The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
The severity of this punishment (for none could have had the heart to
have whipt us as we whipt our selves,) cured me of my Drunken fits for
that whole Voyage, and so reduced me to order and civility, that I was
once more received into his favour. And now I grew so cautious in the
disposal of those Liquors of Life, that none participated with me in
their enjoyments, but my Master and his friends, who was a severe check
over me in what he had committed to my charge. Immediately after our
arrival at _Barbadoes_, having complemented the Island with the usual
ceremony of firing some Guns, a swarm of Boats from thence settled about
our Ship, the Planters therein boarded us on every side, as if they
intended to have made lawful Prize of us. Our Commodities between Decks
were forthwith rubbig’d, (rummig’d I mean) and exposed to the view of
the Buyer; they need not question the goodness of the Ware, since it
hath been sufficiently tryed, and could not want a _probatum_ on the
report of hundreds. Nothing troubled me more than to see my young Female
Comrade truckt for Tobacco, the exchange of equal levity, and as the one
is fit only to be burnt, so in time may the other, though so green one
would imagine nor capable of entertaining a flame. They were all
disposed off in a very short time, and those that despaired of ever
having Husbands in _England_, had them here ready made to their hands,
and they with others found in this remote place a conveniency for
raising a new credit and reputation, which they had irrecoverably lost
elsewhere.
* * * * *
All the time that we lay here at Anchor I was not permitted to go
ashore, a thing that griev’d me to the heart, especially having not the
benefit of others, who had the freedom of going ashore and refresh
themselves with fresh Provisions. Our Sea-men that were on Ship-board
would have the same conveniences as if they were where properly they
might be had, but were so inhumane to me, that I must eat what the Ship
afforded, or fast; this they did, that I might adventure another
whipping by stealing my Masters Liquors, knowing how strongly I longed
to taste of fresh meat: not a bit went down my throat but what I
purchased with the hazard aforesaid; but my Masters carowsing at the
_Indian Bridge_, made him forget what was exhausted out of his Cabbin,
and so I came off undiscovered.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account