our escape. The counsels of this assembly were not of great moment, yet as
they seem to be introductory of many more remarkable adventures which
happened under my conduct hereabouts many years after, I think this
miniature of my future enterprises may not be unpleasant to relate.

To the building of a boat I made no objection, and away they went to work
immediately; but as they went on, great difficulties occurred, such as the
want of saws to cut our plank; nails, bolts, and spikes, to fasten the
timbers; hemp, pitch, and tar, to caulk and pay her seams, and the like. At
length, one of the company proposed that, instead of building a bark or
sloop, or shallop, or whatever they would call it, which they found was so
difficult, they would rather make a large periagua, or canoe, which might
be done with great ease.

It was presently objected, that we could never make a canoe large enough to
pass the great ocean, which we were to go over to get to the coast of
Malabar; that it not only would not bear the sea, but it would never bear
the burden, for we were not only twenty-seven men of us, but had a great
deal of luggage with us, and must, for our provision, take in a great deal
more.

I never proposed to speak in their general consultations before, but
finding they were at some loss about what kind of vessel they should make,
and how to make it, and what would be fit for our use, and what not, I told
them I found they were at a full stop in their counsels of every kind; that
it was true we could never pretend to go over to Goa on the coast of
Malabar in a canoe, which though we could all get into it, and that it
would bear the sea well enough, yet would not hold our provisions, and
especially we could not put fresh water enough into it for the voyage; and
to make such an adventure would be nothing but mere running into certain