_Of the origin of Francis Lolonois, and the beginning of his robberies._
FRANCIS LOLONOIS was a native of that territory in France which is
called Les Sables d'Olone, or The Sands of Olone. In his youth he was
transported to the Caribbee islands, in quality of servant, or slave,
according to custom; of which we have already spoken. Being out of his
time, he came to Hispaniola; here he joined for some time with the
hunters, before he began his robberies upon the Spaniards, which I shall
now relate, till his unfortunate death.
At first he made two or three voyages as a common mariner, wherein he
behaved himself so courageously as to gain the favour of the governor of
Tortuga, Monsieur de la Place; insomuch that he gave him a ship, in
which he might seek his fortune, which was very favourable to him at
first; for in a short time he got great riches. But his cruelties
against the Spaniards were such, that the fame of them made him so well
known through the Indies, that the Spaniards, in his time, would choose
rather to die, or sink fighting, than surrender, knowing they should
have no mercy at his hands. But Fortune, being seldom constant, after
some time turned her back; for in a huge storm he lost his ship on the
coast of Campechy. The men were all saved, but coming upon dry land, the
Spaniards pursued them, and killed the greatest part, wounding also
Lolonois. Not knowing how to escape, he saved his life by a stratagem;
mingling sand with the blood of his wounds, with which besmearing his
face, and other parts of his body, and hiding himself dextrously among
the dead, he continued there till the Spaniards quitted the field.
They being gone, he retired to the woods, and bound up his wounds as
well as he could. These being pretty well healed, he took his way to
Campechy, having disguised himself in a Spanish habit; here he enticed
certain slaves, to whom he promised liberty if they would obey him and
trust to his conduct. They accepted his promises, and stealing a canoe,
they went to sea with him. Now the Spaniards, having made several of his
companions prisoners, kept them close in a dungeon, while Lolonois went
about the town and saw what passed. These were often asked, "What is
become of your captain?" To whom they constantly answered, "He is dead:"
which rejoiced the Spaniards, who made bonfires, and, knowing nothing to
the contrary, gave thanks to God for their deliverance from such a cruel
pirate. Lolonois, having seen these rejoicings for his death, made haste
to escape, with the slaves above-mentioned, and came safe to Tortuga,
the common refuge of all sorts of wickedness, and the seminary, as it
were, of pirates and thieves. Though now his fortune was low, yet he got
another ship with craft and subtlety, and in it twenty-one men. Being
well provided with arms and necessaries, he set forth for Cuba, on the
south whereof is a small village, called De los Cayos. The inhabitants
drive a great trade in tobacco, sugar, and hides, and all in boats, not
being able to use ships, by reason of the little depth of that sea.
Lolonois was persuaded he should get here some considerable prey; but by
the good fortune of some fishermen who saw him, and the mercy of God,
they escaped him: for the inhabitants of the town dispatched immediately
a vessel overland to the Havannah, complaining that Lolonois was come to
destroy them with two canoes. The governor could very hardly believe
this, having received letters from Campechy that he was dead: but, at
their importunity, he sent a ship to their relief, with ten guns, and
ninety men, well armed; giving them this express command, "that they
should not return into his presence without having totally destroyed
those pirates." To this effect he gave them a negro to serve for a
hangman, and orders, "that they should immediately hang every one of the
pirates, excepting Lolonois, their captain, whom they should bring alive
to the Havannah." This ship arrived at Cayos, of whose coming the
pirates were advertised beforehand, and instead of flying, went to seek
it in the river Estera, where she rode at anchor. The pirates seized
some fishermen, and forced them by night to show them the entry of the
port, hoping soon to obtain a greater vessel than their two canoes, and
thereby to mend their fortune. They arrived, after two in the morning,
very nigh the ship; and the watch on board the ship asking them, whence
they came, and if they had seen any pirates abroad? They caused one of
the prisoners to answer, they had seen no pirates, nor anything else.
Which answer made them believe that they were fled upon hearing of their
coming.
But they soon found the contrary, for about break of day the pirates
assaulted the vessel on both sides, with their two canoes, with such
vigour, that though the Spaniards behaved themselves as they ought, and
made as good defence as they could, making some use of their great guns,
yet they were forced to surrender, being beaten by the pirates, with
sword in hand, down under the hatches. From hence Lolonois commanded
them to be brought up, one by one, and in this order caused their heads
to be struck off: among the rest came up the negro, designed to be the
pirates' executioner; this fellow implored mercy at his hands very
dolefully, telling Lolonois he was constituted hangman of that ship, and
if he would spare him, he would tell him faithfully all that he should
desire. Lolonois, making him confess what he thought fit, commanded him
to be murdered with the rest. Thus he cruelly and barbarously put them
all to death, reserving only one alive, whom he sent back to the
governor of the Havannah, with this message in writing: "I shall never
henceforward give quarter to any Spaniard whatsoever; and I have great
hopes I shall execute on your own person the very same punishment I have
done upon them you sent against me. Thus I have retaliated the kindness
you designed to me and my companions." The governor, much troubled at
this sad news, swore, in the presence of many, that he would never grant
quarter to any pirate that should fall into his hands. But the citizens
of the Havannah desired him not to persist in the execution of that rash
and rigorous oath, seeing the pirates would certainly take occasion from
thence to do the same, and they had an hundred times more opportunity of
revenge than he; that being necessitated to get their livelihood by
fishery, they should hereafter always be in danger of their lives. By
these reasons he was persuaded to bridle his anger, and remit the
severity of his oath.
Now Lolonois had got a good ship, but very few provisions and people in
it; to purchase both which, he resolved to cruise from one port to
another. Doing thus, for some time, without success, he determined to go
to the port of Maracaibo. Here he surprised a ship laden with plate, and
other merchandises, outward bound, to buy cocoa-nuts. With this prize he
returned to Tortuga, where he was received with joy by the inhabitants;
they congratulating his happy success, and their own private interest.
He stayed not long there, but designed to equip a fleet sufficient to
transport five hundred men, and necessaries. Thus provided, he resolved
to pillage both cities, towns, and villages, and finally, to take
Maracaibo itself. For this purpose he knew the island of Tortuga would
afford him many resolute and courageous men, fit for such enterprises:
besides, he had in his service several prisoners well acquainted with
the ways and places designed upon.