When they first began to fire, I called aloud to the first Mate, to fire at the Boat out of the Steerage Port-holes; which not being done, and the people I had ordered upon Deck with small Arms not appearing, I was extremely surprized; and the more, when an Officer came and told me, “The People would not take Arms.” I went thereupon down into the Steerage, where I saw a great many of them looking at one another. Little thinking that my first Mate had prevented them from taking Arms, I asked them with some Roughness, “Why they had not obeyed my Orders?” Calling upon some brisk Fellows by name, that had gone a former Voyage with me, to defend the Ship; saying, “It would be the greatest Reproach in the World to us all, if we should be taken by a Boat.” Some of them replied, “They would have taken Arms, but the Chest they were kept in could not be found.” The reason of which will be related hereafter. By this time the Boat was along the Ship’s Side, and there being no body to oppose them, the Pirates immediately boarded us; and coming on the Quarter-deck, fired their Pieces several times down into the Steerage, and shot a Sailor in the Reins, of which Wound he died afterwards. They likewise threw several Granado-shells, which burst amongst us, so that ’tis a great wonder several of us were not killed by them, or by their Shot. At last some of our People bethought themselves to call out for _Quarter_; which the Pirates granting, the _Quarter-master_ came down into the Steerage, enquiring, “Where the Captain was?” I told him, “I had been so till now.” Upon that he asked me, “How I durst order my People to fire at their Boat out of the Steerage? saying, that they had heard me repeat it several times.” I answered, “I thought it my Duty to defend the Ship, if my People would have fought.” Upon that he presented a Pistol to my Breast, which I had but just time to parry before it went off; so that the Bullet past between my Side and Arm. The Rogue finding he had not shot me, he turned the But-end of the Pistol, and gave me such a Blow on the Head as stunned me; so that I fell upon my Knees; but immediately recovering my self, I forthwith jumped out of the Steerage upon the Quarter-deck, where the Pirate Boatswain was.