Page 517
An. 1690
The Mother dies. False stories of Jeoly
making a Chest, with 4 boards, and a few nails that he begg'd of me. It was but an ill shaped odd thing, yet he was as proud of it, as if it had been the rarest piece in the World. After some time they were both taken sick, and though I took as much care of them, as if they had been my Bro- ther and Sifter, yet she died. I did what I could to comfort Jeoly; but he took on extreamly, info- much that I feared him also. Therefore I caused a Grave to be made presently, to hide her out of his sight. I had her shrouded decently in a piece of new Callico; but Jeoly was not so satisfied, for he wrapped all her Cloaths about her, and two new pieces of Chints that Mr. Moody gave her, saying that they were his Mothers, and she must have them. I would not disoblige him, for fear of endangering his life; and I used all possible means to recover his health: but I found little amendment while we stay'd here.
In the little printed relation that was made of him when he was shewn for a fight in England, there was a Romantick story of a beautiful Sister of his, a Slave with them at Mindanao; and of the Sultans falling in love with her; but these were stories indeed. They reported also that his Paint was of such Virtue, that Serpents and Venemous Creatures would flee from him; for which rea- son, I suppose, they represented so many Serpents scampering about in the printed Picture that was made of him. But I never knew any Paint of such virtue: and as for Jeoly, I have seen him as much afraid of Snakes, Scorpions, or Centapees, as my self.
Having given this account of the Ship that left me at Nicobar, and of my painted Prince whom I brought with me to Benconli, I shall now proceed on with the relation of my Voyage thence to En- gland, after I have given this short account of