THE BRUTAL CAREER AND MISERABLE END OF NED LOW
The day after parting with Captain Roberts the pirate fleet put to sea
bound for the coast of Brazil hoping for some rich Portuguese prizes.
They made land on the northern part of the coast, meanwhile sighting
only one sail, a ship they could not come up with, and fell in with
much dangerous shoal water. The trade-winds were very strong just at
that time and the pirate vessels narrowly escaped foundering. Good
fortune not seeming to lie in that direction, Captain Low bore away for
the West Indies and soon reached the Triangles, three islands lying off
the mainland about forty leagues eastward of Surinam, where they went
in to careen the vessels in order to remove the foul growth that had
accumulated during the passage up from the equator. They began with
the pink and ill fortune continued, for Low ordered too many men into
the shrouds and yards so that the vessel heeled over too far and the
water came rapidly into the ports, which had been left open, so that
she soon overset. Low was in the cabin at the time and barely escaped
by climbing out at one of the stern ports. Where the pink turned turtle
there was about six fathoms of water, just enough for the masts to
strike into the mud and keep the hull above water, so that the men
could hold on until picked up by the boats. Nevertheless two men were
drowned.
Having found it impossible to right the pink, Low went to sea in the
schooner and for lack of water, which could not be obtained at the
Triangles, they soon were in bad shape. For sixteen days only half a
pint of water a day was allowed each man. They tried to reach Tobago
but the winds were light and the current strong and at last they stood
away for the French island of Grand Grenada. When the port officers
came on board they saw only men enough to man the ship. The rest were
hidden below. Low told the Frenchmen that he was from Barbadoes and
that his water casks had sprung aleak so he was obliged to put in for
a supply. The story was swallowed and Low was permitted to send men
ashore but after a time the Frenchmen became suspicious and the next
day fitted out a large Rhode Island-built sloop and with thirty men
aboard they sailed out into the harbor and had nearly come alongside
the schooner before Low understood their intention. He at once called
up his men on deck, some ninety in all, and with his eight guns to the
Frenchman’s four, the sloop soon fell an easy prey.
Low now took over the sloop and gave the command of the schooner to
Francis Farrington Spriggs, who had been his quartermaster, and they
cruised together for some time, capturing seven or eight sloops and
a rich Portuguese ship called “Nostra Signiora de Victoria.” Low
tortured several of her men to compel them to disclose where the money
was concealed on board and soon learned that during the chase of the
ship the Portuguese captain had hung out of a cabin window, a canvas
bag containing about eleven thousand gold moidores, the equivalent
of nearly fifteen thousand English pounds, and when the ship was
captured the captain cut the rope and let the bag drop into the sea.
Low raved like a fury when he discovered what he had lost and ordered
the unfortunate captain to be tied to the mast, when he slashed off the
poor man’s lips with his cutlass and had them broiled before the galley
fire and then compelled the Portuguese mate to eat them while hot from
the fire. Captain and crew were then murdered, thirty-two persons in
all.
Among the vessels captured about this time was the snow “Unity” from
New York bound for Curacao, Robert Leonard, master, which was taken
within sight of her destination. A man on board, who once belonged to a
man-of-war, they whipped unmercifully and two of the crew were forced,
viz.: Richard Owen and Frederick Van der Scure, both living in New
York. The snow was taken on Jan. 25, 1723. Low also captured a snow
bound from London for Jamaica, part of the cargo being wines shipped
at Madeira, of which a generous stock was taken on board the sloop and
the schooner.[110] Other captures were Captain Craig, in a sloop from
the Bay of Honduras bound for New York, whom Low afterwards released so
that he reached New York on April 27th. Captain Simpkins of New York on
a sloop bound for Curacao, was taken in sight of the island and shortly
released. The pink “Stanhope,” Andrew Delbridge, master, for Boston
from Jamaica, was less fortunate and was burnt because of Low’s hatred
for New England men.
After a time Low came to anchor off the island of Santa Cruz and while
laying there took it into his head that he wanted a new doctor’s chest.
Shortly before he had captured two French sloops which were then at
anchor near him. So putting four Frenchmen in one of the sloops and
handing them some money, he ordered them to make all haste to buy a
doctor’s chest at St. Thomas, about twelve leagues distant, swearing
that if they didn’t bring back the chest the other sloop should be
burnt and the rest of the Frenchmen killed. To his great amusement
within twenty-four hours they returned with the chest and according to
promise the sloops and Frenchmen were then allowed to go.
From Santa Cruz, Low sailed for Curacao, meeting on the passage two
sloops which outsailed him and got away. He then ranged the coast of
New Spain and in the Gulf of Darien, about half-way between Carthagena
and Porto Bello, sighted two ships which afterwards turned out to be
the “Mermaid,” British man-of-war, and a large Guinea-man. Low was
in the Rhode Island sloop that he had taken at Grand Grenada and
Spriggs was in command of the Marblehead schooner “Fancy,” captured
at Port Roseway the previous year. With them was the snow “Unity,”
Captain Leonard, late commander, a recent capture. For some time Low
made sail after the two ships until he came so near that he discovered
his mistake and then there was nothing for him to do but to turn tail
and run. The man-of-war of course gave chase and slowly overhauled
Low’s fleet which was rapidly making towards the shoal water near the
coast. Deciding to rid himself of the snow, the more unreliable of the
forced men were put aboard and she was abandoned and Low and Spriggs
took separate courses. As the sloop was the larger and carried more
men, the “Mermaid” stood after her and was within gun-shot when she
ran aground on a shoal. This happened because one of the men with Low
knew of this uncharted shoal and telling him what course to steer the
whole company thereby escaped hanging.[111] Spriggs, meanwhile, got
safely into Pickaroon Bay, about eighteen leagues from Carthagena, and
afterwards made sail for the Bay of Honduras and came to anchor near a
small island called Utilla, about seven or eight leagues from the large
island of Roatan and here the schooner was hove down and cleaned.
Five weeks had passed since Spriggs parted from Low and the day that he
was ready to sail out of Utilla a large sloop was discovered bearing
down on them. At first sight Spriggs thought her to be a Spanish
privateer full of men and being much weaker in both guns and men
he made sail and tried to get away. Low, who was in the sloop, had
recognized the schooner at once and when she tried to escape imagined
that she had been captured from Spriggs, so he fired a shot that struck
the schooner in the bow. Spriggs, still failing to recognize the sloop,
continued on his course and Low then hoisted his pirate colors and
discovered who he was, to the uproarious joy of them all. The next day
the two vessels went into Roatan harbor where Low careened and cleaned
the bottom of the sloop, the crews meanwhile living on shore in booths
which they built for shelter. There was much drinking and carousing.
By Saturday, the 9th of March, all was in readiness for another foray
and the long-boat brought off the last of the casks from the watering
place. It was here that Philip Ashton, a Marblehead fisherman who had
been forced at Port Roseway, the previous year, made his escape into
the forest growth, where he lived a solitary existence for nine months,
as will be told in another chapter.
By the Boston newspapers of May, 1723, it appears that Low and
Spriggs were not the only pirates ranging the Bay of Honduras at
that time. On the 10th of March, 1723, quite a fleet of New England
vessels were there busily engaged in loading logwood. Three sloops
hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, commanded by Captains Benjamin
Norton, John Madbury and Jeremiah Clark, were nearly ready to sail.
In addition there was a Boston sloop commanded by Capt. Edward Lyde,
and a brigantine from the same port; a ship and a snow; and two
or three other sloops that hailed from New York, one commanded by
Captain Spafforth and another by Captain Craig. That morning a Spanish
privateer of six guns and about sixty men came upon the small fleet
that lay there at anchor. One of the Boston captains, Lyde, immediately
cut his cables and made sail and although chased by the privateer
succeeded in getting away safely. He lacked fresh water for the
homeward passage, however, and so stood in for a small creek farther up
the coast and while there learned from some Bay men that the Spaniard
had taken all the other vessels. But this victory was short-lived for
only four hours later Captains Low and Spriggs came sailing in to the
anchorage flying Spanish colors which were hauled down as they came
near the privateer and the black flag hoisted. Low fired a broadside
and boarded at once. The Spaniards were greatly outnumbered and made
no resistance, so Low’s men fell to plundering the vessel, soon finding
the New England captains confined in the hold. When Low learned of the
captures made by the Spaniards it was decided after a short discussion
to kill the entire company, so they fell to with their cutlasses,
pollaxes and pistols and soon wiped out nearly all of them. Some who
jumped overboard were knocked in the head by men who manned the canoe
belonging to the sloop. Seven of the younger and more active men did
succeed in reaching the shore and escaped into the forest growth in
more or less wounded condition. In one account of this affair it is
related that while Low’s men were on shore carousing, one of the
unfortunate Spaniards who reached shore, in his extremity came crawling
out to them begging for God’s sake they would give him quarter. One of
the crew took hold of him and said, “G-- d-- you, I will give you good
quarters presently,” and forcing the unfortunate Spaniard to his knees,
pushed the muzzle of his fusil into his mouth and fired down his throat.
[Illustration: ONE OF LOW’S CREW KILLING A WOUNDED SPANIARD
From an engraving in Johnson’s “Historie der Engelsche Zee-roovers,”
Amsterdam, 1725, in the Harvard College Library]
The captains who had been confined in the hold of the privateer Low
ordered released and restored to their vessels, but made them solemnly
promise not to steer for Jamaica for fear that a man-of-war should
learn of his whereabouts. He threatened them with instant death in case
they met again, should they violate their promise. The carpenter of the
snow he forced and after burning the privateer sloop, the pirate sailed
boisterously away steering for the Leeward Islands.
Three months later a sloop arrived at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the
following account of Low’s adventures on this cruise:--
“Perth-Amboy, June 6, 1723. The Sloop _William_, William
Fraser, Master, arrived here from Jamaica. They sailed the
last day of April in company with a Snow bound for Liverpool,
whose Commander’s name was Sandison; also 3 Ships, viz. Capt.
Willing, Capt. Burlington, and Capt. Eastwick, and a Scooner,
all belonging to New England, and a Sloop, Capt. Ellicot, for
Hampton in Virginia. In sailing round the West end of Cuba,
off of Cape San Antonia, the aforesaid Vessels were taken by
Pyrates and only Fraser escaped by running close under the Land
and coming to an Anchor within the breakers, then weighing
and standing to the Southward past them in the Night and so
got clear of them. But entering the Gulf the Pyrates waiting
there for them, took them and Plundered them. They cut and
whiped some and others they burnt with Matches between their
Fingers to the bone to make them confess where their Money was.
They took to the value of a Thousand Pistoles from Passengers
and others. They them let them go. But coming on the Coast
off of the Capes of Virginia, they were again chased by the
same Pyrates who first took them. They did not trouble them
again but wished them well Home. They saw at the same time his
Consort, a Sloop of eight Guns, with a Ship and a Sloop which
were supposed to be his Prizes. They are commanded by one
Edward Low. The Pyrates gave us an account of his taking the
Bay of Hondoras from the Spaniards, which had surprized the
English, and taking them and putting all the Spaniards to the
Sword Excepting two Boys; as also burning the _King George_ and
a Snow belonging to New York, and sunk one of the New England
Ships, and cut off one of the Masters Ears and slit his Nose;
all this they confessed themselves. They are now supposed to be
cruising off of Sandy Hook or thereabouts.”--_American Weekly
Mercury_, June 13, 1723.
On the 27th of May, 1723, Captain Low appeared off the coast of South
Carolina in the sloop “Fortune.” Capt. Charles Harris was then in
command of the sloop “Ranger” lately commanded by Spriggs. Nothing has
been learned of the whereabouts of Harris during the preceding five
months. No mention of him is made in any account of Low’s doings until
he reached the Carolina coast in May. There these two commanders, after
a long chase, took three ships, the “Crown,” Captain Lovering, the
“King William,” and the “Carteret,” and a brigantine that came out of
port only two days before. A few days before they had taken the ship
“Amsterdam Merchant,” Capt. John Welland [Williard?] from Jamaica,
but owned in New England. As Low seldom allowed a New Englander to go
free without carrying away some mark of his hatred, Captain Welland in
consequence, lost one of his ears, had his nose slit up and was cut in
several places about his body. After the ship was plundered it was sunk
and the next day Captain Estwick of Piscataqua was taken, plundered and
set free and in his ship Captain Welland and his crew later reached
Portsmouth, N. H.[112]
Early in June, Low overhauled the sloop “Hopefull Betty,” Captain
Greenman, off the Capes of the Delaware and took away all his water
and his sails and sheet anchor. The captain was badly cut about his
body but was able to reach Philadelphia ten days later. He brought the
news of the capture of Captain Pitman in a pink bound from Virginia
to London and said that the pirates claimed they had recently taken
sixteen sail of vessels but seemed to be in a great hurry to be gone,
probably because of the intelligence that men-of-war from Virginia, New
York and Boston were cruising in search of them. Low was reported to
have on board about £80,000 in gold and silver. The man-of-war on the
New York station was the ship “Greyhound,” Peter Solgard, commander,
of twenty guns and one hundred and twenty men, and from one of the
unfortunate vessels plundered by Low he learned of the whereabouts of
the pirate vessels and steering as directed, at half-past four in the
morning of June 10th came in sight of the rovers. He then tacked and
stood to the southward and the pirates, always on the lookout for prey,
gave chase which lasted for nearly two hours while Captain Solgard
cleared his ship for action. At half-past seven he was ready for them.
The sloop and the schooner were then about a gunshot off. Suddenly the
ship tacked again and stood for them and both of the pirate vessels
at once hoisted a black flag and fired on the “Greyhound.” A little
later when about three-quarters of a mile distant the black flags
came down and were replaced by red ones. The “Greyhound” passed to
the windward and received their fire several times and when abreast
made such good return with round- and grape-shot, that the sloop and
the schooner began to edge away under the “Greyhound’s” stern and
she after them. They made a running fight for nearly two hours when
the pirates got out their oars and soon began to draw away from the
ship. On discovering this, Captain Solgard ordered firing to cease and
turned all hands to rowing and at about half-past two in the afternoon
came up with them. The pirates hauled into the wind and the fight was
warmly renewed. After a time, the “Greyhound” fell in between the
pirate vessels and soon the main-yard of the schooner was shot down.
Low now showed the real stuff that he was made of and bore away leaving
Harris, in the “Ranger,” to his fate, and he, seeing the treachery of
his commodore, lost courage and called for quarter. This happened at
about four o’clock and an hour later the rogues were safely on board
the “Greyhound.” There were then thirty-seven whites and six blacks in
Harris’ crew, and ten or twelve of his men had been killed or wounded.
Captain Low heretofore had borne so high a reputation for courage and
boldness that in the minds of even his own men he had become a terror.
But his behavior in the action with the “Greyhound” shows him to have
been at heart a treacherous scoundrel. When the prisoners were safely
in irons Captain Solgard followed the course of Captain Low toward the
northwest, but he had too great a start and after a time drew out of
sight in the growing darkness.[113]
After this narrow escape Low’s chagrin and rage knew no bounds and
swearing many oaths, he vowed vengeance on the unfortunates that next
fell into his hands. This happened only two days later, when he came
upon a sloop out of Nantucket that was whale fishing about eighty
miles off shore. She had two whale-boats and one of them fortunately
was out and at some considerable distance from the sloop at the time
she was taken. The men in this boat seeing what had happened got safely
to another whaling sloop some distance away and all escaped. The
captain of the captured sloop was Nathan Skiff, a young unmarried man
living at Nantucket. Low first ordered him stripped and then cruelly
whipped him about the deck. His ears were then slashed off. After a
time they grew tired of beating the unfortunate man and telling him
that because he had been a good captain he should have an easy death,
at last they shot him through the head and sunk the sloop. Low forced a
boy and two Indian men and allowed three others of the crew to go away
in the whale-boat in which, fortunately, there was a little water and
a few biscuits, and with good weather these men at last safely reached
Nantucket--“beyond all Expectation,” ends the account in the _Boston
News-Letter_.
Low’s insane rage was unabated two days later when a fishing boat was
taken off Block Island. The master was dragged on board the pirate
sloop and Low with furious oaths at once attacked him with a cutlass
and hacked off his head. He gave the boat to two Indians who sailed
with the murdered man and sent them away with the information that he
intended to kill the master of every New England vessel he captured. On
the afternoon of the same day two whaling sloops out of Plymouth were
taken near the Rhode Island shore. The master of one vessel he ripped
open alive and taking out the poor man’s heart ordered it roasted and
then compelled the mate to eat it. The master of the other vessel he
slashed and mauled about the deck and then cut off his ears and had
them roasted and after sprinkling them with salt and pepper, made the
unfortunate men eat them. The man’s wounds were so severe that he
afterwards died.[114] Low proposed to murder some of the hands on
these whaling sloops but the pirate crew had had enough blood about the
deck for one day and swore the rest of the men should go free so Low
was obliged to submit. These men brought home the information that the
pirate master and crew claimed to have on board nearly £150,000 value
in gold and silver coin and plate.[115]
On the 5th of June, 1723, the sloop “Farley,” Thomas Calder, master,
a “Pock-fretten” Scotchman, sailed from Piscataqua, N. H., bound for
Maryland. On the 14th, when off Nantucket, she sighted a sloop with
sails fluttering and rigging badly cut to pieces. The boat’s crew who
boarded the sloop found that an attempt had been made to sink her. Not
a soul was found on board. A pipe of wine was on the deck with the head
knocked in and standing about were several buckets half-full of wine.
From ship’s papers it was learned that the sloop belonged to William
Clark of Boston.[116] Undoubtedly this sloop had been captured by Low
but no record has been found giving any information regarding the fate
of her master or crew. Capt. Jacob Waldron brought the derelict into
Boston and libelled her for salvage. In the order of the Vice-Admiralty
Court published in the _Boston Gazette_ of July 15, 1723, the sloop is
described as “Flotsom, taken up on the high Seas,” and so ended another
chapter in the lives of those who “go down to the sea in ships.”
From the waters off Cape Cod, Low sailed north for the banks off
Newfoundland and near Cape Breton took twenty-three French fishing
vessels. One of the larger of them, a ship of twenty-two guns, he
refitted and manned from his own crew and the two vessels then scoured
the harbors and banks off Newfoundland and took eighteen more ships and
smaller vessels some of which were sunk. While near Canso, two French
shallops were taken by a small company of the pirates in a periagua
that was serving as a tender. The Frenchmen were abused, noses were
slit and faces slashed with cutlasses before they were allowed to go.
A letter received by a Boston merchant not long after, gives some
interesting details of the depredations committed by Low and his crew.
It was printed in the _Boston News-Letter_ for Sept. 19, 1723.
“Canso, August 1, 1723.
“In my last Letter to you, I inform’d you of the mischief the Pirates
had done on the French at Whitehead, 6 Leagues Westward of this
Harbour; and now I proceed to say, that they went to the Eastward and
took a Sloop belonging to this Harbour, but treated them very kindly,
and dismiss’d them without harm. The next News we heard of them was
that they had taken another Vessel, Capt. Job Prince, Commander;
they order’d them on Board, but Capt. Prince had no Boat, wherefore
they only detain’d him about an hour and dismiss’d him without doing
him any Damage. The next Vessel they took was Capt. Robinson’s whom
they divested of their Arms, Ammunition and Silver Buckles, and then
dismiss’d them. They had then in their Custody four French Ships, which
they Plundered, used the men very Barbarously, and sent them in a
Vessel belonging to Canso, to Cape Briton. They took Mr. Hood belonging
to Boston, in a large Fishing Scooner,[117] when they first came on the
Banks from Boston; but that was another Pirate, who also forced away
three of his Men. The latter Sloop, which is known to be Low, uses the
English very Kindly; but the French find little Mercy, at his hand;
they cutt off some of their Ears and Noses, and treated them with all
the Barbarity imaginable. One of the French Commanders desired him only
to give him a Line from under his hand, that he had taken away some
Casks of his Wine and Brandy, that his Owners might not suspect he had
Dishonestly Sold them; upon which Low told him he would fetch him
one, and accordingly brought up two Pistols, presenting one at Bowels,
he told him there was one for his Wine, and Discharg’d it; and there,
says he (presenting the other at his Head in the same manner) is one
for your Brandy; which said, he discharg’d that also. We hear they
have since Taken near 40 French Fishing Vessels, and are gone towards
Newfoundland. This is all that is Remarkable concerning these Enemies
to Mankind in General.”
Two men-of-war were cruising at that time near the Cape Breton coast.
Captain Solgard in the “Greyhound,” after landing his captured pirates
at Newport, R. I., had sailed to the eastward and searched all the
principal harbors for Low, but without success. On the 16th of June he
met His Majesty’s ship “Sea Horse,” Captain Durell, from the Boston
station, and they kept company for several days while cruising about
the coast and fishing banks. All sorts of wild rumors were flying about
the Province and the current newspapers reported several times that Low
had been taken. One circumstantial story had it that the “Sea Horse”
had surprised Low near Cape Sables, where he had gone to careen, and
after a smart engagement had captured him killing eight of his pirate
crew. From Salem it was reported that Low had been taken near Canso
by a French man-of-war and another report had it that Low had died of
his wounds three days after an engagement with H. M. ship “Greyhound.”
A sloop arriving at New York on Sept. 19th, from Placentia in
Newfoundland, after a month’s passage, brought news of the depredation
of the pirates and reported that “it’s believed Low is dead for he
was a little man and the new Capt. of those Pyrates is a lusty Man.”
Undoubtedly Lowther had been confused with Low in this report. The
sloop also brought news that the day before it sailed, Captain Harris,
in a sloop from Boston, had reached Placentia and reported sighting “on
the banks about eighteen or twenty Vessels together, which he imagined
were all taken by the Pyrates and kept together by them.”[118] The
_Boston News-Letter_ also published earlier intelligence from Canso,
that one of their bank sloops had met a pirate sloop with one hundred
and fifty men aboard, who had “ask’d them some Questions, who was at
Canso. Inquired after most of the Notedest Men and left them without
abuse; they did not Know the Master’s Name, but say most of them are
West Country-men.”[119]
Towards the end of July, 1723, Low captured a large ship from Virginia,
called the “Merry Christmas,” and opening several new ports mounted
her with thirty-four guns and refitting went on board and made her his
principal ship. He assumed the title of Admiral and hoisted at the
main-topmast head a new black flag--having on it a skeleton in red. As
the fishing banks had been pretty thoroughly cleared of vessels and it
was supposed that men-of-war were cruising on several of them,[120] it
was thought best by Low and Lowther to make a course for the Western
Islands where they arrived about the first of September. Soon after
reaching Fayal, they took an English brigantine, formerly commanded
by Elias Wild, but recently bought by a Portuguese nobleman. She was
manned partly by English and partly by Portuguese and the latter Low
caused to be hanged. The English sailors were put into their boat to
shift for themselves and the brigantine was set on fire.
“Thus these inhumane Wretches went on, who could not be contented
to satisfy their Avarice only, and travel in the common Road of
Wickedness; but, like their Patron, the Devil, must make Mischief their
Sport, Cruelty their Delight, and damning of Souls their constant
Employment. Of all the pyratical Crews that were ever heard of, none
of the _English_ Name came up to this, in Barbarity; their Mirth and
their Anger had much the same Effect, for both were usually gratified
with the Cries and Groans of their Prisoners; so that they almost as
often murthered a Man from the Excess of good Humour, as out of Passion
and Resentment; and the Unfortunate could never be assured of Safety
from them, for Danger lurked in their very Smiles. An Instance of this
had liked to have happened to one Captain Graves, Master of a Virginia
Ship last taken; for as soon as he came aboard of the Pyrate, Low takes
a Bowl of Punch in his Hand, and drinks to him, saying, Captain Graves,
here’s half this to you. But the poor Gentleman being too sensibly
touched at the Misfortune of falling into his Hands, modestly desired
to be excused, for that he could not drink; whereupon Low draws out a
Pistol, cocks it, and with the Bowl in t’ther Hand, told him, he should
either take one or the other; So Graves, without Hesitation, made
Choice of the Vehicle that contained the Punch, and guttled down about
a Quart, when he had the least Inclination that ever he had in his Life
to be merry.”[121]
At St. Michael’s, Low and Lowther sent their boats into the road and
cut out a London-built ship of fourteen guns commanded by Captain
Thompson, the same captain who had been taken there by Low the year
before. His ship was stronger than the boats and he could have defended
himself with every prospect of success, but his men through cowardice
or an inclination to join the pirates, obliged him to surrender. When
he came aboard Low’s vessel his ears were cut off close to his head by
way of compensation for having proposed to his men to resist the pirate
boats. The ship was burned. A bark was taken not long after and the
Portuguese crew fared better than was usually the case, for the pirates
happened to be in good humor, and only slashed them here and there with
cutlasses and then set them adrift in their boat and fired the bark.
Johnson, in his account of Low’s career, preserves a curious anecdote
in connection with this capture, as follows:
“When the Boat was going from the Side of the Ship, one of Low’s Men,
who, we may suppose, was forced into his Gang, was drinking with a
Silver Tankard at one of the Ports, and took his Opportunity to drop
into the Boat among the Portugueze, and lye down in the Bottom, in
order to escape along with them: After he had stowed himself in the
Boat, so as not to be seen, it came into his Head, that the Tankard
might prove of some Use to him, where he was going; so he got up again,
laid hold of the Utensil, and went off, without being discover’d: In
which Attempt had he failed, no doubt his Life, if not the Lives of all
the People in the Boat, would have paid for it: The Name of this Man is
Richard Hains.”[122]
The Portuguese authorities in the Islands were highly incensed at Low’s
cruelties and became exceedingly suspicious of all English vessels
coming into their harbors. A sloop from Boston, commanded by Capt.
Peter Tillinghast, going into Fayal about that time, was received by
cannon shot from the castle and when the captain went ashore with a few
hands he was seized and after an examination sent to jail. His vessel
was boarded and his chest and papers brought ashore for examination and
finding nothing by which he might be accused at last he obtained his
liberty.[123]
Low and Lowther, in company, sailed from the Canaries to the Cape
Verde Islands and the London newspapers had news that they had gone
down the African coast as far as Sierre Leone, and Captain Wyndham,
in the “Diamond” man-of-war, was reported to have captured Low, sunk
Lowther’s sloop and made twenty of the pirates prisoners. This account
was soon contradicted[124] and not long after there came reports of his
appearance near the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. The evidence
is obscure and it is more probable that from the Cape Verdes, Low and
Lowther made for the South American coast. At any rate. Low was off
the Guinea coast during the fall of 1723 and captured a schooner and
afterwards took the ship “Delight,” Captain Hunt, of twelve guns,
formerly a man-of-war in the English service. She seemed well suited
to their needs and so four more guns were mounted on her and Francis
Farrington Spriggs, who had been serving as quartermaster, was given
command with a crew of about sixty men. The fleet then consisted of the
ship “Merry Christmas,” 34 guns, commanded by Captain Low; the sloop
“Happy Delivery,” 16 guns, commanded by Captain Lowther; and the ship
“Delight,” 16 guns, Captain Spriggs, and together they sailed along the
Guinea coast bound for the West Indies. Spriggs seems to have been a
slippery fellow for within two days he deserted the other vessels and
went off pirating on his own account, as will be related in another
chapter. Lowther may have separated from Low about the same time for he
had no consort when he met with a disastrous adventure some time later
at the island of Blanco near Tortuga.
In January, 1724, Low took a ship called the “Squirrel,” Captain
Stephenson,[125] and in March the news reached Boston that Low had had
a fight with other pirates who had taken him, burned his vessel and
marooned the survivors on an uninhabited island,[126] and this report
persisted and was repeated as late as the spring of 1726, when Capt.
William Cross arrived at Piscataqua, N. H., in a sloop, from the Bay of
Honduras and related that both Low and Spriggs had been marooned and
were supposed to have escaped among the Mosquito Indians.[127] From
that time nothing can be learned about him until May 17th when some
sailors belonging to a sloop owned in the Barbadoes, arrived there
after much suffering and reported that they had been taken near the
island of St. Lucia by Low, who, at that time, had only thirty men with
him. A French man-of-war from the Martinico station was reported to
be in pursuit[128] and may have afterwards captured him for a French
account of Low’s piracies relates that in the spring of 1724, Low got
into a dispute with his men in which the quartermaster took sides
against him, which so greatly enraged Low that he afterwards murdered
the quartermaster while he lay asleep. The crew at once rose against
Low and with two or three of his strongest partisans he was thrown
into a boat without provisions and abandoned to his fate. This proved
to be capture by a French vessel owned in Martinico, the day after he
had been set adrift, and after a quick trial by the French, he and his
companions received short shift on a gallows erected for their benefit.
This account of Low’s fate is confirmed, in part, by the narrative
of Jonathan Barlow, a sailor who was taken off the Guinea coast, by
Low in the “Merry Christmas.” Barlow relates that after capturing a
French sloop near Martinico “some Differance arising among said Pirates
they disbanded Low from his office & sent him away w’th only two more
hands in s’d French sloop & put one Shipton Captain in his steed.”
The pirate company then went to the Isle of Ruby and not long after
Captain Spriggs put in appearance in the “Delight.” Spriggs “heft down”
his ship and cleaned her and Shipton burned the “Merry Christmas” and
went away in a sloop that had been taken not long before commanded
by Capt. Jonathan Barney of Newport, R. I. The two pirate captains
cruised to the westward and in the Bay of Honduras were chased by the
“Diamond” man-of-war as is told in the chapter on Francis Farrington
Spriggs.--_Massachusetts Archives_, vol. 38A, leaf 73.
FOOTNOTES
[110] _American Weekly Mercury_, Mar. 14, 1723.
[111] _American Weekly Mercury_, May 2, 1723.
[112] _New England Courant_, June 17, 1723.
[113] _New England Courant_, June 17, 1723 (_postscript_).
[114] _Boston News-Letter_, June 27, 1723.
[115] _American Weekly Mercury_, June 27, 1723.
[116] _American Weekly Mercury_, Aug. 8, 1723.
[117] This vessel was captured by Captain Lowther who was there about
the same time as Captain Low.
[118] _American Weekly Mercury_, Oct. 4, 1723.
[119] _Boston News-Letter_, July 18, 1723.
[120] In point of fact the “Greyhound” reached Newport, R. I. early in
July and the “Sea Horse” arrived in Boston on July 13th.
[121] Johnson, “_History of the Pirates_,” London, 1726.
[122] Johnson, “_History of the Pirates_,” London, 1762.
[123] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 18, 1723.
[124] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 8, 1724.
[125] _Boston News-Letter_, May 7, 1724.
[126] _Boston News-Letter_, Mar. 27, 1724.
[127] _New England Courant_, Apr. 30, 1726.
[128] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 15, 1724.