He was born at Plymouth, where his mother kept a public house. She took
great care of his education, and when he was grown up, as he had an
inclination to the sea, procured him the king’s letter. After he had
served some years on board a man of war, he went to Barbadoes, where he
married, got into the merchant service, and designed to settle in the
island. He had the command of the Marygold brigantine given him, in
which he made two successful voyages to Guinea and back to Barbadoes. In
his third, he had the misfortune to be taken by a French pirate, as were
several other English ships, the masters and inferior officers of which
they detained, being in want of good artists. The brigantine belonging
to White, they kept for their own use, and sunk the vessel they before
sailed in; but meeting with a ship on the Guinea coast more fit for
their purpose, they went on board her, and burnt the brigantine.
It is not my business here to give an account of this French pirate, any
farther than Capt. White’s story obliges me, though I beg leave to take
notice of their barbarity to the English prisoners, for they would set
them up as a butt or mark to shoot at; several of whom were thus
murdered in cool blood, by way of diversion.
White was marked out for a sacrifice by one of these villains, who, for
I know not what reason, had sworn his death which he escaped thus. One
of the crew, who had a friendship for White, knew this fellow’s design
to kill him in the night, and therefore advised him to lie between him
and the ship’s side, with intention to save him; which indeed he did,
but was himself shot dead by the murderous villain, who mistook him for
White.
After some time cruising along the coast, the pirates doubled the Cape
of Good Hope, and shaped their course for Madagascar, where, being drunk
and mad, they knocked their ship on the head, at the south end of the
island, at a place called by the natives Elexa. The country thereabouts
was governed by a king, named Mafaly.
When the ship struck, Capt. White, Capt. Boreman, (born in the Isle of
Wight, formerly a lieutenant of a man of war, but in the merchant’s
service when he fell into the hands of the pirates) Capt. Bowen and some
other prisoners, got into the long-boat, and with broken oars and barrel
staves, which they found in the bottom of the boat, paddled to Augustin
Bay, which is about 14 or 15 leagues from the wreck, where they landed,
and were kindly received by the king of Bavaw (the name of that part of
the island) who spoke good English.
They stayed here a year and a half at the king’s expense, who gave them
a plentiful allowance of provision, as was his custom to all white men,
who met with any misfortune on his coast. His humanity not only provided
for such, but the first European vessel that came in, he always obliged
to take in the unfortunate people, let the vessel be what it would; for
he had no notion of any difference between pirates and merchants.
At the expiration of the above term, a pirate brigantine came in, on
board which the king obliged them to enter, or travel by land to some
other place, which they durst not do; and of two evils chose the least,
that of going on board the pirate vessel which was commanded by one
William Read, who received them very civilly.
This commander went along the coast, and picked up what Europeans he
could meet with. His crew, however, did not exceed forty men. He would
have been glad of taking on board some of the wrecked Frenchmen, but for
the barbarity they had used towards the English prisoners. However, it
was impracticable, for the French pretending to lord it over the
natives, whom they began to treat inhumanly, were set upon by them, one
half of their number cut off, and the other half made slaves.
Read, with this gang, and a brigantine of 60 tons, steered his course
for the gulf of Persia, where they met a grab (a one masted vessel) of
about 200 tons, which was made prize. They found nothing on board but
bale goods, most of which they threw overboard to search for gold, and
to make room in the vessel; but as they learned afterwards, they threw
over, in their search, what they so greedily hunted after, for there was
a considerable quantity of gold concealed in one of the bales they
tossed into the sea.
In this cruise Capt. Read fell ill and died, and was succeeded by one
James. The brigantine being small, crazy, and worm-eaten, they shaped
their course for the island of Mayotta, where they took out the masts of
the brigantine, fitted up the grab, and made a ship of her. Here they
took in a quantity of fresh provisions, which are in this island very
plentiful, and very cheap; and found a twelve oared boat, which formerly
belonged to the Ruby East-Indiamen, which had been lost there.
They stayed here all the monsoon time, which is about six months; after
which they resolved for Madagascar. As they came in with the land, they
spied a sail coming round from the East side of the island. They gave
chase on both sides, so that they soon met. They hailed each other, and
receiving the same answer from each vessel, viz. _from the seas_, they
joined company.
This vessel was a small French ship, laden with liquors from Martinico,
first commanded by one Fourgette, to trade with the pirates for slaves,
at Ambonawoula, on the East side of the island, in the lat. of 17
degrees 30 minutes and was by them taken after the following manner.
The pirates, who were headed by George Booth, now commander of the ship,
went on board (as they had often done) to the number of ten, and carried
money with them, under pretence of purchasing what they wanted. This
Booth had formerly been gunner of a pirate ship, called the Dolphin.
Capt. Fourgette was pretty much upon his guard, and searched every man
as he came over the side, and a pair of pocket pistols were found upon a
Dutchman, who was the first entered. The captain told him, _he was a
rogue, and had a design upon his ship_, and the pirates pretended to be
so angry with this fellow’s offering to come on board with arms, that
they threatened to knock him on the head, and tossingly him rough into
the boat, ordered him ashore, though they had before taken an oath on
the bible, either to carry the ship or die in the undertaking.
They were all searched, but they however contrived to get on board four
pistols, which were all the arms they had for the enterprise, though
Fourgette had 20 hands on board, and his small arms on the awning, to be
in readiness.
The captain invited them into the cabin to dinner, but Booth chose to
dine with the petty officer though one Johnson, Isaac, and another, went
down. Booth was to give the watch-word, which was _hurrah_. Standing
near the awning, and being a nimble fellow, at one spring threw himself
upon it, drew the arms to him, fired his pistol forward among the men,
one of whom he wounded, (who jumping overboard was lost) and gave the
signal.
Three, I said, were in the cabin, and seven upon deck, who with
handspikes and the arms seized, secured the ship’s crew. The captain and
his two mates, who were at dinner in the cabin, hearing the pistol, fell
upon Johnson, and stabbed him in several places with their forks, but
they being silver did him no great damage. Fourgette snatched his piece,
which he snapped at Isaac’s breast several times, but it would not go
off. At last, finding his resistance vain, he submitted, and the pirates
set him, and those of his men, who would not join them, on shore,
allowing him to take his books, papers, and whatever else he claimed as
belonging to him self; and besides treating him very humanely, gave him
several casks of liquor, with arms and powder to purchase provisions in
the country.
I hope this digression, as it was in a manner needful, will be excused.
I shall now proceed.
After they had taken in the Dolphin’s company, which were on the island,
and increased their crew, by that means, to the number of 80 hands, they
sailed to St. Mary’s, where Capt. Mosson’s ship lay at anchor, between
the island and the main. This gentleman and his whole ship’s company had
been cut off, at the instigation of Ort Van Tyle, a Dutchman of
New-York.
Out of her they took water casks and other necessaries; which having
done, they designed for the river Methelage. On the west side of
Madagascar, in the lat. of 16 degrees or thereabouts, to salt up
provisions and to proceed to the East-Indies, cruise off the islands of
St. John, and lie in wait for the Moor ships from Mocha.
In their way to Methelage they fell in (as I have said) with the pirate,
on board of which was Capt. White. They joined company, came to an
anchor together in the above named river, where they had cleaned,
salted, and taken in their provisions, and were ready to go to sea, when
a large ship appeared in sight, and stood into the same river.
The pirates knew not whether she was a merchantman or man of war. She
had been the latter, belonging to the French king, and could mount 50
guns; but being taken by the English, she was bought by some London
merchants, and fitted out from that port to slave at Madagascar, and go
to Jamaica. The captain was a young, inexperienced man, who was put in
with a nurse.
The pirates sent their boats to speak with them, but the ship firing at
them, they concluded it a man of war, and rowed ashore; the grab
standing in, and not keeping her wind so well as the French built ship,
run among a parcel of mangroves, and a stump piercing her bottom, she
sunk: the other run aground, let go her anchor, and came to no damage,
for the tide of flood fetched her off.
The captain of the Speaker, for that was the name of the ship which
frightened the pirates, was not a little vain of having forced these two
vessels ashore, though he did not know whether they were pirates or
merchantmen, and could not help expressing himself in these words: “How
will my name ring on the exchange, when it is known I have run two
pirates aground;” which gave handle to a satirical return from one of
his men after he was taken, who said, “Lord! how our captain’s name will
ring on the exchange; when it is heard, he frightened two pirate ships
ashore, and was taken by their two boats afterwards.”
When the Speaker came within shot, she fired several times at the two
vessels; and when she came to an anchor, several more into the country,
which alarmed the negroes, who, acquainting their king, he would allow
him no trade, till the pirates living ashore, and who had a design on
his ship, interceded for them, telling the king, they were their
countrymen, and what had happened was through a mistake, it being a
custom among them to fire their guns by way of respect, and it was owing
to the gunner of the ship’s negligence that they fired shot.
The captain of the Speaker sent his purser ashore, to go up the country
to the king, who lived about 24 miles from the coast, to carry a couple
of small arms inlaid with gold, a couple of brass blunderbusses, and a
pair of pistols, as presents, and to require trade. As soon as the
purser was ashore, he was taken prisoner, by one Tom Collins, a
Welchman, born in Pembroke, who lived on shore, and had belonged to the
Charming Mary, of Barbadoes, which went out with a commission but was
converted to a pirate. He told the purser he was his prisoner, and must
answer the damage done to merchants who were slaving. The purser
answered, that he was not commander; that the captain was a hot rash
youth, put into business by his friends, which he did not understand;
but however, satisfaction should be made. He was carried by Collins on
board Booth’s ship, where, at first, he was talked to in pretty strong
terms; but after a while very civilly used, and the next morning sent up
to the king with a guide, and peace made for him.
The king allowed them trade, and sent down the usual presents, a couple
of oxen between twenty and thirty people laden with rice, and as many
more with the country liquor, called _toke_.
The captain then settled the factory on the shore side, and began to buy
slaves and provisions. The pirates were among them, and had
opportunities of sounding the men, and knowing in what posture the ship
lay. They found by one Hugh Man, belonging to the Speaker, that there
were not above 40 men on board, and that they had lost the second mate
and 20 hands in the long-boat, on the coast, before they came into this
harbour, but that they kept a good look out, and had their guns ready
primed. However, he, for a hundred pounds, undertook to wet all the
priming, and assist in taking the ship.
After some days the captain of the Speaker came on shore, and was
received with a great deal of civility by the heads of the pirates,
having agreed before to make satisfaction. In a day or two after, he was
invited by them to eat a barbecued shoat, which invitation he accepted.
After dinner, Capt. Bowen, who was, I have already said, a prisoner on
board the French pirate, but now become one of the fraternity, and
master of the grab, went out, and returned with a case of pistols in his
hand, and told the captain of the Speaker, whose name I won’t mention,
that he was his prisoner. He asked, upon what account? Bowen answered,
“they wanted a ship, his was a good one, and they were resolved to have
her, to make amends for the damage he had done them.”
In the mean while his boat’s crew, and the rest of his men ashore, were
told by others of the pirates, who were drinking with them, that they
were also prisoners: some of them answered, _Zound’, we don’t trouble
our heads what we are, let’s have t’other bowl of punch_.
A watch word was given, and no boat to be admitted on board the ship.
This word, which was for that night, _Coventry_, was known to them. At 8
o’clock they manned the twelve-oared boat, and the one they found at
Mayotta, with 24 men, and set out for the ship. When they were put off,
the captain of the Speaker desired them to come back as he wanted to
speak with them. Capt. Booth asked what he wanted! He said, “they could
never take his ship.” “Then,” said Booth, “we’ll die in or along side of
her.”—“But,” replied the captain, “if you will go with safety, don’t
board on the larboard side for there is a gun out of the steerage loaded
with partridge, which will clear the decks.” They thanked him, and
proceeded.
When they were near the ship they were hailed, and the answer was, _the
Coventry_. “All well,” said the mate, “get the lights over the side;”
but spying the second boat, he asked what boat that was? One answered,
it was a raft of water; another that it was a boat of beef; this
disagreement in the answers made the mate suspicious, who cried
out—_Pirates, take to your arms my lads_, and immediately clapped a
match to a gun, which, as the priming was before wet by the treachery of
Hugh Man, only fizzed. They boarded in the instant, and made themselves
masters of her, without the loss of a man on either side.
The next day they put necessary provisions on board the French built
ship, and gave her to the captain of the Speaker, and those men who
would go off with him, among whom was Man, who had betrayed his ship;
for the pirates had both paid him the £100 agreed, and kept his secret.
The captain having thus lost his ship, sailed in that which the pirates
gave him, for Johanna, where he fell ill and died with grief.
The pirates having here victualled, they sailed for the Bay of St.
Augustine where they took in between 70 and 80 men, who had belonged to
the ship Alexander commanded by Capt. James, a pirate. They also took up
her guns, and mounted the Speaker with 54, which made up their number
240 men, besides slaves, of which they had about 20.
From hence they sailed for the East-Indies, but stopped at Zanguebar for
fresh provisions, where the Portuguese had once a settlement, but now
inhabited by Arabians. Some of them went ashore with the captain to buy
provisions. The captain was sent for by the governor, who went with
about 14 in company. They passed through the guard, and when they had
entered the governor’s house, they were all cut off; and, at the same
time, others who where in different houses of the town were set upon,
which made them fly to the shore. The long-boat, which lay off a
grappling, was immediately put in by those who looked after her. There
were not above half a dozen of the pirates who brought their arms
ashore, but they plied them so well, for they were in the boat, that
most of the men got into her. The quarter-master ran down sword in hand,
and though he was attacked by many, he behaved himself so well, that he
got into a little canoe, put off, and reached the long-boat.
In the interim, the little fort the Arabians had played upon the ship,
which returned the salute very warmly. Thus they got on board, with the
loss of Capt. Booth and 20 men, and set sail for the East-Indies. When
they were under sail, they went to voting for a new captain, and the
quarter-master, who had behaved so well in the last affair with the
Arabians, was chosen; but he declining all command, the crew made choice
of Bowen for captain Pickering to succeed him as master, Samuel Herault,
a Frenchman, for quarter-master, and Nathaniel North for captain
quarter-master.
Things being thus settled, they came to the mouth of the Red Sea, and
fell in with 13 sail of Moor ships, which they kept company with the
greater part of the day, but afraid to venture on them, as they took
them for Portuguese men of war At length part were for boarding, and
advised it. The captain though he said little, did not seem inclined,
far he was but a young pirate, though an old commander of a merchantman.
Those who pushed for boarding, then desired Capt. Boremen, already
mentioned, to take the command; but he said he would not be an usurper;
that nobody was more fit for it than he who had it; that for his part he
would stand by his fuzil, and went forward to the forecastle with such
as would have him take the command, to be ready to board; on which, the
captain’s quarter-master said, if they were resolved to engage, their
captain, (whose representative he was) did not want resolution;
therefore ordered them to get their tacks on board (for they had already
made a clear ship) and get ready for boarding; which they accordingly
did, and coming up with the sternmost ship, they fired a broadside into
her, which killed two Moors, clapped her on board and carried her; but
night coming on, they made only this prize, which yielded them £500 per
man. From hence they sailed to the coast of Malabar. The adventures of
these pirates on this coast are already set down in Captain Bowen’s
life, to which I refer the reader, and shall only observe, that Capt.
White was all this time before the mast, being a forced man from the
beginning.
Bowen’s crew dispersing, Capt. White went to Methelage, where he lived
ashore with the King not having an opportunity of getting off the
island, till another pirate ship, called the Prosperous, commanded by
one Howard, who had been bred a lighterman on the river Thames, came in.
This ship was taken at Augustin, by some pirates from shore, and the
crew of their own long-boat, which joined them, at the instigation of
one Ranten, boatswain’s mate, who sent for water. They came on board in
the night and surprised her, though not without resistance, in which the
captain and chief mate were killed, and several others wounded.
Those who were ashore with Capt. White, resolving to enter in this ship,
determined him to go also, rather than be left alone with the natives,
hoping, by some accident or other, to have an opportunity of returning
home. He continued on board this ship, in which he was made
quarter-master, till they met with, and all went on board of Bowen, as
is set down in his life, in which ship he continued after Bowen left
them. At Port Dolphin he went off in the boats to fetch some of the crew
left ashore, the ship being blown to sea the night before. The ship not
being able to get in, and he supposing her gone to the west side of the
island, as they had formerly proposed, he steered that course in his
boat with 26 men. They touched at Augustin, expecting the ship, but she
not appearing in a week, the time they waited, the king ordered them to
be gone, telling them they imposed on him with lies, for he did not
believe they had any ship: however he gave them fresh provision: they
took in water, and made for Methelage. Here as Capt. White was known to
the king, they were kindly received, and stayed about a fortnight in
expectation of the ship, but she not appearing, they raised their boat a
streak, salted the provision the king gave them, put water aboard, and
stood for the north end of the island, designing to go round, believing
their ship might be at the island of St. Mary. When they came to the
north end, the current, which sets to the N. W. for eight months in the
year, was so strong they found it impossible to get round. Wherefore
they got into a harbour, of which there are many for small vessels. Here
they stayed about three weeks or a month, when part of the crew were for
burning the boat, and travelling over land to a black king of their
acquaintance, who name was Reberimbo, who lived at a place called
Manangaromasigh, in lat. 15 deg. or thereabouts. As this king had been
several times assisted by the whites in his wars, he was a great friend
to them. Capt. White dissuaded them from this undertaking, and with much
ado, saved the boat; but one half of the men being resolved to go by
land, they took what provisions they thought necessary, and set out.
Capt. White, and those who stayed with him, convoyed them a day’s
journey, and then returning, he got into the boat with his companions,
and went back to Methelage, fearing these men might return, prevail with
the rest, and burn the boat.
Here he built a deck on his boat, and lay by three months, in which time
there came in three pirates with a boat, who had formerly been trepanned
on board the Severn and Scarborough men of war, which had been looking
for pirates on the east side; from which ships they made their escape at
Mohila, in a small canoe to Johanna, and from Johanna to Mayotta, where
the king built them the boat which brought them to Methelage. The time
of the current’s setting with violence to the N. W. being over, they
proceeded together in White’s boat (burning that of Mayotta) to the
north end, where the current running yet too strong to get round, they
went into a harbour and stayed there a month, maintaining themselves
with fish and wild hogs, of which there was a great plenty. At length,
having fine weather, and the strength of the current abating, they got
round; and after sailing about 40 miles on the east side, they went into
a harbour, where they found a piece of a jacket, which they knew
belonged to one of those men who had left them to go over land. He had
been a forced man, and a ship carpenter. This they supposed he had torn
to wrap round his feet: that part of the country being barren and rocky.
As they sailed along this coast, they came to an anchor in convenient
harbours every night, till they got as far as Manangaromasigh, where
king Reberimbo resided, where they went in to inquire for their men, who
left them at the north end, and to recruit with provisions. The latter
was given them, but they could get no information of their companions.
From hence they went to the island of St. Mary, where a canoe came off
to them with a letter directed to any white man. They knew it to be the
hand of one of their former ship-mates. The contents of this letter was
to advise them to be on their guard, and not trust too much to the
blacks of this place, they having been formerly treacherous. They
inquired after their ship, and were informed, that the company had given
her to the Moors, who were gone away with her, and that they themselves
were settled at Amboynavoula, about 20 leagues to the southward of St.
Mary, where they lived among the negroes as so many sovereign princes.
One of the blacks, who brought off the letter went on board their boat,
carried them to the place called Olumbah, a point of land made by a
river on one side, and the sea on the other, where twelve of them lived
together in a large house they had built, and fortified with about
twenty pieces of cannon.
The rest of them were settled in small companies of about 12 or 14
together, more or less, up the said river, and along the coast, every
nation by itself, as the English, French, Dutch &c. They made inquiry of
their consorts after the different prizes which belonged to them, and
they found all very justly laid by to be given them, if ever they
returned, as were what belonged to the men who went over land. Capt.
White, hankering after home, proposed going out again in the boat; for
he was averse to settling with them; and many others agreed to go under
his command; and if they could meet with a ship to carry them to Europe,
to follow their old vocation. But the others did not think it reasonable
he should have the boat, but that it should be set to sale for the
benefit of the company. Accordingly it was set up, and Capt. White
bought it for 400 pieces of eight, and with some of his old consorts,
whose number was increased by others of the ship’s crew, he went back
the way he had come to Methelage. Here he met with a French ship of
about 50 tons, and 6 guns, which had been taken by some pirates who
lived at Maratan, on the east side of the island, and some of the
Degrave East-Indiaman’s crew, to whom the master of her refused a
passage to Europe; for as he had himself been a pirate, and
quarter-master to Bowen, in the Speaker, he apprehended their taking
away his ship. War then subsisting between England and France, he
thought they might do it without being called in question as pirates.
The pirates who had been concerned in taking Herault’s ship, for that
was his name, had gone up the country, and left her to the men belonging
to the Degrave who had fitted her up, cleaned and tallowed her, and got
in some provision, with a design to go to the East-Indies, that they
might light on some ship to return to their own country.
Capt. White, finding these men proposed joining him, and going round to
Ambonavoula, to make up a company, it was agreed upon, and they
unanimously chose him commander. They accordingly put to sea, and stood
away round the south end of the island, and touched at Don Mascarenhas,
where he took in a surgeon, and stretching over again to Madagascar,
fell in with Ambonavoula, and made up his complement of 60 men. From
hence he shaped his course for the island of Mayotta, where he cleaned
his ship, and waited for the season to go into the Red Sea. His
provisions being taken in, the time proper, and the ship well fitted, he
steered for Babelmandel, and running into a harbour, waited for the
Mocha ships.
He here took two grabs laden with provisions, and having some small
money and drugs aboard. These he plundered of what was for his turn,
kept them a fortnight by him, and let them go. Soon after they spied a
lofty ship, upon which they put to sea; but finding her European built,
and too strong to attempt, for it was a Dutchman, they gave over the
chase, and were glad to shake him off, and return to their station.
Fancying they were here discovered, from the coast of Arabia, or that
the grabs had given information of them they stood over for the
Ethiopian shore, keeping a good look out for the Mocha ships. A few days
after, they met with a large ship of about 1000 tons and 600 men, called
the Malabar, which they chased, kept company with all night, and took in
the morning, with the loss of only their boatswain, and two or three men
wounded. In the taking this ship, they damaged their own so much, by
springing their foremast, carrying away their bowsprit, and beating in
part of their upper works, that they did not think her longer fit for
their use. They therefore filled her with prisoners, gave them provision
and sent them away.
Some days after this they spied a Portuguese man of war of 44 guns,
which they chased, but gave it over, by carrying away their
main-top-mast, so that they did not speak with her, for the Portuguese
took no notice of them. Four days after they had left this man of war,
they fell in with a Portuguese merchantman, which they chased with
English colours flying. The chase, taking White for an English man of
war or East-Indiaman, made no sail to get from him, but on his coming
up, brought to, and sent his boat on board with a present of sweet-meats
for the English captain. His boat’s crew was detained, and the pirates
getting into his boat with their arms, went on board, and fired on the
Portuguese, who being surprised, asked if war was broke out between
England and Portugal? They answered in the affirmative, but the captain
could not believe them. However they took what they liked, and kept him
with them.
After two days they met with the Dorothy, an English ship, Capt.
Penruddock, commander, coming from Mocha. They exchanged several shot in
the chase, but when they came along side of her, they entered their men,
and found no resistance, she being navigated by Moors, no Europeans,
except the officers being on board. On a vote, they gave Capt.
Penruddock (from whom they took a considerable quantity of money) the
Portuguese ship and cargo, with what bale he pleased to take out of his
own, bid him go about his business, and make what he could of her. As to
the English ship, they kept her for their own use.
Soon after, they plundered the Malabar ship, out of which they took as
much money as came to £200 sterling a man, but missed 50,000 sequins,
which were hid in a jar under a cow’s stall, kept for the giving milk to
the Moor supercargo, an ancient man. They then put the Portuguese and
Moor prisoners on board the Malabar, and sent them about their business.
The day after they had sent them away, one Capt. Benjamin Stacy, in a
ketch of 6 guns fell into their hands. They took what money he had, and
what goods and provisions they wanted. Among the money were 500 dollars,
a silver mug and two spoons belonging to a couple of children on board,
who were under the care of Stacy. The children took on for their loss,
and the captain asking the reason of their tears, was answered by Stacy,
that the above sum and plate was all the children had to bring them up.
Capt. White made a speech to his men, and told them it was cruel to rob
the innocent children; upon which, by unanimous consent, all was
restored them again. Besides, they made a gathering among themselves,
and made a present to Stacy’s mate, and other of his inferior officers,
and about 120 dollars to the children. They then discharged Stacy and
his crew, and made the best of their way out of the Red Sea.
They came into the bay of Defarr, where they found a ketch at anchor,
which the people had made prize of, by seizing the master and boat’s
crew ashore. They found a French gentleman, one Monsieur Berger, on
board, whom they carried with them, took out about 2000 dollars, and
sold the ketch to the chief ashore for provision.
Hence they sailed for Madagascar, but touched at Mascarenhas, where
several of them went ashore with their booty, about £1200 a man. Here
taking in fresh provisions, White steered for Madagascar, and fell in
with Hopeful Point where they shared their goods, and took up
settlements ashore, where White built a house, bought cattle, took off
the upper deck of his ship, and was fitting her up for the next season.
When she was near ready for sea, Capt. John Halsey, who had made a
broken voyage, came in with a brigantine, which being a more proper
vessel for their turn, they desisted from working on the ship, and those
who had a mind for fresh adventures, went on board Halsey among whom
Capt. White entered before the mast.
At his return to Madagascar, White was taken ill of a flux, which in
about five or six months ended his days. Finding his time was drawing
nigh, he made his will, left several legacies, and named three men of
different nations, guardian to a son he had by a woman of the country,
requiring he might be sent to England with the money he left him, by the
first English ship, to be brought up in the Christian religion, in hopes
he might live a better man than his father. He was buried with the same
ceremony they used at the funerals of their companions, which is
mentioned in the account of Halsey. Some years after, an English ship
touching there, the guardians faithfully discharged their trust, and put
him on board with the captain, who brought up the boy with care, acting
by him as became a man of probity and honour.