In all this, however, I had not the good Luck to advance one Step towards my own Escape; and here is one Thing remarkable, viz. That the great Mass of Wealth I had gotten together, was so far from forwarding my Deliverance, that it really was the only Thing that hinderd it most effectually; and I was so sensible of it, that I resolvd once to be gone, and leave all my Wealth behind me, except some Jewels, as several of our Men had done already: For many of them were so impatient of staying here, that they found Means to get away, some and some, with no more Money than they could carry about them; particularly, thirteen of our Men made themselves a Kind of Shaloup with a Mast and Sail, and went for the Red Sea, having two Patareroes for her Defence, and every Man a thousand Pieces of Eight, and no more, except that one Macmow an Irishman , who was their Captain, had five Rubies and a Diamond, which he got among the Plunder of the Moguls Ship.
These Men, as I heard, gat safe to Mocca in the Arabian Gulph, where they fetch the Coffee, and their Captain managd for them all so well, that of Pirates he made them Merchants, laid out all the Stock in Coffee, and got a Vessel to carry it up the Red Sea to Sues , where they sold it to the Factors for the European Merchants, and came all safe to Alexandria , where they parted the Money again; and then every one separated as they thought fit, and went their own Way.
We heard of this by mere Accident afterwards, and I confess I envyd their Success; and tho it was a great while after this that I took a like Run, yet you may be sure I formd a Resolution from that Time to do the like; and most of the Time that I stayd after this, was employd in picking out a suitable Gang that I might depend upon, as well to trust with the Secret of my going away, as to take with me; and on whom I might depend, and they on me, for keeping one anothers Council when we should come into Europe .
It was in Pursuit of this Resolution that I went this little Voyage to the South of the Island, and the Gang I took with me provd very trusty, but we found no Opportunity then for our Escape: Two of the Men that we took Prisoners would fain have gone with us, but we resolvd to trust none of them with the real and true Discovery of our Circumstances; and as we had made them believe mighty Things of ourselves, and of the Posture of our Settlement, that we had 5000 Men, 12 Men of War, and the like, we were resolvd they should carry the Delusion away with them, and that no Body should undeceive them; because, tho we had not such an immense Wealth as was reported, and so as to be able to offer ten Millions for our Pardon, yet we had a very great Treasure; and, being nothing near so strong as they had imagind, we might have been made a Prey, with all our Riches, to any Set of Adventurers who might undertake to attempt us, by Consent of the Government of England , and make the Expedition, No Purchase no Pay.
For this Reason
from us; but, muse upon it as long as you will, says he , you shall never go without me, for I am resolvd to go with you which Way soever you take. Tis true, says I , I was musing which Way I should go, but not which Way I should go without you; for tho I would be willing to part Company, yet you cannot think I would go alone; and you know I have chosen you out from all the Company to be the Partner of all my Adventures.
Very well, says he , but I am to tell you now, that it is not only necessary that we should not go all together; but, our Men have all concluded, that we should make our Escape every one for himself, and should separate as we could; so that you need make no Secret of your Design any more than of the Way you intend to take.
I was glad enough of this News, and it made me very easy in the Preparations we made for our setting out: And, the first Thing we did, was, to get us more Cloaths, having some made of one Fashion, some of another; but, my Friend and I, who resolvd to keep together, made us Cloaths after the Fashion of the Armenian Merchants, whose Country we pretended to travel through.
In the mean Time, five of our Men dressd like Merchants; and, laying out their Money in Raw Silk, and Wrought Silks, and other Goods of the Country, proper for Europe , (in which they were directed by an English Merchant there) resolvd to take the usual Rout, and travel by the Caravans from Babylon to Alleppo , and so to Scanderoon , and we staid and saw them and their Bales go off in Boats for a great Town on the Euphrates , where the Caravans begin to take up the Passengers; the other six divided themselves, one Half of them went for Agra , the Country of the Great Mogul, resolving to go down the River Hoogly to Bengal ; but whither they went afterward or what Course they took, I never knew, neither whether they really went at all or not.
The other three went by Sea, in a Persian Vessel, back from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Mocca , and I heard of them all three at Marseilles ; but whither they went afterwards I never knew, nor could I come to speak with them even there.