Tales of an Old Sea Port: A General Sketch of the History of Bristol, Rhode Island, Including, Incidentally, an Account of the Voyages of the Norsemen, So Far as They May Have Been Connected with Narragansett Bay: and Personal Narratives of Some Notable Voyages Accomplished by Sailors from the Mount Hope Lands — John Shaqi
Tales of an Old Sea Port: A General Sketch of the History of Bristol, Rhode Island, Including, Incidentally, an Account of the Voyages of the Norsemen, So Far as They May Have Been Connected with Narragansett Bay: and Personal Narratives of Some Notable Voyages Accomplished by Sailors from the Mount Hope LandsMunro, Wilfred Harold
History
Tales of an Old Sea Port: A General Sketch of the History of Bristol, Rhode Island, Including, Incidentally, an Account of the Voyages of the Norsemen, So Far as They May Have Been Connected with Narragansett Bay: and Personal Narratives of Some Notable Voyages Accomplished by Sailors from the Mount Hope Lands
Munro, Wilfred Harold
Alaska -- Description and travel; Bristol (R.I. : Town) -- History; Fort Oyapoc (Guyana); Northwest Coast of North America; Potter, Simeon, 1720-1806; Siberia (Russia) -- Description and travel; Yankee (Brig)
It was a very consoling spectacle, my Reverend Father, to see all
Cayenne coming to meet me. In the streets through which I had passed,
there was so great a crowd of people that I had difficulty in making
my way. The rich as well as the poor, even all the slaves, pressed
around to give me proofs of the pleasure which my restoration
to freedom afforded them. Many bathed me with their tears when
embracing me. I do not blush to say that I was myself overcome in
recognizing such great demonstrations of friendship. A large crowd
followed me even into the church, to which I first repaired to return
thanks to God for the great blessings He had bestowed upon me, and
for which I pray you, my Reverend Father, to give thanks also.
Our Fathers and our Brothers distinguished themselves on this
occasion, and extended their charity, in my behalf, as far as it was
possible to carry it. As all my clothes were in a pitiable state,
they eagerly brought me every thing which was necessary. In this way
I realized to the letter the truth of that declaration of our Lord:
“_Quiconque quittera son père, sa mère, ses frères, pour l’amour
de moi, recevra le centuple en ce monde_.” (Whosoever shall leave
his father, his mother, his brethren, for my sake, shall receive an
hundred-fold in this world.)
We often talked together over the evils which might again happen
to us, and I was always very much edified at seeing their holy
emulation; each one wishing to sacrifice himself to succor the
wounded in case of an attack. But I thought that having already
had some experience in this matter, and not being able to be again
made prisoner during the continuance of this war, I should have the
preference, and begin the service in discharging the duties of our
ministry. We can, however, hope that neither the one nor the other
will be obliged to come forward in this way, but that the victorious
arms of the king will shortly bring about a solid and lasting peace.
As soon as I had made my report and forwarded my letters to Monsieur
d’Orvilliers, who was in retirement in his house on account of the
death of Madame his wife, he gave orders that the five English who
had come with me should be conducted, with their eyes bandaged,
according to custom in such cases, to the guard-house, where they
were to be confined; after which, he made the necessary arrangements
for sending them back to their ship, with the seven other prisoners
whom I have already mentioned, all of whom he was very willing to
free, in a great measure through consideration to myself. On the
following day, the 28th, they departed during the night in their
long-boat, with all the tackle and provisions necessary. We have
reason to wish that they should arrive safe in port, because we have
written by them to the Governor of Surinam; and I myself on my own
account have done so, to endeavor, through his instrumentality, to
recover what belonged to my church, on the conditions agreed upon
with Captain Potter when we parted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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