Page:A New Survey of the West Indies or The English American his Travel by Sea and Land.djvu/55

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Chap. VI. of the WeiUttdies. 3?

bv chance having mec with him, and perceiving more by the W00H upon his head, that he was a Mulatto^ then by rm black and tauny skin (for thofe Indians Paint themfelves all over with red colour) they prcfently imagined the truth that he could nor come thither but with fome Spaniard: (o enrrin^ into difcourfe with him, and finding him to ipeafce Spmtfh^ they sot the whole truth of him. Then we joyning wuii the Jefuites, began to perfwade the poor Chriftian to for- iake thac Heathenifh life ? wherein his foal could never be faved, promifing him if he would go along with us, he fhould be free from flavery for ever. Poor Sou!, though he had lived twelve years without hearing a word of the true God, Worshipping Stocks and Stones with the other Heathens ; yet when he heard again of Chnft, of eternal Damnation in hells Torments, aiad of everlafting Salvation in Heavens Joys, he began to. weep, afiuring us that he would go with us, were it not for his Wife and Children, whom he tenderly loved, and could not forfake them. To this we repiyed, that he might be a means of fiving like- wife their Souls, if he would bring them with him ^ and further that we would affure him that care fhould betaken that neither he, his Wife, nor Children fhould ever want means competent for the maintenance of their lives. The 'LMfiUtto hearkned well to all this, though afuddatnfear furpriied him? becaufe certain Indians paffed by, and noted his long conference with us. The poor and timorous Mu- latto then told us, that he was in danger, for having bsen known by us, and that he feared the Indians would kill him, and fufpeft that w¿ would flea! him away; which if they did, and it were noifed about the Ifland, we fhould foon fee their love changed into cruel rage and Mutiny, We perfwadeded him not to fear any thing they could do to us; who had Souldiers, Guns end Ordnance to fecure ours and his life alio, wiiliing him to relblve to bring ins Wife and Children but to the Sea fide, where our men were drying their Clothes, and would defend him, and a 8 oat fhould be ready to convey him with h?^ Wife and Children a Ship-board, The CMxUttQ promifed to do as

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