prisoners; his companions had been sent up the country.
As he ascociated, and ate and slept with the Moors,
Adams was of opinion that he had turned Mohammedan,
although he assured Captain Horton that he had not done
so. CO
On the landing of the Captain and crew, the Moors stripped
all of them naked, and hid the clothes under ground,
as well as the articles which they had collected from the
ship, or which had floated ashore. Being thus exposed to
a scorching sun, their skins became dreadfully blistered,
and at night they were obliged to dig holes in the sand
to sleep in, for the sake of coolness.
This was not the only evil they had to encounter, for as
the Moors swarmed with lice, Adams and his companions
soon became covered with them.
About a week after landing, the Captain became extremely
ill, and having expressed himself violently on the occasion
of his being stripped, and frequently afterwards using loud
and coarse language, and menacing gestures, he was at
length seized by the Moors and put to death. The instrument
they used on the occasion was a sword, which they
found in the cabin : the Captain used no resistance ; he was
in fact so reduced by sickness, and was in such a state of
despondency, that he frequently declared he wished for
death. It was the manner of the Captain that gave offence,
as the Moors could not understand what he said, any more
than he could understand them. One thing in particular,
about which Adams understood the Moors to quarrel with
him was, that as he was extremely dirty, and (like all the
party) covered with vermin, they wished him to go down to
the sea to wash, and made signs for him to do so. But
partly from an obstinacy of disposition, and partly from the
lassitude brought on by sickness and despair, he refused to
do as desired; and whenever pressed to do so, used the most
threatening looks, actions, and words. (4)
When the vessel struck, the Captain gave orders that the
heads of the wine casks should be knocked in, in the hope
of thereby making her float; and when he found that did
not succeed, he ordered that the guns, flour, anchors, &c.
should be thrown overboard, and the water started. In the
confusion and alarm, the muskets and powder were also
thrown overboard ; otherwise the party might have had the
means of defending themselves ■ against the Moors who
appeared on their first landing, the number of whom did
not exceed forty or fifty people; but though the Captain
was a man of courage, he appeared to be utterly deprived
of reflection after the vessel had struck. He was also an
excellent navigator, but relied too much upon the mate.