He was a bloody Villain, having a few days before killed a poor Sailor, because he did not do something so soon as he had ordered him. This cruel Monster was asking some of my People, “Where their Captain was.” So at my coming upon Deck, one of them, pointing to me, said, “There he is.” Tho’ the night was very dark, yet there being four Lanthorns with Candles, he had a full sight of me: Whereupon lifting up his broad Sword, he swore, “No Quarter should be given to any Captain that offered to defend his Ship,” aiming at the same time a full stroke at my Head. To avoid it I stooped so low, that the Quarter-deck Rail received the Blows and was cut in at least an inch deep: Which happily saved my Head from being cleft asunder: And the Sword breaking at the same time, with the force of the Blow on the Rail, it prevented his cutting me to pieces. By good Fortune his Pistols, that hung at his Girdle, were all discharged; otherwise he would doubtless have shot me. But he took one of them, and with the But-end endeavoured to beat out my Brains, which some of my People that were then on the Quarter-deck observing, cried out aloud, “For God’s sake don’t kill our Captain, for we never were with a better Man.” This turned the Rage of him and two other Pirates on my People, and saved my Life: But they cruelly used my poor Men, cutting and beating them unmercifully. One of them had his Chin almost cut off; and another received such a Wound on his Head, that he fell on the Deck as dead; but afterwards, by the care of our Surgeon he recovered. All this happened in a few Minutes and the Quarter-master then coming up ordered the Pirates to tie our People’s Hands, and told me, “That when they boarded us, they let their Boat go adrift, and that I must send an Officer with some of my People in our Boat to look for theirs.” Whereupon my first Mate, Mr. _Simon Jones_, who stood by offered to go: And the Quarter-master telling him, “He must return quickly otherwise he should judge that they were run away with the Boat, in order to go on Shore; and if they did so he would cut me to pieces:” Mr. _Jones_ replied, “He would not stay above a quarter of an Hour, but return whether he found the Boat or not.” Happily for me he soon found her, and returned (tho’ it was very dark) in less time than he had promised. Then the Quarter-master took me by the hand, and told me, “My Life was safe provided none of my People complained against me.” I replied, “I was sure none of them could.” The Pirates next, loaded all their small Arms, and fired several Vollies for Joy they had taken us: Which their Comrades on board their Ship hearing, it being then very near us, tho’ we could not see it for the darkness of the Night, they concluded we had made Resistance, and destroyed their People.