ar off as we could, but had so little strength left we could
make no way towards it; however, it happened to direct its course so
much to our relief, that an hour before sunset it was within a league
of us, but seemed to bear away more eastward, and our fear was that they
should not know our distress, for we were not able to make any noise
from our throats that might be heard fifty yards; but the carpenter, who
was still the best man amongst us, with much ado getting one of the guns
to go off, in less than half-an-hour she came up with us, and seeing
our deplorable condition, took us all on board, to the number of eleven.
Though no methods were un-essayed for our recovery, four more of us
died in as many days. When the remaining seven of us came a little to
ourselves, we found our deliverers were Portuguese, bound for Saint
Salvadore. We told the captain we begged he would let us work our
passage with him, be it where it would, to shore; and then, if we could
be of no further service to him, we did not doubt getting into Europe
again: but in the voyage, as we did him all the service in our power, we
pleased him so well that he engaged us to stay with him to work the ship
home again, he having lost some hands by fever soon after his setting
sail.

We arrived safe in port; and in a few days the captain, who had a secret
enterprise to take in hand, hired a country coasting vessel, and sent
her seventeen leagues farther on the coast for orders from some factory
or settlement there. I was one of the nine men who were destined to
conduct her; but not understanding Portuguese, I knew little of the
business we went upon. We were to coast it all the way; but on the tenth
day, just at sunrise, we fell in with a fleet of boats which had waylaid
us, and were taken prisoners. Being carried ashore, we were conducted a
long way up the country, where we were imprisoned, and almost starved,
though I never knew the meaning of it; nor did any of us, unless the
mate, who, we heard, was carried up the country much farther, to Angola;
but we never heard more of him, though we were told he would be sent
back to us.

Here we remained under confinement almost three months, at the end of
which time our keeper told us we were to be removed; and coupling us two
and two together, sent a guard with us to Angola; when, crossing a
large river, we were set to work in removing the rubbish and stones of
a castle or fortress, which had been lately demoli