Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Vol. I | Page 7

no extraordinary size or height,
moving very fast towards us, and seeming to follow the ship, which
then made great way. Every one on deck was very curious in observing
its motions; and perceiving it frequently to divide, and presently to
close again, and not to continue long in any determined shape, our
captain, who had never before been so far to the southward as he then
found himself, had many conjectures what this phenomenon might
portend; and every one offering his own opinion, it seemed at last to be
generally agreed that there might possibly be a storm gathering in the
air, of which this was the prognostic; and by its following, and nearly
keeping pace with us, we were in great fear lest it should break upon
and overwhelm us, if not carefully avoided. Our commander, therefore,
as it approached nearer and nearer, ordered one of the ship's guns to be
fired, to try if the percussion of the air would disperse it. This was no
sooner done than we heard a prodigious flounce in the water, at but a
small distance from the ship, on the weather-quarter; and after a violent
noise, or cry in the air, the cloud, that upon our firing dissipated,
seemed to return again, but by degrees disappeared. Whilst we were all
very much surprised at this unexpected accident, I, being naturally very
curious and inquisitive into the causes of all unusual incidents, begged
the captain to send the boat to see, if possible, what it was that had
fallen from the cloud, and offered myself to make one in her. He was
much against this at first, as it would retard his voyage, now we were
going so smoothly before the wind. But in the midst of our debate, we
plainly heard a voice calling out for help, in our own tongue, like a
person in great distress. I then insisted on going, and not suffering a
fellow-creature to perish for the sake of a trifling delay. In compliance
with my resolute demand, he slackened sail; and hoisting out the boat,
myself and seven others made to the cry, and soon found it to come
from an elderly man, labouring for life, with his arms across several
long poles, of equal size at both ends, very light, and tied to each other
in a very odd manner. The sailors at first were very fearful of assisting
or coming near him, crying to each other, "He must be a monster!" and
perhaps might overset the boat and destroy them; but hearing him
speak English, I was very angry with them for their foolish
apprehensions, and caused them to clap their oars under him, and at

length we got him into the boat. He had an extravagant beard, and also
long blackish hair upon his head. As soon as he could speak (for he was
almost spent), he very familiarly took me by the hand, I having set
myself close by him to observe him, and squeezing it, thanked me very
kindly for my civility to him, and likewise thanked all the sailors. I then
asked him by what possible accident he came there; but he shook his
head, declining to satisfy my curiosity. Hereupon reflecting that it
might just then be troublesome for him to speak, and that we should
have leisure enough in our voyage for him to relate, and me to hear, his
story (which, from the surprising manner of his falling amongst us, I
could not but believe would contain something very remarkable), I
waived any farther speech with him at that time.
We had him to the ship, and taking off his wet clothes, put him to bed
in my cabin; and I having a large provision of stores on board, and no
concern in the ship, grew very fond of him, and supplied him with
everything he wanted. In our frequent discourses together, he had
several times dropped loose hints of his past transactions, which but the
more inflamed me with impatience to hear the whole of them. About
this time, having just begun to double the Cape, our captain thought of
watering at the first convenient place; and finding the stranger had no
money to pay his passage, and that he had been from England no less
than thirty-five years, despairing of his reward for conducting him
thither, he intimated to him that he must expect to be put on shore to
shift for himself, when we put in for water. This entirely sunk the
stranger's spirits, and gave me great concern, insomuch that I fully
resolved, if the captain should really prove such a brute, to take the
payment of his passage on myself.
As we came nearer to the destined watering, the captain spoke the
plainer