Page:Life and unparalleled voyages and adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett (1).pdf/12

 Thus, then, was I most miraculously delivered from an ignominious death, if I may call my coming to life a delivery after all I had endured. But how was I to dispose of my life now that I had regained it? To stay in England was impossible without exposing myself to the terrors of the law In this dilemma, a fortunate circumstance occurred. There had been, for some time, at my brother's house one or two of the principal officers of a privateer that was preparing to cruise, just then ready to sail and the captain kindly offered to take me on board with him. You may guess that little ceremony was made on our side to accept of such a proposal; and proper necessaries being quickly provided for me, my sister recommended me to the protection God and the worthy commander, who most humanely received me as sort of under-assistant to his steward.

We had been six months out upon our cruise having had but very indifferent success, when, being on the coast of Florida, then in the hands of the Spaniards, we unfortunately fell in with a squadron of their men-of-war, and, consequently, being taken without striking a blow, we were all carried prisoners into the harbour of Havanna. I was really now almost weary of my life, and should have been very glad to have ended it in the loathsome dungeon where, with forty others of my unfortunate country men, the enemy had stowed me; but after three years' close confinement, we were let out, in order to be put on board transports, and conveyed to Pennsylvania, and from thence to England. This as you may believe was a disagreeable sentence for me, taking it for granted that a return home would be a return to the gallows.

Being now, therefore, a tolerable master of the Spanish language, I solicited very strongly to be left behind; which favour I obtained by means of the master of the prison, with whom, during my confinement