My eldest Brother being a young man grown up, he made him a proposal to stay with him as a Clerk, and said that he would satisfy him according to his behaviour: my Brother accepted his kind offer willingly. As for me and my other Brother, being too young for any kind of business, we were recommended to an old Lady who received us with much humanity; for she maintained us for six months or thereabouts. In the mean time I began to tire of being without employ, and acquainted my old benefactress of my disposition, which was to go upon the Sea and learn to be a Sea-man; she said, "if that is your resolution, I will recommend you to a Captain that I know;" accordingly she did, and I went on board of a Privateer as a cabin boy: and a Clerk's place was provided for my other Brother; so we began our course of Life in the like manner as it is described. My rank being a cabin boy as before mentioned, I was to clean the chamber,[9] wash the dishes, and sweep the deck twice a day.
We weighed the Anchor and went a Cruizing: we were a long while before we took any prize; at last, one morning we saw a Ship, and immediately we chased her, but all our endeavours were without success, for we could not attain her though we sailed all the day long; and when night was coming on the Ship we were chasing tacked about and sailed back towards us, and when near enough she fired a gun, and made signal to know what Nation we were; but we did not answer the signal, supposing she was an English Sloop of war: so we prepared for the conflict. The enemy seeing that we did not answer their signal, did not doubt any longer but we were enemies to them; so they came as near as they could, and fired a broad side: as we were ready for them, we returned in like manner; and the engagement took place with courage and obstinacy on both sides; and fought for a long space of time without knowing what Nation we were fighting with, though we guessed it was English, but we were not sure of it. At length of time an opportunity offered itself; we hailed her in English, but no answer, in French, no answer, in Spanish, and yet no answer was to be had; so we did not know what to think of their mysterious silence. We renewed the Battle again with great courage and Boldness, and attempted three times to jump on board of her; but she always avoided it: our people were so enraged, that they unanimously cried out, sooner die! than let her go. We fought like Lions on both sides, from seven o'Clock till midnight, at which time a misfortune happened on board our Ship; a box full of cartridges and gunpowder blew up, and set the Ship on fire, which put disorder among our men. The enemy, joyful to see that spectacle, (though dreadful,) begun to shout aloud, Huzza! Huzza! thinking that we should soon be theirs, but they were mistaken; our brave Captain, who was an American, soon put the fire out, by dipping mattresses and blankets into the Sea, and then quenched it in that manner. We begun again to dispute the Victory till one o'Clock; and each side being tired at that time, we took a pause of about half-an-hour; and coming again to action, the enemy hailed us, "ah! says our Captain, well, we will be more polite than them, for we will answer though they were not willing to do it when we hailed them." Accordingly we answered that we were come from Demerara:[10] the enemy was so exasperated at the answer, that they answered back by saying, "you are a D****d Liar,"[11] and renewed again the battle with great anger and intrepidity; the bravery was equal on each part; our deck was covered with Blood and Dead Bodies; all our rigging was cut off by the bullets; our Bowsprit, and Fore-top-mast were cut down: the enemy seemed to be very much damaged, for their Fore-mast and main-top-mast, with their Bowsprit, were cut down. We were so tired and disordered, that we were forced to retire on both sides, after a conflict of nine hours, which was from seven at night till four o'Clock in the morning. After an hour of rest, we were employed to repair the damages we had received, and return into harbour; for we were in too bad a state to stay at Sea any longer. On our journey back we had the good luck to take two prizes, one came from Africa laden with Negroes, and the other which was retaken, was come from Norway, loaded with gin, butter, and combustibles &c. We arrived safe in the harbour of Point-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe.
I went to see my Brothers as soon as I was landed; the eldest was removed to another place where he thought he could do better, and the other took example from me, for he was just going out of the Harbour when I entered in.
In a few weeks our Ship was entirely repaired, and we ventured again upon the Sea; our design was to go a cruizing upon the coast of Brazil to meet with some rich Portuguese Ship. We steered our course for the appointed place, and met with a deal of contrary wind, and bad weather; but all this did not discourage us, for we proceeded on our way with cheerfulness, and now and then a glass of grog to drive away the care of past sorrows[12]. One day about noon we saw a Ship, and instantly chased her, we continued the chase till very late at night before we could come up to her, and when near we hailed, but she proved to be a dutch vessel, which disappointed us very much: so we left her to proceed on her voyage because they were not at war with us. We likewise went further on, and were a considerable time upon the Sea; till at length we begun to precieve that our provisions were short, and being a great number of miles from the shore, we were afraid of being starv'd with hunger; so we made haste to the nearest land if possible, before we should entirely perish of such a languishing and hard death, for we were perishing with hunger and thirst: every moment we expected to be forced to come to that most horrible and shocking point of eating Human flesh, and become cannibals for want of food. Many were so weak that they could not work, nor get up from the place where they lay. We were several days in that awful and pitiful situation, exposed to all sorts of dangers and evils; in the most painful of my agonies I swore that if GOD spared me to put my feet upon Land, I would never go to Sea again. At last the LORD smiled on us, and spared us once more: a sea-man who was watching at the top of the mast, shouted, Land! Land[13]. Never was joy greater in our Hearts than that day, to see ourselves set free from dangers, and safely landed at that most desirable and appointed place; and found that it was Cayen near south America.
The Doctor went immediately on shore to provide food and refreshment, and ordered that no one should eat any thing without his orders; because, he said, "some will not be wise enough to content themselves with a little, and if our bodies which have been void for so long a time were filled all at once, it would undoubtedly cause our Death." So we were fed by degrees untill we recovered our former strength. We remained at Cayen about two months, and then departed to go back to Guadeloupe.
I was again hardened, and broke the Oath that I had made to GOD, by going again upon the Sea. About the eighteenth day that we were on the Sea we saw a Ship, and chased her; in the mean time that we were chasing, arms were prepared for the battle: and the Captain of Volunteers called me to take care of the arms which were upon a large box; so I kneeled down and clip'd a great quantity of pistols and muskets to prevent them from falling, and all their mouths were fixed towards my breast. Not long before I was in that posture, the Doctor who was below called me; I instantly quitted my post and ran to his orders: no sooner had I left my position in which I was before, than a pistol went off unexpected, and wounded the Captain of Volunteers in the knee. I was so surprised at this, that I thought, (and even was sure,) that it was GOD's mercy to spare me; for in the posture that I was as before mentioned, I could not have escaped being killed upon the spot[14].
The Ship that we were chasing, when near proved to be a large man of war, and we being too small to attack her, were forced to run away, and happily escaped.
I return, to the Captain of Volunteers, whose wound made such a progress that he was obliged to have his leg, and a part of his thigh cut off; and I, being assistant to the Doctor, assisted to hold his leg while he was performing the operation: all that did not prolong his life many days, for his time was come; he departed eight days after the amputation.
We proceeded on our voyage for Guadeloupe, and arrived safe there. Having had so many misfortunes I thought that the Ship was unlucky, and resolved to go no more with it; so I asked for my discharge, and it was granted; but before I sought for another place, I inquired about my Brother who did take pattern by me, and venture to Sea: I heard that he had had good luck, for he had received fifty pounds prize money.
My eldest Brother was in his place still, but a misfortune happened unto him while I was on shore; the Gentleman and the Lady where he was at; were at variance on his account, for his Master was jealous of him, and he was obliged to quit; having nothing to do, he determined to follow our example; and embarked in the same Ship where my other Brother was; they wanted me to go with them, saying, "if we perish, we shall perish in the arms of each other, and if we have good luck, we can work and live together in union:" but I could not be persuaded, I wanted to have my own way, for I knew that it was enough for me to bear my own misfortunes, without adding to those of my Brothers: so they both took leave of me, and went to seek their fortune.