ouse, and commanded that as soon as I got some fish I should bring it
home to his house; all which I prepared to do.

This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into my thoughts, for
now I found I was likely to have a little ship at my command; and my
master being gone, I prepared to furnish myself, not for fishing
business, but for a voyage; though I knew not, neither did I so much as
consider, whither I should steer--anywhere to get out of that place was
my desire.

My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to this Moor, to get
something for our subsistence on board; for I told him we must not
presume to eat of our patron's bread. He said that was true; so he
brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit, and three jars of fresh water,
into the boat. I knew where my patron's case of bottles stood, which it
was evident, by the make, were taken out of some English prize, and I
conveyed them into the boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had
been there before for our master. I conveyed also a great lump of
beeswax into the boat, which weighed about half a hundred-weight, with a
parcel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which
were of great use to us afterwards, especially the wax, to make candles.
Another trick I tried upon him, which he innocently came into also: his
name was Ismael, which they call Muley, or Moely; so I called to
him--"Moely," said I, "our patron's guns are on board the boat; can you
not get a little powder and shot? It may be we may kill some alcamies (a
fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he keeps the gunner's
stores in the ship." "Yes," says he, "I'll bring some;" and accordingly
he brought a great leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of
powder, or rather more; and another with shot, that had five or six
pounds, with some bullets, and put all into the boat. At the same time I
had found some powder of my master's in the great cabin, with which I
filled one of the large bottles in the case, which was almost empty,
pouring what was in it into another; and thus furnished with everything
needful, we sailed out of the port to fish. The castle, which is at the
entrance of the port, knew who we were, and took no notice of us; and we
were not above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail and
set us down to fish. The wind blew from the N.N.E., which was contrary
to my desire, for had it blown southerly I had been sure to ha