Selected quad for the lemma: day_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54930
|
A relation of the great sufferings and strange adventures of Henry Pitman, chyrurgion to the late Duke of Monmouth, containing an account ...
|
Pitman, Henry.
|
1689
(1689)
|
Wing P2298; ESTC R4673
|
34,975
|
40
|
knowing him by his Voice to be one of my Companions I gladly received the account he gave me which was that the Watch came only to call up one of their Number that was to watch with them that Night and then went away without taking the least notice of the Boat. However I was so disheartened by this unlucky Accident that I was altogether unwilling to make a second attempt till at length over-ruled by the Importunity of my Friend more especially when he told me that they all waited for me and could not go without me for neither of them had any skill in Navigation and considering the baseness of disappointing so many Persons whom I had ingaged in so much danger I resolved once more to hazard a burnt Forehead and fore Back and going with him to the Water side I found my Companions by the Boat waiting for me and not a little glad to see me come again then we put the Negroes into the Store-house charging them not to stir forth or make any noise till the Morning and to incourage them to be faithful to us I gave them three half pieces of Eight for their good Service This done and thus delivered from our Fears we embarked in our small Vessel being in number eight namely John Whicker Peter Bagwell William Woodcock John Cooke Jeremiah Atkins and my self which were Sufferers on the account of the Duke of Monmouth the other two was John Nuthall who bought the Boat for me and Thomas Waker Thomas Austin of whom I formerly spake was so possessed with fear of being cast away that he would not go with us About Midnight we put off to Sea designing for Quirasao a Dutch Island that lies about 200 Leagues thence for we durst not go to any English Island for fear we should be taken and sent back again We rowed softly forward within a Pistols shot of the fort for there lay at that time a Man of War in the Road which made us not a little afraid of being discovered by those watchful Enemies but Providence so ordered it that we passed both without discovery However by that time we were got clear of the Fort and Shiping our Boat being so extream leaky had taken in so much Water that we were almost ready to sink not daring to heave it out before for fear of making a noise to alarm our Enemies But having the conveniency of a Tub and large wooden Bowle we fell to work and in a little time we pretty well emptied our Boat and then we set our Mast and hoisted our Sail and steered our Course South-West as near as I could judge intending to make the great Granada for our Candles being bruised into one mass of Tallow and our Tinder and Matches wet we could not strike a light to steere by our Compass neither indeed had we any Candles lighted for the same Reason during our whole Voyage so that in the Night we were forced to steere by the Stars and when it was cloudy by the Wind. That which troubled us most was the leakiness of our little Vessel for although we endeavoured all we could to stop her gaping Seams with our Linnen and all the Rags we had which we tallowed with our bruised Candles yet she was so thin so feeble so heavy loaden and wrought so exceedingly by reason of the great motion of the Sea that we could not possibly make her tight but was forced to keep one Person almost continually Night and Day to throw out the water during our whole Voyage the same Night most of my Companions were so Sea sick that notwithstanding we were all ready to sink I could hardly perswade them to throw out the Water and my place being at the Helm to guide and govern the Boat I could not safely go thence however at length through great Importunity and earnest Perswasions I prevailed with them to take a little pains to preserve us from drowning My Companions now began to wish themselves at Barbadoes again and would willingly have returned but I told them there was no possibility of it being so far to leward of the Island One of them through Carelesness in heaving out the Water threw over our wooden Bowle and we running away with a large Wind could not go back to take it up so that we had nothing left to throw out the Water but our Tub which obliged them to be more careful of it for our Lives were concerned therein May the 10th in the Morning we were got almost out of sight of the Island at least far enough from being descried from thence And perceiving no sort of Vessel in persuit of us we began to be cheered up with the thoughts of our Liberty and the hopes of our safe arrival at our desired Port But then alas the Night no sooner approacht but we were assailed with a brisk Gale of Wind under which misfortune another worse befell us that we split our Rudder so that we were forced to lower our Sail and with an Oar to keep our Boat before the Sea whilst one of my Company a Joyner mended our Helm by nailing to it two pieces of Boards that done we went cheerily on again May the 11th we had indifferent good Weather and my Companions pretty well recovered of their Sea sickness and now we had time to put things in a better posture in our Boat and to raise her which we did by nalling on Tarpolings from her sides to our Oars that were lasht fast about nine Inches above which did us good service in keeping out the Sea We likewise made a Tilt with a Hamock over the hinder part of our Boat to defend us from the scorching heat of the Sun. May the 12th this Morning notwithstanding we steered South-West to weather the Great Granada the Currant had set us so much to the Northward that we made the Granadilloes to bear West of us which obliged us to steere more Southerly to weather the Great Granada May the 13th the last Night we weathered the Great Granada and steered down the South side of the same and then shaped our Course for the Testegoes for I could not take any true Observation by my Quadrant because of the uneven motion of the Sea and the nearness of the Sun to the Zenith and therefore was constrained to steere a Course from Island to Island though the farther way about May the 14th We had fair Weather and a fresh Gale of Wind and about Noon as I remember we made the Testegoes bearing South South-West and before Night made the North-East end of the Magaretaes But by this time being so extreamly spent for want of sleep having been obliged for the most part Night and Day to steere the Boat I was desirous to take a little Rest but first I directed one of my Companions how to steere down by the said Island and then composed my self to Sleep in which interval of time my Companions eagerly longing for fresh Water regard ours stunk so