was so strong they found it impossible to get round. Wherefore
they got into a harbor, of which there are many for small vessels. Here
they stayed about three weeks or a month, when part of the crew were for
burning the boat, and travelling over land to a black king of their
acquaintance, whose name was Reberimbo, who lived at a place called
Manangaromasigh, in lat. 15 deg. or thereabouts. As this king had been
several times assisted by the whites in his wars, he was a great friend
to them. Captain White dissuaded them from this undertaking, and with
much ado, saved the boat; but one half of the men being resolved to go
by land, they took what provisions they thought necessary, and set out.
Captain White, and those who staid with him, conveyed them a day's
journey, and then returning, he got into the boat with his companions,
and went back to Methelage, fearing these men might return, prevail
with the rest, and burn the boat.
[Illustration: _The Murder of the Captain and Chief Mate._]
Here he built a deck on his boat, and lay by three months, in which time
there came in three pirates with a boat, who had formerly been trepanned
on board the Severn and Scarborough men-of-war, which had been looking
for pirates on the east side; from which ships they made their escape at
Mohila, in a small canoe to Johanna, and from Johanna to Mayotta, where
the king built them the boat which brought them to Methelage. The time
of the current's setting with violence to the N.W. being over, they
proceeded together in White's boat (burning that of Mayotta) to the
north end, where the current running yet too strong to get round, they
went into a harbor and staid there a month, maintaining themselves with
fish and wild hogs, of which there was a great plenty. At length, having
fine weather, and the strength of the current abating, they got round;
and after sailing about 40 miles on the east side, they went into a
harbor, where they found a piece of a jacket, which they knew belonged
to one of those men who had left them to go over land. He had been a
forced man, and a ship carpenter. This they supposed he had torn to wrap
round his feet; that part of the country being barren and rocky. As they
sailed along this coast, they came to anchor in convenient harbors every
night, till they got as far as Manangaromasigh, where king Reberimbo
resided, where they went in to inquire for their men, who left them at
the north end, and to recruit with pro
|