l695-] DIODATl'S MARRIAGE. 169 



by these means ; for soon after the Ship set Sail in earnest, 

 and we heard no more of her.^ One day as the Governor 

 was going to be marry'd to the Daughter of an ancient inha- 

 bitant of the Island, he happen'd to be in so good a humour, 

 that lie order'd me to be brought a-shoar. I had then lan- 

 guish'd under my Infirmity eight Months, which he very 

 well knew. Tho' I were thus fortunate, I had no opportunity 

 to serve my Companions, since I never saw the Oovernor ; 

 yet I reap'd this advantage to my self, that being better fed, 

 and having better Air to breath in, I began to recover part 

 of my former Strength. In the mean time my two other 

 innocent Companions, who still remain'd with the Accus'd, 

 having a long time resisted the Inclemencies of the Air by 

 their Youth and Vigour, fell sick of the same Disease tbat 

 I had. 



They wrote as soon as they possibly could to the Governor, 

 to intreat him that they like-wise might come a-shoar, 

 offering to do any work for the Company without Wages, 

 but they were not heard. Then they beg'd of him to send 

 them some fresh Provisions, which prevail'd on him one day 

 so far, that he sent them a Calf, giving them at the same 

 time to understand, that if any of them all did but presume 

 to come a-shoar on the Island without his Leave, they should 

 repent of it as long as they liv'd. 



They continued in this bad Condition till the season of the 

 Eains and Winds came, which very much augmented their 

 Indisposition. The Ninth of Fcbruarjj'^ they underwent a 



1 In orig. : " nous vimes partir le Vaisseau avec le chagrin qu'on pent 

 s'imaginer de ne nous en aller pas avec lui." 



2 1695. According to Mr. Theal, this storm occasioned such severe 

 loss to the Company that it was one of the causes that led to the aban- 

 donment of the colony in the island. (Vide History of South Africa, op. 

 cit., p. 51.) Baron Grant says : " The general state of the weather 

 throughout the year is as follows : 



"January. — Rainy and warm. Storms, which are sometimes accom- 

 panied by thunder, though by no means violent ; and, as the tempestuous 



