At Length, Having Entered A River, He Saw A Great
Number Of Negroes, Whose Captain Came To Him Stark Naked, Sitting In A
Canoe Made Of A Log, _Like A Trough To Feed Hogs In_.
Stopping, at some
distance, the negro chief put water on his cheek, not caring to trust
himself nearer till Baker did the like.
This signal of friendship being
answered, and some tempting merchandize being shewn him, the chief came
forward and intimated by signs, that he would stand their friend if some
of these things were given him. He was gratified, and many things given
to others of the natives. After trading all day with the negroes, Baker
returned at night to the ship, carrying the chief along with him, where
he clothed him and treated him kindly. In return the chief promised by
signs to freight them in a day or two. While on board, Baker observed
that the chief took much notice of the boat which was left astern, of
the ship loaded with goods; yet not suspecting he had any ill design, no
farther care or precaution was taken of the boat.
Next morning the chief was carried on shore, and trade or barter went on
with the negroes as on the day before; and at the return of Baker to the
ship, the boat was fastened to the stern, and the goods left in her as
usual. In the night the negro captain came with two or three canoes, and
was noticed by the watch to be very busy about the boat. On giving the
alarm, the negroes fled; but on hoisting up the boat, all the goods were
carried of. Vexed at being so tricked, the English went next morning up
the river to the negro town, in order to recover their goods; but all
their signs were to no purpose, as the negroes would neither understand
them nor acknowledge the theft. On the contrary, as if wronged by the
charge, and resolved to revenge the affront, they followed the English
down the river in 100 canoes, while as many appeared farther down ready
to intercept their passage. In each canoe were two men armed with
targets and darts, most of which had long strings to draw them back
again after they were thrown.
Being hard pressed, they discharged their arquebuses upon the negroes,
who leapt into the water to avoid the shot. The English then rowed with
all their might to get to sea; but the negroes getting again into their
canoes, pursued and overtook them. Then drawing near, poured in their
darts with accurate aim. The English kept them off with their pikes and
halberts, and many of the negroes being slain or wounded by the English
arrows and hail-shot from the arquebuses, they retreated. But when the
English had expended all their arrows, the negroes came on again, and
made many attempts to board the boat. The negro chief, who was a large
tall man, advanced in his canoe under cover of his target, with a
poisoned dart in his hand, in order to board; and as he pressed forward,
the masters-mate thrust a pike through his target and throat, which
dispatched him. While the mate was striving to disengage his pike, which
stuck fast in the shield, he was wounded by a dart; yet drew the dart
from his flesh and killed with it the negro who had wounded him. The
enemy continued the fight closer than ever, and did great mischief with
their darts, which made wide and grievous wounds. The gunner received
two desperate wounds, and lost a great deal of blood, and the brave
masters-mate, while standing firmly in his post, was struck through the
ribs by a dart, on pulling out which his bowels followed, and he fell
down dead. On perceiving this, the negroes gave a great shout, and
pressed to enter the boat where the mate had stood, imagining as so many
of the English were wounded they would now soon yield. But four of those
remaining in the pinnace kept them off with their pikes, while the other
four at the oars made the best of their way to sea.
At length they got out of the river, and the negroes retired having
expended all their darts. This was fortunate for the English, as six of
the remaining eight were desperately wounded, one of whom was Robert
Baker, the author of this narrative, and only two remained who were able
to handle the oars, so that they made very slow progress to the ship,
which appears to have been four leagues from the shore. When they got on
board they were all so faint that none of them were able to stand. After
having their wounds dressed they refreshed themselves; but as Robert
Baker had more occasion for rest than food he went to bed, and when he
awoke in the morning the ship was under sail for England.
SECTION X.
_Voyage to Guinea in 1563 by Robert Baker_[286]
This relation, like the former, is written in verse, and only contains a
description of two adventures that happened in the voyage, one of which
proved extremely calamitous to those concerned in it, among whom was the
author. From the title or preamble, we learn that the adventurers in
this voyage were Sir William Gerard, Sir William Chester, Sir Thomas
Lodge, Benjamin Gonson, William Winter, Lionel Ducket, Anthony Hickman,
and Edward Castelin. There were two ships employed, one called the John
Baptist, of which Lawrence Rondell was master, and the other the Merlin,
Robert Revell master. The factors were Robert Baker, the author,
Justinian Goodwine, James Gliedell, and George Gage. They set out on
their voyage in November 1563, bound for Guinea and the river Sestos,
but the port whence they fitted out is nowhere mentioned. After the
unlucky disaster that befel him in Guinea in the year before, Baker had
made a kind of poetical vow not to go near that country any more; but
after his return to England, and recovery from his wounds, he soon
forgot past sorrows; and being invited to undertake the voyage in
quality of factor, he consented.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 131 of 226
Words from 133262 to 134299
of 230997