three Canows and one Indian Prisoner who conducted them to his own and his Fathers Plantations on condition they would afterwards set him free where they stored themselves with Provisions and other Necessaries but it cost them dear for their Quarter-Master and one more of the Company was poâ—soned by their unwary eating of Casader Roots the rest of them went with those Canows and Indian which they had taken to the place appointed expecting to meet their Man of War but could not find him and therefore being necessitated to shift for themselves as well as they could they came to this Island hoping to meet here with some Vessel loading of Salt in which they might get passage for some English Port but was disappointed here also for the Ships were all gone before they came After we had sufficiently refresht our selves with Rest and Sleep and returned to the Lord the Praises due unto his Name for this wonderful miraculous deliverance we thought it time to consider how to stop the Leaks of our Boat and to raise a Deck over her with Rinds of Trees c. that we might proceed in our intended Voyage for Quirasoe our Intentions were no sooner perceived by the Privateers but they endeavoured to perswade us from it alledging the insufficient of our Boat and the Dangers we were so lately exposed unto advising us rather to go with them in their Pereagoes a Privateering than to hazard our lives by a second attempt with the like Argument they would have easily prevailed with my Companions to consent to go with them had I not perswaded them to the contrary But when the Privateers saw it was in vain to perswade they thought to compel us by burniâ—g our Boat supposing thâ—n that we would chuse rather to go with them then to slay upon the Island till Sâ—â—ping came for Salt which would be eight or nine Moneths and in the mean time to be in danger of being taken by the Spamards for Privateers or otherwise to be starved with Hunger for we had no more then four or five pound of Bread for each man left But this contrivance answered not their Expectations for notwithstanding they burnt our Boat and took our Sails and other Utensils from us I continued my resolution and chose rather to trust divine Providence on that desolate and uninhabitable Island than to partake or be any ways concerned with them in their Piracy having confidence in my self that God who had so wonderfully and miraculously preserved us on the Sea and brought us to this Island would in like manner deliver us hence if we continued faithful to him And in order to our better Accomodation and Preservation on this Island I gave the Privateers 30 pieces of Eight for the Indian they took on the Main but was not so true to their Promise as to set him at liberty which I expected would be serviceable unto us in cat hing Fish c. About the 25th of May twenty two of the Privateers having first raised the sides of their Pereagoes with Boards fastened with the Nails they saved in the burning our Boat and fitted them for the Sea they set sail leaving four of their Company behind that refused to go with them as also a Spanish Boat that was of no service to them neither could be of any use to us unless we had Sails to sail her and a Rudder to guide her both of which we wanted In this condition they left us deprived of all ways and means of getting off until the season aforesaid unless God by a perticular Providence should direct some Vessel or other to touch here But before I proceed to give account of our manner of Life in this place I think it necessary to give a short description of the Island it self which is scituated in the Latitude of 11 Degrees and 11 Minutes North Latitude its extent is about twelve Miles in length and two or three in breadth and is about one hundred and twenty Leagues from Barbadoes called by the Spainards Tortuga from the great plenty of Turtle that resorts thither but our English gives it the Name of Saltitudos because there is such great quantity of Salt yearly brought from thence the Spaniard claims the Propriety of this Island lying so near the Main where they inhabit and therefore will sometimes take our English Vessels as they are loading of Salt of which they took two the Season before we came there The East and West end of this Island is for the most part Sand the middle consists of hard and carggy Rocks that are very poreous resembling honey Combs and therefore we called them Honey-Comb Rocks There is plenty of small Bushes growing out of the Sand and Shrubs from between the Rocks but no Timber Trees on the whole Island One the South side near the East end is the Salenaes or salt Ponds from whence the Salt is brought which is thus made the Sea or salt Water penetrates through the beachy Banks of the Sea and over-flows a large Plain of two or three Miles circumference near a Foot deep where by the scorching heat of the Sun the thin Aqueous part is exhaled and the Saline part is Coagulated into pure white Christaline Salt and because there is a continual supply of Salt Water from the Sea the Sun continues exhaling and coagulating until the whole Salenaes is deeply covered over with Salt so that all they have to do is only to rake it together and carry it aboard There is great plenty of Birds and Fowl as Pellicans Flammans Parakets Mocking Birds and a innumerable company of Sea-Fowl and some Vegiâ—able Productions of which I shall have occasion to treat hereafter But to return from this Digression the Privateers had no sooner left us but we found our selves of necessity obliged to seek out for Provision and being led by the Example of those four Privateers that staid behind we wâ—lked along the Sea-shore to watch for Tortoise or Turtle which when they came up out of the Sea to lay their Eggs in the Sand we turned them on their Backs and they being uncapable of turning themselves again we let them remain so till the day following or until we had conveniency of killing them for if they were sufficiently defended from the heat of the Sun by a shade which we usually built over them they would live several days out of the Water And thus we walked to and fro in the Night time to turn Turtle and in the Day time we were imployed in killing them whose Flesh was the chiefest of our Diet being roasted by the Fire on wooden Spits and sometimes when we designed a Feastival we left some part of the Flesh on the Calepatch and Calapee that is the Back and Breast Shells which we roasted by setting them upright in two forked Sticks thrust into the Sand before a large Fire what we did not eat we cut into long and slender pieces and after we had salted it very well we
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-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
departure and how that after we were gone our Masters had hired a Sloop to send after us but thinking it in vain they did not persue us however they sent our Names and the description of our Persons to the leward Islands that so if any of us came thither we might be taken Prisoners and sent up again At one time it was reported that we had gotten aboard a Dutch Vessel and was bound for Holland at another time that we were taken Prisoners at St Christophers and to be sent back in Chains which made our Masters rejoyce and insultingly to boast of the severe Punishments they would inflict upon us and was resolved as they said that I should be hanged for an Example to others because I was the chief contriver and manager of our escape But these Hopes and Insulstings of theirs were soon over for when at length they could hear no true account of us they concluded that we perished in the Sea. I had not been long at New-York before I got passage in a Vessel bound for Amsterdam and in order thereunto took out a Ticket from the Secrataries Office by another Name and in about five Weeks time we arrived at Cows on the Isle of Weight where this Vessel stopt to clear and as soon as I had got my Chest c. ashore I embarqued for Southampton where I left my Chest at a Friends House and returned in a disguise to my Relations who before this time unknown to me had procured my Pardon and joyfully received me as one risen from the Dead for having received no account from me since I left Barbadoes they did almost despair of ever seeing me any more NOw unto the Eternal and True God the sacred Fountain of all Mercies that have been with me in all Dangers and times of Tryal who miraculously preserved me on the deep Waters and according to the multitude of his Mercies delivered me when appointed to dye unto him do I with sincere Gratitude dedicate the remainder of my dayes Humbly imploring that the Angel of his presence may always attend me and the Remembrance of his repeated Favours more and more engaged my Heart to serve him that in Testimony of my abundant Thankfulness I may return to him a perpetual Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving hencesorth and forever From my Lodging at the Sign of the Ship in St Paul ' s Church-Yard London June the 10th 1689. Henry Pitman An Account of the Adventures of my Companions since I left them on Saltatudos communicated to me by John Whicker since his arrival in England Dear Doctor in answer to your Request I have given you the following Account ABout a Fortnight after you left us on Saltatudos two of our Companions John Nuthall and Thomas Waker having made Sails of the Cloth the Privateers left us and fitted the Spanish Boat for the Sea went from us designing for Quirasoe but the Boat being so large and unruly and they so unskilful in Navigation that I fear they either perished in the Sea or was driven ashore on the Main amongst the cruel Spaniards for we never heard of them since The next day after they departed from us arrived here a small Privateer Boat of about four Tuns in which were eight English men and a Negro that formerly belonged to the Ship in which you embarqued but that they left her and went ashore upon a Island called Fernando which lies to the Southward upon the Coast of Brazil Their reason for leaving their Ship was this Having been out of Carolina about an Year and Half and had made nothing of a Voyage considerable resolved for the South Seas coming to the Streights of Magdaleen met with very bad Weather which forced them to put back again and resolved to turn Pirates but these eight men being averse to the rest of their Companions design went ashore upon the Island aforesaid carrying with them what they had on board intending to go from thence in a small Boat which was given them by the Ship 's Crew with some Rigging and other necessaries which they designing to build upon and raise her higher in case of bad Weather having in their Company two Carpenters and a Joyner taking their leaves of each other the Ship put to Sea next Morning saw a Sail at a considerable distance but making the best of their way soon came up with her and finding her to be a Portugeizs they laid her aboard and took her with very little resistance although she was a bigger Ship and had more men then the Privateers having made her their prize brought her away to the same Island on which were their Companions and turned the Prisoners ashore among them giving them a Boat and Oars But this caused no small trouble among the English who were then Inhabiters with them but being well armed they kept them at a distance from their appartment all that day but the next Night the Spaniards ran away carrying with them their own Boat and the English mens too then were they in a bad condition not having a Ship nor boat with which they could convey themselves from that desolate Island then were they constrained to cut fall a sort of Trees called Mangroves and in the best manner they could sawed out Boards Planks and other Timbers sit for their use and began to build a new Boat from the Keel and in six Weeks or thereabouts finisht her being in burthen as they judg'd four Tuns no one being idle but imploying themselves some about their new Vessel while others by turn travelled the Island to shoot Provision which was a sort of Birds call'd Bookes something resembling our English Sea-Gulls or Pyes but bigger This Island affords a fort of very large and pleasant Figgs which they also fed on sometimes There are a great many wild Dogs very large and fat which eat very little or nothing but Figs. Likewise in the day time there comes ashore Sea-Lyons which will sit by the Water-side and make a hideous roaring they are hairy about their Head and Neck much like our Land Lyons their Paws very lage with a Skin like the Foot of a Swan which serves them to swim withal they are very fearful and timerous not suffering a man to come nigh them but presently makes to the Sea they live under Water as well as above Having lancht and rigged their Boat they put on board their Provision which was only a small Cask of Pease that was given them by the Ship which they kept by them for their Sea store Having Water and all things aboard took their departure from Ferdinando aforesaid committing themselves to the protection of Almighty God and the mercies of the Seas directing their Course for Tabago But missing it the Pilot ordered to bear up the Helm for Saltatudos at which place they arriv'd but almost famish'd for they had neither Pease nor Water for the space of five or six days before Having lain some dayes at the East end of
the Island unknown to us and being in great want of Provision resolved to travel the Island to see if they could find out any Food by chance they found some salt Turtle which we had laid upon a Tree and covered it over with a Callapatch to secure it from the Weather Three of these men being very ill principled and loose kind of Fellows waiting their opportunity when three of their Companions were abroad went aboard and fetcht their Arms then came ashore to their Hut where the other two were and presented a Pistol to each of their Breasts and swore if they would not carry every thing aboard they were dead men The two men being surprized and not able to make any resistance the three having all the Arms in their Custody were forced to comply and carry all aboard Which done they charged them that if they did not acquaint them when the other came home they would make them Examples They promised very fair having done this they went aboard waiting for their coming home In the Evening the other three men came to their Hut not mistrusting what had happened but finding the Hut risted and every thing gone enquired the meaning of it which having understood bethought what to do to tarry they were afraid to go they could not tell where for they had travelled all Day and could not find a drop of fresh Water neither was there any at the Hut for the other had carried all aboard being very faint one was resolved to hail the Boat and beg a little the other kept close to hear how he would fare who having hailed them they made answer he should have some So coming ashore laid hold on him and tyed his Hands behind him and left him in Custody with one of them while they went to look for the rest The reason why they endeavoured to take them was because they had hid their Monies in the Sand and did not keep it in their Chests but in the mean time while they were looking for the other the Prisoner by means of a Knife he had in his Pocket cut loose the Line with which his Hands were tyed and made his escape Being thus exiled from his Companions bethought himself of ranging the Island to look for men for the Turtle which they found came afresh into his Memory all this time he had no Victuals nor a drop of Watter but was constrained to drink his own being so excessive hot at length having travelled about the Island till almost ready to faint he came near our Huts and seeing us dressing of Turtle with nothing on only a pair of Drawers the man made a stand thinking we had been Iudians for we were tan'd with the Sun as yellow almost as them at length advanced and enquired if we were English men We told him we were then he begg'd for a little Water which we gave him and some of our Turtle And after some Conference he told us his condition and desired us to help him to regain what was so ungratefully taken from him and his fellow-sufferers by their own Country-men and Boats Crew which we readily agreed to and when we had sixt our Arms we travelled all Night till we came where the Boat lay which was about six or seven Miles from that place When we came near the place we hid our selves in the Bushes by the Sea side waiting their coming ashore next Morning which they usually did as we were informed Morning being come two of them came ashore and the Negro slave bearing a Vessel to fetch Water and they with their Arms leaving one aboard with about twelve pieces by him ready loaden when they were come on shore we appeared with our Arms ready cockt enclosed them and took them Prisoners then we brought them to the Water-side and shewed the other aboard what we had done commanded him not to Fire but to jump over board and swim ashore to us which he immediately did So taking them all Prisoners we put them ashore leaving them some of our Provision the rest we put aboard in order to prosecute our Voyage for New-England So victualling and watering our small Frigot in the best manner we could we left them upon the Island and the 24th of August took our Departure from Saltatudos and in about six dayes time made the Island of Porto Rico but our Pilot not being very well acquainted with that Country supposed it to be the high Land of St Domingo upon Hispaniola therefore ordered to bear up the Helm stand away to the Westward before the Wind the next day we could see no Land which caused no small trouble amongst us being dubious where we were Towards the Evening we made the East end of Hispaniola then our Pilot saw his error that we had lost our passage between the two Islands Hispaniola and Portarico before-mentioned we were sailing down the South side of Hispaniola about nine dayes having sometimes very little Wind at other times Turnadoes that we could not carry Sail. Our Water being all spent we were forced some to drink their own Water others to drink salt Water taken up by the side Running along close aboard shore we espied three men running with all the haste that possibly they could till they came to a Canow which lay at the Mouth of a Creek which immediately they rowed up into the Country among the Woods we imagining they were afraid of us supposing us to be Spaniards then we came to an Anchor and my self with one more a Carpenter swim'd ashore but with a great deal of dissiculty for the Rocks lying so far off the shore had like to have dasht out our Brains Coming ashore we swom up the Creek but the Tyde being so strong against us we were forced to return back again neither finding the men nor hopes of getting fresh Water therefore we swom aboard again Weighing our Anchor we steered within the Isle of Ash which lies almost to the West end of Hispaniola our Pilot looking over his Waggoner found that within this Island was a fresh Water Creek into which we designed to run but through mistake run about two Leagues up into a wrong Creek where we could find no fresh Water that with drinking salt Water our Mouthes were almost grown together and hardly able to speak but God Almighty was pleased to send us a very great shower of Rain which lasted so long that by means of a Sheet held up by the four Corners with a weight in it we caught about two Gallons of Water So loaring our Sails we haled up the Creek into the Woods and went ashore and concluded to dig a Well when we had digged about four or six Foot deep we found fresh Water to our great Comfort and Satisfaction lying ashore all Night to take up the Water as it sprung we were almost stung to death with a sort of Flys called Musquetoes and Merrywings which draw'd Blisters and Bladders in our Skin that we lookt as