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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.
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