168 ILL SUCCESS. [1694. 



and without any Design, nearer to onr Eock, which was free 

 for them to 'do, or at least sail'd so near us on their Departure, 

 that they might have pretended it but common Charity to 

 have taken up poor Wretches whom they saw floating on 

 the Water on Planks, without troubling their Heads any 

 farther. Moreover, 'twas probable for them to imagine some 

 Vessel had been shipwreck'd, and that we five were part of 

 the Crew that had labour'd to save our Lives, and stood in 

 need of their Kelief Let what Difficulties then will be 

 rais'd, a way might have been found out to have dealt with 

 them ; and if any Dangers were to be apprehended in Holland 

 or at Batavia, it is we must have answer'd, who broke our 

 Chains, and surpriz'd our Deliverers, and not they, who would 

 have been suppos'd to have known nothing of tlie matter. 

 But nothing of this came into their Heads, and the poor La 

 Case return'd the same Evening, very much concern'd, that 

 he could not bring his end about. This ill Success of his, 

 occasion'd others who were preparing to attempt the same 

 method of Escape, to alter their Eesolutions.^ 



Some few days after the Ship went and anchor'd above a 

 large League from us, yet we resolv'd to make a second and 

 new Attempt. For this purpose we ty'd all our Chests 

 together after we had fill'd them with what we had left, and 

 made a sort of Float,^ thinking to reach the Ship while it was 

 Night, that we might not be disco ver'd from the Island. As 

 I was generally Sick, they were fain to carry me to the 

 Machine, soon after which we put ourselves off' to Sea; but 

 met with such rapid Currents and Eddy's,^ that we thought 

 we were happy that we could get safe back again. Thus we 

 were entirely disappointed of all Hopes of freeing our selves 



1 In orig.: " voyant qu'il leur seroit impossible de reussir," omitted 

 by translator. 



^ In orig.: " radeau," i.e., raft. 



3 In orig.: " dos courants rapides & contraires, il nous fut iaipossible 

 de les vaiucrc." 



