Life Aboard a British Privateer in the Time of Queen Anne: Being the Journal of Captain Woodes Rogers, Master Mariner — John Shaqi
Life Aboard a British Privateer in the Time of Queen Anne: Being the Journal of Captain Woodes Rogers, Master MarinerRogers, Woodes
History
Life Aboard a British Privateer in the Time of Queen Anne: Being the Journal of Captain Woodes Rogers, Master Mariner
Rogers, Woodes
Privateering -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
"He likewise tam'd some kids, and to divert himself would now and
then sing and dance with them and his cats; so that by the care of
Providence, and vigour of his youth, being now about 30 years old, he
came at last to conquer all the inconveniences of his solitude and to
be very easy. When his clothes wore out he made himself a coat and cap
of goatskins, which he stitch'd together with little thongs of the same
that he cut with his knife. He had no other needle but a nail, and when
his knife was wore to the back, he made others as well as he could of
iron hoops that were left ashore, which he beat thin and ground upon
stones. Having some linen cloth by him, he sow'd himself shirts with a
nail and stitch'd 'em with the worsted of his old stockings, which he
pull'd out on purpose. He had his last shirt on when we found him.
"At his first coming on board us," says Rogers, "he had so much forgot
his language for want of use, that we could scarce understand him,
for he seemed to speak his words by halves. We offer'd him a dram,
but he would not touch it, having drank nothing but water since his
being there, and t'was some time before he could relish our victuals.
He could give us an account of no other product of the Island except
some small black plums, which are very good, but hard to come at, the
trees which bear 'em growing on high mountains and rocks. The climate
is so good that the trees and grass are verdant all the year. He saw
no venomous or savage creature, nor any sort of beast but goats on the
Island. The first of these having been put ashore here on purpose for
a breed, by Juan Fernandez, a Spaniard, who settled there with some
families till the continent of Chili began to submit to the Spaniards,
which tempted them to quit this island, tho capable of maintaining
a number of people, and of being made so strong that they could not
easily be dislodg'd. Ring-rose, in his account of Capt. Sharp's voyage
and other buccaneers, mentions one who had escap'd ashore here out of
a ship, which was cast away with her company, and says he liv'd five
years alone before he had an opportunity of another ship to carry him
off. While Capt. Dampier talks of a Moskito Indian that belong'd to
Capt. Watlin, who being a hunting in the woods when the Captain left
the island, liv'd here three years alone, and shifted much as Mr.
Selkirk did, till Capt. Dampier came hither in 1684 and carry'd him
off; the first that went ashore was one of his countrymen and they
saluted one another, first by prostrating themselves by turns on the
ground, and then embracing.
[Sidenote: _Capt. Woodes Rogers indulges in some moral reflections._]
[Sidenote: _But soon curbs himself._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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