Page 182
An. 1685
The Story of John Gret.
took in John Gret, who was now very expert at it. John Gret was much pleased to see a Lad there of his own Country, and it came into his mind to persuade Capt. Wright upon this occasion to endeavour a Friend- ship with those Indians ; a thing our Privateers had long coveted, but never durst attempt, having such dreadful apprehensions of their Numbers and Fierce- ness : But John Gret offered the Captain that he would go ashore and negotiate the matter ; who ac- cordingly sent him in his Canoa till he was near the shore, which of a sudden was covered with Indians, standing ready with their Bows and Arrows. John Gret, who had only a Clout about his middle, as the fashion of the Indians is, leapt then out of the Boat, and swam, the Boat retiring a little way back; and the Indians ashore seeing him in that habit, and hearing him call to them in their own Tongue (which he had recovered by conversing with the Boy lately taken) suffered him quietly to land, and gathered all about to hear how it was with him. He told them particularly, that he was one of their Countrymen, and how he had been taken many years ago by the English, who had used him very kindly ; that they were mistaken in being so much afraid of that Nation, who were not Enemies to them, but to the Spaniards : to confirm this he told them how well the English treated another young Lad of their:s, they had lately taken, such an ones Son ; for this he had learnt of the Youth, and his Father was one of the company that was got together on the shore. He persuaded them therefore to make a League with these friendly people, by whose help they might be able to quell the Spaniards, assuring also the Father of the Boy, that if he would but go with him to the Ship, which they saw at anchor at an Island there (it was Golden Island, the Eaistermost of the Samballoes, a place where there is good striking for Turtle) he should have his Son restored to him, and