d
with vermin. They were also tormented by the intolerable thirst which
no means were taken to allay. Their feeding was horrible; for they
must be kept alive in some way, in order that the intentions of their
gracious sovereign might be carried into effect. One day they had
stinking salt beef; the next, cod fish half boiled; then peas as hard
as when they were put into the pot; and at other times, dried cod
fish, or rank cheese. These things, together with the violent motion
of the sea, occasioned severe sickness, from which many of the
sufferers were relieved by death. This deplorable voyage extended over
five months. Here is De Pechels' account of the sufferings of the
prisoners, written in his own words:--

"The intense and suffocating heat, the horrible odour, the maddening
swarm of vermin that devoured us, the incessant thirst and wretched
fare, sufficed not to satisfy our overseers. They sometimes struck us
rudely, and very often threw down sea-water upon us, when they saw us
engaged in prayer and praise to God. The common talk of these enemies
of the truth was how they would hang, when they came to America, every
man who would not go to mass, and how they would deliver the women to
the natives. But far from being frightened at these threats, or even
moved by all the barbarities of which we were the victims, many of us
felt a secret joy that we were chosen to suffer for the holy name of
Jesus, who strengthened us with a willingness to die for His sake. For
myself, these menaces had been so often repeated during my
imprisonments, that they had become familiar; insomuch that, far from
being shaken by them any more than by the sufferings to which it had
pleased my Saviour to call me, I considered them as transient things,
not worthy to be weighed against the glory to come, and such as would
procure me a weight of glory supremely excellent. 'Blessed are they
who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.'"

On the 2nd of January, 1688, the island of San Domingo came in sight.
It was for the most part inhabited by savages. The French had a
settlement on the west coast of the island, and the Spaniards occupied
the eastern part. Dense forests separated the two settlements. The
_Mary_ coasted along the island, and afterwards made sail for
Guadaloupe, another colony belonging to the French. The ship seemed as
yet to have had no proper destination, for, four days later, the
_Mary_ weighe