A
RELATION
OF TWO
VOYAGES
TO
New-England.
Anno Dom.1638.Aprilthe 26th beingThursday, I came toGravesendand went aboard theNew Supply,alias, theNicholas of London, a Ship of good force, of 300 Tuns burden, carrying 20 Sacre and Minion, man’d with 48 Sailers, the MasterRobert Taylor, the Merchant or undertaker Mr.Edward Tinge, with 164 Passengers men, women and children.
[p. 2.] AtGravesendI began my Journal, from whence we departed on the 26. ofApril, about Six of the clock at night, and went down into theHope.
The 27. beingFryday, we set sail out of theHope, and about Nine of the clock at night we came to an Anchor inMargaret-Road in three fathom and a half water: by the way we past a States man of war, of 500 Tun, castaway a month before upon theGoodwin, nothing remaining visible above water but her main mast top, 16 of her men were drowned, the rest saved by Fishermen.
The 28. we twined into the Downs, where CaptainClarkone of His Majesties Captains in the Navy, came aboard of us in the afternoon, and prest two of our Trumpeters. Here we had good store of Flounders from the Fishermen, new taken out of the Sea and living, which being readily gutted, were fry’d while they were warm; me thoughts I never tasted of a delicater Fish in all my life before.
The Third ofMaybeingAscensionday, in the afternoon we weighed out of theDowns, the wind atE.and ran down intoDoverRoad, and lay by the lee, whilst they sent the Skiffe ashore for one of the Masters mates: by the way we pastSandwichin the [p. 3.]Hope,Sandown-Castle,Deal; So we steered away forDoniesse, from thence we steeredS. W. ½S.for theBeachie, about one of the clock at night the wind took us a stayes with a gust, rain, thunder and lightning, and now a Servant of one of the passengers sickned of the small pox.
The Fifth day in the afternoon we Anchored, theIsleofWightW. N. W.10 leagues off,BeachieE. N. E.8 leagues off, rode in 32 fathom water at low water, at 8 of the clock at night the land over the Needles boreN. W.4 leagues off, we steeredW.afore the Start, at noon the Boult wasN. W.byW.about 3½ leagues off, we were becalmed from 7 of the clock in the morning, till 12 of the clock at noon, where we took good store ofWhitings, and half a scoreGurnets, this afternoon an infinite number ofPorpiscesshewed themselves above waterround about the Ship, as far as we could kenn, the night proved tempestuous with much lightning and thunder.
The Sixth day beingSunday, at five of the clock at night theLizardwasN. W.byW.6 leagues off, and theBlackheadwhich is to the westward ofFalmouthwasN. W.about 5 leagues off.
The Seventh day the uttermost part ofSillywasN. E.12 leagues off, and now we began to sail by the logg.
[p. 4.] The Eighth day, oneBoremansman a passenger was duck’d at the main yards arm (for being drunk with his Masters strong waters which he stole) thrice, and fire given to two whole Sacree, at that instant. Two mighty Whales we now saw, the one spouted water through two great holes in her head into the Air a great height, and making a great noise with puffing and blowing, the Seamen called her a Soufler; the other was further off, about a league from the Ship, fighting with the Sword-fish, and the Flail-fish, whose stroakes with a fin that growes upon her back like a flail, upon the back of the Whale, we heard with amazement: when presently some more than half as far again we spied a spout from above, it came pouring down like a River of water; So that if they should light in any Ship, she were in danger to presently sunk down into the Sea, and falleth with such an extream violence all whole together as one drop, or as water out of a Vessel, and dured a quarter of an hour, making the Sea to boyle like a pot, and if any Vessel be near, it sucks it in. I saw many of these spouts afterwards at nearer distance. In the afternoon the Mariners struck a Porpisce, called also aMarsoviusor Sea-hogg, with an harpingIron, and hoisted her aboard, [p. 5.] they cut some of it into thin pieces, and fryed, it tasts like rusty Bacon, or hung Beef, if not worse; but the Liver boiled and soused sometime in Vinegar is more grateful to the pallat. About 8 of the clock at night, a flame settled upon the main mast, it was about the bigness of a great Candle, and is called by our Seamen St.Elmesfire, it comes before a storm, and is commonly thought to be a Spirit; if two appear they prognosticate safety: These are known to the learned by the names ofCastorandPollux, to theItaliansby St.Nicholasand St.Hermes, by theSpaniardscalledCorpos Santos.
The Ninth day, about two of the clock in the afternoon, we found the head of our main mast close to the cap twisted and shivered, and we presently after found the fore-top-mast crackt a little above the cap; So they wolled them both, and about two of the clock in the morning 7 new long Boat oars brake away from our Starboard quarter with a horrid crack.
The Eleventh day, they observed and made the Ship to be in latitude 48 degrees 46 minuts, having a great Sea all night; about 6 of the clock in the morning we spake with Mr.Rupein a Ship ofDartmouth, which came fromMarcelloes; and now isSillyN. E.byE.34 leagues off; [p. 6.] about 9 of the clock at night we sounded, and had 85 fathom water, small brownish pepperie sand, with a small piece ofHakesTooth, and now we are 45 leagues off theLizard, great Seas all night, and now we see to theS. W.six tall Ships, the wind beingS. W.
The Twelfth day beingWhitsunday, at prayer-time wefound the Ships trine [trim?] a foot by the stern, and also the partie that was sick of the small pox now dyed, whom we buried in the Sea, tying a bullet (as the manner is) to his neck, and another to his leggs, turned him out at a Port-hole, giving fire to a great Gun. In the afternoon oneMartin Ivya stripling, servant to CaptainThomas Cammockwas whipt naked at the Cap-stern, with a Cat with Nine tails, for filching 9 great Lemmons out of theChirurgeonsCabbin, which he eat rinds and all in less than an hours time.
The Thirteenth day we took a Sharke, a great one, and hoisted him aboard with his two Companions (for there is never a Sharke, but hath a mate or two) that is the Pilot-fish or Pilgrim, which lay upon his back close to a long finn; the other fish (somewhat bigger than the Pilot) about two foot long, called aRemora, it hath no scales and sticks close to the Sharkes belly. [p. 7.] So the Whale hath the Sea-gudgeon, a small fish for his mate, marching before him, and guiding him; which I have seen likewise. The Seamen divided the Sharke into quarters, and made more quarter about it than the Purser, when he makes five quarters of an Oxe, and after they had cooked him, he proved very rough Grain’d not worthy of wholesome preferment; but in the afternoon we took store ofBonitoes, or SpanishDolphins, a fish about the size of a large Mackarel, beautified with admirable varietie of glittering colours in the water, and was excellent food.
The Fourteenth day we spake with aPlimouthman (about dinner time) bound forNew-found-land, who having gone up west-ward sprang a leak, and now bore backforPlimouth. Now wasSilly50 leagues off, and now many of the passengers fall sick of the small Pox and Calenture.
The Sixteenth Mr.Clarke, who came out of theDownswith us, and was bound for the Isle ofProvidence, one of the summer Islands; theSpaniardshaving taken it a little before, though unknown toClarke, and to CaptainNathaniel Butlergoing Governour, they departed from us the WindN. W.great Seas and stormie winds all night.
[p. 8.] The Seventeenth day, the wind atN. W.about 8 of the clock we saw 5 great Ships bound for theChannel, which was to the Westward of us, about two leagues off, we thought them to beFlemmings; here we expected to have met with Pirates, but were happily deceived.
The One and twentieth day, the windS.byW.great Seas and Wind, in’d our courses, and tryed from 5 of the clock afternoon, till 4 in the morning, the night being very stormie and dark; we lost Mr.Goodladand his Ship, who came out with us, and bound forBostoninNew-England.
The Eight and twentieth day, all this while a very great grown Sea and mighty winds.
Junethe first day in the afternoon, very thick foggie weather, we sailed by an inchanted Island, saw a great deal of filth and rubbish floating by the Ship, heardCawdimawdies,Sea-gullsandCrowes, (Birds that always frequent the shoar) but could see nothing by reason of the mist: towards Sunset, when we were past the Island, it cleared up.
The Fourteenth day ofJune, very foggie weather, we sailed by an Island of Ice (which lay on the Star-board side) three leagues in length mountain high, in form of [p. 9.] land, with Bayes and Capes like high clift land, and a River pouring off it into the Sea. We saw likewise two or three Foxes, or Devils skipping upon it. These Islands of Ice are congealed in the North, and brought down in the spring-time with the Current to the banks on this sideNew-found-land, and there stopt, where they dissolve at last to water; by that time we had sailed half way by it, we met with aFrenchPickeroon. Here it was as cold as in the middle ofJanuaryinEngland, and so continued till we were some leagues beyond it.
The Sixteenth day we sounded, and found 35 fathom water, upon the bank ofNew-found-land, we cast out our hooks for Cod-fish, thick foggie weather, the Codd being taken on a Sunday morning, the Sectaries aboard threw those their servants took into the Sea again, although they wanted fresh victuals, but the Sailers were not so nice, amongst many that were taken, we had some that were wasted Fish, & it is observable and very strange, that fishes bodies do grow slender with age, their Tails and Heads retaining their former bigness; Fish of all Creatures have generally the biggest heads, and the first part that begins to taint in a fish is the head.
The Nineteenth day, CaptainThomas Cammock[p. 10.] (a near kinsman of the Earl ofWarwicks) now had another ladThomas Jones, that dyed of the small pox at eight of the clock at night.
The Twentieth day, we saw a great number of Sea-bats, or Owles, called also flying fish, they are about the bignessof a Whiting, with four tinsel wings, with which they fly as long as they are wet, when pursued by other fishes. Here likewise we saw many Grandpisces or Herring-hogs, hunting the scholes of Herrings, in the afternoon we saw a great fish called thevehuellaor Sword fish, having a long, strong and sharp finn like a Sword-blade on the top of his head, with which he pierced our Ship, and broke it off with striving to get loose, one of our Sailers dived and brought it aboard.
The One and twentieth day, we met with twoBristowmen bound forNew-England, and now we are 100 and 75 leagues offCape-Sable, the sandyCape, for soSablein French signifieth, off of which lyeth the Isle ofSable, which is beyondNew-found-land, where they take theAmphibiousCreature, theWalrus,Mors, orSea-Horse.
The Two and twentieth, another passenger dyed of a Consumption. Now we passed by the Southern part ofNew-found-land, [p. 11.] within sight of it; the Southern part ofNew-found-landis said to be not above 600 leagues fromEngland.
The Six and twentieth day, Capt.Thomas Cammockwent aboard of a Barke of 300 Tuns, laden with Island Wine, and but 7 men in her, and never a Gun, bound forRichmondsIsland, set out by Mr.Trelaney, ofPlimouth, exceeding hot weather now.
The Eight and twentieth, one of Mr.Edward Ting’sthe undertakers men now dyed of the Phthisick.
The Nine and twentieth day, sounded at night, and found 120 fathome water, the head of the Ship struck against a rock; At 4 of the clock we descryed two sail bound forNew-found-land, and so for theStreights, theytold us of a general Earth-quake inNew-England, of the Birth of a Monster atBoston, in theMassachusets-Baya mortality, and now we are two leagues offCape Ann.
The Thirtieth day proved stormie, and having lost the sight of the Land, we saw none untill the morning; doubtfully discovering the Coast, fearing the Lee-shore all night we bore out to Sea.
Julythe first day, we sounded at 8 of the clock at night, and found 93 fathome water, descried land.
The Third day, we Anchored in theBayof [p. 12.]MassachusetsbeforeBoston. Mr.Tingesother man now dyed of the small pox.
The Tenth day, I went a shore uponNoddles Islandto Mr.Samuel Maverick(for my passage) the only hospitable man in all the Countrey, giving entertainment to all Comersgratis.
Now before I proceed any further, it will not be Impertinent to give the intending planter some Instructions for the furnishing of himself with things necessary, and for undertaking the Transport of his Family, or any others.
To which end observe, that a Ship of 150 Tuns, with 2 Decks and a half, and 26 men, with 12 pieces of Ordnance, the charge will amountpermoneth, with the Mariners, to 120 poundpermoneth. It is better to let the Owners undertake for the Victualling of the Mariners, and their pay for Wages, and the Transporter only to take care of the passengers.
The common proportion of Victuals for the Sea to a Mess, being 4 men, is as followeth;
Two pieces of Beef, of 3 pound and ¼perpiece.Four pound ofBread.One pint ½ ofPease.[p. 13.] Four Gallons ofBear, withMustardandVinegarfor three flesh dayes in the week.
Two pieces of Beef, of 3 pound and ¼perpiece.
Four pound ofBread.
One pint ½ ofPease.
[p. 13.] Four Gallons ofBear, withMustardandVinegarfor three flesh dayes in the week.
For four fish dayes, to each messperday.
Two pieces ofCoddorHabberdine, making three pieces of a fish.One quarter of a pound ofButter.Four pound ofBread.Three quarters of a pound ofCheese.
Two pieces ofCoddorHabberdine, making three pieces of a fish.
One quarter of a pound ofButter.
Four pound ofBread.
Three quarters of a pound ofCheese.
Bearas before.
Oatmeal perday, for 50 men, Gallon 1. and so proportionable for more or fewer.
Oatmeal perday, for 50 men, Gallon 1. and so proportionable for more or fewer.
Thus you see the Ships provision, isBeeforPorke,Fish,Butter,Cheese,Pease,Pottage,Water-gruel,Bisket, and six shillingBear.
For private fresh provision, you may carry with you (in case you, or any of yours should be sick at Sea) Conserves ofRoses,Clove-Gilliflowers,Wormwood,Green-Ginger,Burnt-Wine, EnglishSpirits,Prunesto stew,Raisonsof theSun,Currence,Sugar,Nutmeg,Mace,Cinnamon,PepperandGinger, WhiteBisket, orSpanish rusk,Eggs,Rice,juice of Lemmonswell put up to cure, or prevent the Scurvy. SmallSkillets,Pipkins,Porrengers, and smallFrying pans.
To prevent or take away Sea sickness, Conserve ofWormwoodis very proper, but these following Troches I prefer before it.
First make paste ofSugarandGum-Dragagantmixed together, then mix therewith [p. 14.] a reasonable quantitie of the powder ofCinnamonandGinger, and if you please a littleMuskalso, and make it up into Roules of several fashions, which you may gild, of this when you are troubled in your Stomach, take and eat a quantity according to discretion.
Apparel for one man, and after the rate for more.
[p. 15]Victuals for a whole year to be carried out ofEnglandfor one man, and so for more after the rate.
Note.
OfSugarandSpice, 8 pound make the stone, 13 stone and an half,i. e.100 pound maketh the hundred, but your best way is to buy yourSugarthere, for it is cheapest, but for Spice you must carry it over with you.
[p. 16.] AKentalof fish, Cod or Habberdine is 112 pound, will cost if it be merchantable fish, Two or three and thirty Rials aKental, if it be refuse you may have it for 10 or 11 shillings aKental.
Wooden Ware.
For Tobacco pipes short steels, and great bouls14pence and16pence the grose.
Prizes of Iron Ware.
Arms for one man, but if half of your men have Armour it is sufficient so that all have pieces and swords.
Tools for a Family of Six persons, and so after the rate for more.
Houshould Implements for a Family of six persons, and so for more or less after the rate.
Having refreshed my self for a day or two uponNoddles-Island, I crossed the Bay in a small Boat toBoston, which then was rather a Village, than a Town, there being not [p. 20.] above Twenty or thirty houses; and presenting my respects to Mr.Winthorpethe Governour, and to Mr.Cottonthe Teacher ofBostonChurch, to whom I delivered from Mr.Francis Quarlesthe poet, the Translation of the 16, 25, 51, 88, 113, and 137. Psalms intoEnglishMeeter, for his approbation, being civilly treated by all I had occasion to converse with, I returned in the Evening to my lodging.
The Twelfth day ofJuly, after I had taken my leave of Mr.Maverick, and some other Gentlemen, I took Boat for the Eastern parts of the Countrie, and arrived atBlack pointin the Province ofMain, which is 150 miles fromBoston, the Fourteenth day, which makes my voyage 11 weeks and odd dayes.
The Countrey all along as I sailed, being no other than a meer Wilderness, here and there by the Sea-side a few scattered plantations, with as few houses.
About the Tenth ofAugust, I hapned to walk into the Woods, not far from the Sea-side, and falling upon a piece of ground over-grown with bushes, called there black Currence, but differing from our Garden Currence, they being ripe and hanging in lovely bunches; I set up my piece against a stately Oake, with a resolution to fill my [p. 21.] belly, being near half a mile from the house; ofa sudden I heard a hollow thumping noise upon the Rocks approaching towards me, which made me presently to recover my piece, which I had no sooner cock’d, than a great and grim over-grown she-Wolf appears, at whom I shot, and finding her Gor-belly stuft with flesh newly taken in, I began presently to suspect that she had fallen foul upon our Goats, which were then valued (our she Goats) at Five pound a Goat; Therefore to make further discovery, I descended (it being low water) upon the Sea sands, with an intent to walk round about a neck of land where the Goats usually kept. I had not gone far before I found the footing of two Wolves, and one Goat betwixt them, whom they had driven into a hollow, betwixt two Rocks, hither I followed their footing, and perceiving by the Crowes, that there was the place of slaughter, I hung my piece upon my back, and upon all four clambered up to the top of the Rock, where I made ready my piece and shot at the dog Wolf, who was feeding upon the remainder of the Goat, which was only the fore shoulders, head and horns, the rest being devoured by the she-Wolf, even to the very hair of the Goat: and it is very observable, that when [p. 22.] the Wolves have kill’d a Beast, or a Hog, not a Dog-Wolf amongst them offers to eat any of it, till the she-Wolves have filled their paunches.
The Twenty fourth ofSeptember, being Munday about 4 of the clock in the afternoon, a fearful storm of wind began to rage, called aHurricane.It is an impetuous wind that goes commonly about the Compass in the space of24hours, it began from theW. N. W. and continued till next morning, the greatest mischief it did us, was thewracking of our Shallop, and the blowing down of many tall Trees, in some places a mile together.
Decemberthe Tenth, happened an Eclipse of the Moon at 8 of the clock at night, it continued till after 11, as near as we could guess; in oldEnglandit began after midnight, and continued till 4 ofthe clock in the morning; if Seamen would make observation of the time, either of the beginning or ending of the Eclipse, or total darkness of Sun and Moon in all places where they shall happen to be, and confer their observations to some Artist, hereby the longitude of all places might be certainly known, which are now very uncertainly reported to us.
1639.May, which fell out to be extream hot and foggie, about the middle ofMay, I [p. 23.] kill’d within a stones throw of our house, above four score Snakes, some of them as big as the small of my leg, black of colour, and three yards long, with a sharp horn on the tip of their tail two inches in length.
Junethe Six and twentieth day, very stormie, Lightning and Thunder. I heard now two of the greatest and fearfullest thunder-claps that ever were heard, I am confident. At this time we had some neighbouring Gentlemen in our house, who came to welcome me into the Countrey; where amongst variety of discourse they told me of a young Lyon (not long before) kill’d atPiscatawayby anIndian; of a Sea-SerpentorSnake, that lay quoiled up like a Cable upon a Rock atCape-Ann: a Boat passing by withEnglishaboard, and twoIndians, they would have shot theSerpentbut theIndiansdisswaded them, saying, that if he were not kill’d out-right, they would be all in danger of their lives.
One Mr.Mittinrelated of aTritonorMeremanwhich he saw inCascobay, the Gentleman was a great Fouler, and used to goe out with a small Boat or Canow, and fetching a compass about a small Island, (there being many small Islands in the Bay) for the advantage of a shot, was encountred [p. 24.] with aTriton, who laying his hands upon the side of the Canow, had one of them chopt off with a Hatchet by Mr.Mittin, which was in all respects like the hand of a man, theTritonpresently sunk, dying the water with his purple blood, and was no more seen. The next story was told by Mr.Foxwell, now living in the province ofMain, who having been to the Eastward in a Shallop, as far asCape-Anna Waggon in his return was overtaken by the night, and fearing to land upon the barbarous shore, he put off a little further to Sea; about midnight they were wakened with a loud voice from the shore, calling uponFoxwell,Foxwellcome a shore, two or three times: upon the Sands they saw a great fire, and Men and Women hand in hand dancing round about it in a ring, after an hour or two they vanished, and as soon as the day appeared,Foxwellputs into a smallCove, it being about three quarters floud, and traces along the shore, where he found the footing of Men, Women and Children shod with shoes; and an infinite number of brands-ends thrown up by the water, but neitherIndiannorEnglishcould he meet with on the shore, nor in the woods; these with many other stories they told me, the credit whereof I will neither impeach nor inforce, but shall [p. 25.] satisfie my self, and I hope the Reader hereof, with the saying of a wise, learned and honourable Knight,that there are many Stranger things in the world, than are to be seen betweenLondonandStanes.
Septemberthe Sixth day, one Mr.John Hickfordthe Son of Mr.Hickforda Linnen-Draper inCheapside, having been some time in the province ofMain, and now determined to return forEngland, sold and kill’d his stock of Cattle and Hoggs, one great Sow he had which he made great account of, but being very fat, and not suspecting that she was with pig, he caused her to be kill’d, and they found 25 pigs within her belly; verifying the old proverb, As fruitful as a white sow. And now we were told of a sow inVirginiathat brought forth six pigs; their fore-parts Lyons, their hinder-parts hogs.I have read that atBruxels, Anno 1564.a sow brought forth six pigs, the first whereof (for the last in generating is always in bruit beasts the first brought forth) had the head, face, arms and legs of a man, but the whole trunck of the body from the neck, was of a swine, a sodomitical monster is more like the mother than the father in the organs of the vegetative soul.
The Three and twentieth, I leftBlack-point, and came toRichmondsIsland about [p. 26.] three leagues to the Eastward, where Mr.Tralaniekept a fishing, Mr.John Wintera grave and discreet man was his Agent, and imployer of 60 men upon that design.
The Four and twentieth day beingMunday, I went aboard theFellowshipof 100 and 70 Tuns a Flemish bottom, the MasterGeorge LuxonofBittifordinDevonshire, several of my friends came to bid me farewell, among the rest CaptainThomas Wannertonwho drank to me a pint of kill-devilaliasRhum at a draught, at 6 of the clock in the morning we weighed Anchor, and set sail for theMassachusets-bay.
The Seven and twentieth day beingFryday, we Anchored in the afternoon in theMassachusets-baybeforeBoston. Next day I went aboard ofMr. Hinderson, Master of a ship of 500 Tuns, and CaptainJacksonin the Queen ofBohemiaa privateer, and from thence I went ashore toBoston, where I refreshed my self at an Ordinary. Next morning I was invited to a fisherman’s house somewhat lower within theBay, and was there by his Wife presented with a handful of small Pearl, but none of them bored nor orient. From thence I crost the Bay toCharles-town, where at oneLongsOrdinary I met with CaptainJacksonand others, walking on the back side we spied a rattle [p. 27.] Snake a yard and half long, and as thick in the middle as the small of a mans leg, on the belly yellow, her back spotted with black, russet, yellow and green, placed like scales, at her tail she had a rattle which is nothing but a hollow shelly buffiness joynted, look how many years old she is, so many rattles she hath in her tail, her neck seemed to be no bigger than ones Thumb; yet she swallowed a live Chicken, as big as one they give 4 pence for inEngland, presently as we were looking on. In the afternoon I returned to our Ship, being no sooner aboard but we had the sight of anIndian-Pinnace sailing by us made ofBirch-bark, sewed together with the roots of spruse and whiteCedar(drawn out into threads) with a deck, and trimmed with sails top and top gallant very sumptuously.
The Thirtieth day ofSeptember, I went ashore uponNoddles-Island, where when I was come to Mr.Maverickshe would not let me go aboard no more, until the Ship was ready to set sail; the next day a grave and soberperson described the Monster to me, that was born atBostonof one Mrs.Dyera great Sectarie,the Nine and twentieth ofJune,it was (it should seem) without a head, but having horns like a Beast, and ears, scales on a rough skin like a fish[p. 28.]called aThornback,legs and claws like aHawke,and in other respects as a Woman-child.
The Second ofOctober, about 9 of the clock in the morning, Mr.MavericksNegro woman came to my chamber window, and in her own Countrey language and tune sang very loud and shril, going out to her, she used a great deal of respect towards me, and willingly would have expressed her grief inEnglish; but I apprehended it by her countenance and deportment, whereupon I repaired to my host, to learn of him the cause, and resolved to intreat him in her behalf, for that I understood before, that she had been a Queen in her own Countrey, and observed a very humble and dutiful garb used towards her by another Negro who was her maid. Mr.Maverickwas desirous to have a breed of Negroes, and therefore seeing she would not yield by perswasions to company with a Negro young man he had in his house; he commanded him will’d she nill’d she to go to bed to her, which was no sooner done but she kickt him out again, this she took in high disdain beyond her slavery, and this was the cause of her grief. In the afternoon I walked into the Woods on the back side of the house, and happening into a [p. 29.] fine broad walk (which was a sledgway) I wandered till I chanc’t to spye a fruit as I thought like a pine Apple plated with scales, it was as big as the crown of a Womans hat; I made bold to step unto it, with an intent to have gathered it, no sooner had I touchtit, but hundreds of Wasps were about me; at last I cleared my self from them, being stung only by one upon the upper lip, glad I was that I scaped so well; But by that time I was come into the house my lip was swell’d so extreamly, that they hardly knew me but by my Garments.
The Tenth ofOctober, I went aboard and we fell down toNantascot, here Mr.Davies(Mr.Hicksthe Apothecarie inFleet-streetsSon-in-law) dyed of the Phthisick aboard on a Sunday in the afternoon. The next day Mr.Luxonour Master having been ashore upon the Governours Island gave me half a score very fair Pippins which he brought from thence, there being not one Apple-tree, nor Pear planted yet in no part of the Countrey, but upon that Island.
The Fifteenth day, we set sail fromNantascot.
The Sixteenth day Mr.Robert Foster, one of our passengers Preached aboard upon [p. 30.] the 113 Psalm;The Lord shall preserve thy going out, & thy coming in; The Sectaries began to quarrel with him, especially Mr.Vincent Potter, he who was afterwards questioned for a Regicide.
The Seventeenth day, towards Sun-set a Lanner settled upon our main Mast-top, when it was dark I hired one of the Sailers to fetch her down, and I brought her intoEnglandwith much ado, being fain to feed her with hard Eggs. After this day, we had very cold weather at Sea, our deck in a morning ore-spread with hoarie frost, and dangling Isickles hung upon the Ropes.Some say the Sea is hotter in winter, than in summer; but I did not find it so.
Novemberthe Fifth day, about three of the clock in theafternoon, the Mariners observed the rising of a little black cloud in theN. W.which increasing apace, made them prepare against a coming storm, the wind in short time grew to boisterous, bringing after us a huge grown Sea, at 5 of the clock it was pitchie dark.