AT WORK ON THE SHIP. 663

we desired, we resolved, while we were in this place, to lay her on
shore, take out what heavy things we had on board, which were
not many, and to wash and clean her bottom, and, if possible, to
find out where the leaks were.

Accordingly, having lightened the ship, and brought all our
guns and other movable things to one side, we tried to bring her
down, that we might come at her bottom ; but, on second thoughts,
we did not care to lay her dry on ground, neither could we find
out a proper place for it.

The inhabitants, who had never been acquainted with such a
sight, came wondering down to the shore to look at us; and seeing
the ship lie down on her side in such a manner, and heeling in
towards the shore, and not seeing our men, who were at work on
her bottom with stages, and with their boats on the off-side, they
presently concluded that the ship was cast away, and so lay fast
on the ground.

On this supposition they came all about us in two or three hours’
time, with ten or twelve large boats, having some of them eight,
some ten men in a boat, intending, no doubt, to have come on
board and plundered the ship, and if they had found us there, to
have carried us away for slaves to their king, or whatever they
call him, for we knew nothing who was their governor.

When they came up to the ship, and began to row round her,
they discovered us all hard at work on the outside of the ship’s
bottom and side; washing, and graving, and stopping, as every
sea-faring man knows how.

They stood for a while gazing at us, and we, who were a little
surprised, could not imagine what their design was; but, being
willing to be sure, we took this opportunity to get some of us into
the ship, and others to hand down arms and ammunition to those
that were at work, to defend themselves with if there should be
occasion. And it was no more than need; for in less than a
quarter of an hour’s consultation, they agreed, it seemed, that the
ship was really a wreck, that we were all at work endeavouring to
save her, or to save our lives by the help of our boats; and when
we handed our arms into the boats, they concluded, by that
motion. that we were endeavouring to save some of our goods.