After The Common Ceremonys Were Past, I Consider'd The Posture
Of Things, & Finding There Was No Great Danger, & That I Need Not Feare
Calling My People, Wee Went In All Together.
I made one of my men pass for
Captain of the shipp that I said was lately arrived.
Mr Bridgar beleev'd it
was so, & all that I thought good to say unto him, endeavoring all along
that hee should know nothing of the New England Interloper. Wee shot off
severall Musquets in drinking healths, those of the vessell never being
concern'd, wherby I judg'd they were careless & stood not well on their
gard, & might bee easily surpriz'd. I resolved to vew them. Therefore,
takeing leave of Mr. Bridgar, I went with my people towards the vessell.
Wee went on board to rights without opposition. The Captain was somthing
startled at first to see us, but I bid him not feare; I was not there with
any dessigne to harme him; on the contrary, was ready to assist & help him
wherin hee should comand me, advising him to use more Diligence than hee
did to preserve himselfe & shipps from the Danger I see hee was in of being
lost, which afterwards happned. But hee was displeas'd at my Counsill,
saying hee knew better what to doe than I could tell him. That might bee,
said I, but not in the Indians' country, where I had ben more frequent than
he. However, hee desired me to send him som refreshments from time to time
during the winter season, espetially some oyle & candles, of which hee
stood in great want, which I promis'd to doe, & perform'd accordingly. Hee
made me present of a peece of Beeff & a few Bisketts. Being fully inform'd
of what I desired to know, & that I need not feare any harm these Gentlemen
could doe me in regard of my trade, I took leave of the Captain, to goe see
what passed on behalf of the new England Interloper.
I arrived there next day in the afternoon, & found they had employ'd the
time better than the others had don, having built a Fort, well fortifyed
with 6 great Gunns mounted. I fired a musket to give notice unto those in
the Fort of my coming, & I landed on a litle beach under the Gunns. The
lieutenant came out with another man well arm'd to see what wee were. When
hee see me hee congratulated my safe return, & asked what news. I told him
I had found, though with great difficulty, what I sought after, & that I
came to visit them, having taken other men than those I had before; that
one of those with me was captain of the shipp lately arrived, & the other 4
were of Cannada. The Lieutenant answer'd me very briskly: "Were they 40
Devills wee will not feare. Wee have built a Fort, & doe fear nothing." Yet
hee invited mee into his Fort to treat me, provided I would go in alone,
which I refused, intimating hee might have spoke with more modesty, coming
to visit him in friendship & good will, & not in a hostile manner.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 166 of 223
Words from 85732 to 86253
of 117345