Volume 1

A new and complete collection of voyages and travels / [John Hamilton Moore].

  • John Hamilton Moore
Date:
[1785?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new and complete collection of voyages and travels / [John Hamilton Moore]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Seal Bay. The ill ufage Swan. in time became quite focial and familiar with their new guefts*. Thele Indians were quite naked, except the fkins of fome beafts that they threw over their Ihoulders bccafionally. Their hair, which was long* they rolled up \vith a plume of oftrich’s feathers, and here they ftick their arrows, which were made of reeds, headed with flints ; and their bows were about an ell long. They painted their bodies with various figures, efpe- cially thofe of the fun and moon, by way of ornament. They had no canoes, nor other method of eroding the water ; and in the other iflands which abounded with birds [moft likely penguins] fo tame, that entertaining- no fears from man, having not been ufed to his ty¬ ranny, they buffered themlelves to be taken in the hand. Such a number of feals appeared likewife on thefe coafts, that the Englifii named the place where they lay, Seal Bay. The flefh of this animal which the Englifh had found to be wholefom, l'erved the Indians for food, and they leem to have eaten it raw, as they were not obferved to have any method of pre¬ paring their victuals by fire. The feparation of Drake’s veffels on an expedi¬ tion like his-was generally productive of a number of of Douche -on inconvenienciesr. When the Swan fly-boat had been board the * ^ feparated from the reft on the Brafilian coafl, the crew defpairing of joining ever again, their companions began to fear left they fhould be in want of provi- fions. Here the matter, (moft probably the purfer) being an enemy to Doughty, and then apprehenfive of a fcantinefs of provifions, cliofe to withdraw him- felf from Doughty’s and Chefter’s mefs, the latter of whom had really been made captain of the fly-boat. To him Doughty applied, finding this overbearing man put them to fhort allowance, while he rather augmented than decreafed his own diet. Many words paffed on this occafion between the three perfons, and even fome blows between the mailer and Doughty. The former viewing the latter in the light of one lent on. board in difgrace, told him if he ever came home to enjoy any advantage from the voyage, “ he would “ be truffed up.” Adding, “ Thou ! wilt thou <c have viTuals ? thou fhalt be glad if we do not meet the general, to eat that that falls from my *c tail on the anchor fluke ere we get home again.” The humanity of the declaration being equal to the politenefs of the expreflion, incenfed Doughty fo much, that he urged Chefter to behave as became a commander, adding, “ Lofe nothing of that autho rity that the general committed unto you. If you will, we will put the lword into your hands again, and you Avail have the government.” This cafe the writer fays he will aver to be true ; two or three per foils being fworn to the articles ; and thefe were incor porated in the accuJat'ion> on the ground of which he was to be beheaded. The Swan having joined the fleet, and being deffroyed, as we have already noticed, Doughty was again taken on board the Pelican, where it feems what paffed in the Swan was related in fuch a manner as to aggravate matters, when high words enlued be¬ tween him and the general, whom in his anger he told That he thought his word was to be believed as loon as his commander’s oath ; who then ftruck him, and ordered him to be bound to the mail, for the accom- plifhment of which the mafter of the fly-boat took no final 1 pains.” He and his brother John Doughty, were afterwards fent on board the Canter, where he had rea- fon to believe his life would be endangered f. It is obfervable that while Mr. Doughty was thus declaration of perfecuted, one Thomas Cuttle, who had formerly ie of the crew been Captain of the Pelican under Drake, refolved Doughty’s to go over to the main, wading with his piece in his rouv- Vol. I. No. 2. One of the natives having received a cap off the general’s head, withdrew to a diftance, and thruft an arrow into his leg, letting the bicod trickle down in Drake’s fight, which was doubt- ids a token of gratitude, and was interpreted by that commander as an emblem of that Indian’s willingnefs to fhed his blood fiis fervice. . j- The Canter was a veffel taken from the Spaniards on the ge- h&nd through the fhallow water which we have de- feribed. This man lblemnly declared that he thought himfclf hardly ufed on Mr, Doughty’s account, of whom he knew no harm) adding that he would rather truft liimfelf in the hands of the cannibals than en¬ dure fuch hard treatment from the hands of the nexal J. Before they left this harbour* the admiral himfelf coming on board the Elizabeth, told the crew that he was to fend there the two Doughties, men againft whom he made heavy complaints as feditious perfons, wizards, and poifoners, obferving that they were the only obftacles to a voyage wherein themeaneft fhip-boy might make a fortune, and gold would become as plentiful as wood in the fleet. After this, the two brothers being fent on board, as it might be expelled, were generally treated accordingly, only Thomas Doughty having agreed to pay the boatfvvain 3I. for a cabin, which was moft uncomfortably fituated j the poor man loft his office, and fell under the heavy dif- pleafure of the admiral, on this account. The fleet failed on the 3d of June for the South Sea, and flopping in their way fix days after at a lit¬ tle bay, they broke up the St. Chriftopher, being a veffel too fmall to live in thofe dangerous feas which they fometimes encountered. As they proceeded, they found themfelves under a neceffity of anchoring in another bay, with a defign to recover the Portuguefe prize which they had not feen fince the 27th of April. On the 18th, after prayers put up to Heaven for fuccefs, they put to fea, and the next day difeo- vered the veffel near Port Julian, which port they en- tered, on account of her proving leaky, and all'o to refrefh the crew after the fatigues they had dergone during their feparation. Two of the tives, of whole fize Maghellan had left fuch an ormous account, and whom Drake’s peoole alfo 'f1£antlcna* *' ^ i i tivts thought to be fomewhat gigantic,, accofted them when they landed, received whatever was given them, and foon after began fhooting arrows with them for emula¬ tion ; but, as might be expected, found themfelves greatly excelled in the ufe of the bow by their new arrive at Port Julia un- na- en- guefts. mg to them, wounding But another of the natives appearing prefently af- ^ . ter, feemed not at all pleafed with the friendly recep- trea' tion which his countrymen gave the ftrangers.—His perfuafions were not without their effe£t; for after¬ wards one of the company being willing to fhew this third Indian a fpecimen of his /kill, in attempting to fhoot an arrow broke his bow-ftring. The natives, not knowing of any other offenfive weapons which the Englifh had, followed them as they were return- their boat, and fhowered.their arrows upon in the fhoulder him who aimed the bow, and turning about he was pierced with ano¬ ther arrow in the breaft. Oliver, the mafter gunner, who had begun the friendly conteft, was not now back¬ ward in entering into this more ferious one •> he pre- fented his piece, and doubtlefs would have done execu¬ tion among the aflailants but that it miffed fire, and the Indians immediately difeharging another flight of arrows he was flain.—All was now furprife and con- fufion ; but Drake, who was poffeffed of uncommon intrepidity and prefence of mind in time of danger, encouraged his men, directed them heft how to avoid the effect of their adverfaries weapons by fhifting their place as they retreated, and by picking up their ar¬ rows and breaking them. At length taking the gun which had miffed fire in Oliver’s hand, he dil'charged it at the Indian who had killed the gunner, and the hail-fhot with which it was loaded tearing open his belly, he fled with terrible outcries. This fo intimi¬ dated the Indians, that they in confequence of it H let firing coaft af Africa. + He purfued his defign and went up the country, but his piece, in order to bring the natives to him, this being under- flood asafignalthat he wanted to return, a boat was fent which brought him back again.—But {urely a declaration like this from one who was going to make fo hazardous an experiment, ought doubtlefs to allowed of great weight in a cafe of this nature.
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