When _Taylor_ came with the _Portugueze_ Prize to _Madagascar_, they found that the _Ostender_ had made his men drunk, and seized his ship, which they carried to the _Mozambique_; from thence the Governor ordered her to _Goa_. But the Pirates staid and clean'd the _Cassandra_, and divided very great plunder. Some, who thought they had got enough, staid at _Madagascar_, and the rest, having no occasion for two ships, burnt the _Victory_, she being leaky, and went on board the _Cassandra_, under the Command of Captain _Taylor_, designing to go for _Cochin_ to dispose of his diamonds, amongst his old Friends the _Dutch_, and also to avoid the dangers of the Men-of-War that were in pursuit of them. But as he was preparing to sail, and heard of four Men-of-War coming after him; therefore he altered his mind, and sailed for the Main of _Africa_, and put in at _Delagoa_: But the Pirates were surprized in the evening with some shot from the shore. They took it for a desert shore, but it proved otherwise; for a few months before, the _Dutch East India Company_ had settled one hundred men upon it, who, not being supplied with necessaries, were reduced to about sixteen; whom _Taylor_, upon their humble petition took aboard, and they all became Pirates with him. Here they stayed about four months, careened their ships, and left _Delagoa_ the latter end of _December_: But not agreeing among themselves, they parted those who were weary of that sort of life, went on board the _Portugueze_ Prize, and sailed for _Madagascar_; the others went on board the _Cassandra_, and sailed for the _Spanish West Indies_. The _Mermaid_ Man-of-War, which was a convoy to some Merchant-men, about 30 leagues distance, would have gone to attack them, had not the Merchants, whom he had the care of, declar'd their protection was of more service than destroying the Pirates; and so he was oblig'd to be content with only dispatching the news of it to _Jamaica_. This brought down the _Lanceston_, though it was a day or two too late, for they had just before surrendered, with all their riches, to the Governor of _Porto-Bello_, where they now live upon their Spoils, saying, others would have done as much, had they had the same opportunity; swearing, _That whatever Robberies they had committed they are not the only Rogues in the World; for that the South-Sea[A] did more Mischief in one Year, than they were able to do in their whole Lives_. [Illustration] FOOTNOTE: [A] The South-Sea Bubble. [Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN GOW] [Illustration] CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, _ALIAS_ SMITH, AND HIS CREW