to go with him in the Ship, and imbarqued into our Lanch and Ca- noas, designing for the River of Sancta Maria, in the Gulf of St. Michael, which is about 200 leagues from the Isle of Plata. We were in number 44 white Men who bore Arms, a Spanish Indian, who bore Arms also; and two Moskito Indians, who always [p2] [An. 1681] [The Author’s Return out of the South Seas,] always bear Arms amongst the Privateers, and are much valued by them for striking Fish, and Turtle or Tortoise, and Manatee or Sea Cow; and 5 Slaves taken in the South Seas, who fell to our share. The Craft which carried us was a Lanch, or Long Boat, one Canoa, and another Canoa which had been sawn asunder in the middle, in order to have made Bumkins, or Vessels for carrying water, if we had not separated from our Ship. This we joyned to- gether again and made it tight; providing Sails to help us along: And for 3 days before we parted, we sifted so much Flower as we could well carry, and rubb’d up 20 or 30 pound of Chocolate with Sugar to sweeten it; these things and a Kettle the Slaves carried also on their backs after we landed. And because there were some who designed to go with us that we knew were not well able to march, we gave out, that if any man faultred in the Journey over Land he must expect to be shot to death; for we knew that the Spaniards would soon be after us, and one man falling into their hands might be the ruin of us all, by giving an account of our strength and condition: yet this would not deter them from going with us. We had but little Wind when we parted from the Ship; but before 12 a Clock the Sea-breeze came in strong, which was like to founder us before we got in with the shore; for our security therefore, we cut up an old dry Hide that we brought with us, and barricadoed the Lanch all round with it to keep the water out. About 10 a clock at night we got in about 7 leagues to wind- ward of Cape Passao under the line, and then it proved calm; and we lay and drove all night, be- ing fatigued the preceeding day. The 18th day we had little wind till the afternoon; and then we made sail, standing along the shore to the North- ward, having the wind at S.S.W. and fair weather. At [p3] [An.1681] [And Account of the Moskito Indians.] At 7 a clock we came a brest of Cape Passao, and found a small Bark at an Anchor in a small Bay to Leeward of the Cape, which we took, our own Boats being too small to transport us. We took her just under the Equinoctial Line, she was not only a help to us, but in taking her we were safe from being descried: We did not design to have meddled with any when we parted with our Consorts, nor to have seen any if we could have helped it. The Bark came from Gallio laden with Timber, and was bound for Guiaquill. The 19th day in the morning we came to an an- chor about 12 leagues to the Southward of Cape St. Francisco, to put our new Bark into a better trim. In 3 or 4 hours time we finished our business, and came to sail again, and steered along the Coast with the Wind at S. S. W. intending to touch at Gorgonia. Being to the Northward of Cape St. Francisco we met with very wet weather; but the Wind conti- nuing we arrived at Gorgonia the 24th day in the morning, before it was light: we were afraid to approach it in the day time, for fear the Spaniards should lye there for us, it being the place where we careened lately, and where they might expect us. When we came ashore we found the Spaniards had been there to seek after us, by a House they had built, which would entertain 100 Men, and a great Cross before the Door. This was token enough that the Spaniards did expect us this way again; therefore we examined our Prisoners if they knew any thing of it, who confessed they had heard of a Pereago (or large Canoa) that rowed with 14 Oars, which was kept in a River on the Main, and once in 2 or 3 days came over to Gorgonia purposely to fee for us; and that having discovered us, she was to make all speed to Panama with the news; where they had 3 Ships ready to send after us. We [p4] [An. 1681] [The Author’s Return out of the South Seas,] We lay here all the day, and scrubb’d our new Bark, that if ever we should be chafed we might the better escape: we fill’d our Water, and in the evening went from thence, having the Wind at S.W. a brisk gale. The 25th day we had much Wind and Rain, and we lost the Canoa that had been cut and was join’d together; we would have kept all our Canoas to carry us up the River, the Bark not being so con- venient. The 27th day we went from thence with a mo- derate gale of Wind at S.W. In the afternoon we had excessive Showers of Rain. The 28th day was very wet all the morning; be- twixt 10 and 11 it cleared up, and we saw two great Ships about a league and a half to the West- ward of us, we being then two leagues from the shore, and about 10 leagues to the Southward of point Garachina. These Ships had been cruising between Gorgonia and the Gulf 6 mo. th: but whe- ther our Prisoners did know it I cannot tell. We presently furled our Sails, and rowed in close under the shore, knowing that they were Cruisers; for if they had been bound to Panama this Wind would have carried them thither; and no Ships bound from Panama come on this side the Bay, but keep the North side of the Bay till as far as the Keys of Quibo to the Westward; and then if they are bound to the Southward they stand over and may fetch Galleo, or betwixt it and Cape St. Francisco. The Glare did not continue long before it rained again, and kept us from the sight of each other: but if they had seen and chaced us, we were re- solved to run our Bark and Canoas ashore, and take our selves to the Mountains, and travel over Land; for we knew that the Indians which lived in these parts never had any Commerce with the Spaniards; so we might have had a chance for our Lives. The [p5] [An.1681] [And Account of the Moskito Indians.] The 29th day, at 9 a clock in the morning, we came to an anchor at Point Garrachina, about 7 leagues from the Gulf of St. Michael, which was the place where we first came into the South Seas, and the way by which we designed to return. Here we lay all the day, and went ashore and dried our Cloaths, clean d our Guns, dried our Am- munition, and fixt our selves against our Enemies, if we should be attack’d; for we did expect to find some opposition at Landing: we likewise kept a good Look-out all the day, for fear of those two Ships that we saw the day before. The 30th day in the morning at 8 a clock we came into the Gulf of St. Michael’s mouth; for we put from Point Garrachina in the Evening, de- signing to have reach’d the Islands in the Gulf be- fore day; that we might the better work our de- sign upon our Enemies, if we should find any of them waiting to stop our passage. About 9 a clock we came to an Anchor a mile without a large Island, which lyes 4 miles from the mouth of the River; we had other small Islands without us, and might have gone up into the Ri- ver, having a strong tyde of flood, but would not adventure farther till we had lookt well about us. We immediately sent a Canoa ashore on the Island, where we saw (what we always feared) a Ship at the mouth of the River, lying close by the shore, and a large Tent by it, by which we found it would be a hard task for us to escape them. When the Canoa came aboard with this news, some of our men were a little disheartned; but it was no more than I ever expected. Our care was now to get safe over land, seeing we could not land here according to our desire: Therefore before the tyde of flood was spent, we manned our Canoa and rowed again to the Island; to fee if the Enemy was yet in motion. When we came [p6] [An. 1681] [The Author’s Return out of the South Seas,] came ashore we dispers’d our selves all over the Island, to prevent our Enemies from coming any way to view us; and presently after high-water we saw a small Canoa coming over from the Ship to the Island that we were on; which made us all get into our Canoa, and wait their coming; and we lay close till they came within Pistol-shot of us, and then being ready, we started out and took them. There were in her one White man and two Indians; who being examined, told us that the Ship which we saw at the Rivers mouth had lain there fix months, guarding the River, waiting for our coming; that she had 12 Guns, and 150 Sea-men and Souldiers: that the Sea-men all lay aboard, but the Souldiers lay ashore in their Tent; that there were 300 men at the Mines, who had all small Arms, and would be aboard in two Tydes time. They likewise told us, that there were two Ships cruising in the Bay, between this place and Gorgonia; the biggest had 20 Guns and 200 men, the other 10 Guns, and 150 men: Besides all this, they told us that the Indians on this side the Coun- try were our Enemies; which was the worst news of all. However we presently brought these Priso- ners aboard, and got under sail, turning out with the Tyde of Ebb, for it was not convenient to stay longer there. We did not long consider what to do; but in- tended to land that night, or the next day betimes; for we did not question but we should either get a good commerce with the Indians, by such toys as we had purposely brought with us, or else force our way through their Country, in spight of all their opposition: and we did not fear what the Spaniards could do against us, in case they should land and come afrer us. We had a strong Souther- ly Wind, which blew right in; and the Tyde of Ebb being far spent, we could not turn out. I per- [p7] [An. 1681] [And Account of the Moskito Indians.] I persuaded them to run into the River of Congo, which is a large River, about three leagues from the Islands where we lay; which with a Southerly Wind we could have done: and when we were got so high as the Tide flows, then we might have landed. But all the Arguments I could use were not of force sufficient to convince them that there was a large River so near us; but they would land somewhere, they neither did know how, where, nor when. When we had rowed and towed against the Wind all night, we just got about Cape St. Lorenzo in the morning; and failed about 4 miles farther to the Westward, and run into a small Creek with- in two Keys, or little Islands, and rowed up to the head of the Creek, being about a mile up, and there we landed, May 1. 1681. We got our all our Provision and Cloaths, and then sunk our Vessel. While we were landing, and fixing our Snap- sacks to march, our Moskito Indians struck a plenti- ful dish of Fish, which we immediately drest, and therewith satisfy d our hunger. Having made mention of the Moskito Indians, it may not be amiss to conclude this Chapter with a short account of them. They are tall, well made, raw-boned, lusty, strong, and nimble of foot; long-visag d, lank black hair, look stern, hard-fa- vour’d, and of a dark Copper-colour Complexion. They are but a small Nation or Family, and not 100 men of them in number, inhabiting on the Main, on the North side, near Cape Gratia Dios; between Cape Honduras and Nicaragua. They are very ingenious at throwing the Lance, Fisgig, Har- poon, or any manner of Dart, being bred to it from their Infancy; for the Children imitating their Pa- rents, never go abroad without a Lance in their hands, which they throw at any object, till use hath made [p8] [An. 1681] [The Author’s Return out of the South Seas,] made them masters of the Art. Then they learn to put by a Lance, Arrow, or Dart; the manner is thus. Two Boys stand at a small distance, and Dart blunt stick at one another; each of them holding a small stick in his right hand, with which he strikes away that which was darted at him. As they grow in years they become more dexterous and courageous, and then they will stand a fair mark, to any one that will shoot Arrows at them; which they will put by with a very small stick, no bigger than the rod of a Fowling piece; and when they are grown to be men, they will guard them- selves from Arrows, tho they come very thick at them, provided two do not happen to come at once. They have extraordinary good Eyes, and will descry a Sail at Sea farther, and fee any thing better than we. Their chiefest employment in their own Country, is to strike Fish, Turtle or Manatee; the manner of which I describe else- where, Chap. 3. For this they are esteemed and co- veted by all Privateers; for one or two of them in a Ship, will maintain 100 men: So that when we careen our Ships, we choose commonly such places, where there is plenty of Turtle or Manatee for these Mos- kito men to strike; and it is very rare to find Pri- vateers destitute of one or more of them, when the Commander, or most of the men are English; but they do not love the French; and the Spaniards they hate mortally. When they come among Pri- vateers, they get the use of Guns, and prove very good Marks-men: They behave themselves very bold in fight, and never seem to flinch nor hang back; for they think that the white men with whom they are, know better than they do when it is best to fight; and let the disadvantage of their party be never so great, they will never yield nor give back while any of their party stand. I could never perceive any Religion nor any Ceremonies, or [p9] [An. 1681] [And Account of the Moskito Indians.] or superstitious Observations among them, being ready to imitate us in whatsoever they saw us do at any time. Only they seem to fear the Devil, whom they call Wallefaw; and they say, he often appears to some among them, whom our men commonly call their Priests, when they desire to speak with him on urgent businefs; but the rest know not any thing of him, nor how he appears, otherwise than as these Priests tell them. Yet they all say they must not anger him, for then he will beat them, and that sometimes he carries away these their Priests. Thus much I have heard from some of them who speak good English. They marry but one Wife, with whom they live till death separates them. At their first coming to- gether, the man makes a very small Plantation, for there is Land enough, and they may choose what spot they please. They delight to settle near the Sea, or by some River, for the sake of striking Fish, their beloved employment. Far within Land there are other Indians, with whom they are always at War. After the man hath cleared a spot of Land, and hath Planted it, he seldom minds it afterward, but leaves the ma- naging of it to his Wife, and he goes out a striking: Sometimes he seeks only for Fish, at other times for Turtle, or Manatee, and whatever he gets he brings home to his Wife, and never stirs out to seek for more till it is all eaten. When hunger begins to bite, he either takes his Canoa and seeks for more game at Sea, or walks out into the Woods; and hunts about for Pecary, Warree, each a sort of Wild Hogs, or Deer; and seldom returns empty handed, nor seeks for any more so long as any of it lasts. Their Plantations are so small, that they cannot subsist with what they produce: for their largest Plantations have not above 20 or 30 Plan- tain-Trees, a bed of Yames and Potatoes, a bush of [p10] [An. 1681] [The Author’s Return out of the South Seas,] of Indian Pepper, and a small spot of Pine-apples; which last fruit is a main thing they delight in, for with these they make a sort of drink which our men call Pine-drink, much esteemed by these Mos- kito’s, and to which they invite each other to be merry, providing Fish and Flesh also. Whoever of them makes of this Liquor treats his neighbours, making a little Canoa full at a time, and so enough to make them all drunk; and it is seldom that such Feasts are made, but the party that makes them hath some design, either to be revenged for some injury done him, or to debate of such differences as have happen’d between him and his neighbours, and to examine into the truth of such matters. Yet before they are warmed with drink they never speak one word of their grievances: and the wo- men, who commonly know their husbands designs, prevent them from doing any injury to each other, by hiding their Lances, Harpoons, Bows and Ar- rows, or any other Weapon that they have. These Moskitoes are in general very civil and kind to the English, of whom they receive a great deal of respect, both when they are aboard their Ships, and also ashore, either in Jamaica, or elsewhere, whither they often come with the Sea-men. We always humour them, letting them go any whither as they will, and return to their Country in any Vessel bound that way, if they please. They will have the management of themselves in their striking, and will go, in their own little Canoa, which our men could not go in without danger of oversetting; nor will they then let any white man come in their Canoa, but will go a striking in it just as they please: All which we allow them. For should we crofs them, tho’ they should see Shoals of Fish, or Turtle, or the like, they will purposely strike their Harpoons and Turtle-irons aside, or so glance them as to kill nothing. They have no form of [p11] [An. 1681] [And Account of the Moskito Indians.] of Government among them, but acknowledge the King of England for their Sovereign: They learn our Language, and they take the Governor of Ja- maica to be one of the greatest Princes in the World. While they are among the English, they wear good Cloaths, and take delight to go neat and tight; but when they return again to their own Country, they put by all their Cloaths, and go after their own Country fashion, wearing only a small piece of Linnen tyed about their waistes, hanging down to their knees.