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diff --git a/38633-h/38633-h.htm b/38633-h/38633-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05f526e --- /dev/null +++ b/38633-h/38633-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9543 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Monarchs of the Main, Volume III (of 3), by Walter Thornbury</title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover3.png" /> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +.p6 {margin-top: 6em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%} + +.pagenum { + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + display: inline; + right: 3%; + font-size: x-small; + text-align: right; + color: #808080; + font-style: normal; + border: 1px solid silver; + padding: 1px 4px 1px 4px; + font-variant: normal; + font-weight: normal; + text-decoration: none; + text-indent: 0em; + } + +.tocnum { + position: absolute; + display: inline; + right: 10%; + text-align: right; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Monarchs of the Main, Volume III (of 3), +by Walter Thornbury</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Monarchs of the Main, Volume III (of 3)</p> +<p> Or, Adventures of the Buccaneers</p> +<p>Author: Walter Thornbury</p> +<p>Release Date: January 21, 2012 [eBook #38633]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MONARCHS OF THE MAIN, VOLUME III (OF 3)***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Adam Buchbinder, Rory OConor,<br /> + and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from scanned images of public domain material<br /> + generously made available by<br /> + the Google Books Library Project<br /> + (<a href="http://books.google.com/">http://books.google.com/</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Project Gutenberg has the other two volumes of this work.<br /> + <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38631/38631-h/38631-h.htm">Volume I</a>: see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38631/38631-h/38631-h.htm<br /> + <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38632/38632-h/38632-h.htm">Volume II</a>: see http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38632/38632-h/38632-h.htm<br /> + <br /> + Images of the original pages are available through + the the Google Books Library Project. See + <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=FyYCAAAAYAAJ&id"> + http://books.google.com/books?vid=FyYCAAAAYAAJ&id</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i"></a></span></p> + +<h1><small>THE</small><br /> + +MONARCHS OF THE MAIN;<br /> + +<small>OR,</small><br /> + +ADVENTURES OF THE BUCCANEERS.</h1> + +<h3><small>BY</small><br /> + +GEORGE W. THORNBURY, ESQ.</h3> + +<p class="center">"One foot on sea and one on shore,<br /> +To one thing constant never."<br /> + +<span class="smcap">Much Ado about Nothing.</span></p> + +<p class="center">IN THREE VOLUMES.</p> +<h1><small>VOL. III.</small></h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> + +HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,<br /> +SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,<br /> +13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.<br /> +1855.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii"></a></span></p> + + +<p class="center p6">LONDON: SERCOMBE AND JACK, 16 GREAT WINDMILL STREET. +</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">iii</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CONTENTS_OF_VOL_III" id="CONTENTS_OF_VOL_III"></a>CONTENTS OF VOL. III.</h2> + +<p><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.—RAVENAU DE LUSSAN.</a></p> + +<p>As a young French Officer joins De Graff, at St. +Domingo—Cruises round Carthagena—Crosses the +Isthmus—Hardships—Joins the Buccaneer Fleet—Grogniet, +the French Captain—Previous history of his +Life—Fight with Greek mercenaries on the island—Take +La Seppa—Engagement off Panama—Take Puebla +Nueva—Separate from English—Capture Leon—Sack +Chiriquita—Burn Granada—Storm Villia—Surprised +by river ambuscade—Treachery of Greek spy—Capture +vessels—Behead Spanish prisoners—Letter of Spanish +President—Burning of the Savannahs—Quarrel between +French and English—Attack on Quayaquilla—Love +adventure of De Lussan—Retreat of French Buccaneers +by land over the Isthmus of Darien—Passage +from North to South Pacific—Great danger—Pass +between the mountains—Daring stratagem of De Lussan—Escape—The +river of the torrents—Rafts—Arrives at +St. Domingo <span class="tocnum">1</span></p> + +<p><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.—THE LAST OF THE BROTHERHOOD.</a></p> + +<p>Sieur de Montauban—Cruises on the coast of Guinea—Captures +English man-of-war—Escape from explosion—Life +with the negro king—Laurence de Graff—His +victories—Enters the French service—Treachery—Buccaneers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">iv</a></span> +join in French expedition and take +Carthagena—Buccaneer marksmen—Robbed of spoil—Return +and retake the city—Capture by English and +Dutch fleets, 1698—Buccaneers wrecked with D'Estrees—Grammont +takes Santiago—Captures Maracaibo, +Gibraltar, and Torilla—Lands at Cumana—Enters the +French service—Lost in a farewell cruise <span class="tocnum">105</span></p> + +<p><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.—DESTRUCTION OF THE FLOATING EMPIRE.</a></p> + +<p>Peace of Ryswick—Attempts to settle the Buccaneers +as planters—They turn pirates—Blackbeard and Paul +Jones—Last expedition to the Darien mines, 1702 <span class="tocnum">157</span></p> + +<p><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.—THE PIRATES OF NEW PROVIDENCE AND THE KINGS OF MADAGASCAR.</a></p> + +<p>Laws and dress—Government—Blackbeard—His +enormities—Captain Avery and the great Mogul—Davis—Lowther—Low—Roberts—Major +Bonnet—Captain +Gow—The Guinea coast—Narratives of pirate prisoners—Sequel <span class="tocnum">163</span></p> + +<p><a href="#CHIEF_AUTHORITIES">List of Authorities.</a></p> + +<p><a href="#LIST_OF_BUCCANEER_CHIEFS">Buccaneer Chiefs.</a></p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">1</a></span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="MONARCHS_OF_THE_MAIN" id="MONARCHS_OF_THE_MAIN"></a>MONARCHS OF THE MAIN.</h2> + +<hr class="chap" /> + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.<br /> + +<small>RAVENAU DE LUSSAN.</small></h2> + +<blockquote><p>Joins De Graff—Cruises round Carthagena—Crosses the +Isthmus—Hardships—Joins Buccaneer fleet—Grogniet—Previous +history of the vessels—Fight with +Greek mercenaries—Take La Seppa—Engagement off +Panama—Take Puebla Nueva—Separate from English—Take +Leon—Take Chiriquita—Take Granada—Capture +Villia—Surprised by ambuscade—Treachery +of Greek spy—Capture vessels—Behead prisoners—Burn +the savannahs—Quarrel between French and +English—Take Guayaquil—Love adventure of De +Lussan—Retreat by land from North to South Pacific—Daring +stratagem of De Lussan—Escape—River +and torrents—Rafts—Arrive at St. Domingo.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>For the cruises of Grogniet we are indebted +to the pages of Ravenau de Lussan,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">2</a></span> +a young soldier, as brave and as sagacious +as Xenophon.</p> + +<p>On the 22nd of November, 1684, Ravenau +de Lussan departed from Petit Guaves with +a crew of 120 adventurers, on board of a +prize lately taken near Carthagena by Captain +Laurence de Graff. Their intention +was to join themselves to a Buccaneer fleet +then cruising near Havannah. They had +hitherto acted as convoy to the Lieutenant-General +and the Intendant of the French +colonies, who were afraid of being attacked +by the Spanish piraguas. Soon after descrying +the mainland, they were hailed by a +French tartane, who, not believing that they +were of his own nation, or had a commission +from the Count of Tholouse, the Lord High +Admiral of France, gave them two guns and +commanded them to strike. The Buccaneers, +thinking they had met a Spaniard, knocked +out the head of two barrels of powder, intending +to burn themselves and blow up the +vessel, rather than be cruelly tortured and +hung at the yard-arm with their commissions +round their necks. A signal, however, discovered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">3</a></span> +the mistake, and they were soon +after joined by the vessels they sought. One +of these was the <i>Mutinous</i>, formerly the +<i>Peace</i>, commanded by Captain Michael Landresson, +and carried fifty guns. The other +was the <i>Neptune</i>, formerly the <i>St. Francis</i>, +and carried forty-four guns. They had both +been Spanish armadillas, had sallied out +of Carthagena to take Captain De Graff, +Michael, Quet, and Le Sage, and were +themselves captured before the very walls. +The four other boats belonged to Rose Vigneron, +La Garde, and an "English traitor +from Jamaica." They were then watching for +the patache of Margarita, and a squadron of +Spanish ships.</p> + +<p>At Curaçoa they sent a boat ashore to ask +leave to land and remast Laurence de Graff's +vessel that had suffered in a hurricane, but +were refused, although they showed their +commission, and the men who landed were +required to leave their swords at the gate. +At Santa Cruz they saluted the fort, and +the governor, finding 200 of them roaming +about the town, commanded them by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">4</a></span> +drum-beat to return to their ships, offering +them two shallops for two pieces of eight a +man to take them to their ships, but refusing +to let them walk through the island. They +found the reason of this was that Michael and +Laurence's ships had lately taken 200,000 +pieces of eight in two Dutch ships near the +Havannah. This the freebooters did not +touch, being at peace with Holland, but the +sailors had stolen it and laid it to the French.</p> + +<p>Arriving at Cape La Vella, they placed +fifteen sentinels to watch for the patache, +and sent a boat to the La Hache river to obtain +prisoners, but, in spite of various stratagems, +failed in the attempt. A dispute now +arose among the crews, who were weary of +waiting for the patache, such disputes invariably +breaking out in all seasons of misfortune, +when union was more than usually +necessary.</p> + +<p>Laurence de Graff, whom they accused of +fraud, sailed at once for St. Domingo, followed +by eighty-seven men in the prize, and +Ravenau accompanied Captain Rose and Captain +Michael to Carthagena, where they captured<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">5</a></span> +seven piraguas laden with maize. From +the prisoners they heard that two galleons +lay in the port, that the fleet was at Porto +Bello, and that some ships were about to set +out. Soon after this, finding themselves separated +from Captain Rose and Michael, Ravenau +determined to cross over the continent +and get into the South Sea, as he heard +a previous expedition some months before +had done.</p> + +<p>Near Cape Matance a remarkable adventure +happened. A Spanish soldier, belonging +to the galleons, who had been taken in +one of the maize vessels, although treated +with every kindness, attempted to drown +himself by throwing himself into the sea; +his body, however, floated on its back, +although he did all he could to drown, till at +last, refusing the tackle thrown him from very +compassion, he turned himself upon his face, +and sank to the bottom. On landing at +Golden Island and fixing a flag to warn the +Indians, they saw a pennon hoisted upon the +shore, and discovered it to belong to three of +Captain Grogniet's men, who had refused to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">6</a></span> +follow the expedition, which had just started +for the South Sea. Some Indians soon after +brought them letters left for the first freebooters +who should land, announcing that +Grogniet and 170 men had gone into the +South Sea, and that 115 Englishmen had +preceded them. Soon after Michael and +Rose, pursuing a Spanish vessel from Santiago +to Carthagena, came in to water, and +many of the crew resolved to join their +march. 118 men left Michael, and the whole +sixty-four of Rose's crew, reimbursing the +owners, burnt their vessel and joined them. +Ravenau's ship was left in the care of Captain +Michael, and the united 264 men now +encamped on shore.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, March 1st, 1685, after recommending +themselves to the Almighty's protection, +the expedition set out under the +command of Captains Rose, Picard, and +Desmarais, with two Indian guides and forty +Indian porters.</p> + +<p>The country proved so rugged that they +could only travel three leagues a day; it was +full of mountains, precipices, and impenetrable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">7</a></span> +forests. Great rains fell, and increased +the hardship of the journey, and the weight +of their arms and ammunition clogged them +in ascending the precipices. On descending +into the plain, which, though pathless, appeared +smooth and level, they found they +had to cross the same river forty-four times +in the space of only two leagues, and this +upon dangerous and slippery rocks. Arriving +next day at an Indian caravansery, they +remained some time shooting deer, monkeys, +and wild hogs, flame-coloured birds, wild +pheasants, and partridges that abounded in the +woods. At length, after six days of painful +and wearisome travel, the Buccaneers reached +the Bocca del Chica river, that empties itself +in the South Sea. Here, guided by the Indians, +they fell to work making canoes, and +bartered knives, needles, and hatchets, with +the savages, for maize, potatoes, and bananas. +Though well assured that their march had +been impossible but for the friendliness of +these savages, they still kept on their guard, +fearing treachery. "They had," says Ravenau, +with a pious sigh of pity, "no sign<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">8</a></span> +of religion or of the knowledge of God +amongst them, holding that they have communion +with the devil," and, indeed, as he +declares, after spending solitary nights in +the woods, often foretelling events to the +Frenchmen, that came true to the minutest +detail.</p> + +<p>Just as they had finished making their +canoes, Lussan heard that the English expedition, +under Captain Townley, had captured +two provision vessels from Lima, and soon +after one of Grogniet's men, who had been +lost while hunting, joined them. Hearing +that Grogniet awaited them at King's Islands, +before he attacked the Peru fleet, they started +on the 1st of April in fourteen canoes, with +twenty oars a piece, and with a score of Indian +guides, who were sanguine of plunder. On +the fourth they halted for stragglers, and +mended their canoes, much injured by the +rocks and flats of the river. In some places +they were even forced to carry their boats, +or to drag them over fallen trees that +blocked the deeper parts by the flood. Several +men died, and many were seized with painful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">9</a></span> +diseases, produced by hard food and immersion +in the water. They were now reduced +to a handful of raw maize a day.</p> + +<p>From some Indians sent forward to meet +them, they heard that provisions awaited +them at some distance, and that 1000 Spaniards +had prepared an ambuscade on the +river's banks. This, however, they avoided, +by stirring only at dark, and then without +noise. Surprised one night by the tide, the +canoes were driven swiftly down the river, +and some of them upset against a snag; +the men were saved, but the arms and ammunition +were lost. On approaching the +Indian ambuscade at Lestocada, they placed +their canoes one in the other, and telling the +sentinels that they were Indian boats, bringing +salt into the South Sea, escaped unhurt. +On the 12th it grew so dark that the rowers +could hardly see each other, and the heavy +rain filled the boat so dangerously as to require +two men to bale perpetually. At midnight +they entered shouting into the South +Sea, and found the provisions awaiting them +at Bocca Chica, together with two barks to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">10</a></span> +bring them to the fleet. Resting for a day +or two, they repaired to the King's Islands +to await the ships. These mountainous islands +were the stronghold of Maroon negroes.</p> + +<p>On the 22nd, Easter Day, the fleet arrived. +It consisted of ten vessels, Captain David's +frigate of thirty-six guns, Captain Samms, +vice-admiral, with sixteen guns, Captain +Townley, with two ships; Captain Grogniet, +Captain Brandy, and Captain Peter Henry +had also each a vessel, and the two small +barks were commanded by quartermasters. +Except Grogniet, who was a Frenchman, and +David, who was a Fleming, the rest were all +Englishmen. Their total force amounted to +the number of 1100.</p> + +<p>Of the different vessels, Ravenau gives the +following laudatory account. The admiral's +belonged to the English, who, at St. Domingo, +had surprised a long bark, commanded by +Captain Tristan, a Frenchman, while waiting +for a wind. They took next a Dutch +ship, and, changing vessels, went and made +several prizes on the coast of Guinea, and, at +Castres capturing a vessel from Hamburg,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span> +joined this expedition. They were, Ravenau +declared, little better than pirates, attacking +even, their own countrymen, which no true +Buccaneer ever did. They had, a short time +before, been chastised by a frigate, who, +giving them a broadside and a volley of small +shot, killed their captain and twenty men.</p> + +<p>The vice-admiral's was a vessel they had +forced to join them, and had lately taken +a ship called the <i>Sainte Rose</i>, laden with corn +and wine, bound from Truxillo to Panama, +and this vessel Davis gave to the French. +The others were all prizes captured in the +South seas.</p> + +<p>The holy alliance soon after took an advice +boat that was carrying letters from Madrid +to Panama, and despatches from the viceroy +of Peru; but both the captain and pilot were +bound by an oath rather to die than deliver +up their packets or divulge any secret, and +had thrown overboard the rolls as well as a +casket of jewels. On the same evening 500 +men, in twenty-two canoes, embarked to take +La Seppa, a small town seven leagues to windward, +of Panama. The next day, early in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span> +morning, two armed piraguas, manned with +Spanish mercenaries, seeing some of the Buccaneer +canoes and forty-six men approaching +them, ran ashore on an island in the bay and +prepared to defend themselves. These troops +were composed of all nations, and had been +sent to defend this coast. One of the "Greek" +boats split on the beach. The other the +Buccaneers took, but the fugitives, planting +their flag of defiance on a rising ground, +fought desperately, and compelled the freebooters +to land on another part of the island +and take them in the rear. After an hour's +conflict they fled into the woods, leaving +thirty-five men dead round their colours and +two prisoners.</p> + +<p>The attack upon La Seppa proved a failure, +for the Sea Rovers had to row two leagues up +a river, where they were soon discovered by +the sentinels. Yet for all this they fell +furiously on, and took it with the loss of +only one man; but the booty proved inconsiderable.</p> + +<p>The fleet now anchored at the beautiful +islands called the Gardens of Panama. All<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span> +the rich merchants of the city had pleasure-houses +here surrounded by rich orchards and +arbours of jessamine, and watered by rills +and streams. The hungry sailors revelled +in the fruits, and reaped plentiful harvests of +maize and rice, which Ravenau says "the +Spaniards, I believe, did not sow with an intention +they should enjoy."</p> + +<p>On the 8th of May they passed the old and +new towns of Panama in bravado with colours +and streamers flying, anchored at Tavoga, +another island of pleasure. Having caulked +their ships, they sent out a long bark as a +scout, and arranged a plan of attacking the +Spanish fleet. Davis and Grogniet were to +board the admiral; Samms and Brandy the +vice-admiral; and Henry and Townley the patache; +while the armed piraguas would hover +about and keep off the enemy's fire-ships. The +next day they put ashore forty prisoners at +Tavoga; and the same day, the sound of +cannon, which they could not account for, announced +the unobserved arrival of the Spanish +fleet at Panama. The whole Buccaneer +squadron, expecting a battle soon, took the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span> +usual oath that they would not wrong one +another to the value of a piece of eight, if +God was pleased to give them the victory +over the Spaniard.</p> + +<p>They had scarcely discovered from a Spanish +prisoner that the fleet had actually arrived, +and was careening and remanning before they +ventured out, when Captain Grogniet, raising +his flag seven times, gave notice to make +quickly ready. The Buccaneers doubled the +point of the island where they had anchored, +and saw seven great vessels bearing down +upon them with a bloody flag to the stern +and a royal one at their masts. The Frenchmen, +mad with joy at the prospect of such +prizes, and thinking them already their own, +threw their hats into the sea for joy. It +was now noon. The rest of the day was +spent by both fleets in trying to obtain the +weather-gauge, and at sunset they exchanged +a broadside. In the night a floating lanthorn +deceived the Buccaneers, and in the morning +they found themselves all still to leeward, +with the exception of two vessels which had +no guns. Although terribly mauled by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span> +Spanish shot, the English admiral and vice-admiral +resolved to die fighting rather than +let one vessel be taken, although both being +good sailors they might have at once saved +themselves. The Spaniards, refusing to board, +battered them safely at a distance, and prevented +Grogniet from joining them, while +Peter Henry's ship, having received more +than 120 cannon shot, sheered off and was +taken by two piraguas.</p> + +<p>The long bark, sorely handled, was deserted +by her crew, who threw their guns overboard +and left the Spanish prisoners to shift +for themselves. These wretches attempted +to rejoin their countrymen; but the Spanish +admiral, mistaking them for enemies, sank +them with his cannon.</p> + +<p>Peter Henry's vessel reached the isle of +St. John de Cueblo, twenty-four leagues from +Panama, with five feet of water in the hold, +and having repaired, rejoined his fleet in +about a fortnight. They found that Captain +Davis had been hard plied, having received +two shots in his rudder, and six of his men +were wounded, but only one killed. Captain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span> +Samms had been no less put to it. His poop +was half swept off, and he had received +several shots between wind and water. He +had had three men wounded, and his mate +had had his head carried off by a cannon +ball. The smaller vessels had lost no men, +but had a few wounded. The Spanish admiral, +they found, had carried 56 guns, the vice-admiral +40, the patache 28, and the conserve +18. The fire-ships had also been +mounted with cannon to conceal their real +purpose. On considering the disparity of +force, and the little loss his companions +received, Ravenau seems to have no doubt +that if they could have intercepted the +Spaniards before they entered Panama, and +could have got the weather-gauge of them, he +should have returned through the straits with +wealth enough to have lived all his life at +ease, and have escaped three more years of +danger and fatigue.</p> + +<p>Not the least discouraged by this repulse, +the freebooters landed 300 men, from five +canoes, to surprise the town of Puebla +Nueva. Rowing two leagues up a very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span> +fine river, they captured one sentinel, but +another escaped and gave the alarm. They +found the place deserted, but took a ship on +their way back.</p> + +<p>A quarrel broke out here between the +French and the English. The latter, superior +in numbers, would have taken Grogniet's ship +away, and given it to Townley, had not the +Frenchmen put on a determined front. Refusing +to acknowledge this assumption of +dominion, 130 of them banded themselves +apart, and Grogniet's crew made them altogether +330 in number.</p> + +<p>"Besides national animosity, one of the +chief reasons," says Lussan, "that made us +disagree was their impiety against our religion, +for they made no scruple when they +got into a church to cut down the arms of a +crucifix with their sabres, or to shoot them +down with their fusils and pistols, bruising +and maiming the images of the saints with +the same weapons, in derision to the adoration +we Frenchmen paid unto them. And it +was chiefly from these horrid disorders that +the Spaniards equally hated us all, as we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span> +came to understand by divers of their letters +that fell into our hands." We have no doubt +at all that, but for these "horrible disorders," +the Spaniards would have considered the +death of their children and the loss of their +money as real compliments.</p> + +<p>Returning to the isle of St. John, both +nations in separate encampments began to +cut down acajou trees to hollow into canoes +in place of those they had lost in the fight.</p> + +<p>These trees were so large that one trunk +would hold eighty men. Afraid of the English, +the Frenchmen placed a sentinel in a high +tree on the sea-shore, to watch both the +camps, and also to give the signal if any +Spanish vessel approached. A Buccaneer +ship putting into the harbour, they discovered +it to be commanded by Captain Willnett. +Forty of his crew left him, and joined the +English, but eleven Frenchmen remained +with Grogniet. This vessel had just captured +a corn ship near Sansonnat, and hearing of +other brothers being on the south coast, +had set out in search of them. The Frenchmen +were now very short of food, having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span> +little powder, and not daring to waste it upon +deer and monkeys when Spaniards were at +hand, for in fifteen days the Englishmen had +eaten or driven away all the turtle. They +were reduced to an allowance of two turtle +for 330 men in forty-eight hours. Many of +the men wandering into the woods ate poisonous +fruits. Others were bitten by serpents, +and died enduring terrible pains, ignorant of +the fruit which is an antidote to such wounds. +Several were devoured by crocodiles.</p> + +<p>While in this strait, the English sent a +quartermaster to ask the French to join in an +expedition against the town of Leon, being +too weak by themselves. The wounded +vanity of the French contended with their +hunger. They knew that the English had +plenty of provisions, brought in Willnett's +ship, and thirty men, weary of fasting, left +Grogniet and joined Davis. But Ravenau's +party having but one ship asked for another, +in order that they might keep together, and +this being refused, broke off the treaty.</p> + +<p>As soon as the Leon party had embarked, +the French, commanded by Captain Grogniet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span> +also started with 120 men in five canoes, +leaving 200 in the island to build more +canoes, and join them on the continent. +Coming on the mainland to a cattle station, +and afterwards to a sugar plantation, they +took several prisoners whom they found ignorant +of the disjunction of the French and +English. Sending back a canoe with provisions +to the island, they landed again about +forty leagues to leeward of Panama, and at +cock-crowing surprised a Spanish estantia, +and took fifty prisoners, including a young +man and woman of rank who promised ransom. +These they carried to the island +Ignuana, and received the money after a fortnight's +delay.</p> + +<p>On their return to St. John's they found that +100 men had been to Puebla Nueva, and +taken the place, although discovered by the +sentinels, and had remained there two days +in spite of continual attacks. The commander +of the place had come with a trumpet +to speak to them, and inquired why, being +English, they fought under French colours. +But they, not satisfying his curiosity, fiercely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span> +told him to be gone from whence he came. +Eight of them, having strayed from the main +body, had been bravely set on by 150 +Spaniards, who killed two of them, but, with +all the advantage they had of numbers, could +not hinder the other six from recovering the +main guard, who fought and retreated with +extraordinary vigour.</p> + +<p>Once more reunited, these restless Norsemen +started to the mainland in six canoes, 140 in +number, to visit the sugar plantation near +St. Jago, where they had been before. Two +men were sent to the cattle station to obtain +the ransom of the master, whom they kept +prisoner, and others visited the sugar works +in search of some cauldrons, which they +needed; and, fired at hearing the governor of +St. Jago, with 800 men, had visited the place +since their departure, they sent to dare him +to meet them.</p> + +<p>Careening their ships and taking in water +and wood, they would at once have sailed +away, but were detained by eighteen days' +rain, during which time the sun did not once +appear. This part of the South Sea was proverbial<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span> +for continual rains, and was called by +the Spaniards "The Droppings." "These +rains," Ravenau says, "not only rotted their +sails, but produced dysentery among the men, +and bred worms, half a finger long and as +thick as a quill, between their skin and their +flesh." Soon after leaving the island they +were nearly cast away in a dreadful storm, +and were compelled to repair their shattered +sails with shirts and drawers, wherewith +they were already very indifferently provided.</p> + +<p>At Realegua, where there was a volcano +burning, they landed 100 men in four canoes, +and obtained some prisoners by surprising a +hatto. They found the English had already +taken Leon and burnt Realegua. In spite of +Spanish reinforcements from eight neighbouring +towns, they stayed at Leon three +whole days, and challenged the Spaniards to +meet them in the Race savannah. But the +Spaniards replied, they were not yet all +come together; "which means," says our +friend Ravenau, "that they were not yet six +to one." While here, one of their quartermasters, +a Catalonian by birth, fled to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span> +Spaniards, and compelled the French to abandon +a design on the town of Granada. At +Realegua six men tried to swim ashore to fill +some water casks, in spite of the Spaniards +on the beach, and one of them was drowned +in the attempt. They landed at the port, +and found the churches and houses and +three entrenchments half burnt. Surprising +the sentinels of Leon, they discovered that in +spite of a garrison of 2000 men, the inhabitants, +hearing the Buccaneers had landed, +were hiding their treasure. They soon after +put to flight a detachment of horse, and took +the captain prisoner.</p> + +<p>A few days after this 150 men left the +vessels to take a small town of Puebla +Vieja, near Realegua, which they found still +deserted. It had become the custom now +among the Spaniards, when the freebooters +had frequently taken the same place, for +the prelate to excommunicate it, and henceforward +not even to bury their dead there. +Discovered by the sentinel, the Buccaneers +found the enemy entrenched in the church of +Puebla, and about 150 horse in the market-place.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span> +A few discharges drove the horsemen +away, and the defenders of the church fled +through a door in the vestry. Staying a day +and a-half in the captured town, the freebooters +carried away all the provisions they +could find on horses and on their own backs, +taking with them a Spanish gentleman who +promised ransom. The next day a Spanish +officer brought a letter signed by the vicar-general +of the province, written by order of +the general of Costa Rica, declaring that +France and Spain were at peace and leagued +to fight the infidel, and offering them a +passage to the North Sea in his Catholic +Majesty's galleons. To this they returned a +threatening answer, and, putting thirty prisoners +ashore, proceeded to careen their ships, +the Spaniards lighting fires along the coast +as they departed.</p> + +<p>An expedition, with fifty men in three +canoes, against the town of Esparso failed, +but the hungry men killed and ate the horses +of the sentinels whom they took prisoners, +for they had now tasted hardly anything for +four days. At Caldaria they visited a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span> +bananery, and loaded their canoes with the +fruit, and at Point Borica stored their boats +with cocoa-nuts, which Ravenau takes care +to describe as nuts unknown in Europe. +Laden with gold, but nevertheless, like Midas, +starving for want of food, they landed sixty +men in three canoes and took some prisoners +at a hatto which they surrounded, but finding +they were very near Chiriquita, and a garrison +of 600 men, retreated to their ships, +forcing their way through 400 horse who +reviled them, and challenged them to revisit +the town, which they took care soon after +to do.</p> + +<p>On the 5th of January, 1686, they started +230 men in eight canoes to revisit this +place, going ashore at night without a +guide, and marched till daylight without +being discovered. On the 7th they hid all +day in a wood, and as night approached +again pushed forward, the 8th they spent +also hid in a covert, and then found they +had gone ashore on the wrong side of +the river. Fatigued as they were, they +waited till night, and then, returning to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span> +their canoes, crossed the river. Surprising +the watch, they found the Spaniards, +even on the former alarm, had removed all +their treasure. On the 9th, they reached +Chiriquita two hours before day, and +found the inhabitants asleep. The townsmen +had been two days disputing with one +another about the watches, and the Buccaneers +ridiculed them by telling them they +had come to spare them the trouble. The +soldiers they discovered playing in the court +of guard, and they found a small frigate +ashore at the mouth of the river.</p> + +<p>About noon, five of the Buccaneers, +straggling into the suburbs to plunder a +house and obtain prisoners, were set upon by +an ambuscade of 120 men. Finding no +hope of escape, rather than be taken alive +they resolved to sell their lives dearly, and +back to back fought the enemy for an hour +and a-half, when only two remained capable +of resistance. The main body, who +thought they had been simply firing at a +mark, came to their relief, upon which the +enemy at once fled. Of this skirmish, at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span> +which Lussan was present, he says—"This +succour coming in so seasonably, did infallibly +save our lives; for the enemy having already +killed us two men and disabled another, it +was impossible we should hold out against +such a shower of bullets as were poured in +upon us from all sides; and so I may truly +say I escaped a scouring, and that without +receiving as much as one wound, but by a +visible hand of protection from heaven. The +Spaniards left thirty men dead upon the +spot; and thus we defended ourselves as +desperate men, and, to say all in a word, like +freebooters."</p> + +<p>The Buccaneers having burnt all the +houses in the town, fearing a night attack, +retreated into the great church, exchanging +a shot now and then with the enemy. This +town was built on the savannahs, and surrounded +by hattoes, its chief trade being in +tallow and leather. The men rested here +till the tenth, rejoicing in plenty of provision +after nearly four days' fast. They then +removed their prisoners to an island in the +river, where the Spaniards could only approach<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span> +them openly in a fleet of shallops. +The enemy, driven out of an ambuscade, +sent to demand the prisoners, saying they +would recover them or perish in the attempt; +but grew pacified when Grogniet declared +they should all be put to death if a single +bullet was fired. Driving off a guard of 100 +men, they also plundered the stranded vessel, +and discovered by the letters that the admiral +of the Peru fleet had lately been lost with +his 400 men, by his vessel being struck by +a thunderbolt. On the sixteenth, obtaining +a ransom for their prisoners, they returned +to the island of St. John.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, from fear of the freebooters, +having put a stop to their navigation, no +ships were to be captured, and having no +sails, and their ship being useless without +them, the French began to cut down trees +and build piraguas. On the 27th they +descried seven sail at sea, and put out five +canoes to reconnoitre, suspecting it was +the vanguard of the Peruvian fleet. Soon +after discerning twelve piraguas and three +long barks coasting in the distance, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span> +retreated to their docks in the river, and ran +their bark ashore to render it useless to +the Spaniards, placing an ambuscade of 150 +men along the banks. The enemy, suspecting +a trick, disregarded the two canoes that +were sent to draw them into the snare, but +commenced to furiously cannonade the +grounded ship, which contained nothing but +a poor cat, and then, perceiving her empty, +bravely boarded and burnt her for the sake +of the iron work, and soon afterwards sailed +away. They learnt afterwards that the +Chiriquita prisoners had reported that they +had fortified the island, and the fleet had +been sent to land field-pieces and demolish +the works. This alarm of the Spaniards had +been encouraged by the Buccaneers having +purposely asked at Chiriquita for masons, and +obliged the prisoners to give bricks as part +of the ransom.</p> + +<p>On the 14th of March, they left the island +of St. John, in two barks, a half galley of +forty oars, ten large piraguas, and ten +smaller canoes, built of mapou wood. +Taking a review of their men, fourteen of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span> +whom had died in February, they found +they had lost thirty since the departure of +the English. To prepare for a long-planned +attack on Granada, a half galley and four +canoes were despatched to get provisions at +Puebla Nueva. Entering the river by moonlight, +the Buccaneers approached within +pistol shot of a small frigate, a long bark, +and a piragua, which they supposed to be +their old English allies, but were received +by a splashing volley of great and small +shot that killed twenty men. The ships were, +in fact, a detachment of the Spanish fleet left +to guard some provision ships lading for +Panama. Quickly recovering from their +surprise, the adventurers, though without +cannon, fought them stiffly for two hours, +killing every man that appeared in the +shrouds, and bringing down one by one the +grenadiers from the main-top. But as soon +as the moon went down, the Buccaneers +sheered off with four dead men and thirty-three +wounded, waiting for daylight to have +their revenge. In the mean time, the enemy +had retired under cover of an entrenchment,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span> +to which the country people, attracted +during the night by the firing, had +crowded in arms; against these odds, the +Buccaneers were unwillingly compelled to +retire, and soon rejoined their canoes at +St. Peter's.</p> + +<p>Landing at a town ten leagues leeward of +Chiriquita, they obtained no provisions, and +had, with the loss of two men, to force their +way through an ambuscade of 500 Spaniards. +Rejoining their barks they spent some days +in hunting in the Bay of Boca del Toro, and +obtaining nourishing food for the wounded +men. Their next enterprise was against +the town of Lesparso, which they found +abandoned. While lying in the bay they +were joined by Captain Townley and five +canoes, who, with his 115 men, begged to be +allowed to join in the expedition against +Granada. Remembering the old imperious +dealing of the English, the French at first, to +frighten them, boarded their canoes, and +offered to take them away. "Then," says +Lussan, "we let the captain know we +were <i>honester</i> men than he (a curious dispute),<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span> +and that though we had the upper +hand, yet we would not take the advantage +of revenging the injuries they had done us, +and that we would put him and all his men +in possession of what we had taken from +them four or five hours before." The men +were then assembled in a bananery island, in +the bay, and an account taken of their supply +of powder, for fear any should expend it +in hunting. Orders were also enacted that +any brother found guilty of cowardice, violence, +drunkenness, disobedience, theft, or +straggling from the main body, should lose +his share of the booty of Granada.</p> + +<p>On the 25th the French and English departed +in piraguas and canoes, 345 men, and +landed on a flat shore, following a good +guide, who led them for two days through a +wood. They were, however, seen by some +fishermen, who alarmed the town, which had +already received intelligence of their march +from Lesparso. Great fatigue obliged them +to rest on the evening of the 9th at a sugar +plantation belonging to a knight of St. +James, whom they were too tired to pursue.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span></p> + +<p>On the 10th they saw two ships on the +distant lake of Nicaragua, carrying off all the +wealth of the town to a neighbouring island. +From a prisoner they learnt that the inhabitants +were strongly entrenched in the market-place, +guarded by fourteen pieces of cannon +and six patereroes, and that six troops of +horse were waiting to attack them in the rear.</p> + +<p>This information, which would have +damped the courage of any but Buccaneers, +drove them only the faster to the charge. +At two in the afternoon they entered the +town, over the dead bodies of a party that +had awaited them in ambuscade, and sent a +party to reconnoitre the fort. The skirmishers, +after a few shots, returned, and reported +that there were three streets leading to the +fort, so they all resolved to concentrate in +one of these.</p> + +<p>Lussan describes the scene, of which he +was an eye-witness, too graphically to need +curtailing. "After we had exhorted one +another," he says, "to fall on bravely, we +advanced at a good round pace towards the +said fortification. As soon as the defendants<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span> +saw us within a good cannon-shot of them, +they fired furiously upon us; but observing +that at every discharge of their great guns, +we saluted them down to the ground, in +order to let their shot fly over us, they bethought +themselves of false priming them, to +the end we might raise our bodies, after the +sham was over, and so to be really surprised +with their true firing. As soon as we discovered +this stratagem, we ranged ourselves +along the houses, and having got upon a +little ascent, which was a garden plot, we +fired upon them from thence so openly for an +hour and a-half that they were obliged to +quit their ground, which our hardy boys, who +were got to the foot of their walls, contributed +yet more than the other by pouring in +hand-grenades incessantly upon them, so that +at last they betook themselves to the great +church or tower, but they wounded us some +men. As soon as our people, who had got +upon the said eminence, perceived that the +enemy fled, they called to us to jump over +the walls, which we had no sooner done than +they followed us, and thus it was that we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span> +made ourselves masters of the town, from +whence they fled, after having lost a great +many men. We had on our side but four +men killed and eight wounded, which in +truth was very cheap. When we got into +the fort we found it to be a place capable of +containing 6,000 fighting men; it was encompassed +with a wall the same as our prisoners +gave us an account of. It was pierced +with many holes, to do execution upon the +assailants, and was well stored with arms. +That part of it which looked towards the +street, through which we attacked it, was +defended by two pieces of cannon and four +patereroes, to say nothing of several other +places made to open in the wall through +which they thrust instruments made on purpose +to break the legs of those who should be +adventurous enough to come near it; but +these, by the help of our grenadiers, we rendered +useless to them. After we had sung +<i>Te Deum</i> in the great church, and set four +sentinels in the tower, we fixed our court of +guard in the strong-built houses that are also +enclosed within the place of arms, and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span> +gathered all the ammunition we could get, +and then we went to visit the houses, wherein +we found nothing but a few goods and +some provision, which we carried into our +court of guard."</p> + +<p>The next evening 150 men were despatched +to a distant sugar plantation, to capture some +ladies of rank and treasure; but on the next +day a monk came to treat about the ransom +they would require to spare the town. Unluckily +the Spaniards had captured a Buccaneer +straggler, who told them that his +companions never meant to burn the place, +but intended to stop there some months, and +return into the North Sea, by the lake of +Nicaragua. The freebooters, being refused +the ransom, set fire to the houses in revenge. +Had the French indeed had but canoes to capture +the two ships in the island and secure the +treasure, they would undoubtedly have carried +out this plan. To a handful of hungry +men, without food and without ships, even +the gardens of Granada appeared hateful.</p> + +<p>On leaving the town the Buccaneers took +with them one piece of cannon and four patereroes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span> +drawn by oxen, having to fight their +way for twenty leagues to the shore over the +savannah, surrounded by 2,500 Spaniards +thirsting for their blood. In every place the +enemy fled at the first discharge of their +pieces. From a prisoner they learnt that a +million and a-half pieces of eight, kept for +ransom, was buried in the wall of the fort, +but the men felt no disposition to return. +They were soon obliged to leave their cannon +behind, the oxen choked with the dust, worn +out with the heat, and dying of thirst; but +the patereroes were still dragged on by the +mules. At the little village of Massaya, near +the lake, they were received with open arms +by the Indians, who only entreated them not +to burn their huts.</p> + +<p>All the water in the village had been +tainted by the Spaniards, but the natives +brought them as much as they needed. +While they lay here a Spanish monk came +to them to obtain the release of a priest who +had been taken armed and with pockets filled +with poisoned bullets. They refused to surrender +him but in exchange for one of their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span> +own men. The next day, passing from the +forest into a plain, they were attacked by +500 men, drawn up upon an ascent, and +commanded by their Spanish deserter. Each +party displayed bloody flags, but the vanguard +beat them with wonderful bravery, +and took fifty horses. The enemy fled, +leaving their arms and the wounded, and +turned out to be auxiliaries from Leon. In +three days more they reached the beach, and, +resting several days to salt provisions, sailed +to Realegua, where they collected provisions +and 100 horses. They then burnt down the +borough of Ginandego, in spite of 200 soldiers +and an entrenchment, because the +inhabitants had defied them to come. Even +here they were, however, much straitened for +provision, the corregidor of Leon having +desired all men to burn the provisions wherever +the Buccaneers landed.</p> + +<p>The same day at noon the sentinels rang +the alarm bell in the steeple, and gave notice +that 800 men from Leon were advancing +across the savannah to fight them. The men, +bustling out of their houses, marched at once,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span> +150 in number, under their red colours, and +drove off the enemy after a few shots.</p> + +<p>There now arose a dissension in the Flibustier +councils. 148 Frenchmen and all the +English, headed by Captain Townley, determined +to go up before Panama to see if the navigation +had yet been resumed. 148 Frenchmen, +under Captain Grogniet, resolved to go +lower westward and winter upon an island, +waiting for some abatement of the rains and +southerly winds. The barks, canoes, and provisions +were then divided, and the chirurgeons +brought in the accounts of the wounded and +crippled. There were found to be four men +crippled and six hurt: to the latter were +given 600 pieces of eight a man, and to the +former 1000, being exactly all the money +then in store.</p> + +<p>Ravenau joined the Panama division, +which, touching again at their old quarters +on the island of St. John, took off a prisoner +who had made his escape when they were +last there, and proceeded to land and capture +the town of Villia with 160 men. Marching +with great rapidity they reached the town<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span> +an hour after sunrise, and surprising the +inhabitants at mass, took 300 prisoners. +They then attempted to capture three barks +lying in the river, but the Spanish sailors +sank one and destroyed the rigging of the +other two. Gathering together all the merchandise +of the town left by the fleet, the +invaders found it to amount to a million and +a-half, valued at 15,000 pieces of eight in +good silver. Much treasure was, however, +buried, the Spaniards submitting to death +rather than confess their hiding-places.</p> + +<p>The next day a party of fourscore men were +sent to drive the pack horses to the river +side to load the booty in two Spanish canoes. +They despaired of obtaining any ransom for +the town, as the alcalde major had sent to +them to say that the only ransom he should +give was powder and ball, whereof he had a +great deal at their service; that as to the +prisoners, he should entrust them to the +hands of God, and that his people were +getting ready as fast as they could, to +have the honour of seeing them. Upon +receiving this daring answer, the Buccaneers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span> +in a rage, fired the town and marched to the +river. As the Spanish ambuscades prevented +the boats coming up to meet them, the +adventurers put nine men on board the +boats, the men marching by their side to +guard them from attack. On the other side, +unknown to them and hidden by the trees, +marched 900 Spaniards. When they had +proceeded about a league, an impassable +thicket compelled them to make a diversion +of some 200 paces, an accident which involved +the loss of the whole plunder of +Villia.</p> + +<p>Before they left the boats, the captain +ordered the crews to stop a little higher up, +where the three Spanish barks lay, and +endeavour to bring them away. On arriving +there they were surprised by an ambuscade, +and as they defended themselves against the +Spaniards, the current drove them on beyond +the three barks and far from the main body. +Seeing them now helpless, the enemy discharged +sixty musket shots at them, and killed +four men and wounded one. The rest, abandoning +the canoes, swam to the other side of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span> +the river, while a dozen Indians wading in +brought the boat to the Spaniards; cutting +off the head of a wounded man and setting it +on a pole by the shore.</p> + +<p>The Buccaneers who did not hear the +firing, were astonished on returning to the +river to see no canoes, and while waiting for +them to come up, for they supposed they +were behind, the rowers, who had escaped, +broke breathless through the thicket, and +told their story. Luckily in their flight +through the wood they had discovered the +rudders and sails of the three barks, in +which the Buccaneers at once embarked, and +sent fifty-six men on shore to recover the +fittings, agreeing that each should fire three +guns as a signal. Soon after they had +landed, the report of about 500 guns was +heard, but before they could reach the +enemy the Spaniards had fled. Going ashore +the next day, they found the two canoes +dashed to pieces, and the bodies of the dead +much mutilated—the head of one set upon a +pole, and the body of another burnt in the +fire. These objects so enraged the Buccaneers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span> +that they instantly cut off four of +their prisoners' heads, and set them on poles +in the same place. Their own dead they +carried with them to bury by the sea-side—the +fitting burial-place for seamen. Three +times they had to land to break through ambuscades +at the river's mouth, in the last +attack losing three men. With a Spaniard +who came on board, they agreed for a ransom +of 10,000 pieces of eight, but threatened to +kill all the prisoners if the money was not +brought in within two days. Upon the +stubborn alcalde seizing the hostages who +were sent ashore to obtain money to release +their wives, the Buccaneers cut off the heads +of two prisoners and sent them to the town, +declaring that if no ransom was paid, they +would serve the rest the same, and having +put the women on an island, would come +and capture the alcalde. The same evening +came in a promise to pay all the ransoms, +and to bring besides, every day while they +stayed, ten oxen, twenty sheep, and 200 lbs. +of meal. For a Buccaneer's fire-arms which +the enemy pretended to have lost (for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span> +Spaniards were fond of French arms), they +paid 400 pieces of eight. They also bought +one of the captured barks for 600 pieces of +eight and 100 lbs. of nails, of which the adventurers +stood in great need, but her tackle +and anchors were not surrendered. They +obtained also a Flibustier passport that the +bark should not be retaken, although her +cargo might be confiscated. Having then obtained +a parting present of 100 salted beeves, +from this long-suffering place the French +set sail. Afraid to land on the continent, +which was guarded by 4,000 men, they abstained, +till, nearly dying with thirst, they +made a descent with 200 sailors, driving off +the Spaniards, whom they found lying on +the grass about 100 paces from the sea.</p> + +<p>Lussan says they saw "we were a +people who would hazard all for a small +matter."</p> + +<p>Landing at midnight at a small island +near Cape Pin, they were discovered by the +pearl divers, but still contrived to capture a +ship at daybreak. From their prisoners they +heard that the Spaniards had lately defeated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> +a party of thirty-six, French and English, +from Peru, who were attempting to pass into +the North Sea by the river Bocca del Chica. +Two parties of English, forty each, on their +way into the South Sea, had also been massacred +all but four, who were prisoners at +Panama. To balance these ill omens, tidings +of prizes reached the Buccaneers on every +hand. A bark was lying in the Bocca del +Chica river, waiting for 800 lbs. of gold +from the mines to bring to Panama. Two +ships laden with meal and money for the +garrison of Lima were also expected; and +from a prisoner (a spy, it afterwards appeared), +captured at the King's Islands, they +learnt that two merchant barks and a +piragua with sixty Indians lay in the river +of Seppa, besides a frigate and scout galley +under the guns of Panama.</p> + +<p>Much in want of vessels, and not suspecting +the prisoner, four canoes were sent at +once to cut out the barks of Panama, the +"Greek" soldier going with them readily as a +guide. They arrived two hours before daylight, +and the moon shining very bright<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span> +they waited for a cloud to obscure it, seeing, +as they thought, the anticipated prize lying +near with her sails loose. By mere chance, +the adventurers, to waste no time, pursued a +vessel just leaving the port, thinking it was +the scout galley, and took it without a shot. +Upon examination, the captain confessed +their guide was the commander of a Greek +piragua, and had been promised a large +reward by the governor of Panama to betray +them into his hands. The ship they saw +was a mere sham of boards and sails, built +upon firm land, only a pistol shot from the +port. They supposed that the Buccaneers, +eager to take her, would row up, and so drive +their canoes far on shore, and hoped to overpower +them before they got off. The Greek +captain being at once identified as a spy, +was, says Ringrose, "sent to that world where +he had designed to send us." The fleet then +proceeded to take the islands of Ottoqua and +Tavoga, losing two men in the Greek's +second ambuscade at Seppa, but capturing +in their way a bark from Nata laden with +provisions, after a few discharges of musketry,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> +the Spanish captain swimming to +shore. From Tavoga they sent a message +to the governor of Panama, to say that if he +did not at once surrender his five English +and French captives, they would at once put +to death fifty Spanish prisoners.</p> + +<p>They then anchored again at the King's +Islands, and sent a galley and four canoes up +the Bocca Chica river to see if the Indians +were at peace with Spain or not, and to +destroy an ambuscade of 100 Spaniards, +who they heard were lying in wait on the +banks for thirty freebooters, on their way +from the South to the North Pacific. Carried +swiftly up the river by the current, the guide, +compelling them to row faster just before +daybreak, brought them, much to their astonishment, +at a bend of the river, opposite +the camp fires of the enemy. The guide +being hailed, replied they were from Panama; +and being asked the name of the commander, +hesitated about a fitting title, and received a +volley in return. The Buccaneers driving off +the enemy with two patereroes, passed them +quickly, and, anchoring out of reach, waited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span> +for the ebb tide to return. Putting all their +men under deck, the adventurers returned +about an hour before daylight, saluting them +with four paterero shots as they passed, and +receiving no injury in return. The next day, +taking a small Indian vessel, the Buccaneers +landed lower down the river, intending to +take the Spanish entrenchment in the rear; +but seeing the enemy putting out a piragua +to attack their galley, they returned in great +haste and landed opposite the Spanish court +of guard, killing a great many men and +driving out the rest. They also shot an +Indian, who, mistaking them for Spaniards, +followed them and reviled them as they were +re-embarking. The prisoners told them that +the neighbouring town of Terrible was prepared +for their coming. A letter to the camp-master +of Terrible was found in the entrenchment. +It concluded thus: "I have sent you +300 men to defeat these enemies of God and +goodness; be sure to keep upon your watch; +be afraid of being surprised, and your men +will infallibly be gainers in defeating of +them." The prisoners also put them on their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> +guard as to many ambuscades and secret +dangers. Having burnt the guard-house, +and carried off the piragua with some pounds +of gold-dust, the Buccaneers departed, dismissing +the Indians to propitiate the nation +who had received commission from the President +of Panama to arm canoes against them. +While descending the river, having put some +Spanish prisoners on deck to deceive the +Indians, some natives came and brought +gold-dust to them, taking them for friends. +A few days after this, forty Spanish prisoners +put ashore at the King's Islands, met accidentally +with some canoes, and escaped to +Panama.</p> + +<p>The French were now again surprised as they +had been before, three of the enemy's vessels +approaching under cover of an island. By +venturing a dangerous passage between the +island of Tavaguilla and a rock the Buccaneers +at last obtained the weather-gauge. The fight +lasted till noon, and the Spaniards were driven +off in all attempts at boarding. Throwing +grenades into the biggest ship, one of them +set fire to some loose powder and burnt a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span> +great many men; and during this confusion, +the adventurers boarded the enemy, who rallied +in the stern, and made a vigorous resistance, +but at last begged for quarter. The second +was also at the same time carried and taken. +The third, a kind of galley, pursued by three +Buccaneer vessels, ran ashore and staved to +pieces, few of the crew escaping, not more +than a dozen, Ringrose thinks. In the frigate +eighty men were killed and wounded out of +120 on board. The second ship had only +eighteen unhurt out of eighty. All the +officers were killed and wounded, and the +captain received no less than five musket +shots. He was the soldier that had received +five wounds resisting them at Puebla Nueva, +and he had also planned the ambuscade at Villia.</p> + +<p>While busily employed in splicing the +rigging and throwing the dead overboard, +two more sail were seen bearing down from +Panama. The English instantly put up +Spanish colours to allure them, and placed the +French and English beneath them. As the foe +drew near, they received a volley, and, firing +hurriedly, at once fled to the frigate which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span> +they supposed still theirs. The frigate replied +by some grenades, which sent one to +the bottom, and the piragua boarded the +other, and, finding four packs of halters on +board, put all the crew to death in revenge. +They had been directed to spare none but +the Buccaneer surgeons, and to send troops +of horse to cut off all that escaped in canoes. +On the very next day they took a shallop +from Panama which the president had sent +to pull up an anchor that the adventurers had +left in the bay. Only one Buccaneer was +killed in the fight, but Captain Townley and +twenty men were wounded, and most of these +died, for the Spaniards poisoned their bullets. +They now sent a prisoner to the president, +demanding his five captives and medicines +for the use of his own people. The messenger +was also told to complain heavily of the massacre +of the three parties at Darien.</p> + +<p>To these remonstrances the officer sent the +following answer: "Gentlemen, I wonder +that you, who should understand how to +make war, should require those men of me +that are in our custody. Your rashness hath<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span> +something contrary to the civility wherewith +you ought to treat those people that were in +your power. If you do not use them well, +God will perhaps be on our side." To this +they returned a threat of beheading all their +prisoners without mercy; and having done +this, sailed at once to the isles of Pericòs, +fearing the Spanish fire-ships. The Bishop +of Panama, who, they knew, had stirred up +the president to war, sent a letter, entreating +them to show mercy, saying the president +had the king's orders to restore no prisoners, +and that the Englishmen, having turned +Roman Catholics, did not wish to leave +Panama.</p> + +<p>Upon this the Buccaneers sent the president +twenty Spaniards' heads in a canoe, +threatening to kill all the rest, if the prisoners +were not restored by the next day. Very +early the next morning came the prisoners, +four Englishmen and one Frenchman, with +medicines for the wounded, the president +leaving to their honour to give as many men +as they chose in exchange. They at once sent +a dozen of the most wounded on shore, accusing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> +the president of being the murderer of +the twenty they had killed, and threatening +the death of the rest, unless 20,000 pieces of +eight were paid for their ransom. The +Spaniards at first tried to make it only +6000; but when the Buccaneers hung out +their main flag, fired a gun, and prepared to +enter the port, they hung out a white flag +at a bastion, and promised the money shortly. +The next day a Knight of Malta came in a +bark with the money, and received the prisoners. +While staying at Ottoqua to victual +their ships, the Spaniards landed at night +and murdered their Indian guides. The day +after the French chased a provision vessel to +the very guns of Panama, when the garrison +hoisted the Burgundian flag on the bastion, +and by mistake fired upon their own vessel, +which the Buccaneers took. Putting nineteen +prisoners on shore, they again attempted +to surprise Villia, but failed, finding all the +people in arms, and a reinforcement of 600 +men newly come from Panama. They next +took the town of St. Lorenzo, and surprising +it at twilight, burnt it. They learned the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span> +Spaniards had orders to drive away the +cattle from the sea-shore, to lay ambuscades, +and to obtain from women intelligence of the +Buccaneers' movements. A dreadful storm +which overtook the fleet in the Bay of Bocca +del Toro induced Lussan, with a naïve philanthropy, +to tell his readers: "If you would +enter into it with safety, you must keep the +whip of your rudder to starboard, because +it is dangerous to keep to the east side." +While here the same writer gives us the following +trait of Flibustier manners:—"On +the 25th, being Christmas-day, after we had, +according to custom, said our prayers in the +night, one of our quartermasters being gone +ashore in order to take care about our eating +some victuals (for our ships being careening +all our provisions were then put out), one +of our prisoners, who served us as cook, +stabbed him with a knife in six several +places, wherewith crying out, he was presently +relieved, and the assassin punished +with death."</p> + +<p>On the 1st of January, 1687, leaving their +ships in the bay of Caldaira, the Buccaneers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span> +embarked 200 men in canoes and crossed to +the island of La Cagna.</p> + +<p>Their treacherous guide, under the pretence +of hiding them in a covert, led them +into a marsh, where the mud, in the soundest +places, rose above their middles; five men +sinking up to their chins were dragged out +with ropes tied to the mangrove branches. +The men, anxious for escape, lifted up their +guide to the top of a tree, to discover by the +moonlight where sound land commenced. +But he, once at liberty, skipped like a monkey +from tree to tree, railing at them and deriding +their helplessness. They spent the whole +night in marching a hundred paces round +this marsh, and groped out at daybreak, bedaubed +from head to toe, with their fire-arms +loaded with mud. "When we were in a +condition," says Lussan, "to reflect a little +upon ourselves, and that we saw 200 men in +the same habit, all so curiously equipped, +there was not one of us who forgot not his +toil to laugh at the posture he found both +himself and the rest in. Inveighing against +their guide, they returned to their canoes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span> +and proceeded two leagues up a river to an +entrenchment, where they found the remains +of two vessels the Spaniards had some +time before burnt, at the approach of Betsharp, +an English freebooter. Guided by +the barking of dogs, they surprised the +borough of Santa Catalina, and, mounting +sixty men on horses, entered Nicoya and +drove out the enemy, carrying off the +governor's plate and movables. They found +here some letters from the President of Panama, +describing the doings of "these new +Turks," how they had landed at places +where the sea was so high that no sentinels +had been placed, and passed through the +woods like wild beasts. The letters stated +how much the Spaniards had been astonished +by the Buccaneer mode of attack—"briskly +falling on, singing, dancing, as if they had +been going to a feast;" they were described +also as "those enemies of God and His saints +who profane His churches and destroy His +servants." In one battle, it says, being +blocked up, "they became as mad dogs. +Whenever these irreligious men set their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span> +feet on land they always win the victory."</p> + +<p>Landing at Caldaira the sentinels set fire +to the savannahs, through which they marched +to Lesparso, and towards Carthage, but retired, +hearing of 400 men and an entrenchment. +Hiding five men in the grass, they +captured a Spanish trooper, who had reviled +them, and putting him to the rack, laughing +at his grimaces of pain, heard that Grogniet +was in the neighbourhood, and soon after +they heard cannons fired off, and were joined +by him in three canoes.</p> + +<p>He now told them his adventures at Napalla. +Three sailors, corrupted by the +Spaniards, who had taken them prisoners, +persuaded him on his return to visit a gold +mine, fourteen leagues from the sea-shore. +They luckily got there before the ambuscade, +and took some prisoners and a few pounds of +gold, but 450 lbs. weight had been removed +an hour before. At their return they found +the traitors and prisoners all escaped. He +then landed at Puebla Vieja and attacked +an ambuscade and entrenchment of 300 +men. Half of these fled, half were made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> +prisoners, and their three colours taken, the +freebooters losing only three men. Eighty-five +of his men then determined to visit California, +and he and his sixty men to return to Panama. +Grogniet now consented to join in the +French expedition, and, after taking Queaquilla, +to force a way to the North Sea. +They landed and burnt Nicoya a third time, +and Lussan treats us here with an amusing +piece of Buccaneer superstition. He says, +"though we were <i>forced</i> to chastise the +Spaniards in this manner, we showed ourselves +very exact in the preservation of the +churches, into which we carried the pictures +and images of the saints which we found in +particular houses, that they might not be +exposed to the rage and burning of the +English, who were not much pleased with +these sorts of precautions; they being men +that took more satisfaction and pleasure to +see one church burnt than all the houses of +America put together. But as it was our +turn now to be the stronger party, they +durst do nothing that derogated from that +respect we bore to all those things." On<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> +their return the French had to force their way +through burning savannahs, but got safe to +their ships, putting next day forty prisoners +on shore who were too chargeable to keep.</p> + +<p>A new division now arose between the +English and French, and the former insisting +on the first prize taken, the two parties again +separated, Grogniet staying with the former: +making in all 142 men, Ravenau's party +being 162, in a frigate and long bark. Both +vessels now tried to outsail each other and +reach Queaquilla first, but the French, soon +finding the English beat them in speed, +resolved to accompany them, for they had so +little food as to be obliged to eat only once in +every forty-eight hours, and but for rain water +would have died of thirst. Off Santa Helena, +they gave chase to a ship, and found it to be +a prize laden with wine and corn, lately +taken by Captain David's men, for they had +been making descents along the coast, at +Pisca had beaten off 800 men from Lima, +and had also taken a great many ships, +which they pillaged and let go. Having got +to the value of 5000 pieces of eight a man,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> +they sailed for Magellan, and on the way +many of the men lost all they had by gaming. +Those who had won joined Willnett, and +returned to the North Sea; but the losers, +sixty English and twenty French, joined +David, and determined to remain and get +more spoil in the South. Henry and Samms +had gone to the East Indies. The eight men +of David's crew who commanded the prize +joined them against Queaquilla. Furling +their sails to prevent being seen, they +anchored off the White Cape, and at ten in +the morning embarked 260 men in their +canoes. On the 15th they reached, at sunset, +the rocky island of Santa Clara, and on +the 16th rested all day, weak from long +fasting, in the island of La Puna, escaping +any detection from the forty sentinels. The +17th they spent on the same island, and +arranged the attack. Captain Picard and +fifty men led the forlorn hope, another captain +and eighty grenadiers formed a reserve. +Captain Grogniet and the main body were to +make themselves masters of the town and +port, and the English captain, George Hewit,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span> +with fifty men, were to attack the smaller +fort; while 1000 pieces of eight were promised +to the first ensign who should plant the +colours on the great fort. They left their +covert in the evening, and hoped to reach the +town by dawn, but only having three hours +of favourable tide, had to remain all day at +the island, and at night rowing out, were overtaken +after all by the light, when a sentinel +seeing them, set a cottage on fire and alarmed +his companions. Marching across a wood to +the fire, they killed two of the Spaniards +and captured a boy. Remaining in covert +all day, they thought themselves undiscovered, +because the town had not answered +the fire signal, and at night they rowed up +the river, the rapid current carrying them +four leagues in two hours. All the 19th +they spent under cover of an island in the +river, and at night went up with the current, +not rowing for fear of alarming the sentinels. +They attempted in vain to put in beyond the +town, on the side least guarded, but the tide +going out forced them to land two hours +before day, within cannon shot of the town,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> +where they could discern the lights burning, +for the Spaniards burnt lamps all night. +They landed in a marshy place, and had to +cut a path through the bushes with their +sabres. They soon met with a sentinel, +and were discovered by one of the men left +to guard the canoes striking a light, against +orders, to light his pipe. The sentinel, +knowing that this was punishable by death +among his countrymen, suspected enemies +and discharged a paterero, which the fort +answered by a discharge of all their cannon. +The Buccaneers, overtaken by a storm, +entered a large house near to light the +matches of their grenades and wait for day, +the enemy firing incessantly in defiance. +On the 20th, at daybreak, they marched out +in order, with drums beating and colours, +and found 700 men waiting for them behind +a wall, four feet and a-half high, and a ditch. +Killing many of the Buccaneers at the onset, +the enemy ventured to sally out, sword in hand, +and were at once put to flight. In spite of +the bridge being broken down, the pursuers +crossed the ditch, and, getting to the foot of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span> +the wall, threw in grenades, and drove the +enemy to their houses. Driven also from +this, they fled to a redoubt in the Place +d'Armes, and from thence, after an hour's +fighting, to a third fort, the largest of all. +Here they defended themselves a long time, +firing continually at their enemies, who could +not see them for the smoke. From these +palisadoes they again sallied, and wounded +several Buccaneers and took one prisoner. +They at last retreated with great loss.</p> + +<p>The Flibustiers, weary with eleven hours' +fighting, and finding their powder nearly +spent, grew desperate; but, redoubling their +efforts, with some loss made themselves masters +of the place, having nine men killed and +a dozen wounded. Parties were then sent +out to pursue the fugitives, and a garrison +having been put in the great fort, the Roman +Catholic part of the band went to sing <i>Te Deum</i> +in the great church.</p> + +<p>Basil Hall describes Guayaquil as having +on the one side a great marsh, and on the +other a great river, while the country, for +nearly 100 miles, is a continued level swamp,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span> +thickly covered with trees. The river is +broad and deep, but full of shoals and +strange turnings, the woods growing close to +the water's edge, stand close, dark, and still, +like two vast black walls; while along the +banks the land-breeze blows hot, and breathes +death, decay, and putrefaction.</p> + +<p>The town was walled, and the forts built +on an eminence. The houses were built of +boards and reared on piles, on account of the +frequent inundations. The chief trade of +the place was cocoa.</p> + +<p>The Buccaneers took 700 prisoners, including +the governor and his family. He +himself was wounded, as were most of his +officers, who fought better than all the 5,000 +men of the place. The place was stored +with merchandise, precious stones, silver +plate, and 70,000 pieces of eight. Upwards +of three millions more had been hidden +while the fort was taking. As soon as the +canoes had come up, they were sent in pursuit +of the treasure, but it was too late. +They captured, however, 22,000 pieces of +eight, and a vermilion gilt eagle, weighing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span> +66 lbs., that had served as the tabernacle for +some church. It was of rare workmanship, +and the eyes were formed of two great "rocks +of emeralds." There were fourteen barks +in the port—the galleys they had fought at +Puebla Nueva, and two royal ships unfinished +on the stocks. As a ransom for all these +things, the governor promised a million +pieces of eight in gold, and 400 sacks of +corn, requiring the vicar-general to be released +to go to Quito and procure it.</p> + +<p>The women of the town, who were very +pretty, had been assured by their confessors +that the Buccaneers were monsters and cannibals, +and had conceived a horror and aversion +to them. "They could not be dispossessed +thereof," says Lussan, "till they came to +know us better. But then I can boldly say that +they entertained quite different sentiments +of our persons, and have given us frequent +instances of so violent a passion as proceeded +sometimes even to a degree of folly." As a +proof of the calumnies circulated against +the ruthless conquerors, Lussan tells us +the following:—"It is not from a chance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> +story," he continues, "that I came to know +the impressions wrought in these women +that we were men that would eat them; for +the next day after the taking of the town, a +young gentlewoman that waited upon the +governor of the place, happened to fall into +my hands. As I was carrying her away to the +place where the rest of the prisoners +were kept, and to that end made her walk +before me, she turned back, and, with tears +in her eyes, told me, in her own language—'Senor, +pur l'amor di Dios ne mi como'—that +is, 'Pray, sir, for the love of God, do +not eat me;' whereupon I asked her who +had told her that we were wont to eat +people? She answered, 'The fathers,' who +had also assured them that we had not +human shape, but that we resembled monkeys."</p> + +<p>On the 21st, part of the town was +accidentally burnt down by some of the men +lighting a fire in a house, and leaving it +unextinguished when they returned at night +to the court of guard. Afraid that it would +reach the place where they had stored their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span> +powder and merchandise, the French removed +all the plunder to their vessels, and carried +the prisoners to the fort; but not till all this +was done endeavouring to save the town, +a third part of which was, by this time, +destroyed. Afraid the Spaniards might now +refuse to pay the ransom, they charged them +with the offence, threatening to send some +fifty prisoners' heads if they did not pay +them what they had lost by the fire. The +enemy, surprised at this, attributed the incendiarism +to traitors, and promised satisfaction. +The stench of the 900 dead carcases, +still lying unburied up and down the town, +now producing a pestilence, the Buccaneers +dismounted and spiked the cannon, and +carried off the 500 prisoners to their ships, +anchoring at Puna. Captain Grogniet died +of his wounds soon after this removal. The +Spaniards obtaining four days' further respite, +and then still further delaying the ransom, +the adventurers made the prisoners throw +dice for their lives, and cutting off the heads +of four, sent them to Queaquilla, threatening +further deaths. They were now joined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> +by Captain David and a prize he had lately +taken. He was planning a descent on +Paita, to obtain refreshments for some men +wounded in a fight with a Spanish ship, the +Catalina, off Lima. They fought for two +days, David's men, being drunk, constantly +getting to leeward, and failing twenty times +in an attempt to board. The Spaniards, +gaining courage from these failures, hoisted +the bloody flag; but the third day, David, +getting sober, got his tackle and rigging in +good order, got properly to windward, and +bore down with determination. The enemy +in terror ran ashore, and went to pieces in +two hours. Two men were saved by a +canoe, and said that their captain had had +his thigh shot off by a cannon ball. David's +ship, wanting refitting, was employed to +cruise in the bay to prevent surprises from +the Spaniards. By a letter taken from a +courier, they found that the people of +Queaquilla were only endeavouring to obtain +time.</p> + +<p>The Buccaneers spent thirty days on the +island of La Puna, living on the luxurious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> +food brought from Queaquilla, and employing +the prisoners with lutes, theorbos, harps, and +guitars, to delight them by perpetual concerts +and serenades. Lussan says, "Some +of our men grew very familiar with our +women prisoners, who, without offering them +any violence, were not sparing of their favours, +and made appear, as I have already +remarked, that after they came once to know +us, they did not retain all the aversion for +us that had been inculcated into them when +we were strangers unto them. All our people +were so charmed with this way of living +that they forgot their past miseries, and +thought no more of danger from the Spaniards +than if they had been in the middle of +Paris."</p> + +<p>Ravenau also treats us with his own personal +love adventure, which we insert as a +curious illustration of the vicissitudes of a +South Sea adventurer's life. "Amongst the +rest," he says, "myself had one pretty adventure. +Among the other prisoners we had +a young gentlewoman, lately become a widow +of the treasurer of the town, who was slain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span> +when it was taken. Now this woman appeared +so far comforted for her loss, out of +an hard-heartedness they have in this country +one for another, that she proposed to +hide me and herself in some corner of the +island till our people were gone, and that +then she would bring me to Queaquilla to +marry her, that she would procure me her +husband's office, and vest me in his estate, +which was very great. When I had returned +her thanks for such obliging offers, I gave +her to understand that I was afraid her interest +had not the mastery over the Spaniards' +resentments; and that the wounds they +had received from us were yet too fresh and +green for them easily to forget them. She +went about to cure me of my suspicion, by +procuring secretly, from the governor and +chief officers, promises under their hands +how kindly I should be used by them. I +confess I was not a little perplexed herewith, +and such pressing testimonies of goodwill +and friendship towards me brought me, after +a little consultation with myself, into such a +quandary, that I did not know which side to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span> +close with; nay, I felt myself, at length, much +inclined to close with the offers made me, +and I had two powerful reasons to induce +me thereunto, one of which was the miserable +and languishing life we lead in those places, +where we were in perpetual hazard of losing +it, which I should be freed from by an advantageous +offer of a pretty woman and a +considerable settlement: the other proceeded +from the despair I was in of ever being able +to return into my own country, for want of +ships fit for that purpose. But when I began +to reflect upon these things with a little +more leisure and consideration, and that I +resolved with myself how little trust was to +be given to the promises and faith of so perfidious +as well as vindictive a nation as the +Spaniards, and more especially towards men +in our circumstances, by whom they had been +so ill-used, this second reflection carried it +against the first, and even all the advantages +offered me by this lady. But however the matter +was, I was resolved, in spite of the grief and +tears of this pretty woman, to prefer the continuance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> +of my troubles (with a ray of hope +of seeing France again), before the perpetual +suspicion I should have had of some treachery +designed against me. Thus I rejected her +proposals, but so as to assure her I should +retain, even as long as I lived, a lively remembrance +of her affections and good inclinations +towards me."</p> + +<p>After some negotiation with a priest, the +people of Queaquilla brought in twenty-four +sacks of meal, and 20,000 pieces of eight in +gold. On their refusing more than 22,000 +pieces of eight more for ransom, a council was +held to decide upon putting all the prisoners to +death, but at last, Ravenau being in the +majority, decided to spare them. They then +took fifty of the richest prisoners with them +to the point of St. Helena, and surrendered +the rest on 22,000 more being paid.</p> + +<p>While at La Puna, the Buccaneers sallied +out to attack two Spanish armadillas, but +not having any piraguas to tow them to the +windward, could only cannonade at a distance. +The French vessels were much shattered, +but no man killed. The next day<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span> +they came to close fight, both sides using +small arms and great guns, but no Buccaneer +was killed. The Spaniards lost many men, +and the blood ran out of their scupper holes, +but they still cried at parting, "A la manana, +la partida"—(to-morrow, again.) The +next night the Buccaneers unrigged and +sank one of their prizes, and fitted out another, +manning her with twenty Frenchmen, +who wanted to leave David. The same night +four Spaniards seized one of the prizes, and +escaped to Queaquilla. Being now within +half cannon shot, the rival vessels pounded +each other all day; the French had their +tackle spoiled, and sails riven, and the frigate +received five cannon-shot in the foremast, +and three in the mainmast, but had +not one man killed or wounded. The next +day the Spaniards hoisted Burgundian colours, +and poured in volleys of musket-shot, but +neither party boarded. The ensuing day +the Buccaneer musketry was so destructive, +that the Spaniards closed their port-holes +and bore up to the wind. That day the +French received sixty shots in their sides,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span> +two-thirds between wind and water, the rigging +was torn, and Ravenau and another man +were wounded. At night the Spaniards failed +in an attempt to board. We spent this +night at anchor, says Lussan, to stop our +cannons' mouths, which otherwise might +have sent us into the deep. To his astonishment, +the next morning the armadillas +had fled. During these successive days' +fighting, the governor and officers of Queaquilla +had been brought on deck to witness +the defeat of their countrymen.</p> + +<p>They then set their prisoners ashore and +divided the plunder, the whole amounting to +500,000 pieces of eight, or 15,000,000 livres, +and in shares to 400 pieces of eight a man. The +uncoined gold and the precious stones being +of uncertain value were sold by auction, that +those who had silver and had won in gambling +might buy. All who expected an +overland expedition were anxious for jewels, +as more portable and less heavy than silver. +They sought now in their descent for nothing +but gold and jewels, quite disregarding silver +as a mean metal and heavy to carry. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> +even left many things in Queaquilla, and neglected +to send a canoe for the 100 caons of +coined silver (11,000 pieces of eight in all) +which had been sent to the opposite river +side. Taking advantage of their indifference, +Spanish thieves mixed with the Buccaneers, +and pillaged their own countrymen. They +landed at Point Mangla, and surprised a +watch of fifteen Spanish soldiers who had +been placed to guard a river abounding in +emeralds. A few days after they took a vessel +from Panama going to Porto Bello to buy +negroes off the point of Harina. The French +fleet was next attacked by a Spanish galley +and two piraguas. From a prisoner they +heard of 300 Frenchmen, who had defeated +600 Spaniards and killed their leader in the +savannahs. While careening in the bay of +Mapalla they were joined by these men, who +proved to be part of Grogniet's men, who had +left their companions on the coast of Acapulco, +refusing to go further towards California.</p> + +<p>The adventurers next landed in the Bay of +Tecoantepequa, and dispersing a body of 300 +Spaniards, drawn up upon an eminence,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span> +marched inland towards the town, sleeping +all night in the open air. Nothing but +hunger and despair could have induced this +attack. The town was intersected by a +great and very rapid river, encompassed by +eight suburbs, and defended by 3000 men. +The Buccaneers forded the river, the water +up to their middles, and after an hour's fighting +forced the Spaniards from their entrenchment. +In two hours these men, enraged +with hunger, took the place by hand-to-hand +fighting, and eighty sailors then dislodged the +enemy from the abbey of St. Francis, whose +terraces commanded the town. Finding the +river overflowing and no ransom coming, +the Buccaneers departed the next day, and +landing at Vatulco, took the old governor of +Merida prisoner, and obtained some provisions. +They also landed at Muemeluna and victualled, +the Spaniards having strong entrenchments, +but making little resistance. +They found upon the shore the musket and +dead body of a sailor of a frigate that had +attempted to land a month before. The +Spaniards had not seen the body, or they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span> +would have cut in pieces or burnt it, as they +were in the habit of even digging up the +Buccaneers buried on their shores. At Sansonnat +they landed in the face of 600 Spaniards +to fill their water-casks, being faint from +thirst. One of the men, more impatient than +the rest, and goaded by four days' drought, +swam ashore and was drowned, without any +being able to help him.</p> + +<p>They now held serious councils about the +return by land. The prisoners declared their +best way was by Segovia, where they would +<i>only</i> meet 5000 or 6000 Spaniards, and +that the way was easy for the sick and +wounded. The French determined to land +and obtain more certain information, and this +was one of the most daring of their adventures. +They landed seventy men, and +marched two days without meeting anybody, +upon which eighteen, less weary than the rest, +tramped on and soon got into a high road. +Capturing three horsemen, they learnt that +they were but a quarter of a league distant +from Chiloteca, a little town with about 400 +white inhabitants, besides negroes, Indians,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span> +and mulattoes, who were not aware of their +approach. Afraid to waste time in running +back after their companions, they entered the +town, frightened the Spaniards, and took the +Teniente and fifty others prisoners. Had there +not been horses ready mounted, on which they +made their escape, the enemy would, every +man, have submitted to be bound, being +overcome with a panic fear, and believing +the enemy very numerous. They learned +from the prisoners that the Panama galley +lay waiting for them at Caldaira, and the <i>St. +Lorenzo</i>, with thirty guns, at Realegua. They +also said that 600 men would be in the town +by the next day. The Spaniards now began +to rally, and compelled the Buccaneers to +entrench themselves in the church. The +prisoners, seeing them hurry in, and thinking +them hard pressed, ran to a pile of arms and +prepared to make a resistance; but the Buccaneers, +retreating to the doors, fired at the +crowd till only four men and their wives +were left alive. They then mounted horses +and retreated, carrying off four prisoners of +each sex, and firing at a herald who tried to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span> +parley. Joining their companions, whom they +found resting at a hatto, they made a stand +and drove back 600 Spaniards.</p> + +<p>The statements of the prisoners increased +their fears of the overland route, but determining +rather to die sword in hand than to +pine away with hunger, they at once resolved +upon their design. Running all the vessels +ashore but the galley and piraguas, which +would take them from the island to the +mainland, leaving no other means of escape +to the timorous, they formed four companies +of seventy men, choosing ten men from +each as a forlorn hope, to be relieved every +morning. Those who were lamed were to +have, as formerly, 1000 pieces of eight, the +horses were to be kept for the crippled and +wounded. The stragglers who were wounded +were to have no reward, whilst violence, +cowardice, and drunkenness were to be +punished. While maturing their plans, a +Spanish vessel approached, and anchoring, +began to fire at the grounded vessels, and +soon put them out of a condition to sail. +Afraid of losing their piraguas, the Buccaneers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span> +sent their prisoners and baggage to some flats +behind the island. The next day, the +Frenchmen, sheltering themselves behind the +rocks that ran out to the sea, kept the vessel +at a distance; but now afraid of total destruction, +the Buccaneers sent 100 men to the +continent at night to secure horses, and wait +for them at a certain port. On the next day, +the Spanish ship took fire, and put out to +sea to extinguish the flames. The next day +the Buccaneers escaped by a stratagem. +Having spent the whole night in hammering +the vessel, as if careening, to prevent all +suspicion of their departure, they charged +all their guns, grenades, and four pieces of +cannon, and tied to them pieces of lighted +matches of various lengths, in order to keep +up an alarm throughout the night. In the +twilight they departed as secretly as they +could, the prisoners carrying the surgeons' +medicines, the carpenters' tools, and the +wounded men.</p> + +<p>On the 1st of January, 1688, the Buccaneers +arrived on the continent. On the +evening of the same day the men joined them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span> +with sixty-eight horses and several prisoners, +all of whom dissuaded them in vain from +attempting to go by Segovia, where the +Spaniards were fully alarmed. The men, +nothing deterred, packed up each his charge, +and thrust their silver and ammunition into +bags. Those who had too much to carry, gave +it to those who had lost theirs by gaming, +promising them half "in case it should please +God to bring them safe to the North Sea." +Ravenau de Lussan tells us his charge was +lighter but not less valuable than the others, +as he had converted 30,000 pieces of eight +into pearls and precious stones. "But as the +best part of this," he says, "was the product +of luck I had at play, some of those who +had been losers, as well in playing against +me as others, becoming much discontented +at their losses, plotted together to the number +of seventeen or eighteen, to murder those +who were richest amongst us. I was so +happy as to be timely advertised of it by +some friends, which did not a little disquiet +my mind, for it was a very difficult task for +a man, during so long a journey, to be able<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span> +to secure himself from being surprised by +those who were continually in the same company, +and with whom we must eat, drink, +and sleep, and who could cut off whom they +pleased of us in the conflicts they might +have with the Spaniards, by shooting us in +the hurry." To frustrate this scheme, Ravenau +therefore divided his treasure among +several men, and by this means removed a +weight both from his mind and body.</p> + +<p>On the 2nd of January, after having said +prayers and sunk their boats, the Buccaneers +set out, resting at noon at a hatto. On the +4th they lay on a mountain plateau, the +Spaniards visible on their flanks and rear. +On the 5th the barricades began, and on the +6th, at an estantia, they found the following +letter lying on a bed in the hall: "We are +very glad that you have made choice of our +province for your passage homewards, but +are sorry you are not better laden with +silver; however, if you have occasion for +mules we will send them to you. We hope +to have the French General Grogniet very +quickly in our power, so we will leave you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span> +to judge what will become of his soldiers."</p> + +<p>On the 7th the vanguard drove off an +ambuscade, and lay that evening in a hatto. +The Spaniards burnt all the provisions in the +way, and set fire to the savannahs to windward, +stifling the French horses with smoke +and scaring them with the blaze. While their +march was thus retarded and they waited for +the fire to burn out, the enemy threw up +intrenchments and erected barricades of +trees. On the 8th the French set fire to a +house at a sugar plantation, and, hiding till +the Spaniards came to put it out, captured a +prisoner, who told them that 300 auxiliaries +were on the march to meet them. "These +300 men," says Lussan, "were our continual +guard, for they gave us morning and evening +the diversion of their trumpets, but it was +like the <i>music of the enchanted palace of +Psyche</i>, who heard it without seeing the +musicians, for ours marched on each side of +us, in places so covered with pine trees that +it was impossible to perceive them."</p> + +<p>During this march the Buccaneers never +encamped but upon high ground, or in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> +open savannah, for fear of being hemmed in.</p> + +<p>The advanced guard was now strengthened +by forty men, who discharged their +muskets at the entries and avenues of woods, +to dislodge the ambuscades, but they did not +shoot when the plain was open and free from +wood; although the Spaniards, who were +lying on their bellies on each side of them, +opened their fire and killed two stragglers. +On the 10th they repulsed an ambuscade +and captured some horses. On the 11th +they dispersed another ambuscade, and entered +Segovia, but all the provisions had been +burnt, and the Spaniards fired upon them +from among the pine trees that grew on the +hills around the town. Fortunately at this +spot, where the old guides grew uncertain of +the way, they captured a new prisoner, who +led them twenty leagues to the river they +were in search of.</p> + +<p>The road now grew wilder, and dangers +thickened around them. They had to creep +with great danger to the tops of great mountains, +or to bury themselves in narrow and +dark valleys. The cold grew intense, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span> +the fogs lasted for some hours after daybreak. +In the plains no chill was felt, but the same +heat that prevailed on the mountains after +noon. "But," says Lussan, "the hopes of +getting once more into our native country +made us endure patiently all these toils, and +served as so many wings to carry us."</p> + +<p>On the 12th, they ascended several mountains, +and had incredible trouble to clear the +road of the Spanish barricades, and all night +long the enemy fired into their camp. On the +18th, an hour before sunrise, they ascended +an eminence which seemed advantageous for +an encampment, and saw on the edge of an +eminence, separated from them by a narrow +valley, what they believed to be cattle +feeding.</p> + +<p>Rejoiced at the prospect of food, forty men +were sent to reconnoitre. They returned +with the dismal intelligence that the supposed +oxen were really troopers' horses ready +saddled, and that the mountain on which they +stood was encircled by three intrenchments, +rising one above another, commanding a +stream that ran through the valley. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span> +had no other way but this to pass, and there +was no possibility of avoiding it. They +added, that one of the Spaniards had seen +them, and shook his naked cutlass at them +from a distance. Every man's heart fell at +this news, and their pining appetite sickened +at the loss of its expected meal. There was +no time for delay, for the Spaniards from the +adjacent provinces were gathering in their +rear, and if any time was lost they must be +surrounded and overpowered by numbers. +Ravenau de Lussan, the Xenophon of this +retreat, did not attempt to conceal the extent +of the danger. He confesses himself +that they were hard put to it, and that escape +would have seemed impossible to any other +men but to those who had been hitherto successful +in almost every undertaking. He +addressed his companions, and artfully persuaded +them to agree to his plans, by first +elaborating the extent of their difficulties. He +said that 10,000 men could not force their +way through such intrenchments, guarded +by so many men as the Spaniards had, judging +from the number of their horses. Nor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span> +could they pass by the side of it, with all +their horses and baggage, seeing that the path +could only be entered in single file. Except +the road, all was a thick, pathless forest, full of +quagmires, and encumbered by fallen trees; +and even if these impediments were passed, +the Spaniards would have still to be fought +with. The Buccaneers agreed to these as +truisms, but cried out that it was to no purpose +to talk of difficulties so apparent, without +proposing some method of surmounting +them, and suggesting some means for its +execution. Upon this hint De Lussan spoke. +He proposed to cross those woods, precipices, +mountains, and rocks, how inaccessible soever +they seemed, and gaining the weather-gauge +of the enemy, take them at once in the rear, +suddenly and unexpectedly. The success of +this plan he would answer for at the peril of +his life. The prisoners, horses, and baggage +he resolved to leave guarded by eighty men, +to keep off the 300 Spaniards who hovered +around them at day and at night, encamped +at a musket-shot distance. These eighty +men could answer for four times as many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> +Spaniards. After some deliberation, De +Lussan's plan was agreed to, and the execution +at once resolved upon. Examining the +mountain carefully with the keen eyes of +both hunters and sailors, they could see a +road winding along the side of the mountain, +above the highest intrenchment. This they +could only trace here and there by light spots +visible between the trees, but once across this +they were safe. Full of hope, and with every +faculty aroused, some of the men were sent to a +spot higher than the main body, to cover +another party who had on previous occasions +proved themselves ingenious and expert, and +who were sent to pick out the safest and most +direct spots by which they could get in the +rear of the enemy before day broke. As +soon as these scouts returned the men made +ready for their departure, leaving their baggage +guarded by eighty men. To prevent suspicion, +the officer in command had orders to +make every sentinel he set or relieved in the +night-time fire his fusil and to beat his drum +at the usual hour. He was told that if God +gave them the victory they would send a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> +party to bring him off, but that if an hour +after all firing ceased they saw no messenger, +they were to provide for their own safety.</p> + +<p>The immediate narrative of this wonderful +escape we give in De Lussan's own words:—"Things +being thus disposed," he says, +"we said our prayers as low as we could, +that the Spaniards might not hear us, from +whom we were separated but by the valley. +At the same time, we set forward to the +number of 200 men by moonlight, it being +now an hour within night; and about one +more after our departure we heard the +Spaniards also at their prayers, who, knowing +we were encamped very near them, fired +about 600 muskets in the air to frighten us. +Besides, they also made a discharge at all +the responses of the litany which they sang. +We still pursued our march, and spent the +whole night (in going down and then getting +up) to advance half a-quarter of a league, +which was the distance between them and +us, through a country, as I have already +said, so full of rocks, mountains, woods, and +frightful precipices, that our posteriors and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span> +knees were of more use to us than our legs, +it being impossible for us to travel thither +otherwise. On the 14th, by break of +day, as we got over the most dangerous +parts of this passage, and had already seized +upon a considerable ascent of the mountain +by clambering up in great silence, and +leaving the Spaniards' retrenchments to our +left, we saw their party that went the +rounds, who, thanks to the fogs, did not discover +us. As soon as they were gone by, +we went directly to the place where we saw +them, and found it to be exactly the road +we were minded to seize on. When we had +made a halt for about half an hour to take +breath, and that we had a little daylight to +facilitate our march, we followed this road +by the voice of the Spaniards, who were at +their morning prayers, and we were but just +beginning our march, when, unfortunately, +we met with two out-sentinels, on whom we +were forced to fire, and this gave the +Spaniards notice, who thought of nothing +less than to see us come down from above +them upon their intrenchments, since they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span> +expected us no other way than from below; +so that those who had the guard thereof, and +were in number about 500 men, finding +themselves on the outside, when they +thought they had been within, and consequently +open without any covert, took the +alarm so hot, that falling all on them at the +same time, we made them quit the place in +a moment, and make their escape by the +favour of the fog."</p> + +<p>The sequel is soon told. The defenders of +the two first lines of wall drew up outside +the lowermost, the Buccaneers firing at +them for an hour under cover of the first +intrenchment. But finding they gave no +ground, and thinking the fog interfered with +the aim, the French rushed forward and fell +upon them with the butt ends of their muskets, +till they fled headlong down the narrow +road. Here they got entangled in their own +impediments, and the Buccaneers, commanding +the road from the redoubt, killed an +enemy at every shot. Weary at last of +running and killing, the French returned to +the intrenchments and drove off the 500<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> +Spaniards, who had now rallied, and were +attacking the garrison. The pursuit ceased +only from the fatigue of the conquerors and +their weariness of slaughter. The Spaniards +neither gave nor took quarter, and were +saved in spite of themselves. De Lussan +says, either from pride or a natural fierceness +of temper, the Spanish soldiers, before +an engagement, frequently took an oath +to their commander neither to give nor +receive quarter. The Buccaneers, struck +with compassion at the quantity of blood +running into the rivulet, spared the survivors, +and returned a second time into the +intrenchment with only one man killed and +two wounded. The Spaniards lost their +general, a brave old Walloon officer, who had +given them the plan of their intrenchment. +It was only at the solicitation of another commander +that the rounds had been set, and +the sentinels placed at the top of the mountain. +The general had consented, but said +there was no danger if the French were only +men. It would take them eight days to climb +up, and if they were devils, no intrenchment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span> +could keep them out. In his pocket were +found letters from the Governor of Costa Rica, +who had intended to send him 8000 men, but +the Walloon asked for only 1500. He advised +him to take care of his soldiers, as no glory +could be gained by such a victory. The letter +concluded thus:—"Take good measures, for +those devils have a cunning and subtlety +that is not in use amongst us. When you +find them advance within the shot of your +arquebuses, let not your men fire but by +twenties, to the end your firing may not be +in vain; and when you find them weakened, +raise a shout to frighten them, and fall +on with your swords, while Don Rodrigo +attacks them in the rear. I hope God will +favour our designs, since they are no other +than for his glory, and the destruction of +these new sort of Turks. Hearten up your +men, though they may have enough of that +according to your example they shall be +rewarded in heaven, and if they get the +better, they will have gold and silver enough +wherewith these thieves are laden."</p> + +<p>Having sung a <i>Te Deum</i> of thankfulness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> +to God, Ravenau de Lussan mounted sixty +men upon horseback, as he words it, "to +give notice to our other people of the success +the Almighty was pleased to give us." They +found them about to attack the 300 Spaniards, +who seeing the night-march the main body +had made, and believing them defeated at +the intrenchments, had sent an officer to +parley with the residue. He told them that +the 1500 Spaniards were lying ready to +surround their troops, but promised them +good terms if they surrendered; saying that, +by the intercessions of the almoner, and for +the honour of the holy sacrament and glorious +Virgin, they had spared all the prisoners they +had hitherto taken. The Buccaneers, somewhat +intimidated at these threats, took heart +when they saw their companions coming, +and returned the following fierce answer: +"Though you had force enough to destroy +two-thirds of our number, we should not fail +to fight with the remaining part; yea, though +there were but one man of us left, he should +fight against you all. When we put ashore +and left the South Sea, we all resolved to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span> +pass through your country or die in the +attempt; and though there were as many +Spaniards as there are blades of grass in the +savannah, we should not be afraid, but would +go on and go where we will in spite of your +teeth." The officer at Ravenau's arrival was +just being dismissed, and seeing the new +allies were booted and mounted on Spanish +horses, he shrugged up his shoulders and +rode back as fast as he could to his comrades, +who were not more than a musket-shot off +upon a small eminence commanding the camp, +to tell them the news. As soon almost as he +could get to them, the Buccaneers advanced +with pistols and cutlasses, and without firing +fell on them and cut many to pieces before +they could mount, but let the rest go, detaining +their horses. They then, with the loss +of one killed and two maimed, rejoined the +main body at the intrenchments.</p> + +<p>The enemy now lit a fire upon the top of +a neighbouring mountain to collect the scattered +troops, in order to defend an intrenchment +six leagues distant; but the Buccaneers lying +in wait cut off their passage, then hamstringing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span> +900 horses, took 900 others to kill and salt +when they arrived at the river. On the 15th +they passed the intrenchment unfinished and +undefended, and on the 16th day came very +joyfully to the long desired river. Immediately +they entered into the woods that +covered the banks, and fell to work in good +earnest to cut down trees and build "piperies," +or rafts. These were made of four or +five trunks of the mahot trees, a light buoyant +wood, which they first barked and then +bound together with parasite creepers, which +were tough and of great length. Two men, +generally standing upright, guided each of +these frail barks, the decks sunk two or +three feet under water. They were built +purposely narrow, to be able to thread +the rocky passes of the river even then in +sight. These rafts were dragged to the +river-side and then launched, the boatmen +having furnished themselves with long poles +to push them off the rocks, against which they +were sure the current would drive them. De +Lussan, who never exaggerates a danger, +cannot find words to express the terrors of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span> +this stream. "It springs," he says, "in the +mountains of Segovia, and discharges itself into +the North Sea at Cape Gracias à Dios, after +having run a long way, in a most rapid manner, +across a vast number of rocks of a prodigious +bigness, and by the most frightful +precipices that can be thought of, besides a +great many falls of water, to the number of +at least a hundred of all sorts, which it is +impossible for a man to look on without +trembling, and making the head of the most +fearless to turn round, when he sees and +hears the waters fall from such a height into +those tremendous whirlpools."</p> + +<p>To this dangerous river and its merciless +falls, these way-worn men trusted themselves +on frail rafts, and sank up to their middles in +water. Sometimes they were hurried, in spite +of all their resistance, into boiling pools, where +they were buried with their rafts in the darkness +beneath the foam, at others drifted under +rocks and against fallen trees. Some tied themselves +to their barks. "As for those great +falls," says Lussan, "they had, to our good +fortunes, at their entrances and goings out,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> +great basins of still water, which gave us +the opportunity to get upon the banks of the +river, and draw our piperies ashore to take +off those things we had laid on them, which +were as wet as we were. These we carried +with us, leaping from rock to rock, till we +came to the end of the fall, from whence one +of us afterwards returned to put our pipery +into the water, and let her swim along to +him who waited for her below. But if he +failed to catch hold (by swimming) of those +pieces of wood before they got out of the +basin below, the violence of the stream would +carry them away to rights, and the men were +necessitated to go and pick out trees to make +another."</p> + +<p>The rafts at first went all together for the +sake of mutual assistance; but at the end of +three days, finding this dangerous, Ravenau +de Lussan advised their going in a line apart, +so that, if any were carried against the rocks, +they might get off before the next pipery +arrived, which at first occasioned many disasters. +De Lussan, being himself cast away, +found much safety in this plan; for, uncording<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> +his raft, he straddled upon one piece and his +companion upon another, and floated down, +till, reaching a place less rapid, they got on +land and reconstructed the raft. By his advice, +those who went first put up flags at the +end of long poles, to give notice on which +side to land, not to signal the falls, for their +roar could be clearly heard a league off.</p> + +<p>During all these dangers the men lived on +the bananas that they found growing by the +river side, some of which the Indians had +sown, and others floated down and self-planted +during the inundations. The horse-flesh +they had brought the water had spoiled, +compelling them to throw it away after two +days; and although game abounded on the +land, they could kill none, for their arms +were continually wet and their ammunition +all damaged.</p> + +<p>It was at this crisis the conspirators we have +before mentioned chose to carry out their +cruel plot. Hiding behind some rocks, they +killed and plundered five Englishmen, who +were known to be rich. Lussan whose raft +came last of all, and followed the English float,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> +found their bodies, and thanked +God he had given others his treasure to carry. +When the Buccaneers were all met together, +lower down the river, Lussan told them of +the murder, of which they had not heard, but +the murderers were seen no more. On +the 20th of February the river grew wider, +slower, and deeper, the falls ceased, but the +stream was encumbered with trees and bamboos, +drifted together by the floods. These +snags frequently overturned the rafts, but +the water being, though deeper, much slower, +none were drowned. Some leagues further, +the stream became gentle and free from all +impediment, and they determined for the +next sixty leagues to the sea to build canoes. +Dividing themselves into parties of sixty +men, they landed and cut down mapou trees, +and, working with wonderful diligence, built +four canoes by the first of March. Leaving +140 men still working, 120 embarked, eager +for home, ease, and rest. The English, too +impatient to make canoes, had long since +reached the sea-shore in their piperies. They +here met a Jamaica boat lying at anchor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span> +and attempted to persuade the captain to return, +and obtain leave for them to land, as +they had no commission. The captain refused +to go without receiving £6000 in advance, +which they could not afford, as many +of them had lost all by the upsetting of the +piperies. The sailors, therefore, resolved to +remain with the friendly Mosquito Indians, +who dwelt about the mouth of this river, and +to whom they had often brought trinkets +from Jamaica. The English, unable to buy +the boat, determined to send word to the +French, hoping to get to St. Domingo by their +aid. Two Mosquito Indians were despatched +in a canoe, forty leagues up the river, to bring +down forty Frenchmen, as the vessel was +small and short of provision, and could not +hold more. But, in spite of all this, 120, +instead of forty, hurried down to get on +board, waiting five days for the ship that +had gone to the Isle of Pearls. Great was +the delight of the French to pass Cape Gracias +à Dios, and enter the North Sea.</p> + +<p>The Mulattoes that lived on this cape, +Lussan says, were descended from the crew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span> +of a negro vessel, lost on a shoal. They +slept in holes dug in the sand, to avoid the +mosquitoes, which stung them till they appeared +like lepers. Lussan speaks much of the +fiery darts of this mischievous insect. He +says, "It is no small pain to be attacked with +them, for, besides that they caused us to lose +our rest at night, it was then that we were +forced to go naked for want of shirts, when +the troublesomeness of these animals made +us run into despair and such a rage as set us +beside ourselves." At last the longed-for vessel +arrived, and, regardless of lots that had been +drawn, fifty of the more vigilant, including +Lussan, crowded in, one on the top of the +other, and instantly weighed anchor, engaging +the master for forty pieces of eight a +head to take them to St. Domingo, afraid of +venturing to Jamaica. At Cuba they landed, +and surprising some hunters, compelled them +to sell them food, uncertain whether France +and Spain were at war or peace.</p> + +<p>On the 4th of April they rode at anchor +at Petit Guaves, hoping to hear news from +France. De Lussan relates a curious instance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span> +here of the effect of habit and instinctive imagination. +"There were some of our people," +he says, "so infatuated with the long miseries +we had suffered, that they thought of nothing +else but the Spaniards, insomuch that, when +from the deck they saw some horsemen riding +along the sea-side, they flew to arms to +fire upon them, as imagining they were +enemies, though we assured them we were +now come among those of our own nation." +De Lussan, at once going on shore, demanded +of Mons. Dumas, the King's lieutenant, in +the Governor Mons. de Cussy's absence, indemnity +and protection, by favour of an amnesty +granted by the French king to those +who, in remote places, had continued to +make war on the Spaniards, not hearing of +the peace that had been concluded between +the two nations.</p> + +<p>De Lussan relates with much unpretending +pathos the feelings of himself and his Ulyssean +friends upon once more landing in a friendly +country. "When we all were got ashore," +he says, "to a people that spoke French, we +could not forbear shedding tears for joy that,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span> +after we had run so many hazards, dangers, +and perils, it had pleased the Almighty Maker +of the earth and seas to grant a deliverance, +and bring us back to those of our own nation, +that at length we may return without any +more ado to our own country; whereunto I +cannot but further add, that, for my own +part, I had so little hopes of ever getting +back, that I could not, for the space of fifteen +days, take my return for any other than an +illusion, and it proceeded so far with me, +that I shunned sleep, for fear when I awaked +I should find myself again in those countries +out of which I was now safely delivered."</p> + +<p>From the preface to De Lussan's book, we +learn that he returned to Dieppe, with letters +of introduction from De Cussy, the Governor +of Tortuga and St. Domingo, to Mons. de Lubert, +Treasurer-General of Marine in France. +Of the end of this brave man we know +nothing. He had many requisites for a +great general.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.<br /> + +<small>THE LAST OF THE BUCCANEERS.</small></h2> + +<blockquote><p>Sieur de Montauban—Wonderful escape from an explosion—Life +in Africa—Laurence de Graff—His +victories—Enters French service—Treachery—Buccaneers +join in French expedition and take Carthagena—Buccaneer +sharpshooters—Treachery of French—Buccaneers +return and retake the city—Captured in +return by English and Dutch fleets—1698—Buccaneers +wrecked with French—Grammont takes Santiago—Sacks +Maracaibo, Gibraltar, and Torilla—Lands +at Cumana—Enters French service—Lost in +his last cruise.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Of all the motley characters of Buccaneer +history, Montauban appears one of the most +extraordinary. His friends describe him to +have been as prudent as he was brave, blunt +and sincere, relating his own adventures with +a free and generous air that convinced the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span> +hearer of their truth, and at last consenting +to write his story, not from ostentation, +but from the simple desire of giving a +French minister of state a narrative of his +campaigns. He is interesting to us as the +latest known Buccaneer, and in strict parlance +he can scarcely be classed as a Buccaneer at +all, attacking the English as he did more +than the Spanish, and not confining his +cruises to the Spanish main.</p> + +<p>He begins his book with great <i>naïveté</i> +thus: "Since I have so often felt the malignant +influence of those stars that preside over +the seas, and by an adverse fortune lost all +that wealth which with so much care and +trouble I had amassed together, I should +take no manner of pleasure in this place to +call to mind the misfortunes that befel me +before the conclusion of the last campaign, +had not a desire of serving still both the public +and particular persons, as well as to let his +majesty know the affection and weddedness +I have always had for his service, made me +take pen in hand to give Mons. de Phelipeaux +an account of such observations as I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span> +have made; wherein he may also find with +what eagerness I have penetrated to the +remotest colonies of our enemies, in order to +destroy them and ruin their trade. I was not +willing to swell up this relation with an +account of all the voyages I have made, and +all the particular adventures that have befallen +me on the coasts of New Spain, Carthagena, +Mexico, Florida, and Cape Verd, +which last place I had been at twenty years +ago, having begun to use the seas at the age +of sixteen." He goes on to say that he will +not stop to relate how, in 1691, in a ship +called the <i>Machine</i>, he ravaged the coasts of +New Guinea, and, entering the great Serelion, +took a fort from the English and split twenty-four +pieces of cannon, but will confine himself +simply to his last voyage; "Some information," +he says, "having been given thereof, +by the noise made in France and elsewhere of +the burning my ship, and the terrible crack +it made in the air."</p> + +<p>In the year 1694, having ravaged the +coast of Caracca, he went towards St. Croix, +to watch for some merchant ships and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span> +fleet expected from Barbadoes and Nevis, +bound for England. Sailing towards the +Bermudas, expecting good booty, he saw +them coming towards him without any apprehension +of danger. He at once attacked the +convoy (<i>The Wolf</i>), and took her and two +merchant ships laden with sugar, the rest +escaping during the fight. Returning with +his prizes to France, he captured an English +ship of sixteen guns from Spain and bound +for England, which surrendered after a short +fight. This last vessel he took to Rochelle +and sold it, the Admiralty declaring it good +prize; the last he took to Bordeaux and sold +to the merchants. Here abandoning themselves +to pleasure after a long abstinence, +many of his men deserted him, and he supplied +their place with youths from the town, +who soon became as expert as veterans. "I +made it," he says, "my continual care and +business to teach my men to shoot, and my +so frequent exercising of them rendered +them in a short time as capable of shooting +and handling their arms as the oldest sea +freebooters, or the best fowlers by land."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span></p> + +<p>Re-victualling his ship, that carried only +thirty-four guns, he left Bordeaux in February, +1695, to cruise on the coast of Guinea. +From the Azores he passed the Canary +Islands, and sailed for fourteen days in +sight of Teneriffe, in hopes of meeting some +Dutch vessels, that after all escaped him, and +at the Cape de Verd Islands he pursued two +English interlopers of thirty guns each, who +left behind in the roads their anchors and +shallops. He then went in search of a Dutch +guard-ship, of thirty-four guns, along the +neighbouring coast. Decoying the foe by +showing Dutch colours, he waited till he got +within cannon shot, hoisting the French +flag, gave her a signal to strike, and then +exchanged broadsides. They fought from +early morning till four in the afternoon, without +Montauban being able to get the weather-gauge, +or approach near enough to use his +chief arms—his fusils. Taking advantage of a +favourable wind, the Dutchman then anchored +under the fort of the Cape of Three-points, +where two other Dutch men-of-war lay, one +of fourteen and the other of twenty-eight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span> +guns. Thinking the three vessels had leagued +to fight him, Montauban anchored within a +league of the shore, hoping to provoke them +out by continued insults, but the guard-ship, +already much mauled, would not move. +This vessel, he found afterwards, had driven +away a French flute. At Cape St. John he +took with little difficulty an English ship of +twenty guns, carrying 350 negroes, and much +wax and elephants' teeth. The English captain +had killed some of his blacks in a mutiny, +and others had escaped in the shallop, which +they stole. At Prince's Isle he took a small +Bradenburg caper (a pirate), mounted with +eight pieces of cannon, and carrying sixty +men. He then put into port to careen, +and sent his prize to St. Domingo to be condemned +and sold, putting the Sieur de Nave +and a crew on board, but the ship was taken +by some English men-of-war before Little +Goara. To keep his men employed during +the careening, Montauban fitted up the caper, +and with ninety men cruised for six weeks +without success, and, then putting into the +Isle of St. Thomas, trucked the prize for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span> +provisions, and started for the coasts of Angola, +hearing that three English men-of-war +and a fire-ship were fitting out against +him at Guinea. On his way he chased a +Dutch interloper, laden with 150 pounds of +gold dust, but she ran ashore on the Isle of +St. Omer and fell to pieces.</p> + +<p>When approaching the coasts of Angola, +and not far from the port of Cabinda, he saw +an English vessel of fifty-four guns bearing +down upon him. To decoy her Montauban +hung out Dutch colours, while the English +fired guns, as a signal of friendship. The +Frenchman, pretending to wait, sailed slow, +as if heavy laden or encumbered for want of +sails and men. "We kept in this manner," +writes the privateersman, "from break of day +till ten in the forenoon. He gave me a gun +from time to time without ball, to assure me +of what he was, but finding at last I did not +answer him on my part in the same manner, +he gave me one again with ball, which made +me presently put up French colours, and +answer him with another. Hereupon the +English captain, without any more ado, gave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> +me two broadsides, which I received without +returning him one again, though he had killed +me seven men; for I was in hopes, if I could +have got something nearer to him, to put him +out of condition ever to get away from me. +I endeavoured to come within a fusil shot +of him and was desirous to give him an +opportunity to show his courage in boarding +me, since I could not so well do the same by +him, as being to the leeward. At last being +come by degrees nearer, and finding him +within the reach of my fusils, which for that +end I kept concealed upon the deck from his +sight, they were discharged upon him, and +my men continued to make so great a fire +with them, that the enemy on their part +began quickly to flag. In the mean time, as +their ship's crew consisted of above 300 men +and that they saw their cannon could not do +their work for them, they resolved to board +us, which they did with a great shout and +terrible threatenings of giving no quarter, if +we did not surrender. Their grappling-irons +failing to catch the stern of my ship, made +theirs run in such a manner, that their stern<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> +ran upon my boltsprit and broke it. Having +observed my enemy thus encumbered, my +men plied them briskly with their small shot, +and made so terrible a fire upon them for an +hour and a-half, that being unable to resist +any longer, and having lost a great many +men, they left the sport and ran down between +decks, and I saw them presently after +make signals with their hats of crying out +for quarter. I caused my men therefore to +give over their firing, and commanded the +English to embark in their shallops and come +on board of me, while I made some of my +crew at the same time leap into the enemy's +ship and seize her, and so prevent any surprise +from them. I already rejoiced within +myself for the taking of such a considerable +prize, and so much the more in that I hoped +that after having taken this vessel, that was +the guard-ship of Angola, and the largest the +English had in those seas, I should find myself +in a condition still to take better prizes, +and attack any man-of-war I should meet +with. My ship's crew were also as joyful as +myself, and did the work they were engaged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span> +in with a great deal of pleasure; but the +enemy's powder suddenly taking fire, by the +means of a match the captain had left burning +on purpose, as hoping he might escape +with his two shallops, blew both the ships +into the air, <i>and made the most horrible crack +that was ever heard</i>. It is impossible to set +forth this horrid spectacle to the life; the +spectators themselves were the actors of this +bloody scene, <i>not knowing whether they saw it +or not</i>, and not being able to judge of that +which themselves felt. Wherefore leaving +the reader to imagine the horror which the +blowing up of two ships above 200 fathoms +into the air must work in us, where there +was formed as it were a mountain of water, +fire, wreck of the ships, cordages, cannon, +men, and a most horrible clap made, what +with the cannon that went off in the air, and +the waves of the sea that were tossed up +thither, to which we may add the cracking +of masts and boards, the rending of the sails +and ropes, the cries of men, and the breaking +of bones—I say, leaving these things to the +imagination of the reader, I shall only take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span> +notice of what befell myself, and by what +good fortune it was that I escaped.</p> + +<p>"When the fire first began I was upon the +fore-deck of my own ship, where I gave the +necessary orders. Now I was carried up on +part of the said deck so high, that I fancy it +was the height alone prevented my being involved +in the wreck of the ships, where I +must infallibly have perished, and been cut +into a thousand pieces. I fell back into the +sea (<i>you may be sure giddy-headed enough</i>), and +continued a long time under water, without +being able to get up to the surface of it. At +last falling into a debate with the water, as +a person who was afraid of being drowned, I +got upon the face of it, and laid hold of a +broken piece of a mast that I found near. I +called to some of my men whom I saw swimming +round about me, and exhorted them to +take courage, hoping we might yet save our +lives, if we could light upon any one of our +shallops. But what afflicted me more than +my very misfortune, was to see two half +bodies, who had still somewhat of life remaining +in them, from time to time mount<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> +up to the face of the water, and leave the +place where they remained all dyed with +blood. It was also much the same thing to +see round about a vast number of members +and scattered parts of men's bodies, and most +of them spitted upon splinters of wood. At +last one of my men, having met with a whole +shallop among all the wreck, that swam up +and down upon the water, came to tell me +that we must endeavour to stop some holes +therein, and to take out the canoe that lay on +board her.</p> + +<p>"We got, to the number of fifteen or sixteen +of us who had escaped, near unto this shallop, +every man upon his piece of wood, and took +the pains to loosen our canoe, which at length +we effected. We went all on board her, and +after we had got in saved our chief gunner, +who in the fight had had his leg broke. We +took up three or four oars, or pieces of board, +which served us to that purpose, and when +we had done that we sought out for somewhat +to make a sail and a little mast, and, +having fitted up all things as well as we possibly +could, committed ourselves to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> +Divine Providence, who alone could give us +life and deliverance. As soon as I had done +working I found myself all over besmeared +with blood, that ran from a wound I had received +on my head at the time of my fall. +We made some lint out of my handkerchief, +and a fillet to bind it withal out of my shirt, +after I had first washed the wound with +urine. The same thing was done to the rest +that had been wounded, and our shallop in +the meanwhile sailed along without our +knowing where we were going, and, what +was still more sad, without victuals, and we +had already spent three days without either +eating or drinking. One of our men, being +greatly afflicted with hunger and thirst at +the same time, drank so much salt water that +he died of it." Most of the men vomited continually, +Montauban's body swelled, and he +was finally cured of his dropsy by a quartan-ague. +All his hair and one side of his face +and body were burnt with powder, and he +bled as "bombardiers do at sea," at the +nose, ears, and mouth.</p> + +<p>But this was no time, he says manfully,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span> +for a consultation of physicians, while they +were dying of hunger, so leaving the English, +they forced their way over the bar of +Carthersna, an adverse wind preventing their +landing at the port of Cabinda. Here they +found some oysters sticking to the trees that +grew round a pond, and opening them with +their clasp knives, which they lent, Montauban +says, "charitably and readily to each +other," they made a lusty meal.</p> + +<p>Having spent two days there, they divided +into three small companies, and went up +the country, but could find no houses, and +see nothing but herds of buffaloes that fled +from them. On reaching Cape Corsa they +found negroes assembled to furnish ships +with wood and water in exchange for brandy, +knives, and hatchets.</p> + +<p>Montauban, who had often traded in these +parts, knew several of the natives, and tried +to make them believe he was the man he +represented; but disfigured as he was by +his late misfortune, they considered him an +impostor. In their own language he told<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> +them he was dying of famine, but could get +nothing but a few bananas to eat.</p> + +<p>He then desired them to carry him and his +men to Prince Thomas, the son to the king +of that country, upon whom he had conferred +many favours. But the Prince refused to +recognize him, till he showed him the scar of +a wound in his thigh which he had once seen +when they bathed together. On seeing this +the Prince rose and embraced him; commanded +victuals to be given to his men; +expressed his sorrow for their misfortunes; +and quartered them among his negro lords. +Montauban he kept at his own expense, and +made him eat at his own table. In a few +days he took him some leagues up the country +in a canoe, to see the king his father, +who ruled over a village of 300 huts among +the marshes. The high priest was just dead, +and during the funeral ceremonies, lasting for +seven days, Montauban was regaled with elephant's +flesh. The king he found surrounded +by women, and guarded by negroes armed +with lances and fusils. Flags, trumpets, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span> +drums preceded this monarch of a realm of +hunters, who was himself clothed in a robe +of white and blue striped cotton. The +black prince shook the French captain by the +hand, being the first man whose hand he had +ever thus honoured. He asked many questions +about his brother of France, and when +he heard that he sometimes waged war with +England and Holland singlehanded, and +sometimes with Germany and Spain, the +king expressed himself pleased, and, calling +for palm wine, said he would drink the +French king's health, and as he drank the +drums and trumpets sounded, just as they do +in Hamlet, and the negro guard discharged +their pieces. Prince Thomas then asked the +name of the French king who was so powerful, +and being told it was Louis le Grand, +declared he would give that name to his son, +who was about to be baptised, and that Montauban +should be godfather. He also expressed +his hope that at some future voyage +Montauban would carry the child to France, +and present him to the brother monarch, and +have him brought up in that country. "Assure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> +him," said the same prince, "that I am his +friend, and that if he has occasion for my +service, I will go myself into France, with +all the lances and fusils belonging to the +king my father." The king said, if need +were he would go himself in person. At +this generous promise the guard discharged +their muskets frantically, and the men and +women shouted their admiration. The drums +and trumpets went to it again, and the spearmen +ran from one side to the other, uttering +horrible cries, sounding like pain, but expressive +of joy. Then the glasses went round +faster, and the ceremony concluded by the +negro king presenting Montauban with two +cakes of wax. The white men now rose in +public estimation. Whenever they stirred +out, they were followed by crowds of negroes +bringing presents of fruits and buffalo flesh, +never having seen a white face before, and +generally supposing the devil to be of that +colour. Sable philosophers begged to be allowed +to scrape their skin with knives, till +the king issued an edict forbidding any one, +under pain, scraping or rubbing the strangers.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span></p> + +<p>The baptism passed off with great <i>éclat</i>. +There being no priest in the town who knew +how to baptize, or remembered the words of +the service, a priest was procured from a +Portuguese ship lying at the Cape. The +freebooter speaks with much unction of his +sponsorship. "I did it with so much the +more pleasure," quoth he, "in that I was +helping to make a Christian and sanctify a +soul."</p> + +<p>A few days after this ceremony, which +afforded so much satisfaction to Montauban's +tender conscience, he determined to embark +on board an English ship lying at the Cape; +but the black king would not have him +trust himself into the hands of his enemies, +and soon after he set sail in a Portuguese +vessel that arrived to barter iron, arms, and +brandy, for ivory, wax, and negroes. Two +of his men, who had strayed up the country, +he left behind. The Portuguese captain +turned out to be an old friend, and took him +at once to St. Thomas's, and here he stayed a +month, the governor of the island showing +him a thousand civilities. He then embarked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> +on board an English vessel, with whose captain +he contracted an intimate friendship, in +spite of the governor's warnings. He gave +up his own cabin to Montauban, to use our adventurer's +own words, "with all the pleasure +and diversion he could think of, for the +solacing of my spirits under the afflictions I +had from time to time endured."</p> + +<p>A tedious sail of three months brought +them to Barbadoes. During this time, his +provisions running short, the English captain +began to regret having taken up his French +passengers, and reduced their daily allowance +by three-fourths. On arriving at the port, +Colonel Russel blamed the captain for having +brought such visitors, and forbade him under +pain of death to land; but some Jewish physicians +declaring that he must die if he did +not, the governor consented, keeping a strict +watch upon the sick man, and telling him to +understand that he and his fellows were +prisoners of war. Montauban replied that +he had only embarked on the faith of the +English captain, on whose friendship he relied. +He promised, if liberty were granted,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span> +them, he would be ever mindful of the favour, +and would either pay the colonel a ransom, +or restore at a future time any prisoners belonging +to the island.</p> + +<p>"No," replied the governor, "I will have +neither your ransom nor your prisoners, and +you are too brave a man for me to have no +compassion upon your many misfortunes. I +desire, on the contrary, that you will accept +of these forty pistoles, which I present you +with to supply your present occasions." A +vessel soon after arrived from Martinique, +and Montauban went on board with two of +his men, all that could be collected. The +English governor, when he thanked him at +parting, prayed him to be kind to any English +that fell into his hands, and lamented the +war regulations that compelled him to severity.</p> + +<p>On arriving at Port Royal, at Martinique, +Mons. de Blenac, the governor, who was +then dying, made him stay at his house, and +relate every day his adventure with the +English vessel. In the same breath, Montauban +praises De Blenac's wisdom, justice, +integrity, and knowledge of all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span> +coasts and heights of land in America. In +a few days the freebooter embarked in the +<i>Virgin</i> for Bordeaux, and we lose sight of his +stalwart figure and scarred face among the +bustling eager crowds that fill the streets of +that busy seaport. We have a shrewd +suspicion that Sieur de Montauban did not +die in a bed, but with his face to the foe and +his back on a bloody plank. There is something +delightfully sincere and <i>naïve</i> in the +sort of out-loud thinking with which he concludes +his simple "yarn."</p> + +<p>"I do not know whether I have bid the +sea adieu, so much has my last misfortune +terrified me, or whether I shall go out again +to be revenged on the English, who have +done me so much mischief, or go and traverse +the seas with a design to get me a little +wealth, or rest quiet and eat up what my +relations have left me. <i>There is a strange +inclination in men to undertake voyages</i>, as +there is to gaming; whatever misfortunes +befall them, they do not believe they will be +always unhappy, and therefore will play on. +Thus it is as to the sea, whatever accidents<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> +befall us, we are in hopes to find a favourable +opportunity to make us amends for all our +losses. I believe, whoever reads this account +will find it a hard task to give me counsel +thereupon, or to take the same himself."</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Laurence de Graff</span>, our next hero, was a +Dutchman by birth, and served first in the service +of Spain as a sailor and a gunner. He +soon became remarkable as a good shot, and +renowned for his address and bravery, his bearing +being equally attractive and commanding. +Going to America, he carried these talents to +the best market, and, being taken prisoner by +the corsairs, became a Buccaneer, and soon +rose to independent command. His name +grew so terrible to the Spaniards, that the +monks used to pray God in their prayers to +deliver them from "Lorençillo," and the +whole brotherhood used his name as a war-cry +to strike terror. Vessels struck their +flag when they heard that shout, and the +horsemen fled before it through the savannah. +Knowing that the Spaniards would not forgive +him the injuries he had inflicted on +them, De Graff never fought without strewing +powder on the deck, or having a gunner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span> +with a lighted match ready to blow up the +powder magazine at the first signal. On one +occasion the people of Carthagena, knowing +that he was sailing near the port in a single +small vessel, despatched two frigates to +bring him bound to land. Lorençillo, believing +himself lost, had already given orders +to blow up the vessel, when, making a last desperate +effort, he captured both of his enemies. +These men were never so formidable as +when surrounded by an overwhelming force. +On another occasion the admiral and vice-admiral +of the galleon fleet had orders to +take him at all risks, which they should +easily have done, as each of their vessels +carried sixty guns. Finding it impossible to +escape, Laurence animated his crew, and told +them that in victory lay their only hope of +life. The gunner was placed as usual ready +beside the magazine, and then running boldly +between the two vessels, De Graff poured in +a volley of musketry and killed forty-eight +Spaniards. The action still continued, when +a French shot carried away the mainmast of +the largest galleon, and her consort, afraid to +board, left Lorençillo the conqueror. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span> +report of this victory produced a great +sensation both at Paris and Madrid. The +French sent the conqueror letters of naturalization +and a pardon for the death of Van +Horn, and the court of Spain issued orders +to cut off the head of their recreant admiral.</p> + +<p>At another time Laurence was cruising +near Carthagena, in company with the +French captains, Michel Jonqué, Le Sage, +and Breac. The Spaniards, thinking to +catch him alone, sent out two thirty-six gun +ships and a small craft of six guns, which +overtook him in a bay to leeward of the city. +Surprised to see him well guarded, they endeavoured +to escape, but Laurence attacked +them, and after an eight hours' action, having +killed 400 Spaniards, took the admiral's +ship, Jonqué's capturing its companion. +Laurence's prize, however, was soon after +driven ashore, and the prisoners escaped.</p> + +<p>Captain Laurence is at this time described +as a tall, fair man, with light hair and moustachios. +He was fond of music, and kept a band +of violins and trumpets on board his ship.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span> +On one occasion landing in Jamaica, the +French levelled the three intrenchments, +spiked the cannon, burnt a town, and +retreated to their ships—carrying off 3000 +negroes, and much indigo and merchandise. +The island was saved by the fact of the +inhabitants of one corner having fortified all +their houses, and turned each into an inaccessible +and unscalable fort. In the attack +of one of these alone Captain Le Sage and +fifty men were killed. The English say that +there were 7000 fugitive negroes in the +mountains, anxious to join the French, and to +escape to St. Domingo, but the French, taking +them for enemies, fled at their approach.</p> + +<p>Afraid of retaliation, Hispaniola now prepared +for defence. Le Sieur de Graff commanded +at Cape François, and was to lay +ambuscades and throw up intrenchments, +and dispute every inch with the Spaniards or +the English. If the enemy was too strong he +was ordered to spike his cannon, blow up his +powder, and fall back to Port de Paix. In +1695 the Spaniards and English landed with +6000 men. Contrary to all expectation, De<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span> +Graff, perhaps too old for service, wasted +eight days in reconnoitring, and abandoned +post after post. His men lost all courage +when they saw his irresolution. His lieutenant, +Le Chevalier de Leon, also deserted his +guns without a blow, De Graff merely remarking +that it was only twenty-eight cannon +lost. A succession of disasters followed, +and nothing but climate and the quarrels of +the allies saved the desolated colony.</p> + +<p>In 1686, De Graff was made major in the +French army, and henceforward fought with +more or less fidelity for the country that +had ennobled him. Not long after this event, +the termination of all his glory, being a +widower, he married Anne Dieu le Veut, a +French lady of indomitable spirit. She was +one of those French women brought over by +the governor, M. D'Ogeron, to marry to the +hunters of Hispaniola. "They grew," says +Charlevoix, "perfect Atalantas, and joined +in the chase, using the musket and sabre +with the best." From such Amazonian mould +came some of the Buccaneer chiefs. One +day before her marriage, this heroine having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> +received some insult from her husband, +drew out a pistol and forced him to unsay what +he had uttered. Full of admiration at her +courage, and thinking such an Amazon worthy +of a hero's bed, he married her. Both she and +her children were taken prisoners by the +English, and not released for a long time +after the peace. De Graff's first wife was +Petroline de Guzman, a Spanish lady.</p> + +<p>At the time De Graff's brevet arrived, he +was on a reef near Carthagena, having been +wrecked while pursuing a bark in a vessel of +forty-eight guns and 400 men. With his +canoe the wrecked men took the ship, and +landing in Darien, lost twenty-five adventurers +in an Indian ambuscade. His two +prizes he sent to St. Domingo, but his crew +obliged him to continue privateering till the +letters from De Cussy recalled him. One of +the chief reasons why this honour had been +bestowed on him was, that, by his great +credit with the adventurers, he might draw +them to settle on land.</p> + +<p>About this time, the Spaniards surprised +Petit Guaves, and war commenced. Only the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span> +year before, the same nation had seized +Breac, the Flibustier captain, and hung him, +with nine or ten of his men. Soon after +this, a Spanish officer, whom De Graff, now +commandant at the Isle à la Vache, had +delivered from some English corsairs, informed +him that a Spanish galleon full of +treasure was lying wrecked at the Seranillas +Islands, but this prize he was obliged to relinquish +to the English.</p> + +<p>De Graff now became remarkable for his +firmness and justice. He encouraged colonization, +settled differences between English +and French Buccaneers, and prohibited all +privateering. His name was still so terrible, +that on one occasion 2000 Spaniards attacking +Hispaniola retreated when they heard +that the old chief commanded the militia of +the island.</p> + +<p>The Flibustiers were found bad colonists: +the French could manage to keep them at a +fortified post when a Spanish invasion was +expected, but the instant the enemy retreated, +the sea grew dark with Buccaneer vessels, +eager for prizes. Indocile and desperate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span> +they seduced all the youth of Hispaniola +from their plantations. At one time the +French governor seems to have resolved on +their total destruction, but their usefulness +as light troops saved them. The descents +on Jamaica in search of slaves by the French +Buccaneers grew soon so numerous, that +the English island became known as "little +Guinea."</p> + +<p>In 1692, a French adventurer named +Daviot, with 290 men, landed and pillaged +the north of Jamaica. His vessel being +driven out to sea by a storm, his men were +compelled to remain fifteen days exposed to +incessant attacks from their enemies. While +waiting for the vessel's return, the dreadful +earthquake happened that swallowed 11,000 +souls, and destroyed Port Royal. The Flibustiers, +alarmed at the rocking of the earth, +embarked 115 sailors and forty prisoners in +canoes, but the sea was as convulsed as the +land, and they lost all but sixty men, and +were driven again on shore. Attacked when +he again put out to sea by two English vessels, +Daviot beat them off with a loss of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span> +seventy-six men, only two of his own being +killed. Boarded by the English a second +time, his vessel blew up, and he surrendered +with twenty-one of his crew. Soon after +this, three French vessels, manned with Buccaneers, +took an English guarda costa of +forty guns, killing eighteen men.</p> + +<p>In 1694, De Graff commanded in a Buccaneer +invasion of Jamaica, sailing to that +island with fourteen vessels and 550 men. +He forced the English intrenchments in +spite of 1400 musketeers and twelve guns, +slew 360 of the defenders, and captured +nine ships, losing himself only twenty-two +men. He then drove off 260 troopers from +Spanish Town, after two hours' combat. The +next day De Graff despatched troops to carry +off cattle.</p> + +<p>In 1696, a process was instituted against +De Graff, whom M. Du Casse suspected of +intrigues with Spain. The evidence, M. +Charlevoix thinks, showed only his extreme +fear of falling into the hands of the enemy. +It is certain that the Spanish had offered to +make him a vice-admiral, but he would not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> +trust their sincerity. The English despised +him for this supposed treachery, and when +he proposed to the governor of Jamaica to +retreat to that island, if he could give him +employment, the governor replied, that he +had already betrayed three nations, and +would not stick at betraying a fourth.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards regarded him with fear till +his death, and never forgave him the injury +he had done them. "During the next war +between France and Spain," says Charlevoix, +"the Marquis of Cöelogon arriving at Havannah +with a French squadron that he commanded +in the Mexican Gulf, having De +Graff on board, all the town ran to the shore +at the news, to see the famous Lorençillo +that had so long been the terror of the West +Indies, but the Marquis would not let him +land for fear of danger."</p> + +<p>Deprived of his command, De Graff was +appointed captain of a light frigate. This +situation suited him better than land service, +for which he showed no genius, and he was +frequently employed on board the French +squadrons, no man knowing better the navigation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> +of the North Pacific. Of his death +we know nothing, but it is supposed he lived +to a good age.</p> + +<p>One of the most important enterprises ever +attempted by the French Buccaneers, in conjunction +with the French government, was +the capture of Carthagena in 1697. The +fleet of M. de Poincy consisted of eighteen +vessels, besides ten Flibustier craft, carrying +700 adventurers, in addition to his own 4658 +men and two companies of negroes. The +Buccaneer captains were Montjoy, Godefroy, +Blanc, Galet, Pierre, Pays, Sales, Macary, +and Colong. Their vessels were named <i>Le +Pontchartrain</i>, <i>La Ville de Glamma</i>, <i>La Serpente</i>, +<i>La Gracieuse</i>, <i>La Pembrock</i>, <i>Le Cerf Volant</i>, +<i>La Mutine</i>, <i>Le Brigantin</i>, <i>Le Jersé</i>, and <i>L'Anglais</i>. +The whole force mustered 6500 men. +The adventurers at first refused to embark +till a fit share of the booty was promised to +them, being accustomed to be deprived of +their rights by the French officers. Enraged +at not being treated as equals, and finding +one of their men imprisoned at Petit Guaves, +they invested the fort, and were only appeased<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> +by ready concessions. The first scheme of +the expedition was to seek the galleons; but +this was abandoned, though it appeared afterwards +that at that very time they were lying +at Porto Bello richer than they had been for +fifty years, and laden with 50,000,000 crowns. +The second plan was to attack Vera Cruz, and +the last to sail to Carthagena.</p> + +<p>That most graphic and vigorous of writers, +Michael Scott, describes Carthagena as situated +on a group of sandy islands, surrounded +by shallow water. A little behind the town, +on a gentle acclivity, is the citadel of Fort +St. Felipe, and on the ship-like hill beyond +it the convent of the Popa, projecting like a +poop-lantern in the high stern of a ship.</p> + +<p>Arrived at that city, the French galliot +bombarded the whole night; and as this +was the first bomb ship ever seen in the +West Indies, the splintering of shells produced +a great terror in the citizens. Two +days after the fleet anchored before Bocca +Chica. This fort contained thirty-three guns; +had four bastions, and was defended by a +dry fosse cut in the rocks. The ramparts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span> +were bomb proof and the walls shot proof. +Under the fire of the <i>St. Louis</i>, the galliot, +and two bomb vessels, the troops landed +and advanced without opposition within a +quarter of a league of the fort. By the +advice of the Buccaneers, accustomed to such +marches, 3000 men crossed through a wood +by a path so difficult that only one man could +pass at a time, and, unobserved, took possession +of the road leading from Carthagena +to the fort, fortifying themselves on both +sides, and cutting off the communication between +the fort and the city, taking some negroes +prisoners, and losing a few men from +the shots of the enemy.</p> + +<p>The next morning, at daybreak, the adventurers, +finding some boats on the beach, +pursued and captured a Spanish piragua +containing several monks of high rank. One +of the priests in vain was sent with a flag of +truce and a drummer and trumpeter to summon +the governor to surrender. The negroes +clearing the road, a battery of guns and +mortars opened upon the fort, and the Buccaneer +sharp-shooters shot down the enemy's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> +gunners, driving back some half galleys that +attempted to bring reinforcements. The Buccaneers, +pursuing the boats, found shelter +under the covered way, and killed every man +who showed himself on the batteries of the +fort. The governor, who saw the adventurers +rushing, as he thought, madly to destruction, +began to lament that he had employed +such people. Warned that if left alone +"the brothers" would give a good account +of the place, he scornfully laughed and ordered +up reinforcements. Thinking the Flibustiers +had only run under the covered way +for shelter, he pursued a few who really did +turn tail with his cane, and attempted in vain +to drive them to the assault. By this time the +freebooters had won the drawbridge, and, +displaying their colours on the edge of the +ditch, demanded means for the escalade. +Thirty ladders were placed, and the assault +had already commenced, when the Spaniards +hung out the white flag, and, shouting "<i>Viva +el rey!</i>" flung their arms and hats into the +ditch. The gate being opened, 100 of the +garrison were confined in the chapel; 200<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> +others were found wounded. The governor, +handing the keys of the fortress to M. de +Poincy, said: "I deliver into your hands the +keys of all the Spanish Indies." About forty +adventurers were killed, and as many +wounded, in this attack.</p> + +<p>The next day the fleet entered the harbour, +and the Spaniards burned all their vessels to +prevent capture. The governor still refusing +to surrender, saying he wanted neither men, +arms, nor courage, the adventurers embarked +to attack the convent of Nuestra Senhora de +la Popa, and to occupy the heights. M. +du Casse being wounded in the thigh, the +Flibustiers refused to march under the command +of M. Galifet, to whom they had a +dislike; and on his striking one of them, +the man took him by the cravat. The +mutineer was instantly tied to a tree and +sentenced to be shot, but pardoned at M. +Galifet's intercession. M. de Poincy, going +on board Captain Pierre's ship, seized him +and ordered him to execution, and the revolt +then ceased, De Poincy threatening to decimate +them on the next outbreak.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span></p> + +<p>The convent stood on a mountain shaped +like the poop of a ship, about a gunshot from +Carthagena. It had been abandoned by the +monks, who had stripped it of every valuable.</p> + +<p>The army then marched by sunset to the +fort Santa Cruz, suffering much from thirst. +The fort mounted sixty guns, was surrounded +by a wet ditch, and on the land side +accessible only through a morass, but it surrendered +without firing a shot. The adventurers +then pushed on to within a gunshot of +Fort St. Lazarus, which commanded the +suburbs on the other side of the city. The +French defiled round the fort, while some of +their grenadiers carried on a pretended conference +with the fort. The next day roads were +cut through a hill, and the army were placed +within pistol shot of the walls, concealed by +an eminence that covered them from the +enemy's fire. The Spaniards, losing their commander, +abandoned the place in disorder, and +their fort, St. Lazarus, being within musket +shot of Gezemanie (the suburbs), they opened +a fire of ten guns upon the captured batteries, +the Buccaneer musketry clearing the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span> +streets. Thirty men were killed in trying +to turn a chapel into a redoubt, and the +camp removed behind St. Lazarus, De +Poincy having been wounded in the breast.</p> + +<p>The three next days several breaching batteries +were completed, and the galliot and +mortars bombarded the city all night. In +three days more, the breach was pronounced +practicable, and the storming commenced. +M. du Casse, although wounded, led the +grenadiers, and M. Macharais the adventurers, +who set the army an example of daring. +Planks were laid over the broken drawbridge, +and the troops passed over, under a +tremendous fire from the bastion of St. +Catherine, one man only being able to cross at +a time. The breach and batteries were lined +with Spanish lancers, who flung their spears, +nine feet long, a distance of twelve or fifteen +yards. The French had 250 men killed and +wounded, and many officers fell. Vice-admiral +the Count de Cöetlogon was mortally +hurt; the commander-in-chief's nephew, le +Chevalier de Poincy, a young midshipman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> +had his knee broken, and many were wounded +in pursuing the Spaniards to the city.</p> + +<p>The French gave no quarter, putting to +the sword 200 Spaniards who had thrown +themselves into a church. The governor, +who had ordered his servants to carry him in +his easy chair to the breach to animate his +men, fled into Carthagena. The army now +advanced to the bridge which led from Gezemanie +to the city, and repulsed two sorties +of the enemy.</p> + +<p>The French threw up intrenchments and +erected batteries to breach the walls. Two +days were spent in these preparations and in +dressing the wounded. There were still +great difficulties to encounter. Armies of +Indians were approaching. The Spanish +garrison had six months' provision and eighty +guns mounted on their ramparts. The next +day, Carthagena, terrified at the fate of Gezemanie, +surrendered. The conditions were, +that the churches should not be plundered, +that those who chose might leave the city +unmolested, and that the inhabitants should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> +surrender half their money on pain of losing +all. The governor and troops were to depart +with the honours of war. The merchants +were to surrender their account books to the +French commander. The adventurers instantly +occupied the bastions and gate, and +the other troops seized the ramparts. The +governor, having marched out with 700 men, +M. de Poincy proceeded to the cathedral to +hear the <i>Te Deum</i>, and then repaired to his +lodgings at the house where the royal treasure +was deposited.</p> + +<p>At first the soldiers and sailors were forbidden +to enter any house on pain of death, +and the admiral's carpenter being caught plundering, +and confessing his guilt, had his head +cut off on the spot. But a change soon took +place. The governor, assembling the heads +of religious houses, informed them that the +treaty did not spare any convent that had +money. Many days were spent in receiving +and weighing the crowns. De Poincy declared, +that before his arrival the monks had +fled with 120 mules laden with gold, and he +had obtained barely nine million pieces.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span> +Other accounts say he obtained forty million +livres, <i>i.e.</i>, twenty millions without including +merchandise. Every officer had 100,000 +crowns, besides his general share of the +spoil, before he allowed his soldiers to enter +a house. Charlevoix confesses, that the +honour the French won by their bravery +they lost by their cruelty. The capitulation +was broken, churches were profaned, church +plate stolen, images broken, virgins violated +on the very altars, the monks tortured, and +the sick in the hospitals left to starve, or +resort to the horrors of cannibalism. Notwithstanding +the inhabitants brought in their +money, some to the amount of 400,000 dollars, +a general search was made throughout +the town, and much gold found. A few of +the inhabitants hired guards of adventurers, +but, in general, these men also turned plunderers, +the officers only attempting to keep +up appearances.</p> + +<p>Anxious to get the adventurers out of the +way while he collected the spoil, De Poincy +spread a report that 10,000 Indians were +approaching, and sent the Flibustiers to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span> +drive them back. After plundering the +country for four leagues, they returned with +fifty prisoners, a drove of cattle, and 4000 +crowns. During the siege, they had been +employed in skirmishing, cutting off supplies, +and foraging, and were accustomed to +laugh at the sailors, who dragged the guns +and called them "white negroes."</p> + +<p>Disease breaking out, and carrying off +800 men in six weeks, De Poincy embarked +his plunder, and prepared to sail. Eighty-six +guns he carried off, and destroyed St. +Lazarus and Bocca Chica. The Buccaneers, +calling out loudly for their share, received +only 40,000 crowns. The men instantly +shouted—"Brothers, we do wrong to take +anything of this dog, our share is left at +Carthagena." This proposal was received +with a ferocious gaiety, and they all swore +never to return to St. Domingo. They +derided M. du Casse's promises to get them +justice from the French king, and fired at +those vessels that would not follow them. The +people of Carthagena shuddered to see them +return. Shutting up all the men in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> +cathedral, they promised to depart on receiving +five millions as a ransom. In one +day a million crowns were brought, but, this +being still inadequate, they broke open the +very tombs, and goaded the citizens to the +torture, firing off guns, and pretending to +put men to death in the neighbouring +rooms. Two men, guilty of cruelty, their +leaders hanged. Each man received about +1,000 crowns; and having spent four days +in collecting and dividing the gold and +silver, they appointed the Isle à la Vache as +a rendezvous to divide the slaves and merchandise.</p> + +<p>The retribution was at hand. They had +not sailed thirty leagues when they fell in +with the combined English and Dutch fleets. +<i>Le Christ</i>, with 250 men, and more than a +million crowns, was taken by the Dutch, +<i>Le Cerf Volant</i> by the English, a third was +driven on shore and burnt near St. Domingo, +a fourth, running on land near Carthagena, +was taken, and her crew employed in rebuilding +the fortifications they had destroyed. +Of De Poincy's plunder, 120,000 livres were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> +carried off by an English foray on Petit +Guaves. Admiral Neville, who failed to +overtake the French deep-laden and weakly +manned fleet, died of a broken heart at +Virginia.</p> + +<p>Du Casse was rewarded with the cross of +St. Louis for his services, and orders arrived +from France to distribute 1,400,000 of De +Poincy's spoil among the freebooters, very +little of which, however, reached them. A +curse, says Charlevoix, rested on the whole +enterprise.</p> + +<p>In 1698, a French fleet, under the command +of Count d'Estrees, on its way to attack +the Dutch island of Curaçoa, was lost on the +Aves Islands, a small cluster of rocks surrounded +by breakers. Attracted by the distress-guns +fired by the first ship that ran +aground, its companions, believing that it +had been attacked by the enemy, hurried +pell-mell to its assistance, and, blinded by +the fog, ran one by one on destruction. +Eighteen of them were lost. Of this disaster, +Dampier, who visited the island about +a year afterwards, gives a very interesting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span> +account. The Buccaneer part of the crew +(for the Buccaneers took an active part in +these wars), quite accustomed to such chances, +scrambled to shore, and proceeded to save all +they could from the wreck; but a few of +them, breaking into the stores of a stranded +vessel, floated with her out to sea, drinking +and cursing on the poop, and holding up +their flasks, shouting and laughing to the +drowning men around them. Every soul of +them perished.</p> + +<p>Several Flibustier vessels were lost at the +same time, about 800 Buccaneers having +joined the expedition at Tortuga. About +300 of these perished with the wrecks. Dampier +describes the islands as strewn with +shreds of sail, broken spars, masts, and rigging. +For some years, in consequence, the +Aves became the resort of Buccaneer captains, +who careened and refitted here, employing +their crews in diving for plate, and +in attempts to recover guns and anchors.</p> + +<p>To console themselves for this failure, +M. de Poincy led 800 Buccaneers to attack +Santiago, first touching at Tortuga for reinforcements.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span> +They landed unseen, taking +advantage of a bright moonlight night. The +vanguard wound their way round the base +of a mountain that barred their approach to +the town, and, instead of advancing, worked +round till they met their rearguard, whom +they mistook for the enemy, and furiously +attacked. They discovered their mistake at +last by their mutual cries of "Tue, tue." +But it was now late; all hopes of surprise +were over; the Spaniards, alarmed, put +themselves on their defence, and at daybreak +drove back the freebooters to their +ships with an irresistible force of 4000 men. +Another party, more successful, plundered +Port au Prince, St. Thomas's, and Truxillo +on the mainland.</p> + +<p>Grammont, during this time, had been +left behind on the Aves Islands, to collect +all that was valuable from the wreck, and +to careen the surviving vessels. Having +completed this, and finding himself short of +provisions, and the season being favourable +for an excursion to the Gulf of Venezuela, +Grammont decided upon a visit to Maracaibo.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span> +Arriving at the fort of the bar, +mounted with twelve guns and garrisoned +by seventy men, he commenced an attack. +The French had opened a trench, had +already pushed it within cannon shot, and +were preparing the ladders to scale, when +the governor surrendered on condition of +obtaining the honours of war. Passing on +to the town, Grammont found it abandoned. +Gibraltar also made little resistance. From +the lake he carried off three vessels, and +also took a prize of value, cannonading it +with his guns, and at the same time boarding +it with a swarm of canoes. Being now +master of the whole lake, he visited all the +places where his prisoners told him he was +likely to find gold hidden, defeating the +Spaniards wherever he met them.</p> + +<p>Then, collecting all his scattered plunderers, +Grammont prepared to attack Torilla, +making a detour of forty-five leagues in +order to take it by surprise. Arriving near +the town, the Buccaneers came to the banks +of a rapid river, with only one ford, which +they had the good fortune to find, crossing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span> +over under shelter of a hot fire that the +rearguard kept up upon the Spaniards, who +lay intrenched upon the opposite bank. The +moment they had crossed, their enemies fled, +and Torilla was their own. The prize, however, +proved not worth the winning, for the town +was abandoned, and the treasure hid. The +Buccaneer rule, indeed, was that no place +was worth sacking which was taken without +a blow, as the Spaniards always fought best +when they had most to fight for. The Buccaneers +departed with little booty; their 700 +men having taken three towns, and conquered +a province, with the loss of only seventy +men, and these chiefly by illness.</p> + +<p>In 1680 Grammont made another expedition +to the coast of Cumana. Having collected +twenty-five piraguas, he ascertained from +some prisoners that there were three armed +vessels anchored under the forts of Gonaire, +and these he determined to cut out. He embarked +all his 180 men in a single bark, and +left orders for the others to sail up to Gonaire +at a given signal. He landed with a few +men at night, and surprised four watchmen,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span> +who, however, had still time left to fire, and +alarm the town, before they could be overpowered. +Gonaire leaped instantly from its +sleep. The bells rang backward; the guns +fired; the musketeers hurried to the market-place; +doors were barred; and the women +and children fled in tears to the altars. +Grammont, doubling his speed, arrived at the +east gate, his drums beating, trumpets sounding, +and colours flying. Although it was defended +by twelve guns, he took it with the +hot fierceness of a Cæsar, pushed on at once +to a fort about a hundred yards distant, and +commenced a vigorous attack. At the head +of his crew he entered the embrasures, killing +twenty-six out of its thirty-eight defenders. +Planting his colours on the wall, +the men shouted "<i>Vive le Roi!</i>" with such +unanimity and fierceness that at the very +sound the whole garrison of the neighbouring +fort at once surrendered, and forty-two +men instantly laid down their arms. These +successes were obtained with only forty-seven +men—a mere handful being able to +keep up in the rapid and headlong charge.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span> +Grammont, rallying his men, then placed +garrisons in the forts, razed the embrasures, +spiked the cannon, and then proceeded +to intrench himself in a strong position. +The next day he entered the town, making +several vigorous sorties on the enemy, who +now began to gather in round him on all +sides. Being informed that 2000 men were +advancing to meet him from Caragua, he +gave orders for embarkation, the Buccaneers +seldom fighting when no booty was to be obtained. +Remaining last upon the shore to +cover the retreat of his men, withstanding +for nearly twenty-four hours the onslaught +of 300 Spaniards, he was at last dangerously +wounded in the throat, and one of his officers +had his shoulder broken.</p> + +<p>Grammont took with him the Governor of +Gonaire, and 150 other prisoners, the usual +resource of the Buccaneers when a town +either furnished no booty, or gave them no +time to collect it. This daring enterprise +was achieved with the loss of only eight +men. On his way home to be cured of a +wound which his vexation and impatience<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span> +had rendered dangerous, he was wrecked +near Petit Guaves, and his own vessel and +his prize both lost.</p> + +<p>About the next adventure of this chivalrous +corsair some doubts are thrown, although +it is related boastingly by Charlevoix, who +says: "He then took an English vessel of +thirty guns, which had defied the Governor of +Tortuga, and beaten off a Buccaneer bark. +This ship, armed with fifty guns, and navigated +by a crew of 300 men, Grammont is +reported to have boarded, killing every Englishman +on board but the captain, whom he +reserved to carry in triumph to shore."</p> + +<p>Grammont was born in Paris of a good +family. His mother being left a widow, her +daughter was courted by an officer who +treated Grammont, then a student, as a rude +boy. They fought, and the lover received +three mortal stabs. Obtaining the dying +man's pardon, the young duellist entered +the marines, eventually commanded a privateer +frigate, and took, near Martinique, a +Dutch flute, containing 400,000 livres. Having +spent all this in gaiety at St. Domingo,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span> +the young captain turned Buccaneer. Charlevoix +notices his manners and address, which +were as fascinating as those of De Graff. +The writer describes "Sa bonne grâce, ses +manières honnêtes, et je ne sçais quoi +d'aimable qui gagnoit les cœurs."</p> + +<p>We have described already his surprise of +Maracaibo, and his expedition to Vera Cruz. +His expedition to Campeachy was against +the wish of the French Governor of St. Domingo. +On their way home he quarrelled +and separated from De Graff. "With all +the talent that can raise man to command, he +had," says Charlevoix, "all the vices of a corsair. +He drank hard, and abandoned himself +to debauchery, with a total disregard of +religion."</p> + +<p>In 1686 Grammont, at the recommendation +of M. de Cussy, Governor of St. Domingo, +was made Lieutenant de Roi, Cussy +intending to make him Protector of the +south coast. But Grammont, elated at his +new title, and anxious to show that he deserved +it, armed a ship, manned by 180 +Buccaneers, to make a last cruise against the +Spaniards, and was heard of no more.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.<br /> + +<small>FALL OF THE FLOATING EMPIRE.</small></h2> + +<blockquote><p>Peace of Ryswick—Attempts to settle—Buccaneers turn +pirates—Last expedition to the Darien mines, 1702.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>The English were the first to attempt to put +down Buccaneering, but the last to succeed in +doing it. When the freebooters had served their +purpose, the English government would have +thrown them by as a soldier would his broken +sword. In 1655, after Morgan returned +from Panama, Lord John Vaughan, the new +governor of Jamaica, had strict orders to enforce +the treaty concluded with Spain in the +previous year, but to proclaim pardon, indemnity, +and grants of land to all Buccaneers +who would turn planters. By royal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> +proclamation, all cruising against Spain was +forbidden under severe penalties. To avoid +this irksome imprisonment to a plot of sugar +canes, many of the English freebooters joined +their brethren at Tortuga, or turned cow-killers +and logwood cutters in the Bay of +Campeachy. In the next year the war broke +out between England and Holland, and many +fitted out privateers.</p> + +<p>The unwise restrictions of France, and +home interference with colonial administration, +once more fostered "the people of the +coast." Annoying prohibitions and vexatious +monopolies drove the planters to sea.</p> + +<p>In 1690 a royal proclamation granted pardon +to all English Buccaneers who should +surrender themselves. The French Flibustiers +continued to flourish during the war which +followed the accession of William III. to the +throne of England.</p> + +<p>In 1698 the knell of the brotherhood was +finally rung by the joy bells that announced +the peace of Ryswick. The English and +Dutch made great complaints to the Governor +of St. Domingo of the French Flibustiers, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> +demanded compensation, which was granted. +A colony was established at the Isle à la +Vache in hopes of carrying on a trade with +New Spain, by orders of the French king the +church plate brought from Carthagena was +returned, and Buccaneering prohibited.</p> + +<p>The government advised that force should +be resorted to to induce those Flibustiers to turn +planters who were not willing to avail themselves +of the amnesty. Those who had settled +in Jamaica, seeing in 1702 a new war likely to +break out between England and France, and +determined not to take arms against their +own country, passed over to the mainland, +and settled in Bocca Toro. As soon as the +war broke out, however, a great many French +Buccaneers, persecuted at St. Domingo, joined +the English under Benbow. In 1704, M. +Auger, a new governor, coming to St. Domingo, +and seeing the false step his predecessors +had taken, recalled the Flibustiers, +and made peace with the Bocca Toro Indians. +M. d'Herville led 1500 of them to the Havannah, +and died there. He held the Buccaneers +of Hispaniola far beyond those of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span> +Martinique, and, had he lived, would have +united them all under his flag.</p> + +<p>In 1707 Le Comte de Choiseul Beaupré, +the new governor, attempted to revive Buccaneering +as the only hope of saving French +commerce in the Indies, the English privateers +carrying off every merchant ship that +approached the shores of St. Domingo. The +French government approved of all his plans, +and gave him unlimited power to carry them +out. He issued an amnesty to all Flibustiers +who had settled among the Indians of Sambres +and Bocca Toro. The greater part of those who +had joined the English returned; and those +who had joined in the last expedition against +Carthagena received their pay. The Brothers +were restored to all their ancient privileges. +The Count intended to guard the coast with frigates +while his smaller vessels harassed Jamaica, +but in the midst of these immature projects +he was killed, in 1710, in a sea engagement.</p> + +<p>The Buccaneers, gathered from every part, +now turned planters. Thus, says Charlevoix, +ended the "Flibuste de Saint Domingue," +which only required discipline and leaders of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span> +ambition to have conquered both North and +South America. Undisciplined and tumultuous +as it has been, without order, plan, +forethought, or subordination, it has still been +the astonishment of the whole world, and has +done deeds which posterity will not believe.</p> + +<p>Attachment to old habits and difficulty in +finding employment made many turn pirates. +Proscribed now by all nations, with no excuse +for plunder, and with no safe place of +refuge, they sailed over the world, enemies +to all they met. Many frequented the Guinea +coast, others cruised off the coast of India, and +New Providence island, one of the Bahama +group, was now the only sanctuary. Here +the memorable Blackbeard, Martel, and his +associates, were at last hunted down, about +1717.</p> + +<p>The last achievement related of the Flibustiers +is in 1702, when a party of Englishmen +having a commission from the Governor +of Jamaica, landed on the Isthmus of Darien, +near the Samballas isles, and were joined by +some old Flibustiers who had settled there, +and 300 friendly Indians. With these allies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> +they marched to the mines, drove out the +Spaniards according to Dampier's plan, and +took seventy negroes. They kept these slaves +at work twenty-one days, but obtained, after +all, only eighty pounds' weight of gold.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.<br /> + +<small>THE PIRATES OF NEW PROVIDENCE AND THE +KINGS OF MADAGASCAR.</small></h2> + +<blockquote><p>Laws and dress—Government—Blackbeard—His enormities—Captain +Avery and the Great Mogul—Davis—Lowther—Low—Roberts—Major +Bonnet—Captain +Gow—the Guinea coast.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>The last refugee Buccaneers turned pirates, +and settled in the island of New +Providence.</p> + +<p>The African coast, and not the main, was +now their cruising ground, and Madagascar +was their new Tortuga. They no longer +warred merely against the Spaniard—their +hands were raised against the world. Their +cruelty was no longer the cruelty of retaliation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> +but arose from a thirst of blood, never +to be slaked, and still unquenchable. There +was no longer honour among the bands, and +they grew as cowardly as they were ferocious. +Flocks of trading vessels were +scuttled, but no town attacked. We waste +time even to detail their guilt, and only +append the terrible catalogue as a <i>finis</i> to +our narrative.</p> + +<p>The following articles, signed by Roberts's +crew, may furnish a fair example of the +ordinary rules drawn up by pirate captains:—</p> + +<p>"Every man has a vote in affairs of +moment, and an equal title to the fresh provisions +or strong liquors at any time seized; +which he may use at pleasure, unless a +scarcity make it necessary for the good of all +to vote a retrenchment.</p> + +<p>"Every man shall be called fairly in turn +by list on board the prizes, and, over and +above their proper share, shall be allowed +a change of clothes. Any man who defrauds +the company to the value of a dollar +in plate, jewels, or money, shall be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> +marooned. If the robbery is by a messmate, +the thief shall have his ears and nose +slit, and be set on shore at the place the ship +touches at.</p> + +<p>"No man shall play at cards or dice for +money.</p> + +<p>"The lights and candles to be put out at +eight o'clock at night. If any of the crew, +after that hour, still remain inclined for +drinking, they are to do it on the open +deck.</p> + +<p>"Every man shall keep his piece, pistols, +and cutlass clean, and fit for service.</p> + +<p>"No woman to be allowed on board. +Any man who seduces a woman, and +brings her to sea disguised, shall suffer +death.</p> + +<p>"Any one deserting the ship, or leaving +his quarters during an engagement, shall be +either marooned or put to death.</p> + +<p>"No man shall strike another on board, +but the disputants shall settle their quarrel +on shore with sword or pistol.</p> + +<p>"No man shall talk of breaking up the +company till we get each £100. Every man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span> +losing a limb, or becoming a cripple in the +service, shall have 800 dollars, and for lesser +hurts proportional recompence.</p> + +<p>"The captain and quartermaster shall +receive two shares of every prize. The master, +boatswain, and gunner one share and +a-half, and all other officers one and +a-quarter.</p> + +<p>"The musicians to rest on Sundays, but +on no other days without special favour."</p> + +<p>From another set of articles we find, +that</p> + +<p>"He that shall be found guilty of taking +up any unlawful weapon on board a prize so +as to strike a comrade, shall be tried by the +captain and company, and receive due +punishment.</p> + +<p>"All men guilty of cowardice shall also +be tried.</p> + +<p>"If any gold, jewels, or silver, to the +value of a piece of eight, be found on board +a prize, and the finder do not deliver it to +the quartermaster within twenty-four hours, +he shall be put to his trial.</p> + +<p>"Any one found guilty of defrauding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> +another to the value of a shilling, shall be +tried.</p> + +<p>"Quarter always to be given when called +for.</p> + +<p>"He that sees a sail first, to have the +best pistols or small arms on board of her."</p> + +<p>One of the most cruel of their punishments +was "sweating," an ingenuity probably invented +by the London rakes and "scourers" +of Charles the Second's reign. They first stuck +up lighted candles circularly round the +mizenmast, between decks, and within this +circle admitted the prisoners one by one. Outside +the candles stood the pirates armed with +penknives, tucks, forks, and compasses, and +the musicians playing a lively dance, they +drove the prisoner round, pricking him as he +passed. This could seldom be borne more +than ten minutes, at the end of which time +the wretch, maddened with fear and pain, +generally fell senseless.</p> + +<p>Their diversions were as strange as their +cruelties. On one occasion some pirates +captured a ship laden with horses, going +from Rhode Island to St. Christopher's. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> +sailors mounted these beasts, and rode them +backwards and forwards, full gallop, along +the decks, cursing and shouting till the animals +grew maddened. When two or three +of these rough riders were thrown, they +leaped up and fell on the crew with their +sabres, declaring that they would kill them +for not bringing boots and spurs, without +which no man could ride.</p> + +<p>In dress the pirates were fantastic and +extravagant. Their favourite ornament was +a broad sash slung across the breast and +fastened on the shoulder and hip with +coloured ribbons. In this they slung three +and four pairs of pistols, for which, at the +sales at the mast, they would often give £40 +a-pair. Gold-laced cocked hats were conspicuous +features of their costume.</p> + +<p>For small offences, too insignificant for a +jury, the quartermaster was the arbitrator. +If they disobeyed his command, except in +time of battle, when the captain was +supreme, were quarrelsome or mutinous, +misused prisoners, or plundered when plundering +should cease, or were negligent of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span> +their arms, as the master he might cudgel +or whip them. He was, in fact, the manager +of all duels, and the trustee of the whole +company, returning to the owners what he +chose (except gold and silver), and confiscating +whatever he thought advisable. The +quartermaster was, in fact, their magistrate, +the captain their king.</p> + +<p>The captain had always the great cabin to +himself, and was often voted parcels of plate +and china. Any sailor, however, might use +his punch-bowl, enter his room, swear at him, +and seize his food, without his daring to find +fault, or contest his rights. The captain was +generally chosen for being "pistol proof," and +in some cases had as privy council a certain +number of the elder sailors, who were called +"lords."</p> + +<p>The captain's power was uncontrollable in +time of chase or battle: he might then strike, +stab, or shoot anybody who disobeyed his +orders. The fate of the prisoner depended +much upon the captain, who was oftener inclined +to mercy than his crew.</p> + +<p>Their flags were generally intended to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> +strike terror. Roberts's was a black silk +flag, with a white skeleton upon it, with an +hour-glass in one hand, and cross-bones in +the other, underneath a dart, and a heart +dripping blood. The pennon bore a man with +a flaming sword in one hand, standing on +two skulls, one inscribed A.B.H. (a Barbadian's +head), and the other, A.M.H. (a +Martiniquian's head).</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Edward Teach</span>, <i>alias</i> Blackbeard, was born +in Bristol, and at a seaport town all daring +youths turn sailors. He soon became distinguished +for daring and courage, but did +not obtain any command till 1716, when a +Captain Benjamin Hornigold gave him the +command of a sloop, and became his partner +in piracy, till he surrendered.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1717, the pair sailed from +their haunt in New Providence towards the +Spanish main, and taking by the way a shallop +from the Havannah, laden with flour, +supplied their own vessels. From a ship of +Bermuda they obtained wine, and from a craft +of Madeira they got considerable plunder.</p> + +<p>Careening on the Virginian coast, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span> +returned to the West Indies, and capturing +a large French Guinea-man, bound for Martinique, +Teach went aboard as captain, and +started for a cruise. Hornigold, returning to +New Providence, surrendered to proclamation, +and gave himself up to Governor Rogers.</p> + +<p>Blackbeard had in the mean time mounted +his prize with forty guns, and christened her +the <i>Queen Anne's Revenge</i>. Cruising off St. +Vincent, he captured the <i>Great Allan</i>, and +having plundered her, and set the men on +shore, fired the ship, and let her drift to sea.</p> + +<p>A few days after, Teach was attacked by +the <i>Scarborough</i> man-of-war, who, finding +him well manned, retired to Barbadoes, after +a cannonade of some hours. On his way to +the mainland, Teach was joined by Major +Bonnet, a gentleman planter, turned pirate, +who joined with him, commanding a sloop of +ten guns. Finding he knew nothing of naval +affairs, Teach soon deposed him, and took him +on board his own ship, on pretext of relieving +him from the fatigues and cares of such +a post, wishing him, as he said, to live easy +and do no duty.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span></p> + +<p>While taking in water near the Bay of +Honduras, they surprised a sloop from Jamaica, +which surrendered without a blow, +striking sail at the first terror of the black +flag. The men they took on board Teach's +vessel, and manned it for their own use.</p> + +<p>At Honduras they found a ship and four +sloops, some from Jamaica, and some from +Boston. The Americans deserted one vessel, +and escaped on shore, and the pirates +burnt it in revenge. The other vessel they +also burnt, because some pirate had been +lately hung at Boston. The three sloops they +allowed to depart.</p> + +<p>Taking turtles at the Grand Caiman's +islands, they sailed to the Havannah, and from +the Bahamas went to Carolina, capturing a +brigantine and two sloops. For six days +they lay off the bar of Charlestown, taking +many vessels, and a brigantine laden with +negroes. The people of Carolina, who had +not long before been visited by the pirate +Vane, were dumb with terror. No vessel +dared put out, and the trade of the place +stood still. To add to these misfortunes, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span> +long and expensive war with the natives, +only just concluded, had much impoverished +the colony.</p> + +<p>Teach detained all the ships and prisoners, +and being in want of medicines, sent a boat's +crew of men ashore, with one of the prisoners, +to ask the governor to supply him with +the drugs. The pirates were insolent in +their demands, and, swearing horribly, vowed, +if any violence was offered to them, that +their captain would murder all the prisoners, +send their heads to the governor, and then +fire the vessels and slip cable. These rude +ambassadors swaggered through the streets, +insulting the inhabitants, who longed to +seize them, but dared not, for fear of endangering +the town. The governor did not deliberate +long, for one of his brother magistrates +was in the murderer's hands, and at +once sent on board a chest, worth about +£400, which the pirates returned with in +triumph. Blackbeard then released the prisoners, +having first taken about £1500 out +of the ships, besides provisions.</p> + +<p>From the bar of Charlestown the kingly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span> +villains sailed to North Carolina, where Teach +broke up the partnership, objecting to any +division of money, preferring all the risk +and all the profit. Running into an inlet to +clean, he purposely grounded his ship, and +Hands, another captain, coming to his assistance, +ran ashore by his side. He then with +forty men took possession of the third vessel, +and marooned seventeen other men upon a +sandy island, about a league from the main, +where neither herb grew nor bird visited. +Here they would have perished, had not +Major Bonnet taken them off two days +after.</p> + +<p>Teach then surrendered himself, with +twenty of his men, to the Governor of North +Carolina, and received certificates and pardons +from him, having soon crept into his favour. +Through the governor's permission, the +<i>Queen Anne's Revenge</i>, though avowedly the +property of English merchants, was forfeited +by an Admiralty Court, as a Spaniard, and +declared the property of Teach. Before setting +out again to sea Blackbeard married his +fourteenth wife, twelve more being still alive.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span> +The governor, who seems to have been half a +pirate, and wholly a rogue, performed the +ceremony.</p> + +<p>In June, 1718, he steered towards Bermudas, +and meeting several English vessels, +plundered them of provisions. He also +captured two French vessels, one of which +was loaded with sugar and cocoa, and +bound to Martinico. The loaded vessel he +brought home, and the governor, calling a +court, condemned it as a derelict, and divided +the plunder with Teach, receiving sixty +hogsheads of sugar as his dividend, and his +secretary twenty. For fear the vessel might +still be claimed, Teach declared it was leaky, +and burnt her to the water's edge.</p> + +<p>He now spent three or four months in the +river, lying at anchor in the coves, or sailing +from inlet to inlet, bartering his plunder +with any ship he met, giving presents to the +friendly, and ransacking those who resisted. +His nights he spent in revelries with the +planters, to whom he made presents of rum +and sugar, sometimes, when he grew moody, +laying them under contribution, and even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span> +bullying his confederate, the villainous governor.</p> + +<p>The plundered sloops, finding no justice +could be obtained in Carolina, determined +with great secresy to send a deputation to +the Governor of Virginia, and to solicit a +man-of-war to destroy the pirates.</p> + +<p>The governor instantly complied with their +request. The next Sunday a proclamation +was read in every church and chapel in Virginia, +and by the sheriffs at their country +houses. For Blackbeard's head £100 was +offered, if brought in within the year, for his +lieutenant's £20, for inferior officers £10, and +for the common sailors £10. The <i>Pearl</i> and +<i>Lime</i>, men-of-war, lying in St. James's river, +manned a couple of small sloops, supplied by +the governor. They had no guns mounted, +but were well supplied with small arms and +ammunition. The command was given to +Lieutenant Robert Maynard, of the <i>Pearl</i>, a +man of courage and resolution.</p> + +<p>On the 7th of November the Lieutenant +sailed from Picquetan, and on the evening of +the 21st reached the mouth of the Ollereco<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span> +inlet, and sighted the pirates. Great +secresy was observed: all boats and vessels +met going up the river were stopped to prevent +Blackbeard knowing of their approach. +But the governor contrived to put him on +his guard, and sent back four of his men, +whom he found lounging about the town.</p> + +<p>Blackbeard, frequently alarmed by such +reports, gave no credit to the messenger, till +he saw the sloops. He instantly cleared his +decks, having only twenty-five of his forty men +on board. Having prepared for battle with +all the coolness of an old desperado, he spent +the night in drinking with the master of a +trading sloop, who seemed to be in his pay.</p> + +<p>Maynard, finding the place shoal and the +channel intricate, dropped anchor, knowing +there was no reaching the pirate that night. +The next morning early he weighed, sent +his boat ahead to sound, and, coming within +gunshot of Teach, received his fire. The +lieutenant then, boldly hoisting the king's +colours, made at him with all speed of +sail and oar, part of his men keeping up a +discharge of small arms. Teach then cut<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span> +cable and made a running fight, discharging +his big guns. In a little time the pirate ran +aground, and the royal vessel drawing more +water anchored within half a gunshot. The +lieutenant then threw his ballast overboard, +staved all his water, and then weighed and +stood in for the enemy.</p> + +<p>Blackbeard, loudly cursing, hailed him. +"D—— you villains, who are you? From +whence come you?" The lieutenant replied, +"You see by our colours we are no +pirates." Teach bade him send a boat on +board that he might know who he was. +Maynard answered that he could not spare +his boat, but would soon board with his +sloop. Whereupon Blackbeard, drinking to +him, cried, "Devil seize my soul if I give +you quarter or take any." Maynard at once +replied, "He should neither give nor take +quarter."</p> + +<p>By this Blackbeard's sloop floated, and the +royal boats were fast approaching.</p> + +<p>The sloops being scarcely a foot high in +the waist, the men were exposed as they +toiled at the sweeps. Hitherto few on either<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> +side had fallen. Suddenly Blackbeard poured +in a broadside of grape, and killed twenty +men on board one ship and nine on board the +other; his vessel then fell broadside to the +shore to keep its one side protected, and the +disabled sloop fell astern. The Virginia men +still kept to their oars, however exposed, +because otherwise, there being no wind, the +pirate would certainly have escaped.</p> + +<p>Maynard finding his own sloop had way, +and would soon be on board, ordered his men +all down below, for fear of another broadside, +which would have been his total destruction. +He himself was the only man that kept the +deck, even the man at the helm lying down +snug; the men in the hold were ordered to +get their pistols and cutlasses ready for close +fighting, and to come up the companion at a +moment's signal. Two ladders were placed +in the hatchway ready for the word. As +they boarded, Teach's men threw in grenades +made of case-bottles, filled with powder, shot, +and slugs, and fired with a quick match. +Blackbeard, seeing no one on board, cried +out, "They are all knocked on the head<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span> +except three or four, and therefore I will +jump on board and cut to pieces those that +are still alive."</p> + +<p>Under smoke of one of the fire-pots he +leaped over the sloop's bows, followed by +fourteen men. For a moment he was not +heard, during the explosion, nor seen for the +smoke. Directly the air cleared Maynard +gave the signal, and his men, rising in an +instant, attacked the pirates with a rush and +a cheer.</p> + +<p>Blackbeard and the lieutenant fired the +first pistols at each other, and then engaged +with sabres till the lieutenant's broke. Stepping +back to cock his pistol, Blackbeard was +in the act of cutting him down, when one of +Maynard's men gave the pirate a terrible +gash in the throat, and the lieutenant escaped +with a small cut over his fingers.</p> + +<p>They were now hotly engaged, Blackbeard +and his fourteen men—the lieutenant and his +twelve. The sea grew red round the vessel. +The ball from Maynard's first pistol shot +Blackbeard in the body, but he stood his +ground, and fought with fury till he received<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span> +twenty cuts and five more shot. Having +already fired several pistols (for he wore +many in his sash), he fell dead as he was +cocking another. Eight of his fourteen companions +having now fallen, the rest, much +wounded, leaped overboard and called for +quarter, which was granted till the gibbet +could be got ready.</p> + +<p>The other vessel now coming up attacked +the rest of the pirates, and compelled them to +surrender. So ended a man that in a good +cause had proved a Leonidas.</p> + +<p>With great guns the lieutenant might +have destroyed him with less loss, but no +large vessel would have got up the river, so +shallow, that, small as it was, the sloop +grounded a hundred times. The very broadside, +although destructive, saved the lives of +the survivors, for Blackbeard, expecting to +be boarded, had placed a daring fellow, a +negro named Cæsar, in the powder room, +with orders to blow it up at a given signal. +It was with great difficulty that two prisoners +in the hold dissuaded him from the deed +when he heard of his captain's death.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span></p> + +<p>The lieutenant cutting off Blackbeard's +head, hung it at his boltsprit end, and sailed +into Bath Town to get relief for his wounded +men. In rummaging the sloop, the connivance +of the governor was detected; the +secretary, falling sick with fear, died in a few +days, and the governor was compelled to +refund the hogsheads.</p> + +<p>When the wounded men began to recover, +the lieutenant sailed back into James's river, +with the black head still hanging from the +spar, and bringing fifteen prisoners, thirteen +of whom were hung.</p> + +<p>Of the two survivors, one was an unlucky +fellow captured only the night before the +engagement, who had received no less than +seventy wounds, but was cured of them all +and recovered. The other was the master of +the pirate sloop, who had been shot by +Blackbeard, and put on shore at Bath Town. +His wound he received in the following way: +One night, drinking in the cabin with the +mate, a pilot, and another sailor, Blackbeard, +without any provocation, drew out a small pair +of pistols and cocked them under the table.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span> +The sailor, perceiving this, said nothing, but +got up and went on deck. The pistols being +ready, Blackbeard blew out the candle, and, +crossing his hands under the table, discharged +the pistols. The master fell shot through the +knee, lamed for life, the other bullet hit no +one. Being asked the meaning of this +cruelty, Blackbeard answered, by swearing +that if he did not kill one of them now and +then, they would forget who he was.</p> + +<p>This man was about to be executed, when +a ship arrived from England with a proclamation +prolonging the time of pardon to +those who would surrender. He pleaded +this, was released, and ended his days as a +beggar in London.</p> + +<p>It is a singular fact that many of Blackbeard's +captors themselves eventually turned +pirates.</p> + +<p>Teach derived his nickname from his long +black beard, which he twisted with ribbons +into small tails, and turned about his ears. +This beard was more terrible to America than +a comet, say his historians. In time of action +he wore a sling over his shoulders, with three<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> +brace of pistols hanging to it in holsters like +bandoliers. He then stuck lighted matches +under his hat, and this, with his natural +fierce and wild eyes, gave him the aspect of +a demon.</p> + +<p>His frolics were truly satanic, and only +madness can furnish us with any excuse for +such crimes. Pre-eminent in wickedness, +he was constantly resorting to artifices to +maintain that pre-eminence. One day at sea, +when flushed with drink, "Come," said he, +"let us make a hell of our own, and try how +long we can bear it." He then, with two or +three others, went down into the hold, and, +closing up all the hatches, lighted some pots +of brimstone, and continued till the men, +nearly suffocated, cried for air and pushed up +the hatches. Blackbeard triumphed in having +held out longest.</p> + +<p>The night before he was killed, as he was +drinking, one of his men asked him, if anything +should happen to him, if his wife knew +where he had buried his money. He answered +that nobody but himself and the devil knew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> +where it was, and the longest liver should +have all.</p> + +<p>These blasphemies had filled the crew with +superstitious fears, and perhaps unnerved +their arms in the last struggle. The survivors +declared that, once upon a cruise, a +man was found on board more than the crew, +sometimes below and sometimes above. No +one knew whence he came and who he was, +but believed him to be the devil, as he disappeared +shortly before their great ship was +cast away.</p> + +<p>In Blackbeard's journal were found many +entries illustrating the fear and misery of a +pirate's life. For instance—</p> + +<p>"3rd June, all rum out; our company somewhat +sober; rogues a plotting; great talk of +separation; so I looked sharp for a prize. 5th +June, took one with a great deal of liquor on +board, so kept the company hot, d—— hot; +then all things went well again."</p> + +<p>Some sugar, cocoa, indigo, and cotton were +found on board the pirate sloops, and some in +a tent on the shore. This, with the sloop, sold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> +for £2500. The whole was divided amongst +the crews of the <i>Lime</i> and <i>Pearl</i>, the brave +captors getting no more than their dividend, +and that very tardily paid, as such things +usually are by English governments.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain England</span> began life as mate of a +Jamaica sloop, and being taken by a pirate +named Winter, before Providence was turned +into a freebooter fortress, became master of a +piratical vessel. He soon became remarkable +for his courage and generosity.</p> + +<p>When Providence was taken by the English, +England sailed to the African coast, a hot +place, but not too hot for him, like the shores +of the main. He here took several ships, +among others the <i>Cadogan</i>, bound from Bristol +to Sierra Leone—Skinner, master. Some of +England's crew had formerly served in this +ship, and, having proved mutinous, had been +mulcted of their wages and sent on board a +man of war, from whence deserting to a West +Indian sloop, they were taken by pirates, and +eventually joined England and started for a +cruise.</p> + +<p>As soon as Skinner struck to the black flag,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> +he was ordered on board the pirate. The first +person he saw was his old boatswain, who +addressed him with a sneer of suppressed +hatred. "Ah, Captain Skinner," said he, "is +that you? the very man I wished to see. I +am much in your debt, and will pay you now +in your own coin."</p> + +<p>The brave seaman trembled, for he knew +his fate, and shuddered as an ox does when +it smells the blood of a slaughter-house. The +boatswain, instantly shouting to his companions, +bound the captain fast to the windlass. +They then, amidst roars of cruel laughter, +pelted him with glass bottles till he was +cut and gashed in a dreadful manner. After +this, they whipped him round the deck till +they were weary, in spite of his prayers and +entreaties. At last, vowing that he should +have an easy death, as he had been a good +master to his men, they shot him through +the head. England then plundered the vessel +and gave it to the mate and the crew of +murderers, and they sailed with it till they +reached death's door, and the port whose +name is terrible.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span></p> + +<p>Taking soon after a ship called the <i>Pearl</i>, +England fitted her up for his own use, and +re-christened her the <i>Royal James</i>. With her +they took several vessels of various nations +at the Azores and Cape de Verd Islands.</p> + +<p>In 1719 the rovers returned to Africa, and, +beginning at the river Gambia, sailed all +down the torrid coast as far as Cape Corso. +In this trip they captured the <i>Eagle Pink</i>, +six guns, the <i>Charlotte</i>, eight guns, the <i>Sarah</i>, +four guns, the <i>Wentworth</i>, twelve guns, the +<i>Buck</i>, two guns, the <i>Castanet</i>, four guns, the +<i>Mercury</i>, four guns, the <i>Coward</i>, two guns, +and the <i>Elizabeth</i> and <i>Catherine</i>, six guns. +Three of these vessels they let go, and four +they burnt. Two they fitted up as pirates, +and calling them the <i>Queen Anne's Revenge</i> +and the <i>Flying King</i>, many of the prisoners +joined their bands.</p> + +<p>These two ships sailed to the West +Indies, and careening, started for Brazil, +taking several Portuguese vessels, but were +finally driven off by a Portuguese man-of-war. +The <i>Revenge</i> escaped, but soon after +went down at sea; the <i>Flying King</i> ran ashore;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span> +twelve of the seventy men were killed, and +the rest taken prisoners. Thirty-two English, +three Dutch, and two Frenchmen of +these were at once hung.</p> + +<p>But to return to England. In going down +the coast, he captured two more vessels, and +detained one, releasing the other. Two +other ships, seeing them coming, got safe +under the guns of Cape Corso castle. The +pirates, turning their last prize into a fire-ship, +resolved to destroy both the fugitives, +but, the castle firing hotly upon them, they +retreated, and at Whydah road found Captain +la Bouche, another pirate, had forestalled +their market.</p> + +<p>Here England fitted up a Bristol galley for +his own use, calling it the <i>Victory</i>. Committing +many insolences on shore, the negroes +rose upon them and compelled them to retire +to their ship, when they had fired one +village, and killed many of the natives.</p> + +<p>They now put it to the vote what voyage +to take, and, deciding for the East Indies, +arrived at Madagascar (1720), and, taking in +water and provisions, sailed for the coast of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span> +Malabar, in the Mogul's territory. They +took several Indian vessels, and one Dutch, +which they exchanged for one of their own, +and then returned to Madagascar. England +now sent some men on shore, with tents, +powder, and shot, to kill hogs, and procure +venison, but they searched in vain for Avery's +men.</p> + +<p>Cleaning their ships, they then set sail for +Panama, falling in with two English ships, and +one Dutch, all Indiamen. Fourteen of La +Bouche's crew boarded the Englishmen in +canoes, declaring that they belonged to the +<i>Indian Queen</i>, twenty-eight guns, which had +been lost on that coast, and that their captain, +with forty men, was building a new +vessel. The two English captains, Mackra +and Reily, were about to sink and destroy +these castaways, when England's two vessels, +of thirty-four and thirty-eight guns, stood in to +the bay. In spite of all promises of aid, the +<i>Ostender</i> and <i>Kirby</i> deserted Mackra, a breeze +admitting of their escape, while the pirate's +black and bloody flags were still flaunting +the air. Mackra, undaunted by their desertion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span> +fought desperately for three hours, +beating off one of the pirates, striking her +between wind and water, and shooting away +their oars, when they put out their sweeps +and tried to board. Mackra being wounded +in the head, and most of his officers killed, +ran ashore, and England following, ran also +aground, and failed in boarding. The engagement +then commenced with fresh vigour, +and, had Kirby come up, the pirates would +have been driven off. England, obtaining +three boats full of fresh men, was now in the +ascendant, and soon after Kirby stood out +to sea, leaving his companion in the very +jaws of death. Mackra, seeing death inevitable, +lowered the boats and escaped to land, +under cover of the smoke, and the pirate, +soon after boarding, cut three of their wounded +men in pieces. The survivors fled to Kingstown, +a place twenty-five miles distant.</p> + +<p>England offered 10,000 dollars for Mackra's +head, but the king and chief people being in +his interest, and a report being spread of his +death, he remained safe for ten days, then +obtaining a safe conduct from the pirate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span> +Mackra had an interview with their chief. +England and some men who had once sailed +with Mackra protected him from those who +would have cut him to pieces, with all who +would not turn rovers. Finding that they +talked of burning their own ships, and refitting +the English prize, Mackra prevailed on +them to give him the shattered ship, the +<i>Fancy</i>, of Dutch build, and 300 tons burden, +and also to return 129 bales of the Company's +cloth.</p> + +<p>Fitting up jury masts, Mackra sailed for +Bombay, with forty-five sailors, two passengers, +and twelve soldiers, arriving after +much suffering, and a passage of forty-three +days, frequently becalmed between Arabia +and Malabar. In the engagement he had +thirteen men killed and twenty-four wounded, +and killed nearly a hundred of the pirates. +If Kirby had proved staunch, he might have +destroyed them both, and secured £100,000 +of booty. Opposed to him were 300 whites +and eighty blacks. We are happy to record +that this brave fellow was well rewarded, +and honoured with fresh command.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span></p> + +<p>Nothing but despair could have driven +Mackra, he said in his published account, to +throw himself upon the pirates' mercy, still +wounded and bleeding as they were. He +did not either seem to know how friendly the +Guiana people were to the English, so much +so, that there was a proverb, "A Guiana +man and an Englishman are all one."</p> + +<p>When he first came on board, England took +him aside and told him that his interest was +declining among his crew, that they were +provoked at his opposition to their cruelty, +and that he should not be able to protect +him. He advised him, therefore, to win over +Captain Taylor, a man who had become a +favourite amongst them by his superiority in +wickedness. Mackra tried to soften this +wretch with a bowl of punch, and the pirates +were in a tumult whether to kill him or no, +when a sailor, stuck round with pistols, came +stumping upon a wooden leg up the quarterdeck +and asked for Captain Mackra, swearing +and vapouring, and twirling a tremendous +pair of whiskers. The captain, expecting he +was his executioner, called out his name.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span> +To his delight, the bravo seized him by the +hand, and, shaking it violently, swore he +was d——d glad to see him. "Show me the +man," cries he, "that dares offer to hurt +Captain Mackra, for I'll stand by him; he's +an honest fellow, and I know him well."</p> + +<p>This put an end to the dispute. Taylor +consented to give the ship, and fell +asleep on the deck. Mackra put off instantly, +by England's advice, lest the monster +should awake and change his mind.</p> + +<p>This clemency soon led to England's deposition, +and on a rumour that Mackra was +fitting out a force against them, he was +marooned with three more on the island of +Mauritius, and making a boat of drift wood, +escaped to Madagascar.</p> + +<p>The pirate, detaining some of Mackra's +men, set sail for the Indies. Seeing two +ships which they supposed to be English, +they commanded one of their prisoners to show +them the Company's private signals, or they +would cut him in pound pieces. On approaching, +they proved to be Moorish ships +from Muscat, loaded with horses. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span> +rifled the ships and put the officers to the +torture, and left them without sails and with +the masts cut through.</p> + +<p>The next day they fell in with the Bombay +fleet of eight vessels and 100 men, +despatched to attack Angria, a Malabar +chief. Afraid to show their fear, the pirates +attacked the fleet and destroyed two laggers, +torturing the crew and sending them +adrift. The commodore of the fleet would +not fight the pirates without orders, which so +enraged the governor of Bombay, that he +appointed Mackra the commander, and enjoined +him to pursue and engage England +wherever he met him.</p> + +<p>Some time after this, the same fleet, aided +by the Viceroy of Goa, landed 10,000 men +at Calabar, Angria's stronghold, but were +compelled to retreat.</p> + +<p>The next day between Goa and Carwar +the pirates drove two grabs under the guns +of India-diva castle, and would have taken +the island but for the delay. At Carwar +they took a ship, and sent in a prisoner to +demand water and provisions, for which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span> +offered to surrender their prize. Failing +in this they sailed for the Laccadeva islands, +and landing at Melinda, violated the women, +destroyed the cocoa trees, and burnt the +churches. At Tellechery they heard of +Mackra's expedition, and cursed his ingratitude. +Some wished to hang the dogs who +were left, but the majority agreed to keep +them alive to show their contempt and +revenge.</p> + +<p>At Calicut they attempted to take a large +Moorish ship in the roads, but were prevented +by some guns mounted on the shore. +One of Mackra's men they obliged to tend +the braces on the booms amid all the fire. +When he refused, they threatened to shoot +him or loaded him with blows. His old tormentor, +Captain Taylor, being gouty, could +not hold a cudgel. Some interceded for him, +but Taylor declared if he was let go he +would disclose all their plans.</p> + +<p>They next arrived at Cochin, and, sending +on shore a fishing boat with a letter, ran into +the road, saluting the fort. At night boats +came off with provisions and liquor. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span> +governor sent a boat full of arrack and sixty +bales of sugar, and received in return a +present of a table clock, and a gold watch for +his daughter. The boatmen they paid some +£7000, and threw them handfuls of ducatoons +to scramble for. The fiscal brought out +cloths and piece goods for sale, but the fort +opened fire when they chased a vessel under +its shelter. They were soon after chased +by five tall ships, supposed to be Mackra's, +but escaped. Their Christmas for three +days they spent in a carouse, using the +greater part of their fresh provisions, so that +in their voyage to the Mauritius they were +reduced to a bottle of water and two pounds +of beef a day for ten men.</p> + +<p>Fitting up at Mauritius, they sailed again +in two months, leaving this inscription on +one of the walls: "Left this place the 5th of +April, to go to Madagascar for limes." At the +island of Mascarius they fell upon a great prize, +finding the Viceroy of Goa in a Portuguese +ship of seventy guns, lying dismasted on the +shore. Of diamonds alone she had a cargo worth +four millions of dollars. The viceroy coming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span> +calmly on board, taking them for English, +was captured with all his officers, and ransomed +for 2000 dollars. To the leeward of +the island they found an Ostend vessel, +which they sent to Madagascar to prepare +masts for the prize, and followed soon after +with a cargo of 2000 Mozambique negroes. +When they reached Madagascar they found +that the Dutch crew had made the pirates +drunk, and sailed back to Mozambique, and +from thence to Goa with the governor.</p> + +<p>They now divided their plunder, most +of them receiving forty-two small diamonds +as their share. The madman, who obtained +one large one, broke it in a mortar, swearing +he had got now a better share than any of +them, for he had forty-three sparks.</p> + +<p>Some of the pirates now gave up their +wild life and settled in <i>matelotage</i> at Madagascar, +on the tontine principle of the longest +liver inheriting all.</p> + +<p>The two prizes were then burnt, and +Taylor sailed for Cochin to sell his diamonds +to the Dutch, and thence to the Red and +China Seas, to avoid the English men-of-war.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span></p> + +<p>The pirates, about this time, had 11 sail and +1500 men in the Indian seas, but soon separated +for the coast of Brazil and Guinea, or +to settle and fortify themselves at Madagascar, +Mauritius, Johanna, and Mohilla. +A pirate named Condin, in a ship called the +<i>Dragon</i>, took a vessel from Mocha with +thirteen lacs of rupees (130,000 half-crowns), +and burning the ship settled at Madagascar. +The commander of the English fleet, still in +pursuit of these pirates, attempted to prevail +on England to serve him as spy and pilot, +but in vain.</p> + +<p>Taylor, resolving to sail to the Indies, but +hearing of the four men-of-war, started for +the African main, and put into Delagoa, +destroying a small fort of six guns. This +fort belonged to the Dutch East India Company, +but its 150 men had been deserted, +and left to pine away and starve; sixteen +turned pirates, but the rest, being Dutch, +were left to die. They stayed in this den +of fever three months, and having careened, +paid the Dutch with bales of muslins and +chintzes.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span></p> + +<p>Some now left, and returned to settle in +Madagascar. The rest sailed for the West +Indies, and, escaping the fangs of two English +men-of-war, surrendered themselves to +the Governor of Porto Bello. Eight of them +afterwards passed to Jamaica as shipwrecked +sailors, and shipped for England. Captain +Taylor entered the Spanish service, and +commanded the man-of-war that afterwards +attacked the English logwood-cutters in the +bay of Honduras, and caused the Spanish +war.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain Avery</span> was a more remarkable man +than England, and his ambition of a wider +kind. He was a native of Plymouth, and +served as mate of a merchant vessel in +several voyages. Before the peace of +Ryswick, the French of Martinique carried +on a smuggling trade with the natives of +Peru, in spite of the Spanish <i>guarda costas</i>. +The Spaniards, finding their vessels too +weak for the French, hired two Bristol +vessels of thirty guns and 220 men, which +were to sail first to Corunna or the Groine, +and from thence to the main.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span></p> + +<p>Of one of these ships, the <i>Duke</i>, Gibson +was commander, and Avery first mate. +Avery, planning with the boldest and most +turbulent of the crew, plotted to run away +with the vessels, and turn pirates on the +Indian coasts.</p> + +<p>The captain, a man much addicted to +drink, had gone to bed, when sixteen conspirators +from the other vessel, the <i>Duchess</i>, +came on board and joined the company. +Their watchword was, "Is your drunken +boatswain on board?" Securing the hatches, +they slipped their cable and put to sea, +without any disorder, although surrounded +by vessels. A Dutch frigate of forty guns +refused to interrupt their progress, although +offered a reward.</p> + +<p>The captain, awoke by the motion of the +ship and the noise of working the tackle, +rang his bell, and Avery and two others +entered the cabin. The captain, frightened +and thinking the ship had broken from her +anchors, asked, "What was the matter?" +Avery replied coolly, "Nothing." The +captain answered, "Something has happened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span> +to the ship; does she drive? what weather +is it?" "No, no," said Avery, "we're at +sea with a fair wind and good weather." +"At sea?" said the captain, "how can that +be?" Upon which Avery told him to get +up and put on his clothes, and he could tell +him a secret, for he (Avery) was captain, +and that was his cabin, and that he was on +his way to Madagascar to make his fortune +and that of all the brave fellows who were +with him.</p> + +<p>Avery then bade the captain not to be +afraid, for if he was sober and minded his +business, he might in time make him one of +his lieutenants. At his request, however, +he sent him on shore with six others.</p> + +<p>On reaching Madagascar they found two +sloops lying at anchor, which the men had +run away with from the West Indies, and +who, taking his vessel for a frigate, fled into +the woods and posted themselves in a strong +place with sentinels. Discovering their +mistake, after some cautious parleying, they +united together and sailed for the Arabian +coast. Near the river Indus they espied a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span> +sail and gave chase, believing they had +caught a Dutch East Indian ship, but found +it to be one of the Great Mogul's vessels, carrying +his daughter with pilgrims and offerings +to Mecca. The sloops boarded her on either +side, and she at once struck her colours. +The Indian ship was loaded with treasure, +the slaves and attendants richly clad and +covered with jewels, and all having vessels +of gold and silver, and large sums of money +to defray their expenses in the land journey.</p> + +<p>Taking all the treasure, they let the princess +go, and the ship put back for India. +The Mogul, on learning it, threatened to +drive the English from India with fire and +sword, but the Company contrived to pacify +him by promising to deliver up to him the +pirate ship and her crew.</p> + +<p>The rumours of this adventure occasioned +a report at Wapping that Jack Avery had +married the Great Mogul's daughter, founded +an empire, and purchased a fleet.</p> + +<p>Avery, having secured his prize, determined +to return to Madagascar, build a fort and +magazine where he could leave a garrison<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span> +to overawe the natives when he was absent +on a cruise. A fresh scheme suggesting itself, +he resolved to plunder his friends the +sloops, and return to New Providence. He +began by sending a boat on board each of +his allies, desiring their captain to come +and attend a general council. At this meeting +he represented to them that if they were +separated in a storm they must be taken, and +the treasure would then be lost to the rest. +He therefore proposed, as his ship was so +strong that it could hold its own against any +vessel they could meet with on those seas, to +put the treasure on board in his care, in a +chest sealed with three seals, and that a rendezvous +should be appointed in case of separation. +The two captains at once agreed to +the proposal as manifestly for the common +good.</p> + +<p>That day and the next the weather was +fair, and they all kept company. In the +mean time Avery persuaded his men to abscond +with the plunder, and escape to some +country where they might spend the rest of +their days in splendour and luxury. Taking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span> +advantage of a dark night, they steered a +new course, and by morning had lost sight +of the outwitted sloops.</p> + +<p>Avery now resolved to steer for America, +change his name, purchase a settlement, and +die in peace and charity with all the world—a +calm, rich Christian. They first visited +New Providence, afraid that they might be detected +in New England as the deserters from +the Groine expedition. Avery, pretending +that his vessel was a privateer that had +missed her mark and was sold by the owners, +disposed of her to good advantage, and bought +a sloop.</p> + +<p>In this vessel he touched at several parts of +the American coast, giving his men their +dividends, and allowing those who chose to +leave the ship. The greater part of the diamonds +he had concealed at the first plunder +of the vessel. Some of his men settled at +Boston; but he, afraid of selling his diamonds +in New England, betook himself with +a few companions to Ireland, putting into +one of the northern ports, and avoiding St. +George's Channel. The sailors now dispersed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span> +Some went to Dublin, and some to Cork, to +obtain pardons from King William.</p> + +<p>Avery, still afraid of being apprehended +as a pirate if he offered his diamonds for +sale, passed over to England, and sent for +some Bristol friends to Bideford. They +agreed, for a commission, to put the stones +into the hands of Bristol merchants who, +being men of wealth and credit, would not +be suspected. The merchants, after some +negotiation, visited him at Bideford, and, +after many protestations of honour and integrity, +received several packets of diamonds +and some vessels of gold to dispose of. They +gave him some money for his present necessities +and departed. Changing his name +Avery continued to live at Bideford, visited +by those relations to whom he confided his +secret. The merchants, after many letters +and much importunity, sent him small supplies +of money, scarce sufficient to pay his +debts and buy him bread. Weary of this +life, he ventured over privately to Bristol, +and to his dismay, when he desired them to +come to an account with him, they threatened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span> +to proclaim him as a pirate, for men who +had been robbed by him could be found on +the 'Change, in the docks, or in any street.</p> + +<p>Afraid of their threats (for he never +showed much personal courage), or detected +by some sailor, he fled to Ireland, and from +thence again solicited the merchants, but in +vain, for a supply. In a short time reduced +to beggary, he resolved to throw himself +upon their throats, and obtain money or revenge, +and, working his passage on board a +trading vessel to Plymouth, travelled on +foot to Bideford. In a few days he fell sick +and died, and was buried at the expense of +the parish.</p> + +<p>To return to the deserted crews of the +sloops. They, believing the separation an +accident, sailed at once to the rendezvous, and +then discovering the cheat, and having no +more fresh provisions, resolved to establish +themselves on land. They therefore made +tents of their sails, and unloaded their vessels. +On shore they were joined by the crew +of a privateer which had been despatched by +the government of Bermuda to take the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span> +French factory of Goree, in the river Gambia, +and had turned pirates by the way, Captain +Tew, their captain, capturing a large Arabian +vessel in the strait of Babelmandel, in +spite of its crew and 300 soldiers. By this +prize his men gained £3000 a-piece, and but +for the cowardice and mutiny of the quartermaster +and some others would have captured +five other ships. This leading to a quarrel, +the band left off pirating, and retired to +Madagascar. Captain Tew sailed to Rhode +Island, and obtained a pardon.</p> + +<p>The pirates lived at Madagascar like little +princes, each with his harem, and with large +retinues of slaves, whom they employed in +fishing, hunting, and planting rice. The +English sided with some of the negro +princes in their wars, and struck such terror +in their adversaries by their fire-arms, that +whole armies fled at the sight of two or three +of the white faces. At first, these piratical +chieftains waged war on each other, but at +last, alarmed by a revolt of the negroes, +united in strict union.</p> + +<p>Before this they tied their slaves to trees,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span> +and shot them to death for the smallest +offence; and at last the negroes, uniting in a +general conspiracy, resolved to murder them +all in one night. As they lived apart, this +would undoubtedly have been done, had not +one of their black concubines run nearly +twenty miles in three hours to discover the +plot. They instantly, upon this alarm, flocked +together in arms, and compelled the advancing +negroes to retire. This escape made +them very cautious. They therefore fomented +war between the native tribes, but henceforward +remained neutral. All murderers and +outlaws they took under their protection, and +turned into body-guards, whilst the vanquished +they defended. By this diplomacy, +worthy of the most civilized people, they soon +grew so powerful and numerous as to be compelled +to branch out in colonies, parting into +tribes, each with their wives and children.</p> + +<p>They had now all the power and all the +fears of despotism. Their houses were citadels, +and every hut a fortress. They generally +chose a place overgrown with wood, +and situated near a spring or pool. Round<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span> +this spot they raised a rampart, encircled by +a fosse. This wall was straight and steep, +could not be ascended without scaling +ladders, and had but one entrance. The +hut was so hidden that it might not be seen +at a distance. The passage that led to it was +intricate, labyrinthine, and narrow, so that +only one person could walk it abreast, and the +path wound round and round, with so many +cross-paths, that any one uninitiated might +search for hours and not find the cabin. All +along the sides of the path, huge thorns +peculiar to the island were stuck into the +ground, with points uppermost, like <i>chevaux-de-frise</i>, +sufficient to impale the assailant who +ventured by night.</p> + +<p>These men were found in this state by +Captain Woods Rogers, when he visited +Madagascar in the <i>Delicia</i> (40 guns), wishing +to buy slaves, to sell to the Dutch of +New Holland. The men he met had been +twenty-five years on the island, and had not +seen a ship for seven years. The petty kings +of the bush were covered with untanned +skins, and were savage wretches, overgrown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span> +with beard and hair. They bartered slaves for +cloths, knives, saws, powder, and ball. They +went aboard the <i>Delicia</i> and examined her +with care, and, talking familiarly with the +men, invited them on shore, intending to +surprise the ship by night when there was a +slender watch kept, having plenty of boats +and arms. They wanted the men to surprise +the captain, and clap those who resisted +under hatches. At a given signal, the +negroes were to row on board, and then all +would start as pirates and roam round the +world. The captain, observing the intimacy, +would not suffer his men to even speak with +the islanders, choosing an officer to negotiate +with them for slaves.</p> + +<p>These pirate kings were all foremast men, +and could read no more than their chief +secretaries could write. The chief prince of +this Newgate paradise had been a Thames +waterman, who had committed a murder on +the river.</p> + +<p>As even a few years since an old sailor at +Minehead was known as the "King of Madagascar," +we suppose divine right and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span> +hereditary succession still continue in that +Eden of gaol-birds.</p> + +<p>During the time of war the pirates diminished +in number and turned privateersmen, +but increased at the peace of Utrecht, when +the disbanded privateersmen again turned +thieves for want of excitement and some +more honest employment.</p> + +<p>About 1716, Captain Martel appeared as +commander of a pirate sloop of eight guns +and eighty men, that, cruising off Jamaica, +captured a galley and another small vessel, +from the former of which he plundered +£1000. In their way to Cuba they took +two more sloops, which they rummaged and +let go, and off Cavena hoisted the black +flag, and boarded a galley of twenty guns, +called the <i>John and Martha</i>. Part of the +men they put ashore and part enrolled in +the crew.</p> + +<p>The cargo of logwood and sugar they +seized, and, taking down one of the ship's +decks, mounted her with twenty-two guns +and 100 men, and proceeded to cruise off the +Leeward Islands, capturing a sloop, a brigantine,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span> +and a Newfoundland vessel of twenty +guns.</p> + +<p>They soon after plundered a Jamaica +vessel, and two ships from Barbadoes, detaining +all the best men, and from a Guinea +galley they stole some gold dust, elephants' +teeth, and forty slaves.</p> + +<p>In 1717, they put into Santa Cruz to clean +and refit with a small piratical fleet of five +vessels, warping up a little creek, very +shallow, but guarded by rocks and sands. +They then erected a battery of four guns on +the island, and another of two guns near +the road, while a sloop with eight guns +protected the mouth of the channel.</p> + +<p>In November, 1716, the commander-in-chief +of all the Leeward islands sent a +sloop to Barbadoes for the <i>Scarborough</i>, of +thirty guns and 140 men, to inform her of +the pirate. The captain had just buried +twenty men, and having forty sick could +scarcely put out to sea. However, putting +on a bold heart, he left his sick behind and +beat up for recruits at all the islands he +passed. At Antigua he took in twenty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span> +soldiers, at Nevis ten, and the same number +at St. Christopher's.</p> + +<p>Unable to find the pirate, he was on the +point of putting back, when a boat from +Santa Cruz informed him of a creek where +he had seen a vessel enter. The <i>Scarborough</i> +instantly sailed to the spot and discovered +the pirates, but the pilot refused to enter. +The pirates all this while fired red-hot shot +from the shore; but at length the ship anchored +alongside the reef and cannonaded the vessels +and batteries. The sloop in the channel soon +sank, and the larger vessel was much +punished, but the <i>Scarborough</i>, fearing the +reef, stood off and on for a day or two and +blockaded the creek. The pirates, endeavouring +to warp out and slip away, ran +aground, and, seeing the <i>Scarborough</i> again +standing in, fired the ship and ran ashore, +leaving twenty negroes to perish. Nineteen +escaped in a sloop, and the captain and +twenty other negroes fled to the woods, where +it is supposed they perished, as they were +never heard of again.</p> + +<p>Captain <span class="smcap">Charles Vane</span>, our next Viking, is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span> +known as one of the men who helped to steal +the silver which the Spaniards had fished up +from their sunk galleons in the gulf of +Florida.</p> + +<p>When Captain Rogers with his two men-of-war +conquered Providence, and pardoned +all the pirates who submitted, Vane slipped his +cable, fired a prize in the harbour, hoisted +the black flag, and, firing a broadside at one +of the men-of-war, sailed boldly away. Capturing +a Barbadoes vessel, he manned it with +twenty-five hands, and, unloading an interloper +of its pieces of eight, careened at a key, +and spent some time in a revel.</p> + +<p>In the next cruise they captured some +Spanish and New England vessels, and one +laden with logwood. The crew of the latter +they compelled to throw the lading overboard, +intending to turn her into a pirate vessel, but +in a fit of caprice suddenly let the men go +and the ship with them. The prize captain, +offended at Vane's arrogance, left him, and +surrendered himself and 90 negroes to the +governor of Charlestown, receiving a free +pardon. Vane saluted the runaway with a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span> +broadside as he left, and lay wait for some +time for him, but without success. Soon after +this two armed sloops started in pursuit of +Vane, and, failing in the capture, attacked +and took another pirate vessel that was +clearing at Cape Fear.</p> + +<p>In an inlet to the northward Vane met +Blackbeard, and saluted him, according to +piratical etiquette, with a discharge of his +shotted guns. Off Long Island he attacked +a vessel that proved to be a French man-of-war, +and gave chase; Vane was for flight, +but many of the men, in spite of the enemy's +weight of metal and being twice their force, +were for boarding. A pirate captain in all +cases but that of fighting was controlled by +a majority, but in this case had an absolute +power; Vane refused to fight, and escaped.</p> + +<p>The next day Vane was branded by vote as a +coward and deposed, and Rackham, his officer, +elected captain. Vane and the minority were +turned adrift in a sloop. Putting into the +bay of Honduras, Vane captured another +sloop, and fitted it up as a pirate vessel, and +soon after captured two more. Vane was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span> +soon after shipwrecked on an island near +Honduras, and most of his men drowned; he +himself being supported by the turtle fishermen. +While in this miserable state, a Jamaica +vessel arrived, commanded by a Buccaneer, +an old acquaintance, to whom he applied +to help him. The man refused, declaring +Vane would intrigue with his men, murder +him, and run off as a pirate. On Vane expressing +scruples about stealing a fisherman's +boat from the beach, the Buccaneer +declared that if he found him still there on +his return he would take him to Jamaica and +hang him.</p> + +<p>Soon after his friend's departure a vessel +put in for water, and, not knowing Vane to +be a pirate, took him on board as a sailor. +On leaving the bay the Buccaneer met them +and came on board to dine. Passing to the +cabin he spied Vane working in the hold, +and asked the captain if he knew that that was +Vane, the notorious pirate. The other then +declared he would not have him, and the +Buccaneer, sending his mate on board with +at loaded pistol, seized Vane and took him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span> +to Jamaica, where he was soon after hung.</p> + +<p>Rackham, after a cruise among the Caribbee +islands, spent a Christmas on shore, and when +the liquor was all gone put to sea. Their +first prize was an ominous one, a ship laden +with Newgate convicts bound for the plantations, +which was soon after retaken by an +English ship of war. Two others of his prizes +were also recaptured while careening at the +Bahama islands by Governor Rogers, of New +Providence.</p> + +<p>They then sailed to the back of Cuba, +where Rackham had a settlement, and there +spent their plunder in debauchery. As they +were fitting out for sea, they were attacked +by a Spanish guarda costa that had just captured +an English interloper. Rackham being +protected by an island, the Spaniards warped +into the channel at dusk and waited for day. +The pirates, roused to despair, boarded the +Spanish prize with pistols and cutlasses in the +dead of the night, and, threatening the crew +with death if they spoke, captured her almost +without a blow, and slipping the cable stood +out to sea. When day broke the Spaniards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span> +opened a tremendous fire upon the deserted +pirate vessel, but soon discovered their +mistake.</p> + +<p>1720 was spent in small cruises about +Jamaica, their crew being still short; they then +swept off some fishing boats from Harbour +Island, and landing in Hispaniola, carried off +some wild cattle and several French hunters.</p> + +<p>He then captured several more vessels, +and was joined by the crew of a sloop in +Dry Harbour Bay. But their end was at +hand. The governor of Jamaica despatched a +sloop in pursuit of them, who found the +pirates carousing with a boat's crew from +Point Negril, and they were soon overpowered.</p> + +<p>A fortnight after sentence of death was +passed upon nine of them at a court of admiralty +held at St. Jago de la Vega. Five +of them were executed at Gallows Point in +Port Royal, and the four others the day after +at Kingston. Rackham and two more were +afterwards taken down and hung in chains, +one at Plumb Point, one at Busk-key, and +the other at Gun-key. By the terrible Draconic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span> +laws of Jamaica, the nine boatmen from +Port Negril were also hung by their side. +After such justice, can we wonder at the +crimes to which despair too often drove the +pirates?</p> + +<p>Among these "unfortunate brave," as Prior +generously calls them, two female pirates are +not to be forgotten. The first of these, +Mary Reed, was the daughter of a sailor, +whose wife having after his death given +birth to an illegitimate girl, palmed it off as +a boy, in order to excite the compassion of +her husband's mother. Being reduced in +circumstances she put the girl out as a foot-boy, +but she soon after ran to sea, and entered +on board a man-of-war. Quitting the sea +service Mary Reed wintered over in Flanders +and obtained a cadetship in a regiment +of foot, behaving herself in many actions with +a great deal of bravery, and finally entering +a regiment of horse. Here she fell in love +with a comrade, a young Fleming, whom she +eventually married, and set up an eating-house +at Beda, called "The Three Horse-shoes." +Her husband dying, and the peace ruining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span> +her trade, Mary went into Holland, and +joined a regiment quartered on a frontier +town, but, finding preferment slow, she +shipped herself on board a vessel bound for +the West Indies.</p> + +<p>The vessel was taken by English pirates, +and the amazon, being the only English sailor, +was detained. A pardon soon afterwards +being issued, the crew surrendered themselves, +but Mary Reed sailed for New Providence, +and joined a privateer squadron fitting +out there against the Spaniards. The crews, +who were pardoned pirates, soon rose against +their commander, and resumed their old +trade, and Mary Reed among them. Abhorring +the life of a pirate, she still was the +first to board, and was as resolute as the +bravest. By chance Anne Bonny, another +disguised woman, being with the crew, discovered +her sex, and soon after she fell in +love with a sailor whom they took prisoner, +and was eventually married to him. Her +husband hated his new profession as much +as herself, and they were about to quit it +when they were both taken prisoners.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span></p> + +<p>On one occasion Mary Reed, to prevent +her husband fighting a duel, challenged his +opponent to meet her on a sand island near +which their ship lay, with sword and pistol, +and killed him on the spot.</p> + +<p>At the trial she declared that her life had +been always pure, and that she had never +intended to remain a pirate. When they were +taken, only she and Anne Bonny kept the +deck, calling to those in the hold to come up +and fight like men, and when they refused +firing at them, killing one and wounding +several. In prison she said the fear of hanging +had never driven her from piracy, for +but for the dread of that there would be so +many pirates that the trade would not be +worth following.</p> + +<p>Great compassion was evinced for her in the +court, but she was still found guilty, though +being near her pregnancy, her execution was +respited. She might have been pardoned, +but a violent fever coming on soon after her +trial she died in prison.</p> + +<p>Her companion, Anne Bonny, was the +illegitimate daughter of a Cork attorney.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">223</a></span> +Her father, disguising the child as a boy, pretended +it was a relative's son, and bred it +up for a clerk. Becoming ruined he emigrated +to Carolina, and turning merchant +bought a plantation. Upon her mother's +death Anne Bonny succeeded to the housekeeping. +She was of a fierce and ungovernable +temper, and was reported to have +stabbed an English servant with a case-knife. +Marrying a penniless sailor, her +father turned her out of doors, and she and +her husband fled to New Providence, where +he turned pirate. Here she was seduced by +Captain Rackham, and ran with him to sea, +dressed as a sailor, and accompanied him in +many voyages. The day that Rackham was +executed she was admitted to see him by +special favour, but she only taunted him and +said that she was sorry to see him there, but +that if he had fought like a man he would +not have been hung like a dog.</p> + +<p>Becoming pregnant in prison she was reprieved, +and, we believe, finally pardoned.</p> + +<p>Captain <span class="smcap">Howel Davis</span>, our next sea king, +was a native of Milford, who, being taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">224</a></span> +prisoner by England, was appointed captain +of the vessel of which he had been chief +mate. At first, he declared he would rather +be shot than turn pirate, but eventually +accepted sealed orders from England, to be +opened at a certain latitude. On opening +them, he found they directed him to make +the ship his own, and go and trade at Brazil. +The crew, refusing to obey Davis, steered for +Barbadoes, and put him in prison, but he +was soon discharged.</p> + +<p>Starting for New Providence, the pirates' +nest, he found the island had just surrendered +to Captain Woods Rogers. He here +joined the ships fitting out for the Spanish +trade, and at Martinique joined in a conspiracy, +secured the masters, and started on a +cruise against all the world. At a council of +war, held over a bowl of punch, Davis was +unanimously elected commander, and the +articles he drew up were signed by all the +crew.</p> + +<p>They then sailed to Coxon's-hole, at the +east end of Cuba, to clean, that being a narrow +creek, where one ship could defend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">225</a></span> +itself against a hundred, and, having no carpenter, +they found some difficulty in careening. +On the north side of Hispaniola, they +fell in with a French ship of twelve guns, +which they took, and sent twelve men on +board to plunder, being now very short of +provisions. They had scarcely leaped on +deck before another French vessel of twenty-four +guns and sixty men hove in sight. This +vessel Davis proposed to attack, quite contrary +to the wish of his crew, who were +afraid of her size. When Davis approached, +the Frenchmen bade him strike, but giving +them a broadside, he said he should +keep them in play till his consort arrived, +when they should have but hard quarters. +At this moment came up all the prisoners, +having been dressed in white shirts, and +forced on deck, and a dirty tarpaulin was +hoisted for a black flag. The French captain, +intimidated, instantly struck, and was +at once, with ten of his hands, put in irons.</p> + +<p>The guns, small arms, and powder in the +small ship were then removed, and the prize +crew sent on board the larger vessel. Part<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">226</a></span> +of the prisoners were put in the smaller +and now defenceless bark. At the end of +two days, finding the French prize a dull +sailer, Davis restored her to the captain, +minus her ammunition and cargo. The +Frenchman, vexed at being so outwitted, +would have destroyed himself had not his +men prevented him.</p> + +<p>Davis then visited the Cape de Verd +islands, and left some of his men as settlers +among the Portuguese. They also plundered +many vessels at the Isle of May, +obtained many fresh hands, and fitted one +of their prizes with twenty-six guns, and +called her the <i>King James</i>. At St. Jago the +governor accused them of being pirates, and +Davis resolved to resent the affront by surprising +the fort by night. Going on shore +well armed, they found the guard negligent, +and took the place, losing only three men. +The fugitives barricaded themselves in the +governor's house, into which the pirates +threw grenades. By daybreak the whole +country was alarmed, and poured down upon +them, but they, unwilling to stand a siege,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">227</a></span> +dismounted the fort guns and fought their +way to their ships.</p> + +<p>Mustering their hands, and finding themselves +still seventy strong, they proposed to +follow Davis's advice, and attack Gambia +castle, where a great deal of money was +always kept, for they had now such an opinion +of Davis's courage and prudence that they +would have followed him anywhere.</p> + +<p>Having come within sight of the place, he +ordered all his men below but such as were +absolutely necessary for the working of the +vessel, that the people on shore might take +her for a trader. He then ran close under +the fort, anchored, and ordering out the +boat, manned her with six plain-dressed men, +himself as the master, and the rest attired +as merchants. The men were instructed +what to say.</p> + +<p>At the landing-place they were received by +a file of musqueteers, and led to the governor, +who received them civilly. They said +they were from Liverpool, bound to the river +of Senegal to trade for gums and ivory, but +being chased to Gambia by two French<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">228</a></span> +men-of-war, were willing to trade for slaves; +their cargo, they said, being all iron and +plate. The governor, promising them slaves, +asked for a hamper of European liquor, and +invited them to stay and dine. Davis himself +refused to stay, but left his two companions.</p> + +<p>On leaving he observed there was a sentry +at the entrance, and a guard-house near, +with the arms of the soldiers on duty thrown +in one corner. Going on board he assured +his men of success, desired them to keep +sober, and when the castle flag struck to +send twenty hands immediately ashore. He +then seized a sloop that lay near, for fear the +crew should discern their preparations.</p> + +<p>He put two pairs of loaded pistols in his +pocket, and made all his crew do the same, +bidding them get into conversation with the +guard, and when he fired a pistol through +the governor's window, leap up and secure +the piled arms.</p> + +<p>While dinner was getting ready, the governor +began to brew a bowl of punch, when +Davis, at a whisper of the coxswain who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">229</a></span> +been reconnoitring the house, suddenly drew +out a pistol, and, clapping it to the governor's +breast, bade him surrender the fort and all +his riches, or he was a dead man. The +governor, taken by surprise, promised to be +passive. They then shut the door, and +loaded the arms in the hall, while Davis fired +his piece through the window. The men, +hearing this signal, cocked their pistols, got +between the soldiers and the arms, and carried +them off, locking up the men in the +guard-room, and guarding it without. Then +striking the flag, the rest of the crew tumbled +on shore, and the fort was their own without +the loss of a man. Davis at once harangued +the soldiers, and persuaded many to join him, +and those who resisted he sent on board the +sloop, which he first unrigged. The rest of +the day they spent in salutes—ship to castle +and castle to ship, and the next day plundered. +Much money had been lately sent away, so +they found only £2,000 in bar gold, and +many rich effects. They then dismounted +the guns, and demolished the fortifications.</p> + +<p>A French pirate of 14 guns, and sixty-four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">230</a></span> +men, half French, half negroes, soon +joined Davis, and they sailed down the coast +together. They soon after met another +pirate ship, of 24 guns, and spent several +days in carousing. They then attacked in +company the fort of Sierra Leone, and the +garrison, after a stiff cannonade, surrendered +the place and fled. Here they spent +seven weeks careening; and, capturing a +galley, La Bouce, the second captain, cut +her half deck, and mounted her with 24 +guns. They now sailed together, and appointed +Davis commodore, but, like men of a +trade, soon quarrelled, and parted company. +Off Cape Apollonia Davis took several vessels, +and off Cape Points Bay attacked a +Dutch interloper, of 30 guns, and ninety +men. After many hours' fighting the Dutchman +surrendered to the black flag, having +killed nine of Davis's men at one broadside. +This vessel Davis called the <i>Rover</i>, fitted +with 32 guns and 27 swivels, and, sailing +to Anamaboe, captured several ships laden +with ivory, gold dust, and negroes, saluting the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">231</a></span> +fort, and then started for Prince's island, a +Portuguese settlement near the same coast.</p> + +<p>They here captured a Dutchman, a valuable +prize, having the governor of Acra and +£150,000, besides merchandise, on board, and +recruited their force with thirty-five hands. +The <i>King James</i> springing a leak, they deserted +her and left her to sink. At the isle +of Princes Davis passed himself off for an +English man-of-war in search of pirates, and +was received with great honours by the governor, +who approved of his openly plundering +a French vessel which he accused of +piracy. A few days after Davis and fourteen +of his men attempted to carry off the chief +men's wives from a small village in which +they lived, but failed in the attempt. But +Davis had determined to plunder the island +by means of the following stratagem. He resolved +to present the governor with a dozen +negroes in return for his civilities, and afterwards +to invite him with the friars and chief +men of the island to an entertainment on +board his ship. He would then clap them in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">232</a></span> +irons, and not release them under a ransom of +£40,000.</p> + +<p>This plot proved fatal to him. A Portuguese +negro, swimming ashore at night, disclosed +the whole. The governor dissembled +and professed to fall into the snare. The +next day Davis went himself on shore to +bring the governor on board, and was invited +to take some refreshment at the government +house. He fell at once into the trap. A +prepared ambuscade rose and fired a volley, +killing every pirate but one, who, running +to the boat, got safely to the ship. Davis, +though shot through the bowels, rose, made +a faint effort to run, drew out his pistols, +fired at his pursuers, and fell dead.</p> + +<p>Upon Davis's death, Bartholomew Roberts +was at once chosen commander, in preference +to many other of the <i>lords</i> or head seamen. +The sailors said, that any captain who went +beyond their laws should be deposed, but +that they must have a man of courage and +a good seaman to defend their commonwealth. +One of the lords, whose father had suffered +in Monmouth's rebellion, swore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">233</a></span> +Roberts was a Papist. In spite of all, +Roberts, who had been only taken prisoner +six weeks before, was chosen commander. +He told them that, "since he had dipped his +hands in muddy water, and must needs be +a pirate, he would rather be commander than +mere seaman."</p> + +<p>Their first thought was to avenge Davis's +death, for he had been much beloved for his +affability and good nature. Thirty men +were landed, and attacked the fort in spite +of the steep hill on which it was situated. +The Portuguese deserted the walls, and the +pirates destroyed the guns. Still unsatisfied, +they would have burnt the town, had it not +been protected by a thick wood, which furnished +a cover to the enemy. They, however, +mounted the French ship with twelve +guns, running into shoal water, battered +down several houses, and then sailed out of +the harbour by the light of two ships to +which they set fire. Having taken two +more vessels and burnt one of them, they +started by general consent for Brazil.</p> + +<p>Cruising here for nine weeks and taking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">234</a></span> +no prize, the pirates grew quite discouraged, +and resolved to steer for the West Indies, +but soon after fell in with forty-two sail of +Portuguese ships laden for Lisbon, and lying +off the bay of los Todos Santos, waiting for +two men-of-war of seventy guns each for +their convoy. Stealing amongst them, +Roberts hid his men till he had closed upon +the deepest of them, threatening to give no +quarter if the master was not instantly sent +on board. The Portuguese, alarmed at the +sudden flourish of cutlasses, instantly came. +Roberts told him they were gentlemen of +fortune, and should put him to death if he +did not tell them which was the richest +vessel of the fleet. The trembler pointed +out a ship of forty guns and 150 men, more +force than Roberts could command; but +Roberts, replying "They are only Portuguese," +bore down at once upon it. Finding +the enemy was aware of their being pirates, +Roberts poured in a broadside, grappled, and +boarded. The dispute was short and warm. +Two of the pirates fell, and many of the +Portuguese. By this time it was pretty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">235</a></span> +well seen that a fox had got into the poultry-yard. +Signals of top-gallant sheets were +flying, and guns fired to bring up the convoy +that still rode at anchor. Roberts, +finding his prize sail heavy, waited for the +first man-of-war, which, basely declining the +duel, lingered for its consort till Roberts +was out of sight. The prize proved exceedingly +rich, being laden with sugar, skins, +tobacco, and 4000 moidors, besides many +gold chains and much jewellery. A diamond +cross, which formed part of this spoil, +they afterwards gave to the governor of +Caiana. Elated with this spoil, they fixed +on the Devil's Islands, in the Surinam river, +as a place for a revel, and, arriving there, +found the governor ready to barter.</p> + +<p>Much in want of provision, Roberts threw +himself, with forty men, into a prize sloop, in +hopes of capturing a brigantine laden with +provision from Rhode Island, which was then +in sight, and was kept at sea by contrary +winds for eight days. Their food ran short, +and failing in securing the prize, they despatched +their only boat to bring up the ship.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">236</a></span></p> + +<p>Landing at Dominica, Roberts took on +board thirteen Englishmen, the crews of two +New England vessels that had been seized by a +French guarda costa. At this island they +were nearly captured by a Martinique sloop, +but contrived to escape to the Guadanillas. +Sailing for Newfoundland they entered the +harbour with their black colours flying, their +drums beating, and trumpets sounding. The +crews of twenty-two vessels fled on shore at +their approach, and they proceeded to burn +and sink all the shipping and destroy the +fisheries and the houses of the planters. +Mounting a Bristol galley that he found in +the harbour with sixteen guns, Roberts destroyed +nine sail of French ships, and carried +off for his own use a vessel of twenty-six +guns. From many other prizes they +pressed men and got plunder. The passengers +on board the <i>Samuel</i>, a rich London +vessel, he tortured, threatening them with +death if they did not disclose their money. +His men tore up the hatches, and, entering +the hold with axes and swords, cut and ripped +open the bales and boxes. Everything portable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">237</a></span> +they seized, the rest they threw overboard, +amidst curses and discharges of guns +and pistols. They carried off £9000 worth of +goods, the sails, guns, and powder. They told +the captain "They should accept of no act of +grace. The king might be d—— with their +act of grace for them: they weren't going to +Hope Point to be hung up sun-drying like +Kidd's and Braddish's company were; and if +they were overpowered they would set fire +to the powder, and <i>go all merrily to hell +together</i>."</p> + +<p>While debating whether to sink or burn the +prize, they espied a sail, and left the <i>Samuel</i> +tumultuously to give chase. It proved to be a +Bristol vessel, and hating Bristol men because +the Martinique sloops were commanded by +one, he used him with barbarous cruelty.</p> + +<p>Their provisions growing scarce, Roberts +put into St. Christopher's, and, being refused +succours, fired on the town and burnt two +ships in the road. They then visited St. +Bartholomew, where they were well received. +Sailing for Guinea, weary of even debauchery, +they captured a rich laden vessel from Martinique,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">238</a></span> +and changed ships. By some extraordinary +ignorance of navigation, Roberts, +in trying to reach the Cape Verd islands, got +to leeward of his port, and, obliged to go back +again with the trade wind, returned to the +West Indies, steering for Surinam, 700 leagues +distant, with one hogshead of water for 124 +souls.</p> + +<p>Great suffering followed their pleasures in +the islands of the Sirens; each man obtained +only one mouthful of water in twenty-four +hours. Many drank their urine or the brine +and died fevered and mad; others wasted with +fluxes. The rest had but an inch or two of +bread in the day, and grew so feeble they +could hardly reef and climb. They were all +but dying, when they were suddenly brought +into soundings, and at night anchored in +seven fathoms water.</p> + +<p>Thirsty in the sight of lakes and streams, +and maddened with hunger, Roberts tore up +the floor of the cabin, and, patching together +a canoe with rope yarn, paddled to shore and +procured water. After some days, the boat +returned with the unpleasant intelligence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">239</a></span> +that the lieutenant had absconded with the +vessel.</p> + +<p>This Lieutenant Kennedy's sail into Execution +Dock we will give before we return +to Roberts. Upon leaving Caiana Roberts's +treacherous crew determined to abandon +piracy. Their Portuguese prize they gave to +the master of the prize sloop, a good-natured +man, whose quiet philosophy under misfortune +had astonished and pleased them. Off +Barbadoes Kennedy took a Quaker's vessel +from Virginia, the captain of which allowed +no arms on board, and his equanimity so attracted +the pirates that eight of them returned +with him to Virginia. These men rewarded +the sailors and gave £250 worth of gold dust +and tobacco to the peaceful captain. At Maryland +the treacherous Quaker surrendered his +friends, who were all hung on the evidence +of some Portuguese Jews whom they had +brought from Brazil.</p> + +<p>Off Jamaica Kennedy captured a flour +vessel from Boston, in which himself and +many others embarked. This Kennedy had +been a pickpocket and a housebreaker, could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">240</a></span> +neither read nor write, and had been only +elected captain for his cruelty and courage.</p> + +<p>His crew, at first afraid of his treachery, +would have thrown him overboard, but +relented, on his taking solemn oaths of +fidelity. Of all these men only one knew +anything of navigation, and he was so ignorant +that, trying to reach Ireland, he ran them +ashore on Scotland. Landing they passed at +first for shipwrecked sailors; seven of them +reached London in safety, the rest were seized +at Edinburgh and hung, having attracted attention +by rioting and drunken squandering. +Two others were murdered on the road.</p> + +<p>Kennedy turned robber, and some years +after was arrested as a pirate by the mate of +a ship he had plundered, turned king's evidence, +but was hung in 1721.</p> + +<p>We must now return to Roberts, whom +we left swearing and vapouring on the coast +of Newfoundland. He began by drawing up +a code of laws and establishing stricter discipline, +and then steered for the West Indies, +capturing several vessels by the way, and was +soon after pursued by a Bristol galley of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">241</a></span> +twenty guns and eighty men, and a sloop of +ten guns and forty men, despatched by the +Governor of Barbadoes. Roberts, taking them +for traders, attempted to board, but was +driven off by a broadside, the king's men +huzzaing as they fired. Roberts, crowding +all sail, took to flight and escaped, after a +galling pursuit, by dint of throwing overboard +his guns and heavy goods. He was +henceforward particularly severe to Barbadian +vessels, so deeply established were the principles +of justice and compensation in the mind +of this great man.</p> + +<p>In the morning, they saw land, but +at a great distance, and dispatching a +boat, it returned late at night with a +load of water: they had reached Surinam. +The worst blasphemer heard the words, +and fell upon his knees to thank a God whom +he had so often denied. They swore that the +same Providence which had given them drink +would bring them meat.</p> + +<p>Taking provisions from several vessels, +Roberts touched at Tobago, and then sailed +to Martinique to revenge himself on the governor.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">242</a></span> +Adopting the custom of the Dutch +interlopers, he hoisted a jack and sailed in +as if to trade. He was soon surrounded by +a swarm of sloops and smacks; then sending +all the crews on shore on board one vessel, +minus their money, he fired twenty others. +His new flag bore henceforward a representation +of himself trampling on the skulls of a +Barbadian and Martinique man. At Dominica +he took several vessels, and several others +at Guadaloupe, and then put into a key off +Hispaniola to clean and refit.</p> + +<p>While here, the captains of two piratical +sloops visited him, having heard of his fame +and achievements, to beg from him powder +and arms. After several nights' revel, +Roberts dismissed them, hoping "the +Lord would prosper their handy works." +Three of their men, who had long excited +suspicion by their reserve and sobriety, deserted, +but being recaptured were put upon +their trial. The jury sat in the steerage, +before a bowl of rum punch; the judge on +the bench smoked a pipe. Sentence was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">243</a></span> +already passed, when one of the jury, with +a volley of oaths, swore Glashby (one of +the prisoners) should not die. "He was as +good a man as the best of them, and had +never turned his back to a man in his life. +Glashby was an honest fellow in spite of +his misfortune, and he loved him. He hoped +he would live and repent of what he had +done; but d—— if he must die, he would +die along with him," and as he spoke he +handled a pair of loaded pistols, and presented +them at two of the judges, who, thinking +the argument good, at once acquitted +Glashby. The rest, allowed to choose their +executioners, were tied to the mast and shot.</p> + +<p>Amply stocked with provision, they now +sailed for Guinea to buy gold dust, and on +their passage burnt and sank many vessels. +Roberts, finding his crew mutinous and unmanageable, +assumed a rude bearing, offering +to fight on shore any one who was offended, +with sword or pistol, for he neither feared +nor valued any. On their way to Africa +they were deserted by a prize, a brigantine,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">244</a></span> +which they had manned. Roberts being insulted +by a drunken sailor, killed him on the +spot. His messmate returning from shore +declared the captain deserved the same fate. +Roberts hearing this stabbed him with his +sword, but in spite of the wound the seaman +threw him over a gun and gave him a beating. +A general tumult ensued, which was +appeased by the quartermaster, and the +majority agreeing that the captain must be +supported at all risks, the sailor received +two lashes from every man on board as soon +as he recovered from his wound. This man +then conspired with the captain of the brigantine +and his seventy hands, and agreed to +desert Roberts, as they soon after did on the +first opportunity.</p> + +<p>Near the river of Senegal the pirates were +chased by two French cruisers of ten and +sixteen guns, who mistook him for one of +those interlopers for whom they were on the +look-out. The pair surrendered, however, with +little resistance on the first shot of the <i>Jolly +Roger</i>, and with these prizes they put into +Sierra Leone. About thirty retired Buccaneers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">245</a></span> +and pirates lived here, one of whom, +who went by the name of Crackers, kept two +cannon at his door to salute all pirate ships +that arrived.</p> + +<p>They found that the <i>Swallow</i> and <i>Weymouth</i> +men-of-war, fifty guns, had just been +there, and would not return till Christmas; +so, after six weeks' debauch, they put out +again to sea, plundering along the coast. +They exchanged one of their vessels for a +French frigate-built ship, pressing the sailors, +and allowing some soldiers on board to sail +with them for a quarter share.</p> + +<p>They found an English chaplain on board, +and wanted him to go with them to make +punch and say prayers, but as he refused +they let him go, detaining nothing of the property +of the church but three prayer-books +and a corkscrew. This ship they altered by +pulling down the bulkheads and making her +flush. They then christened her the <i>Royal +Fortune</i>, and mounted her with forty guns.</p> + +<p>They next proceeded to Calabar, where a +shoal protected the harbour. Enraged at the +negroes refusing to trade, they landed forty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">246</a></span> +men under protection of the ships' fire, +drove back a party of 2000 natives, and then +burnt their town. Still unable to obtain +provisions, they returned to Cape Apollonia. +Here they took a vessel called the <i>King +Solomon</i>, boarding her from the long boat +in spite of a volley from the ship, the pirates +shouting defiance. The captain would +have resisted, but the boatswain made the +men lay down their arms and cry for quarter. +They then cut her cable, and rifled her of +everything. They next cut the mast of a +Dutch vessel, and strung the sausages they +found on board round their necks, killing the +fowls, and inviting the captain to drink from +his own but, singing obscene French and +Spanish songs from his Dutch prayer-book.</p> + +<p>Going too near the land they alarmed the +coast, and the English and Dutch factories +spread signals of danger.</p> + +<p>Entering Whydah with St. George's +ensign and a black flag flying, eleven ships +instantly surrendered without a blow; most +of the crews being, in fact, ashore. Each +captain ransomed his cargo for 8 lbs. of gold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">247</a></span> +dust, upon which they gave him acquittals, +signed with sham names, as "Whiffingpin" +and "Tugmutton." One vessel full of +slaves refusing to give any ransom, he set +fire to it, and burnt eighty negroes who were +chained in the hold; a few leaped overboard +to avoid the flames, and were torn to pieces +by the sharks that swarmed in the road.</p> + +<p>Discovering from an intercepted letter that +the <i>Swallow</i> was after him, Roberts put back +to the island of Anna Bona, but the wind +failing steered for Cape Lopez. The cruiser +had lost 100 men from sickness in a three +weeks' stay at Prince's island, and, unable to +return to Sierra Leone, turned to Cape Corso, +unknown to Roberts, who was ignorant of the +causes that had led to their return. Receiving +many calls for help, and finding the +trade of the whole coast disturbed, the +<i>Swallow</i> sailed for Whydah. The crew were +impatient to attack the pirates, learning that +they had an arms' chest full of gold, secured +by three keys. Recruiting thirty volunteers, +English and French, the <i>Swallow</i> reached +the river Gaboon, and soon discovered the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">248</a></span> +pirates, one of whom gave them chase, +believing her a Portuguese sugar vessel, +and the sugar for their punch now ran short.</p> + +<p>The pirates were cursing the wind and the +sails that kept them from so rich a prey, +when the <i>Ranger</i> suddenly brought to and +hauled up her lower ports, while the first +broadside brought down their black flag. +Hoisting it again, they flourished their cutlasses +on the poop, but tried to escape. Some +prepared to board, but, after two hours' firing, +their maintop came down with a run, and +they struck, having had ten men killed and +twenty wounded. The <i>Swallow</i> did not +lose one. The <i>Ranger</i> carried thirty-two +guns, and was manned by sixteen Frenchmen, +seventy-seven English, and ten negroes. +Their black colours were thrown overboard. +As the <i>Swallow</i> was sending a boat to +board, an explosion was heard, and a smoke +poured out of the great cabin. It appeared that +half a dozen of the most desperate had fired +some powder, but it was too little to do anything +but burn them terribly.</p> + +<p>The commander, a Welshman, had had his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">249</a></span> +leg shot off, and had refused to allow himself +to be carried below. The rest were gay and +brisk, dressed in white shirts and silk waistcoats, +and wearing watches.</p> + +<p>An officer said to a man whom he saw +with a silver whistle at his belt—"I presume +you are boatswain of this ship." "Then +you presume wrong," said the pirate, "for +I am boatswain of the <i>Royal Fortune</i>—Captain +Roberts, commander." "Then, Mr. Boatswain, +you'll be hanged," said the officer. +"That is as your Honour pleases," said the +man, turning away.</p> + +<p>The officer asking about the explosion, he +swore "they are all mad and bewitched, for +I have lost a good hat by it." He had been +blown out of the cabin gallery into the sea. +"But what signifies a hat, friend?" said the +officer. "Not much," he answered.</p> + +<p>As the sailors stripped off his shoes and +stockings, the officer asked him if all +Robert's crew were as likely men as himself? +He answered, "There are 120 of +them as clever fellows as ever trod shoe-leather; +would I were with them." "No<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">250</a></span> +doubt on't," said the officer. "It's naked +truth," said the man laughing, as he looked +down at his bare feet.</p> + +<p>The officer then approached another man, +black and scorched, who sat sullenly alone in a +corner. He asked him how it happened. "Why," +said he, "John Morris fired a pistol into the +powder, and if he had not done it I would." +The officer said he was a surgeon, and +offered to dress his wounds, which he bore +without a groan. He swore it should not be +done and he would tear off the dressing, so he +was then overpowered and bandaged. At +night he grew delirious and raved about +"brave Roberts," who would soon release him. +The men then lashed him down to the forecastle, +as he resisted with such violence +to his burnt sore flesh that he died next day +of mortification. The other pirates they +fettered, and sent the shattered ship, scarcely +worth preserving, into port.</p> + +<p>The next day Roberts appeared in sight +with a prize, and his men ran to tell him of +the cruizer as he was dining in the cabin +with the prisoner captain. Roberts declared<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">251</a></span> +the vessel was his own returning, or nothing +but a Portuguese or French slave ship, and +laughed at the cowards who feared danger, +offering to strike the most apprehensive. +As soon as he discovered his mistake he +slipped his cable, got under sail, and ordered +his men to arms, declaring it was "a bite."</p> + +<p>He appeared on deck dressed in crimson +damask, with a red feather in his cocked +hat, a gold chain and diamond cross round +his neck, a sword in his hand, and two pairs +of pistols hanging pirate-fashion from a silk +sling over his shoulders. His orders were +given in a loud voice and with unhesitating +boldness. Informed by a deserter that the +<i>Swallow</i> sailed best upon a wind, he resolved +to go before it, if disabled to run ashore +and escape among the negroes, or if, as many +of his men were drunk, everything else +failed, to board and blow up both vessels.</p> + +<p>Exchanging a broadside he made all sail +he could crowd, but steering ill was taken +aback and overtaken. At this critical moment +a grapeshot struck him on the throat, and he +sat calmly down on the tackle of a gun and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">252</a></span> +died. The man at the helm running to his +assistance, and not seeing a wound, thought +his heart had failed him, and bade him +stand up and fight it out like a man, and +remember the <i>Jolly Roger</i>. Discovering his +mistake the rough sailor burst into tears, +and prayed the next shot might strike him. +The pirates then threw their captain overboard, +with all his arms and ornaments, as he +had often requested in his life.</p> + +<p>When Roberts fell the men deserted their +quarters and fell into a torpor, till their +mainmast being shot away compelled them +to surrender. Some of the crew lit matches +and tried to blow up the magazine, but the +rest prevented them. The black flag, crushed +under the fallen mast, they had no time to +destroy.</p> + +<p>The <i>Royal Fortune</i> was found to have +forty guns and 157 men, forty-five of them +being negroes. Only three were killed in the +action, and the <i>Swallow</i> did not lose a man. +She had upwards of £2000 of gold dust in +her. From the other vessel the same quantity +was embezzled by an English captain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">253</a></span> +who sailed away before the <i>Swallow</i> arrived.</p> + +<p>The prisoners were mutinous under restraint, +and cursed and upbraided each other +for the folly that had brought them into that +trap. For fear of an outbreak they were +manacled and shackled in the gun-room, +which was strongly barricaded, and officers +with pistol and cutlass placed to guard it +night and day.</p> + +<p>The pirates laughed at the short commons, +and swore they should be too light to hang. +Those who read and prayed were sneered at +by the others. "Give me hell," said one +blasphemer; "it is a merrier place than +heaven, and at my entrance I'll give +Roberts a salute of thirteen guns." The +whole of the prisoners made a formal complaint +against "the wretch with a prayer-book," +as a common disturber.</p> + +<p>A few of the more violent conspired, having +loosened their shackles, to rise, kill the +officers, and run away with the ship. A +mulatto boy who attended them, conveyed +messages from one to the other, but the very +evening of the outbreak two prisoners heard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">254</a></span> +the whispers, and warned the officers. They +were then treated rougher, and heavier chains +put on.</p> + +<p>The negroes and surgeon on board the +other ship also contrived a conspiracy, the +surgeon knowing a little of the Ashantee +language. They were betrayed by a traitor, +all re-chained, and brought to Cape +Corso castle to be tried. Here they grew +chapfallen, forgot to jest, and begged for good +books. Some joined in prayers, and others +sang psalms. Brawny, sunburnt, scarred +men were seen spelling out hymns, and, +through the blood-red haze of a thousand +crimes, trying with moistened eyes to look +back to calm Sunday evenings when fond +mothers had first taught them the words of +long since forgotten prayers.</p> + +<p>When the ropes were fitting only one appeared +dejected, and he had been ill with a +flux. A surgeon of the place was charitable +enough to offer himself as chaplain, and represented +to them the urgent need of repentance +and the tender forgiveness of a Saviour. +They hardly listened to him, but some begged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">255</a></span> +caps of the soldiers, for the sun was burning +on their bare heads. Others asked for +a single draught of water. When they were +pressed to speak of religion, they burst into +curses, and imprecated vengeance on their +judge and jury, saying they were hung as +poor rogues, but many worse escaped because +they were rich.</p> + +<p>He then implored them to be in charity +with all the world, and asked their names +and ages. They said, "What is that to you? +we suffer the law, and shall give no account +but to God." One cursed a woman in the +crowd for coming to see him hung, and another +laughed at their tying his hands behind +him, "for he had seen many a good fellow +hung, but never that done before." A +third said, the sooner the better, so he might +get out of pain.</p> + +<p>Nine others showed much penitence. One +obtained a short reprieve, and devoted it to +prayer, singing the thirty-first Psalm at the +foot of the gallows. Another (the deserter) +exhorted the seamen to a good life, and sang +a psalm. The next instant a gun was fired,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">256</a></span> +and he swung from the fore-yard-arm. +Bunce, the youngest of them all, made a pathetic +speech, and begged forgiveness of God +and all mankind. Seeing the gallows standing +on a rock above the sea, he took a last +look at the element which he had so often +braved, and saying, he stood "as a beacon on +a rock to warn mariners of danger," was +turned off by the hangman.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain Worly</span>, the next adventurer, embarked +in an open boat, with eight other +men, from New York in 1718, captured +a shallop up the Delaware river, and soon +took many other vessels, pursuing an English +cruiser from Sandy Hook. He had now +twenty-five men and six guns, and his crew +had taken an oath to receive no quarter. +While careening in an inlet in North Carolina +he was attacked by two government sloops. +These cruisers boarded him on either side, +and the pirates fought so desperately that +only the captain and another man were taken +prisoners, and being much wounded were +hung the next day for fear they should die, +and the law not have its due.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">257</a></span></p> + +<p>Captain <span class="smcap">George Lowther</span> was originally +second mate on board a vessel carrying soldiers +to a fort of the Royal African Company's +on the river Gambia, the very one that +had been destroyed by Davis. Captain +Massey, who commanded these men, offended +at the arrogance of the merchants, plotted +with Lowther, who had been ill-treated by +his captain, to run away with the vessel. +They then started as pirates—their vessel, +the <i>Delivery</i>, having fifty men and sixteen +guns. The worthy partners soon quarrelled, +Massey knowing nothing of the sea and +Lowther nothing of the land. Massey wished +to land with thirty men and attack the +French in Hispaniola, but Lowther refused +his consent; and when Lowther resolved to +scuttle a ship, Massey interposed in its +behalf. Massey, soon after this, being put +on board a prize with ten malcontents, gave +himself up at Jamaica, and was sent to +cruise in search of his old partner. Massey +wrote to the African Company, and prayed +to be forgiven, or at least shot as a soldier, +and not hung as a pirate. He then came to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">258</a></span> +London, gave himself up, and was soon after +hung.</p> + +<p>Off Hispaniola Lowther captured two vessels—one +of them a Spaniard, the crew of +which, in consideration of their being also +pirates, and having just boarded an English +ship, were drifted off in their own launch, +but the English sailors were enrolled in their +own crew. They then put into a key, +cleaned, and spent some time in revelry. +Starting again about Christmas, at the Grand +Caimanes they met with a small pirate vessel, +commanded by a captain named Low, who +now became Lowther's lieutenant. The old +ship they sank, and soon after attacked a +Boston vessel, the <i>Greyhound</i>, which, though +only 200 tons, refused to bring to in answer +to Lowther's gun, and held out for an hour +before she struck her ensign, seeing resistance +hopeless. The pirates whipped, beat, and +cut these men cruelly, and at last set fire to +their vessel, and left them to burn and +perish. They soon after burnt and sank +several New England sloops; a vessel of +Jamaica they generously sent back to her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">259</a></span> +master, and two other vessels they fitted up +for their own use, mounting one with eight +carriage and ten swivel guns.</p> + +<p>With this little fleet, Admiral Lowther, in +the <i>Happy Delivery</i>, went to the gulf of +Matique to careen, carrying ashore all their +sails and stores, and putting them in tents on +the beach. While the ships, however, were +on the keel, and the men busy heaving, +scrubbing, and tallowing, they were attacked +by a large body of the natives. Burning the +<i>Happy Delivery</i>, their largest ship, and +leaving all their stores behind, they then +turned one sloop adrift, and all embarked in +the other, the <i>Ranger</i>. This disaster, and +the shortness of provisions, soon produced +mutiny and mutual recrimination.</p> + +<p>In May 1721 they went to the West +Indies, capturing a brigantine, which they +plundered and sank, and then started for New +England. Low and Lowther always quarrelling, +at last parted, Low taking forty-four +hands in the brigantine, and leaving the +same number in the sloop to Lowther. The +latter for some time captured nothing but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">260</a></span> +fishing vessels, and a New England ship +with a cargo of sugar from Barbadoes. Off +the coast of South Carolina, being pursued +by an English vessel that he had imprudently +attacked, he was driven on shore in his +attempts to escape. The English captain, in +attempting to board, was shot, and his mate +declined the combat. The pirate sloop soon +put again to sea, but much shattered, and +with many of the crew killed and wounded. +The winter Low spent in repairing, in an +inlet of North Carolina, where his men +pitched tents, and lived on the wild cattle +they shot in the woods, while in very cold +nights they slept on board the ship.</p> + +<p>After a cruise round Newfoundland the +pirates sailed for the West Indies, and put +into a creek in the island of Blanco, not far +from Tortuga, to careen. Here they were +attacked by the <i>Eagle</i> sloop of Barbadoes, +belonging to the South Sea Company. She +fired a gun first to make Lowther show his +colours, and then boarded. Lowther and +twelve of his crew made their escape out of +a cabin window after their vessel had struck.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">261</a></span> +The master of the <i>Eagle</i>, with twenty-five +men, spent five days in search of the fugitives, +and, capturing eight only of them, +returned to Cumana.</p> + +<p>The Spanish governor applauding the <i>Eagle</i> +condemned the sloop, and sent a small vessel +with twenty-five hands to scour the patches +of <i>lignum vitæ</i> trees that covered the low level +island, and took four pirates, but Lowther +and three men and a boy still escaped. It is +supposed he then destroyed himself, as he was +found soon after by some sailors dead, beside +a bush, with a burst pistol by his side. Of +his companions nine were hung at St. Christopher's, +two pardoned, and five acquitted; +four the Spaniards condemned to slavery for +life, three to the galleys, and the others to +the Castle of Arraria.</p> + +<p>Captain Spriggs was another of this same +gang, having been quartermaster to Lowther. +In 1723 Spriggs, with eighteen men, sailed +by night from the coast of Guinea, in the +<i>Delight</i> (a man-of-war) taken by Low, for they +had quarrelled as to the punishment of a +pirate who had murdered another. Low<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">262</a></span> +was for mercy and Spriggs for the yard-arm.</p> + +<p>They then chose Spriggs captain, hoisted +the black flag, and fired all their guns to +honour his inauguration. In their voyage +to the West Indies they plundered a Portuguese +bark, tortured the crew, set them +adrift in a boat with a small quantity of provisions, +and then burnt the vessel. The crew +of a Barbadoes sloop they cut and beat for +refusing to serve with them, and turned +them off like the Portuguese. They next +rummaged a logwood ship from Jamaica, cut +the cable, broke the windows, destroyed the +cabins, and when the mate refused to go +with them, every man in the vessel gave +him ten lashes, which they called "writing +his discharge" in red letters flaring on his +back. George the Second's birthday they +spent in roaring out healths, shouting, and +drinking, expecting that there would be an +amnesty at his accession, and vowing, if +they were excepted, to murder every Englishman +they met. They next gave chase to +a vessel (supposed to be a Spaniard), till the +crew made a lamentable cry for quarter, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">263</a></span> +they discovered it was the logwood vessel +they had turned off three days before, not +worth a penny. Enraged at this, fifteen of +them flew at the captain and cut him down, +though his mate, who had joined the pirates, +interceded for his life. It being midnight, +and nearly all, as usual at such an +hour, drunk, it was unanimously agreed to +make a bonfire of the Jamaica ship. They +then called the bleeding captain down into +the cabin to supper, and made him, with a +sword and pistol at his breast, eat a dish of +candles, treating all the crew in the same +way. Twenty days afterwards they landed +the captain and a passenger on a desert +island in the Bay of Honduras, giving them +powder, ball, and one musket. Here they +supported life for fifteen days, till two marooned +sailors coming in a canoe paddled +them to another island, where they got food +and water. Espying a sloop at sea, they +made a great smoke and were taken off +after nineteen days' more suffering. Spriggs, +while laying wait to take his revenge on the +<i>Eagle</i>, was pursued by a French man-of-war<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">264</a></span> +from Martinique, and then went to Newfoundland +to obtain more men and attack Captain +Harris, who had lately taken another pirate +vessel. Of their future fate we hear nothing. +Let us hope they sailed on till they reached +Gallows Point and there anchored.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">John Gow</span> was one of the crew of an +Amsterdam galley, who in 1724, in a voyage +to Barbary, plotted to murder the captain +and seize the vessel. Having first cut his +throat they tried to throw him overboard, +but as he grappled with them Gow and the +second mate and gunner shot him through +the body. They then murdered the chief +mate and the clerk, who was asleep in his +hammock; the latter, handing the key of his +chest, begged for time to say his prayers, +but a sailor shot him as he knelt, with a +pistol that burst as he fired.</p> + +<p>The murders being over, one of the red-handed +men came on deck, and, striking a +gun with his cutlass, cried "You are welcome, +Captain Gow, to your new command." +Gow then swore that if any whispered together +or refused to obey orders, they should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">265</a></span> +go the same way as those that had just gone. +They plundered a French fruit vessel and +some others, but were soon after stranded on +the Orkney coast, where they had intended +to clean, were apprehended by a gentleman +named Fea, and brought up to London.</p> + +<p>Gow obstinately refusing to plead, his +thumbs were tied with whipcord till they +broke. As he still remained silent he was +ordered by the Draconic law of those days +to be pressed to death. When the preparations +were completed Gow's courage failed +him, he sullenly pleaded not guilty, and +was soon after, with nine of his crew at the +same time, executed.</p> + +<p>Captain <span class="smcap">Weaver</span>, of the <i>Good Fortune</i>, +brigantine, which had taken some sixty sail +off the banks of Newfoundland, on his return +from thence came to Bristol, and passed +himself off as a sailor who had escaped from +pirates, walking openly about the town. Here +he was met by a captain whom he had once +plundered, and who invited him to share a +bottle in a neighbouring tavern, telling him +he had been a great sufferer by the loss of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">266</a></span> +his ship, but that for four hogsheads of sugar +he would never mention the affair again. +Unable to obtain this compensation he arrested +Weaver, who was soon after hung.</p> + +<p>Captain <span class="smcap">Edward Low</span>, our last commodore, +was originally a London thief, the head of a +gang of Westminster boys, and a gambler +among the footmen in the lobby of the House +of Commons. One of his brothers was the first +thief who stole wigs by dressing as a porter, +and carrying a boy on his head in a covered +basket. He ended his days at Tyburn.</p> + +<p>Low was originally a logwood cutter at Honduras, +but quarrelling with his captain, and +attempting his life, put off to sea with twelve +companions, and taking a sloop, hoisted a black +flag, and declared war against the world. Of +his adventures with Lowther we have already +made mention. In May, 1722, while off Rhode +Island, the governor ordered a drum to beat +up for volunteers, and fitted out two sloops +with 140 men to pursue him, but Low contrived +to escape, and soon after running into +Port Rosemary, seized thirteen vessels at one +stroke, arming a schooner of ten guns<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">267</a></span> +for his own use, putting eighty men on +board, and calling her the <i>Fancy</i>. He was +soon after beaten off by two armed sloops +from Boston. Low waiting too long for his +consort, a brigantine, to come up, in steering +for the Leeward Islands, they were overtaken +by a dreadful storm, the same which +drowned 400 people at Jamaica, and nearly +destroyed the town of Port Royal. The +pirates escaped by dint of throwing over all +their plunder and six of their guns, and put +into one of the Caribbees to refit, buying +provisions of the natives. In this storm +it was that forty sail of ships were cast away +in Port Royal harbour.</p> + +<p>Once refitted, Low sailed into St. Michael's +road, and took seven sail, threatening with +present death all who dared to resist. Being +without water, he sent to the governor demanding +some, and declaring that if none were +sent he would burn all his prizes. On the +governor's compliance he released six, and +fitted up the seventh for himself. Another +one they burnt. The crews they compelled +to join them, all but one French cook, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">268</a></span> +was so fat that they said he would fry well. +They then bound him to the mast, and +allowed him to burn with the ship. The +crew of another galley they cruelly cut and +mangled, and two Portuguese friars they +tied up to the yard-arm, pulling them up and +down till they were dead. A Portuguese +passenger looking sorrowfully on at these +brutalities, one of the pirates cried out that +he did not like his looks, and cut open his +belly with his cutlass, so that he fell down +dead. Another of the men, cutting at a +prisoner, slashed Low across the upper lip, +so as to lay the teeth bare. The surgeon +was called to stitch up the wound, but the +medical man being drunk, Low cursed him +for his bungling. He replied by striking +Low a blow in the mouth that broke the +stitches, telling him to sew up his chops +himself.</p> + +<p>Off Madeira, they seized a fishing boat, +and obtained water by a threat of hanging +the fishermen. While careening at the Cape +Verd Islands, after making many prizes, +Low sent a sloop to St. Michael's in search of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">269</a></span> +two vessels, but his crew were seized and +condemned to slavery for life.</p> + +<p>In careening his other ship, it was lost, and +Low had now to fall back on his old schooner, +the <i>Fancy</i>, which he sailed in with a hundred +men. Proceeding to the West Indies, they +captured, after some resistance, a rich Portuguese +vessel called the <i>Nostra Signora de Victoria</i>, +bound home from Bahia. Several of +the crew they tortured till they confessed +that during the chase their captain had hung +a bag of 11,000 moidors out of the cabin window, +and when the ship was taken dropped +it into the sea. The pirates, in a fury at +this, cut off his lips, broiled them before +his face, and then murdered him and thirty-two +of his crew. In the next month they +seized four vessels, burning all those from +New England.</p> + +<p>In the Bay of Honduras Low boarded a +Spanish sloop of six guns and seventy men, +that had that morning captured five English +vessels. Finding out this from the prisoners +in the hold, these butchers proceeded to +destroy the whole crew, plunging among<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">270</a></span> +them with pole-axes, swords, and pistols. +Some leaped into the hold and others into +the sea. Twelve escaped to shore: the rest +were knocked on the head in the water. +While the pirates were carousing on land, +one wounded wretch, fainting with his +wounds, came to them and begged in God's +name for quarter, upon which a brutal sailor +replied, he would give him good quarters, and, +forcing him down on his knees, ran the muzzle +of his gun down his throat, and shot him. +They then burnt the vessel, and forced the +English prisoners to return to New York, +and not to Jamaica.</p> + +<p>Hating all men of New England, Low cut +off the ears of a gentleman of that nation, and +tied burning matches between the fingers of +some other prisoners. The crew of a whaler +he whipped naked about the deck, and +made the master eat his own ears with +pepper and salt.</p> + +<p>On one occasion, the captain of a Virginian +vessel refusing to pledge him in a bowl of +punch, he cocked a pistol and compelled him +to drain the whole quart. Off South Carolina,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">271</a></span> +his consort was taken by a cruiser, but +Low basely deserting him, escaped, and off +Newfoundland took eighteen ships, and in +July, 1723, he fitted up a prize called the +<i>Merry Christmas</i>, with thirty-four guns, and +assumed the title of admiral, hoisting a black +flag, with the figure of death in red. At +St. Michael he cut out of the road a London +vessel of fourteen guns, which the men refused +to defend. The ears of the captain +Low cut off, for daring to attempt resistance, +and giving him a boat to escape in, burnt +his ship.</p> + +<p>He then visited the Canaries, Cape de +Verd Islands, and lastly, the coast of Guinea. +At Sierra Leone he captured the <i>Delight</i>, of +twelve guns, which he supplied with sixteen +guns, and sixty men, appointing +Spriggs, his quartermaster, as captain, who +two days after deserted him, and sailed for +the West Indies.</p> + +<p>Of the end of this detestable monster we +know nothing, but if there is any truth in old +adages, he could not have well perished by a +mere storm.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">272</a></span></p> + +<p>The best account of a pirate's life extant +is to be found in Captain Roberts's Narrative +of the Loss of his Vessel in 1721, preserved +in Astley's amusing Collection of Voyages, +four dusty quartos, that contain a mine of +"auld warld" information.</p> + +<p>This Captain Roberts, it appears, contracted +with some London merchants to go +to Virginia, to fit out a sloop, named the +<i>Dolphin</i>, with a cargo "to slave with" on the +coast of Guinea, and then to return to trade +at Barbadoes. Arriving at that island, in +1722, he was discharged, and upon that +bought the <i>Margaret</i> sloop, and started again +for the African coast. At Curisal he turned +up to procure a supply of wood and water, +and the next morning after his arrival, it +being calm as day broke, he looked out and +espied three sail of ships off the bay, and +making one of them plain with his glass, observed +that she was full built and loaded, +and supposed that she and her companions +wanted water, as they first brought to, then +edged away without making any signals.</p> + +<p>As soon as the day broke clean and they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">273</a></span> +made his ship, one of them stood right in +towards her, and as the sun rose and the +wind freshened, tacked more to the eastward. +As she drew nigher, Roberts found her by his +glass to be a schooner full of hands, all in +white shirts; and when he saw a whole tier +of great guns grinning through the port-holes, +he began to suspect mischief. But it +was now too late to escape, as it held calm +within the bay, and the three ships came crowding +in as fast as the wind, flaunting out an +English ensign, jack, and pendant. Roberts +then hoisted his ensign. The first of the three +that arrived had 8 guns, 6 patereroes, 70 +men, and stretching ahead hailed him. +Roberts said he was of London, and came +from Barbadoes. They answered, with a +curse, that they knew that, and made him +send a boat on board.</p> + +<p>The pirate captain, John Lopez, a Portuguese, +who passed himself off as John Russel, +an Englishman, from the north country, +asked them where their captain was. They +pointed him out Roberts, walking the deck. +He instantly called out, "You dog, you son<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">274</a></span> +of a gun, you speckled shirt dog!" for +Roberts had just turned out, wore a speckled +Holland shirt, and was slipshod, without +stockings. Roberts, afraid if he showed contempt +by continued silence they would put a +ball through him, thought it best to answer, +and cried "Holloa!" upon which Russel said, +"You dog you, why did you not come aboard +with the boat? I'll drub you within an inch +of your life, and that inch too."</p> + +<p>Roberts meekly replied that only the boat +being commanded aboard, he did not think +he had been wanted, but if they would please +to send the boat, he would wait upon him. +"Ay, you dog you," said the Portuguese, +"I'll teach you better manners." Upon this +eight of the pirates boarded, and took possession +of the ship, and as soon as Roberts +came alongside, the pirate began again to +threaten to drub him for daring to affront +him; and when he declared he meant no +offence, cried out, "D—n you, you dog, +don't stand there to chatter, come aboard," +and stood with a cutlass ready drawn to receive +him. While still hesitating, the gunner,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">275</a></span> +who wore a gold-laced hat, looked over the +side, and said, "Come up, master, you shan't +be abused." When he got up, the pirate +raised his sabre as if to cut him down, asking +what a dog deserved for not coming aboard +when the boat was first sent. Roberts replied, +if he had done amiss, it was through +ignorance, as he did not know what they +were. "Curse you," said the pirate, "who +do you think we are?" Roberts now trembled +for fear, for having once been captured +by pirates at Newfoundland, he knew—one +wrong word and the knife was at his throat. +After a short pause, he said, "I believed you +were gentlemen of fortune belonging to the +sea." At this the Portuguese, a little pacified, +said, "You lie, we are pirates."</p> + +<p>After vapouring for some time, the pirate +asked, in a sneering tone, why Roberts had +not put on his clothes to visit gentlemen. +Roberts replied, that he did not know of the +visit when he dressed, and, besides, came in +such a fright on account of their threats, that +he had very little thought or stomach to +change clothes, still, if it would please them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">276</a></span> +to grant him the liberty, he would go and put +on better clothes, hoping it was not yet too +late. "D—n you," said the pirate, "yes, it is +too late; what clothes you took you shall +keep, but your sloop and what is in her is +ours." Roberts said, he perceived it was, +but hoped, as he lay at their mercy, they +would be so generous as to take only what +they had occasion for and leave him the +rest.</p> + +<p>The Portuguese said, "that was a company +business, and he could say nothing +about that yet." He then bade him give an +account of his cargo and money, and of +everything aboard his sloop, for if upon +rummaging they found the least article concealed, +they would burn the vessel and him +in her. The pirates standing by also begged +him to make a full discovery of all money, +arms, and ammunition, which were the chief +things they sought after, for it was their +way to punish liars and concealers very +severely. Roberts then drew up an account +from memory, and asked to see his ship's +papers that he might complete it. Russel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">277</a></span> +said, "No, he would take care of the papers, +and if anything was found missing in the +inventory he must look out for squalls." +During this time the pirates were rummaging +the sloop, but found nothing but a ring and a +pair of silver buckles not inserted in the list.</p> + +<p>During the capture a Portuguese priest +and six black fishermen, taken on board at +the Isle of Sal, who had been sent on shore, +escaped to the hills. Russel, seeing them, +told Roberts that he had captured the fishing +sloop to which the fugitives belonged, but one +of his gang had run away with it, carrying +off £800 in cash, in addition. Russel then +slipped cable and made Roberts pilot them +to Paraghisi, in company with their other +vessel, the <i>Rose Pink</i>, of thirty-six guns, +commanded by Edmund Loe, their commodore. +At Paraghisi they landed thirty-five +men and captured the fugitive priest, five +negroes, and the old governor's son. Russel +on his return was received with great ceremony +by his commander, the gunner acting +as master of the ceremonies and presenting +Roberts.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">278</a></span></p> + +<p>Captain Loe welcomed him aboard with +the usual compliments, "It's not my desire, +captain," he said, "to meet with any of my +countrymen (but rather foreigners), excepting +some few whom I want to chastise for +their roguishness; but, however, since fortune +has ordered it so that you have fallen into +our hands, I would have you be of good +cheer and not cast down."</p> + +<p>Roberts replied, "I am very sorry, sir, that +I chanced to fall in your way, but I feel I +am still in the hands of gentlemen of honour +and generosity, in whose power it is still to +make my capture no misfortune."</p> + +<p>Loe said, "It does not lie singly in my +breast, for all business of this nature is +determined by a majority of votes in the +whole company, and though neither I nor, I +believe, any of the rest desire to meet with +any of our nation, yet when we do it cannot +well be avoided to take as our own what +Providence sends us; and, as we are gentlemen +who depend entirely on fortune, we +durst not be so ungrateful to her as to +despise any of her favours, however mean,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">279</a></span> +for fear that she might withdraw her hand +and leave us to perish for lack of those very +things we had slighted."</p> + +<p>After this philosophical utterance, the +great man, who sat astride on a great gun, +and not, like other potentates, in a chair of +state, without moving from his place, begged +Roberts, with much condescension, to make +himself at home, requesting to know what +he would drink. The broken-spirited man, +still trembling for his life, replied, "He did +not care then much for drinking, but out of +a sense of the honour they did him in asking +he would drink anything he chose." Loe +told him "Not to be cast down, it was the +fortune of war: d——, sir, care killed the cat, +and fretting thinned the blood and was d—— +bad for the health. To please the company +he should be brisk and cheerful and he +would soon have better fortune."</p> + +<p>He then rang the bell and bade one of the +<i>valets de cabin</i> bring in a bowl of punch. +This was brought and mixed in a rich silver +bowl holding two gallons. He then called +for some wine, and two bottles of claret being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">280</a></span> +brought, Roberts sipped at the claret while +Loe drained the bowl with his usual philosophy +and contentment. As he grew warm +with the fragrant draught, he told Roberts +that he was a d——d good fellow, and he +would do him all the favours he could, but +wished he had had the good fortune to have +been captured ten days earlier, when they +had taken two Portuguese outward bound +Brazilmen, laden with cloth, woollens, hats, +silk, and iron, for he believed he could have +prevailed on his company to have loaded +Roberts's ship. "But now unfortunately," +he added, as he put down the empty bowl, +"they had no goods at all, having flung all +the Brazil stuffs into David Jones's locker +(the sea). He did not know, however, but +he might meet Roberts again (such things did +come round), and then if it lay in his way he +would make Roberts a return for his loss, for +he might depend on his readiness to serve +him as far as his power or interest could +reach." To this outburst of sympathy +Roberts replied by bowing and sipping his +unrelished glass of claret.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">281</a></span></p> + +<p>While they were talking word was brought +that Quartermaster-General Russel had arrived +with the prisoners, and the commodore, +ordering the empty bowl to be removed, bade +them come in. Russel, the chief officers, and +the prisoners then crowded into the cabin, +and to the question of "How goes the game?" +Russel gave an account of his expedition. +On landing they had at once seized two +blacks, who had been sent by the governor +as heralds, and used them as guides. Though +the road was uneven and rocky they reached +the town, twelve miles distant, that night, +surprising the governor and priest. Russel +told them, that hearing they had great stores +of dollars hoarded up, he had come to share +it with them, as it was one rule of his trade +to keep money moving and circulation brisk. +The priest said they had none, and the island +was barren and uncultivated. Russel said +he had only two senses, seeing and feeling, +which could convince him the information +was false. The priest then lit a number of +consecrated wax-candles, and allowed them +to search. They found, however, nothing but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">282</a></span> +twenty dollars, which he did not think worth +taking. The men then lay down to sleep, +keeping their arms loaded and their pistols +slung, and setting a watch. The next morning +he carried the prisoners to the boats.</p> + +<p>Upon this tame conclusion, Loe, who had +been sitting patient and quiet as a judge, +started up and said, interrupting Russel, +"Zounds! what satisfaction is this to me or +the company? We did not want these black +fools, d——n them! No, we wanted their +money, and if they had none, they might +have stayed ashore or gone to the devil."</p> + +<p>Russel, nettled at this rebuke, replied +fiercely, "I have as much interest in getting +the money as any of the company, and did +as much to find it: I don't believe there was +more than we saw, and that wouldn't have +been sixpence a head, a trifle not worth +having our name called in question for. For +my part, I am for something that is worth +taking, and if I can't light on such, I never +will give the world occasion to say that I am +a poor sneaking rogue and mean-spirited +fellow. No, I will rob for something of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">283</a></span> +value, or not at all, especially among these +people, where, if our company breaks, we +may look for a place of refuge; and I boldly +affirm that it is a fool's act to draw on us +their odium by such peddling thefts, that +would be by all men accounted a narrow-souled, +beggarly action, and would be cursed +to all futurity by this fraternity, who might +suffer for its effects."</p> + +<p>Captain Loe, abashed by the murmur of +approval that followed this speech, said, "it +was all very true, and carried a deal of +reason with it, that he was satisfied with +Russel's judgment and courage in the affair; +but come," says he, "let us do nothing +rashly"—and filling a bumper, drank to +Russel, wishing Roberts better success in his +next voyage.</p> + +<p>Russel then went on shore again, and, +finding the priest had escaped to the mountains, +told the governor, an old negro, that +he should burn the town to ashes if he +was not brought in in three hours' time. +The governor said the thing was impossible, +that he lay at their mercy, and hoped he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">284</a></span> +would not destroy the innocent for the guilty. +Russel declared the doom should not be deferred, +but promised the priest should not be +killed if he surrendered himself. While +parties of blacks were on the hunt, Russel +ordered an ox to be roasted for his men, and +a pipe of wine to be broached; and on the +priest being captured, treated all the natives +at their Christian minister's expense, leaving +him to extract it from them again in tithes.</p> + +<p>The priest and governor, when they heard +they were to be taken on board, to assure +Loe of their poverty, prayed not to be detained +as slaves. Russel told them he was a +Catholic, and no harm should be done them. +They were soon afterwards released. Loe +then ordered a hammock for Roberts, till his +own and ship's fate were decreed by the company, +telling him generously, in language +rather metaphorical than strictly accurate, +that everything in the ship was at his command, +and begging him not to vary his usual +course of hours, drinking, or company. Next +morning about eight, as Roberts was pacing +unemployed and melancholy on the deck,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">285</a></span> +three pirates came up to him, and said that +they had once sailed with him on board the +<i>Susannah</i>, in 1718. They expressed sorrow +for his ill luck, and promised to do something +for him. They said they had fifty pieces of +white linens, and eight of silk, and that when +the company had agreed to restore him his +ship, they would make interest to load it. +Then looking about as if wishing to tell +him a secret, and seeing the deck clear, +which it seldom was in pirate vessels, with +much concern they informed him that if he did +not take abundance of care, he would be +forced to stay with them, for their mate had +found that he knew the coast of Brazil, +whither they were bound after they had +scoured that of Guinea, and they would take +him as pilot. Then enjoining him to secresy +(for their lives depended upon it), they said +they had been in close consultation as to his +fate, and had almost agreed to take him as a +forced prisoner. They had praised him as +kind to his men, and a good paymaster, and, +knowing the pirate law that no married man +could be forced to join their ships, swore at a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">286</a></span> +hazard that he was married, and had four +children. His mate had turned informer, +but he was as yet ignorant of their articles, +which they never showed till they were +signed. His only chance of escape was to +keep up to their story. Russel, one of the +council, had been in favour of breaking +through the law in this special case, and +keeping Roberts at all events till they could +catch another guide, but Loe was opposed to +it, telling them it would be an ill precedent +and of bad consequence, for that if once they +took the liberty of breaking their articles and +oath, nothing would be sure. They added +that most of the company being of Loe's +opinion, Russel was vexed and determined +if possible to break the articles.</p> + +<p>Soon after they were gone, Loe came on +deck, and bidding him good morrow, with +many compliments, ordered the flag, the signal +for consultation, to be hoisted. This they +called "the green trumpeter," and was a green +silk flag, with the figure of a trumpeter in +yellow, and hoisted on the mizen peak.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">287</a></span> +Upon this all came on board to breakfast, +crowding both cabin and steerage.</p> + +<p>After breakfast Loe asked Roberts, as if +casually, if he was married and had children. +The latter answered he had five and perhaps +six, for one was on the stocks when he came +away. He then asked him, if he had left them +well provided for. Roberts replied, he had +left his wife in such indifferent circumstances, +having met with recent misfortunes, that the +greater part of his substance was in that +ship and cargo, and if that failed they would +want even for bread.</p> + +<p>Loe then turned to Russel and said, "It +won't do, Russel."</p> + +<p>"What won't do?" replied the quartermaster.</p> + +<p>"You know what I mean," said Loe; "it +must not and it shall not be, by——"</p> + +<p>"It must and shall be, by——" replied +Russel; "'Self-preservation is the first law of +nature,' and 'Necessity knows no law,' says +the adage."</p> + +<p>"Well," says Loe, "it shall never be by +my consent."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">288</a></span></p> + +<p>The rest of the company then declared it +was a pity, and ought to be seriously weighed +and put to the vote. Loe said, indeed it +ought, and that there was no time like the +present to determine the matter. The rest +all cried, "Ay, it is best to end it now." +Loe then ordered all hands upon deck, and +bade Roberts stay in the cabin.</p> + +<p>In about two hours (awful hours for Roberts, +to sit listening for shouts or cries), Loe +came down, and asked him how he did. +Russel said, with a frown, "Master, your +sloop is very leaky."</p> + +<p>Roberts replied it was, wishing to depreciate +its value.</p> + +<p>"Leaky," said Russel, "I don't know +what you could do with her if we gave her +you, for all your hands now belong to us." +Russel then continued to taunt him for his +want of cargo and provision, as if to give a +keener edge to his misery.</p> + +<p>At last, "Come, come," said Loe, "let us +toss the bowl about, and call a fresh course."</p> + +<p>They then proceeded to carouse and talk +of their past transactions at Newfoundland,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">289</a></span> +the Western Islands, the Canaries, &c., and +at dinner tore their food one from the other, +thinking such ferocity looked martial.</p> + +<p>Next morning one of the three men contrived +to speak to Roberts, and apologized for +his caution, as they had an article making it +death to hold any secret correspondence with +a prisoner. He then informed him that his +own mate was his great enemy, and seemed +likely to turn rogue and enter with them, +leaving him only a boy and a child to manage +the sloop. Both he and his companions +heartily wished to join him, but found it would +be death even to mention it, as they had an +article that any of the company advising or +merely speaking of separation should be shot +to death by the quartermaster's order, without +even court-martial. Russel had been Roberts' +friend till the mate had told him of his captain's +knowledge of Brazil, and had even planned +a gathering for him nearly equal in value to +what they had taken, for it was a custom in +pirate vessels to keep a spare stock of linen, +silk, gold lace, and clothes, to give to any +prisoner whom they took a liking to or had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">290</a></span> +known before. Loe was his friend, the +sailor assured him, but that he could do little +against Russel, who had really more power +and sway than anyone else.</p> + +<p>Some time after this man left him, Captain +Loe turned out, and, passing the usual compliments, +sent for some rum, and discoursed +on many indifferent subjects. Upon all of +these Roberts was obliged to appear interested, +dreading this sea-despot's displeasure. +Perhaps a button-holder, like this Trunnion, +never had so attentive an auditor, or so +hearty an applauder of anecdotes, good or bad.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock Russel, the evil genius, +came on board, and accosted Roberts in an +agreeable manner, trying to conciliate him +into consenting to his proposal. He said, +he had been considering Roberts's scheme, +and did not see how he could carry it through. +He believed Roberts was a man of understanding, +but in this case was directed by +sheer desperation rather than reason. For +his part he did not think it would stand with +the credit or reputation of the company to +put it into his power to throw himself wilfully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">291</a></span> +away, as he seemed determined to do. +Wishing him indeed well, he had been +thinking all night upon a scheme which, +without exposing him to danger, would turn +out more to his advantage than anything he +could expect by getting the sloop. (Here +Roberts's eye brightened.) He had resolved +to sink or burn the sloop, and detain Roberts +as a prisoner, all the company promising to +give him the first prize they took, or to allow +him to join their crew. This would be the +making of him, and enable him to soon +leave off sea, and live ashore if he were so +inclined.</p> + +<p>Roberts thanked him, but said he thought +he should gather no advantage from such a +plan, for he could not dispose of a ship or +cargo without a lawful power to sell, and if +the owners heard of it, he should be either +obliged to make restitution, or be thrown +into prison, and run the hazard of his own +life.</p> + +<p>Russel replied that his objections were +frivolous, and could easily be evaded. To +avoid detection, they would make him a bill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">292</a></span> +of sale, and give him powers in writing that +would answer any inquiry. As for the +owners, they would take care from the ship's +writings, which they always first seized, to +let him know who were the owners of the +cargo, and where they lived. These writings +should be made in a false name, which Roberts +could assume till all were sold.</p> + +<p>Roberts said there was abundant address +in his contrivance and much plausibility in +the whole. But were he even sure that all +would turn out well, he had a still stronger +motive than any he had yet mentioned, and +that was his dread of the continual sting and +accusation of his conscience. He then with +more courage than he had hitherto shown, +began to expatiate on the duty of restitution, +and tried to awaken his hearers to some sense +of the sin of piracy.</p> + +<p>Many said, with a laugh, he would do well +to preach a sermon, and would make a good +chaplain. Others shouted that they wanted no +preaching there. "Pirates had no god but +money, no saviour but their muskets." A +few approved of what he said, and declared<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">293</a></span> +that if a little goodness, or at least rude +humanity, was in practice among them, +their reputation would be a little better +both with God and man.</p> + +<p>A short silence followed, which captain +Russel broke by employing some Jesuitical +sophistry, to persuade Roberts that it would +be no sin for him merely to accept what they +had stolen, since he had no hand in the theft, +and was their constrained prisoner. "Suppose," +he said, "we should still resolve to +sink or burn your sloop, unless you will +accept of her. Now, where I pray, is the +owner's property when the ship is sunk or +burnt. I think the impossibility of his ever +having her again cuts it off to all intents and +purposes, and our power was the same, notwithstanding +our giving her to you, if we had +thought fit to make use of it."</p> + +<p>Loe and the rest here burst out laughing, +declared it was as good as a play to hear +the two argue, and that Roberts was a match +for Russel, though few could generally stand +up to him in a fight with mere words.</p> + +<p>Roberts not allowing this praise to over-balance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">294</a></span> +his prudence, would not drive Russel +further, seeing him vexed at their applause. +He merely said that he knew he was absolutely +in their power to dispose of as +they pleased, but that having hitherto been +treated so generously by them, he could not +doubt of their future goodness to him. +That if they would please to give him his +sloop again, it was all he requested at their +hands, and that, he doubted not, by his honest +endeavours he should be able to retrieve his +present loss.</p> + +<p>Upon this Captain Loe said, "Gentlemen, +the master, I must needs say, has spoke nothing +but what I think is very reasonable, and +I think he ought to have his sloop. What do +you say, gentlemen?" The majority cried +out with one voice, "Ay, ay, by G—— let +the poor man have his sloop again, and go in +God's name and seek a living in her for his +family."</p> + +<p>In the evening Russel insisted on treating +Roberts on board his own schooner before his +departure. All passed off well till after +supper, when a bowl of punch and half<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">295</a></span> +a dozen of claret were put on the table. The +captain first took a bumper, wishing success +to the undertaking, and this toast passed +round, Roberts not daring to refuse to +drink. The next health was, "Prosperity to +our trade." The third, "Health to the King +of France." Russel then proposed "The +King of England's health," and all drank it, +some repeating his words, others saying, "the +aforesaid health." Just before it came to +Roberts, Russel poured two bottles of claret +into the punch, and his prisoner disliking this +mixture, begged to pledge the health in a +bumper of claret.</p> + +<p>At this heresy, Russel, who had laid his +trap, flew into a passion, "D——" he said, +"you shall drink in your turn a full bumper +of that sort of liquor the company does." +"Well then, gentlemen," said Roberts, +"rather than have words, I will drink, +though it is in a manner poison to me." +"Curse you," said Russel; "if it be in a +manner or out of a manner, or really rank +poison, you shall drink as much and as often as +anyone here, unless you fall down dead, dead."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">296</a></span></p> + +<p>Then Roberts, dreading a quarrel with his +old enemy, took the glass, which held about +three-quarters of a pint, and filling a bumper, +said, "The aforesaid health." "What +health is that?" said Russel. "Why," +answered Roberts, "the health you have all +drank—the King of England's health." +"Who is king of England?" said Russel. +"In my opinion," said Roberts, "he that +wears the crown is certainly king of England." +"Well," argued his opponent, "and +who is that?" Upon his saying King George, +he swore at him, and said the English had +no king. Roberts replied, laughing, "He +wondered he should begin and drink a health +to a person who was not in being." At this +quip, Russel drew a pistol from his sash, +and would have shot his unoffending enemy +dead, had not the gunner snatched it out of +his hand. At this Russel, who was a +Roman Catholic and a Jacobite, grew still +more maddened, and fired another at Roberts, +saying, "The Pretender is the only lawful +king." The master striking down the barrel, +the pistol went off without doing mischief.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">297</a></span></p> + +<p>High words then arose between Russel +and the gunner, and the latter, addressing the +company, said, "Well, gentlemen, if you +have a mind to maintain these laws, made, +established, and sworn to by us all, as I think +we are obligated by the strongest ties of +reason and self-interest to do, I assure you +my opinion is that we ought to secure John +Russel, so as to prevent his breaking our +constitution."</p> + +<p>When Russel attempted, still in a passion, +to defend his conduct, the gunner declared, +"That no man's life should be taken away +in cold blood till the company, under whose +care he was, had so decreed it." Then +accusing him of hating Roberts, merely +because he had been prevented from breaking +the articles by detaining him, he left the spot.</p> + +<p>Russel's arms were next taken away, and +Roberts, being guarded during the night, +was sent to the commodore in the morning, +there being a law among them to receive no +boats aboard after nine o'clock at night.</p> + +<p>About four in the afternoon Russel came +to Loe, with Spriggs, the commander of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">298</a></span> +other ship, and told him that Roberts's mate +was willing to join them as a volunteer. +Loe said, in that case Roberts would have no +one but a child to help him; and he thought, +in reason, they could not give him less than +the mate and two boys.</p> + +<p>Russel said he could not help that, "the +mate was a brisk lusty young fellow, and had +been upon the account before. He had declared +he would not go in the sloop unless forced; +that when he first came to Barbadoes his resolve +had been to ship himself on board the +first pirate he met with." Loe replied, "That +to give the master a vessel without men was +only putting him to a lingering death, and +they had better knock him on the head at +once."</p> + +<p>Russel replied, "as for that they might do +as they pleased; he spoke for the good of the +company and according to articles, and he +should like to see or hear the man who dared +to gainsay it. He was quartermaster, and +by the authority of that office should at once +enter the mate, and had a pistol and a brace +of bullets for any who opposed him." Loe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">299</a></span> +said he would not argue against law and +custom, but he thought if they kept the +mate they should substitute another man.</p> + +<p>Russel said, with an oath, grinding his +teeth, "No, the sloop's men were enrolled +already in his books, and he should rub no +names out." Then turning to Roberts, he +added, "The company, master, has decreed +you your sloop, and you shall have her; you +shall have your two boys, that's all: but you +shall have neither provisions nor anything +else more than she has now. And, as I hear +some of the company design to make a +gathering for you, that also I forbid, by +the authority of my office, because we are +not certain but we may have occasion ourselves +for those very things before we get +more. And I swear by all that's good and +bad, if I know anything that's carried or left +on board the sloop against my order, or without +my knowledge, I will set her on fire that +very instant, and you with her."</p> + +<p>After a little more dispute and feeble and +intimidated resistance to this violence, Russel's +stern resolution and heartless villany<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">300</a></span> +carried the day, and about dusk they parted, +each to his own ship, several professing kindness +to Roberts, but none giving him anything. +When Russel was ready, he sent +Roberts into his boat, and bringing him to +his own ship, ordered supper for him, and +bottles, and pipes and tobacco, being set on +the table, he invited Roberts and his officers +into his cabin.</p> + +<p>His revenge was now accomplished and the +wretch, now resolved to make Roberts taste +the tortures of death, by anticipation, addressed +him with a sneer worthy of the +applause of hell.</p> + +<p>"Captain Roberts," he said, "you are +very welcome, and I pray you eat and drink +heartily, for you have as tedious a voyage to +go through as Elijah in his forty days' journey +to Horeb, and, as far as I know, without a +miracle, it must be only by the strength of +what you now eat, for you shall have neither +eatables nor drinkables with you in the sloop." +Roberts replied, "I hope not so," but Russel +answered he would find it certainly true.</p> + +<p>Roberts then said, that rather than be put<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">301</a></span> +on board the sloop in that manner, when +there was no possibility of escaping but by a +miracle, he should be glad to be sent ashore +on some island off the coast of Guinea, or +even to tarry on board till an opportunity +occurred to land where he pleased, for he +would yield to anything else they should +think fit to do with him, except entering +into their service.</p> + +<p>Russel answered with an oath, the usual +prelude of a pirate's harangue, that it had +been once in his power to have been his own +friend, but as he chose to slight their proffered +favours, and had made that choice, he must +now take it, as all apologies were too late; +and he thought he had proved himself a better +friend than Roberts could have expected, since +he had caused him to have more differences +with his company than he had ever had +before.</p> + +<p>Roberts pleaded the innocence of his intentions, +and intreated Russel and all the +gentlemen present to consider him an object +rather of pity than vengeance. But his tormentor, +more inexorable than a headsman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">302</a></span> +said: "All your whining arguments, you +dog, are now too late. You not only refused +our commiseration when it was offered, but +ungratefully despised it. Your lot is cast, +and you have nothing to do but to go +through your chance with a good face. Fill +your belly with victuals and good drink, and +strengthen yourself for three days or so, or +have some brandy and die drunk, and be +happy. This is your last meal in this world, +so fail not to make the most of it. Yet, perhaps, +such a conscientious man as you pretend +to be may have a miracle worked for you, +but for my own part I don't believe God himself, +if there is one, could help you. I pity +the boys, and have a great mind, Roberts, to +keep them on board, and let the miracle be +worked on you alone."</p> + +<p>The master and governor said they heard +the boys were willing to take their chance +with the master, let it be what it would. +"Nay, then," said Russel, "it is fit the +young devils should, and I suppose the master +has made them as religious and conscientious +as himself. However, master," he cried,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">303</a></span> +"eat and drink heartily; this is your last +supper, as the priests call it, and don't try to +change your allotted fate, or it may provoke +us to treat you worse."</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," said Roberts, with a resignation +that would have touched any other +man, "I have done; you can do no more than +God is pleased to permit you, and I own for +that reason I ought to take it patiently. God +forgive you." "Well, well," said Russel, +"if it is done by God's permission, you +need not fear He will permit any harm +to befall one of his peculiar elect."</p> + +<p>About ten at night, in order that darkness +might add to his dismay, some of Russel's +partisans brought the sloop's boat. In +answer to an inquiry as to whether they had +cleared the vessel as he had ordered, they +replied with an oath, "Ay, ay, she has nothing +on board except ballast and water." +"Zounds," said Russel, stamping on the +deck, "did I not bid you stave all the casks +that had water in them?" "So we have," +was the reply; "the water we mean is salt +water leaked in, and now above the ballast,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">304</a></span> +for we have not pumped her, we don't know +when." He asked if they had brought away +the sails. They said they had, all but the +mainsail that was bent, for the other old +mainsail was so rotten it was only fit to cut +up for parcelling, and was so torn it could +not be brought to, and was past mending.</p> + +<p>"Zounds," said Russel, "we must have +it, for I want it to make us a mainsail. The +same miraculous Power that brings the +rogue provisions will bring him sails."</p> + +<p>"What a devil! is he a conjuror?" said +one.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" replied Russel, "but he expects +miracles to be wrought for him, or he would +never have chosen what he has."</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, if he be such a one, he will do +well enough."</p> + +<p>"But I doubt," cried another, "if he be +such a mighty conjuror, for if he was, how +the devil was it that he did not conjure himself +clear of us?"</p> + +<p>"Pish!" cried a third, "may be his conjuring +books were all shut up."</p> + +<p>"Ay," said a fourth, "now we have all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">305</a></span> +his conjuration books over board, I doubt +he'll be hard put to it."</p> + +<p>The gunner alone seemed to retain any +trace of humanity, he bade Russel take +care he had not this to answer for some day +when he would be sorry for it. "Howsum-dever," +he said, "you've got the company's +assent, I can't tell how, and, therefore, I +shall say no more, only that I, and I believe +most of the gentlemen came here to get +money, but not to kill, except in fight, much +less in cold blood, or for private revenge. +And I tell you, Jack Russel, if ever such +cases as these be any more practised, my +endeavours will be to leave this company as +soon as convenient."</p> + +<p>Russel made no answer, but ordered his +men to fetch the mainsail from the sloop. +He then gave Roberts an old worm-eaten +musket, a damp cartridge, and two half pounds +of tobacco "as a parting present." His +victim was then conducted with great ceremony +over the side into his own boat, and +put on board with his two boys.</p> + +<p>As their boat was putting away, Roberts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">306</a></span> +thought he heard his mate's voice, so he +called to him and said, "Arthur! what, are +you going to leave me?" A voice replied, for +it was pitch dark, "Ay." "What!" said +Roberts, "do you do it voluntarily, or are you +forced?" He answered faintly, "I am forced, +I think!" Roberts answered "Very well." +The mate then called out and asked Roberts, +if he ever had an opportunity, to write and +give his brother an account of him. Roberts +asked where he lived, and the mate replied +at Carlingford, in Ireland. Now this mate +the captain had picked up at Barbadoes, a +naked shipwrecked man, who had served in +a New England sloop. He had bought him +clothes and instruments, and treated him +with sympathy and kindness. He was a rigid +Presbyterian, a great arguer on theological +points, and a loud inveigher against the +Church of England. Although he had never +before been heard to utter an oath, as soon +as Russel persuaded him to join the pirate +crew, he became constantly drunk, and +outdid them all in blasphemy and wickedness, +but he had told his new companions so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">307</a></span> +much of Roberts's kindness, that but for +Russel they would not have allowed him to +join them.</p> + +<p>Next morning Roberts proceeded to rummage +the sloop, and sweeping out the bread +lockers, he found about his hat crown full of +biscuit crumbs, some broken pipes, and a few +screws of tobacco. They had left his fore-staff, +but took his bedding, although they +generally lay upon deck, or against a gun +carriage. In the hold, the more merciful had +left ten gallons of rum in one hogshead, and +thirty pounds of rice in another, with three +pints of water and a little flour, together +with some needles and twine, sufficient +to repair his rotten sails. A day or two +afterwards they caught a shark, which they +boiled for several dinners, using the shark's +liver, melted, for oil. He soon after reached +Curisal, obtained a negro crew, was wrecked, +built a boat, and was eventually taken home +by an English ship.</p> + +<p>Scarcely less interesting than this narrative +of Roberts is that of Captain William +Snelgrave, who was engaged in the slave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">308</a></span> +trade on the Guinea coast in 1738. Having +escaped one of the dreaded Salee rovers, he +was taken at Sierra Leone by Captain Cocklyn +of the <i>Rising Sun</i>, a pirate commanding +three vessels and a gang of eighty men. He +had been marooned by a man named Moody, +but had gradually collected men, and captured, +in a short time, ten English vessels. +Moody's crew, soon after Cocklyn's departure, +disliking their captain's cruelty, put him and +twelve more in an open boat, which they had +taken from the Spaniards off the Canary +Islands, and chose a Frenchman named Le +Bouce as their commander, who instantly put +back and joined Cocklyn, whom they liked because +he was fierce and brutal, being resolved +to have no more gentlemanlike captains like +Moody.</p> + +<p>The next day Davis, the pirate, arrived +with 150 well disciplined men, the black flag +flying at his mast head.</p> + +<p>The evening Snelgrave entered the river, +he observed a suspicious smoke on land, but +his mate said it was only travellers roasting +oysters, and it appeared afterwards that he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">309</a></span> +a traitor. On standing in for the river's +mouth, the pirate vessels appeared in sight. +Towards dusk he heard a boat approaching, +so he ordered twenty men to get ready their +firearms and cutlasses. Lanterns being +brought and the boat hailed, the pirates fired +a volley at the ship, being then within pistol +shot distance, a daring act for twelve men, +who were attacking a ship of sixteen guns +and forty-five men.</p> + +<p>When they began to near, the captain +called out to fire from the steerage port-holes. +This not being done, he went below, and +found his people staring at each other, and +declaring they could not find the arm chest. +The pirates instantly boarded, fired down +the steerage, shooting a sailor in the loins, +and throwing hand grenades amongst them. +On their calling for "mercy," the quartermaster, +who always headed the pirate boarders, +came down from the quarterdeck and inquired +for the captain, asking how he dared +to fire. On Snelgrave saying it was his duty +to defend his ship, the quartermaster presented +a pistol at his breast, but he parried<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">310</a></span> +it, and the bullet passed under his arm. The +wretch then struck him on the head with the +butt end, bringing him on his knees. On +his getting up and running to the quarterdeck, +the pirate boatswain made a blow at +his head with his broad sword, swearing no +quarter should be offered to any captain who +dared to defend his vessel. The blow missed +him, but the blade cut an inch deep in the +quarterdeck rail, and there broke. The +pirate's pistols being all unloaded, he then +struck at him with the butt end of one of them +till the crew cried out for his life, and said +they had never sailed with a better man. One +of the crew, however, had his chin cut off; +another fell for dead on the deck. The quartermaster +who came up, told him he should +be cut to pieces if his men did not recover +the pirate's boat that had run adrift. On +recovering this, he took him by the hand, and +declared his life was safe if none of his crew +complained of him. The pirate then fired +several vollies for joy at their recovery, but +forgetting to hail their companions, were +fired on by the other ships. When Snelgrave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">311</a></span> +questioned the quartermaster why he +did not use his speaking trumpet, he asked +him angrily whether he was afraid of going to +the devil by a great shot, "for that he hoped +to be sent to hell by a cannon ball some time +or other."</p> + +<p>The pirates now prepared for dinner by +cramming geese, turkeys, fowls, and ducks, +all unpicked, into the furnace, with some +Westphalia hams, and a large sow in pig, +which they only bowelled, leaving the hair +on. Soon after this, a sailor came to Snelgrave +to ask him what o'clock it was, and on +the captain's presenting him with his watch, +laid it on the deck, and kicked it about, saying +it would make a good football. One of +the pirates then caught it up, and said it +should go into the common chest, and be +sold at the mast.</p> + +<p>Snelgrave was soon after carried on board +the pirate ship. The commander told him +he was sorry for the bad usage he had met +with, but it was the fortune of war, and +that if he did not answer truly every question +he would be cut into even ounces, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">312</a></span> +that if he told the truth they would make it +the best voyage he had ever taken. One of +them asked if his ship sailed well on wind, +and on his saying, "Very well," Cocklyn +threw up his hat, saying she would make a +brave pirate man-of-war. A tall fellow, with +four pistols in his belt, and a broadsword in +his hand, then came up and claimed him as +an old schoolfellow, and told him secretly +that he was a forced man, having been mate +in a Bristol vessel lately captured, and was +obliged to go armed. He told him also that +at night, when the pirates drank hard, was +the time of most danger for prisoners.</p> + +<p>A bowl of punch was then ordered, and +the men, going into the great cabin, sat on +the floor cross-legged, for want of seats, +drinking the Pretender's health by the name +of "King James the Third." At midnight +they gave Snelgrave a hammock, and his old +schoolfellow kept guard over him with a +drawn sword, but he could not sleep for the +songs and cursing. About two o'clock the +pirate boatswain came on board, and hearing +Snelgrave was asleep, declared he would slice<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">313</a></span> +his liver for daring to fire at the boat, and +refusing to give up his watch. Griffin threatened +to cleave him if he came nearer, and +struck at him with his sword. In the morning, +when all were sober, the sentinel complained +of the boatswain for infringing the +pirate law, "that no ill usage be offered to +prisoners when quarter has once been given." +The crew proposed the offender should be +whipped, but Snelgrave prudently begged him +off. Soon after, his own first mate came to tell +him that, being badly off and having a scolding +wife, he had joined the pirates. He +found out afterwards that he had hid the +arm-chest, and dissuaded the men from +resistance.</p> + +<p>The pirate then began to rummage the +vessel, and, not caring for anything but +money, threw overboard, before night, about +£4000 worth of Indian bales. They broke +up his escritoires, and destroyed his chests +of books, swearing there was "jaw work +enough for a whole nation." Against all religious +books they exercised a strict censorship, +for fear of any of the crew being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">314</a></span> +roused to qualms of conscience, or taking a +dislike to the profession. The wine too began +to be passed freely round, and the pirates +grew merciful, and good-humouredly made up +a bundle of clothes for the prisoners. At +this moment one of Davis's crew, a pert +young fellow of 18, broke open a chest for +plunder, and on the quartermaster complaining, +replied "that they were all equal, +and he thought he was in the right." The +quartermaster then struck at him with his +sword, and pursued him into Davis's cabin, +where he thrust at him, and ran him through +the hand, wounding the captain as well. +Davis vowed revenge, saying that if his man +had offended, no one had a right to punish +him, and especially in his presence. He +then instantly went on board his own ship, +and bore down upon Cocklyn, who finally +consented to make the quartermaster beg +pardon for his fault.</p> + +<p>Snelgrave was sitting in the cabin with +the carpenter and three or four other pirates, +when the boatswain came down very drunk, +and beginning to abuse him was turned out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">315</a></span> +of the place. Soon after a puff of wind put +out the candle, and the boatswain returning, +declared Snelgrave had put it out, with the +design of going into the powder-room and +blowing up the ship; and in spite of the carpenter +declaring it was done by accident, he +drew a pistol and swore he would blow out +the dog's brains. In rising to blow in the +candle Snelgrave and the carpenter had, unknown +to the boatswain, changed places. +The pistol flashing in the pan, the carpenter +saw by the light that he must have been +shot if it had gone off, and in a rage ran in +the dark to the boatswain, wrenched the +pistol from his hand and beat him till he was +nearly dead. The noise alarmed the ship, +and the disturber was carried off to bed.</p> + +<p>The next morning Davis's crew came on +board to divide the wines and liquors. They +hoisted on deck a great many half hogsheads +of claret and French brandy, knocked out +their heads and dipped out cans and bowls +full, throwing them at each other, and washing +the decks with what was left. The bottles +they took no trouble to mark, but "nicked"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">316</a></span> +them, as they called it, by striking off their +necks with a cutlass, spilling the contents of +about one in every three. The eatables were +wasted in the same way. Three drunken pirates +coming into the cabin, and tumbling over Snelgrave's +bundles of clothes, threw three of the +four overboard. A fourth pirate, more sober +than the rest, opened the remaining bundle, +and taking out a black suit and a wig, put +them on and strutted on deck, throwing +them over in an hour when the crew had +drenched him with claret. When Snelgrave +mildly expostulated with him on this robbery, +he struck him on the shoulder with +the flat of his sword, whispering at the same +time a caution never to dispute the will of a +pirate for fear he might get his skull split +for his impudence.</p> + +<p>When night came on, Snelgrave had +nothing left of four bundles of clothes but a +hat and a wig, and these were soon after put +on by a drunken man, who staggered into +the cabin, saying he was "one of the most +respectable merchants on the African coast." +As he was leaving the room, a sailor came in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">317</a></span> +and beat him severely for taking what he +had no right to, and thinking he was one of +the crew. The interposer then comforted +Snelgrave, and promised to recover what he +had lost, while others of the crew brought +him food.</p> + +<p>Next day, Davis, ordering all the crews on +the quarter-deck, made a speech in Snelgrave's +behalf, persuading them to give him +a ship and several thousand pounds' worth of +miscellaneous plunder. One of the men +proposed they should take him with them +down the Guinea coast, and if they took a Portuguese +vessel, to give him a cargo of slaves. +Down the coast he might sell his goods for +gold dust, and then, sailing for St. Thomas's, +sell his ship and the slaves to the Danes, and +return to London a rich man. Snelgrave +demurring to this, they grew angry, thinking +their gift would have been legal, but Davis +kindly said, "I know this man and can +easily guess his thoughts, he thinks he +would lose his reputation. Now, I am for +allowing everybody to go to the devil in +their own way, so beg you to give him the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">318</a></span> +remains of his own cargo and let him do as +he thinks fit."</p> + +<p>This they granted, but of his own adventure +not more than £50 worth was now left. +The sailors had taken rolls of fine Holland +and opened them to lie down in on the deck. +Then when the others came and flung buckets +of claret over them, they flung the stained +parcels overboard. In loading, the pirates +always dropped the bales over, if they were +not passed as quickly as they expected. The +Irish beef they threw away, Cocklyn saying +Snelgrave had horsebeans enough to last +his crew six months.</p> + +<p>Soon after this the brutal quartermaster +fell sick of a fever, and sent to Snelgrave to +beg his forgiveness, for having attempted to +shoot him. He said he had been a wicked +wretch, and that his conscience tormented +him, for he feared he should roll in hell fire. +When Snelgrave preached repentance he declared +his heart was hardened, but he would +try, and he ordered Snelgrave to take any +necessaries he wanted from his chest, but died +that night in terrible agonies and cursing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">319</a></span> +God. This so affected many of the new recruits +that they begged Snelgrave to get +them off, and promised not to be guilty of +murder or other cruelty. In the cabin the +pirates found some proclamations, and being +unable to read asked the prisoner to do it for +them. He then read His Majesty's proclamation +for a pardon to all pirates that should +surrender themselves at any of the British +plantations by the 1st of July, 1719. The +next was the declaration of war against +Spain. When they heard the latter, some +said they wished they had known it before +they left the West Indies, as they might +have turned privateersmen, and have enriched +themselves. Snelgrave told them it +was not yet too late, there being still three +months left of the term prescribed. But +when they heard the rewards offered for the +apprehension of pirates, a Buccaneer who +had been guilty of murder, treated the proclamation +with contempt, and tore it in +pieces. Amongst other men that consulted +Snelgrave was a sailor named Curtis, who, +being sick, walked about the deck wrapped<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">320</a></span> +in a silk gown. He had sailed with Snelgrave's +father. Among other spoil the three +pirate captains had found a box with three +second-hand embroidered coats, which they +seized and put on. The longest falling to +Cocklyn's share, who was a short man, it +reached to his ankles, but Le Bouce and Davis +refused to change with him, saying that as +he was going on shore where the negro +ladies knew nothing of white men's fashions, +it did not matter, and moreover, as his coat +was scarlet embroidered with silver, he would +be the bravest of them all.</p> + +<p>These clothes being taken contrary to law, +and without the quartermaster's leave, the +crew were offended, declaring that if they suffered +such things, the captains would assume +a new power, and soon take whatever they +liked. The next morning when their captains +returned, the coats were taken from them, and +put into the common chest; and it having +been reported that Snelgrave had advised the +costume, many of the men turned against +him, one of them threatening to cut him to +pieces. A sailor who stood near told Snelgrave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">321</a></span> +not to be frightened at the man's +threat, for he always spoke in that way, and +advised him to call him "captain" when he +came on board, for the fellow had once been +commander of a pirate sloop, did not like the +post of quartermaster, and loved to be called +by his old title. On entering the ship, Snelgrave +said softly to him, "Captain Williams, +pray hear me on the point you are so offended +about." Upon this Williams gave him a +playful blow on the shoulder with the flat of +his sword, and said "I have not the heart to +hurt thee." He then explained the affair, +drank a glass of wine with him, and they +were friends ever after. The pirates next +captured a French ship that they had at first +taken for a forty-gun ship in pursuit of them. +The men drunk and newly levied, might at +this time have easily been cut off, and the +hundred sail of ships they afterwards destroyed +saved. When some of the men cried +out that they had never seen a gun fired in +anger, Cocklyn caned them, telling them they +should soon learn to smell gunpowder. The +French captain they hung at the yard-arm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">322</a></span> +for not striking at their first shot. When +they had pulled him up and down several +times till he was almost dead, Le Bouce interfered +for his countryman, protesting he +would sail no longer with such barbarous +villains. They then gave him the French +ship, first destroying her cargo, cutting her +masts by the board, and running her on shore, +as old and useless.</p> + +<p>Snelgrave's ship being now fitted up by the +pirates, he was invited to its christening. +The officers stood round the great cabin, +holding bumpers of punch in their hands; +and on Captain Cocklyn saying, "God bless +the Wyndham galley," they drank the liquor, +broke their glasses, and the guns thundered +a broadside.</p> + +<p>The new ship being galley built with only +two flush decks, the powder-room scuttle was +in the chief cabin, and at that time stood open. +One of the guns blowing at the touch-hole, +set fire to some cartouch boxes that held +small arm cartridges, the shot of which flew +about, filling the room with smoke. When +it was over, Davis remarked on the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">323</a></span> +danger they had been in, the scuttle having +been all the time open, and 20,000 lb. weight +of powder lying under. Cocklyn replied with +a curse, "I wish it had taken fire, for it +would have been a noble blast to have gone +to hell with."</p> + +<p>The next day the pirate captains invited +Snelgrave to dinner, and during supper a +trumpeter and other musicians, who had been +taken from various prizes, played and sang. +About the middle of supper there was a sudden +cry of fire, and a sailor boy, running in, with +a pale face, said the main hatchway was on +fire. The crew were then nearly drunk, and +many of them leaped into the boats, leaving +the officers and the fifty prisoners. On Snelgrave +remarking to Davis the danger they +were in, being left without a boat, Davis +fired a great gun at the fugitives, and brought +them back. The gunner then put wet blankets +on the bulk head of the powder-room, and so +saved it from destruction. This immense +store of powder had been collected from +various prizes, as being an article in great +request with the negroes. Snelgrave took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">324</a></span> +one of the quarterdeck gratings and lowered +it over the ship's side with a rope, in case he +should be obliged to leave the ship, and all +this time the drunken sailors were standing on +the quarterdeck, to the horror of the prisoners, +shouting, "Hurrah for a quick passage +to hell!"</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock the master, a brisk and +courageous man, who, with fifteen more, had +spared no pains to conquer the flames, came +up miserably burnt, and calling for a surgeon, +declared the danger was now all over. The +fire had arisen from the carelessness of a +negro, who being sent to pump out some rum, +held his candle so near the bung-hole of the +hogshead that a spark caught the spirit. This +soon fired another tub, and both their heads +flew off with the report of a cannon; but +though there were twenty casks of rum, and +as many of pitch and tar in the store, all the +rest escaped.</p> + +<p>Before morning, the gunner's mate having +spoken in favour of Snelgrave's conduct during +the fire, the crew sent for him to attend the sale +of his effects on board the Wyndham galley.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">325</a></span> +Some promised to be kind to him; and the +captain offered to buy his watch. As they +were talking, a mate, half drunk, proposed +that Snelgrave should be kept as a pilot till +they left the coast, but Davis caned him off +the quarter deck.</p> + +<p>Two days after this the pirates took a small +vessel belonging to the African Company. +Snelgrave's first mate then told them that he +had been once very badly served by this company, +and begged that they would burn the +vessel in revenge. This was about to be +ordered when Stubbs, a quick-witted sailor, +stood up and said, "Pray, gentlemen, hold, +and I will prove to you that the burning of +this ship will only advance the company's +interests. The vessel has been out two +years; is old, crazy, and worm-eaten; her +stores are worth little, and her cargo consists +only of red wood and pepper, the loss of +which will not harm the company, who will +save the men's wages, which will be three +times the value of the cargo." This convinced +the crew, who at once spared the vessel, +and returned her to the captain.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">326</a></span></p> + +<p>A few days afterwards, Snelgrave's things +were sold at the mast, many of the men returning +him their purchases, his old school-fellow in +particular begging hard on his behalf. When +the fiercer men observed the great heap of +things he had collected, they swore the dog +was insatiable, and said it would be a good +deed to throw them overboard. Hearing +this, Snelgrave loaded his canoe, and, by the +advice of his friends, returned to shore. +Soon after he left, his watch was put up for +sale, and run to £100 in order to vex +Davis, who, however, bought it at that enormous +price. One of the sailors, enraged at +this, tried the case on a touch-stone, and, +seeing it looked copperish from the alloy in the +gold, swore it was bad metal. They then +declared Snelgrave was a greater rogue than +any of them, since he had cheated them all. +Russel laughed at this, and then vowed to +whip him when he came next. Upon the +advice of his friends, Snelgrave hid in the +woods till the pirates left the river, and soon +after returned with several other ruined men +to England.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">327</a></span></p> + +<p>Of the <span class="smcap">Madagascar Pirates</span> some scanty +record in Hamilton's Account of the East +Indies, published in 1726. He mentions the +fact that the pirates had totally destroyed the +English slave trade in that island, in spite of +several squadrons of men-of-war sent against +them. To use the author's own rather ambiguous +words, "A single ship, commanded +by one Millar, did more than all the chargeable +fleets could do, for, with a cargo of +strong ale and brandy, which he carried to +sell them in 1704, he killed about 500 of +them by carousing, though they took his +ship and cargo as a present from him, and +his men entered, most of them, into the society +of the pirates." Commodore Littleton +lent them blocks and tackle-falls to careen, +and, for some secret reasons, released some +of their number.</p> + +<p>The author concludes in the following +manner: "Madagascar is environed with +islands and dangerous shoals both of rocks +and sand. St. Mary's, on the east side, is +the place which the pirates first chose for +their asylum, having a good harbour to defend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">328</a></span> +them from the weather, though in going +in there are some difficulties. But hearing +the squadrons of English ships were come in +quest of them, they removed to the main +island for more security, and there they have +made themselves free denizens by marriage." +And the author is of opinion it will be no +easy matter to dispossess them. In 1722 +Mr. Matthews went in search of them, but +found they had deserted St. Mary's Island, +leaving behind them some marks of their +robberies, for in some places he found pepper +strewed a foot thick on the ground. The +commodore went, with his squadron, over +into the main island, but the pirates had +carried their ships into rivers or creeks, +out of danger of the men-of-war, and to burn +them with their boats would have been impracticable, +since they could have easily +distressed the crews from the woods. The +commodore had some discourse with several +of them, but they stood on their guard, +ready to defend themselves in case any violence +had been offered them.</p> + +<p>The 11th and 12th of William III., and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">329</a></span> +the 8th George I., are both statutes against +piracy, and are indications of the years in +which their ravages were peculiarly felt. By +the first, any natural-born subject committing +an act of hostility against any of his Majesty's +subjects, under colour of a commission from +any foreign power, could be tried for piracy. +And further, any commander betraying his +trust, and running away with the ship, or +yielding it up voluntarily to a pirate, or +any one confining his captain to prevent him +fighting, was adjudged a pirate, felon, and +robber, and was sentenced to death.</p> + +<p>The later acts make it piracy even to trade +with known pirates.</p> + +<p>Commanders or seamen wounded, or their +widows slain in piratical engagements, were +entitled to a bounty not exceeding one-fiftieth +part of the value of the cargo, and wounded +men received the pension of Greenwich Hospital. +If the commander behaved cowardly, +he was to forfeit all his wages, and suffer six +months' imprisonment.</p> + +<p>Such are a few of the facts connected with +the almost unrecorded and uncertain history<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">330</a></span> +of the pirates of New Providence and Madagascar, +the most loathsome wretches that +perhaps, since Cain, have ever washed their +hands in human blood. Ferocious yet often +cowardly, they were subtle and cruel, with +none of the frequent generosity of outlaws, +and little of the enterprise of the military +adventurers. Long ago have their bones +crumbled from the dark gibbets on the lonely +sand islands of the Pacific, and they remain +without monument or record, except in prison +chronicles and forgotten voyages. We have +reviewed their history simply as the natural +sequel of our annals, and as an illustration +of the character of the English seaman +in its most brutal and satanic aspect.</p> + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">331</a></span></p> +<p class="center">THE END.</p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="CHIEF_AUTHORITIES" id="CHIEF_AUTHORITIES"></a>CHIEF AUTHORITIES.<br /> + +<small>BUCCANEER WRITERS.</small></h2> + + +<p><span class="smcap">John (Joseph?) Esquemeling's</span><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> Bucaniers of America; +or, an Account of the most Remarkable Assaults +committed on the Coasts of the West Indies by the +Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga; with the Exploits +of Sir Henry Morgan. Translated into English from +the Dutch, with a Portrait of Sir H. Morgan, a Map +and Plates, with a Table. 4to. London. 1684.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Rich, in his "Bibliotheca Americana Nova," +1835, confounds Esquemeling, the Dutchman, with +Œxmelin, the Frenchman. The English translation of +1684 speaks of Esquemeling's work as written by a +Frenchman and Dutchman together, the name being +French and the language Dutch. Rich describes it as +first printed in Dutch, 1678; then translated into +Spanish; then from Spanish into English, and from +English into French; the author's name being changed +in the latter translation.</p></div> + +<p> +—— De Americanische Zee Roovers. 4to. Amsterdam. 1678.<br /> +<br /> +—— Hisp. 12mo. Col. Ag. 1682.<br /> +<br /> +—— Eng. 12mo. London. 1684.<br /> +<br /> +—— 4to. Col. Ag. 1684.<br /> +<br /> +—— 12mo. 4 vols. Maps and Plates. Trevoux.<br /> +</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">332</a></span></p> +<p>(Augmentée de l'Histoire des Pirates Anglais depuis +leur Etablissement dans l'Isle de Providence jusqu'au +Presént.): 1775.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Œxmelin, Alexandre Olivier</span>—Histoire des Avanturiers +qui se sont signalés dans les Indes Occidentales +depuis Vingt Ans. Traduite de l'Anglais par le Sr. de +Frontignières; avec un Traité de la Chambre de +Comptes établie dans les Indes par les Espagnols, traduit +de l'Espagnol; le tout enriché des Cartes et des Figures, +avec des Tables. 2 vols. 12mo. Paris. 1688.</p> + +<p>—— 8vo. Paris. 1688. 2 tom.</p> + + +<h2><small>JESUIT HISTORIANS.</small></h2> + +<p><span class="smcap">Pierre François Xavier Charlevoix</span>—Histoire de +l'Isle Espagnole, ou de St. Domingue, écrite sur des +Mémoires Manuscrits du P. Jean Baptiste le Tertre, +Jésuite Missionaire à St. Domingue, et sur les Pièces +Originales qui se conservent au Dépôt de la Marine; +avec des Cartes, des Plans, et des Tables. 2 vols. 4to. +Paris. 1730-31.</p> + +<p>Piratas de la America y Luz à la Defensa de las Costas +de Indias Occidentales. Traducida del Flamenco en +Espanol, por el Doctor Buena Maison, Medico Practico +en la Amplissima y Magnifica Ciudad de Amsterdam +Dala à Luz esta Tercera Edicion, D.M.G.R. Madrid. +4to. 1763. 12mo. 1682. 4to. 1684.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Jean Baptiste du Tertre</span>, missionaire apostolique +dans les Antilles—Histoires des Antilles Habitées par les +François; avec des Figures. 4 vols. 4to. Paris. 1667-71.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Jean Baptiste Labat</span>, Dominicain Parisien, professeur +des Philosophies à Nanci, etc.—Nouveau Voyage aux +Isles de l'Amérique. 8 vols. 12mo. Paris. 1742.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">333</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain William Dampier's</span> Voyage Round the +World. Illustrated with Maps and Plates. 4 vols. in 3. +8vo. London. 1703-9.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain Cowley's</span> Voyage Round the Globe. 8vo. +London. 1679.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Lionel Wafer's</span> Voyage and Description of the +Isthmus of America. 8vo. London, 1699. 8vo. London, +1704.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain James Burney's</span> Chronological History of +the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. 3 +vols. 4to. 1803-13-17.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Captain T. Southey's</span> Chronological History of the +West Indies. 3 vols. 8vo. London. 1817.</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334"></a><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">335</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2 class="p6"><a name="LIST_OF_BUCCANEER_CHIEFS" id="LIST_OF_BUCCANEER_CHIEFS"></a>LIST OF BUCCANEER CHIEFS,</h2> + +<p class="center">FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THEIR EMPIRE TO +ITS DOWNFALL.</p> + +<div style="float:left; width:50%;"> +<p><span class="smcap">Louis Scott.<br /> +Pierre le Grand.<br /> +Pierre François.<br /> +Roc the Brazilian.<br /> +Barthelemy Portugues.<br /> +Lolonnois the Cruel.<br /> +Alexandre Bras de Fer.<br /> +Montbars the Exterminator.<br /> +Moses Van Vin.<br /> +Pierre le Picard.<br /> +Tributor.<br /> +Captain Champagne.<br /> +Le Basque.<br /> +Sir Henry Morgan.<br /> +Captain Swan.<br /> +Captain Sharp.<br /> +Captain Bradley.<br /> +Captain Coxen.</span></p> +</div> +<div style="float:left; width:50%;"> +<p><span class="smcap">Captain Betsharp.<br /> +Dampier.<br /> +Captain Grogniet.<br /> +Captain Yankey.<br /> +Laurent de Graff.<br /> +Sieur de Grammont.<br /> +Sieur de Montauban.<br /> +De Lisle.<br /> +Anne le Roux.<br /> +Vauclin.<br /> +Ovinet.<br /> +Elias Ward.<br /> +Willis.<br /> +D'Ogeron.<br /> +Captain Davis.<br /> +Van Horn.<br /> +Captain Michael.<br /> +Captain Rose.<br /> +Captain Daviot.</span></p> +</div> +<div style="clear:both;"> </div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">336</a></span></p> +<p class="center p6">LONDON: SERCOMBE AND JACK, 16 GREAT WINDMILL STREET.</p> + + + + +<p class="center p6"><small>Just Published, Illustrated with Portraits,</small><br /> + +THE THIRD AND FOURTH VOLUMES,<br /> + +<small>COMPLETING THE WORK, OF THE</small><br /> + +<big>MEMOIRS OF THE COURT & CABINETS +OF GEORGE III.</big><br /> + +<small>FROM ORIGINAL FAMILY DOCUMENTS.</small><br /> + +BY THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM & CHANDOS, K.G.</p> + +<p>Among the principal important and interesting subjects of +these volumes (comprising the period from 1800 to 1810) are the +following:—The Union of Great Britain and Ireland—The Catholic +Question—The retirement from office of Mr. Pitt and Lord +Grenville—The Addington Administration—The Peace of Amiens—The +connection of the Prince of Wales with the Opposition—The +Coalition of Pitt, Fox, and Grenville—The Downfall of the +Addington Ministry—The conduct of the Princess of Wales—Nelson +in the Baltic and at Trafalgar—The Administration of +Lord Grenville and Mr. Fox—The Abolition of the Slave Trade—The +Walcheren Expedition—The Enquiry into the conduct of +the Duke of York—The Convention of Cintra—The Expeditions +to Portugal and Spain—The Quarrel of Lord Castlereagh and +Mr. Canning—The Malady of George III.—Proceedings for the +establishment of the Regency. The Volumes also comprise the +Private Correspondence of Lord Grenville, when, Secretary of +State and First Lord of the Treasury—of the Right Hon. Thomas +Grenville, when President of the Board of Control and First Lord +of the Admiralty—of the Duke of Wellington, during his early +Campaigns in the Peninsula; with numerous confidential communications +from George III., the Prince of Wales, Lords Castlereagh, +Elgin, Hobart, Camden, Essex, Carysfort, Melville, Howick, +Wellesley, Fitzwilliam, Temple, Buckingham, Mr. Fox, Mr. +Wyndham, &c. &c.</p> + +<p>N.B.—A FEW COPIES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND VOLUMES OF +THIS WORK MAY STILL BE HAD.</p> + +<blockquote><p>"These volumes contain much valuable matter. There are three periods +upon which they shed a good deal of light—the formation of the Coalition +Ministry in 1783, the illness of the King in 1788, and the first war with +Republican France."—<i>Times.</i></p> + +<p>"A very remarkable and valuable publication. In these volumes the most +secret history of many important transactions is for the first time given to +the public."—<i>Herald.</i></p></blockquote> + +<p class="center">HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,<br /> + +SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,<br /> + +13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.</p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="transnote"> +<p>Transcriber's Note:</p> +<p>Mismatched quotation marks in one paragraph of Chapter I +were left as in the original.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MONARCHS OF THE MAIN, VOLUME III (OF 3)***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 38633-h.txt or 38633-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/8/6/3/38633">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/6/3/38633</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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