Mr Penrose, page 8
About this time appear’d on the coast numbers of Whales. I saw them first in the morning as I was then sauntering along shore. They remained in sight blowing and playing the whole day, and on the morrow they were still in View. As I was every now and then casting my Eye that way I saw one of them raise its body above half out of ye water. At other times their tails came out seemingly very high. Thus they kept blowing and sporting in sight for three days and then went away to the southward.
But to return to my household matters. In the turtle season which was generally about June, July, and August as I judged, I then feasted sumptuously but found my body to break out in large blotches after eating of them long togather. But it had this effect, that I became always more healthy afterward. At times I cut the lean parts of them into narrow strips and laid them in brine, then hung them up in the Sunshine where they became hard and dry. These strips I boiled at times with some Colliloo in a large shell. My fish I cooked either Boiled, Roasted, or Stewed, and this last was my general way. But I must observe I had one way, especially when in haste, which was to cover up a fish just out of the water under the hot embers, where it remain’d about ten minutes. After it was done I then took off the skin intire, opened the belly and took out the internals. Thus I obtained the true flavour of a fish, as the sooner they can be cooked the better.
I must not omit to observe that by frequent boilings my shells grew crazy,2 which obliged me to look out for more. I took the utmost care of all my Europian articles. Now my head became full of making baskets, and I resolved to make a trial. I sought out the most favourable twigs, but to my great disappoint few that would answer my end. This put me on my old work of wattling again. I first made the bottom, then fixed uprights at the four corners, and then wattled up between them, and thus I formed an ordinary kind of basket which would hold about half a bushell.
Some time afterward as I happened to be out in my boat nigh to the Bird Key and going over a very shoal place, I saw a large fish close along side the canoa. It was the first I had ever seen of the kind. I struck it on the head with my paddle, when it began to flounce at a most high rate. The water was so shallow that it had not depth enough to swim. At last, as it was endevouring to get round, it got its long saw over the gunwale of my boat and plaid away at no small rate. At last I jumped out on the off side with my paddle and began to pay away at it; but it soon got out of my sight. This fish seemed to be about ten feet in length. Had I at that time my grange with a line I could have caught it with Ease.
I shall in this place take notice of an affair which often gave me much uneasiness, I being not altogether free from that wretched prejudice imbibed by the generality of children concerning Apparitions. This they suck in with their Nurses milk, and often from their own simple mothers tales. I say this had never left me and it gained as I travelled, having it renewed by the constant repetition of Sailors, a set of men by no means clear of such imaginations. N.B. My present uneasiness proceeded from a noise I often heard late on moon-light nights. This was a hollow treble tone, as thus: Yaoho, Yaoho, repeated perhaps three or four times togather. This was answered at a distance by some other like sound; this was always to the westward of me in the high land and at a great distance. Now the chief cause of my terror Originated thus. While I remain’d in Providence3 I had frequent converse with an Old Negro Man, a native of the Island of Jamaica, who in his younger days had been well acquainted with many of the Buckneers, sail’d with them, and knew many of their haunts, but had come in by the Queens Act of Grace and then followed Piloting or went out to hunt after wrecks about the coast. This White headed old fellow, altho he could write and read and was well versed in the Scriptures, had been in England, France, Spain, and all over the coast of the Spanish Main, was yet full of superstition. Now this old man, whose name was William Bass, among other stories related to me concerning a sort of Nocturnal Animal who walked upright as a Man and the same size, that they were black and wonderful swift of foot, that they sucked the blood of all animals they caught, and left them dead. He observed also that by the track of their feet one would think their heels were placed foremost, and that their Cry was as above related. He observed likewise that nothing but a bullet made of silver could kill one of those cretures, such credit did he give to those romantick notions.
Now altho I did not care to credit him to far, yet when my own Ears became charged with the like sounds I verily thought I should see them, and perhaps too soon. But as I was not visited by them I became the less concerned unless when the sound seemed to be nigher than ordinary.
Thus time went on with me untill the wet season was coming on, and I prepared to lay up a Store of Wood, brush, Concks, &c. The latter I could keep by me for a long time togather by making a small fence round them in the water, and by this means had my bait generally near at hand. About this time I had a most dreadful dream indeed. Methought it was the wet season and that the whole country was overflow’d, and that I was obliged to quit my cave in my Canoa. Like a Second Noah I wandered about for land, but could see only one small hummock at a distance for which I paddled with all my force. This dream so wrought on my spirits that my striving awoke me, and glad was I to find it no more than a dream. Little I thought then that it would be verified so soon after, as it was in some degree.
The Rains came on, and so great was the fall of the Water day by day that it overflowed the lagoon quite up to the enterance of my dwelling. And now I was forced to bestir myself with all dilligence, hurrying away with all my poor articles to high water mark and covering them the best I could. Here I was forced to remain quite exposed to the weather for two days, when it abated. In this my great hurry I had forgot my poor bird; as for Miss Doe, she stuck by me. After this I ventured to visit my Cave where I found that the Water had fell a good deal, and that had I but retired into the back part with my things they would have been all safe. I then began to look around for poor Yellowbill. At last I found him up in a low bush stone dead, as he had had no food for three days or more.
Now I began to call a council within my self, as thus. Fire and Water are no friends to Man unless under a strict limitation; therfore resolved with dispatch to erect me a Hurricane house to which I might remove on the shortest notice. Soon after I had removed my things back to the Cave I began this work and made it in the form of an Awning close at one end and a door at the other, thatching it well with Palmetto leaves. After I became a little settled again I began to think on my poor bird; and had not the Faun supplied its loss in some measure I should have found myself more solitary than ever, so great a consolation is any companion in any place recluse from the rest of the busy world.
One day as I happen’d to be out in deep water fishing I espied a sail in the NorthEast quarter. She came away large, and I in about an hour could percieve her to be a small sloop; but she kept a great offing and stood away in the Southward. Yet I kept my Eyes on her as long as I could percieve her untill she ran the horizon down, this sight being so great a novelty to me it brought back a kind of retrospect. I longed, and that earnestly, for to be once again removed among men. But when I reflected that she was certainly a Spaniard with whome I had no desire to associate, in a few days my craving began to vanish. Nothing from this time worth remembrance came on til by my reckoning I had began another year.
1. Inserted in the MS at this point, apparently by a different hand, is the phrase: A kind of land crab called by the sailors and West India fishermen fiddlers.
2. Warped or twisted.
3. In the Bahamas.
Chapter 6: Fourth Year of My Residence
Fourth Year commenced, And as far from any expectation of relief as ever but I endevoured to make my mind as easy as possible. Now I frequently used to make a party at Hunting at this period, and the Reader may be surprized how I brought this to pass. It was thus. Of a morning I used to prepare things ready in my boat and then with my mate Miss Doe, for whom I had made two small baggs to carryon her back any trifle of a load—thus Equip’d, away we went along Shore for the East Lagoon wher I landed and walked over land to Towers Field, as I termed it in my mind. At this spot I used to unrigg my companion and then light a fire. From thence we proceeded to a sandy plain, a great resort of the Guanos. Those cretures have burrows in the ground like our rabbits and can run very swift. Yet now and then I proved too hard for them, knocking them down with a short stick. But if they got so far the start as to gain their holes, In that case I made fire over their burrows. This seldom failed to fetch them out, when I was sure of them. Now having been often out on this business I shall observe a drool piece of Entertainment Miss Doe gave at times, as thus. When she would percieve me in full chase of a Guano off she would fly and be up with it in a trice, where she soon beat the creture dead with her fore feet. Such a sight as this could not fail to divert many of our English sportsmen, to see a man hunt with a Deer instead of a Dog.
I now began to think the cause of my never seeing above one Vessel in all the time of my abiding here must proceed from their knowing the coast to be dangerous, full of Shoals, Banks and Reefs, and that possibly it might be long eere I should see another, conjecturing that those who chanced to fall in with the land in the day time knew it their best way to keep a good offing if possible. But in a few days after I had been thus forming my cojectures a large Ship hove in Sight standing to the Northward. She was about four leagues out, and this threw me into a fresh relaps again; and when I parted sight with her I could have laid me down and given up ye Ghost. But time works strangly on the Mind of Man. After a few week had Elapsed I again returned to my usual tranquility and then resolved, that go fate how it would with me, I would repine no more. But as the most sagacious men are but as Idiots in the Eye of God, how then should such poor worms be able to forecast what shall be most fitting for them? Yet we must arrogate to ourselves a judgment as we list; and if the thing meditated fall as we desire, then is our God forgotten and we claim the applause. Now I lay all this to my own charge, as thus—what an Eager desire had I to be off in that Ship which passed by the other day. If so, perhaps we had never gained any port, but all have perished in the vast Ocean. Oh! The ways of the Omnipotent, are they not hid, and all things come to pass as He wills them to be? This I have all the reason on Earth to believe by what followed soon after.
According to my account I had been on this shore about Three years and two months, and I had not been abroad for many days as the Wind had been very fresh at south with frequent rain and thunder storms. Now after it had settled for a day or so I concluded to make a trip over to the Bird Island after Concks and Wilks. Accordingly off I put the next morning very erly, but I had not got far out before I espied a Canoa about a mile to the westward of my dwelling, with two people on the Shore. Directly I put back, thinking they had not seen me, and haled up my canoa. Then I ran along shore and got to a convenient place behind some trees. There appear’d no more than two persons, one standing, the other sitting nigh the canoa. I then saw them retire up to the bushes; after this they came down again and both looked into their Canoa. After this they both began to run about the strand making many odd motions, then threw themselves on the ground and acted like people beside their reason. At length I determined to get nearer to them as I knew there could not be above three or four of them by the size of their boat. At length I approched them so near that I could plainly percieve one of them to be a Woman. I could see them now and [then] Caress each other most lovingly, then in a moment they would fall into most extravagant franticks, throwing the sand over their heads and crying in the oddest way immaginable. What all this could mean I knew not. At last I resolved to shew myself. I had nothing on at that time but my bonnet, a ragg round my waist, and my Paddle in my hand, and thus I sallied down on ye beach. They were at this time not 60 yards from me. No sooner did they get sight of me than away they ran among the bushes. I hollowed to them but they never once cast an Eye back.
I then marched up to the Canoa where I beheld a very aged man in her bottom, seemingly at the very point of Death. I took him by the hand but he never opened his Eyes. I then spoke loud, wherupon he lifted up his Eyelids and seemed to look on me. I then began to call after them. At length the lad came out; I beckoned him but he stood stock still at first, then came on again, and continued to do the like untill very near me. At last he threw himself at my feet, taking one of them and placing it on his head returned it and did the like with the other. Upon this I lifted him up, clap’t him on his back, and shook him by ye hand. He now stood before me like one under conviction. I then smiled in his face; this gave him some courage and he went to the Canoa side, spake to the old man, but soon he closed his Eyes and died away. I then made signs for him to call the Woman, which he did. She then advanced, but in a manner that plainly indicated her great fear of me—but by my repeating my civilities she came and did the very same tokens as the other had done. Now while these things were transacting, the old man gave one deep groan and Expired.
Now when I found the Old Man was absolutly dead I made signs for them to get into their Canoa and paddle along shore as I directed them. They readily obeyed, and the lad guided her along shore abreast of me as I went. Thus we went on untill we came to the spot where lay my boat. I then launched mine and made signs for them to follow me. This they did in profound silence untill we arrived at my own Cave. When I landed I Invited them on shore in the most friendly manner. They now began to cast their eyes round them seemingly with much concern, now and then gave a sorrowful glance at each other. I then produced fish and placed it before them, but they shook their heads and declined it, seemingly very melancholy.
I had now abundance of business on my hands, to have new tenants and a corps to bury all in one day. And now the Reader may be curious to learn what kind of company I had got, and their characters. I shall therfore describe them in the most intellegent way possible. The Girl seemed to be about the age of 17 perhaps, about the height of 5 feet 3 inches, her complexion that of the Nut brown or rather lighter, her Eyes black and the whites of them a China cast inclining to a blue, a small nose and mouth, her teeth even as dies, her Neck, shoulders, arms and leggs most finely turn’d, her hair like jett parted before and curiously tied behind, hanging down in plattings united togather with strings of beads of many colours to a great length. Round her Neck, arms and leggs she wore three rows of teeth belonging to the Tiger1 or some such animal. Round her hips ran a narrow piece of wove cotton answering the Fig leaves of our firs parent Eve.
The lad seemed to be about a year younger but stronger built. As to his head of hair, it hung over his forehead and shoulders after the order nature had disposed it, in which she had by no means been Sparing. As to dress he was compleatly to be seen in his birthday suit without any manner of a disguise by art. Sometimes I thought them to be Twins as they were both of a height and so much resembled each other in features that it seem’d impossible for it to be more so.
The rest of the day was spent in endevouring to gain them over to a good opinion of me after the best manner I was master of. Now as they both continued to behave in a melancholy strain I attributed it to proceed from a twofold cause, first the death of that aged person who I took to be a Grandfather, and the other their being so unexpectedly discovered by me. The tears constantly flowed over the Girls breast when ever she cast her Eye toward their Canoa. The lads trouble seemed to be of a more manly kind.
But as there was at this time much to do I could not spare the time for condolence, as I had lodging to provide in the first place and then the funeral to be ordered. Therfore without loss of time I took part of my own couch and carried it to my tent and spread it the best I could. I then shewed them where to turn in for the night. They both obey’d in a condesending way, shewing at the same time their gratitude. I slept little the whole night. Into my canoa I got by the peep of day and went out a fishing, then returned in about two hours, where I found them both sitting in their own Canoa weeping. I call’d them out and cheer’d them the best I could, and began to kindle my fire. When this was done I fell to cooking as fast as possible. After this I made signs for them to come and Eat with me. The lad came directly but the Girl declined it. I then went to her, took her by the hand and brought her to the table and bade her sit down. I then gave each of them a roasted fish. Hunger now gained the day over grief and they both eat heartily, which pleased me much.
After breakfast I made signs for them to wait on me to the Canoa and I then took the Corps up by the head and shoulders, pointing for them to take up the legs. They did so, and we carried it to a distant place and laid it down. I then began with a paddle and dug a sort of Grave, then made them help to lift it in. I then went and sat down to rest myself, watching their behaviour, but they seemed only to be waiting my motions, so then I got up and began to cover in the Sand as fast as I could. Now the lad began to assist me and the poor Girl threw herself flat on the sand, weeping exceedingly. When we had made up the grave I then took them back with me.
I must observe in this place immediately on the appearance of my new guests Miss Doe abscented as being frighted at strangers for the first day, but the next morning she thought proper to follow the Corps at a distance.
In a day or two my new friends became a little more free in their behaviour. This gave me reason to thing [think] my conduct had made them entertain a good opinion of me. They began to converse a little togather. Nothing could be softer than their Speech, yet it seemed to me very difficult to attain as they drew their words in with the breath and then uttered them as from the throat. I found the Girl extreamly modest and bashful, especially when ever I looked on her, she never failing at such times as not to see me; yet with the glance of an Eye I could every now and then catch her at viewing me as she found opportunity. In about 7 or 8 days we became more sociable togather, but I could observe when ever we were on the shore they would be pointing to the Southward and the sighs would escape the Girls breast frequently. The lad would point that way with his finger and say a great deal to me.
