(5)
I sailed the first of September 1650, the same day eight years I had left my parents. But we had not long been off the island on the East, before a terrible storm arose, which held twelve days.together, and having made shift to get into our boat, the waves overset us near the shore, and all the men perished except myself, who was violently driven ashore as it were by force.
You may be sure I thanked God for this deliverance, severely reproaching myself for disobeying my father's commands, and withal, his speech that if I went as I did without his blessing. I could not expect to have any success, made my sorrows the greater, and when I considered I had no prospect but that of starving, or being devoured by wild beasts, my grief was increased, having no weapon but a pipe, a tobacco stopper, and a knife.
That night I took up my repose in a tree, and the next day finding a spring, I drank very heartily thereof, taking a quid of tobacco to keep me from starving. When the storm was abated, I found the ship had been drove very near a rock and the boat twelve miles of; but there being a large inlet of water between me and the boat, I ventured to swim off to the ship, where I found plenty of rum, and other liquors. Then I made a raft of timber, and taking two pistols, two fowling pieces, some horns of powder, a bag of shot, two saws, two hammers, and and an ax, I put them all on a raft, and so floated safe to shore.
In order to satisfy myself, I took a survey from a mountain, and found myself upon an
