notwithstanding all our exertions, the Portuguese said to me, "They
have no weapons in the boat, I should think; if they had, they would
use them, for we are within bow-shot. Can you use a bow and arrow?"
"I could once," replied I, "use it very fairly," for when I was
captive with Whyna, she would often practise the bow and arrow with
me, and I became somewhat expert before I left her.
"Well, then," said he, "let me paddle on, and do you put an arrow in
the bow and threaten them, at all events."
I did so, and stood up, taking aim as if about to shoot, at which they
ceased paddling, and after talking a little they turned the head of
their canoe round, and made for the shore. We proceeded, as may be
imagined, with all diligence. I laid down my bow and arrows and
resumed my paddle, and in an hour we could no longer see our late
pursuers. We continued our voyage, and for three days met with no
further adventures, when about noon, on the fourth day, the sky became
overcast, and there was every prospect of rough weather. Before night
the wind and sea rose, and it was no longer possible for us to keep
along the coast, which already was covered with breakers.
We had, therefore, no remedy but to make for the shore and haul up the
canoe, for we could not perceive any inlet which might shelter us. It
was quite dark when we dashed the canoe through the breakers and
landed. We hauled her up some distance, as there was every appearance
of worse weather, and sheltered ourselves under the lee of a high
rock. The wind now blew fiercely, and rain descended in torrents. We
tried to light a fire to warm ourselves, but could not succeed, so we
lay down on one bear-skin, and covered ourselves with the others,
waiting impatiently for daylight. When the day dawned, the weather was
worse than ever. We now looked out for a better place of concealment
for ourselves and our canoe, and found one at about fifty yards'
distance: between two high rocks there was a narrow cleft or passage,
which was large enough for us and for the canoe, and this hid us both
from the storm and from the sea. Into this cleft we hauled our canoe
and withdrew ourselves, making a meal off some fish we roasted on the
embers. We remained there for two days, when the weather moderated,
but the sea was still too rough for us to launch the canoe; so we
decided upon remaining one day more, although our provisions were all
gone and our calabashes quite empty. On the third day, to our great
surprise and alarm, we heard the report of a musket not far from us.
From this we knew that we could not be very far from the English
settlements, for it was only the Indians near to the settlements who
had obtained muskets. But whether it was an Indian or a white man who
fired we could not, of course, tell. I recollected that, in the last
advices we had had from James Town, our factors had stated that there
was a cruel war carried on between the Indians and the settlers, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
The Privateer's-Man, One hundred Years Ago — John Shaqi
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