e time, that going a-fishing in a calm morning, a fog rose
so thick that, though we were not half a league from the shore, we lost
sight of it; and rowing we knew not whither or which way, we laboured all
day, and all the next night; and when the morning came we found we had
pulled off to sea instead of pulling in for the shore; and that we were
at least two leagues from the shore. However, we got well in again,
though with a great deal of labour and some danger; for the wind began to
blow pretty fresh in the morning; but we were all very hungry.

But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more care of
himself for the future; and having lying by him the longboat of our
English ship that he had taken, he resolved he would not go a-fishing any
more without a compass and some provision; so he ordered the carpenter of
his ship, who also was an English slave, to build a little state-room, or
cabin, in the middle of the long-boat, like that of a barge, with a place
to stand behind it to steer, and haul home the main-sheet; the room
before for a hand or two to stand and work the sails. She sailed with
what we call a shoulder-of-mutton sail; and the boom jibed over the top
of the cabin, which lay very snug and low, and had in it room for him to
lie, with a slave or two, and a table to eat on, with some small lockers
to put in some bottles of such liquor as he thought fit to drink; and his
bread, rice, and coffee.

We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing; and as I was most
dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me. It happened
that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either for pleasure or for
fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in that place, and for
whom he had provided extraordinarily, and had, therefore, sent on board
the boat overnight a larger store of provisions than ordinary; and had
ordered me to get ready three fusees with powder and shot, which were on
board his ship, for that they designed some sport of fowling as well as
fishing.

I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next morning
with the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and everything
to accommodate his guests; when by-and-by my patron came on board alone,
and told me his guests had put off going from some business that fell
out, and ordered me, with the man and boy, as usual, to go out with the
boat and catch them some fish, for that his friends were to sup at his
h