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
But as to their Religion we can give but imperfect Accounts, for they
scarce know what it is themselves; they never ask'd the Molotto one Word
concerning his Religion, and when he enquired of theirs, they had very
little to say about it, but told such an incoherent Story, that he could
make neither Head nor Tail of it. There is a Mosque or Temple about half
a Mile out of the City, of which they give a fabulous Account, as that
it was built in one Night, but no Man could tell how, or by whom; but
their general Opinion was, that it was built by _Hios_ God of the Sea,
and at certain Times they used to flock, and pay a Kind of Devotion
there, but they could not tell why or wherefore. However by the best
Observations our Molotto could make, it appear'd to him as if they had
several Worships amongst them, for he took Notice that some paid their
Devotions to a little Image, not unlike a Wolf, which they kept in their
Houses, and which are so common, that the poorer Sort of People make
them of Bits of Wood, of about four or five Inches long, and sell them
about the Streets.
They bear no Sort of Hatred or Antipathy to Christians, as Christians,
as we see the _Turks_ and most of the Sects of _Mahomet_ do; but the
Truth on't is, they do not know what a Christian is, yet (as we observed
before) they are bred up in a Notion that white Men are all a Kind of
Monsters, and they hate and detest them, as we do Toads or other
poisonous Creatures, not for their Religion, but their Colour. In
Respect to one another they observe the Laws of Society very well, and
perhaps there is less Fraud and fewer Acts of Injustice committed
amongst them, than in any Christian Country we can name. So that our
Molotto who was now in a Manner naturaliz'd amongst them, and whose
Complexion was black enough not to appear odious and terrible to them,
was as well used as the rest of the _Passaus_ or Guards, or any other
Person of equal Rank with him.
It is certain he once flattered himself with the Hopes of being placed
in a better Condition of Life amongst them, or being set at full
Liberty, by Way of Recompence, for his instructing them in some useful
Things, which proved of publick Advantage to them, but he had long laid
aside those vain Thoughts, for he found the _Accabo_ had no Notion of
Generosity, or Gratitude: He, therefore, with a Kind of Philosophy,
seem'd to confine his Wishes to that melancholy quiet Life he was
obliged to lead within the Limits of the _Moorzacks_, till an Accident
fell out, which quite changed his Sentiments in this Respect, and which
proves how natural the Love of Liberty is to Man.
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