Of a voyadge made by the Master of the Ceremonies of New Canaan to Neepenett, from whence hee came away; and of the manifold dangers hee escaped.
This woorthy member Master Bubble, a new Master of the Ceremonies, having a conceipt in his head that hee had hatched a new device for the purchase of Beaver, beyond Imagination, packes up a sacke full of odde implements, and without any company but a couple of Indians for Two Salvage guides conduct Iohn, to Neepenett alone. guides, (and therefore you may, if you please, beeleive they are so dangerous as the Brethren of Plimmouth give it out,) hee betakes him to his progresse into the Inlande for Beaver, with his carriadge on his shoulders like Milo: his guides and hee in processe of time come to the place appointed, which was about Neepenett,[479] thereabouts being more Beavers to be had then this Milo could carry, and both his journey men: glad hee was good man, and his guides were willing to pleasure him: there the Salvages stay: night came on, but, before they were inclined to sleepe, this good man Master Bubble had an evation crept into his head, by misapplying the Salvages actions, that hee must needs be gone in all hast, yea and without his errand: hee purposed to doe it so cunningely that his flight should not [{127}] be suspected: hee leaves his shooes in the howse, with all his other implements, and flies: as hee was on his way, to increase his feare, suggestinge himselfe that hee was pressed[480] by a company of Indians and that there shafts were let fly as thick as haile at him, hee puts of his breeches and puts them one his head, for to save him from the shafts that flew after him so thick that no man could perceave them, and cryinge out, avoyd Satan, what have yee to doe with mee! thus running one his way without his breeches hee was pittifully scratched with the brush of the underwoods, as hee wandred up and downe in unknowne wayes: The Salvages in the meane time put up all his implements in the sack hee left behinde and brought them to Wessaguscus, where they thought to have found him; but, understanding hee was not returned, were ferefull what to doe, and what would be conceaved of the English was become of this mazed man, the Master of the Ceremonies; and were in consultation of the matter. One of the Salvages was of opinion the English would suppose him to be made away; fearefull hee was to come in sight. The other, better acquainted with the English, (having lived some time in England,[481]) was more confident, and hee perswaded his fellow that the English would be satisfied with relation of the truth, as having had testimony of his fidelity. So they boldly adventured to shew what they had They take a note of what was in the sack. brougt and how the matter stood. The English, (when the sack was opened,) did take a note in writing of all the particulers that were in the sack; and heard what was by the Salvages related of the acci[{128}]dents: but, when his shoes were showne, it was thought hee would not have departed without his shoes; and therefore they did conceave that Master Bubble was made away by some sinister practise of the Salvages, who unadvisedly had bin culpable of a crime which now they sought to excuse; and straightly chardged the Salvages to finde him out againe, and bring him dead, Mr. Bubble must be found againe or else they shall be destroyed. or alive, else their wifes and children should be destroyed. The poore Salvages, being in a pittifull perplexity, caused their Countrymen to seeke out for this maz’d man; who, being in short time found, was brought to Wessaguscus; where hee made a discourse of his travels, and of the perrillous passages, which did seeme to be no lesse dangerous then these of that worthy Knight Errant, Don Quixote,[482] and how miraculously hee had bin preserved; and, in conclusion, lamented the greate losse of his goods, whereby hee thought himselfe undone.
Not any thing diminished.
The perticuler whereof being demaunded, it appeared that the Salvages had not diminished any part of them; no, not so much as one bit of bread: the number being knowne, and the fragments laid together, it appeared all the bisket was preserved, and not any diminished at all: whereby the Master of the Ceremonies was overjoyed, and the whole Company made themselves merry at his discourse of all his perrillous adventures.
And by this you may observe whether the Salvage people are not full of humanity, or whether they are a dangerous people, as Master Bubble and the rest of his tribe would perswade you.
[{129}] Chap. XIII.
Of a lamentable fit of Mellancolly that the Barren doe fell into, (after the death of her infant, seeing herselfe despised of her Sweete hart,) whereof shee was cured.
Whether this goodly creature of incontinency went to worke upon even termes like Phillis, or noe, it does not appeare by any Indenture of covenants then extant; whereby shee might legally challenge the performance of any compleate Marriage at his hands that had bin tradeing with her, as Demopheon here to fore had bin with his ostis.[483]
Neverthelesse, (for his future advantage,) shee indeavoured, (like Phillis,) to gaine this Demopheon all to herselfe; who, (as it seemes,) did meane nothing lesse by leaving her for the next commer, that had any minde to coole his courage by that meanes; the whipping post, (as it seemes,) at that time not being in publike use for such kinde of Cony katchers; but seeing herselfe rejected, shee grew into such a passion of Mellancolly, on a sodaine, that it was thought shee would exhibit a petition for redresse to grim Pluto, who had set her a worke; and knowing that the howse of fate has Shee cannot one the sodaine resolve which dore to goe in att. many entrances, shee was pusseld to finde the neerest way. Shee could not resolve on a sodaine which doore would soonest bring her to his presence handsomely.
[{130}] If shee should make way with a knife, shee thought shee might spoyle her drinking in after ages; if by poyson, shee thought it might prolonge her passage thether; if by drowning, shee thought Caron might come the while with his boate, and waft her out of sight; if shee should tie up her complaint in a halter, shee thought the Ropmakers would take exceptions against her good speede. And in this manner shee debated with herselfe, and demurred upon the matter: So that shee did appeare willing enough, but a woman of small resolution.