Page 365
An.1686
The Prodigality of the English Seamen.
It was about the 20th day of December when we returned from hunting, and the General designed to go again to another place to hunt for Beef ; but he stayed till after Christmas-day, because some of us designed to go with him ; and Captain Swan had desired all his men to be aboard that day, that we might keep it solemnly together : And accord- ingly he sent aboard a Buffaloelthe day before, that we might have a good Dinner. So the 25th day about 10 a clock, Captain Swan came aboard, and all his Men who were ashore : For you must understand that near a third of our men lived con- stantly ashore, with their Comrades and Pagallies, and some with Women-servants, whom they hired of their Masters for Concubines. Some of our men also had Houses, which they hired or bought, for Houses are very cheap, for 5 or 6 Dollars. For many of them having more money than they knew what to do with, eased themselves here of the trouble of telling it, spending it very lavishly, their prodigality making the people impose upon them to the making the rest of us pay the dearer for what we bought, and to the endangering the like impositions upon such Englishmen as may come here hereafter. For the Mindanaoians knew how to get our Squires Gold from them (for we had no Silver,) and when our men wanted Silver, they would change now and then an Ounce of Gold, and could get for it no more then 10 or 11 Dol- lars for a Mindanao Ounce which they would not part with again under 18 Dollars. Yet this, and the great prices they set on their Goods, were not the only way to lessen their stocks ; for their Pa- gallies and Comrades would often be begging somewhat of them, and our men were generous enough, and would bestow half an ounce of Gold at a time, in a Ring for their Pagallies, or in a Silver Wrist-band, or Hoop to come about their Arms,