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Chapter One excerpt
My father had a small estate in
Nottinghamshire: I was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in
Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself
close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very
scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice
to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four
years. My father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in
learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who
intend to travel, as I always believed it would be, some time or other, my
fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: where, by the
assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty
pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I
studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long
voyages.
Soon after my return from Leyden, I was
recommended by my good master, Mr. Bates, to be surgeon to the Swallow,
Captain Abraham Pannel, commander; with whom I continued three years and a half,
making a voyage or two into the Levant,
and some other parts. When I came back I resolved to settle in London; to which
Mr. Bates, my master, encouraged me, and by him I was recommended to several
patients. I took part of a small house in the Old Jewry; and being advised to
alter my condition, I married Mrs. Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr. Edmund
Burton, hosier, in Newgate-street, with whom I received four hundred pounds for
a portion.
But my good master Bates dying in two
years after, and I having few friends, my business began to fail; for my
conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice of too many among my
brethren. Having therefore consulted with my wife, and some of my acquaintance,
I determined to go again to sea. I was surgeon successively in two ships, and
made several voyages, for six years, to the East and West Indies, by which I got
some addition to my fortune. My hours of leisure I spent in reading the best
authors, ancient and modern, being always provided with a good number of books;
and when I was ashore, in observing the manners and dispositions of the people,
as well as learning their language; wherein I had a great facility, by the
strength of my memory.
The last of these voyages not proving
very fortunate, I grew weary of the sea, and intended to stay at home with my
wife and family. I removed from the Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and from thence to
Wapping, hoping to get business among the sailors; but it would not turn to
account. After three years expectation that things would mend, I accepted an
advantageous offer from Captain William Prichard, master of the Antelope,
who was making a voyage to the South Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699,
and our voyage was at first very prosperous.
It would not be proper, for some
reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars of our adventures in those
seas; let it suffice to inform him, that in our passage from thence to the East
Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the north-west of Van
Diemen�s Land. By an observation, we found ourselves in the latitude of 30
degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labour and
ill food; the rest were in a very weak condition. On the 5th of November, which
was the beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the
seamen spied a rock within half a cable�s length of the ship; but the wind was
so strong, that we were driven directly upon it, and immediately split. Six of
the crew, of whom I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift
to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three
leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being already spent with labour
while we were in the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of the
waves, and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a sudden flurry from
the north. What became of my companions in the boat, as well as of those who
escaped on the rock, or were left in the vessel, I cannot tell; but conclude
they were all lost. For my own part, I swam as fortune directed me, and was
pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no
bottom; but when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found
myself within my depth; and by this time the storm was much abated. The
declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the shore,
which I conjectured was about eight o�clock in the evening. I then advanced
forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign of houses or
inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition, that I did not observe them.
Glossary:
- Old Jewry: small street in London, near the Bank of England
- brethren: brothers, family
- league: three miles
- declivity: drop, descending slope
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