ABSTRACT
‘MY father,’ said Sancho, elevating his head with great dignity, ‘was prince Pangoleen, the son of a king of Angola, in Africa; who, being engaged in a bloody war with one of the neighbouring monarchs, sent him to the seacoast, to visit his uncle, as being at peace and in a place of safety. There was a ship from Martinico at that time trading in the harbour; and my father, prince Pangoleen, was invited with his attendants on board. They were well entertained, and greatly admired the vessel, which seemed to them like a huge animal floating on the water, that had fifty mouths, breathing fire and smoke, and speaking with a voice like thunder. / When they were fully satisfied, and were for returning on shore, judge of their surprise, on being told by a sailor, with a firm voice, “that they must take up their quarters there, and submit with patience to their fate.” The prince remonstrated, and insisted that application should be made to his uncle, who would get him a dozen prisoners in his stead, or give a large ransom for his liberty. “Poor fellow,” said one of the sailors, “you little know that it is your uncle who has received a barrel of rum, a fat bull-dog, and a dozen fowling-pieces, for you and your companions.” He was almost frantic at this news; but being handcuffed, and confined in the hold, under a grating, with an armed centinel over it, there was no hope of escape or resistance; and my father tranquilly submitted, and encouraged his fellow-prisoners to do the same: but many of them died of broken hearts, or the gaol fever, and others / seized the first opportunity of leaping into the sea and perishing. The captain, to terrify them from this, ordered a female slave who had made the attempt, to be drawn up by the heels to the yard-arm, in the sight of them all; and then dropt into the sea by a rope: but one of the sharks, which had pursued the ship from the coast, attacked the poor wretch as they were drawing her up, tore off part of her limbs, and covered the sea with her blood; while the hearts of the miserable blacks were struck with horror at the sight, and with the shrieks of the dying victim. 106
