wo
others immediately stepp'd into their Places. The Loss of the Captain
was an Addition to our Misfortune, which together with the violent
Continuance of the Storm, took away all Hopes of Safety.

On the Tenth Day, about Nine in the Morning, we struck upon a Rock with
that Violence, that those who were in their Hammocks were thrown out,
and those who walk'd the Deck, were struck off their Legs. The Pumps
were immediately try'd, and some ran into the Hold, and found the Ship
made a great deal of Water. They plied the Pumps, but in less than ten
Minutes, she struck again, and a Sea coming over us, I saw no more
either of the Ship or the Crew. I rose by the Side of a large Timber,
which I laid hold of, and got upon, heartily recommending my self to my
Creator, and sincerely endeavouring to reconcile myself to my God, by an
unfeigned Repentance of the Follies of my past Life, and by making a
very solemn Resolution, that if his Mercy should preserve me from a
Danger which none but his Omnipotence could draw me out of, to have, for
the future, a strict Guard upon all my Thoughts, Words, and Actions, and
to shew my Gratitude, by the Purity and Uprightness of my future Life.

The Want of an Observation for so many Days, and the Loss of our
Captain, the only Artist on board, with the Want of a Compass, was the
Reason of our being altogether ignorant of the Coast on which our Vessel
perish'd. The Piece of the Wreck which I was upon, was, after being
toss'd some Hours, thrown ashore, and I got so far on Land, that the
returning Surf did not reach me. What became of the rest of the Crew,
I know not, but concluded they all perish'd, till some Years after,
I met in _England_ one of the _Englishmen_ who would not take on with
the Pyrates, and who told me, that, by a peculiar Providence, he and
the other Seven, were, after four Days floating on broken Pieces of the
Ship, taken up by some _Indian_ Canoes; that they were two Years among
the _Indians_, who treated them very humanly; and when they were one Day
a-fishing with them about three Leagues from the Shore, they spied a
Sail at a great Distance, and signifying their Desire to return to
_Europe_, the _Indians_ very courteously gave them a Canoe and Eight
Paddles, with which they reach'd the Ship, it being becalm'd, and found
her _French_. They were received on board in the Latitude of ----
Degrees North, and when they arrived at _Rochelle_, were kindly used,
and sent to _England_.