Page 181
An. 1685
The Story of John Gret.
time they had with them : and upon calling al- fo to mind the frequent Invitations we had from those Indian: a little before this time, to pass through their Country, and fall upon the Spaniards in the South Seas, we from henceforward began to enter- tain such thoughts in earnest, and soon came to a Resolution to make those Attempts which we after- wards did, with Capt. Sharp, Coxon, &c. So that the taking these Letters gave the first life to those bold Undertakings : and we took the advantage of the fears the Spaniards were in from that Prophecy, or probable Conjecture, or whatever it were; for we sealed up most of the Letters again; and sent them ashore to Portobel.
The occasion of this our late Friendship with those Indians was thus. About 15 years before this time Capt. Wright being cruising near that Coast, and go- ing in among the Samballoes Isles to strike Fish and Turtle, took there a young Indian Lad as he was pad- dling about in a Canoa. He brought him aboard his Ship, and gave him the Name of John Gret, cloathing him, and intending to breed him among the English. But his Moskito Strikers, taking a fancy to the Boy, begg'd him of Captain Wright, and took him with them at their return into their own Country, where they taught him their Art, and he married a Wife among them, and learnt their Language, as he had done some broken English while he was with Captain Wright, which he improved among the Moskitoes, who corresponding so much with us, do all of them smatter English after a fort ; but his own Language he had almost forgot. Thus he lived among them for many years ; till about 6 or 8 months before our ta- king these Letters, Captain Wright being again among the Samballoes, took thence another Indian Boy about 10 or 12 years old; the Son of a Man of some ac- count among those Indians ; and wanting a Striker, he went away to the Moskito's Country, where he took