“After some Time pass’d, Capt. Loe came upon Deck, who ask’d me how I had rested the preceding Night? I told him, Very well, considering my present Case; but, next under God, had grounded my Hopes upon him, to rid me of my present Fears, by dispatching me away as soon as possible he could with Conveniency. He told me, He would do every Thing in his Power to further my Desires, and hoped that what he had already done on my Account, would sufficiently convince me of his Desire to serve me; but that Things hitherto had fallen out very unluckily and cross, as I myself was able to judge by what was already pass’d.
“I told him, I had very good Reasons to return him my hearty Thanks, and own’d myself bound to him in the strictest Ties of Gratitude; and that if it ever should be in my Power to serve him, I would not content myself with bare Acknowledgments of his Favour.
“He said, His Will was at present more extensive than his Power; but that he still hoped to prevail with Russel, and those who were of his Side, to be more compassionate to me before I parted with them, than at present they seem’d to intend, and as soon as he had brought them to a better Temper, he then would procure my Discharge; but if Russel still continu’d inexorable, which he should be very sorry for, then you must endeavour, says he, to keep up a good Heart, and patiently wait ’till Providence brings you out of your present Calamities, which I hope he will.
“I thank’d him, and told him, I would endeavour to follow his Advice, tho’, I said, ’twas with some Impatience that I waited to have my Doom determin’d in a Discharge from them. He bid me be easy, it should be shortly.
“By this Time there were several join’d with us, so we broke off that Discourse, and fell into other Talk.
“About two or three a-Clock in the Afternoon, Capt. Russel, Capt. Spriggs, and some of their Officers, came on Board, and held a Consultation, which I was not allow’d to be a Hearer of; but understood afterwards, ’twas chiefly about their own Affairs, in Relation to the further Prosecution of their intended Voyage; and by the little mention that was made of me, it appear’d, that Russel continu’d still inflexible, bitterly swearing, that he would, if he had a thousand Lives, lose them all, rather than miscarry in this his fix’d Resolution.
“In this difficult Situation I stood, not daring to speak freely for fear of offending, nor be silent, lest I should be thought contemptuous; not knowing how to avoid their Resentments, and every Resentment menacing, and often bringing Death. And thus I tediously, as well as dangerously, pass’d my Time among them, until it pleas’d God to put it into their Hearts to discharge me; tho’, if seriously weigh’d, this my Discharge seem’d like sentencing me to a lingering and miserable Death; yet I must needs confess, considering the whole Matter, that I was in a Manner miraculously befriended and supported, even in spite of Malice, Rage, and Revenge, for which I shall always pay my humble Acknowledgements to the Divine Providence.
“After several Efforts made by Capt. Loe, and others, and abundance of Arguments used to bring Russel to better Temper relating to me; and finding it all to no Purpose, and that some of his Clan had bound themselves by Oath to stand by him, even to my Destruction, if the Dispute continu’d much longer; Capt. Loe, and Capt. Spriggs, and others, who were my Friends, resolv’d on sending me away as soon as possible; and for that Purpose Loe, the 10th Day after I was taken, made a Signal for a general Consultation on Board of him; and as soon as the Officers and leading Men of the other two Ships, were assembled, he made a Speech to them, to let them know the Reason of his calling them to a Consultation, telling them, That he thought it was Time to discharge me, as they had before agreed, as also to prosecute their intended Voyage, they having lain a long Time driving; and that, altogether out of their Way, by Reason they could not expect, either here, or in this Drift, to meet with any Ships.
“To this they all agreeing, Capt. Loe told them, He thought it would be best to discharge me first, for several Reasons, among which, my being cumbersome to them, as well as unserviceable, they being forc’d to sail the Sloop themselves; besides, he said it was not proper that I should be made acquainted with the Design of their Voyage.
“They ask’d, Why he did not turn me away? Saying, They did not know for what Reason I had been kept so long, the Company having settled that Matter so long since.