For this Reason we civily declin’d them, told them we had Wealth enough, and therefore did not now Cruise Abroad as we used to do, unless we should hear of another Wedding of a King’s Daughter; or unless some rich Fleet, or some
Heathen Kingdom was to be attempted; and that therefore a new Comer, or any Body of new Comers, could do themselves no good by coming over to us: If any Gang of Pirates or Buccaneers would go upon their Adventures, and when they had made themselves rich, would come and settle with us, we would take them into our Protection, and give them Land to build Towns and Habitations for themselves, and so in Time we might become a great Nation, and inhabit the whole Island: I told them, the Romans themselves were, at first, no better than such a Gang of Rovers as we were; and who knew but our General, Captain Avery, might lay the Foundation of as great an Empire as they.
These big Words amaz’d the Fellows, and answer’d my End to a Tittle; for they told such Rhodomantading Stories of us, when they came back to their Ships, and from them it spread so universally all over the East-Indies, (for they were Outward-bound) that none of the English or Dutch Ships would come near Madagascar again, if they could help it, for a great while, for Fear of us; and we, who were soon after this dwindled away to less than 100 Men, were very glad to have them think us too strong to meddle with, or so strong that no Body durst come near us.
After these Men were gone, we rov’d about to the East Side of the Island, and in a Word, knew not what to do, or what Course to take, for we durst not put out to Sea in such a Bauble of a Boat as we had under us; but tir’d at last, we came back to the South Point of the Island again; in our rounding the Island we saw a great English-built Ship at Sea, but at too far Distance to speak with her; and if it had not, we knew not what to have said to her, for we were not strong enough to attack her: We judg’d by her Course, she stood
away from the Isle of St. Maurice or Mauritius, for the Cape of Good Hope, and must, as we suppos’d, come from the Malabar Coast, bound Home for England; so we let her go.
We are now return’d back to our Settlement on the North Part of the Island; and I have singl’d out about 12 or 13 bold brave Fellows, with whom I am resolv’d to venture to the Gulph of Persia; twenty more of our Men have agreed to carry us thither as Passengers in the Sloop, and try their own Fortunes afterwards, for they allow we are enough to go together. We resolve, when we come to Bassaro, to separate into three Companies, as if we did not know one another; to dress ourselves as Merchants, for now we look like Hell-hounds and Vagabonds; but when we are well dress’d, we expect to look as other Men do. If I come thither, I purpose, with two more, to give my Companions the Slip, and travel as Armenians thro’ Persia to the Caspian Sea, so to Constantinople; and I doubt not we shall, one Way or other, find our Way, with our Merchandize and Money, to come into France, if not quite Home to my own Country. Assure yourself, when I arrive in any Part of Christendom, I will give you a farther Account of my Adventures.
Your Friend and Servant,
AVERY.
The End of the First Letter.