Mr Penrose, page 24
According, when the day came I told Harry to collect the whole family, and when they were all met I took my place and gave them all strict charge that they did not make any noise. During the whole time the most profound Silence was kept as I read, untill Somer and I began to Sing the Psalm. The Parrots then began to hoot and sing at such a rate that we were forced in future to remove them to the kitchen when Sunday came to avoid being pestered with ye screeming. And indeed we found need to do the like with one of our Dogs. This would set the other to work often, so that at such times we were forced to put the whole disorderly crew in durance togather. Nothing could be more singular than the behavior of our Women when they were at this service. Their looks were so profound and Seriously innocent that it gave us much plesure.
The next thing Godart went upon was to make a kind of desk for me to read at. And thus we kept irregularly on unless some unforeseen thing hindered us. And here I must remark that once on a Sunday as we were in the midst of our Psalms there came three Indians by land and walked up towards the Cave, where they halted and stood in a very serious attitude of attention untill we had finished our ceremony.
These Indians were strangers to me except one who had been here before and was call’d Gaynasunto. Another of them was named Owasotas and a kind of half brother to my Wife, by two fathers as he expressed it. These Indians brought seeds of Tobacco from Owagamy and a Piccary they had shott. This was dressed afterwards and we made a plentiful repast with our friends.
I shall in this place take notice of somwhat singular in regard to the Old Bible which I purchased of my friend Captain Horgan. On the first unprinted leaf of this book was the following memorandum: “Samuel Shaddon was born May 4th anno 1670. Joseph Shaddon, his Son, was born in Westminster on the 12 of August, anno 1701. Mary Shaddon was born on the 9 of October, anno 1703. Nicholas Shaddon was born on the 23d of November, anno 1705. Elenor Shaddon was born on the 2d of June, anno 1708.” Then on the inside of the Cover was thus written in another hand the following singular lines:
“Thomas, This is the last favour you can possibly expect to recieve from my aged hands. Take notice and remember that it is my ernest request that you strictly peruse this book, and the more this World frown on you, open it the oftener. If you truly examine its contents you will find consolation, the one thing needful, for no man knows the severe trials in this life. Never part with it if possibly you can avoid it. But rather, when you or yours have by frequent useing of it rendered it necessary to be rebound, reserve the old binding in your own family as a piece of antiquity for the sake and remembrance of the Donor who wishes you all happiness. James Rogers, 1719.”
About this time as my Wife and I were walking on the other Side of the Plantain walk I took notice of a small kind of Bird to her, telling her we had a bird in my country much of the same size which we called a Wren. Nothin can exceed these pretty cretures. They go always in pairs. Their shape and magnitude togather with their actions are much like the bird above mentioned, but their colour Exceeds the Parrot in greeness and under the throat is a large spot equal to the Ruby in colour. They are not very shy, seldom mounting above the low shrubs. She told me they call’d them Manune, which word I could get no better interpretation of than mutual love; and well adapted, I thought, as they are ever togather. When one flys the other does the like. When or wherever one pitches the other alights close by its side. They frequently bill like Pidgeons. This conjugal love so apparent in such diminitive cretures renders them highly to be admired and immitated.
But now how shall I draw the sorrowful scene which we both soon became witnesses of? As we were ernestly admiring them I observed one of those little innocents begin to flutter its wings and chatter much, then run along the spray and return to its mate. This I at first took to be a kind of courtship, but shortly after as it flew down to the ground Betty pointed to a long and very Slim Yellow Snake which was quoiled up with its head in the centre erected, and playing its tongue at a great rate. The little Bird would run too and fro, fluttering with its wings and make a sad noise, then fly up to its mate again. Every time it came down it still drew nigher to the Snake. At last the Snake threw itself at its length but still kept its head directed full toward the bird. Betty then told me I should soon see the Snake open its mouth very wide and then the bird would run and play close before it, when the Snake would give a dart with its head and take it in.
“How can that possibly be,” said I, “seeing the head of the Snake to be no bigger than the end of my finger?” But she insisted it could take in the bird whole. “But that shall not be,” I reply’d, “if it is in my power to hinder.” Then with some warmth I cast my Eyes round, and finding a kind of twig I ran and gave it a stroke athwart the neck which soon spoiled its enchanting power, and by that means restored the poor little innocent to its Disconsolate mate who sat all the time on the limb crying chirp, chirp, and trembled at a sad rate.
I then turned to Betty And recited over the circumstance of Our first mortal crime in the credulity of our Mother Eve. Upon this she said I was a very big cunning, that I could tell her any thing I pleased as it happened on the other side of the great Waters. But she was sure such a thing had never happened in their country, because when ever any of their Women chanced to espie a Snake they ran from them, or it, as knowing they would Poison them, and not to wait to hear what they should say to them if they could talk.
Chapter 21
One day as I was passing into our dwelling I took notice of a White circle on the underside of the Archway of the cave, and as I had not observed it before I was a little the more curious about it. But on a nearer view I saw now and then a kind of Brown Wasp come in with a bit of the same matter and begin to fix it thertoo. This Circle was about the size of a quart bottle and in the course of a few days they had formed it into the shape of a small punch bowl. Thus they went on untill they had got it to the size of a large bottle when they began to contract its bulk so as to bring it to the likeness of a neck, still working downward, so that by the time it was finished it was almost a foot in length, leaving only a small hole sufficient for one to enter at a time. After this they daily went too and fro during the hottest hours. The Girls wanted to knock it down least they might sting the Children, but I forbade them. When I found they had all forsook it I told Harry to cut it down with a large knife carfully; and when I came to examine the internal parts nothing could be more curious. The cells were ranged circularly one with in the other, so that it form’d one compleat spiral line. As to the substance, it resembled our sort of course white paper but much stronger, and did not weigh above an ounce or two at most.
There is a sort of Insect here of a very odd form, being in length about four inches yet so slim in one part that it is not much thicker than a small thread. It has eight very long legs and two horns 6 inches in length tapering to such a small point that it is as fine as any cobweb to appearance. The whole Insect, wings and all, is of the fine hew of a watchspring, but what makes it singular is its smell, as no Rose can have a finer scent. It has the power to fold up those horns as in joynts or can at pleasure lay both horns at length backward in a direct line.
There is another Sort which resembles a Wasp but three times its size, and in colour like amber with a Yellow head. I never could see above one of them at a time. The manner of its life differs from that of all other Insects of that class. It burrows in to any dry and sandy place and to the depth of a foot or more. To this receptacle He brings all his Prey, being very furious after all sorts of flies and the like, which he catches either on the wing in full pursuit or by stratagem when they are on a leaf. He has two legs much longer than the rest; and as he always carries his prey between his feet, he by a movement of the joynts of those two long legs poises the load, if it prove rather heavy. When he brings home his prey and has descended below you shall hear a kind of noise the whole time like to a person drawing a fiddle stick over the smaller strings. When this noise once stops you may expect his return. Directly on his coming up he then proceeds to work with his two long feet backward, and in a short time covers the enterance so curiously that the place is not to be observed; and should you make any alteration so as to decieve him, yet he has the sagacity to find it out without fail. I have opened these repositories and have found at the bottom several small Cells in each of which were stowed numbers of Insects of different kinds.
This leads me naturally to another sort of being with which we were amused at times, A kind of large Beetle of a black colour. This Insect whenever It finds the dung of any animal or other kind of pulpy offall, it there takes up its residence untill the whole be consumed. But as ye manner of its providing for itself is the most curious part of the story I shall inform the Reader. They always fly by night or in an evening. They have a most powerful knowledge in the finding out of any of the above mentioned stuff, even should you lay it in a very secret place. When they first find it out, and if the surface of the Earth be not of too hard a texture, they begin to work down through the centre of the Mass to a considerable depth, bringing up the loos earth as in yr. arms. This they lay all on one side untill the whole business of that sort be finished. Then they begin to gather up arms full of the matter just as one would do with Hay or Straw. When it has cleverly got up as much as it can grasp it then walks backward to the edge of the hole and throws itself backward, load and all, and thus tumbles to the bottom of its pit or cell, then returns again and acts in the like manner untill it has industriously collected the whole. If you dig down some time after you shall find the whole mass curiously made up into a round ball, and very close packed togather. But when you break this ball, in the Centre is to be seen its young Embrio; and as that comes on to maturity it has a sufficiency ready provided. It then begins to eate on the internal part. The old one does the like externally, so that by the time they have eaten up the whole, the young one is become capable to provide for itself. But if it should prove too small a quantity in that case the old one goes in quest of more and fly’s home to the cell with it in her arms, as I may say. And this she continues to do untill her young is fit to go abroad. When that time comes she brings the young black bantling up in her arms and there leaves it to its self.
About the latter end of August Harry had a Daughter born and he chose she should be call’d Luta after his Sister who was my first Wife. And as Somer and I were passing a joak concerning making out fortunes for our children we happened to mention the word dross, meaning the Money those Sons of Jolly Roger had buried. Now my youn Owen chanced to stand by us at the time and Said, “Father, there is Dross in the great Bible book.”
“I know that, child,” said I, thinking he meant the clasps.
“No, not the clasps,” he said.
“Go along, you blockhead, and hold your tongue,” I cried.
“Indeed, daddy,” said the boy, “there is Dross in the boards of it.”
“Come, Somer,” I said, “let us see what he will be at.” When we came to open the Bible the Child at once shew’d us a place within the cover where appeared a piece of some shining stuff, and on examination I found it to be a piece of coin. Upon this I went to work and got it out and it proved to be a moidore1 sunken deep into the cover. And on farther serch I found there was a range of them. We then turned to the other lid and found it the same. Somer then lookt at me and I on him; but after this pause I said, “Now do I discover what the Author of those lines written on the cover intended.” After this I laid it all fair again the best way I could and observed to Godart that the Old Horgan, could he have discovered the secret, would never have let me made the purchase. Upon this Godart, taking up his pipe, went out of the house in a most extravagant fit of Laughter. It was some time before I could get him to share the mirth with me. At last he Said he concieved that he saw Old Mother Fortune standing right foreagainst him and making game at he and I. “In what shape?” I said.
“Vat shape? Shapen as two nunuchs [eunuchs],” said he.
“How so?” I replied.
“Why, she is given us monix like as von mountain, unt she know frail dat we been neet petter overall.”
“Well said, Messmate. That is a comical observation, indeed.”
Now as I had good reason to think both covers were full there could not be less than 60 in each. And then we fell to ruminating on the cause or intent therof, when I came to this way of thinking.—That this book had been presented to a Person who had perhaps been some great spendthrift, and that the good old Author had ingeniously taken this method to supply his wants as thinking he would be in a better state of mind to recieve so good and great a relief while frequently perusing this Holy Book. But alas, His godly designe miscarried and perhaps had gone through several hands untill by the wonderful turns of fortune It came into this remote corner and into the hands of those who must needs prize the book far beyond the riches of its binding.
Soon after this discovery I remember Harry and I were walking in the Woods and I observed to him a kind of Vine growing up a large tree and hung full of a kind of Beans. I asked him if they were fit to eate. He said the Indians eate them at times. The Pods of these Beans were a foot in length and about the breadth of our Windsor bean but much flatter, and the Bean small in proportion to the pod. As they were nigh ripe we gathered a handful or two of the Vine and carried them home where we stripped them and stowed them in a lockker Godart had made. Now it chanced that a few days after this I happened to set myself on this box, when on a suddain such a loud report went off that up I got and ran out quite surprized. The Girls ran in to know what noise it was. But on Harry’s lifting up the lid they all began and fired away at a brave rate. Some of them jumped quite out, and before they had done we had above a Royal salute from them.
On the 4th of December as Patty and Jessy were out on the hill looking for some leaves for a burn they came down and informed us there were many large boats out on the Waters. Away we ran up the hill and saw 7 large Vessels with 3 others of a smaller size all standing to the East. They being so far out, I got my Glass and found some of them to be large Ships, others of two masts. As the wind was at west and but little of it they remain’d in sight for several hours, and in the Evening we heard a Gun. Harry and I then took another look and found them all huddled togather. Erly the next day we went up again and could but just percieve them with the Glass, and in about two hours we lost sight of them. That it was a Squadron of King’s ships Is my real belief and belonging to Spain probably. The next day we saw a large Sloop standing the same way, which was one of the Same squadron perhaps.
Somer now took a most romantick whim, (Viz) that perhaps they were on the serch for us, saying that it might be the Irish Captain or some one of his people had informed against us. “That is a most rediculous imagination,” said I. “Can you be such an idle man to entertain a notion that we are of such great note or consequence that the Vice Roy should fit out a squadron for no better purpose than to rout a coupple of poor Jack Tars? Let not such vain thoughts enter your mind. For if the case stood that they did know of us they need do no more than send a small armed launch and she would sufficienly do our business, should they think it worth their time. So think no more of that, Messmate.”
Nevertheless, when I first saw them huddled togather when the gun was fired I must own I became a little flurried untill I let reason take place. For, I thought, what could induce them to make it a point to rout a couple of poor Seamen who had committed no crime, but landed there mearly to save life. Yet I make no doubt had they but known of the cash we were possessed of, they would not have failed to visit us but for no other intent than to leave us as naked as when we first landed. And should this prove the case we could have spared it and have then remained as happy as before.
Once or twice a year we were visited by numbers of Pidgeons of Two sorts, (Viz) Bald Pates and Sprig tails. I should have given a hint of them long before this, but as I could never command any of them for want of amunition they flew by unheeded. The Bald Pate, as I call them, do not breed about us as I never observed any of their nests. This bird is small and, what is not very common, is quite Black except the Scalp or pole, that being quite White, feet and bill crimson with red circles roun the Eyes. The Sprig tail is a fine Bird about the size of the English Wood pidgeon or Quist and much resembles that spieces. When they fly the tail appears as terminating in one long point. This bird is so swift of flight that it is my sincier opinion they can fly 7 miles in one minute. I do not advance this as a rodomontade but by ocular judgment, having at times stood on an eminence as a large flock has been coming; when no sooner have they hove in Sight which could not be less than two miles, yet eere I could cock my piece they have been right over my head. Nay, the Indians as I once was observing this to them, insisted they could fly above a Thousand miles in the course of 24 hours without once resting. And this I really can credit, Owagamy’s reason for it being sufficiently convincing—he saying that his people had shott them with a kind of red berries quite fresh in them erly on a morning, which berries did not grow within two moons walk of them away to the Southwest as he directed with his finger.
Now I am speaking on these birds I shall mention another species of Pidgeon or Partridge, as it seems to partake of each kind. This bird is in size about that of a partridge, short and full, but in regard to its colours I have not words to express its great variety, many parts of it being of the changable kind. The Indians call it a deciever, and with propriety. They are never to be seen in any exposed place but ever in the hilly country among rocks and bushes. Their flight is but of short duration depending much on running; and so exceeding subtill are they that if they are persued they squat and will not stir altho you should tread close by them, But on your passing them they artfully run back again with a flutter, by which means they are often betrayed. If by chance they can get no shelter when persued, in that case they will squat behind any small stone on the off side so that you may know to an inch where the bird is, yet cannot shoot it. Therfore they must be taken either on the run or wing; all other means will prove of non effect. These birds are excellent dainties.
