Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/347

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Narrative of a Voyage to Maryland, 1705-1706
337

eate he told him he thought itt was an eele; swettnam swore no itt was a Rattle snake and to Confirme itt cal'd in his maid that Dressed itt who declaireing the truth of the matter that itt was so, putt him to a surprize, he imediately called for his horse and went home and tooke his Bed upon itt and had a verry severe fitt of sickness so that he lost all his haire. [17] affter he gott well he sued this swettnam and Recover'd twenty thousand wheight of Tobacco from him for treateing him with an un- comon supper. Now whether or no, in any ones oppinion, this was the affects of the supper or whether itt was the affects of a strong imagina- tion itt being allmost 24 howers affter he had eat itt before he knew itt.

There is a sort of a Plum which grows there about the bigness of a Medler with 4 or five stones in itt. itt is Ripe about Septr. or Octr. itt it a Pleasant fruitt to eatt if thorow Ripe, if not itt seemes to draw Your Mouth up to Your eare for a Considerable time.

wee gott our ship Loaded about the begining of June and then weighed Ancor and so sailed downe the Bay in order to joyne the Grand ftleet which consisted of about a hundred and odd Saille. butt before wee gott Downe the Bay wee heard that they had bin sail'd four or five dayes before so that wee could nott tell well what to doe whether wee had best follow 'em or stay for more Company there being three or four ships that was nott come downe the bay, and while wee were consulting about the Matter wee saw two under saile makeing the best of there way downe. wee came to an Ancor in the Mouth of the Bay untill that they should come as low as wee which when they did they Cast ancor like wise, the one was a large ship of about eight hundred hhds. and Carried about 14 Guns and had 22 sea Men on Board besides some Passingers butt the other was a Pink of about 4 hundred hhds. butt no Guns she belonging to the Quakers imploy and they never Carry Guns and had about 12 men. [18] wee hoisted out our Boat and went aboard that ship that had 14 Guns to Consult with the Master of her what he intended to doe and also the Master of the Pink came aboard him likewise and he told us there was two ships more to come downe one a ship of good force and the other a verry small one nott Carrying above one hundd hhds. butt the other Carrying seven hundd and fivety hhds. and 16 Guns and about 20 Men besides Passingers and then when they came wee should be five sail'd with our ship which Carried six Guns and 5 hundred hhds. and 16 men so that when wee were come all together wee did designe to p'sue our Voyage and make the Best of our way for England, the Next Day the other two ships came downe the Bay and joyn'd us and then by consent wee weighed Ancor and sail'd downe to a place Called Linn haven Bay just within the Capes mouth of Virginia and so came to an ancor the wind nott being fair for our putting out to sea; and holding in the same Corner Kept us in for above a weeke all which time I was a shore with my Gun and also went a fishing in which Pastime I had good success Killing seventeene Drums and five sheeps head two Large sorts of fish which I sent on Board att three times. I took p'ticular