such was my evil genius, but I must leave this happy station, for a
foolish ambition in rising; and thus, once more, I cast myself into the
greatest gulph of misery that ever poor creature fell into. Having lived
four years in Brazil, I had net only learned the language, but
contracted acquaintance with the most eminent planters, and even the
merchants of St. Salvadore; to whom, once, by way of discourse, having
given account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea and the manner of
trading there for mere trifles, by which we furnish our plantations with
Negroes, they gave such attention to what I said, that three of them
came one morning to me, and told me they had a secret proposal to make.
After enjoining me to secrecy (it being an infringement on the powers of
the Kings of Portugal and Spain) they told me they had a mind to fit out
a ship to go to Guinea, in order to stock the plantation with Negroes,
which as they could not be publicly sold, they would divide among them:
and if I would go their supercargo in the ship, to manage the trading
part, I should have ah equal share of the Negroes, without providing any
stock. The thing indeed was fair enough, had I been in another
condition. But I, born to be my own destroyer, could not resist the
proposal, but accepted the offer upon condition of their looking after
my plantation. So making a formal will, I bequeathed my effects to my
good friend the captain, as my universal heir; but obliged him to
dispose of my effects as directed, one half of the produce to himself,
and the other to be shipped to England.

The ship being fitted out, and all things ready, we set sail the first
of September, 1659, being the same day eight-years I left my father and,
mother in Yorkshire. We sailed northward upon the coast, in order to
gain Africa, till we made Cape Augustine; from whence going farther into
the ocean, out of sight of land, we steered as though we were bound for
the isle Fernand de Norenba, leaving the islands on the east; and then
it was that we met with a terrible tempest, which continued for twelve
days successively, so that the wind carried us wheresoever they pleased.
In this perplexity one of our men died, and one man and a boy were
washed overboard. When the weather cleared up a little, we found
ourselves eleven degrees north latitude, upon the coast of Guinea. Upon
this the captain gave reasons for returning; which I opposed,
counselling him to stand away for Barb