Elzevir exchanged a few words with the captain, and gave him the
landlord's letter, and after that they let us come on board, but said
nothing to us. We judged that we were best out of the way, so went below;
and finding her laden deep, and even the cabin full of bales of wool,
flung ourselves on them to rest. I was so tired and heavy with sleep that
my eyes closed almost before I was lain down, and never opened till the
next morning was well advanced.
I shall not say anything about our voyage, nor how we came safe to
Scheveningen, because it has little to do with this story. Elzevir had
settled that we should go to Holland, not only because the couper was
waiting to sail thither for we might doubtless have found other boats
before long to take us elsewhere--but also because he had learned at
Newport that the Hague was the first market in the world for diamonds.
This he told me after we were safe housed in a little tavern in the town,
which was frequented by seamen, but those of the better class, such as
mates and skippers of small vessels. Here we lay for several days while
Elzevir made such inquiry as he could without waking suspicion as to who
were the best dealers in precious stones, and the most able to pay a good
price for a valuable jewel. It was lucky, too, for us that Elzevir could
speak the Dutch language--not well indeed, but enough to make himself
understood, and to understand others.
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