Page:Life and unparalleled adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett.pdf/16

 16 ADVENTURES OF brought me; but of a considerable sum of money that was in the pocket of it I could get no account. I complained to the captain of the violence that had been done me, and the robbery his men had com- mitted; but, being a brutish fellow, he laughed at my grief, and told me, if I had lost anything I should soon have prize-money enough to make amends. In a word, not being able to help myself, I was obliged to submit; and, for three months, they forced me to work before the mast. In the end, however, we met the same fate that you did. We were taken by the Spaniards, and, by adventures parallel with your own you now see me here on my return to my native country, whither, if you will accompany me, I shal think myself extremely happy. There was nothing now to prevent my returning to England ; and a ship being to set sail in eight of ten days, Mr Collins and I determined to embark is it. As soon as we returned home, I went to my master and told him my resolution; he did not dis suade me from it, chiefly, I suppose, because it gav him an opportunity of getting the little office I hel for a nephew of his, who was lately come to liv with him, to whom the same day I delivered th trust. And here the providence of God was no les remarkable to me than in other particulars of m life ; for, the same night, eight or ten pirates, wh were in the prison, watched the occasion, while th young man was locking up the wards, to seize him taking the keys from him after having left him fc dead; and, before the alarm was sufficiently given five of them made their escape, having, as was sur posed, got off the coast by means of the piratic boats, which were kept constantly hovering about. It was on the 18th of November 3712, that, hav- ing made all my little preparations, I sent my trun aboard the Nostra Senora, a merchant-ship, bour for Cadiz ; Michael Deronza, master. The vess was to set sail that evening, and lie in the road!