command. At the order from the lieutenant for the men on the keel to
relinquish their position they instantly obeyed, the boat was turned
over and once more the expedient was tried--but quite in vain; for no
sooner had the two men begun to bail with a couple of hats, and the
safety of the crew to appear within the bounds of probability, than
one man declared he saw the fin of a shark. No language can convey an
idea of the panic which seized the struggling seamen; a shark is at
all times an object of horror to a sailor; and those who have seen the
destructive jaws of this voracious fish, and their immense and almost
incredible power--their love of blood and their bold daring to obtain
it, alone can form an idea of the sensations produced in a swimmer by
the cry of "a shark! a shark!" Every man now struggled to obtain a
moment's safety. Well they knew that one drop of blood would have been
scented by the everlasting pilot-fish, the jackalls of the shark; and
that their destruction was inevitable, if one only of these monsters
should discover this rich repast, or be led to its food by the little
rapid hunter of its prey.--All discipline was now unavailing, the boat
again turned keel up; one man only gained his security to be pushed
from it by others and thus their strength begun to fail from long
continued exertion. However, as the enemy so much dreaded did not make
its appearance, Smith once more urged them to endeavor to save
themselves by the only means left, that of the boat; but as he knew
that he would only increase their alarm by endeavoring to persuade
them that sharks did not abound in these parts, he used the wisest
plan of desiring those who held on by the gun-wale, to keep splashing
in the water with their legs, in order to frighten the monsters at
which they were so alarmed. Once more had hope began to dawn:--the
boat was clear to her thwarts, and four men were in her hard at work;
a little forbearance and a little obedience, and they were safe. At
this moment, when those in the water urged their messmates in the boat
to continue bailing with unremitted exertion, a noise was heard close
to them, and about fifteen sharks came right in amongst them. The
panic was ten times more dreadful than before; the boat was again
upset by the simultaneous endeavor to escape the danger; and the
twenty-two sailors were again devoted to destruction.--At first the
sharks did not seem inclined to seize their prey, but swam in amongst
the men, playing in the water, sometimes leaping about and rubbing
against their victims. This was of short duration, a loud shriek from
one of the men announced his sudden pain; a shark had seized him by
the leg, and severed it entirely from the body. No sooner had the
blood been tasted than the long dreaded attack took place; another and
another shriek proclaimed a loss of limbs; some were torn from the
boat to which they vainly endeavored to cling; some, it was supposed,
sunk from fear alone; all were in dreadful peril. Mr. Smith, even now,
when of all horrible deaths the most horrible seemed to await him,
gave his orders with clearness and coolness; and to the everlasting
honor of the poor departed crew be it known, they were obeyed; again
the boat was righted, and again two men were in her. Incredible as it
may appear, still, however, it is true, that the voice of the officer
was heard amidst the danger; and the survivors, actually as before,
clung to the gun-wale, and kept the boat upright. Mr. Smith himself
held to the stern, and cheered and applauded his men. The sharks had
tasted the blood, and were not to be driven from their feast; in one
short moment, when Mr. Smith ceased splashing as he looked into the
boat to watch the progress, a shark seized both legs, and bit them off
just above the knees. Human nature was not strong enough to bear the
immense pain without a groan; but Mr. Smith endeavored to conceal the
misfortune, nature, true to herself, resisted the endeavor, and the
groan was deep and audible. The crew had long respected their gallant
commander; they knew his worth and his courage:--on hearing him
express his pain, and seeing him relinquish his hold to sink, two of
the men grasped their dying officer, and placed him in the stern
sheets. Even now in almost insupportable agony, that gallant fellow
forgot his own sufferings, and thought only on rescuing the remaining
few from the untimely grave which awaited them; he told them again of
their only hope, deplored their perilous state, and concluded with
these words; "if any of you survive this fatal night, and return to
Jamaica, tell the admiral (Sir Lawrence Halstead) that I was in search
of the pirate when this lamentable occurrence took place, tell him I
hope I have always done my duty, and that I--" Here the endeavor of
some of the men to get into the boat gave her a heel on one side; the
men who were supporting poor Smith relinquished him for a moment, and
he rolled overboard and was drowned. His last bubbling cry was soon
lost amidst the shrieks of his former companions, he sunk to rise no
more.
At eight o'clock in the evening the Magpie was upset; it was
calculated by the two survivors, that their companions had all died by
nine. The sharks seemed satisfied for the moment, and they, with
gallant hearts, resolved to profit by the precious time in order to
save themselves; they righted the boat, and one getting over the bows,
and the other over the stern, they found themselves although nearly
exhausted, yet alive, and in comparative security, they began the work
of bailing, and soon lightened the boat sufficiently not to be easily
upset, when both set down to rest. The return of the sharks was a
signal for their return to labor. The voracious monsters endeavored to
upset the boat; they swam by its side in seeming anxiety for their
prey, but after waiting sometime, they separated; the two rescued
seamen, found themselves free from their insatiable enemies, and, by
the blessing of God, saved.--Tired as they were, they continued their
labor until the boat was nearly dry, when both lay down to rest, the
one forward, and the other aft; so completely had fear operated on
their minds, that they did not dare even to move, dreading that an
incautious step might have capsized the boat. They soon, in spite of
the horrors they had witnessed, fell into a sound sleep, and day had
dawned before they awoke to horrible reflections, and apparently worse
dangers. The sun rose clear and unclouded; the cool calm of the night
was followed by the sultry calm of the morning, and heat, hunger,
thirst and fatigue, seemed to settle on the unfortunate men, rescued
by Providence and their own exertions from the jaws of a horrible
death. They awoke and looked at each other, the very gaze of despair
was appalling; far as the eye could reach, no object could be
discerned; the bright haze of the morning added to the strong
refraction of light; one smooth, interminable plain, one endless
ocean, one cloudless sky and one burning sun, were all they had to
gaze upon. The boat lay like the ark, in a world alone! They had no
oar, no mast and no sail, nothing but the bare planks and themselves,
without provisions or water, food or raiment. They lay upon the calm
ocean, hopeless, friendless and miserable. It was a time of intense
anxiety, their eyes rested upon each other in silent pity, not unmixed
with fear. Each knew the dreadful alternative to which nature would
urge them. The cannibal was already in their looks, and fearful would
have been the first attack on either side, for they were both brave
and stout men, and equals in strength and courage.
It now being about half past six in the morning, the sun was beginning
to prove its burning power, the sea was as smooth as a looking glass,
and saving now and then, the slight cat's paw of air, which ruffled
the face of the water for a few yards, all was calm and hushed. In
vain they strained their eyes, in vain they turned from side to side
to escape the burning rays of the sun; they could not sleep, for now
anxiety and fear kept both vigilant and on their guard; they dared not
to court sleep, for that might have been the last of mortal repose.
Once they nearly quarrelled, but fortunately the better feelings of
humanity overcame the bitterness of despair. The foremost man had long
complained of thirst, and had frequently dipped his hand into the
water, and sucked the fluid; this was hastily done, for all the
horrors of the night were still before them, and not unfrequently the
sharp fin of a shark was seen not very far from the boat. In the midst
of the excruciating torments of thirst, heightened by the salt water,
and the irritable temper of the bowman, as he stamped his impatient
feet against the bottom boards, and tore his hair with unfeeling
indifference, he suddenly stopped the expression of rage and called
out--"a sail!"
Whilst they stood watching in silence the approach of the brig, which
slowly made her way through the water, and at the very instant that
they were assuring each other that they were seen, and that the vessel
was purposely steered on the course she was keeping, to reach them,
the whole fabric of hope was destroyed in a second; the brig kept away
about three points, and began to make more sail. Then was it an awful
moment; their countenances saddened as they looked at each other; for
in vain they hailed, in vain they threw their jackets in the air; it
was evident they had never been seen, and that the brig was steering
her proper course.
The time was slipping away, and if once they got abaft the beam of the
brig, every second would lessen the chance of being seen, besides, the
sea breeze might come down, and then she would be far away, and beyond
all hope in a quarter of an hour. Now was it, that the man who had
been so loudly lamenting his fate, seemed suddenly inspired with fresh
hope and courage, he looked attentively at the brig, then at his
companion, and said "by heaven I'll do it, or we are lost!" "Do what?"
said his shipmate. "Though," said the first man, "it is no trifle to
do, after what we have seen and known; yet I will try, for if she
passes us, what can we do? I tell you Jack, I'll swim to her, if I get
safe to her, you are saved, if not, why I shall die without adding,
perhaps, murder to my crimes." "What! jump overboard, and leave me all
alone!" replied his companion, "look, look at that shark, which has
followed us all night, why it is only waiting for you to get into the
water to swallow you, as it did perhaps half of our messmates; no, no,
wait, do wait, perhaps another vessel may come, besides, I cannot swim
half the distance, and I should be afraid to remain behind, think,
Tom, only think of the sharks and of last night."
He jumped overboard with as much calmness as if he was bathing in
security. No sooner had he began to strike out in the direction he
intended, than his companion turned towards the sharks. The first had
disappeared, and it was evident they had heard the splash, and would
soon follow their prey. It is hard to say who suffered the most
anxiety. The one left in the boat cheered his companion, looked at the
brig, and kept waving his jacket, then turned to watch the sharks; his
horror may be imagined when he saw three of these terrific monsters
swim past the boat, exactly in the direction of his companion; he
splashed his jacket in the water to scare them away, but they seemed
quite aware of the impotency of the attack, and lazily pursued their
course. The man swam well and strongly. There was no doubt he would
pass within hail of the brig, provided the sharks did not interfere,
and he, knowing that they would not be long in following him, kept
kicking in the water and splashing as he swam. There is no fish more
cowardly, and yet more desperately savage than a shark. I have seen
one harpooned twice, with a hook in his jaws, and come again to a
fresh bait, yet will they suffer themselves to be scared by the
smallest noise, and hardly ever take their prey without it is quite
still. Generally speaking, any place surrounded by rocks where the
surf breaks, although there may be no passage for a ship, will be
secure from sharks. It was not until a great distance had been
accomplished, that the swimmer became apprized of his danger, and saw
by his side one of the terrific creatures; still however, he bravely
swam and kicked, his mind was made up for the worst, and he had little
hope of success. In the meantime the breeze had gradually freshened,
and the brig passed with greater velocity through the water; every
stitch of canvas was spread. To the poor swimmer the sails seemed
bursting with the breeze, and as he used his utmost endeavor to propel
himself so as to cut off the vessel, the spray appeared to dash from
the bow and the brig to fly through the sea. He was now close enough
to hope his voice might be heard; but he hailed and hailed in vain,
not a soul was to be seen on deck; the man who steered was too intent
upon his avocation to listen to the call of mercy. The brig passed,
and the swimmer was every second getting further in the distance,
every hope was gone, not a ray of that bright divinity remained; the
fatigue had nearly exhausted him, and the sharks only waited for the
first quiet moment to swallow their victim. It was in vain he thought
of returning towards the boat, for he never could have reached her,
and his companion had no means of assisting him. In the act of
offering up his last prayer ere he made up his mind to float and be
eaten, he saw a man looking over the quarter of the brig; he raised
both his hands, he jumped himself up in the water, and by the
singularity of his motions, fortunately attracted notice. A telescope
soon made clear the object; the brig was hove to, a boat sent, and the
man saved. The attention of the crew was then awakened to the Magpie's
boat; she was soon alongside, and thus through the bold exertions of
as gallant a fellow as ever breathed, both were rescued from their
perilous situation.
ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON,
WHO, AFTER ESCAPING FROM PIRATES, LIVED SIXTEEN MONTHS IN SOLITUDE ON
A DESOLATE ISLAND.
On Friday the 15th of June 1722, after being out some time in a
schooner with four men and a boy, off Cape Sable, I stood in for Port
Rossaway, designing to lie there all Sunday. Having arrived about four
in the afternoon, we saw, among other vessels which had reached the
port before us, a brigantine supposed to be inward bound from the West
Indies. After remaining three or four hours at anchor, a boat from the
brigantine came alongside, with four hands, who leapt on deck, and
suddenly drawing out pistols, and brandishing cutlasses, demanded the
surrender both of ourselves and our vessel. All remonstrance was vain;
nor indeed, had we known who they were before boarding us, could we
have made any effectual resistance, being only five men and a boy,
and were thus under the necessity of submitting at discretion. We were
not single in misfortune, as thirteen or fourteen fishing-vessels were
in like manner surprised the same evening.
When carried on board the brigantine, I found myself in the hands of
Ned Low, an infamous pirate, whose vessel had two great guns, four
swivels, and about forty-two men. I was strongly urged to sign the
articles of agreement among the pirates, and to join their number,
which I steadily refused, and suffered much bad usage in consequence.
At length being conducted, along with five of the prisoners, to the
quarter-deck, Low came up to us with pistols in his hand, and loudly
demanded, "Are any of you married men?" This unexpected question,
added to the sight of the pistols, struck us all speechless; we were
alarmed lest there was some secret meaning in his words, and that he
would proceed to extremities, therefore none could reply. In a violent
passion he cocked a pistol, and clapping it to my head, cried out,
"You dog, why don't you answer?" swearing vehemently at the same time
that he would shoot me through the head. I was sufficiently terrified
by his threats and fierceness, but rather than lose my life in so
trifling a matter, I ventured to pronounce, as loud as I durst speak,
that I was not married. Hereupon he seemed to be somewhat pacified,
and turned away.
It appeared that Low was resolved to take no married men whatever,
which often seemed surprising to me until I had been a considerable
time with him. But his own wife had died lately before he became a
pirate; and he had a young child at Boston, for whom he entertained
such tenderness, on every lucid interval from drinking and revelling,
that, on mentioning it, I have seen him sit down and weep plentifully.
Thus I concluded, that his reason for taking only single men, was
probably, that they might have no ties, such as wives and children, to
divert them from his service, and render them desirous of returning
home.
The pirates finding force of no avail in compelling us to join them,
began to use persuasion instead of it. They tried to flatter me into
compliance, by setting before me the share I should have in their
spoils, and the riches which I should become master of; and all the
time eagerly importuned me to drink along with them. But I still
continued to resist their proposals, whereupon Low, with equal fury as
before, threatened to shoot me through the head; and though I
earnestly entreated my release, he and his people wrote my name, and
that of my companions, in their books.
On the 19th of June, the pirates changed the privateer, as they called
their vessel, and went into a new schooner belonging to Marblehead,
which they had captured. They then put all the prisoners, whom they
designed sending home, on board of the brigantine, and sent her to
Boston, which induced me to make another unsuccessful attempt for
liberty; but though I fell on my knees to Low, he refused to let me
go: thus I saw the brigantine depart, with the whole captives,
excepting myself and seven more.
Very short time before she departed, I had nearly effected my escape;
for a dog belonging to Low being accidentally left on shore, he
ordered some hands into a boat to bring it off. Thereupon two young
men, captives, both belonging to Marblehead, readily leapt into the
boat, and I considering, that if I could once get on shore, means
might be found of effecting my escape, endeavored to go along with
them. But the quarter-master, called Russel, catching hold of my
shoulder, drew me back. As the young men did not return, he thought I
was privy to their plot, and, with the most outrageous oaths, snapped
his pistol, on my denying all knowledge of it. The pistol missing
fire, however, only served to enrage him the more: he snapped it three
times again, and as often it missed fire; on which he held it
overboard, and then it went off. Russel on this drew his cutlass, and
was about to attack me in the utmost fury, when I leapt down into the
hold and saved myself.
Off St. Michael's the pirates took a large Portuguese pink, laden with
wheat, coming out of the road; and being a good sailor, and carrying
14 guns, transferred their company into her. It afterwards became
necessary to careen her, whence they made three islands, called
Triangles, lying about 40 leagues to the eastward of Surinam.
In heaving down the pink, Low had ordered so many men to the shrouds
and yards, that the ports, by her heeling, got under water, and the
sea rushing in, she overset: he and the doctor were then in the cabin,
and as soon as he observed the water gushing in, he leaped out of the
stern port, while the doctor attempted to follow him. But the violence
of the sea repulsed the latter, and he was forced back into the cabin.
Low, however, contrived to thrust his arm into the port, and dragging
him out, saved his life. Meanwhile, the vessel completely overset.
Her keel turned out of the water; but as the hull filled, she sunk, in
the depth of about six fathoms.
The yard-arms striking the ground, forced the masts somewhat above the
water; as the ship overset, the people got from the shrouds and yards,
upon the hull, and as the hull went down, they again resorted to the
rigging, rising a little out of the sea.
Being an indifferent swimmer, I was reduced to great extremity; for,
along with other light lads, I had been sent up to the main-top-gallant
yard; and the people of a boat, who were now occupied in preserving the
men refusing to take me in, I was compelled to attempt reaching the
buoy. This I luckily accomplished, and as it was large secured myself
there until the boat approached. I once more requested the people to
take me in, but they still refused, as the boat was full. I was
uncertain whether they designed leaving me to perish in this situation:
however, the boat being deeply laden, made way very slowly, and one of
my comrades, captured at the same time with myself, calling to me to
forsake the buoy and swim towards her, I assented, and reaching the
boat, he drew me on board. Two men, John Bell, and Zana Gourdon, were
lost in the pink.
Though the schooner in company was very near at hand, her people were
employed mending their sails under an awning, and knew nothing of the
accident until the boat full of men, got alongside.
The pirates having thus lost their principal vessel, and the greatest
part of their provisions and water, were reduced to great extremities
for want of the latter. They were unable to get a supply at the
Triangles, nor on account of calms and currents, could they make the
island of Tobago. Thus they were forced to stand for Grenada, which
they reached, after being on short allowance for sixteen days
together.
Grenada was a French settlement, and Low, on arriving, after having
sent all his men, except a sufficient number to manoeuvre the vessel,
below, said he was from Barbadoes; that he had lost the water on
board, and was obliged to put in here for a supply.
The people entertained no suspicion of his being a pirate, but
afterwards supposing him a smuggler, thought it a good opportunity to
make a prize of his vessel. Next day, therefore, they equipped a large
sloop of 70 tons, and four guns, with about 30 hands, as sufficient
for the capture, and came alongside, while Low was quite unsuspicious
of their design. But this being evidently betrayed by their number
and actions, he quickly called 90 men on deck, and, having 8 guns
mounted, the French sloop became an easy prey.
Provided with these two vessels, the pirates cruised about in the West
Indies, taking seven or eight prizes, and at length arrived at the
island of Santa Cruz, where they captured two more. While lying there,
Low thought he stood in need of a medicine chest, and, in order to
procure one, sent four Frenchmen, in a vessel he had taken, to St.
Thomas's, about twelve leagues distant, with money to purchase it;
promising them liberty, and the return of all their vessels, for the
service. But he declared at the same time, if it proved otherwise, he
would kill the rest of the men, and burn the vessels. In little more
than twenty-four hours, the Frenchmen returned with the object of
their mission, and Low punctually performed his promise by restoring
the vessels.
Having sailed for the Spanish American settlements, the pirates
descried two large ships, about half way between Carthagena and
Portobello, which proved to be the Mermaid, an English man-of-war, and
a Guineaman. They approached in chase until discovering the
man-of-war's great range of teeth, when they immediately put about,
and made the best of their way off. The man-of-war then commenced the
pursuit, and gained upon them apace, and I confess that my terrors
were now equal to any that I had previously suffered; for I concluded
that we should certainly be taken, and that I should no less certainly
be hanged for company's sake: so true are the words of Solomon, "A
companion of fools shall be destroyed." But the two pirate vessels
finding themselves outsailed, separated, and Farrington Spriggs, who
commanded the schooner in which I was, stood in for the shore. The
Mermaid observing the sloop with Low himself to be the larger of the
two, crowded all sail, and continued gaining still more, indeed until
her shot flew over; but one of the sloop's crew shewed Low a shoal,
which he could pass, and in the pursuit the man-of-war grounded. Thus
the pirates escaped hanging on this occasion.
Spriggs and one of his chosen companions dreading the consequences of
being captured and brought to justice, laid their pistols beside them
in the interval, and pledging a mutual oath in a bumper of liquor,
swore, if they saw no possibility of escape, to set foot to foot, and
blow out each other's brains. But standing towards the shore, they
made Pickeroon Bay, and escaped the danger.
Next we repaired to a small island called Utilla, about seven or
eight leagues to leeward of the island of Roatan, in the Bay of
Honduras, where the bottom of the schooner was cleaned. There were now
twenty-two persons on board, and eight of us engaged in a plot to
overpower our masters, and make our escape. Spriggs proposed sailing
for New England, in quest of provisions, and to increase his company;
and we intended on approaching the coast, when the rest had indulged
freely in liquor, and fallen sound asleep, to secure them under the
hatches, and then deliver ourselves up to government.
Although our plot was carried on with all possible privacy, Spriggs
had somehow or other got intelligence of it; and having fallen in with
Low on the voyage, went on board his ship to make a furious
declaration against us. But Low made little account of his
information, otherwise it might have been fatal to most of our number.
Spriggs, however, returned raging to the schooner, exclaiming, that
four of us should go forward to be shot, and to me in particular he
said, "You dog Ashton, you deserve to be hanged up at the yard-arm for
designing to cut us off." I replied, "that I had no intention of
injuring any man on board; but I should be glad if they would allow me
to go away quietly." At length this flame was quenched, and, through
the goodness of God, I escaped destruction.
Roatan harbour, as all about the Bay of Honduras, is full of small
islands, which pass under the general name of Keys; and having got in
here, Low, with some of his chief men, landed on a small island, which
they called Port Royal Key. There they erected huts, and continued
carousing, drinking, and firing, while the different vessels, of which
they now had possession, were repairing.
On Saturday the 9th of March 1723, the cooper, with six hands, in the
long-boat, was going ashore for water; and coming alongside of the
schooner, I requested to be of the party. Seeing him hesitate, I urged
that I had never hitherto been ashore, and thought it hard to be so
closely confined, when every one besides had the liberty of landing as
there was occasion. Low had before told me, on requesting to be sent
away in some of the captured vessels which he dismissed, that I should
go home when he did, and swore that I should never previously set my
foot on land. But now I considered, if I could possibly once get on
terra firma, though in ever such bad circumstances, I should account
it a happy deliverance, and resolved never to embark again.
The cooper at length took me into the long-boat, while Low, and his
chief people, were on a different island from Roatan, where the
watering place lay; my only clothing was an Osnaburgh frock and
trowsers, a milled cap, but neither shirt, shoes, stockings, nor any
thing else.
When we first landed, I was very active in assisting to get the casks
out of the boat, and in rolling them to the watering-place. Then
taking a hearty draught of water, I strolled along the beach, picking
up stones and shells; but on reaching the distance of a musket-shot
from the party, I began to withdraw towards the skirts of the woods.
In answer to a question by the cooper of whither I was going? I
replied, "for cocoa nuts, as some cocoa trees were just before me;"
and as soon as I was out of sight of my companions, I took to my
heels, running as fast as the thickness of the bushes and my naked
feet would admit. Notwithstanding I had got a considerable way into
the woods, I was still so near as to hear the voices of the party if
they spoke loud, and I lay close in a thicket where I knew they could
not find me.