by Daniel Defoe
came all safe to_Alexandria_, where they parted the Money again; and then every oneseparated as they thought fit, and went their own Way.
We heard of this by mere Accident afterwards, and I confess I envy'd theirSuccess; and tho' it was a great while after this that I took a like Run,yet you may be sure I form'd a Resolution from that Time to do the like;and most of the Time that I stay'd after this, was employ'd in picking outa suitable Gang that I might depend upon, as well to trust with the Secretof my going away, as to take with me; and on whom I might depend, and theyon me, for keeping one another's Council when we should come into _Europe_.
It was in Pursuit of this Resolution that I went this little Voyage to theSouth of the Island, and the Gang I took with me prov'd very trusty, but wefound no Opportunity then for our Escape: Two of the Men that we tookPrisoners would fain have gone with us, but we resolv'd to trust none ofthem with the real and true Discovery of our Circumstances; and as we hadmade them believe mighty Things of ourselves, and of the Posture of ourSettlement, that we had 5000 Men, 12 Men of War, and the like, we wereresolv'd they should carry the Delusion away with them, and that no Bodyshould undeceive them; because, tho' we had not such an immense Wealth aswas reported, and so as to be able to offer ten Millions for our Pardon,yet we had a very great Treasure; and, being nothing near so strong as theyhad imagin'd, we might have been made a Prey, with all our Riches, to anySet of Adventurers who might undertake to attempt us, by Consent of theGovernment of _England_, and make the Expedition, _No Purchase no Pay._
For this Reason we civily declin'd them, told them we had Wealth enough,and therefore did not now Cruise Abroad as we used to do, unless we shouldhear of another Wedding of a King's Daughter; or unless some rich Fleet, orsome Heathen Kingdom was to be attempted; and that therefore a new Comer,or any Body of new Comers, could do themselves no good by coming over tous: If any Gang of Pirates or Buccaneers would go upon their Adventures,and when they had made themselves rich, would come and settle with us, wewould take them into our Protection, and give them Land to build Towns andHabitations for themselves, and so in Time we might become a great Nation,and inhabit the whole Island: I told them, the _Romans_ themselves were, atfirst, no better than such a Gang of Rovers as we were; and who knew butour General, Captain _Avery_, might lay the Foundation of as great anEmpire as they.
These big Words amaz'd the Fellows, and answer'd my End to a Tittle; forthey told such Rhodomantading Stories of us, when they came back to theirShips, and from them it spread so universally all over the _East-Indies_,(for they were Outward-bound) that none of the _English_ or _Dutch_ Shipswould come near _Madagascar_ again, if they could help it, for a greatwhile, for Fear of us; and we, who were soon after this dwindled away toless than 100 Men, were very glad to have them think us too strong tomeddle with, or so strong that no Body durst come near us.
After these Men were gone, we rov'd about to the East Side of the Island,and in a Word, knew not what to do, or what Course to take, for we durstnot put out to Sea in such a Bauble of a Boat as we had under us; but tir'dat last, we came back to the South Point of the Island again; in ourrounding the Island we saw a great _English_-built Ship at Sea, but at toofar Distance to speak with her; and if it had not, we knew not what to havesaid to her, for we were not strong enough to attack her: We judg'd by herCourse, she stood away from the Isle of St. _Maurice_ or _Mauritius_, forthe _Cape of Good Hope_, and must, as we suppos'd, come from the _Malabar_Coast, bound Home for _England_; so we let her go.
We are now return'd back to our Settlement on the North Part of the Island;and I have singl'd out about 12 or 13 bold brave Fellows, with whom I amresolv'd to venture to the Gulph of _Persia_; twenty more of our Men haveagreed to carry us thither as Passengers in the Sloop, and try their ownFortunes afterwards, for they allow we are enough to go together. Weresolve, when we come to _Bassaro_, to separate into three Companies, as ifwe did not know one another; to dress ourselves as Merchants, for now welook like Hell-hounds and Vagabonds; but when we are well dress'd, weexpect to look as other Men do. If I come thither, I purpose, with twomore, to give my Companions the Slip, and travel as _Armenians_ thro'_Persia_ to the _Caspian_ Sea, so to _Constantinople_; and I doubt not weshall, one Way or other, find our Way, with our Merchandize and Money, tocome into _France_, if not quite Home to my own Country. Assure yourself,when I arrive in any Part of Christendom, I will give you a farther Accountof my Adventures.
_Your Friend and Servant,_
AVERY.
_The End of the First Letter._