For This Reason, I Remained Watchful
On The Poop Of Our Ship, Looking Carefully After Our Swords, Which Lay
Naked In The Master's Cabin, Which They Too Seemed To Have Their Eyes
Upon.
They seemed likewise to notice the place where I and Mr Glascock
had laid our swords, and anxiously waiting
For the place being clear.
They even beckoned several times for me to come down upon the spar-deck,
which I refused, lest they might have taken that opportunity to seize
our weapons, which would have enabled them to do much more mischief than
they afterwards did.
[Footnote 280: These men were probably tawny Moors, or Arabs of pure
descent; whereas many of the Mahometans along the eastern shore of
Africa; and in its islands, are of mixed blood, partly negro, - E.]
Our master, Philip de Grove, came soon afterwards on the spar-deck, and
asking for their pilot, took him down into his cabin to shew him his
plat or chart, which he examined very attentively; but on leaving the
others to go with the master, he spoke something to them in the Moors
language which we did not understand, but which we afterwards supposed
was warning them to be on their guard to assault us as soon as he gave
the signal. It was reported that the pilot had a concealed knife, for
which he was searched; but he very adroitly contrived to shift it, and
therewith stabbed our master in the belly, and then cried out. This
probably was the signal for the rest, for they immediately began the
attack on our people on the spar-deck. The general, with Messrs Glascock
and Tindal, and one or two more, happened to be there at the time, and
had the good fortune to kill four or five of the white rogues, and
made such havoc among the rest that at length they slew near forty of
them, and brought the rest under subjection. A little before this, our
master had proposed to the general to buy from them some garavances,
or pease, the ordinary food of the country, if they had any for sale,
and then to set them at liberty with their boats and goods. To this the
general had agreed, and the master, as before mentioned, had called the
Moorish pilot, to see if he had any skill in charts. But as they had
treacherously attacked us, we certainly could do no otherwise now than
slay them in our own defence. Five or six of them, however, leapt
overboard, and recovered a pangaia by their astonishing swiftness in
swimming, and escaped on shore, as they swam to windward faster than our
pinnace could row.
In this skirmish only three of our men were hurt, namely, Mr Glascock,
Mr Tindal, and our master.[281] The first had two wounds, one of which
was very deep in the back. When they commenced the attack, Mr Tindal had
no weapon in his hand, and one of them aimed to stab him in the breast;
but as he turned suddenly round, he received the wound on his arm. They
all recovered perfectly.
[Footnote 281: According to Jones, he personally slew the Moorish pilot
in this affray. One of the persons wounded on this occasion was the
chaplain, but his name is not mentioned. Great lamentation was made by
the Moors on the coast of Africa for their loss in this affair, as Jones
was told afterwards by the Portuguese, as some of them, probably those
mentioned as white rogues by Coverte, were of the blood royal. - E.]
The 19th of January, 1609, we espied many islands, which the Portuguese
call Almirante,[282] being nine in number, and all without inhabitants,
as the Portuguese affirm. Next morning we sent our pinnace to one of
them in search of fresh water, which could not be found, but our people
saw many land tortoises, and brought six on board. We then went to
another of these islands, where we came to anchor in twelve or thirteen
fathoms in a tolerably good birth, and here we refreshed ourselves with
water, cocoa-nuts, fish, palmitos, and turtle-doves,[283] which last
were in great plenty. The 1st of February we set sail with a fair wind,
and passed the line on the 19th, having previously on the 15th come
within ken of the land on the coast of Melinda. We came to anchor next
day on the coast of the continent, in 12 fathoms, about two leagues from
shore, and sent our pinnace to seek refreshments; but they were unable
to land, and the natives could not be induced to adventure within
hearing, wherefore our ship departed in the afternoon. About this time,
William Acton, one of the ship boys, confessed being guilty of a foul
and detestable crime;[284] and being tried and found guilty by a jury,
was condemned and executed on the morning of the 3rd March.
[Footnote 282: Called by Jones the Desolate Islands, because not
inhabited. - E.]
[Footnote 283: Jones says these turtle-doves were so tame that one man
might have taken twenty dozen in a day with his hands. - E.]
[Footnote 284: In the last paragraph but one of his book, Mr Coverte
explains the nature of this crime: "Philip de Grove, our master, was a
Fleming, and an arch villain, for this boy confessed to myself that he
was a detestable sodomite. Hence, had not the mercy of God been great,
it was a wonder our ship did not sink in the ocean." - For any thing that
appears, the boy was put to death to save the master. - Astl. I. 342. c.
In Jones's Narrative no notice is taken of this crime and
punishment. - E.]
The 21st betimes, we espied an island in lat. 12 deg. 17' N. with four rocks
or hills about three leagues from it. We had beaten up a whole day and
night to get to this island; but finding it barren and unpeopled, we
passed on, and got sight of three other islands that same day about
sun-set, in lat.
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