AMong the variety of Cruelties and Murders, which History and Experience daily inform us of, this, which I now intend to relate, is none of the least. And the story you shall have ver­batim, from one of the sufferers own mouth; who arrived lately in the Downs, and is now in His Majesties Fleet.

In June 1668. the Peach-tree of London, a small Vessel of the Burthen of about sixty Tuns, Edward Dixon Master, came in­to the Downs bound for Guinny, intending there to take in Ne­groes, and to transport them to the Barbadoes, and from thence to come for London, where John Watts the son of John Watts, of Elham, in the County of Kent, Chirurgion, shipt himself with the consent of Richard Watts, publick Notary of Deal; little dreading that he, being not above eighteen years old, should meet with such a calamitous accident: The Ship had not been long in the Downs, but a fair gale presenting, they suddenly hoisted Sail, Gods providence seeming to fill their Sails with prosperous success; the first place they touched at was the Gold Coast, where they staid not long, but sailed to old Calabar in the Bith of Guinny. They entered a river called the Cross river into Paratt Island. After they had taken in their Negroes, and ready to sail, their Anchor being a peek, the [Page 4]Master calls up the Boatswain and three men more, where­of the relator was one, and commands them to look out the Copper barrs that were left, and carry them on shore to try if th [...]y could sell them: the Boatswain with his small company desired that they might have Arms with them, not believing the report of some, that informed them they were a harmless, and innocent people: they took with them 3 Musquets and a Pistol, & so rowed towards the shore, but not far from it unhappily our match fell into the water, & the ship being faln down from that narrow part of the river, nearer the Sea, quite out of our sight, we were consulting what would be safest for us to do: we were not willing to precipitate our own ruine, and we were also ashamed to return to our ship before we had dispatched what we were commanded to: at length the Boatswain commanded the Re­lator J [...]hn Watts on shore, to the first house to light our match, which we recovered out of the water, after it was extinct; which he readily obeyed: but before he was twenty Rods from the water side, he was seized on by two blacks (or rather Tawny mores) and by them haled above half a mile up into the Coun­try, and thrown with great violence upon his belly, and so compelled to lye till they stript him; and more company coming to them, they were so eager for his poor Canvas apparel, that some they tore off, others they cut off, and with that several pieces of his flesh, to his intolerable pain: with these rags they made little children Aprons to cover their Privities: Linnen and Wollen being very scarce there. The Boatswain seeing this John Watts was thus carried away, was resolved with his other two companions to have him again, or else to venture all their lives for him: They arm themselves; but whilest they were consulting what to do, whether to venture on shore, or not, of a sudden they were beset with about a dozen men in several Canoes, but they valiantly maintained their boat about the space of three hours, for after two of their three Musquets were discharged, they defended themselves with their Oars, and Boat hooks. The Boatswain received a mortal wound in his Groin, and fell down in the Boat; the other two adventu­red [Page 5]in the River, endeavouring by swimming to escape the merciless hands of cruel infidels; but the Negroes with their swift Canoes soon overtook them, and brought them on shore to the place where the relater was. The Negroes took out the Boatswain out of the ships boat; and instead of endeavouring at all to preserve life which remained in him, immediately they rob'd him of it; one of them with a keen weapon cutting off his head before his companions faces; and then they prepare for their rare banquet, while he was yet reeking in his blood: they in a barbarous manner cut off pieces of flesh from off his buttocks and his thighs and his arms and shoulders, and broi­led them on the coals, and with a great deal of impatience eagerly eat it before their faces to our great astonishment. About fourteen days after one of the company fell sick, and in­stead of being Physicians to cure him, they were his Butchers to murther him. They served him as they did the Boatswain, cut off his head, and broiled and eat up his flesh and rejoyced ex­ceedingly at this rich banquet. About ten days after the third fell sick, whom they served in the same manner. This was no small cause of sorrow to the relater: the thoughts of their inhu­mane and barbarous actions sometimes surrounded him with fears and sorrows, hourly expecting to taste of the said cruelty. Death did not seem so terrible to him as the violent manner of it; being left now alone in a strange Country, destitute of friends or acquaintance, or any thing that might keep up his Spirits: die he would fain, but not by the hand of Infidels and barbarous Monsters. But the great God that is most compassio­nate in the greatest extremities had pity on him, and notwith­standing the alteration of the Climate and the want of Cloaths, and the strangeness of his food which was only herbs, he con­tinued in good health, and had time enough to lament this direful providence. The Natives who were daily expecting another banquet, met with a disappointment: either their cu­stoms or the over-ruling power of God would not suffer them to destroy him; he continuing still in health. Therefore they re­solve to sell him: his Araunia or Master was pretty free to dis­course [Page 6]him, which the relater was capable of, being about three years before in the West-Indies, where he had learned the Tata language, which is easily attained being compre­hended in a very few words, and all the Negroes speak of it. He began to discourse his master to know the reason of their cruelty, who told him that he should rest himself contented, who if he were not sick, should not have his head cut off. In the Boat which in the beginning they took with them, was a Musquet saved of the three which was not discharged; which his master some time after he had been with him, brought to him to know the use of it: he endeavoured as much as he could to make him apprehend the use of it, but still they pro­fest their ignorance: but they commanded and threatned him to shew the use of it: The fear of his masters displeasure and their inhumanity caused him to shoot it off; but the Negroes which expected some delightful thing were frustrated, and at the suddain noise and flash of fire (which they very much dread) ran from him, and were greatly affrighted; but quickly after hearing no more of that noise they came up to him again, and commanded him to do the like: he told them he had not powder which was the cause of the noise; but this would not satisfie these Barbarians. He not being able to answer their ex­pectation, they concluded he was not willing, they proceed to threaten him, and were about to murder him, had not his master rescued him. Upon discourse after with this Arauna or Master he began to understand the reason of their barbarous dealing with him and his friends, he telling him that naturally the people were civil and simply honest, but if provoked, full of revenge; and that this cruelty was occasioned by some un­handsome action of carrying a Native away without their leave about a year before; they resolving if any came ashore they should never go off alive. He had not been above seven weeks in the Country, but his master presented him to his King, whose name was E-fn-me King of the Buckamores, who imme­diately gave him to his daughter, whose name was Om-jah, and when the King went abroad he attended him also as his [Page 7]Page, throughout the whole Circuit of his Dominions, which was not above twelve miles, yet boasting extreamly of his power and strength, but glorying exceedingly that he had a white to attend him, whom he employed to carry his bow and arrows at several places remote from the Sea side; the people would run away from him for fear, others would fall down and seem to worship him, and use those actions as they do to their God. Their progress was never so long but they could return home at night, but never without a handsome load of a cup of the creature. During all the time of the relaters servi­tude there, he never knew him go abroad and come home sober. They drink of the best Palm Wine, and another sort of strong liquor, called Penrore. The relater quickly knew how to hu­mour this profound Prince, and if any of the Natives abused him, upon his complaint he had redress, as once by striving with a Negroe his Arm was broke, which by providence more than skill was set again. After some months, the King of Ca-la-nanch whose name was E-fn-man-cha, hearing of this beautiful white, courted his neighbour Prince, that he would sell him to him; at length they struck a bargain, and the relater was sold for a Cow and a Goat; this King was a very sober and moderate person, free from treacheries and mischiefs, that the other was subject unto; and he would often discourse the Relater, and ask him of his King and Country, and if his Kingdomes and Dominions were as big as his, which were not above twenty five miles in length and fifteen in breadth. He told him as much as his understanding and years made him capable of, keeping still in the bounds of mo­desty, and yet relating as much as possible to the honour and dignity of his Sovereign; first informing him of the greatness of one of his Kingdomes, the several Shires and Counties it contained, with number of its Cities and Towns and Castles, and the strength of each, the infinite inhabitants, and valour of his Subjects. One of these Kingdomes was enough to amaze sufficiently this petty Governour, that he need not to mention any more of his Majesties Glory and Dignity. It put him into [Page 8]such a profound consternation, that he resolved to find out some way to tender his respects to this mighty Prince, and no way could he find so convenient, as to tell the Relater, that if he could find but a passage, he would let him go to England, to tell his Majesty of the great favour and respect he had for him. This did not a little rejoyce our English man. Withal the King told him, that he would send him a Present, which should be two Cabareets or Goats, which they do value at a very high rate; the King having not above 16 or 18. He tells the King, that the King of England had many thousands of his subjects, that were under the degree of Gentlemen, which had a thou­sand of Sheep apiece; the flesh of which, they valued at a very much higher rate than Goats. Though our English man lived very handsomely with this E-fn-man-cha King of the Ca­la-nanch, yet his desires and his hopes were still for his Native Countrey: at length he obtained a promise from his King, that the first English ship that came into the Road, should have li­berty to release or purchase him; this very much rejoiced his heart: now he thought every day a year, till he could hear of, or see some English Ship arrived. Many times when he was a­lone, his heart would be opprest with sighs and sobbings, when he thought of his Relations, and the comfortable society that they had together; that it should be his unhappy fate to be ca­ptivated amonst barbarous Infidels. Oftentimes did he walk down to the Sea-side, sometimes with hopes, sometimes with fear, earnestly expecting the wind of Gods Providence to blow in some English Ship thither: his often recourse to the Sea-side was discerned by one Ja-ga a Wizard, & the chiefest in three or four Kingdoms thereabouts; they are persons that the Natives give very much credit to, and on any difficult occasion run to them for satisfaction. That famous Delphean Oracle was ne­ver had in greater adoration, than the prophetical speeches of these Morish Wizards. Though they have infinite numbers of them in every place, yet this Ja-ga had the most renown amongst them; and one day he comes to him, and very kindly ask'd him, why he so very often frequented that place; he [Page 9]told him, to see if he could discover any English Vessel to come in there; but he being not unacquainted with his great fame, askt him when he did believe there would one come in; not that he was willing to give credit to any of their divinations, but sup­posing that he thereby should please him and answer his expectation. Ja-ga immediately told him that the fifteenth day after an English Ship should come into the Road. Then he askt him whether that ship should carry him away. To this he answered doubtfully, but told him that he should be offered to the Master of the Ship, and if they could not a­gree, but that he should come to shoar again, he should not be sold, and that in a very short time after he should dye for grief. These fifteen days seem'd very long and tedious; many a look did he cast on the Sea with an aking heart: the fourteenth day he went to the highest hill there-about, but to no purpose, for he could discover no ship: next morning he went again two or three times, but saw none: about two or three hours after came running into E-fn-man-cha, some of the Mores, and told him there was a Canoe coming, so they called our ships, at which our English man heartily rejoyced, hoping then to be releast forthwith, yet durst not shew his Joy for fear of punish­ment or of death; for though he lived better now than with his first Master, yet his service was far worse than the slaves in Turkey, and their diet worse than Dogs meat; therefore had he cause enough of inward joy; the ship came immedi­ately in, and he hies away presently to Ja-ga, to know if it were an English ship, who resolved him that it was; it happe­ned to be the St. Maloes Merchant, Captain Royden Comman­der, who hastened to dispatch his business, took in his Ne­groes, and was ready to sail, and our English man heard never a word what should become of him, the King never offering to sell him; this put him on a resolution to endeavour to make an e­escape, and to that end had prepared a piece of Timber which he had drawn near the water side, on which he intended to paddle to the ship, which then lay about a league from the shore. Just by the Sea side, as he was about to launch his little [Page 10]floating stick, he espied a great Aligator, which will devour a man at a mouthful; this made him alter his resolution, and resolve rather to live with inhumane infidels, than to throw himself into so imminent a danger, which would have been little less than self-murther. But the next day, which I may call a day of Jubile, Almighty God opened the heart of the King to let the poor English man go: he sent him in a Canoe, plac'd between a Negroes legs, with some others to guide this small vessel, for fear he should leap over-board, and swim to the ship. At a distance from the ship he hailed her in the En­glish Tongue, which was no small cause of admiration to those on board to hear an English Tongue out of their Canoes: the Negroes gave him leave to stand up and shew himself to the Captain, to whom he gave an account how four were left there, and only he preserved. It was a pretty while before they could strike a bargain, though the Captain was resolved not to leave him behind. Several times the Negroes padled a­way with their Canoe, resolving not to part with him; but what with his entreaties and promises he perswaded them to the ship again, and they delivered him on board for forty five Copper Bars and Iron Bars, each Copper Bar being about the bigness of a Youths little finger, the Iron Bars a little bigger. Now were his joys compleated, he thought himself, as it were caught up into the third heavens; he could hardly perswade himself but it was a Dream or Vision, and that he did not re­ally see English faces or embrace English bodies. It was some time before he could throw himself at the Captains feet, and acknowledge his infinite cause of joy in himself, and thankful­ness to him for his deliverance from such a severe Captivity; that he that lately was a slave to Infidels, that worship they know not what, should now see the faces of Christians, and joyn with them in worshiping the true God; and to him first he offered up the sacrifice of hearty thanksgiving, that had sent his Angel to redeem him from so cruel a bondage. When he came on board, his hair was very long, and his skin tawny (Ma­latto like) having gone naked all the time he was there, and fre­quently [Page 11]anointing himself with palm Oyl, he looked like a Tawny-More; but immediately the Sea-men aboard with Chri­stian-like hearts apparelled him. The Master commanded to hoise sail, and having a fair wind, they sailed to Barbadoes, where Captain Royden was to tarry some time; but the Relator earnestly desiring to go to his Native Countrey, and his relations, got passage to the Downs, in the Catharine of London, Captain South Commander, which through Gods goodness in a few weeks arrived in the Downs, where the Relater was put on shore, to his Unkle, Mr. Richard Watts of Deal, his great joy and satisfaction, who took this relation from his own mouth.

HAving shewed you how he was captivated, and some part of his tryals and troubles, and also his Deliver­ance and freedom; we will now speak of the People, and of their Country, as it was taken from his own mouth, whis is no more than others have spoken formerly, who have been in the same Countrey.