The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-02-23
An Early PerilOus Voyage.

tNortespendcnt New York Commercial.l
Like many others, have read with
great deal of interest the account of tn,
voyage of Mr.. and Mrs. Grape across tn,
Atlantic in cockle-shell of boat A.
a pendant to it, you will find in Captain
John Smiths History of Virginia,
fifth book (of the Bermudas), 1S19-ar
account of voyage where five men
in a boat of three tons, sailed over thu
main ocean," as follows:
so it was that FIVE of them, seeing by
no means they could get passage fol
England, resolved to undergo allhazards
but they would make an escape from
such servitude. The chief mariner anc
plotter of the business was Richard
Sanders and his confederates, William
Goodwin, a ship carpenter; Themas
| Harrison, joiner; James Barker, a
gentleman, and Henry Puet. These
repaired to the Governor, and with
pleasing insinuations, told him if be
would allow them but things necessary
they would build him boat of two OF
three tons, with a close deck, to go a
fishing all weathers. The Governor
half proud he had brought his men to SO
good pass, as he conceived, to offer
themselves TO SO necessary a work, in
stantly, with all willingness, furnished
them with all things they could desire,
and many fair promises to encourage
them to perform it with all expedition.
Having made choice of place most
free from molestation, they went forward
with such expedition that in short
time she was brought to perfection. By
this time the ship that brought the
Governor being ready to depart, he
sends lusty gang to go fetch his new
boat to carry him abroad, but, arriving
at the place where she was built, they
could hear no more of her, as she had
gone the last evening to sea to try how
she would sail Much search and dis
pute was where this boat should be, but
at last they found divers letters in the
cabin to this effect, directed to the
Governor and other of their, friends,
that there hard and bad usage was SO
intolerable, and their hopes so small ever
again to see their country, or be de-
llvered from such servitude, they did
rather choose to put themselves to that
desperate hazard to 60 for England, in
which, il they miscarried, as it was
much to be distrusted, their lives and
bloods shall be required at their hands.
was the cause.
A compass dial Barker had borrowed
of Martin Hues, to whom he wrote, as
he had oft persuaded them to patience,
and that God would pay them though
none did, he must now be contented with
the loss of his dial, with his own doctrine
Such leisure they found to be merry,
when in the eye of reason they were
marching into O certain ruin. The
Governor being satisfied of their escape,
extremely threatened them no less than
hanging, but the storms of the ocean
they now feared more than him. Good
provisions, by bartering, they had got
from the ship, where Goodwin, in a
bravado, told the mariners, though he
could not be permitted to go with them,
yet, peradventure, he might be in Eng
land before them, whereat the master and
mate laughed merrily.
But having been now under sail three
weeks, the winds so favored them they
felt nothing of what they had cause to
fear; then clustering gale blowing in
their teeth, put them to such extremity
for divers days; then becoming more
gentle, away they passed prosperously
some eight or ten days more, till, meet
ing French Piccaroune, of whom they
desired succor, he like himself took from
them what he liked, leaving them not so
much as a cross staff to observe withal,
and SO cut them off. There course still
they continued, till their victuals began
to fall to the lowest ebb, and the very
knees of their small vessels were half
hewed away for frewood.
At last, to their infinite Joy, they
arrived in Ireland, where the Earl of
Tomund honorably entertained them,
and caused the boat to be hung up for
monument, and well she might,
for she had sailed more than
three thousand and three hundred miles
by straight line through the main sea,
without any sight of land, and think
since God made the world the like
navigation was never done nor heard of.