As we cannot, with any Certainty, deduce this Man from his Origin, we shall begin where we find him first a declared Enemy to Mankind. Capt. _Bellamy_ and _Paul Williams_, in two Sloops, had been upon a _Spanish_ Wreck, and not finding their Expectation answered, as has been mentioned in former Parts of this History, they resolved not to lose their Labour, and agreed to go upon the Account, a Term among the Pyrates, which speaks their Profession. The first, who had the Misfortune to fall in their Way, was Captain _Prince_, bound from _Jamaica_ to _London_, in a Galley built at that Port, whose Cargo consisted of Elephants Teeth, Gold Dust, and other rich Merchandize. This Prize not only enrich'd, but strengthened them; they immediately mounted this Galley with 28 Guns, and put aboard 150 Hands of different Nations; _Bellamy_ was declared Captain, and the Vessel had her old Name continued, which was _Whidaw_: This happen'd about the latter End of _February_, 1717. They, now thus fitted for the continuing of their desperate Resolution, shaped their Course for _Virginia_, which Coast they very much infested, taking several Vessels: They were upon shifting this Station, when they were very near, as the Psalmist expresses it, _going quick down into Hell_, for the Heaven's beginning to lowre, prognosticated a Storm; at the first Appearance of the Sky being likely to be overcast, _Bellamy_ took in all his small Sails, and _Williams_ double reefed his main Sail, which was hardly done when a Thunder Shower overtook them with such Violence, that the _Whidaw_ was very near over-setting; they immediately put before the Wind, for they had no other Way of working, having only the Goose Wings of the Fore-Sail to scud with; happy for them the Wind was at _West_ and by _North_, for had it been Easterly, they must have infallibly perish'd upon the Coast. The Storm encreased towards Night, and not only put them by all Sail, but obliged the _Whidaw_ to bring her Yards aportland, and all they could do with Tackles to the Goose Neck of the Tiller, four Men in the Gun Room, and two at the Wheel, was to keep her Head to the Sea, for had she once broach'd to, they must infallibly have founder'd. The Heavens, in the mean while, were cover'd with Sheets of Lightning, which the Sea by the Agitation of the saline Particles seem'd to imitate; the Darkness of the Night was such, as the Scripture says, as might be felt; the terrible hollow roaring of the Winds, cou'd be only equalled by the repeated, I may say, incessant Claps of Thunder, sufficient to strike a Dread of the supream Being, who commands the Sea and the Winds, one would imagine in every Heart; but among these Wretches, the Effect was different, for they endeavoured by their Blasphemies, Oaths, and horrid Imprecations, to drown the Uproar of jarring Elements. _Bellamy_ swore he was sorry he could not run out his Guns to return the Salute, meaning the Thunder, that he fancied the Gods