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
_William Smith_, (a Prisoner acquitted,) says _Walden_ was known among the
Pyrates mostly, by the Nick-Name of _Miss Nanney_ (ironically its presumed
from the Hardness of his Temper) that he was one of the twenty who
voluntarily came on Board the _Ranger_, in the Chace she made out after the
_Swallow_, and by a Shot from that Ship, lost his Leg; his Behaviour in the
Fight, till then, being bold and daring.
The _President_, called for _Harry Glasby_, and bid him relate a Character
of the Prisoner, and what Custom was among them, in Relation to these
voluntary Expeditions, out of their proper Ship; and this of going on Board
the _Ranger_, in particular.
And he gave in for Evidence, that the Prisoner was looked on as a brisk
Hand, (_i. e._ as he farther explained it, a stanch Pyrate, a great Rogue)
that when the _Swallow_ first appeared in Sight, every one was willing to
believe her a _Portuguese_, because Sugar was very much in Demand, and had
made some Jarring and Dissention between the two Companies, (the
_Fortune_'s People drinking Punch, when the _Ranger_'s could not) that
_Roberts_, on Sight of the _Swallow_, hailed the new _Ranger_, and bid them
right Ship, and get under Sail; there is, says he, Sugar in the Offing,
bring it in, that we may have no more Mumbling; ordering at the same Time
the Word to be pass'd among the Crew, who would go to their Assistance, and
immediately the Boat was full of Men, to transport themselves.
_President._ Then every one that goes on Board of any Prize, does it
voluntarily? Or were there here any other Reasons for it?
_H. Glasby._ Every Man is commonly called by List, and insists, in his
Turn, to go on Board of a Prize, because they then are allowed a Shift of
Cloaths, (the best they can find) over and above the Dividend from the
Robbery, and this they are so far from being compelled to, that it often
becomes the Occasion of Contest and Quarrel amongst them: But in the
present, or such like Cases, where there appears a Prospect of Trouble, the
Lazy and Timerous are often willing to decline this Turn, and yield to
their Betters, who thereby establish a greater Credit.
The Prisoner, and the rest of those Men who went from the _Fortune_ on
Board the _Ranger_, to assist in this Expedition, were Voluntiers, and the
trustiest Men among us.
_President._ Were there no Jealousies of the _Ranger_'s leaving you in this
Chace, or at any other Time, in order to surrender?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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