The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crewsDefoe, Daniel
History
The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crews
Defoe, Daniel
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
Soon after the civil Government was also setled, some of the principal
Officers being appointed Justices of the Peace, others of inferior
Degree, Constables and Overseers of the Ways and Roads, which were
overgrown with Bushes and Underwood, all about the Town of _Nassau_; so
that if any Enemy had landed in the Night, they might lie in Ambuscade
in those Covers, and surprize the Town; wherefore several of the common
Pyrates were employed in clearing away the said Bushes and Underwood.
The Governor, with some Soldiers, guarded the Fort, and the Inhabitants,
who were form'd into Train'd-Bands, took Care of the Town; but as there
was no Sort of Accommodation to lodge such a Number of People, they were
forced to unbend the Sails, and bring them on Shore, in order to make
Tents, till they had Time to build Houses, which was done with all
possible Expedition, by a Kind of Architecture altogether new.
Those that were built in the Fort were done by making six little Holes
in the Rock, at convenient Distances, in each of which was stuck a
forked Pole; on these, from one to t'other, were placed cross Poles or
Rafters, which being lathed at Top, and on the Sides, with small Sticks,
were afterwards covered with _Palmata_ Leaves, and then the House was
finished; for they did not much trouble themselves about the Ornaments
of Doors and Windows.
In the mean Time the repairing the Fort was carried on, and the Streets
were ordered to be kept clean, both for Health and Conveniency, so that
it began to have the Appearance of a civilized Place.
A Proclamation was published for the Encouragement of all such Persons
should be willing to settle upon the Island of _Providence_, by which
every Person was to have a Lot of Ground of a hundred and twenty Foot
square, any where in or about the Town of _Nassau_, that was not before
in the Possession of others, provided they should clear the said Ground,
and build a House tenantable, by a certain Time therein limited, which
might be easily done as they might have Timber for nothing. This had the
Effect proposed, and a great many immediately fell to work to comply
with the Conditions, in order to settle themselves there.
Many of the Pyrates were employed in the Woods in cutting down Sticks to
make Pallisadoes; and all the People belonging to the Ships (Officers
excepted) were obliged to work four Days in the Week upon the
Fortifications, so that in a short Time a strong Entrenchment was cast
round the Fort, and being well pallisadoed, it rendered the Fort
tolerably strong.
But it did not much suit the Inclinations of the Pyrates to be set to
work; and though they had Provision sufficient, and had also a good
Allowance of Wine and Brandy to each Man, yet they began to have such a
hankering after their old Trade, that many of them took Opportunities of
seizing Perriaguas, and other Boats, in the Night, and making their
Escapes, so that in a few Months there was not many of them left.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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