A general history of the pyrates : $b from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present timeJohnson, Charles, active 1724-1731
History
A general history of the pyrates : $b from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present time
Johnson, Charles, active 1724-1731
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
_Roberts_ mann'd the _Bristol_ Galley he took in the Harbour, and mounted
16 Guns on Board her, and cruising out upon the Banks, he met with nine or
ten Sail of _French_ Ships, all which he destroyed except one of 26 Guns,
which they seiz'd, and carried off for their own Use. This Ship they
christ'ned _the Fortune_, and leaving the _Bristol_ Galley to the _French_
Men, they sailed away in Company with the Sloop, on another Cruise, and
took several Prizes, _viz._ the _Richard_ of _Biddiford, Jonathan
Whitfield_ Master; the _Willing Mind_ of _Pool_; the _Expectation_ of
_Topsham_; and the _Samuel_, Captain _Cary_, of _London_; out of these
Ships they encreased their Company, by entring all the Men they could well
spare, in their own Service. The _Samuel_ was a rich Ship, and had several
Passengers on Board, who were used very roughly, in order to make them
discover their Money, threatning them every Moment with Death, if they did
not resign every Thing up to them. They tore up the Hatches and entered the
Hold like a parcel of Furies, and with Axes and Cutlashes, cut and broke
open all the Bales, Cases, and Boxes, they could lay their Hands on; and
when any Goods came upon Deck, that they did not like to carry aboard,
instead of tossing them into the Hold again, threw them over-board into the
Sea; all this was done with incessant cursing and swearing, more like
Fiends than Men. They carried with them, Sails, Guns, Powder, Cordage, and
8 or 9000 l. worth of the choicest Goods; and told Captain _Cary, That they
should accept of no Act of Grace; that the K-- and P--t might be damned
with their Acts of G-- for them; neither would they go to_ Hope-Point, _to
be hang'd up a Sun drying, as_ Kidd_'s, and_ Braddish_'s Company were; but
that if they should ever be overpower'd, they would set Fire to the Powder,
with a Pistol, and go all merrily to Hell together._
After they had brought all the Booty aboard, a Consultation was held
whether they should sink or burn the Ship, but whilst they were debating
the Matter, they spyed a Sail, and so left the _Samuel_, to give her Chace;
at Midnight they came up with the same, which proved to be a Snow from
_Bristol_, bound for _Boston_, Captain _Bowles_ Master: They us'd him
barbarously, because of his Country, Captain _Rogers_, who attack'd them
off _Barbadoes_, being of the City of _Bristol._
_July_ the 16th, which was two Days afterwards, they took a _Virginia_ Man
called the _Little York, James Philips_ Master, and the _Love_, of
_Leverpool_, which they plundered and let go; the next Day a Snow from
_Bristol_, call'd the _Phoenix, John Richards_ Master, met with the same
Fate from them; as also a Brigantine, Captain _Thomas_, and a Sloop called
the _Sadbury_; they took all the Men out of the Brigantine, and sunk the
Vessel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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