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
T_HAT we your Majesty's most loyal Subjects, have, at sundry Times,
been taken by_ Bartholomew Roberts, _the then Captain of the abovesaid
Vessels and Company, together with another Ship, in which we left him; and
have been forced by him and his wicked Accomplices, to enter into, and
serve, in the said Company, as Pyrates, much contrary to our Wills and
Inclinations: And we your loyal Subjects utterly abhoring and detesting
that impious way of Living, did, with an unanimous Consent, and contrary to
the Knowledge of the said_ Roberts, _or his Accomplices, on, or about the_
18_th Day of_ April 1721, _leave, and ran away with the aforesaid Ship_
Morning Star, _and Brigantine_ Good Fortune, _with no other Intent and
Meaning than the Hopes of obtaining your Majesty's most gracious Pardon.
And, that we your Majesty's most loyal Subjects, may with more Safety
return to our native Country, and serve the Nation, unto which we belong,
in our respective Capacities, without Fear of being prosecuted by the
Injured, whose Estates have suffered by the said_ Roberts _and his
Accomplices, during our forcible Detainment, by the said Company: We most
humbly implore your Majesty's most royal Assent, to this our humble
Petition._
And your Petitioners shall ever pray.
This Petition was sent home by a Merchant Ship bound to _England_, from
_Jamaica_, who promised to speak with the Petitioners, in their Return,
about 20 Leagues to Windward of that Island, and let them know what Success
their Petition met with. When this was done, the Pyrates retires to the
Island before proposed, with the Ship and Brigantine.
This Island (which I have no Name for) lies off the Southwest End of
_Cuba_, uninhabited, and little frequented. On the East End is a Lagune, so
narrow, that a Ship can but just go in, tho' there's from 15 to 22 Foot
Water, for almost a League up: On both Sides of the Lagune grows red
Mangrove Trees, very thick, that the Entrance of it, as well as the Vessels
laying there, is hardly to be seen. In the Middle of the Island are here
and there a small thick Wood of tall Pines, and other Trees scattered about
in different Places.
Here they staid about nine Months, but not having Provision for above two,
they were forced to take what the Island afforded, which was Fish of
several Sorts, particularly Turtle, which latter was the chiefest Food they
lived on, and was found in great Plenty on the Coasts of this Island;
whether there might be any wild Hogs, Beef, or other Cattle, common to
several Islands of the _West-Indies_, or that the Pyrates were too idle to
hunt them, or whether they preferr'd other Provisions to that sort of Diet,
I know not; but I was informed by them, that for the whole Time they eat
not a Bit of any kind of Flesh-Meat, nor Bread; the latter was supply'd by
Rice, of which they had a great Quantity aboard: This was boyl'd and
squeez'd dry, and so eat with the Turtle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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