oor,
who sent to attack us by surprise.

"Sir, (said the old man, amazed) you have taken the right course to
steer to the north, and, if I might advise you, I would have you sell
your ship in China, and buy or build another in that country; and I'll
procure people to buy the one and sell the other." "Well, but, Seignior,
(said I) if I sell the ship in this manner, I may bring some innocent
persons into the same dangers I have gone through, perhaps worse, even
death itself; whereby I should be as guilty of their murder as their
villainous executioners." "That need not trouble you, (says the old man)
I'll find a way to prevent that; for these commanders you talk of I know
very well, and will inform them rightly of the matter as you have
related, and I am persuaded they will not only believe me, but act more
cautiously for the future." "And will you deliver one message from me to
them?" "Yes, (said he) if you will give it under your hand, that I may
prove it is not of my own production," Hereupon I wrote a large account
of their attacking me in their long-boat, the pretended reason and
unjust design of it; that they had done what they might be ashamed of,
and could not answer for at any tribunal in England. But this letter was
writ in vain. Providence ordered things another way. We sailed directly
for Nanquin, and in about thirteen day's sail, came to an anchor at the
south-west point of the great gulf of that place, where we learned, that
two Dutch ships were gone the length before us, and that we should
certainly fall into their hands. We were all at a great loss in this
exigency, and would very gladly have been on shore almost any where; but
our old pilot told me, that if I would sail to the southward about two
and forty leagues, there was a little port called Quinchange, where no
European ships ever came, and where we might consider what was further
to be done. Accordingly we weighed anchor the next day, calling only
twice on shore by the way to get fresh water. The country people very
courteously sold us roots, tea, rice, fowls, and other provisions. After
five days sail we came to the port, and landed with unspeakable joy. We
resolved to dispose of ourselves and effects in any other way possible,
than enter on board that ill-fated vessel more; for no state can be more
miserable than a continued fear, which is a life of death, a confounder
of our understandings, that sets the imagination at work to form a
thousand fri