The Travels and Adventures of James Massey Part 1

The Travels and Adventures of James Ma.s.sey.

by Simon Tyssot de Patot.

DEDICATION

TO

JEREMIAH DUMMER, Esq;

SIR,

The Recommendation these Travels have been favour'd with from yourself and other good Judges, as a History admirably adapted both to the Entertainment and Instruction of the Reader; and your Commands upon me to translate it, lay me under the strongest Inducement to claim your Patronage.

And I humbly conceive that your Retirement from that AGENCY, during which you perform'd so many National Services in cultivating a mutual good Understanding and Commerce between _Old_ and _New England_, as justly gain'd you the Love and Applause of those who truly understand the Interests of both People, gives you the more Leisure to receive a Dedication.

It must be own'd that bright Accomplishments, acquired and improv'd in _European_, as well as _American_ Universities; The Elegance of your Taste, both in Men and Books; The Politeness of your Conversation; Your Esteem for the Sciences, which are so delicately interwoven in the following Narrative; Your Knowledge in the _Belles Lettres_; Your long Acquaintance with the _Beau Monde_; And, what is equal to all, Your generous Disposition to do Good to Mankind;, are Qualities which would have continued you very useful and ornamental in a Public Station.

Yet I take Leave to congratulate you on your Preference of a private Life; since not only an innate Principle of Honour, but an easy Fortune, set you above the Temptation of soliciting Employments, and subjecting yourself to Dependencies which often prove Snares to the best of Men, by causing them to deviate from the sacred Paths of Truth and Justice. This probably was the Reason you lately declin'd acting as an _Inspector_ of a GREAT COMPANY'S Affairs, an Office of no little Trust and Confidence, and to which you was unanimously elected by the _General Court_.

I heartily wish you Health and long Life for the Pleasure and Profit of all your Friends, and especially of,

SIR,

_Your most obedient_

_October 11_, 1732.

_humble Servant_,

STEPHEN WHATLEY.

THE PREFACE

The _French_ EDITOR'S LETTER,

To _M_ * * *

SIR,

_These are the_ TRAVELS _you heard so much talk of, and was so desirous to see. By what Chance the Ma.n.u.script fell into my Hands, I will let you know another time: As soon as I had dipp'd into it, I could not help reading it from the Beginning to the End, and found so many curious and important Pa.s.sages in it, and so many instructive Dissertations on several Points of Philosophy, as gave me abundant Satisfaction. Many of my Friends, Men of excellent Sense and Learning, have express'd equal Approbation of it, so that I dare say, Sir, you will read it with the same Pleasure._

_I own to you that at the first Reading I suspected the Author had taken a Traveller's Privilege of mixing a little Romance in his Relation; but when I perus'd it again, and consider'd it a little more particularly, I found nothing in it but what was very natural, and highly probable. And that Air of Candour and Simplicity we meet with every where in the honest old Gentleman the Author, has fully convinc'd me._

_There are Pa.s.sages indeed, in certain Conversations upon Points of Religion, which, at first, a little shock'd me, but upon a closer Examination, and finding that the Author, who always was a great Champion for his own Religion, has generally expos'd their Weakness or Falshood, I thought there was nothing in it that could startle a Man well instructed in the Christian Faith, which, G.o.d be prais'd, is too well establish'd to fear any thing from the Attacks of Libertines or Infidels: Consequently, we have no need to have recourse to mean Artifices for concealing the force of the Arguments made use of against us, as if we had a bad Cause to defend._

_I am, &._

The Travels _and_ Adventures of _JAMES Ma.s.sEY._

CHAP. I.

_Of our Author's particular Studies and Profession; with an Account of his Embarking, and his first Shipwreck on the Coast of_ Spain.

The narrow Limits with which the Life of Man is circ.u.mscrib'd, and the few Years he is capable of employing in cultivating and perfecting the Arts and Sciences, glide away so soon, that no wonder if the Progress he makes in either, turns to very little Account. Nor is the Shortness of Life the only Obstacle which thwarts our natural Desire of Universal Knowledge; the Loss of Worldly Goods being another Bar equally insurmountable, the Truth of which I learnt, to my Cost, long before I had finish'd my Studies.

The Inclination I had from my Cradle to the _Belles Lettres_, to Antiquity, and to the strange Rarities I saw brought home from foreign Parts, made my Father resolve to put me early to School, where I was such an apt Scholar that my Diligence and Memory got me the Prize in all the Cla.s.ses. The fine things my Masters said in my Praise, and the Tenderness with which my Parents lov'd me, redoubled my Emulation, insomuch that I gave my self no Respite, and had made so good use of my Time that when I was but eighteen Years old, I understood both _Latin_ and _Greek_, very well. In short, I had gone thro' a Course of Philosophy, and was far advanc'd in the Mathematics, when my Father _David Ma.s.sey_, who was Captain of a Ship, had the Misfortune to be blown up with his Vessel by the Imprudence of a Sailor, who inadvertently set fire to the Powder.

This fatal Blow happen'd to our Family in 1639, and of all the Days in the Year, upon that very Day that our Army was beat by the _Spaniards_ before _Thionville_; you must know that the good Man was bound to the Factory at _Senegal_, and as the greatest Part of the Lading was upon his own Account, my Mother was on a sudden left a Widow with five Children, and scarce any thing to maintain them. This Calamity however was so far from breaking her Heart, that as soon as she receiv'd the News of it, she sent for us, and said to us with a manly Air: 'Children, one of the worst Misfortunes has happen'd to you that could fall out in humane Life: One fatal Moment has not only robb'd me of my dear Husband, but you of your Father, and all your fortunes. Nevertheless, be not cast down, for the Divine Providence can work Miracles to support his Creatures. Learn by this Fatality, not to place your Trust in the Arm of Flesh; and be a.s.sur'd that G.o.d is a gracious Being, who will not abandon you. Since I have not sufficient Means left to bring you all up as we had intended, consider what Professions each of you is most inclin'd to follow. For your part, _James_, said she, I think you had best be a Surgeon, which, since you seem to be fond of Travelling, like your Father, is an Art that will favour your Design.' She likewise propos'd to the biggest Children what Professions they should undertake; to which every one of them consented with Tears, and apply'd with Success.

My Mother, who was a Native of _Hedin_, where she had Relations still living, left _Abbeville_, and went thither to settle. To my very great joy, tho' contrary to my Expectation, I found many People there who were sincerely concern'd for her Misfortune. One of her Brothers took one of the Children off of her Hands; a Father-in-law took another; and twenty People promis'd her that they would never let her want. Nay, some would fain have persuaded me to alter my Purpose, and pursue my Studies, in hopes that in time I might have it in my Power to bring up the innocent Children, who were not able to help themselves; but my Resolution was form'd, and my Inclination fix'd.

I took Leave of my Family and my dearest Acquaintance, who were sorry to part with me, and set out for _Paris_. The Grandeur, Magnificence, and Variety, together with the vast Concourse of People of all Ranks, which I saw on my Arrival at this fine Place, did at the first Dash astonish me; every thing that occur'd to my View, seem'd perfectly new to me; I thought my self in another World; and M. _Rousseau_, the Surgeon, to whose Tuition I had been recommended, had enough to do for near a fortnight to answer the Questions I was continually putting to him, to gratify my Curiosity. He likewise did me the Favour to carry me to _Marli_, _Fontainbleu_, _St. Dennis_, _St. Germain_, the _Louvre_, the _Tuilleries_, and many other Places, which are the Admiration of foreigners. But as the Value of Things is enhanc'd by their Rarity, and diminish'd by their Frequency, I accustom'd my self at last to look upon all these Fineries with a sort of Indifference, which by degrees turn'd to an Aversion; so that I abandoned all those Curiosities to the Speculation of the Idle and the Indolent, and began to apply my self carefully to the Art I had purpos'd to study. M. _Rousseau_ had very good Business, and great Experience, and the many Cures he perform'd, open'd new Discoveries to me every Day.

Yet for all this, scarce a Day pa.s.s'd but I exercis'd my self several Hours in those Languages and Sciences, in which I had before spent all my Time. I was the more encourag'd to do so, because Philosophy and the Mathematics seem'd to be much in vogue, by the Application of all Gentlemen to them, of what Age and Rank soever. At the same time there came out a Treatise of Conic Sections, said to be written by the Son of M. _Pascal_, the Intendant of Justice at _Roan_, at which, many Persons of Learning were really surpris'd. I had the Curiosity to run it over, but I found things in it which I thought above the Reach of a Lad of Sixteen Years of Age, for in several Places it surpa.s.s'd _Apollonius_. Many People were of my Opinion, especially when they consider'd, that the Father of this pretended young Author was a thorough Proficient in this Science, from whence the Generality imagin'd, that he had a mind to give the Son the Credit of it, to usher him into the World with the better Grace.

Be this as it will, 'tis certain that the Junior _Pascal_ was a Man of a lively Imagination, and a great deal of Penetration and Judgment, as it afterwards fully appear'd. M. _Morin_, whom I took the Liberty to apply to, and who receiv'd me with extraordinary Civility, procur'd me also the Acquaintance of M.

_Des Argues_, M. _Midorge_, and several other Mathematicians, who sav'd me a great deal of Labour by the curious MSS. they put into my Hands, and the clear and concise Methods they were pleas'd to make me acquainted with. By means of these learned Personages, I had Access likewise to the Reverend Father _Mercenne_. This ingenious Gentleman was a great Help to me for the understanding of several Questions in Natural Philosophy, and the Metaphysics. As he was intimate with M. _Descartes_, who was then in _Holland_, I propos'd nothing of Difficulty to him, but he explain'd to me at one time or other; and he was the first Man that ever put into my Hand the Six Meditations of that celebrated Philosopher. I was so desirous of learning how to demonstrate the Exigence of a G.o.d, the Immateriality of the Soul, and its real Distinction from the Body, that I read them with all the Attention I was capable of; but I frankly own that I was not satisfy'd with them. His Method for the due conducting of Reason, and finding out the Truth in the Sciences, his Dioptricks, his Meteors, his Theory of the World, and every thing in general that I had seen of his, charm'd me; but for his Metaphysics, as I said before, I lik'd no Part of 'em, but the Subtilty of his Arguments. This made me conclude, that we ought never to wade above the Depth of our shallow Understandings, and that we should confine our selves to Bodies, to explain their Nature, Form, Number, Properties, the Alterations occasion'd by Motion, and what may be most remarkable in them for our own Use, for the Good of Society, and for the Understanding and Advancement of Humane Knowledge, without pretending to make manifest and visible, as it were, to the naked Eye, such things as are in their own Nature _Arcana's_, and are, in all Probability, design'd to be for ever the Objects of our Faith and Admiration. It appear'd in a very little while, that I was not the only Person of that Opinion for an anonymous Book was publish'd at the _Hague_, by an unknown Author, with a View to explode the Philosophy of _Descartes_: At the same time Father _Bourdin_ attack'd it in his public _Theses_; and then came out the Objections of Messieurs _Hobbes_, _Ga.s.sendi_, _Arnaud_, and others, to his Metaphysics. I was so taken with that Author, that I was curious to see all his Disputes, which cost me so much Time, that my Master often reproach'd me for it, and said that I neglected the main Point, for the sake of applying to things which cou'd be of no great Use to me, and which, as to several of them, were not universally approv'd of. He even went so far as to tell me one Day, that I was in the high Road to Atheism, for that I had already embrac'd an Opinion which had been lately condemn'd by the Tribunal of the _Inquisition_, in the Person of _Galileo_, whom they had confin'd in the Prisons of the _Holy Office_, after having caus'd his Treatise of the _Circular Motion of the Earth_, according to the Principles of _Copernicus_, to be burnt by the common Hangman.

But left these Reproaches might entirely discourage me, he took care to season them with Commendations of my considerable Talents for Surgery, and the Knowledge I had acquir'd in it, notwithstanding the Time I devoted to other Occupations.

At length, when he found that all he could say did not put me out of conceit with those fine Sciences, he resolv'd to enter me into the State of Matrimony. He talk'd to me incessantly of a very pretty Niece of his, who, after her Mother's Death, would have a considerable Estate. He often gave me to understand, that he shou'd not be sorry if I was marry'd to her; and that as he was advanc'd in Years, it would be in his Power to put me into the intire Possession of his Shop, which was well accustom'd: But this was not the Mark I aim'd at. When he perceiv'd my Indifference, he became more cold to me than before, insomuch that he began to neglect me, and to conceal several things from me, which I could not well learn without him; so that after having serv'd two Years Apprenticeship, I went to _Diep_, where I stay'd one Year more with M. _La Croix_, who was without Dispute a very able Master.

I will not stop here to relate the minute Adventures which I had in both those Towns, because I think them too inconsiderable; but I cannot pa.s.s over in Silence, that while I was at this Port, a Man arriv'd there whom the Vulgar call'd, _The Wandering Jew_. My Master, who was a curious Man, and very courteous, after having talk'd with him several times occasionally, invited him to Dinner one Day, that he might have the Opportunity of hearing him discourse. The first Thing he told us was, That he was Cotemporary with Jesus Christ, and that he saw him crucify'd. My Name, said he, is _Michob_, and I was one of _Pontius Pilate's_ Domestics. When that _Roman_ Judge p.r.o.nounc'd Sentence against Jesus, I stept up to this pretended Criminal (continued he) and said to him, _What makes you stay here so long? Han't you heard your Condemnation? Get off! Why do you delay?_ To which the Holy Man reply'd to me, _I'll be gone, but you shall stay till I return._ 'This is now above 1600 Years ago (said he) which I hope is the greatest Part of the Time that I am to wander upon the Earth. Most People are fond of Life, and few there are but wou'd be glad to add an Age to the Years they have liv'd already, if it were in their Power, but for my own part, I wish with all my Heart I had dy'd a thousand Years ago.' As the Droll talk'd all manner of Languages, had by consequence a happy Memory, and had been a Traveller all his Life-time, it was a Pleasure to hear him relate a thousand Stories, as clear and evident Truths, which past Ages have transmitted to us in a very confused Light, and after a very uncertain manner. There is no Corner of the World but he affirm'd he had visited. He nam'd several Kingdoms and Republics to us, that lie about the two Poles, which we had never heard the mention of. All the Courts in the World were known to him. He was not ignorant of the minutest Circ.u.mstance of the most remarkable Revolutions of Empires, since he came into the World.

In short, the remotest Incidents seem'd to him as recent as if they had just happen'd. But the Pa.s.sage at which we all p.r.i.c.k'd up our Ears, was where he began to entertain us with an Account of the Saints that rose again at the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

All _Jerusalem_, said he, was alarm'd when it was reported that the People at the Burial-Places had seen the Earth move in several Parts, the Graves open of themselves, and naked Bodies appear, and make a thousand different Motions. The Spectators, continued he, were so astonish'd at this unexpected Sight, that they all trembled, and several dy'd with Fear. The most daring of them were willing, however, to see the Issue of it, and they were wonderfully surpris'd when, by and by, they saw Humane Creatures start all at once out of their Graves, and press in a Hurry thro'

the Mult.i.tude, who made way for them by tumbling to the Ground, as if they were all going to take Possession of their Sepulchres.

No one cou'd discern, added _Michob_, was he ever so attentive, of what s.e.x the risen Bodies were, for they seem'd to be all of the same Bigness, the same Age, and Complexion, and had no visible Mark by which they cou'd be distinguish'd from one another. They had not a Hair upon all their Bodies; their Bellies were flat, and seem'd as if they stuck to their Ribs; several held their Mouths open, but there were no Teeth to be seen; and their round and smooth Fingers seem'd to be intirely bare of Nails. This made him conclude, that all the Excremental Parts, and those which serve to grind, to swallow and digest Food while we are in a State of Mortality, will not accompany us to the other World, where, in short, they would be useless. In fine, according to his Discourse, it was never positively known what became of those Persons; but it was reported some Days after, that they were gone to _Galilee_, where they were to confer with Jesus Christ, and from thence to be carry'd to the Mansion of the Blessed. It may well be suppos'd that this curious Subject did not fail to occasion a tedious Conversation: 'Twas Midnight when our Guest left us, tho' my Master, notwithstanding the Conversation he had had with him elsewhere, wou'd fain have kept him till next Day. As the Magistrates look'd upon him to be a Visionary, they did not much mind what he said, consequently he was not a dangerous Person, and ask'd no favour of any Body; for the common People, and abundance of credulous and superst.i.tious Gossips, who thought him a Prodigy, gave him what Necessaries he wanted; besides that he stay'd but a little while in a Place, and was no more than a Wanderer up and down in the World.

His Departure, added to all the fine Things I had heard him say of Foreign Countries, very much whetted my natural Desire to travel. I imparted my Design to M. _La Croix_, and as he had already been so good as to watch all Opportunities of publishing the Progress I had made in my Profession, it was not at all difficult for me to enter my self as a Surgeon on Board the Ship of Captain _Le Sage_, then preparing for a Voyage to _Martinico_.

We sail'd therefore from _Diep_ the 21st of _May_, 1643. Our Ship carry'd but four Guns, and the Crew consisted but of Fifty-two Persons. Tho' the Captain was a _Huguenot_, yet he was a perfect honest Man, strictly just, and extremely devout. He wou'd not suffer a Day to pa.s.s over his Head without Publick Prayers on Board, every Morning and Evening, which were perform'd with great Zeal and Edification by _Peter du Quesne_, a young Student in Divinity, with whom, I can truly say, for my own part, I was so affected, that I immediately conceiv'd an Esteem for him, and that I had not been in his Company a Fortnight, but the Veneration, which the Monks had impress'd me with for the holy Men and Women in Paradise, was very much abated; but as ill Luck would have it, the Benefit I receiv'd from the wholsom Lectures of this agreeable Companion, was of no long Duration.

Twenty-seven Days after our Departure, when we were off of _Cape Finisterre_, we perceiv'd that our Ship took in much more Water than ordinary. The Carpenters, who were never idle, were as diligent as possible to find out the Cause of this Disaster; but notwithstanding all their Care, and the plying of the Pumps Day and Night, they were never the nearer, and at the end of Thirty-six Hours the Water was risen to such a Height, that it run out at the Port-Holes. The Captain seeing there was no Remedy, order'd us to put to Sea in the two Long-Boats, without taking any thing with us but our Money, of which we had not much.

M. _Le Sage_ was still on Board, with the Master, the Pilots, and four other young Gentlemen, who were only making a Voyage of Pleasure, when the Ship sunk to the bottom like a Stone. Tho'

they were prepar'd for the Event, yet they were intangled in one another; but as we were at hand, we gave them all the a.s.sistance in our Power, and had only the Misfortune to lose one of those four Lads, _Colombier_, a young Gentleman of _Picardy_, who was scarce Fifteen Years of Age.

We were oblig'd to be as easy as possible under our Loss, and to consider what Course to steer next; for tho' we had try'd to make to Land for above two Days, yet the Wind, which was at S.E.