The first Thing I propos'd to them all, was, seeing we had met with such
good Luck, and that we could not expect much more, and if we stay'd longer
in these Seas, should find it very hard to revictual our Ships, and might
have our Retreat cut off by _Spanish_ Men of war; (five of which we heard
were sent out after the other Buccaneers) we should make the best of our
Way to the South, and get about into the North Seas, where we were out of
all Danger.
In Consequence of this Advice, which was generally approv'd, we stood away
directly South; and the Wind blowing pretty fair at N. N. E. a merry Gale,
we stood directly for the Isle of _Juan Fernando_, carrying our rich Prize
with us.
We arriv'd here the Beginning of _June_, having been just six Months in
those Seas. We were surpriz'd, when coming to the Island, we found two
Ships at an Anchor close under the Lee of the Rocks, and two little
Periaguas farther in, near the Shore; but being resolv'd to see what they
were, we found, to our Satisfaction, they were the Buccaneers of whom I
have spoken above: The Story is too long to enter upon here; but in short,
without Guns, without Ship, and only coming over Land with their Fusees in
their Hands, they had rang'd these Seas, had taken several Prizes, and some
pretty rich, and had got two pretty handsome Barks, one carry'd six Guns,
and the other four; they had shar'd, as they told us, about 400 Pieces of
Eight a Man, besides one Thing they had which we were willing to buy of
them; they had about 100 Jarrs of Gunpowder, which they took out of a Store
Ship going to _Lima_.
If we was glad to meet them, you may be sure they were glad to meet with
us, and so we began to sort together as one Company, only they were loth to
give over and return, as we were and which we had now resolv'd on.
We were so rich ourselves, and so fully satisfy'd with what we had taken,
that we began to be bountiful to our Countrymen; and indeed they dealt so
generously with us, that we could not but be inclin'd to do them some Good,
for when we talk'd of buying their Gunpowder, they very frankly gave us 50
Jarrs of it _gratis_.
I took this so kindly, that I call'd a little Council among ourselves, and
propos'd to send the poor Rogues 50 Barrels of our Beef, which we could
very well spare; and our Company agreeing to it, we did so, which made
their Hearts glad; for it was very good, and they had not tasted good
Salt-beef for a long Time; and with it we sent them two Hogsheads of Rum:
This made them so hearty to us, that they sent two of their Company to
compliment us, to offer to enter themselves on Board us, and to go with us
all the World over.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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