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- 5146
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- 2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z
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- 5083
- text
- more, and he formally to make over to them the ship, with the cargo,
with which they were for that time satisfied and quieted. * * But the
next day, the more surely to guard against the sailors’ escape, the
negro Babo commanded all the boats to be destroyed but the long-boat,
which was unseaworthy, and another, a cutter in good condition, which
knowing it would yet be wanted for towing the water casks, he had it
lowered down into the hold.
[_Various particulars of the prolonged and perplexed navigation ensuing
here follow, with incidents of a calamitous calm, from which portion
one passage is extracted, to wit_:]
—That on the fifth day of the calm, all on board suffering much from
the heat, and want of water, and five having died in fits, and mad, the
negroes became irritable, and for a chance gesture, which they deemed
suspicious—though it was harmless—made by the mate, Raneds, to the
deponent in the act of handing a quadrant, they killed him; but that
for this they afterwards were sorry, the mate being the only remaining
navigator on board, except the deponent.
—That omitting other events, which daily happened, and which can only
serve uselessly to recall past misfortunes and conflicts, after
seventy-three days’ navigation, reckoned from the time they sailed from
Nasca, during which they navigated under a scanty allowance of water,
and were afflicted with the calms before mentioned, they at last
arrived at the island of Santa Maria, on the seventeenth of the month
of August, at about six o’clock in the afternoon, at which hour they
cast anchor very near the American ship, Bachelor’s Delight, which lay
in the same bay, commanded by the generous Captain Amasa Delano; but at
six o’clock in the morning, they had already descried the port, and the
negroes became uneasy, as soon as at distance they saw the ship, not
having expected to see one there; that the negro Babo pacified them,
assuring them that no fear need be had; that straightway he ordered the
figure on the bow to be covered with canvas, as for repairs and had the
decks a little set in order; that for a time the negro Babo and the
negro Atufal conferred; that the negro Atufal was for sailing away, but
the negro Babo would not, and, by himself, cast about what to do; that
at last he came to the deponent, proposing to him to say and do all
that the deponent declares to have said and done to the American
captain; * * * * * * * that the negro Babo warned him that if he varied
in the least, or uttered any word, or gave any look that should give
the least intimation of the past events or present state, he would
instantly kill him, with all his companions, showing a dagger, which he
carried hid, saying something which, as he understood it, meant that
that dagger would be alert as his eye; that the negro Babo then
announced the plan to all his companions, which pleased them; that he
then, the better to disguise the truth, devised many expedients, in
some of them uniting deceit and defense; that of this sort was the
device of the six Ashantees before named, who were his bravoes; that
them he stationed on the break of the poop, as if to clean certain
hatchets (in cases, which were part of the cargo), but in reality to
use them, and distribute them at need, and at a given word he told
them; that, among other devices, was the device of presenting Atufal,
his right hand man, as chained, though in a moment the chains could be
dropped; that in every particular he informed the deponent what part he
was expected to enact in every device, and what story he was to tell on
every occasion, always threatening him with instant death if he varied
in the least: that, conscious that many of the negroes would be
turbulent, the negro Babo appointed the four aged negroes, who were
calkers, to keep what domestic order they could on the decks; that
again and again he harangued the Spaniards and his companions,
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