Letter to Colonel William Helyar 

Unedited Transcription of Ms. Letter

Minimally Edited for Clarity

Hon^rd Sir

    When I write my first Letter
to you being within A short while after my
arivance into this Country I thought my Critticall
yeares had ben past & began to perswade my selfe
into A beleife of A future fortune by my present
Condition which then seemed very happy by reason
of the faire promises you made mee in England which
I thought had been allready verified or at least not to
be doubted because according to your orders I
was so well recieved by Mr. Whaley so wellcume to
him soe gratious in his Eyes that I thought my
selfe moste happy but this was to sweet to holde
for Ever I was nipt in my bud & before I was
well awake out of this pleasant dream I found my
selfe: like one lead by an Ignis fatuus just ready
to enter into his houin his thoughts
to enter into his house ^ when the false light leaves
him & he findes himselfe either in A great pond of
water or falling down sum deep precipice ready to
breake his neck. Sir I am sorry I should make A
recitall of my adventures heer but seeing I was
so credulous to believe your words & came ove on
your account I that my selfe bound to give you
som relation of what has past betwext Mr. Wahl
& my selfe After I had ben some fower moneths
in the Island I was urged by Mr. Whaley to agree with
him by the yeare which I was very willing to doe but
he saw into what A condition I was reduced proff
me soe little that I was ashamd of my selfe but
at last he brought me to 12 li p An: which will scarce
buy Cloaths in this Country he tould me the planta=
tion yet neded none to keepe accounts but himselfe &
hee had dun it hetherto & was still able to doe it but
I know how things ar Carryed at home when hee
is A week at A time at town sometimes in busines
& sometimes for his pleasure but so soone as he
thought hee had got mee under his lash he thou-
ght on nothing but how to abuse me for either
his Jelosy seeing me so dilligent or some other
so ill affected as himselfe put into his Jelous
pate that I came over to oversee his actions but
I will venture any one that comes over hither to
know any thing of either of your concerns for hee
does all things heer in his own name.

Honored Sir

When I wrote my first letter
to you shortly after my
arrival in this country, I thought my critical
years had passed, and I began to persuade myself
into a belief of a future fortune. My present
condition then seemed very happy, by reason
of the fair promises you made to me in England, which
I thought had been already verified, or at least not to
be doubted, because according to your orders I
was so well received by Mr. Whaley; so welcome to
him, so gracious in his eyes that I thought myself
most happy. But this was too sweet to hold
forever, and I was nipped in my bud. Before I was
fully awakened out of this pleasant dream I found myself
like one lead by an Ignis fatuus [foolish light], ready
to enter into his houin his thoughts.
to enter into his house ^ When the false light leaves
him, he finds himself either in a great pond of
water,or falling down some deep precipice, ready to
break his neck. Sir, I am sorry that I should make a
recital of my adventures here, but seeing that I was
so credulous to believe your words, and came over on
your account, I thought myself bound to give you
some relation of what passed between Mr. Whal[ey]
and myself. After I had been some four months
in the island I was urged by Mr. Whaley to agree with
him by the year, which I was willing to do. But
he saw into what a condition I was reduced, [and] proff[ered]
me so little that I was ashamed of myself. But
at last he brought me to £12 per annum, which will scarce
buy clothes in this country. He told me the planta-
tion needed none to keep its accounts but himself, and
he had done it hitherto and was still able to do it, but
I know how things are carried at home when he
is a week at a time in town, sometimes on business
and sometimes for his pleasure. But as soon as he
thought he had me under his lash, he thought
of nothing but how to abuse me, for either
his jealousy seeing me so dilligent, or some other [person]
so ill-affected as himself put it into his jealous
head that I had come here to oversee his actions.
I will venture anyone who comes here to
know anything about either of your concerns, for he
put all things here in his own name.

name   Sir I wish hee may prove honest to you but I assure
you hee has an Ill name heere & I have boath seen & found
it experienst on my selfe but Sir it is neither my business nor
Intent to strive to sett you two at variance only to lett you see
how he strives to abuse me & those that you seem to have
a particular respect for; after severall abuses I receved
from him & being not able longer to live in thraldume which
I alwas hated I desired A discharge frome him hee soon granted
me that favour but thought I would not have taken
him at his word as imagining I could not live else wher
but when he found his thoughts deceived him he began to
flatter me & seeing that availd not he began to reaproch
me in all places where he came telling that I could neither
write nor cast account & hindered me of severall good places
that I might have had thus you see sir how I have ben abused
for my credulity A whole 12 moneths is spent in running
over and in your service & I have got but 30s for ye first
4 or 5 moneths he cut ofe which I had nothing for; all
thoug my dilligence was as great as could possible bee ye
xxxxxx rest of ye time I served him was but shorte but
toe long to serve for nothing for I was forced to buy my
selfe victualls or goe without I confess he is saveing
enough at home but how he is abroad I know not but
great charges and expences that man is at that lyefrom
great charges & expences that man is at that lyes ^ home
which he doest xx very often & it would be more com-
mendable to keep A better howse at home and & lessen
his Expenses abroad: Sir although I have little thoughts
hopes to better my fortune heer the respect I
owe you engages me to stay and know your plea-
sure before I returne for England I am willing to
serve you but not to be a slave therefore if you think
it convenient that I should serve you heer you must
not forgett to send me over A larger Commission
then I brought with me otherwayes your Expectations
will be naive, or if you send any other in my place
to act any thing for you; you must bee sure to lett
him have as good A commission to act heer in your
name as Mr. Whaley does his in his; but I question if
you come your selfe wheather or no you can put your
business into so good an order as you might expect seing Mr. Wha
buyes sells & does all in his own name & except his volun-
tary consent forwards your designes more than I can foresee
the Custome of the Country will allow you but A small recu-
mpence for all ye expenses & trouble you have ben at

name. Sir, I wish he may prove honest to you, but I assure
you he has an ill name here, as I have both seen
and experienced for myself. But Sir, it is neither my business nor
intent to strive to set you two at variance, only to let you see
how he strives to abuse me and those that you seem to have
a particular respect for. After several abuses I received
from him, and being not able longer to live in thraldom, which
I always hated, I desired a discharge from him. He soon granted
me that favor, but thought I would not have taken
him at his word. He imagined I could not live elsewhere,
but when he found his thoughts deceived him, he began to
flatter me, and seeing that it availed not, he began to reproach
me in all places were he went, saying that I could neither
write nor cast accounts, and he hindered me of several good places
that I might have had. Thus, you see Sir, how I have been abused
for my credulity. I have spent a whole 12 months in running
over and in your service, and I have got but 30 shillings. For the first
four or five months he cut of which I had nothing for, al-
though my dilligence was as great as it could possibly be. The
rest of the time I served him was but short, but
too long to serve for nothing, for I was forced to buy my-
self victuals or go without. I confess he is saving
enough at home, but how he is abroad I know not but
great charges and expenses that [the] man is at that lyefrom
great charges and expenses that [the] man is at that lyes ^ the house,
which he does very often and it would be more com-
mendable to keep a better house at home, and lessen
his expenses abroad. Sir, although I have little
hopes to better my fortune here, the respect I
owe you engages me to stay and know your pleas-
ure before I return to England. I am willing to
serve you, but not to be a slave. Therefore, if you think
it convenient that I should serve you here you
must not forget to send me over a larger commission
then I brought with me, otherwise your expectations
will be naive. Or if you send any other in my place
to do anything for you, you must be sure to let
him have as good a commission to act here in your
name as Mr. Whaley does in his. But I question if
you came yourself whether or not you can put your
business into as good an order as you might expect, seeing Mr. Wha[ley]
buys, sells, and does all in his own name, and except his volun-
tary consent forwards your designs more than I can foresee.
The customs of the country will allow you but a small re-
compense for all the expense and trouble you have been at.

ben at: when I parted from Mr. Whaley he imagined I
would have gon for England & strived all that hee
could to stop me heer I know not his meaning in it
but I shrewdly gess hee meant no good towards you
if hee dyes I know not who will looke after your
concerns yet he tould me hee could trust enough
with it but I wish heartely your sonn were cap-
able of undertakeing your business heer & I think
you will be forced to send him sooner then and you
thought for your owne security you have noe better
lease of your life then other men & if you should
dye before your sonn is settled heer (which god
forbid your Children will not bee much ye better
for any thing heer So wishing you may live to finde
ye fruits of your Labours & Laying out heer
with ye enioyment of your health and prospirity in
all your domestick & forraigne Affaires I beg your
worships favour to subscribe my selfe
Your humble Servant Willi Dampyer*

* Note the writer's abbreviated first name
and distinctive spelling of his own last name.

been at: When I parted from Mr. Whaley he imagined I
would have gone for England, and strived all that he
could to stop me here. I know not his meaning in it,
but I shrewdly guess he meant no good towards you.
If he dies I know not who will look after your
concerns yet he told me he could [be] trust[ed] enough
with it. But I wish heartily your son was capable
of undertaking your business here, and I think
you will be forced to send him sooner than you
thought for your own security. You have no better
lease of your life than other men, and if you should
die before your son is settled here (which god
forbid), your children will not be much the better
for anything here. So, wishing you may live to find
the fruits of your labors and laying out here
with the enjoyment of your health and prosperity in
all your domestic and foreign affairs, I beg your
worship's favor to subscribe myself,
Your humble Servant, William Dampier

Jamaica, January ye
13 - 1674 Wm Whaley*

Jamaica, January the
13 - 1674/5 * Wm Whaley

* In Voyages and Descriptions (part 2, p. 4), Dampier writes that he left England “… in the beginning of the year 1674.” The above letter was written about one year later, and therefore the 1674 date indicates the year 1674/5 old style; that is, 1675.

Sr
I might Easely have intercepted this letter but
thought it not worth my trouble ther being no-
thing in it but a parcel of Storey and lyes, and any
man may see that it Saviors more of Spight than
realety, and had it bin intercepted it might have
caused wors thought of mee, and therefore to leet
you see yt I am not at all in Clinded yt way
yt he would figier to you I here in Closed it.

Sir
I might easily have intercepted this letter, but
thought it not worth my trouble, there being nothing
in it but a parcel of stories and lies, and any
man may see that it savors more of spite than
reality, and had it been intercepted it might have
caused worse thought of me, and therefore to let
you see that I am not at all inclined that way
that he would figure to you, I here enclosed it.