circuit was covered as a lean-to, quite round this
inner appartment, laying long rafters from the thirty-two
angles to the top posts of the inner house, about
twenty-feet distant, so that there was a space like
a wall between the outer and inner wall, near twenty
feet in breadth. The inner place he partitioned
off with the same wicker-work, dividing it into six
neat apartments every one of which had a door, first
into the entry of the main tent, and another into the
space and walk that was round it, not only convenient
for retreat, but for family necessaries. Within
the door of the outer circle, there was a passage
directly to the door of the inner house; on either
side was a wicker partition, and a door, by which
you go into a room twenty-two feet wide, and about
thirty long, and through that into another of a smaller
length; so that in the outer circle were ten handsome
rooms, six of which were only to be come at through
the apartments of the inner tent, serving as retiring
rooms to the respective chambers of the inner circle,
and four large warehouses, which went in through one
another, two on either hand of the passage that led
through the outer door to the inner tent. In
short, nothing could be built more ingeniously, kept
more neat, or have better conveniences; and here lived
the three families, Will Atkins, his companion, their
wives and children, and the widow of the deceased.
As to religion, the men seldom taught their wives the
knowledge of God, any more than the sailors’
custom of swearing by his name. The greatest
improvement their wives had, was, they taught them
to speak English, so as to be understood.
None of their children were then above six years old;
they were all fruitful enough; and I think the cook’s
mate’s wife was big of her sixth child.
When I inquired of the Spaniards about their circumstances
while among the savages, they told me, that they
abandoned themselves to despair, reckoning themselves
a poor and miserable people, that had no means put
into their hands, and consequently must soon be starved
to death. They owned, however, that they were
in the wrong to think so, and for refusing the assistance
that reason offered for their support, as well as
future deliverance, confessing that grief was a most
insignificant passion, as it looked upon things as
without remedy, and having no hope of things to come;
all which verified this noted proverb,
In trouble to be troubled, Is to have your trouble
doubled.
Nor did his remarks end here, for, making observations
upon my improvement, and on my condition at first,
infinitely worse than theirs, he told me that Englishmen
had, in their distress, greater presence of mind than
those of any other country that he had met with; and
that they and the Portuguese were the worst men in
the world to struggle under misfortunes. When
they landed among the savages, they found but little
provision except they would turn cannibals, there being