The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbersEllms, Charles
History
The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbers
Ellms, Charles
Pirates
the ocean, far from the usual track of vessels, and every appearance of
a violent thunder tempest, and a boisterous night. Judge of my feelings,
and the circumstances which our band of sufferers now witnessed. Perhaps
you can and have pitied us. I assure you, we were very wretched; and to
paint the scene, is not within my power. When the boats were moving from
the shore, on recovering myself a little, I asked Bolidar, "If he was
going to leave us so?"--he answered, "no, only two days--we go for water
and wood, then come back, take you." I requested him to give us bread
and other stores, for they had plenty in the boat, and at least one
hundred barrels of flour in the Mexican. "No, no, suppose to-morrow
morning me come, me give you bread," and hurried off to the vessel. This
was the last time I saw him. We then turned our attention upon finding a
spot most convenient for our comfort, and soon discovered a little roof
supported by stakes driven into the sand; it was thatched with leaves of
the cocoa-nut tree, considerable part of which was torn or blown off.
After spreading the old sail over this roof, we placed our little stock
of provisions under it. Soon after came on a heavy shower of rain which
penetrated the canvas, and made it nearly as uncomfortable inside, as it
would have been out. We were not prepared to catch water, having nothing
to put it in. Our next object was to get fire, and after gathering some
of the driest fuel to be found, and having a small piece of cotton
wick-yarn, with flint and steel, we kindled a fire, which was never
afterwards suffered to be extinguished. The night was very dark, but we
found a piece of old rope, which when well lighted served for a candle.
On examining the ground under the roof, we found perhaps thousands of
creeping insects, scorpions, lizards, crickets, &c. After scraping them
out as well as we could, the most of us having nothing but the damp
earth for a bed, laid ourselves down in hopes of some rest; but it being
so wet, gave many of us severe colds, and one of the Spaniards was quite
sick for several days.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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