To Jacks and Nonjurors such deaths are sad stories,
For old Bona Fide was head of the Tories;

And, as he lay dying on royal state bed,
Remembring best friends, 'tis whisper'd he said,
O Robin,of Radnor, take care of thy head.
O James Duke of Ormond, my Irish dear joy,
I bequeath thee to Villars, when he wants a decoy.
O high mettled Harry, go cool thy lewd fire,
By Maintenon's leave, with the nuns of St. Cyr.
O bold Charles of Sweden, expect a defeat,
O Turk in Morea, expect a retreat.
O Philip of Spain, more tractable prove,
O Duke of Lorrain, the Pretender remove.
O Clement of Rome, thy church bull recall,
And, if Worcester says true, prepare for thy fall,
For George of Great Britain will manage ye all.

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AN AUTHENTICK RELATION

OF THE MANY

HARDSHIPS AND SUFFERINGS OF A DUTCH SAILOR,

Who was put on Shore on the uninhabited Isle of Ascension, by order of the Commodore of a Squadron of Dutch Ships. With a remarkable Account of his Converse with Apparitions and evil Spirits, during his residence on the Island. And a particular Diary of his Transactions from the fifth of May, to the fourteenth of October, on which day he perished in a miserable condition. Taken from the Original Journal found in his Tent by some Sailors, who landed from on board the Compton, Captain Morson, Commander, in January, 1725-6.

Octavo, containing twenty-eight Pages.

TO THE READER.

As the following Journal carries all possible marks of truth and sincerity in it; so we have thought fit to publish it exactly as it was wrote, by the miserable wretch, who is the subject of it, without adding any borrowed descriptions of places, coasts, &c. which is too fre quently done in pieces of this nature, in order to increase their bulk. The detestable crime, for which the Dutch Commodore thought fit to abandon and leave this Sailor on a desert island, is pretty plainly pointed out, in the Journal. The miseries and hardships he lingered under, for more than five months, were so unusually terrible, that the bare reading his account of them must make the hardest heart melt with compassion. Tormented with excessive thirst; in want of

almost every thing necessary to defend him from the inclemency of the weather; left to the severe upbraidings and reflexions of a guilty conscience; harrassed by the blasphemous conversations of evil spirits, haunted by apparitions, even tumbled up and down in his tent by demons; and, at the same time, not one person upon the island from whom to seek consolation or advice: these are such calamities, as no mortal could ever long support himself under. But at the same time the fatal catastrophe of this man recommends to us the preserving that wall of brass (as the poet calls it) which will be a comfort to us under all misfortunes, viz. a conscience free from guilt.

Hic murus aheneus esto,

Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.

BY

Saturday, May 5.

Y order of the commodore and captains of the Dutch fleet, I was set on shore on the island of Ascension, which gave me a great deal of dissatisfaction, but I hope Almighty God will be my protection. They put on shore with me a cask of water, two buckets, and an old frying-pan, &c. I made my tent on the beach near a rock, wherein I put some of my clothes.

May the 6th, I went upon the hills to see if I could discover any thing on the other side of the island that was more commodious for my living, and to see if there were any thing green; but to my great sorrow found nothing at all worth mentioning. I sincerely wished that some accident would befall me, to finish these my miserable days. In the evening I walked to my tent again, but could not very well find the way.

I walked very melancholy along the strand, praying to God Almighty to put a period to my days, or help me out of this desolate island. I went back again to my tent, and secured it the best I could with stones and a tarpaulin from. the weather. About four, or five o'clock, I killed three birds called boobies; I skinned and salted them, and put them into the sun to dry, being the first thing I killed upon the island. The same night I caught two more, which I served as before.

The 7th, in the morning, I went to my water-cask, it being half a league from my tent. I first put a peg in, but lost much water by that; so got him upon his head, and took the head out with a great deal of trouble. I made a white flag, which I put upon my piece, having nothing else, and set it upon a hill near the sea. I had no powder nor shot, which rendered my gun useless. That night I put more stones about my tent.

The 8th, in the morning, I took down my flag again, and set it upon a a hill, on the other side of the island. In the I found a way turtle, and killed him with the butt-end of my musquet; and so went back again to my tent, and sat me down very weary.

I trust in God Almighty, that he will deliver me some time or other by some ship that may touch here. This night I moved my tent on

the other side of the rock, being afraid that it would fall on my head, and by that means endanger my life: I would by no means be accessary to my own death, still hoping that God will preserve me to see better days. On the whole island I cannot find a better place than where I now am, and that I must be contented in my condition. I thank God I am now in good health. In the evening I killed some more boobies, which I served as the former, and in the morning did the same.

The 9th, in the morning, I went to look for the turtle which I killed yesterday. I carried my hatchet, and cut him up on the back, for he was so big that I could not turn him. I cut off some of the flesh from the fore-fin, and brought it to my tent, and put it in salt, and dried it in the sun. I began again to make a bulwark of stones round my tent, and secured it from the weather with my tarpaulin.

The 10th, in the morning, I took four or five onions, a few pease, and calavances, and went to the south-side of the island, to see if I could find a proper place to set them. I looked carefully on the strand, to see if I could discover the tracts of any beasts, or water, or any thing else that might be serviceable; but found nothing but a little purslain, on the other side of the island, which I eat for refreshment, being very dry, and could find no water, and but a little of it in my cask; walking back, eat what I had before reserved. When I was half-way back, found some more greens, but knew not whether they were good to eat.

The 11th, in the morning, went into the country again, and found some roots; the skin somewhat resembling potatoes, but could not think they were good to eat. I made a diligent search for a greater discovery, but found nothing else. I sat me down very disconsolate, almost dead with thirst, and afterwards went to my tent. On the other side of the island there is a sandy bay, by the biggest hill. This evening boiled a little rice, being the first time: I was somewhat out of order.

The 12th, in the morning, boiled a little more rice, of which I eat some. After I had prayed, I went again to the country to see if I could discover any ships, but to my great sorrow saw none; so went back again to my tent, and then walked along the beach, and found nothing but some shells of fish. I kept constantly walking about the island, that being all my hopes; then went to my tent, and read till I was weary, and afterwards mended my clothes. This afternoon put the onions, pease, and calavances in the ground, just by my tent, to see if they would produce any more; for, as it was, I could not afford water to boil them.

The 13th, in the morning, went to see if I could find any sea-fowls eggs, but found none. At my walking back, I found a small turtle just by my tent: I took some of its eggs, and flesh, and boiled with my rice for my dinner, and buried the rest in the sand, that it might not infect me; its eggs I buried in the sand likewise. Afterwards I found some nests of fowls eggs, of which I boiled in the evening, and it was very good diet. I melted some of the turtle's fat to make oil, and in the night burnt of it, having nothing for a lamp but a saucer.

The 14th, in the morning, after I had prayed, I took my usual walk, but found nothing new; so I returned again to my tent, and sat down, and mended my banyan-coat, and writ my journal.

The 15th, before I took my walk, I eat some boiled rice, and afterwards proceeded: But got nothing but my usual game, viz. boobies. I read till I was weary, and then betook myself to my repose.

The 16th, I looked out, as the day past; caught no boobies. The 17th, I was very much dejected that I had found no sustenance; and a booby, that I had kept alive seven or eight days, now died. The 18th, after my usual custom of praying, I caught two boobies. The 19th, nothing worthy of note. The 20th, caught one booby. The 21st, nothing at all.

The 22d, after breakfast, went to the other side of the island, to see if I could discover any thing; but went back as I came. At four in the afternoon took my line, and fished on the rock for three or four hours, but to no purpose. I then took a melancholy walk to my flag, but much to my concern could descry nothing. At my return to my tent, much to my surprise, I found it all of a smoke. After a serious consideration, I thought that I had left my tinder-box a fire on my quilt; but the smoke smothered me so much, that I could not enter before I had brought a bucket of water, and quenched it. I return God Almighty my hearty thanks that all my things were not burnt. I have lost nothing by it but a banyan, shirt, a corner of my quilt, and my bible sindged. I intreat God Almighty to give me the patience of holy Job, to bear with my sufferings.

The 23d, all this day was remaking what was burnt yesterday.

The 24th, I walked to my flag, and returned again, with catching but one booby; afterwards mended my clothes, and broiled a booby on the embers.

The 25th, after my breakfast, went to my usual employment, and catched several sea-fowls sitting on their eggs. Then returned home with my spoil, and dried them. After my dinner went upon a search for more fowls, of which I caught many, and did not forget to look out for ships; but returned without any discovery. Boiled some of my eggs, and was disappointed by finding young ones in many of them. The 26th, I looked out as before, but no fowls. The 27th, nothing worthy of note.

The 28th, I went to the west-side of the island, along the strand, and mounted the precipice of a high hill, which was so steep, that I have reason to thank my God that I did not break my neck down.

The 29th, nothing remarkable. The 30th, as before. The 31st, was forced to feed on the provision which I had before salted.

From the 1st of June, to the 4th, it would be needless to write how often my eyes are cast on the sea, to look for shipping, and every little atom in the sky I took for a sail; then look till my eyes dazzle, and immediately the object disappears. When I was put on shore, the Captain told me it was the time of year for shipping to pass this way; which makes me look out the more diligently.

The 5th, 6th, and 7th, I never neglected taking my usual walks, but to no purpose.

The 8th, my water was so much reduced, that I had but two quarts left, and that so thick as obliged me to strain it through a handkerchief. I then too late began to dig, and, after I had dug seven feet deep, found no moisture; the place where I began was in the middle of the island. I then came back again to my tent, and began a new well just by my tent, but to no purpose, having digged a fathom deep. It is impossible to express my concern, first in not seeing any ships to convey me off the island, and then in finding no sustenance on it.

The 9th, found nothing; passed away the day in meditations on a future state.

The 10th, with the very last of my water boiled some rice; having but very little hopes of any thing but perishing, I commended my soul to Almighty God, intreating him that he will have mercy on it; but, not caring to give over all hopes while I could yet walk, I went to the other side of the island to see for some water. Having heard talk, that there was a well of water on it, I walked up and down the hills, thinking not to leave any place secret from me. After four hours tedious walking, began to grow very thirsty, and the heat of the sun, withal, made my life a greater burden than I was able to bear; but was resolved to proceed as long as I could stand. Walking among the rocks, God of his great bounty led me to a place where some water run out of a hollow place in the rock; it is impossible to express my great joy and satisfaction in finding of it, and thought I should have drank till I burst. I sat me down for some time by it, then drank again, and walked home to my tent, having no vessel to carry any along with me.

The 11th, in the morning, after I had returned God Almighty my hearty thanks, I took my tea kettle with some rice in it, and some wood along with me to the place where the water was, and there boiled and eat it.

The 12th, I boiled some rice to break my fast, and afterwards with much trouble carried two buckets of water to my tent. I often think I am possessed with things, that I really want; but, when I come to search, find it only a shadow. My shoes being worn out, the rocks cut my feet to pieces; and I am often afraid of tumbling, and by that means endanger the breaking my buckets, which I cannot be without. The 13th, I went to look out for wood, but found none but a little weeds somewhat like birch; brought it to my tent, and boiled some rice with it for my dinner. Afterwards went and looked out for shipping, but to no purpose; it makes me very melancholy to think that I have no hopes of getting off of this unhappy island.

The 14th, took my tea kettle with some rice, and went into the country where the water was. Afterwards returned again to my tent, and mended my clothes, and passed away the rest of the day in reading. The 15th, all the day employed in getting of sea-fowls eggs and birch. The 16th, to no purpose looked out for ships; and in the night was surprised by a noise round my tent, of cursing, and swearing, and the most blasphemous conversations that I ever heard. My concern was so great, that I thought I should have died with the fright. I did nothing but offer up my prayers to the Almighty to protect me in this miserable circumstance; but my fright rendered me in a very bad condition of