Captain Singleton

by Daniel Defoe

My long projected Design now lay open to me, which was, to fall in amongst the

  Dutch Spice Islands, and see what Mischief I could do there; accordingly we put

  out to Sea, the 12th of August, and passing the Line the 17th, we stood away due

  South leaving the Straits of Sundy, and the Isle of Iava on the East, till we

  came to the Latitude of eleven Degrees, twenty Minutes, when we steered East and

  E. N. E. having easy Gales from the W. S. W. till we came among the Moluccas, or

  Spice Islands.

  We passed those Seas with less Difficulty than in other Places, the Winds to the

  South of Iava, being more variable, and the Weather good, tho' sometimes we met

  with Squauly Weather, and short Storms; but when we came in among the Spice

  Islands themselves, we had a Share of the Monsoones, or Trade Winds, and made

  use of them accordingly.

  The infinite Number of Islands which lye in these Seas, embarrast us strangely,

  and it was with great Difficulty that we worked our Way thro' them; then we

  steered for the North Side of the Phillipines, where we had a double Chance for

  Purchase, viz. either to meet with the Spanish Ships from Acapulco on the Coast

  of New-Spain, or we were certain not to fail of finding some Ships or Jonks of

  China, who, if they came from China, would have a great Quantity of Goods of

  Value on Board, as well as Money; or if we took them going back, we should find

  them loaden with Nutmegs and Cloves from Banda and Ternate, or from some of the

  other Islands.

  We were right in our Guesses here to a tittle, and we steered directly through a

  large Out-let, which they call a Streight, tho' it be fifteen Miles broad, and

  to an Island they call Daurma, and from thence N. N. E. to Banda; between these

  Islands we met with a Dutch Jonque, or Vessel going to Amboyna. We took her

  without much Trouble, and I had much ado to prevent our Men murthering all the

  Men, as soon as they heard them say, they belonged to Amboyna, the Reason I

  suppose any one will guess.

  We took out of her about sixteen Ton of Nutmegs, some Provisions, and their

  small Arms, for they had no great Guns, and let the Ship go: From thence we

  sailed directly to the Banda Island or Islands, where we were sure to get more

  Nutmegs, if we thought fit; for my Part I would willingly have got more Nutmegs,

  tho' I had paid for them, but our People abhorred paying for any thing; so we

  got about twelve Ton more at several times, most of them from Shore, and only a

  few in a small Boat of the Natives, which was going to Gilolo. We would have

  traded openly, but the Dutch, who have made themselves Masters of all those

  Islands, forbid the People dealing with us, or any Strangers whatever, and keep

  them so in Awe, that they durst not do it; so we could indeed have made nothing

  of it, if we had stay'd longer, and therefore resolved to be gone for Ternate,

  and see if we could make up our Loading with Cloves.

  Accordingly we stood away North, but found our selves so intangled among

  innumerable Islands, and without any Pilot that understood the Channel and Races

  between them, that we were obliged to give it over, and resolved to go back

  again to Banda, and see what we could get among the other Islands thereabouts.

  The first Adventure we made here, had like to have been fatal to us all, for the

  Sloop being ahead, made the Signal to us for seeing a Sail, and afterwards

  another, and a third, by which we understood she saw three Sail, whereupon we

  made more Sail to come up with her, but on a sudden was gotten among some Rocks,

  falling soul upon them in such a Manner as frighted us all very heartily; for

  having it seems but just Water enough as it were to an Inch, our Rudder struck

  upon the Top of a Rock, which gave us a terrible Shock, and split a great Piece

  off of the Rudder, and indeed disabled it so, that our Ship would not steer at

  all; at least not so as to be depended upon, and we were glad to Hand all our

  Sails, except our Fore-fail and Main-top-sail, and with them we stood away to

  the East, to see if we could find any Creek or Harbour, where we might lay the

  Ship on Shore, and repair our Rudder; besides, we found the Ship her self had

  received some Damage, for she had some little Leak near her Stern Post, but a

  great Way under water.

  By this Mischance we lost the Advantages, whatever they were, of the three Sail

  of Ships which we afterward came to hear, were small Dutch Ships from Batavia,

  going to Banda and Amboyna, to load Spice, and no doubt had a good Quantity of

  Money on board.

  Upon the Disaster I have been speaking of, you may very well suppose that we

  came to an Anchor as soon as we could, which was upon a small Island not far

  from Banda, where tho' the Dutch keep no Factory, yet they come at the Season to

  buy Nutmegs and Mace. We stay'd there thirteen Days; but there being no Place

  where we could lay the Ship on Shore, we sent the Sloop to cruise among the

  Islands, to look out for a Place fit for us. In the mean time we got very good

  Water here, some Provisions, Roots, and Fruits, and a good Quantity of Nutmegs

  and Mace, which we found Ways to trade with the Natives for, without the

  Knowledge of their Masters the Dutch.

  At length our Sloop return'd, having found another Island where there was a very

  good Harbour, we run in, and came to an Anchor. We immediately unbent all our

  Sails, sent them ashore upon the Island, and set up seven or eight Tents with

  them: Then we unrigged our Topmasts, and cut them down, hoisted all our Guns

  out, our Provisions and Loading, and put them ashore in the Tents. With the Guns

  we made two small Batteries, for fear of a Surprize, and kept a Look out upon

  the Hill. When we were all ready, we laid the Ship a-ground upon a hard Sand,

  the upper End of the Harbour, and shor'd her up on each Side. At low Water she

  lay almost dry, so we mended her Bottom, and stopt the Leak which was occasioned

  by straining some of the Rudder Irons with the Shock which the Ship had against

  the Rock.

  Having done this, we also took Occasion to clean her Bottom, which, having been

  at Sea so long, was very soul. The Sloop Wash'd and Tallow'd also, but was ready

  before us, and cruised eight or ten Days among the Islands, but met with no

  Purchase; so that we began to be tired of the Place, having little to divert us,

  but the most furious Claps of Thunder that ever were read or heard of in the

  World.

  We were in Hopes to have met with some Purchase here among the Chinese, who we

  had been told came to Ternate to trade for Cloves, and to the Banda Isles, for

  Nutmegs, and we could have been very glad to have loaded our Galleon, or great

  Ship, with these two Sorts of Spice, and have thought it a glorious Voyage; but

  we found nothing stirring more than what I have said, except Dutchmen, who by

  what Means we could not imagine, had either a Jealousy of us, or Intelligence of

  us, and kept themselves close in their Ports.

  I was once resolved to have made a Descent at the Island of Dumas, the Place

  most famous for the best Nutmegs; but Friend William, who was always for doing

  our Business with
out Fighting, disswaded me from it, and gave such Reasons for

  it, that we could not resist; particularly the great Heats of the Season, and of

  the Place, for we were now in the Latitude of just half a Degree South; but

  while we were disputing this Point, we were soon determined by the following

  Accident. We had a strong Gale of Wind at S. W. by W. and the Ship had fresh

  Way, but a great Sea rolling in upon us from the N. E. which we afterwards found

  was the Pouring in of the Great Ocean East of New Guinea. However, as I said, we

  stood away large, and made fresh Way, when on the sudden, from a dark Cloud

  which hover'd over our Heads, came a Flash, or rather Blast of Lightning, which

  was so terrible, and quiver'd so long among us, that not I only, but all our Men

  thought the Ship was on Fire. The Heat of the Flash or Fire was so sensibly felt

  in our Faces, that some of our Men had Blisters raised by it on their Skins, not

  immediately perhaps by the Heat, but by the poisonous or noxious Particles which

  mix'd themselves with the Matter inflam'd. But this was not all; the Shock of

  the Air which the Fracture in the Clouds made, was such, that our Ship shook as

  when a Broadside is fired, and her Motion being check'd as it were at once by a

  Repulse superior to the Force that gave her Way before, the Sails all flew back

  in a Moment, and the Ship lay, as we might truly say, Thunder-struck. As the

  Blast from the Cloud was so very near us, it was but a few Moments after the

  Flash, that the terriblest Clap of Thunder followed that was ever heard by

  Mortals. I firmly believe a Blast of a Hundred Thousand Barrels of Gunpowder

  could not have been greater to our Hearing; nay indeed, to some of our Men it

  took away their Hearing.

  It is not possible for me to describe, or any one to conceive the Terrour of

  that Minute. Our Men were in such a Consternation, that not a Man on board the

  Ship had Presence of Mind to apply to the proper Duty of a Sailor, except Friend

  William; and had not he run very nimbly, and with a Composure that I am sure I

  was not Master of, to let go the Fore-sheet, set in the Weather Brace of the

  Fore-yard, and haul'd down the Topsails, we had certainly brought all our Masts

  by the Board, and perhaps have been overwhelm'd in the Sea.

  As for my self, I must confess my Eyes were open to my Danger, tho' not the

  least to any thing of Application for Remedy. I was all Amazement and Confusion,

  and this was the first Time that I can say I began to feel the Effects of that

  Horrour which I know since much more of upon the just Reflection on my former

  Life. I thought my self doom'd by Heaven to sink that Moment into eternal

  Destruction; and with this peculiar Mark of Terror, viz. That the Vengeance was

  not executed in the ordinary Way of human Justice, but that God had taken me

  into his immediate Disposing, and had resolved to be the Executer of his own

  Vengeance.

  Let them alone describe the Confusion I was in, who know what was the Case of �

  Child of Shadwell, or Francis Spira . It is impossible to describe. My Soul was

  all Amazement and Surprize; I thought my self just sinking into Eternity, owning

  the divine Justice of my Punishment, but not at all feeling any of the moving,

  softning Tokens of a sincere Penitent, afflicted at the Punishment, but not at

  the Crime, alarmed at the Vengeance, but not terrify'd at the Guilt, having the

  same Gust to the Crime, tho' terrified to the last Degree at the Thought of the

  Punishment, which I concluded I was just now going to receive.

  But perhaps many that read this will be sensible of the Thunder and Lightning,

  that may think nothing of the rest, or rather may make a Jest of it all, so I

  say no more of it at this time, but proceed to the Story of the Voyage. When the

  Amazement was over, and the Men began to come to themselves, they fell a calling

  for one another, every one for his Friend, or for those he had most Respect for;

  and it was a singular Satisfaction to find that no body was hurt. The next thing

  was to enquire if the Ship had received no Damage, when the Boatswain stepping

  forward, found that Part of the Head was gone, but not so as as to endanger the

  Boltsprit; so we hoisted our Topsails again, haul'd aft the Fore-sheet, brac'd

  the Yards, and went went our Course as before: Nor can I deny but that we were

  all somewhat like the Ship, our first Astonishment being a little over, and that

  we found the Ship swim again, we were soon the same irreligious hardned Crew

  that we were before, and I among the rest.

  As we now steer'd, our Course lay N. N. E. and we passed thus with a fair Wind,

  thro' the Streight or Channel between the Island of Gilolo, and the Land of Nova

  Guinea, when we were soon in the open Sea or Ocean, on the South East of the

  Philippines, being the great Pacifick, or South Sea, where it may be said to

  join it self with the vast Indian Ocean.

  As we passed into these Seas steering due North, so we soon cross'd the Line to

  the North Side, and so sailed on towards Mindanoa and Manilla, the chief of the

  Philippine Islands, without meeting with any Purchase, till we came to the

  Northward of Manilla, and then our Trade began; for here we took three Japonese

  Vessels, tho' at some Distance from Manilla. Two of them had made their Market,

  and were going Home with Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Cloves, &c. besides all Sorts of

  European Goods brought with the Spanish Ships from Acapulco. They had together

  eight and thirty Ton of Cloves, and five or six Ton of Nutmegs, and as much

  Cinnamon. We took the Spice, but meddled with very little of the European Goods,

  they being, as we thought, not worth our while, but we were very sorry for it

  soon after, and therefore grew wiser upon the next Occasion.

  The third Japonese was the best Prize to us, for he came with Money, and a great

  deal of Gold uncoin'd, to buy such Goods as we mentioned above: We eased him of

  his Gold, and did him no other Harm, and having no Intention to stay long here,

  we stood away for China .

  We were at Sea above two Months upon this Voyage, beating it up against the

  Wind, which blew steadily from the North East, and within a Point or two one Way

  or other; and this indeed was the Reason why we met with the more Prizes in our

  Voyage.

  We were just gotten clear of the Philippines, and as we purposed to go to the

  Isle of Formosa, when the Wind blew so fresh at N. N. E. that there was no

  making any thing of it, and we were forced to put back to Laconia, the most

  Northerly of those Islands. We rode here very secure, and shifted our Situation

  not in View of any Danger, for there was none, but for a better Supply of

  Provisions, which we found the People very willing to supply us with.

  There lay while we remained here, three very great Galleons or Spanish Ships,

  from the South Seas, whether newly come in, or ready to sail, we could not

  understand at first; but as we found the China Traders began to load and set

  forward to the North, we concluded the Spanish Ships had newly unloaded their

  Cargo, and these had been buying; so we doubted not but we should meet with

  Purchase in the res
t of our Voyage, neither indeed could we well miss of it.

  We stay'd here till the beginning of May, when we were told the Chinese Traders

  would set forward, for the Northern Monsoons end about the latter End of March,

  or the Beginning of April; so that they are sure of fair Winds Home. Accordingly

  we hired some of the Country Boats, which are very swift Sailers, to go and

  bring us Word how Affairs stood at Manilla, and when the China Jonks would sail,

  and by this Intelligence we ordered our Matters so well, that three Days after

  we set Sail, we fell in with no less than eleven of them, out of which however

  having by Misfortune of discovering our selves, taken but three, we contended

  our selves, and pursued our Voyage to Formosa. In these three Vessels we took in

  short such a Quantity of Cloves, Nutmegs, Cinnamon, and Mace, besides Silver,

  that our Men began to be of my Opinion, That we were rich enough; and in short,

  we had nothing to do now, but to consider by what Methods to secure the immense

  Treasure we had got.

  I was secretly glad to hear, that they were of this Opinion; for I had long

  before resolved, if it was possible, to perswade them to think of returning,

  having fully perfected my first projected Design, of Rummaging among the Spice

  Islands, and all those Prizes, which were exceeding rich at Manilla, was quite

  beyond my Design.

  But now I had heard what the Men said, and how they thought we were very well. I

  let them know by Friend William, that I intended only to sail to the Island

  Formosa, where I should find Opportunity to turn our Spices and European Goods

  into ready Money, and that then I would tack about for the South, the Northern

  Monsoons being perhaps by that time also ready to set in. They all approved of

  my Design, and willingly went forward, because, besides the Winds, which would

  not permit until October, to go to the South: I say, besides this, we were now a

  very deep Ship, having near two Hundred Ton of Goods on board, and particularly

  some very valuable. The Sloop also had a Proportion.

  With this Resolution we went on chearfully, when within about twelve Days Sail

  more, we made the Island Formosa, at a great Distance, but were our selves shot

  beyond the Southermost Part of the Island, being to Leeward, and almost upon the

  Coast of China. Here we were a little at a Loss; for the English Factories were

  not far off, and we might be obliged to fight some of their Ships, if we met

  with them; which tho' we were able enough to do, yet we did not desire it on

  many Accounts; and particularly because we did not think it was our Business to

  have it known who we were, or that such a kind of People as we had been seen on

  the Coast. However, we were obliged to keep up to the Northward, keeping as good

  an Offing as we could, with respect to the Coast of China. We had not sailed

  long, but we chased a small Chinese Jonk; and having taken her, we found she was

  bound to the Island of Formosa, having no Goods on board but some Rice, and a

  small Quantity of Tea; but she had three Chinese Merchants in her, and they told

  us they were going to meet a large Vessel of their Conntry, which came from

  Tonquin, and lay in a River in Formosa whose Name I forget, and they were going

  to the Philippine Islands, with Silks, Muslins, Callicoes, and such Goods as are

  the Product of China, and some Gold; that their Business was to sell their

  Cargo, and buy Spices and European Goods.

  This suited very well with our Purpose; so I resolved now that we would leave

  off being Pyrates, and turn Merchants; so we told them what Goods we had on

  board, and that if they would bring their Super-Cargoes or Merchants on board,

  we would trade with them. They were very willing to trade with us, but terribly

  afraid to trust us; nor was it an unjust Fear, for we had plundered them already

  of what they had. On the other Hand, we were as diffident as they, and very