The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbersEllms, Charles
History
The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbers
Ellms, Charles
Pirates
Though he did not think this a proper place for cleaning, yet as it was
absolutely necessary that it should be done, he directed his course to
the Granada islands for that purpose. This, however, had well nigh
proved fatal to him; for the Governor of Martinique fitted out two
sloops to go in quest of the pirates. They, however, sailed to the
above-mentioned place, cleaned with unusual despatch, and just left that
place the night before the sloops in pursuit of them arrived.
They next sailed for Newfoundland, arriving upon the banks in June,
1720, and entered the harbor of Trepassi, with their black colors
flying, drums beating, and trumpets sounding. In that harbor there were
no less than twenty-two ships, which the men abandoned upon the sight of
the pirates. It is impossible to describe the injury which they did at
this place, by burning or sinking the ships, destroying the plantations,
and pillaging the houses. Power in the hands of mean and ignorant men
renders them wanton, insolent and cruel. They are literally like madmen,
who cast firebrands, arrows and death, and say, "Are not we in sport?"
Roberts reserved a Bristol galley from his depredations in the harbor,
which he fitted and manned for his own service. Upon the banks he met
ten sail of French ships, and destroyed them all, except one of
twenty-six guns, which he seized and carried off, and called her the
Fortune. Then giving the Bristol galley to the Frenchman, they sailed
in quest of new adventures, and soon took several prizes, and out of
them increased the number of their own hands. The Samuel, one of these,
was a very rich vessel, having some respectable passengers on board, who
were roughly used, and threatened with death if they did not deliver up
their money and their goods. They stripped the vessel of every article,
either necessary for their vessel or themselves, to the amount of eight
or nine thousand pounds. They then deliberated whether to sink or burn
the Samuel, but in the mean time they discovered a sail, so they left
the empty Samuel, and gave the other chase. At midnight they overtook
her, and she proved to be the Snow from Bristol; and, because he was an
Englishman, they used the master in a cruel and barbarous manner. Two
days after, they took the Little York of Virginia, and the Love of
Liverpool, both of which they plundered and sent off. In three days they
captured three other vessels, removing the goods out of them, sinking
one, and sending off the other two.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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