a practice in many of those countries, and what the natives get money
by, since our own slavery, Glanlepze and I could not endure it.

Though I was tolerably easy in my external circumstances, yet my mind
hankering after England made my life still: unhappy; and that infelicity
daily increased as I saw the less probability of attaining my desire. At
length, hearing of some European sailors who were under confinement for
contraband trade at a Portuguese fort about two miles from Quamis, I
resolved to go to see them; and if any of them should be English, at
least to inquire after my native country. I went and found two Dutchmen
who had been sailors in British pay several years, three Scotchmen,
an Irishman, and five Englishmen, but all had been long in English
merchants' service. They were taken, as they told me, by a Portuguese
vessel, together with their ship, as a Dutch prize under pretence of
contraband trade. The captain was known to be a Dutchman, though he
spoke good English, and was then in English pay and his vessel English;
therefore they would have it that he was a Dutch trader, and so seized
his ship in the harbour, with the prisoners in it The captain, who was
on shore with several of his men, was threatened to be laid in irons if
he was taken, which obliged him and his men to abscond, and fly overland
to an English factory for assistance to recover his ship and cargo;
being afraid to appear and claim it amongst so many enemies without an
additional force. They had been in confinement two months, and their
ship confiscated and sold. In this miserable condition I left them, but
returned once or twice a week for a fortnight or three weeks to visit
them. These instances of regard, as they thought them, created some
confidence in me, so that they conversed with me very freely. Amongst
other discourse, they told me one day that one of their crew who went
with the captain had been taken ill on the way, and being unable to
proceed, was returned; but as he talked good Portuguese, he was not
suspected to belong to them; and that he had been to visit them, and
would be there again that day. I had a mind to see him, so stayed longer
than I intended, and in about an hour's time he came. After he was
seated he asked who I was, and (privately) if I might be trusted. Being
satisfied I might, for that I was a Cornish man, he began as follows,
looking narrowly about to see he was not overheard: "My lads," says he,
"be of good