Part 4

"Be not frightened," saith Avery, "and I'll tell you. You must note, I am now the Captain of the ship; nay, you must turn out, for this is my cabin, and I am bound for Madagascar, to make my own fortune as well as my companions."

The Captain, being more terrified than ever, did not know what to say, which Avery perceiving, bid him take heart. "For," saith he, "if you will join me and these brave fellows, my companions, in time you may get some post under me. If not, step into the longboat and get about your business."

This the Captain was glad to hear, but yet began to expostulate with them upon the injustice of such doings. Saith Avery: "What do I care? Every man for himself. Come, come, Captain, if you will go, get you gone; the longboat waits for you, and if there be any more cowards in the ship, you may all go together." Which words so affrighted the whole crew, that there was not above nine or ten of them that durst venture, who made the best of their way to the shore as fast as they could, and thought they were well off.

The Captain was no sooner gone, but they called a Council, which agreed to own Avery as their Captain; which he accepted of with all humility imaginable, seeming to excuse himself on account of his inexperience at sea. But he did it so artfully that it more confirmed them in the good opinion of their choice. "Gentlemen," said he, "what we have done we must live or die by; let us all be hearty and of one mind, and I don't question but we shall make our fortune in a little time. I propose that we sail first to Madagascar, where we may settle a correspondence, in order to secure our retreats, whenever we think fit to lie by."

To which they all agreed, "Nemine contradicente."

"But hold," saith Avery; "it is necessary that we make some order among us, for the better governing of the ship's crew." Which were in a few days drawn up by the clerk of the ship.

And Avery promising them vast things, they all came into them at last, although some things went very much against the grain of many of them.

It took up all their spare time till they arrived at Madagascar, where they saw a Ship lying at the N.E. part of the Island, with which the men had run away from New England; and seeing Avery, they supposed that he had been sent after them to take them, but Avery soon undeceived them, and promised them protection; therefore they resolved to sail together. In the whole company, there was not above ten that pretended to any skill in navigation; for Avery himself could neither write nor read very well, he being chosen Captain of the Duke purely for his courage and contrivance.

In the latitude of Descada, one of the Islands, they took two other sloops, which supplied them with provisions, and then they agreed to proceed to the West Indies; and coming to Barbadoes, they fell in with a ship for London with twelve guns, from which they took some clothes and money, ten barrels of powder, ten casks of beef, and several other goods, and five of her men, and then let her go. From thence he went to the Island of Dominico, and watered; there he met with six Englishmen, who willingly entered with Avery. They stayed not long before they sailed for the Granada Island to clean their ships; which being known to the French Colony, the Governor of Martenico sent four sloops well manned after them. But they stayed there not long, but made the best of their way for Newfoundland, entering the harbour of Trepasse with black colours, drums beating, and trumpets sounding.

It is impossible to relate the havoc they made there, burning all before them. When they left Newfoundland they sailed for the West Indies, and from thence to the Island Descada, it being judged the most convenient place, at that time of the year, to meet with a rich booty.

From hence they steered towards the Arabian Coast, near the River Indus, where, spying a sail, they gave chase. At their near approach she hoisted Mogul colours and seemed as if she would stand upon her defence, whilst Avery contented himself by cannonading her at a distance, which made many of his men begin to mutiny, thinking him a coward.

But Avery knew better, and commanding his sloops to attack her, one in the Bow, and the rest on the Quarter, clapt her on board, upon which she struck her colours and yielded. Aboard her was one of the Mogul's own daughters, with several persons of distinction, who were carrying rich offerings of jewels and other valuable presents to Mecca; which booty was the more considerable, because these people always travel with great magnificence, having all their slaves and attendants always with them, besides jewels and great sums of money to defray the charges. But Avery, not content with this, seized the young Princess, and taking her with him into his own ship, made the best of his way to Madagascar, where she soon broke her heart and died. Also her father, the Great Mogul, did no sooner hear of it but he threatened all Europe with revenge. And when he knew they were Englishmen who had captured his daughter and robbed him, he threatened to send a mighty army, with fire and sword, to extirpate all the English from their settlements on the Indian Coasts, which gave no small uneasiness to the Indian Company at London, when they heard of it.

CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM, AND HIS CREW

John Rackham was Quarter-Master to Vane's Company, till Vane was turned out for not fighting the French Man-of-War, and Rackham put in Captain in his place, which happened about the 24th day of November, 1718. His first cruise was among the Caribbe Islands, where he took and plundered several vessels. Afterwards, to the windward of Jamaica, he fell in with a Madeira Man, which he detained till he had made his market out of her, and then restored her to her Master, suffering Hosea Tisdel, a tavern-keeper at Jamaica, whom he had taken among his Prizes, to go aboard her, she being bound for that Island.

Afterwards he sailed towards the Island Bermuda, where he took a Ship bound to England from Carolina, and a small Ship from New England, both which he carried to the Bahama Islands, and there clean'd. But staying too long in that Neighbourhood, Captain Rogers sent out a Sloop well mann'd, which retook both the Prizes, the Pirate making his Escape.

From hence they proceeded to the Back of Cuba, where Rackham staid a long Time with his Delilahs, till their Provision was consumed, when he concluded it Time to look out for more. As he was putting to Sea, a Garda del Costa came in with a small English Sloop, which he had taken as an interloper on that coast. The Spaniards seeing the Pirate, attacked her; but finding he could not come to her that night, because she lay close behind a little island, he warps into the channel, to make sure of her in the morning. Upon this Rackham took his Crew into the Boat, with their pistols and cutlasses, and falls aboard the Spaniards in the night, without being discovered, telling them, if they spoke a word they were dead men: And so shipping their cables, drove out to sea, commanding them to take the Boat, and go aboard their Sloop immediately, or else they were all dead men. Afterwards they waking the Captain and his men in the Hammocks, who rose full of their expectation of the Prizes, they sent them aboard their empty Sloop.

In the Beginning of September, they went off of the French part of Hispaniola, where they took two or three Frenchmen on board, that were looking after some cattle grazing near the waterside. Then plundered two Sloops, they returned to Jamaica, where they took a Schooner.

Rackham continuing about this Island longer than a Man of his business ought to have done, gave time to a Canoe, which he had surprised in Ocho Bay, to inform the Governor of Jamaica of his civilities to all he met with going or coming from the Island. Thereupon a Sloop was sent out in quest of him, well mann'd and arm'd, under Captain Barnet, to repay him for all his good-natured Actions, and, if possible, to bring him into the Island. In the mean Time Rackham met, near the Negril Point, a small Pettiauger, which, upon sight of him, ran ashore, and landed her Men; but Rackham hailing them, desired the Pettiauger's men to come aboard him, and drink a bowel of punch; swearing, They were all Friends and would do no Harm. Hereupon they agreed to his Request, and went aboard him, though it proved fatal to every one of them, they being nine in all. For, they were no sooner got aboard, and had laid down their muskets and cutlasses, in order to take up their pipes, and make themselves merry with their new acquaintance over a can of Flip, but Captain Barnet's Sloop was in sight, which soon put a damp to all their merriment: Finding she stood directly towards them, they immediately weighed their anchor and stood off. Barnet gave them chase, and having the advantage of the wind, soon came up with her, gave her a broadside or two, and, after a very small dispute, took her and his nine new guests, and brought them all together into Port-Royal in Jamaica, in about a fortnight's time.

November the 10th, 1720, a Court of Admiralty was held at St. Jago de la Vega, where the following Persons were tried and convicted of Piracy, and accordingly Sentence of Death was passed upon them by the Governor, viz.: John Rackham, Captain; George Fetherstone, Master; Richard Corner, Quarter-Master; John Davis, John Howel, Patrick Carty, Thomas Earle, James Dobbin, and Noah Harwood; Five of whom was hang'd the next day at Gallows-point, and the rest the day after. The three first were taken and hanged in Chains; Rackham at Plumb-point, Fetherstone at Bush-key, and Corner at Gun-key.

But what was yet more strange was the conviction of the nine guests, that knew nothing of the matter, or at least they pretended so; but the People would not believe them, because it was proved that they came on board with pistols and cutlasses: However, they were so much favoured as to have the Court adjourned to the 24th of January following, to give a better Account of themselves than at the time appeared to the Court: Beside, the Jury also then wanted sufficient evidence to prove the piratical intention of going aboard the said Sloops. The two Frenchmen taken by Rackham from the Island of Hispaniola, deposed, That John Eaton, Edward Warner, Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, John Cole, Benjamin Palmer, Walter Rouse, John Hanson, and John Howard, came on board the Pirate's Sloop at Negril Point in Jamaica. Indeed they owned, That at first Sight of them, they run away from Rackham's Sloop, but that he hailing them, they returned, and Rackham sent his canoe ashore to fetch them aboard him, when they saw them all armed with guns and cutlasses, which they brought with them; and that when they were chased by Captain Barnet, they were frank and free, some drinking and walking about the deck not at all dispirited; during which time there was a great gun, and small arms, fired by the Pirate Sloop at Captain Barnet's Sloop; but that they could not say that the Prisoners were any way concerned in it: However, they were certain that when Captain Barnet's Sloop fired at Rackham's, the Prisoners at the Bar went under Deck, for cowardice, as they supposed; not so much as once peeping up during the time of the whole action: But when Captain Barnet drew nigh to them to board them, all of them came up, and helped to row the sloop, in order to escape from him: And that Rackham's Men and they seemed to agree very well together, and that they did verily believe they were all of a Party, having heard them say, when they came on board, They liked them never the worse for being Pirates, since they were all honest Boys, and loved their Bottles.

To which the Prisoners answered, in their own Defence; That they were a great way off from friends and acquaintance, and, therefore it was impossible to have any one to give an account of them. That they were very honest pains-taking men, and came out to go a-turtling to provide for their families; accordingly going ashore at Negril Point they saw a Sloop, with a white pendant, making towards them, whereupon they took up their arms, which were no other but what all people carry upon such occasions, and ran into the woods, to hide themselves among the bushes, not knowing what she might be. But when they hailed them and told them they were Englishmen, they ventured out, and came aboard them, as they desired, to drink a bowl of punch, they being poor men, who get their livelihood very hardily, and such a thing was very acceptable to them. But when they came on board the Sloop, to their very great surprise, they found they were Pirates; upon which they begged to be released; but Rackham swore, That if they did not stay and assist them against that Sloop that was coming down against them, he would cut all their throats. So being compelled thereunto by Rackham and his men, to save their Lives, they did assist him, and with no other design but to prevent their being cut in pieces, but as soon as Captain Barnet came up with them, they all very readily and willingly submitted.

This being all they had to say in their own Defence, the Prisoners were ordered from the Bar: The Court were divided in their Judgments; but the majority were of opinion, that they were all guilty of the Piracy and Felony they were charged with; thereupon they all received Sentence of Death, as usual in such cases, the Judge making a very pathetic Speech to them, exhorting them to bear their Sufferings patiently, assuring them, that if they were innocent, which he very much doubted, then their reward would be greater in the Other World: But everybody must own their case was very hard in this.

February the 17th, John Eaton, Thomas Quick, and Thomas Baker, were accordingly executed at Gallows-Point; and the next Day, John Cole, John Howard, and Benjamin Palmer, underwent the same fate at Kingston. The other three got a Reprieve, they being against going aboard the Pirate's Sloop, and are now living.

CAPTAIN SPRIGGS, AND HIS CREW

Spriggs sailed at first with Lowe, and came away with him from Lowther. Afterwards Lowe took a ship of twelve guns on the Coast of Guinea, called the Delight, which Spriggs went off on board with twenty men, and leaving Lowe in the night, came to the West Indies. In their passage they made a Black Ensign, which they called the Jolly Roger, with a skeleton in the middle holding a dart in one hand, striking a bleeding heart; and in the other an hour-glass; and being hoisted, they fired all their guns to salute Spriggs, whom they chose Captain, and then went to look out for prey.

In their voyage they took a Portugueze barque, wherein they had rich plunder. Near St. Lucia, they took a Sloop belonging to Barbadoes, which they first plundered, and then burnt, forcing some of the men into their Service, and beating, in a barbarous manner, those that refused to join with them, and afterwards sent them away in the Boat, half dead with their wounds, the rest got to Barbadoes, with much ado, though some of them died soon after of their cuts and slashes. After this they took a Martinico Man, which they used in like manner, save that they did not burn the ship. Then running down to the Leeward, they took one Captain Hawkins coming from Jamaica, laden with Logwood; out of which, they took her stores, arms, and ammunition, and what they did not want they threw over-board; they cut the cables to pieces, knocked down the cabins, broke the windows, and did what mischief they could, taking Burridge and Stephens, the two Mates, and some other Hands, by force; and then after keeping her a week, they let her go. On the 27th they took a Rhode Island Sloop, compelling the Captain, and all his men, to go on board the Pirate: One of them not being willing to stay with them, they told him he should have a discharge presently, which was to receive ten lashes from every man on board.

The next day Burridge signed their Articles; which pleased them so much, that they fired all the Guns, and made him Master, spending that day in rejoicings and drinking healths.

The First of April they spied a sail, and gave her chase all night, believing she had been a Spaniard; but when they came up to her, and gave her a broadside, she cried out for Quarters, which made them cease firing, and ordered the Captain to come aboard, which proved to be Captain Hawkins, whom they had dismissed three days before, not worth a groat. Two Days after, they anchored at Ratran, not far from Honduras, and put ashore Captain Hawkins, and several others, giving them powder and ball, and a musquet, and then left them to shift as well as they could. Here they staid three weeks, when two men came in a canoe, that had been left in another Maroon Island near Benecca, and carried them thither. A fortnight after they espied a Sloop at sea, which had lately escaped from the Spaniards at the Bay of Honduras, which, upon a signal stood in and took them all off.