FullReads

[Various particulars of the prolonged and perplexed
navigation ensuing here follow, with incidents of a
calamitous calm, from which portion one passage is
extracted, to wit:]

–That on the fifth day of the calm, all on board suffering
much from the heat, and want of water, and five having died
in fits, and mad, the negroes became irritable, and for a
chance gesture, which they deemed suspicious–though it
was harmless–made by the mate, Raneds, to the deponent
in the act of handing a quadrant, they killed him; but
that for this they afterwards were sorry, the mate being
the only remaining navigator on board, except the deponent.

* * * * *

–That omitting other events, which daily happened, and which can
only serve uselessly to recall past misfortunes and conflicts,
after seventy-three days’ navigation, reckoned from the time they
sailed from Nasca, during which they navigated under a scanty
allowance of water, and were afflicted with the calms before
mentioned, they at last arrived at the island of Santa Maria, on
the seventeenth of the month of August, at about six o’clock in
the afternoon, at which hour they cast anchor very near the
American ship, Bachelor’s Delight, which lay in the same bay,
commanded by the generous Captain Amasa Delano; but at six o’clock
in the morning, they had already descried the port, and the
negroes became uneasy, as soon as at distance they saw the ship,
not having expected to see one there; that the negro Babo pacified
them, assuring them that no fear need be had; that straightway he
ordered the figure on the bow to be covered with canvas, as for
repairs and had the decks a little set in order; that for a time
the negro Babo and the negro Atufal conferred; that the negro
Atufal was for sailing away, but the negro Babo would not, and, by
himself, cast about what to do; that at last he came to the
deponent, proposing to him to say and do all that the deponent
declares to have said and done to the American captain; * * * * *
* * that the negro Babo warned him that if he varied in the least,
or uttered any word, or gave any look that should give the least
intimation of the past events or present state, he would instantly
kill him, with all his companions, showing a dagger, which he
carried hid, saying something which, as he understood it, meant
that that dagger would be alert as his eye; that the negro Babo
then announced the plan to all his companions, which pleased them;
that he then, the better to disguise the truth, devised many
expedients, in some of them uniting deceit and defense; that of
this sort was the device of the six Ashantees before named, who
were his bravoes; that them he stationed on the break of the poop,
as if to clean certain hatchets (in cases, which were part of the
cargo), but in reality to use them, and distribute them at need,
and at a given word he told them; that, among other devices, was
the device of presenting Atufal, his right hand man, as chained,
though in a moment the chains could be dropped; that in every
particular he informed the deponent what part he was expected to
enact in every device, and what story he was to tell on every
occasion, always threatening him with instant death if he varied
in the least: that, conscious that many of the negroes would be
turbulent, the negro Babo appointed the four aged negroes, who
were calkers, to keep what domestic order they could on the decks;
that again and again he harangued the Spaniards and his
companions, informing them of his intent, and of his devices, and
of the invented story that this deponent was to tell; charging
them lest any of them varied from that story; that these
arrangements were made and matured during the interval of two or
three hours, between their first sighting the ship and the arrival
on board of Captain Amasa Delano; that this happened about
half-past seven o’clock in the morning, Captain Amasa Delano
coming in his boat, and all gladly receiving him; that the
deponent, as well as he could force himself, acting then the part
of principal owner, and a free captain of the ship, told Captain
Amasa Delano, when called upon, that he came from Buenos Ayres,
bound to Lima, with three hundred negroes; that off Cape Horn, and
in a subsequent fever, many negroes had died; that also, by
similar casualties, all the sea officers and the greatest part of
the crew had died.

* * * * *