Captain Singleton

by Daniel Defoe

Notwithstanding this, I say, for he lived as fine as any of their Noblemen, he

  could not so far forget his native Country, as to be contented to dwell in a

  strange Land, where there was to him a Famine of God's Word and Sacraments, the

  Want of which made all other things to be of little Value to him; therefore, as

  he made it his daily and fervent Prayer to God, in his good time, to restore him

  to both, so at length he, with one Stephen Rutland, who had lived with him two

  Years before, resolved to make their Escape, and, about the Year 1673, meditated

  all secret Ways to compass it. They had before taken up a Way of Peddling about

  the Country, and buying Tobacco, Pepper, Garlick, Combs, and all sorts of

  Iron-Ware, and carried them into those Parts of the Country where they wanted

  them; and now, to promote their Design, as they went with their Commodities from

  Place to Place, they discoursed with the Country People, for they could now

  speak their Language well, concerning the Ways and Inhabitants where the Isle

  was thinnest and fullest inhabited; where and how the Watches lay from one

  Country to another; and what Commodities were proper for them to carry into all

  Parts; pretending, that they would furnish themselves with such Wares as the

  respective Places wanted. None doubted but what they did was upon the Account of

  Trade, because Mr. Knox was so well seated, and could not be supposed to leave

  such an Estate, was by travelling Northward, because that Part of the Land was

  least inhabited; and so furnishing themselves with such Wares as were vendible

  in those Parts, they set forth, and steered their Course towards the North Part

  of the Island, knowing very little of the Ways, which were generally intricate

  and perplexed, because they have no publick Roads, but a Multitude of little

  Paths from one Town to another, and those often changing; and for White Men to

  enquire about the Ways, was very dangerous, because the People would presently

  suspect their Design.

  At this Time they travelled from Canda Uda, as far as the Country of

  Neurecalava, which is in the furthermost Parts of the King's Dominions, and

  about three Days Journey from their Dwelling. They were very thankful to

  Providence that they had passed all Difficulties so far; but yet durst not go

  any further, because they had no Wares left to Traffick with; and it being the

  first time they had been absent so long from home, they feared the Townsmen

  would come after them to seek for them, and so they returned home, and went

  eight or ten times into those Parts with their Wares, till they became well

  acquainted both with the People and the Paths.

  In these Parts Mr. Knox met his black Boy, whom he had turned away divers Years

  before. He had now got a Wife and Children, and was very poor; but being

  acquainted with these Quarters, he not only took Directions of him, but agreed

  with him for a good Reward, to conduct him and his Companion to the Dutch. He

  gladly undertook it, and a Time was appointed between them; but Mr. Knox being

  disabled by a grievous Pain which seized him on his right Side, and held him

  five Days, that he could not travel, this Appointment proved in vain; for tho'

  he went as soon as he was well, his Guide was gone into another Country about

  his Business, and they durst not at that time venture to run away without him.

  These Attempts took up eight or nine Years, various Accidents hindring their

  Designs, but most commonly the dry Weather, because they fear'd, in the Woods,

  they should be starv'd with Thirst, all the Country being in such a Condition

  almost four or five Years together for Lack of Rain.

  On September 22. 1679, they set forth again, furnished with Knives and small

  Axes, for their Defence, because they could carry them privately, and send all

  Sorts of Wares to sell, as formerly, and all necessary Provisions, the Moon

  being twenty seven Days old, that they might have Light to run away by, to try

  what Success God Almighty would now give them, in seeking their Liberty. Their

  first Stage was to Anarodgburro, in the Way to which lay a Wilderness, called

  Parraoth Mocolane, full of wild Elephants, Tygers, and Bears; and because 'tis

  the utmost Confines of the King's Dominions, there is always a Watch kept.

  In the Middle of the Way, they heard that the Governour's Officers of these

  Parts were out to gather up the King's Revenues and Duties, to send them up to

  the City; which put them into no small Fear, lest finding them, they should send

  them back again: Whereupon they withdrew to the Western Parts of Ecpoulpot, and

  sat down to Knitting, till they heard they Officers were gone. As soon as they

  were departed, they went onwards of their Journey, having got a good Parcel of

  Cotton Yarn to knit Caps with, and having kept their Wares, as they pretended,

  to exchange for dried Fish, which was sold only in those lower Parts. Their Way

  lay necessarily thro' the Governour's Yard at Collinilla, who dwells there on

  Purpose to examine all that go and come. This greatly distress'd them, because

  he would easily suspect they were out of their Bounds, being Captives; however,

  they went resolutely to his House, and meeting him, presented him with a small

  Parcel of Tobacco and Betel; and shewing him their Wares, told him, they came to

  get dried Flesh to carry back with them. The Governour did not suspect them, but

  told them, he was sorry they came in so dry a Time, when no Deer could be

  catched, but if some Rain fell, he would soon supply them. This Answer pleased

  them, and they seemed contented to stay; and accordingly abiding with him two or

  three Days, and no Rain falling, they presented the Governour with five or six

  Charges of Gunpowder, which is a Rarity among them; and leaving a Bundle at his

  House, they desired him to shoot them some Deer, while they made a Step to

  Anarodgburro. Here also they were put in a great Fright, by the coming of

  certain Soldiers from the King to the Governour, to give him Orders to set a

  secure Guard at the Watches, that no suspicious Persons might pass; which, tho'

  it was only intended to prevent the Flight of the Relations of certain Nobles

  whom the King had clapt up; yet they feared they might wonder to see white Men

  here, and so send them back again: But God so ordered it, that they were very

  kind to them, and left them to their Business, and so they got safe to

  Anarodgburro . Their Pretence was dried Flesh, tho' they knew there was none to

  be had; but their real Business was to search the Way down to the Dutch, which

  they staid three Days to do: But finding, that in the Way to Jasnapatan, which

  is one of the Dutch Ports, there was a Watch which could hardly be pass'd, and

  other Inconveniencies not surmountable, they resolved to go back, and and take

  the River Malwatogah, which they had before judged would be a probable Guide to

  lead them to the Sea; and that they might not be pursued, left Anarodgburro just

  at Night, when the People never travel for fear of wild Beasts. On Sunday, Oct.

  12. being stored with all things needful for their Journey, viz. Ten Days

  Provision, a Basin to boil their Provision in, two Calabashes to fetch Water in, <
br />
  and two great Tallipat Leaves for Tents, with Jaggory, Sweet-meats, Tobacco,

  Betell, Tinder-Boxes, and a Deer-Skin for Shoes, to keep their Feet from Thorns,

  because to them they chiefly trusted. Being come to the River, they struck into

  the Woods, and kept by the Side of it; yet not going on the Sand, lest their

  Footsteps should be discerned, unless forced, and then going backwards.

  Being gotten a good Way into the Wood, it began to rain, wherefore they erected

  their Tents, made a Fire, and refresh'd themselves against the Rising of the

  Moon, which was then eighteen Days old; and having tied Deer-Skins about their

  Feet, and eased themselves of their Wares, they proceeded in their Journey. When

  they had travelled three or four Hours with Difficulty, because the Moon gave

  but little Light among the thick Trees, they found an Elephant in their Way

  before them, and because they could not scare him away, they were forced to stay

  till Morning; and so they kindled a Fire, and took a Pipe of Tobacco. By the

  Light they could not discern that ever any Body had been there, nothing being to

  be seen but Woods, and so they were in great Hopes that they were past all

  Danger, being beyond all Inhabitants; but they were mistaken; for the River

  winding Northward, brought them into the midst of a Parcel of Towns, called

  Tissea Wava, where being in Danger of being seen, they were under a mighty

  Terror for had the People found them, they would have beat them, and sent them

  up to the King) and to avoid it, they crept into an hollow Tree, and sat there

  in Mud and Wet, till it began to grow dark, and then betaking themselves to

  their Legs, travell'd till the Darkness of Night stopt them. They heard Voices

  behind them, and feared 'twas somebody in Pursuit of them; but at length

  discerning it was only an Hallooing to keep the wild Beasts out of the Corn,

  they pitched their Tents by the River, and having boiled Rice, and roasted Meat

  for their Suppers, and satisfied their Hungers, they committed themselves to

  God's Keeping, and laid them down to Sleep.

  The next Morning, to prevent the worst, they got up early, and hasten'd on their

  Journey; and tho' they were now got out of all Danger of the tame Chiangulays,

  they were in great Danger of the wild ones, of whom those Woods were full; and

  though they saw their Tents, yet they were all gone, since the Rains had fallen,

  from the River into the Woods; and so God kept them from that Danger, for had

  they met the wild Men, they had been shot.

  Thus they travelled from Morning to Night several Days, thro' Bushes and Thorns,

  which made their Arms and Shoulders, which were naked, all of a Gore Blood. They

  often met with Bears, Hogs, Deer, and wild Buffloes, but they all run away as

  soon as they saw them. The River was exceeding full of Alligators. In the

  Evening they used to pitch their Tents, and make great Fires both before and

  behind them, to affright the wild Beasts, and tho' they heard the Voices of all

  sorts, they saw none.

  On Thursday at Noon they cross'd the River Coronda Oya, which parts the Country

  of the Malabars from the King's, and on Friday about Nine or Ten in the Morning,

  came among the Inhabitants, of whom they were as much afraid as of the

  Chiangulays before; for tho' the Wanniounay, or Prince of this People, payeth

  Tribute to the Dutch out of Fear, yet he is better affected to the King of

  Candi, and if he had took them, would have sent them up to their old Master; but

  not knowing any Way to escape, they kept on their Journey by the River Side by

  Day, because the Woods were not to be travell'd by Night, for Thorns and wild

  Beasts, who came down then to the River to drink. In all the Malabars Country

  they met with only two Bramans, who treated them civilly, and for their Money

  one of them conducted them till they came into the Territories of the Dutch, and

  out of all Danger from the King of Candi, which did not a little rejoice them;

  but yet they were in no small Trouble how to find the Way out of the Woods, till

  a Malabar for the Lucre of a Knife, conducted them to a Dutch Town, where they

  found Guides to conduct them from Town to Town, till they came to the Fort

  called Arepa, where they arrived Saturday, October 18. 1679, and there

  thankfully ador'd God's wonderful Providence, in thus compleating their

  Deliverance from a long Captivity of Nineteen Years and six Months.

  I come now back to my own History, which draws near a Conclusion, as to the

  Travels I took in this Part of the World. We were now at Sea, and we stood away

  to the North for a while, to try if we could get a Market for our Spice, for we

  were very rich in Nutmegs, but we ill knew what to do with them; we durst not go

  upon the English Coast, or, to speak more properly, among the English Factories

  to Trade; not that we were afraid to fight any two Ships they had; and besides

  that, we knew, that as they had no Letters of Mart or of Reprisals from the

  Government, so it was none of their Business to act offensively, no not tho' we

  were Pyrates. Indeed if we had made any Attempt upon them, they might have

  justify'd themselves in joining together to resist, and assisting one another to

  defend themselves; but to go out of their Business to attack a Pyrate Ship of

  almost fifty Guns, as we were, it was plain, that it was none of their Business,

  and consequently it was none of our Concern, so we did not trouble our selves

  about it; but, on the other Hand, it was none of our Business to be seen among

  them, and to have the News of us carried from one Factory to another: So that

  whatever Design we might be upon at another Time, we should be sure to be

  prevented and discovered: Much less had we any Occasion to be seen among the

  Dutch Factories, upon the Coast of Malabar; for, being fully loaden with the

  Spices which we had in the Sense of their Trade plundered them of, it would soon

  have told them what we were, and all that we had been doing, and they would, no

  doubt, have concerned themselves all manner of Ways to have fallen upon us.

  The only Way we had for it was to stand away for Goa, and Trade, if we could,

  for our Spices with the Portuguese Factory there. Accordingly we sailed almost

  thither, for we had made Land two Days before, and, being in the Latitude of

  Goa, were standing in fair for Marmagoon, on the Head of Salsat, at the going up

  to Goa, when I called to the Man at the Helm to bring the Ship to, and bid the

  Pilot go away N. N. W. till we came out of Sight of the Shore; when William and

  I called a Council as we used to do upon Emergences, what Course we should take

  to trade there, and not be discovered; and we concluded, at length, that we

  would not go thither at all; but that William, with such trusty Fellows only as

  could be depended upon, should go in the Sloop to Surat, which was still farther

  Northward, and trade there as Merchants, with such of the English Factory as

  they could find to be for their Turn.

  To carry this with the more Caution, and so as not to be suspected, we agreed to

  take out all her Guns, and to put such Men into her, and no other, as would

  promise us not to desire or o
ffer to go on Shore, or to enter into any Talk or

  Conversation with any that might come on board: And to finish the Disguise to

  our Mind, William documented two of our Men, one a Surgeon, as he himself was,

  and the other a ready-witted Fellow, an old Sailor, that had been a Pilot upon

  the Coast of New-England, and was an excellent Mimick; these two William dressed

  up like two Quakers, and made them talk like such. The old Pilot he made go

  Captain of the Sloop, and the Surgeon for Doctor, as he was, and himself

  Super-Cargo: In this Figure, and the Sloop all plain, no curled Work upon her,

  indeed she had not much before, and no Guns to be seen, away he went for Surat.

  I should indeed have observed, that we went, some Days before we parted, to a

  small sandy Island, close under the Shore, where there was a good Cove of deep

  Water, like a Road, and out of Sight of any of the Factories, which are here

  very thick upon the Coast. Here we shifted the Loading of the Sloop, and put

  into her such Things only as we had a mind to dispose of there, which was indeed

  little but Nutmegs and Cloves, but chiefly the former; and from thence William

  and his two Quakers, with about eighteen Men in the Sloop, went away to Surat,

  and came to an Anchor at a Distance from the Factory.

  William used such Caution, that he found Means to go on Shore himself, and the

  Doctor, as he called him, in a Boat, which came on board them to sell Fish,

  rowed with only Indians of the Country, which Boat he afterwards hired to carry

  him on board again. It was not long that they were on Shore, but that they found

  Means to get Acquaintance with some Englishmen, who, though they lived there,

  and perhaps, were the Company's Servants at first, yet appeared then to be

  Traders for themselves, in whatever Coast-Business especially came in their Way,

  and the Doctor was made the first to pick Acquaintance; so he recommended his

  Friend, the Super-Cargo, till, by Degrees, the Merchants were as fond of the

  Bargain as our Men were of the Merchants, only that the Cargo was a little too

  much for them.

  However, this did not prove a Difficulty long with them; for the next Day they

  brought two more Merchants, English also, into their Bargain; and, as William

  could perceive by their Discourse, they resolved, if they bought them, to carry

  them to the Gulph of Persia, upon their own Accounts; William took the Hint,

  and, as he told me afterwards, concluded we might carry them there as well as

  they; but this was not William's present Business; he had here no less than

  three and thirty Ton of Nuts, and eighteen Ton of Cloves. There was a good

  Quantity of Mace among the Nutmegs; but we did not stand to make much Allowance.

  In short, they bargained, and the Merchants, who would gladly have bought Sloop

  and all, gave William Directions, and two Men for Pilots, to go to a Creek about

  six Leagues from the Factory, where they brought Boats, and unloaded the whole

  Cargo, and paid William very honestly for it. The whole Parcel amounting, in

  Money, to about thirty five thousand Pieces of Eight, besides some Goods of

  Value, which William was content to take, and two large Diamonds worth about

  three Hundred Pounds Sterling.

  When they paid the Money, William invited them on board the Sloop, where they

  came, and the merry old Quaker diverted them exceedingly with his Talk, and

  Thee'd 'em, and Thou'd 'em, till he made 'em so drunk, that they could not go on

  Shore for that Night.

  They would fain have known who our People were, and whence they came, but not a

  Man in the Sloop would answer them to any Question they ask'd, but in such a

  Manner as let them think themselves banter'd and jested with. However, in

  Discourse, William said, they were able Men for any Cargo we could have brought

  them, and that they would have bought twice as much Spice if we had had it. He