But my Thoughts were a little suspended，when I had a serious Discourse with the Spaniard，and when I understood that there were sixteen more of his Countrymen and Portuguese，who having been cast away，and made their Escape to that Side，liv'd there at Peace indeed with the Savages，but were very sore put to it for Necessaries，and indeed for Life：I ask'd him all the Particulars of their Voyage，and found they were a Spanish Ship bound from the Rio de la Plata to the Havana，being directed to leave their Loading there，which was chiefly Hides and Silver，and to bring back what European Goods they could meet with there；that they had five Portuguese Seamen on Board，who they took out of another Wreck；that five of their own Men were drowned when the first Ship was lost，and that these escaped thro' infinite Dangers and Hazards，and arriv'd almost starv'd on the Cannibal Coast，where they expected to have been devour'd every Moment.
He told me，they had some Arms with them，but they were perfectly useless，for that they had neither Powder or Ball，the Washing of the Sea having spoil'd all their Powder but a little，which they used at their first Landing to provide themselves some Food.
I ask'd him what he thought would become of them there，and if they had form'd no Design of making any Escape？ He said，They had many Consultations about it，but that having neither Vessel，or Tools to build one，or Provisions of any kind，their Councils always ended in Tears and Despair.
I ask'd him how he thought they would receive a Proposal from me，which might tend towards an Escape？ And whether，if they were all here，it might not be done？ I told him with Freedom，I fear'd mostly their Treachery and ill Usage of me，if I put my Life in their Hands；for that Gratitude was no inherent Virtue in the Nature of Man；nor did Men always square their Dealings by the Obligations they had receiv'd，So much as they did by the Advantages they expected. I told him it would be very hard，that I should be the Instrument of their Deliverance，and that they should afterwards make me their Prisoner in New Spain，where an English Man was certain to be made a Sacrifice，what Necessity，or what Accident soever，brought him thither：And that I had rather be deliver'd up to the Savages，and be devour'd alive，than fall into the merciless Claws of the Priests，and be carry'd into the Inquisition. I added，That otherwise I was perswaded，if they were all here，we might，with so many Hands，build a Bark large enough to carry us all away，either to the Brasils South-ward，or to the Islands or Spanish Coast North-ward：But that if in Requital they should，when I had put Weapons into their Hands，catty me by Force among their own People，I might be ill used for my Kindness to them，and make my Case worse than it was before.