I might live at a little more ease: but could not find any to my mind. Whereupon I considered that there was no better way, than to take one of my poor countrymen's children, whom I might bring up to learn both my own language and religion: and this might be not only charity to the child; but a kindness to myself also afterwards. And several there were that would be glad so to be eased of their charge, having more than they could well maintain. A child therefore I took, by whose aptness, ingenuity and company, as I was much delighted at present; so afterwards I hoped to be served.
It was now about the year 1673. Although I had now lived many years in this land, and, GOD be praised! I wanted for nothing the land afforded; yet I could not forget my native country, England, and lamented under the famine of GOD's Word and Sacraments: the want whereof I found greater than all earthly wants, and my daily and fervent prayers to GOD were, in His good time, to restore me to the enjoyment of them.
I and my companion [STEPHEN RUTLAND] were still meditating upon our escape, and the means to compass it: which our pedling about the country did greatly promote. For speaking well the language, and going with our commodities from place to place; we used often to entertain discourse with the country people, namely, concerning the ways and the countries; and where there were most and fewest inhabitants; and where and how the Watches laid from one country [district] to another; and what commodities were proper to carry from one part to the other: pretending we would, from time to time, go from one place to another to furnish ourselves with the wares that the respective places afforded. None doubted but that we had made these inquiries for the sake of our trade; but ourselves had other designs in them: neither was there the least suspicion of us, for these our questions; all supposing I would never run away and leave such an estate as in their accounts and esteem I had.
By diligent inquiry, I had come to understand that the easiest and most probable way to make an escape, was by travelling to the northward: that part of the land being least inhabited. Therefore we furnished ourselves with such wares as were vendible in those parts, as tobacco, pepper, garlic, combs, all sorts of iron ware, &c: and being laden with these
