As One Coming from the Dead
A vessel at Diamond takes him in. Passage home. Marblehead receives him as one coming from the dead.
Orthography lightly modernized; substance 1725. Evans TCP / OTA N02186, CC0. John Barnard from Philip Ashton’s mouth. Boston: Samuel Gerrish, 1725.
Now Old Father Hope and his Company are all designed for the Bay; only one John Symonds, who had a Negro belonging to him, purposed to tarry here for some time, and carry on some sort of Trade with the Jamaica Men upon the Main. I longed to get home to New-England, and thought if I went to the Bay with them, it was very probable that I should in a little while meet with some New-England Vessel, that would carry me to my Native Country, from which I had been so long a poor Exile. I asked Father Hope, if he would take me in with him, and carry me to the Bay. The Old Man, tho' he seemed glad of my Company, yet told me the many Difficulties that lay in the way; as that their Flat was but a poor thing to carry so many Men in for near 70 Leagues, which they must go before they would be out of the reach of Danger; that they had no Provision with them, and it was uncertain how the Weather would prove, they might be a great while upon their Passage thither, & their Flat could very poorly endure a great Sea; that when they should come to the Bay, they knew not how they should meet with things there, and they were Daily in Danger of being cut off; and it may be I should be longer there, in case all was well, than I cared for, e'er I should meet with a Passage for New-England; for the New-England Vessels often Sailed from the Bay to other Ports: so that all things considered, he thought I had better stay where I was, seeing I was like to have Company; whereas rather than I should be left alone he would take me in.
On the other hand, Symonds, who as I said to spend sometime here, greatly urged me to him Company. He told me that as soon as the Sea purposed to go over to the Main to the jamaica Traders, where I might get a Passage to Jamaica, and from thence to NewEngland, probably quicker, and undoubtedly much safer than I could from the Bay; and that in the mean while I should fare as he did.
I did not trouble my self much about fareing, for I knew I could not fare harder than I had done; but I thought, upon the Consideration of the whole, that there seemed to be a fairer Prospect of my getting home by the way of Jamaica, than the Bay; and therefore I said no more to Father Hope about going with him, but concluded to stay. So I thanked Father Hope and Company for all their Civilities to me, wished them a good Voyage, and took leave of them.
And now there was John Symonds, and I, and his Negro left behind; and a good Providence of GOD was it for me, that I took their Advice and stayed; for tho' I got not home by the way of Jamaica as was proposed, yet I did another and quicker way, in which there was more evident Interpositions of the Conduct of Divine Providence, as you will heat presently.
Symonds was provided with a Canoo, Fire-Arms, and two Dogs, as well as a Negro; with these he doubted not but we should be furnished of all that was necessary for our Subsistence; with this Company I spent between two and three Months, after the usual manner in Hunting and Ranging the Islands. And yet the Winter Rains would not suffer us to hunt much more than needs must.
When the Season was near approaching for the Jamaica Traders to be over at the Main, Symonds proposed the going some of the other Islands that abounded more with Tortoise, that he might get the Shells of them, and carry to the Traders and in Exchange furnish himself with Ozenbrigs and Shoes and such other necessaries as he wanted. We did so, and having got good store of Tortoise Shell, he then proposed to go first for Bonacco, which lies nearer to the Main than Roatan, that from thence we might take a favourable Snatch to run over.
Accordingly we went to Bonacco, and by that time we had been there about Five Days there came up a very hard North, which blew exceeding Fierce, and lasted for about three Days; when the heaft of the Storm was over, we saw several Vessels for the Harbour; their number and largeness ma might be Friends, and now an opportunity which Deliverance might be perfected to me.
The Larger Vessels came to Anchor at a great Distance off; but a Brigantine came over the Shoals, nearer in against the Watering place (for Bonacco as well as Roatan abounds with Water) which sent in her Boat with Cask for Water: I plainly saw they were Englishmen, and by their Garb & Air, and number, being but three Men in the Boat, concluded they were Friends, and shewed my self openly upon the Beech before them: as soon as they saw me they stop'd rowing, and called out to me to know who I was. I told them, and enquired who they were. They let me know they were honest Men, about their Lawful Business, I then called to them to come ashoar, for there was no Body here that would hurt them. They came ashoar, and a happy meeting it was for. Upon enquiry I found that the Vessels were the Diamond Man of War, and a Fleet under his Convoy, bound to Jamaica, (many whereof she had parted with in the late Storm) which by the violence of the North had been forced so far Southward; and the Man of War wanting Water, by reason of the Sickness of her Men which occasioned a great Consumption of it, had touched here, and sent in the Brigantine to fetch off Water for her. Mr.Symonds, who at kept at the other end of the Beech, about half a Mile off, (self the three Men in the Boat should refuse to come ashoar, being two of us together,) at length came up to us and became a sharer in my joy, and yet not without some very reluctance at the Thoughts of Parting. The Brigantine proved to be of Salem,(within two or three Miles of my Fathers House) Capt. Dove Commander, a Gentleman whom I knew. So now I had the prospect of a Direct Passage Home. I sent off to Capt.Dove, to know if he would give me a Passage home with him, and he was very ready to comply with my desire; and upon my going on Board him, besides the great Civilities he treated me with, he took me into pay; for he had lost a hand and needed me to supply his place. The next Day the Man of War sent her Long Boat in, full of Cask, which they filled with Water, and put on Board the Brigantine, who carried them off to her. I had one Difficulty more to encounter with, which was to take leave to Mr.Symonds, who Wept heartily at parting; but this I was forced to go thro' for the Joy of getting Home.
So the latter end of March 1725, we came to Sail, and kept Company with the Man of War, which was bound to Jamaica: the first of April we parted, and thro' the good hand of GOD upon us came safe thro' the Gulf of Florida, to Salem-Harbour, where we Arrived upon Saturday-Evening, the first of May: Two Years, Ten Months and Fifteen Days, after I was first taken by the Pirate Low; and Two Years, and near two Months after I had made my Escape from him upon Roatan Island. I went the same Evening to my Father's House, where I was received, as one coming to them from the Dead, with all Imaginable Surprise of Joy.
Thus I have given you a Short Account, how GOD has Conducted me thro' a great variety of Hardships and Dangers, and in all appeared Wonderfully Gracious to me. And I cannot but take notice of the strange concurrence of Divine Providence all along, in saving from the Rage of the Pirates, and the Malice of the Spaniards, from the Beasts of the Field, and the Monsters of the Sea; in keeping me alive amidst so many Deaths, in such a lonely and helpless Condition; and in bringing about my Deliverance: the last Articles whereof are as peculiarly Remarkable as any;—I must be just then gone over to Bonacco; a Storm must drive a Fleet of Ships so far Southward; and their want of Water must oblige them to put in at the Island where I was;—and a Vessel bound to my own Home must come and take me in.—Not unto Men and means, but unto thy Name, O Lord, be all the Glory! Amen.
James kept the pages. He did not walk that shore.
Not Robinson Crusoe. 1725 pamphlet. Roatán is not this island. James kept the pages.