Page:The History and Travels of Hector Maclean, Late Sailor.pdf/22

 The viiting Boat poke at a Ditance with us firt, and our Men were obliged to run fore and aft on the Decks before them, to hew they were wholeome; this neceary Precaution is, let any Ship may bring the Plague or any other Dieae to their hot Country. Next the Kings Boat boarded us, and earched our Ship for Tobacco and Soap, or other prohibited Goods, but found none: If they had found any, the Peron in whoe Cutody they were, was liable to large Penalties of Law, and would be directly carried to the Trunk (their Prion) and if not able to pay the high Fine inflicted upon them, would be tranported as a Slave to the Braziles. The reaon for this is, you are obliged to buy thoe prohibited Articles from them, while you are in their Ports.

One Day when employed working with my Knife upon Deck, the Captain ordered me with others to man the Boat; I in a hurry put my Knife in my Pocket and jumped into the Boat with my Comrades; and when the Captain was ahore, I went with another of my Fellows into a Portuguee CellerCellar [sic] for a Bottle of Wine, which is only Three-pence of our Money; but having everal Things lying above my Money, I brought out a Handful of them, amongt which was my Knife, which the Portuguee, like a Fury, wrung from my Hand, and drew a long harp Knife of his own, called a Spadron, and would have tabbed me with it, had not an Englih Merchant, who was jut coming pat the Shop in that very Intant, jumped in and Seized the Villain and aided my Ecape.

When our Ship was loaded there with Salt, Fruit, and Wine, we came down the River to Bull Bay, oppoite of King's Palace, where we anchored. A Brig belonging to Yarmouth lay moored along-ide of us, and ome Brazil Ships