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CHAPTER II.
An account of the settlement of the Ships Company [and many particulars respecting the natives]
As no alternative now remained, but either to make the desperate attempt to return across the wide boisterous ocean or to take up our residence in a country inhabited by savages & wild ferocious beasts we did not long hesitate. We held a solemn treaty with the king & all the chiefs of his nation. They agreed to secede to us a tract of excellent Land on the north part of the town on which was six wigwams, & engaged perpetual amity & hospitality & the protection of our lives & property. In consideration of this grant we gave them fifty yards of scarlet cloth & fifty knives; with this present they were highly pleased.
Arrangements must now be made for our settlement. Vessel & cargo had suffered no material damage, & by striping the vessel of its plank we could erect a house in which we could deposit the whole cargo safety. All hands were immediately employed some in procuring timber, which was hewed on two sides & then locked together, some in procuring shingles & some in striping the vessel of its plank, & having a large quantity of nails on board, in ten days we finished a very convenient storehouse, sufficiently spacious to receive the whole cargo. We also built a [small] house adjoining which was to be the habitation of the Captain and myself. Having secured all our property we then found it necessary to establish some regulations for the government of our little society. The Captain whose name was Luian and myself were appointed judges in all matters of controversy & manages of the public property, to make bargains with the natives & barter such articles as we did not need for necessaries. As we all professed to believe in the religion of Jesus Christ we unanimously chose Trojanus the mate of the Ship, a pious good man, to be our minister, to lead our devotions morning & evening & on the Lords day.
But now a most singular & delicate subject presented itself for consideration. Seven young women we had on board, as passengers, to visit certain friends they had in Britain. Three of them were ladies of rank, and the rest were healthy buxomly Lasses. Whilst deliberating on this subject a mariner arose whom we called droll Tom, " Hark ye shipmates," says he, "Whilst tossed on the foaming billows what brave son of Neptune had any more regard for a woman than a sturgeon, but now we are all safely anchored on Terra firma, our sails furled & ship keeled up, I have a huge longing for some of those rosy dames. But willing to take my chance with my shipmates. I propose that they should make their chose of husbands." The plan was instantly adopted. As the choice fell on the young women they held a consultation on the subject, & in a short time made known the result. Droll Tom was rewarded for his benevolent proposal with one of the most sprightly rosy dames in the company. Three other of the most cheerful resolute mariners were chosen by the other three buxomly Lasses. The three young Ladies [of rank] fixed their choice on the Captain the mate & myself. [Happy indeed in my partner I had formed an high esteem for the excellent qualities of her mind.] The young Lady who chose me for a partner was possessed of every attractive charm both of body & mind. We united heart & hand with the fairest prospects of enjoying every delight & satisfaction which are attendant on the connubial State. Thus ended the affair. You may well conceive our singular situation. The six poor fellows who were doomed to live in a state of Celibacy or accept of savage dames, discovered a little chagrin & anxiety. However they consoled themselves with the idea of living in families where they could enjoy the company of the fair sex & be relieved from the work which belongs to the department of Women. Our community might be said to be one family though we lived in separate houses, situate near each other. The property was common stock, what was produced by our labor was likewise to be common, all subject to the distribution of the judges who were to attend to each family & see that proper industry and economy were practised by all.
The Capt. & myself, attended with our fair partners & two mariners repaired to a new habitation which consisted of two convenient apartments. After having partook of an elegant dinner & drank a bottle of excellent wine our spirits were exhilarated & the deep gloom which beclouded our minds evaporated. The Capt. assuming his wonted cheerfulness made the following address: "My sweet good solid fellows we have now commenced a new voyage. Not such as brought us over mountain billows to this butt end of the world. No, no, our voyage is on dry land, & now we must take care that we have sufficient ballast for the rigging, every hand on board this ship must clasp hands & condescend to each others humor, this will provide good cheer and smooth the raging billows of life. Surrounded by innumerable hoards of human beings, who resemble in manners the Ourang Outang, let us keep aloof from them & not embark in the same matrimonial ship [with them]. At the same time we will treat them with good cheer, & enlighten their dark souls with good instruction. By continuing a distinct people & preserving our customs manners, religion & arts and sciences another Italy will grow up in this wilderness & we shall be celebrated as the fathers of a great & happy nation." "May God bless your soul," says one of our mariners, "what would you have us do who have had the woeful luck not to get mates to cheer our poor souls & warm our bodies, me thinks I could pick out a healthy plum lass from the copper colored tribe that by washing and scrubbing her fore & aft & upon the port & starboard sides she would become a wholesome bedfellow, & I think may it please your honor I could gradually pump my notions into her head & make her a good shipmate for the cupboard & as good hearted a Christian as any of your white damsels, & upon my soul, I warrant you if we have children. by feeding them with good fare & keeping them clean they will be as plump & as fair & nearly as white as your honors children. Upon this I filled the bottle with wine & observing to honest Crito that he was at liberty to make the experiment if he could find a fair * * * * to his liking." I then expressed the great pleasure I received from the addresses of the speakers. & drank success to the new voyage. All drank plentifully & the exhilaration produced the greatest cheerfulness & hilarity. By this time the sun had hid his head below the horizon & darkness invited all the animal creation to sleep & rest. We retired two & two, hand in hand, ladies heads little awry, blushing like the morn. But I forgot to mention that our society passed a resolution to build a church in the midst of our village.
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