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climbed a tree, rested myself till the morning. J then found
the sea calm, and the tide ebbed so far out, that I could come
within a quarter of a mile of the ship. The weather being
extremely hot, I pulled off my clothes, and took to the water:
when I came to the ship, 1 observed a small piece of rope
hanging down: I got hold of it, and got into the forecastle.
To my great joy I saw that all the ship’s provisions were dry,
and being well disposed to eat, I went into the bread-room, and
slipped on a waistcoat, filled my pockets with biscuit, and ate
‘as 1 went about other things: I also found some rum in the
great cabin, of which I took a dram.

‘As I found several spare yards, I Jet them down with ropes
by the ship's side, and going down to them, tied them together
and made a raft, placing several pieces of plank upon them
crossways, and laid upon it all the
pieces of board that came to hand, 1 &
next emptied three of the scamen's
chests; then lowered them down upon
the raft and filled them with bread,
some dried goat's flesh, and three Dutch
cheeses. I found several cases of bot-
tles, in which were some cordial waters
and about five or six gallons of arrack ; >
these I stowed by themselves, there "
being no room for them in the chests. I also let down the
carpenter's chest, which was worth more to me than a ship-load
of gold. I next found two good fowling-picces, and two pistols,
with some powder-horns, two barrels of powder, and two
rusty old swords, all of which I placed on the raft, and with
this invaluable cargo resolved to put to sea.

‘My raft went very well, and with it I entered a creck, where
1 thrust it on a flat piece of ground, over which the tide flowed,