ous objects I had left. But the
captain, Mr. Thomas Wilcocks, an honest, worthy Shropshire man,
observing I was ready to faint, took me into his cabin, gave me a
cordial to comfort me, and made me turn in upon his own bed, advising
me to take a little rest, of which I had great need. Before I went to
sleep, I gave him to understand that I had valuable furniture in my
box, too good to be lost: a fine hammock, an handsome field bed, two
chairs, a table, and a cabinet; that my closet was hung on all sides,
or rather quilted, with silk and cotton; that if he would let one of
the crew bring my closet into his cabin, I would open it there before
him, and show him my goods. The captain, hearing me utter these
absurdities, concluded I was raving; however (I suppose to pacify me),
he promised to give order as I desired, and going upon deck sent some
of his men down into my closet, from whence (as I afterwards found),
they drew up all my goods, and stripped off the quilting; but the
chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to the floor, were much
damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who tore them up by force.
Then they knocked off some of the boards for the use of the ship, and
when they had got all they had a mind for, let the hulk drop into the
sea, which, by reason of many breaches made in the bottom and sides,
sunk to rights. And indeed I was glad not to have been a spectator of
the havoc they made; because I am confident it would have sensibly
touched me, by bringing former passages into my mind which I had
rather forget.

I slept some hours, but perpetually disturbed with dreams of the place
I had left and the dangers I had escaped. However, upon waking, I
found myself much recovered. It was now about eight o'clock at night,
and the captain ordered supper immediately, thinking I had already
fasted too long. He entertained me with great kindness, observing me
not to look wildly, or talk inconsistently; and, when we were left
alone, desired I would give him a relation of my travels, and by what
accident I came to be set adrift in that monstrous wooden chest. He
said that about twelve o'clock at noon, as he was looking through his
glass, he espied it at a distance, and thought it was a sail, which he
had a mind to make, being not much out of his course, in hopes of
buying some biscuit, his own beginning to fall short. That upon coming
nearer, and finding his error, he sent out his longboat, to discover
what I was; that