or leaving
them, as they supposed I wanted to stop at home and mind my wife and
pickaninies (meaning children) for a time, but should never die until I
returned to that country, and would never die there, but return to my
own country, after I had visited them, and die at my own home. After
taking an affectionate leave of them all, we took our departure toward
home.

After buffeting the storms and tempests of the ocean for nearly four
years, carrying on an average, a crew of six persons, including the mate
and myself, and having lost six, viz: one by desertion, one by death on
board, one shot, and three by drowning, I thought it best to seek some
more comfortable trade in which to gain a support for myself and family,
and one less exposed to hardships, and such constant risk of health and
life. I was always compelled, while on this trading business, to sleep
on deck, my cabin being small and dark, having no windows. If I laid
down in the cabin I was soon covered with cock-roaches, musquittoes, and
fire-ants, besides being exposed to centipedes, scorpions, &c. which
terrified me so much that I dare not take lodging there while we were in
the tropical climes, although I needed shelter from the excessive rains
which visit that country from May until November. Having a good awning,
which was always spread when the vessel was anchored, we generally ate,
drank and slept on deck until we arrived in the cold latitudes, when
those insects became torpid, and cold weather compelled me to seek
shelter in the cabin. On parting with the Indians I felt distressed, and
could not avoid showing my gratitude toward them for their native
kindness, and the many evidences of friendly intent which they had shown
for me. I had often called at their hovels when out on excursions, being
fatigued and hungry, needing food and rest, when the poor Indian, having
but one plate and one old knife and fork in his house, would place them
on his little table, or some substitute for one, and cook the best meal
he could procure, making me take a seat by the table, and with a hearty
good will urging me to eat, while he, sharpening the end of a stick that
he might take the meat out of the pot with it, would sit down on the
ground-floor and eat his dinner, refusing to come to the table with me,
because he had but one set of dishes. Having but one hammock to sleep in
himself, he invariably left that for me, while he would take his
lodging on a cow-skin placed on