gayny

Updated: June 7, 2025

While crossing a river by the bole of a fallen tree, the man Bowman "a weakly Man, a Taylor by Trade," slipped into the current, and was carried off, with "400 Pieces of Eight" in his satchel. He was luckier than poor Gayny, for he contrived to get out. In time they reached the North Sea, and came to La Sounds Key, according to the prophecy of an Indian wizard.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.

All hands soon forgot poor Gayny, for they came across a plantain walk in a clearing, and made a good breakfast, and stripped it of every fruit. They dismissed their guide here, with the gift of an axe head, and hired an old Indian to guide them farther towards the North Sea. The next day they reckoned themselves out of danger, and set forth cheerily.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.

He was carried down, and swept out of sight "and never seen more by us." "This put a period to that contrivance," adds Dampier grimly. As they had no wish to emulate poor Gayny, they sought about "for a Tree to fell across the River." They cut it down, as soon as they had found it, "and it reached clean over." The goods and pirates were then crossed in safety.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.

The check threw Gayny on his back, "and he that had the Line in his hand," instead of slacking away, or hauling in, so as to bring Gayny ashore, "threw it all into the River after him, thinking he might recover himself." The stream was running down with great fierceness. Gayny had a bag of 300 dollars on his back, and this bag, with the weight of the line, dragged him under.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.

"One George Gayny took the end of a Line and made it fast about his Neck, and left the other end ashore, and one Man stood by the Line, to clear it away to him." When Gayny was about half way across, the line, which was kinky with the wet, got entangled. The man who was lighting it out checked it a moment to take out the kink, or to clear it.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.

On their way, they had come upon George Gayny "lying dead in a Creek where the Eddy had driven him ashore," "with the Rope twisted about him, and his Money at his Neck." They left the body where it lay, with its sack of silver dollars for which the poor man had come so far, and suffered so bitterly.

John Masefield - On the Spanish Main: Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.