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Documentary Sources Database. American Multiculturalism Series. Unit One. Documenting the African American Experience.
Early American Imprints, 1st series, no. 8611 (filmed)
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Evans 8611AS my Capacities and Condition of Life are very low, it cannot be expected that I should make those Remarks on the Sufferings I have met with, or the kind Providence of a good GOD for my Preservation, as one in a higher Station ; but shall leave that to the Reader as he goes along, and so I shall only relate Matters of Fact as they occur to my Mind -- -
ON Monday, 25th Day of December, 1747, with the
leave of my Master, I went from Marshfield, with an
Intention to go a Voyage to Sea, and the next Day, the 26th, got
to Plymouth, where I immediately ship'd myself on board of
a Sloop, Capt. John Howland, Master, bound to
Jamaica
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and the Bay. -- We sailed from Plymouth in a
short Time, and after a pleasant Passage of about 30 Days,
arrived at Jamaica ; we was detain'd at Jamaica
only 5 Days, from whence we sailed for the Bay, where we
arrived safe in 10 Days. We loaded our Vessel with Logwood, and
sailed from the Bay the 25th Day of May following,
and the 15th Day of June, we were cast away on
Cape-Florida, about 5 Leagues from the Shore ; being now
destitute of every Help, we knew not what to do or what Course to
take in this our sad Condition : -- The Captain was advised,
intreated, and beg'd on, by every Person on board, to heave over
but only 20 Ton of the Wood, and we should get clear,
which if he had done, might have sav'd his Vessel and Cargo, and
not only so, but his own Life, as well as the Lives of the Mate
and Nine Hands, as I shall presently relate.
After being upon this Reef two Days, the Captain order'd the
Boat to be hoisted out, and then ask'd who were willing to tarry
on board? The whole Crew was for going on Shore at this Time,
but as the Boat would not carry 12 Persons at once, and to
prevent any Uneasiness, the Captain, a Passenger, and one Hand
tarry'd on board, while the Mate, with Seven Hands besides
myself, were order'd to go on Shore in the Boat, which as soon as
we had reached, one half
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were to be Landed, and the other four to return to the
Sloop, to fetch the Captain and the others on Shore. The Captain
order'd us to take with us our Arms, Ammunition, Provisions and
Necessaries for Cooking, as also a Sail to make a Tent of, to
shelter us from the Weather ; after having left the Sloop we
stood towards the Shore, and being within Two Leagues of the
same, we espy'd a Number of Canoes, which we at first took to be
Rocks, but soon found our Mistake, for we perceiv'd they moved
towards us ; we presently saw an English Colour hoisted in one of
the Canoes, at the Sight of which we were not a little rejoiced,
but on our advancing yet nearer, we found them, to our very great
Surprize, to be Indians of which there were Sixty ; being
now so near them we could not possibly make our Escape ; they
soon came up with and boarded us, took away all our Arms
Ammunition, and Provision.
The whole Number of CaRoes (being about Twenty,) then made for
the Sloop, except Two which they left to guard us, who order'd us
to follow on with them ; the Eighteen which made for the Sloop,
went so much faster than we that they got on board above Three
Hours before we came along side, and had kill'd Captain
Howland, the Passenger and the other hand ; we came to the
Larboard side of the Sloop, and they order'd us round to the
Starboard, and as we were passing round the
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Bow, we saw the whole Number of Indians, advancing
forward and loading their Guns, upon which the Mate said, "my
Lads we are all dead Men," and before we had got round, they
discharged their Small Arms upon us, and kill'd Three of our
hands, viz. Reuben Young of Cape-Cod, Mate ;
Joseph Little and Lemuel Doty of Plymouth,
upon which I immediately jump'd overboard, chusing rather to be
drowned, than to be kill'd by those barbarous and inhuman
Savages.
In three or four Minutes after, I heard another Volley which
dispatched the other five, viz. John Nowland, and
Nathaniel Rich, both belonging to Plymouth, and
Elkanah Collymore, and James Webb, Strangers, and
Moses Newmock, Molatto. As soon as they had kill'd the
whole of the People, one of the Canoes padled after me, and soon
came up with me, hawled me into the Canoe, and beat me most
terribly with a Cutlass, after that they ty'd me down, then this
Canoe stood for the Sloop again and as soon as she came along
side, the Indians on board the Sloop betook themselves to
their Canoes, then set the Vessel on Fire, making a prodigious
shouting and hallowing like so many Devils. As soon as the
Vessel was burnt down to the Water's edge, the Indians
stood for the Shore, together with our Boat, on board of which
they put 5 hands. After we came to the Shore, they led me to
their Hutts, where I expected nothing but immediate
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Death, and as they spoke broken English, were often telling
me, while coming from the Sloop to the Shore, that they intended
to roast me alive. But the Providence of God order'd it
otherways, for He appeared for my Help, in this Mount of
Difficulty, and they were better to me then my Fears, and
soon unbound me, but set a Guard over me every Night. They kept
me with them about five Weeks, during which Time they us'd me
pretty well, and gave me boil'd Corn, which was what they often
eat themselves. The Way I made my Escape from these Villains was
this ; A Spanish Schooner arriving there from St.
Augustine, the Master of which, whose Name was Romond,
asked the Indians to let me go on board his Vessel, which
they granted, and the Captain
knowing me very well, weigh'd Anchor and carry'd me off to
the Havanna, and after being there four Days the
Indians came after me, and insisted on having me again, as
I was their Prisoner ; -- They made Application to the Governor,
and demanded me again from him ; in answer to which the Governor
told them, that as they had put the whole Crew to Death, they
should not have me again, and so paid them Ten Dollars for me,
adding, that he would not have them kill any Person
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son hereafter, but take as many of them as they could, of
those that should be cast away, and bring them to him, for which
he would pay them Ten Dollars a-head. At the Havanna I
lived with the Governor in the Castle about a Twelve-month,
where I was walking thro' the Street, I met with a Press-Gang
who immediately prest me, and put me into Goal, and with a
Number of others I was confin'd till next Morning, when we were
all brought out, and ask'd who would go on board the King's
Ships, four of which having been lately built, were bound to
Old-Spain, and on my refusing to serve on board, they put
me in a close Dungeon, where I was confin'd Four Years and
seven months ; during which Time I often made application to
the Governor, by Persons who came to see the Prisoners, but they
never acquainted him with it, nor did he know all this Time what
became of me, which was the means of my being confin'd there so
long. But kind Providence so order'd it, that after I had been
in this Place so long as the Time mention'd above the Captain of
a Merchantman, belonging to Boston, having sprung a Leak
was obliged to put into the Havanna to refit, and while
he was at Dinner at Mrs. Betty Howard's, she told the
Captain of my deplorable Condition, and said she would be glad,
if he could by some means or other relieve me ; The Captain
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told Mrs. Howard he would use his best Endeavours
for my Relief and Enlargement.
Accordingly, after Dinner, came to the Prison, and ask'd the
Keeper if he might see me ; upon his Request I was brought out of
the Dungeon, and after the Captain had Interrogated me, told me,
he would intercede with the Governor for my Relief out of that
miserable Place, which he did, and the next Day the Governor
sent an Order to release me ; I lived with the Governor about a
Year after I was delivered from the Dungeon, in which Time I
endeavour'd three Times to make my Escape, the last of which
proved effectual ; the first Time I got on board of Captain
Marsh, an English Twenty Gun Ship, with a Number
of others, and lay on board conceal'd that Night ; and the next
Day the Ship being under sail, I thought myself safe, and so made
my Appearance upon Deck, but as soon as we were discovered the
Captain ordered the Boat out, and sent us all on Shore -- I
intreated the Captain to let me, in particular, stay on board,
begging, and crying to him, to commiserate my unhappy Condition,
and added, that I had been confin'd almost five Years in a close
Dungeon, but the Captain would not hearken to any Intreaties,
for fear of having the Governor's Displeasure, and so was obliged
to go on Shore,
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After being on Shore another Twelvemonth, I endeavour'd to
make my Escape the second Time, by trying to get on board of a
Sloop bound to Jamaica, and as I was going from the City
to the Sloop, was unhappily taken by the Guard, and ordered back
to the Castle, and there confined. -- However, in a short Time I
was set at Liberty, and order'd with a Number of others to carry
the
Bishop from the Castle, thro' the Country, to
confirm the old People, baptize Children, &c. for which he
receives large Sums of Money. -- I was employ'd in this Service
about Seven Months, during which Time I lived very well, and
then returned to the Castle again, where I had my Liberty to
walk about the City, and do Work for my self ; -- The
Beaver, an English Man of War then lay in the
Harbour, and having been informed by some of the Ship's Crew
that she was to sail in a few Days, I had nothing now to do, but
to seek an Opportunity how I should make my Escape.
Accordingly one Sunday Night the Lieutenant of the Ship with a
Number of the Barge Crew were in a Tavern, and Mrs. Howara
who had before been a Friend to me, interceded
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with the Lieutenant to carry me on board : the Lieutenant
said he would with all his Heart, and immediately I went on board
in the Barge. The next Day the Spaniards came along side
the Beaver, and demanded me again, with a Number of
others who had made their Escape from them, and got on board the
Ship, but just before I did ; but the Captain, who was a true
Englishman, refus'd them, and said he could not answer it,
to deliver up any Englishmen under English Colours.
-- In a few Days we set Sail for Jamaica, where we arrived
safe, after a short and pleasant Passage.
After being at Jamaica a short Time we sail'd for
London, as convoy to a Fleet of Merchantmen, who all
arrived safe in the Downs, I was turned over to another
Ship, the Arcenceil, and there remained about a Month.
From this Ship I went on board the Sandwich of 90 Guns ;
on board the Sandwich, I tarry'd 6 Weeks, and then was
order'd on board the Hercules, Capt. John Porter,
a 74 Gun Ship, we sail'd on a Cruize, and met with a
French 84 Gun Ship, and had a very smart Engagement,
in which about 70 of our Hands were Kill'd and Wounded, the
Captain lost his Leg
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in the Engagement, and I was Wounded in the Head by a small
Shot. We should have taken this Ship, if they had not cut away
the most of our Rigging ; however, in about three Hours after, a
64 Gun Ship, came up with and took her. -- I was discharged from
the Hercules the 12th Day of May 1759 (having been
on board of that Ship 3 Months) on account of my being disabled
in the Arm, and render'd incapable of Service, after being
honourably paid the Wages due to me. I was put into the
Greenwich Hospital where I stay'd and soon recovered. --
I then ship'd myself a Cook on board Captain Martyn, an
arm'd Ship in the King's Service. I was on board this Ship almost
Two Months, and after being paid my Wages, was discharg'd in the
Month of October. -- After my discharge from Captain
Martyn, I was taken sick in London of a Fever, and
was confin'd about 6 Weeks, where I expended all my Money, and
left in very poor Circumstances ; and unhappy for me I knew
nothing of my good Master's being in London at this
my very difficult Time. After I got well of my sickness, I
ship'd myself on board of a large Ship bound to Guinea,
and being in a publick House one Evening, I overheard a Number of
Persons talking about Rigging a Vessel bound to
New-England, I ask'd them to what Part of
New-England this Vessel was bound? they told me,
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to Boston ; and having ask'd them who was Commander?
they told me, Capt. Watt ; in a few Minutes after this
the Mate of the Ship came in, and I ask'd him if Captain
Watt did not want a Cook, who told me he did, and that
the Captain would be in, in a few Minutes ; and in about half an
Hour the Captain came in, and then I ship'd myself at once,
after begging off from the Ship bound to Guinea ; I work'd
on board Captain Watt's Ship almost Three Months, before
she sail'd, and one Day being at Work in the Hold, I overheard
some Persons on board mention the Name of Winslow, at the
Name of which I was very inquisitive, and having ask'd what
Winslow they were talking about? They told me it was
General Winslow ; and that he was one of the Passengers, I
ask'd them what General Winslow? For I never knew my
good Master, by that Title before; but after enquiring more
particularly I found it must be Master, and in a few Days
Time the Truth was joyfully verify'd by a happy Sight of his
Person, which so overcome me, that I could not speak to him for
some Time -- My good Master was exceeding glad to see me,
telling me that I was like one arose from the Dead, for he
thought I had been Dead a great many Years, having heard nothing
of me for almost Thirteen Years.
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I think I have not deviated from Truth, in any particular
of this my Narrative, and tho' I have omitted a great many
Things, yet what is wrote may suffice to convince the Reader,
that I have been most grievously afflicted, and yet thro' the
Divine Goodness, as miraculously preserved, and delivered out of
many Dangers ; of which I desire to retain a grateful
Remembrance, as long as I live in the World.
And now, That in the Providence of that GOD, who delivered his Servant David out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear, I am freed from a long and dreadful Captivity, among worse Savages than they ; And am return'd to my own Native Land, to Shew how Great Things the Lord hoth done for Me ; I would call upon all Men, and Say, O Magnifie the Lord with Me, and let us Exalt his Name together ! -- -- O that Men would Praise the Lord for His Goodness, and for his Wonderful Works to the Children of Men!
