But the next Prize we met, suited us better on all Accounts, being a Ship
from _Kingsale_ in _Ireland_, loaden with Beef, and Butter, and Beer, for
_Barbadoes_; never was Ship more welcome to Men in our Circumstances; this
was the very Thing we wanted: We saw the Ship early in the Morning, at
about five Leagues Distance, and we was three Days in Chace of her; she
stood from us, as if she would have run away for the _Cape de Verd_
Islands, and two or three Times we thought she sail'd so well she would
have got away from us, but we had always the good Luck to get Sight of her
in the Morning: She was about 260 Tun, an _English_ Frigat-built Ship, and
had 12 Guns on Board, but could carry 20. The Commander was a Quaker, but
yet had he been equal to us in Force, it appear'd by his Countenance he
would not have been afraid of his Flesh, or have baulk'd using the Carnal
Weapon of Offence, _viz._ the Cannon Ball.
We soon made ourselves Master of this Ship when once we came up with him,
and he was every Thing that we wanted; so we began to shift our Guns into
her, and shifted about 60 Tun of her Butter and Beef into our own Frigate;
this made the _Irish_ Vessel be a clear Ship, lighter in the Water, and
have more Room on Board for Fight, if Occasion offer'd.
When we had the old Quaking Skipper on Board, we ask'd him whether he would
go along with us; he gave us no Answer at first; but when we ask'd him
again, he return'd, that he did not know whether it might be safe for him
to answer the Question: We told him, he should either go or stay, as he
pleas'd; Why then, says he, I had rather ye will give me Leave to decline
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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