When the three Ladies kneel'd down to me, and as soon as I understood what
it was for, I let them know I would not hurt the Queen, nor let any one
else hurt her, but that she must give me all her Jewels and Money: Upon
this they acquainted her that I would save her Life; and no sooner had they
assur'd her of that, but she got up, smiling, and went to a fine _Indian_
Cabinet, and open'd a private Drawer, from whence she took another little
Thing full of little square Drawers and Holes; this she brings to me in her
Hand, and offer'd to kneel down to give it me. This innocent Usage began to
rouse some Good-Nature in me, (tho' I never had much) and I would not let
her kneel; but sitting down myself on the Side of her Couch or Bed, made a
Motion to her to sit down too: But here she was frighted again, it seems,
at what I had no Thought of; for sitting on her Bed, she thought I would
pull her down to lie with her, and so did all her Women too; for they began
to hold their Hands before their Faces, which, as I understood afterwards,
was that they might not see me turn up their Queen: But as I did not offer
any Thing of that Kind, only made her sit down by me, they began all to be
easier after some Time, and she gave me the little Box or Casket, I know
not what to call it, but it was full of invaluable Jewels. I have them
still in my Keeping, and wish they were safe in _England_; for I doubt not
but some of them are fit to be plac'd on the King's Crown.
Being Master of this Treasure, I was very willing to be good-humour'd to
the Persons; so I went out of the Cabin, and caus'd the Women to be left
alone, causing the Guard to be kept still, that they might receive no more
Injury than I would do them myself.
After I had been out of the Cabin some Time, a Slave of the Womens came to
me, and made Sign to me that the Queen would speak with me again. I made
Signs back, that I would come and dine with her Majesty: And accordingly I
order'd that her Servants should prepare her Dinner, and carry it in, and
then call me. They provided her Repast after the usual Manner, and when she
saw it brought in, she appear'd pleas'd, and more, when she saw me come in
after it; for she was exceedingly pleas'd that I had caus'd a Guard to keep
the rest of my Men from her; and she had, it seems, been told how rude they
had been to some of the Women that belong'd to her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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