Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
History
Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
Pirates; Privateering; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
leaveing his olde one their, Capt. Essex leaveing his Barkque their
she being so rotten. wee acquainting capt. Peter Harriss and capt
Rich. Sawlking of the greate commerce wee had with the Indians in the
Samboles, was very willing to goe upp with their shipps, so all
concluded to goe upp to capt Lessones Carreeneing Key. Boca Toro lieth
about 50 leagues to leeward[29] of Porta Vella and Boca Drago 3
leauges to leeward of Boca Toro. all the shipps meeteing att Lessoones
carreeneing Key aforesaid, wheir was orders for our randevous, capt.
Coxon concludes to goe upp to the goulden Islands and to travill over
land to Pannamau, otherwise to a place which the Indians tolde us of,
cal'd Toca Mora. all our English concluded to goe, but capt Lessoone
and capt Jno. Rowe their Peopple refus'd, being man'd all with French.
The Indians being very familliar came uppon a Key to our shipps, men,
Women and children, Informing us that whilst wee weare att Puerta
Vella the Spaniards had beene downe with about Eighty soldiers and had
fell uppon the Indians for their haveing familiarity with us. The
Spaniards did Kill of the Indians by their relation about 20, the rest
of the Indians takeing the mountans for their security tell wee came.
these Indians altho' Heathens yett have those amounge them that thay
call Doctors, that can raise the Divill att their Pleasure. they knew
of our comeing and att what time wee should be their, and when thay
saw us, it was greate sattisfaction to them, wee putting out a signe,
which was a white Jack and no Ensigne, then thay come on borde. thay
offers themselves to goe with us to take revenge of the Spaniards,
which they call by the name of walkers. Wee makeing in all, in mony,
Plate and Plunder, about a hundred peices of Eight a man att Puerta
Vella, peopple was Eagar for more Voyage, and was now fully resolved
to goe to the Goulden Island and hall our shipps into a small Cove or
creeke out of sight of any Spaniard, if any should come that way,
haling our small Barkques and small vessells as close as wee thought
convenient under the shelter of the greate shipps, and order so many
men to stay on borde of Each Vessell according to their bigness to
looke after them, and likewise order was given that if any should come
in their to oppose them, the peopple weare all of them to goe on borde
of capt. Coxon and capt. Peter Harriss's Shipp to defend themselves
and Shipps to the uttmost of their Power. And on sunday, being the 4
day of Aprill,[30] wee Provides our provission to land next morning
itt being munday. the french shipps we left in the Samboles. next day
about 6 aclock in the morning lands 332 men, being Piloted by the
Indians, who seemed to be very forward in their Assistance, as here
after will prove.
Thus much for Puerta Vella Voyage.
[Footnote 5: The wind being on the larboard quarter.]
[Footnote 6: Fain.]
[Footnote 7: Hawsers.]
[Footnote 8: _I.e._, was compelled to sail before the wind.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account