Travels into the Levant. Part II* 
CHAP. III. 
A Continuation of the Voyage to the Indies. 
SPOUTS. 
Spout ^ XXT"^'"^ Tempeft (offed our Ship with all imaginable violence, they called 
F " S' y y jjjg to a Spout, that was to the Larborad, near Land, and a Musket 
(bot from the Ship : it was to the Leeward of u-s, and lafted but a little while. 
Turning to the other fide, juft as it was fpent, I perceived another beginning not 
much above the fame diftancefrom us; it was likewife to the Leeward, for the 
Wind turned and changed then into all cornets. Whiift I obferved it, a fécond 
broke out at the fide of it, and within a trice a third, by the fide of the fecood. 
The Gofpel of I prefently began to fay the Gofpel of St. John^ which is faid at the end of Mafs, 
Sc. John, that God Almighty might, for the fake of that Gofpel, preferve us from thofe 
Spouts i not that I thought the danger fo very great, being they were to the Lee- 
ward of us, and in reality, they wrought more admiration than fear in mc. Ne- 
ver thelefs there was a great confternation amongft our Company, all Hands were 
at work, and our Franks kept a heavy flir, calling and asking, whether any one 
had the Gofpel of St. John j they addreffed thcmfelves to me, and I told them that 
I was a faying it i and whiift they prayed me to continue, one of them brought a 
Knife with a black handle, asking if any body knew how to cut the Spouts; I 
made anfwer that I had been informed of the way that fome ufed to cut them, but 
that I would not put it in pradife, becaufe it was a bad and unlawful fuperftition ; 
he objeded, that the Spouts were fo near, that they would quickly fall upon the 
Ship, and infallibly fink her, and that if he knew the fccret, he would do it ; I 
endeavoured to realTure him and the reft from the fear which made him fpeak 
fo, telling them that the Spouts being to the Leeward, there was not fo much 
danger as they imagined. And in fliott, to put that thought quite out of 
their Heads, I plainly told them that I neither would do that fupcrftitious Art my 
felf, nor teach any body elfe how to do it j and that for the Gofpel of Sr. John I 
fliould willingly perfift in faying it, becaufe it was a good and lawful means to pro- 
cure protection from God Almighty. And indeed, I forbore not to fay it, till 
all the Spouts were difperfed, which was not before one a Clock after noon or 
thereabouts. 
They had put us all into a very great fright \ nay the ftiips Company who had 
fpent moft of their life-time at Sea, confefled that they had never feenanyfo near 
them» and the Gunner who was a Native of 'ïoulon alTured us that in the fpace of 
eight and thirty years, he had never feen any fo near, nor that had put him into 
fo great a fright, and he failed not to fet down in his Journal, that that day, God 
^ had preferved him when he was in great danger of having been caft away. 
Having, (during this hurry and confufion,) caft out the Lead, we found one and 
twenty Fathom water i which made the Captain refolve to come to an Anchor, 
and accordingly ordered it to be done ; but whiift afterwards, he went to ano- 
ther place i to give fome other Orders, the Mate, who was of a contrary Opinion, 
told the Boatfwain that he (hould not do it, and he was very willingly obeyed 9 
becaufe then we muft have Iain fiill and done nothing j for it is the nature of all 
t\\tk Mahometans zv\à Indians, never to think of the danger, but when it is in the 
extremity, and then to leave all to the mercy of God, without offering to help 
themfelves, and they will pcri(h like Beafts, rather than ufe means to get out of 
the danger : befides the Seamen do not love to caft Anchor, becaufe of the trouble 
they are at in weighing it again. In the nriean time the Captains Orders were very 
judicious and feafonable, for we were betwixt ^ejchimo, Lareca, and Ormus, and 
very near all thofe three Illands, that in a manner inlockt us. Buthe was not pofi- 
tive enough to fee his Orders put into execution, on the contrary, finding thofe 
Men. 
