The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crewsDefoe, Daniel
History
The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crews
Defoe, Daniel
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
However, the next Day the Boat was sent on Shore with the Molotto
Interpreter, and Mr. _Courser_ the fourth Mate; and for Fear of any
Surprize, the Captain ordered them to carry Arms in the Boat. When they
approach'd near the Shore, several of the Natives made towards the
Waterside, but seeing the Boat's Men take their Arms in their Hands at
their Landing, they fled affrighted up the Country, nor would they ever
come near them after; the Men went a little Way up the Land and met with
some Huts, which were covered with the Shells of Turtles, which
Creatures it is supposed the Natives catch in their proper Season for
Food, and then making a Covering of their Shells for their Houses; they
also saw several Cows, at some Distance, which are very swift at
running, and not larger than our Deer; they saw some other Animals, but
took none, and so returned on Board without gaining any Intelligence.
The Mistake here was, that they did not lye off with their Boat, and
make a Signal as they did at first, which would have disposed the
Natives to have staid for them, as they did before, but going ashore
abruptly with Arms in their Hands, frighten'd the Natives, as if they
had come to kill them; wherefore, there was no Expectation of making any
Discovery here, which induced the Captain to weigh Anchor, and steer a
little farther Westward.
The next Morning, which was the twenty second, they came to an Anchor,
and sent their Boat on Shore again, with Mr. _Baldwin_ the third Mate,
and the Gunner; there being some high Hills not far from the Place where
they landed, the Mate and Gunner resolved to walk to the Top of one of
the highest of those Hills, in order to take a View of the Country
beneath. About four in the Afternoon they returned again to the Ship,
bringing Word, that there was a pleasant Valley on the other Side, about
five Miles in Length, and near as far in Breadth, but that they could
see no Houses or other Signs of Inhabitants, but that the Valley seemed
to abound with Deer, and several other Creatures; they brought on Board
three Antilopes, and two large Guiney Hens, which they shot, and saw
great Numbers of both these Creatures about the Bushes on the Sides of
those Hills; the Antilopes were small, but extreamly beautiful, their
Bodies no bigger than that of a Hare, but their Legs much longer, their
Colour was a Mixture of black and white, very smooth, and very bright,
with Horns about three Inches long.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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