_Of the piracies and cruelties of John Augur, William Cunningham,
Dennis Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris,
George Bendall, and William Ling, who were tried, condemned, and
executed at Nassau, (N. P.) on Friday, the 10th of December, 1718.
Also, some account of the pirates, Vane, Rackham, and others._
About the 20th of July, 1718, Mr. Woodes Rogers, Governor and
Vice-Admiral of the Bahama Islands, being sent from England with the
king’s proclamation and pardon for all pirates who had surrendered by a
time specified in the said proclamation, arrived at Providence. It was
evening when the fleet came off the town of Nassau in the said island,
when Richard Turnley, the pilot, did not judge it safe to venture over
the bar that night, wherefore it was resolved to lay by till morning.
In the mean time, there came some men on board the fleet from off a
little island, called Harbour-Island, adjacent to Providence. The advice
they brought was, that there were near a thousand pirates on shore upon
the island of Providence, waiting for the king’s pardon, which had been
long expected. The principal part of their commanders were Benjamin
Hornygold, Arthur Davis, Joseph Burgess, Thomas Carter, and they were
all in or about the town of Nassau; that the fort was extremely out of
repair, there being only one gun mounted, a nine pounder, and no
accommodation for men, but one little hut or house, which was inhabited
by an old fellow, whom the pirates, in derision, called Governor Sawney.
The fleet was seen from the harbour, as well as the town, so that Capt.
Charles Vane, who had no design of surrendering, but, on the contrary,
had fitted out his ship with a resolution of attempting new adventures,
took the advantage of the night to contrive his escape; and though the
harbour was blocked up, and his ship drew too much water to get out by
the east passage, he shifted his hands, and things of most value, into a
lighter vessel, and charging all the guns of the ship he quitted, with
double, round and partridge, he set her on fire, imagining that some of
the ships, or their boats, might be sent near him, and he might do some
mischief when it should burn down to them.
Those in the fleet saw the light, and heard the guns, and fancied the
pirates on shore were making bonfires, and firing guns for joy that the
king’s free pardon had arrived; and Capt. Whitney, commander of the Rose
man of war, sent his boat with a lieutenant on shore, which was
intercepted by Vane, who carried the crew on board and stripped them of
some stores they had in the boat. He kept them till he got under sail,
which was till day-break, when there was light enough for him to see how
to steer his way through the east passage; which was no sooner done but
he hoisted a black flag, and fired a gun, and then let the lieutenant
and boat’s crew depart and join the fleet.
The fleet got safe into the harbour, and as soon as the lieutenant
arrived on board, and related what had passed, the Buck sloop was
ordered to chase Vane. She made what sail she could through the east
passage after him, having a recruit of men well armed sent to her from
the other ships; but being heavily laden with rich goods, Vane had the
heels of her, which the commodore observing, made a signal for her to
give up the chase and return, which she did accordingly.
They immediately fell to mooring and securing their ships, which took up
the time till night. Next morning the governor went on shore, being
received at his landing by the principal people in the government of the
place, viz. Thomas Walker, Esq. Chief Justice, and Thomas Taylor, Esq.
President of the Council. The pirate captains, Hornygold, Davis, Carter,
Burgess, Currant, and Clark, with some others, drew up their crews in
two lines, reaching from the water side to the fort, the governor and
other officers marching between them. In the mean time, being under
arms, they made a running fire over his head.
Having arrived at the fort, his commission was opened and read, and he
was sworn in governor of the island, according to form.
The next day the governor made out a commission to Richard Turnley, the
chief pilot, to Mr. Salter, a factor, and some others, to go on board
and examine all suspected ships and vessels in the harbour, to take an
inventory of their several ladings, and to secure both ships and cargoes
for the use of the king and company, till such time as a Court of
Admiralty could be called, that they might be lawfully cleared or
condemned by proving which belonged to pirates, and which to fair
traders.
The day following a court-martial was held, in which a military
discipline was settled, in order to prevent surprises, both from
Spaniards and pirates, till such time as the fort could be repaired, and
put into a condition of defence. For this purpose the governor was
obliged to make use of some of the pardoned pirates, such as Hornygold,
Davis, and Burgess, to whom he gave some commands: and George
Fetherston, James Bonney, and Dennis Mackarthy, with some other pirates
of a lower rank, acted under them as inferior officers.
Soon after, the civil government was also settled, some of the principal
officers being appointed justices of the peace; others of inferior
degree, constables and overseers of the ways and roads, which were
overgrown with bushes and underwood, all about the town of Nassau; so
that if an enemy had landed in the night, they might lie in ambuscade in
those covers, and surprise the town; wherefore, several of the common
pirates were employed in clearing them away.
The governor, with some soldiers, guarded the fort, and the inhabitants,
who were formed into trained bands, took care of the town; but as there
was no sort of accommodation to lodge such a number of people, they were
forced to unbend the sails, and bring them on shore, in order to make
tents, till they had time to build houses, which was done with all
possible expedition, by a kind of architecture altogether new.
Those that were built in the fort were done by making six little holes
in the rock, at convenient distances, in each of which was stuck a
forked pole; on these, from one to the other, were placed cross poles or
rafters, which being lathed at top, and on the sides, with small sticks,
were afterwards covered with Palmata leaves, and then the house was
finished; for they did not much trouble themselves about the ornaments
of doors and windows.
In the mean time the repairs of the fort were carried on, and the
streets were ordered to be kept clean, both for health and convenience,
so that it began to have the appearance of a civilized place. A
proclamation was published for the encouragement of all such persons as
should be willing to settle upon the island of Providence, by which
every person was to have a lot of ground of a hundred and twenty feet
square, any where in or about the town of Nassau, that was not before in
the possession of others, provided they should clear said ground, and
build a house tenantable, by a certain time therein limited, which might
be easily done, as they might have timber for nothing. This had the
effect proposed, and a great many immediately fell to work, to comply
with the conditions, in order to settle themselves there.
Many of the pirates were employed in the woods in cutting down sticks to
make palisadoes; and all the people belonging to the ships, officers
excepted, were obliged to work four days in the week on the
fortifications, so that in a short time a strong entrenchment was cast
round the fort, and being well palisadoed, it was rendered tolerably
strong.
But it did not much suit the inclinations of the pirates to be set to
work; and though they had provision sufficient, and had also a good
allowance of wine and brandy to each man, yet they began to have such a
hankering after their old trade, that many of them took opportunities of
seizing periaguas, and other boats, in the night, and making their
escape, so that in a few months, there was not many of them left.
However, when the Spanish war was proclaimed, several of them returned
back again of their own accord, tempted with the hopes of being employed
upon the privateering account, for that place lying near the coast of
Spanish America, and also not far from the Gulf of Florida, seemed to be
a good station for intercepting the Spanish vessels going to old Spain.
They were not mistaken in this supposition; for the governor according
to the power vested in him, did grant commissions for privateering, and
made choice of some of the principal pirates who had continued upon the
island, in obedience to the pardon, for commanders, as being persons
well qualified for such employments, who made up their crews chiefly of
their scattered companions, who were newly returned upon the hopes of
preferment.
About this time a fishing vessel, belonging to the island of Providence,
brought in the master of a ship and a few sailors, whom she had picked
up at sea in a canoe. The said master was called Captain King, who
sailed in a ship called the Neptune, belonging to South-Carolina, laden
with rice, pitch, tar, and other merchandise, bound for London.
The account he gave of himself was, that he was met with by Charles
Vane, the pirate, who carried him into Green Turtle Bay, one of the
Bahama islands, by whom he was plundered of a great part of his cargo,
which, consisting chiefly of stores, was of great use to them; that
afterwards they cut away part of one of the masts of the ship, and fired
a gun down her hold, with intent to sink her; that they took some of his
men into their service, and when they were sailing off, gave him and the
rest a canoe to save themselves; that with this canoe they made shift to
sail from one little island to another, till they had the good luck to
meet the fishing boat which took them up; and that he believed Charles
Vane might still be cruising thereabouts.
Upon this intelligence, the governor fitted out a ship which was named
the Willing Mind, manned with 50 stout hands, well armed, and also a
sloop with 30 hands, which he sent to cruise among those islands, in
search of Vane, the pirate, giving them orders also to endeavour to
recover the ship Neptune, which Capt. King told them had still goods of
considerable value left in her.
They went out accordingly, but never saw Vane. However, they found the
Neptune, which was not sunk as the pirates intended; for the ball they
fired into her stuck in the ballast, without passing through. They
returned with her about the 10th of November; but an unlucky accident
happened to the Willing Mind, occasioned either by the ignorance or
carelessness of the pilot, which bilged in going over the bar.
In the mean time Vane made towards the coast of Hispaniola, living
riotously on board, having an abundance of liquor, and plenty of fresh
provisions, such as hogs, goats, sheep, and fowl, which he got upon easy
terms; for touching at a place called Isleathera, he plundered the
inhabitants of as much of their provision as they could carry away. Here
they cruised to about February, when, near the windward passage of Cape
Mase, they met with a large rich ship of London, called the Kingston,
laden with bale goods, and other rich merchandise, and having several
passengers on board, some English, and some Jews, besides two women.
Towards the north end of Jamaica, they also met with a turtle sloop,
bound in for that island, on board of which (after having first
plundered her) they put the captain of the Kingston, some of his men,
and all the passengers except the two women, whom they detained,
contrary to their usual practice.
The Kingston they kept for their own use; for now their company being
strengthened by a great many recruits, some volunteers and some forced
men out of the Neptune and Kingston, they thought they had hands enough
for two ships. Accordingly they shifted several of their hands on board
the Kingston, and John Rackham, alias Calico Jack, (so called, because
his jackets and drawers were always made of calico) quarter-master to
Vane, was unanimously chosen captain of the Kingston.
The empire of these pirates had not been long thus divided before they
had like to have fallen into a civil war among themselves, which must
have ended in the destruction of one of them. The fatal occasion of the
difference between these two brother adventurers, was this. It happened
that Vane’s liquor was all out, who sending to his brother captain for a
supply, Rackham accordingly spared him what he thought fit; but it
falling short of Vane’s expectation, as to quantity, he went on board of
Rackham’s ship to expostulate with him, so that words arising, Rackham
threatened to shoot him through the head, if he did not immediately
return to his own ship; and told him likewise, that if he did not sheer
off, and part company, he would sink him. Vane thought it best to take
his advice, for he thought the other was bold enough to be as good as
his word, for he had it in his power to be so, his ship being the
largest and strongest of the two. Accordingly they parted, and Rackham
made for the island of Princes, and having great quantities of rich
goods on board, taken in the late prizes, they were divided into lots,
and he and his crew shared them by throwing dice, the highest cast being
to choose first. When they had done, they packed up their goods in
casks, and buried them on shore in the island of Princes, that they
might have room for fresh booty. In the mean time it happening that a
turtle sloop, belonging to Jamaica, came in there, Rackham sent his boat
and brought the master on board of him, and asking him several
questions, the master informed him that war with Spain had been
proclaimed in Jamaica; and that the time appointed by the general pardon
for pirates to surrender, in order to receive the benefit thereof, had
not expired.
Upon this intelligence Rackham and his crew suddenly changed their
minds, and were resolved to take the benefit of the pardon by a speedy
surrender; wherefore, instead of using the master ill, as the poor man
expected, they made him several presents, desiring him to sail back to
Jamaica, and acquaint the governor they were willing to surrender,
provided he would give his word and honour they should have the benefit
of the pardon; which, extensive as it was, they apprehended they were
not entitled to, because they had run away in defiance of it at
Providence. They desired the master also to return with the governor’s
answer, assuring him he should be no loser by the voyage.
The master very willingly undertook the commission, and arriving at
Jamaica, delivered his message to the governor, according to his
instructions; but it happened that the master of the Kingston, with his
passengers, having arrived at Jamaica, had acquainted the governor with
the piracies of Vane and Rackham, before the turtle got thither, who was
actually fitting out two sloops, which were now just ready, in pursuit
of them, so that the governor was very glad to discover, by the
turtler’s message, where Rackham was to be found.
The two sloops, well manned, accordingly sailed out, and found Rackham
in the station where the turtler had described him, but altogether in
disorder, and quite unprepared, either for sailing or fighting, most of
his sails being on shore, erected into tents, and his decks lumbered
with goods. He happened to be on board himself, though most of his men
were ashore, and seeing the two sloops at a distance, bearing towards
him, he observed them with his glass, and fancied he saw on board
something like preparations for fighting. This was what he did not
expect, for he looked for no enemy, and while he was in doubt and
suspense about them, they came so near that they began to fire.
He had neither time nor means to prepare for defence, so that there was
nothing to be done but to run into his boat, and escape to the shore,
which he did accordingly with the few hands he had with him, leaving the
two women on board to be taken by the enemy.
The sloops seized the Kingston, manned her, and brought her into
Jamaica, having still a great part of her cargo left. When she arrived,
the master of her fell to examining what part of the cargo was lost and
what left; he searched also for his bills of lading and cockets, but
they were all destroyed by Rackham; so that the ship being freighted by
several owners, the master could not tell whose property was saved, and
whose lost, till he had fresh bills of parcels of each owner from
England. There was one remarkable piece of good luck which happened in
this affair; there were, amongst other goods, sixty gold watches on
board, and thirty of silver; the pirates divided the silver watches, but
the gold being packed up amongst some bale goods, were never discovered
by them, and the master, in searching, found them all safe.
In the mean time, Rackham and his crew lived in the woods, in very great
suspense what to do with themselves. They had with them ammunition and
small arms, and also some of the goods, such as bales of silk stockings,
and laced hats, with which, it is supposed, they intended to make
themselves fine. They had also two boats and a canoe.
Being divided in their resolutions, Rackham, with six more, determined
to take one of the boats, and make the best of their way for the island
of Providence, and there claim the benefit of the king’s pardon, which
they fancied they might be entitled to, by representing, that they were
carried away by Vane, against their wills. Accordingly they put some
arms, ammunition, and provision, into the best boat, and also some of
the goods, and set sail. They first made the Island of Pines, from
thence got over to the north side of Cuba, where they destroyed several
Spanish boats and launches; one they took, which being a stout sea boat,
they shifted themselves and their cargo into her, sunk their own, and
then stretched over to the island of Providence, where they landed
safely about the middle of May, 1719, where demanding the king’s pardon,
the governor thought fit to allow it them, and certificates were granted
to them accordingly.
Here they sold their goods, and spent the money merrily. When all was
gone, some engaged themselves in privateers, and others in trading
vessels. But Rackham, as captain, having a much larger share than any of
the rest, his money held out a little longer; but happening about this
time to form a criminal acquaintance with one Ann Bonny, a married
woman, he became very extravagant, and found it necessary, to avoid
detection and punishment, to abscond with his mistress.
For this purpose they plotted together to seize a sloop which then lay
in the harbour, and Rackham drew some brisk young fellows into the
conspiracy. They were of the number of the pirates lately pardoned, and
who, he knew, were weary of working on shore, and longed to be again at
their old trade.
The sloop they made choice of was between 30 and 40 tons, and one of the
swiftest sailers that ever was built of that kind. She belonged to one
John Haman, who lived upon a little island not far from Providence,
which was inhabited by no human creature except himself and his family.
His livelihood and constant employment was to plunder and pillage the
Spaniards, whose sloops and launches he had often surprised about Cuba
and Hispaniola, and sometimes brought off a considerable booty, always
escaping by a good pair of heels, insomuch that it became a bye-word to
say, _there goes John Haman, catch him if you can_. His business to
Providence now, was to bring his family there, in order to live and
settle, being weary, perhaps, of living in that solitude, or else
apprehensive, if any of the Spaniards should discover his habitation,
they might land, and be revenged on him for all his pranks.
Ann Bonny was observed to go several times on board this sloop. She
pretended to have some business with John Haman; but always went when he
was on shore, for her true errand was to discover how many hands were on
board, and what kind of watch they kept, and to know the passages and
ways of the vessel.
She discovered as much as was necessary. She found there were but two
hands on board, and that John Haman slept on shore every night. She
inquired of them whether they watched; where they lay; and many other
questions; to all which they readily answered her, as thinking she had
no design but common curiosity.
She acquainted Rackham with every particular, who resolved to lose no
time, and therefore, acquainting his associates, who were eight in
number, they appointed an hour for meeting at night, which was 12
o’clock. They were all true to the roguery, and Ann Bonny was as
punctual as the most resolute, and being all well armed, they took a
boat and rowed to the sloop, which was very near the shore.
The night seemed to favour the attempt, for it was both dark and rainy.
As soon as they got on board, Ann Bonny, having a drawn sword in one
hand, and a pistol in the other, attended by one of the men, went
straight to the cabin where the two fellows lay who belonged to the
sloop. The noise awaked them, which she observing, declared that if they
pretended to resist, or make a noise, she would blow their brains out.
In the mean time, Rackham and the rest were busy heaving in the cables,
one of which they soon got up, and for expedition sake, they slipped the
other, and so drove down the harbour. They passed pretty near the fort,
which hailed them, as did also the guard-ship, asking them where they
were going? They answered, their cable had parted, and that they had
nothing but a grappling on board, which would not hold them; immediately
after which they set a small sail, just to give them steerage way. When
they came to the harbour’s mouth, and thought they could not be seen by
any of the ships, on account of the darkness of the night, they hoisted
all the sail they had, and stood to sea; then calling up the two men,
they asked them if they would be of their party; but finding them not
inclined, they gave them a boat to row themselves ashore, ordering them
to give their service to Haman, and tell him they would send him his
sloop again when they had done with her.
Rackham and his paramour both bore a great spleen to Richard Turnley,
who was gone from Providence, turtling, before they made their escape,
and they knowing what island he was upon, made to the place. They saw
the sloop about a league from the shore, and went on board with six
hands; but Turnley, with his boy, by good luck, happened to be ashore
salting some wild hogs they had killed the day before. They inquired for
him, and hearing where he was, rowed ashore in search of him.
Turnley, from the land, saw the sloop boarded, and observed the men
afterwards making for the shore, and being apprehensive of pirates,
which were very common in those parts, he, with his boy, fled into a
neighbouring wood. The surf being very great, so that they could not
bring their boat to shore, they waded up to the arm-pits, and Turnley,
peeping through the trees, saw them bring arms on shore. Upon the whole,
not liking their appearance, he, with his boy, lay snug in the bushes.
When they had looked about and could not see him, they called him aloud
by name; but he not appearing, they thought it time lost to look for him
in such a wilderness, and therefore returned to their boat, but rowed
again back to the sloop, and took away the sails, and several other
things. They also carried away with them three of the hands, viz.
Richard Connor, the mate, John Davis, and John Howel, but rejected David
Soward, the fourth hand, though he had been an old and experienced
pirate, because he was lame, and disabled by a wound he had formerly
received.
When they had done thus much, they cut away the mast, and towing the
vessel into deep water, sunk her, having first put David Soward into a
boat to shift for himself. He, however, got ashore, and after some time,
found Turnley.
From thence, Rackham stretched over to the Bury Islands, plundering all
the sloops he met, and strengthening his company with several additional
hands, and so went on till he was finally taken and executed at Port
Royal, Jamaica.
About this time, the governor, in conjunction with some factors then
residing at Providence, thought fit to freight some vessels for a
trading voyage. Accordingly the Bachelor’s Adventure, a schooner, Capt.
Henry White, commander; the Lancaster, sloop, Capt. William Greenway,
commander; the May, sloop, Capt. John Augur, commander, of which last
David Soward was owner, (she having been given him by some pirates his
former associates) in which he also sailed this voyage, were fitted out
with a cargo of goods and merchandise, bound for Port Prince, on the
island of Cuba.
The governor thought it advisable, for the benefit of the inhabitants of
Providence, to settle a correspondence with some merchants of Port
Prince, first in order to procure fresh provisions, there being scarce
any upon the island at the governor’s first arrival, and there being at
Port Prince great plenty of cows and hogs, he proposed to get a
sufficient number of each, to stock the island for breed, that the
people for the future might have fresh provision of their own.
They set sail on Sunday, the 5th of October, 1718. The next day they
arrived at an island known by the name of Green Key, lying S. S. E. from
Providence, in lat. 28 deg. 40 m. being distant about 25 leagues. Here
they cast anchor, in order to wait for morning to carry them through
some rocks and shoals which lay in their way, and some hands went ashore
to try to kill something for supper before it should be dark. They
expected to meet some wild hogs, for some time before, one Joseph Bay
and one Sims, put two sows and a boar on said island; for they living at
that time at Providence, and being continually visited by pirates, were
always plundered of their fresh provisions, wherefore they thought of
settling a breed upon Green Key, that they might have recourse to in
time of necessity.
This island is about nine miles in circumference, and about three miles
broad in the widest place. It is overgrown with wild cabbage and Palmata
trees, and has a great variety of other herbs and fruits, so that there
is plenty of food for the nourishment of such animals; but the trees
growing so close together, makes it bad hunting, and they killed but one
hog, which, however, was of a monstrous size.
The hunters returned on board their ships again before seven, having
first divided the hog, and sent part on board each vessel for supper
that night. After supper, Capt. Greenway and Capt. White came on board
of Capt. Augur’s sloop, in order to consult together what time to sail,
and being all of opinion that if they weighed anchor between the hours
of 10 and 11, it would be day before they would come up with the shoals,
they agreed upon that hour for setting sail, and so returned to their
own vessels.
Soon after, Phinehas Bunch, and Dennis Mackarthy, with a great many
others, came from White’s sloop, on board of Augur’s. Their pretence
was, that they came to see Richard Turnley and Mr. James Carr, who had
formerly been a midshipman on the Rose man of war, under Capt. Whitney,
and being a great favourite of Governor Rogers, he had appointed him
supercargo of this voyage. They desired to be treated with a bottle of
beer, for they knew Mr. Carr had some that was very good in his care,
which had been put on board, in order to make presents of, and to treat
the Spanish merchants with.
As it was not suspected they had any thing else in view, Mr. Carr
readily went down, and brought up a couple of bottles of beer. They sat
upon the poop with Capt. Augur in their company, and were drinking their
beer; before the second bottle was out, Bunch and Mackarthy began to
rattle, talk with great pleasure, and much boasting of their former
exploits when they had been pirates, crying up a pirate’s life to be the
only life for a man of any spirit. While they were running on in this
manner, Bunch on a sudden started up, and swore he would be captain of
that vessel. Augur answered him the vessel did not want a captain, for
he was able to command her himself, which seemed to put an end to the
discourse for that time.
Soon after Bunch began to tell what bright arms they had on board their
sloop; upon which, one of Augur’s men handed up some of their cutlasses
which had been cleaned that day. Among them was Mr. Carr’s silver-hilted
sword. Bunch seemed to admire the sword, and asked whose it was? Mr.
Carr made answer, it belonged to him. Bunch replied it was a very
handsome one, and drawing it out, marched about the poop, flourishing it
over his head, and telling Mr. Carr he would return it to him when he
had done with it. At the same time he began to vapour again, and to
boast of his former piracies, and coming near Mr. Carr, struck him with
the sword. Turnley bid him take care what he did, for Mr. Carr would not
take such usage. As they were disputing upon this matter, Dennis
Mackarthy stole off, and, with some of his associates, seized upon the
great cabin, where all the arms lay. At the same time several of the men
began to sing a song with these words. _Did you not promise me, that you
would marry me_—which it seems was the signal agreed upon among the
conspirators for seizing the ship. Bunch no sooner heard them, but he
cried out aloud, _that I will for I am parson_, and struck Mr. Carr
again several blows with his own sword. Mr. Carr and Turnley both seized
him, and they began to struggle, when Dennis Mackarthy, with several
others, returned from the cabin with each a cutlass in one hand, and a
loaded pistol in the other, and running up to them, said, _What! do the
governor’s dogs offer to resist?_ And beating Turnley and Carr with
their cutlasses, threatened to shoot them, at the same time firing their
pistols close to their cheeks, upon which Turnley and Carr begged their
lives.
When they were thus in possession of the vessel, they hailed Capt.
Greenway, and desired him to come on board about urgent business. He,
knowing nothing of what had passed, jumped into his boat, and with two
hands only, rowed on board. Dennis Mackarthy led him into the cabin,
and, as soon as he was there, laid hold of him, telling him he was now a
prisoner, and must submit. He offered to make some resistance; upon
which, they told him all resistance would be vain, for his own men were
in the plot; and, indeed, seeing the two hands who rowed him aboard, now
armed, and joining with the conspirators, he thought it was time to
submit.
As soon as this was done, they sent some hands on board to seize his
sloop, or rather to acquaint his men with what had been done, for they
expected to meet with no resistance, many of them being in the plot, and
the rest, they supposed, not very averse to it; after which, they
decoyed Captain White on board, by the same stratagem they used with
Greenway, and likewise sent on board his sloop, and found his men, one
and all, well disposed for the design; and what was most remarkable was,
that Captain Augur, seeing how things were going, joined with them,
showing himself as well inclined for pirating as the worst of them.
Thus they made themselves masters of the three vessels with very little
trouble. The next thing to be done was to resolve how to dispose of
those who were not of their party. Some were for killing Richard
Turnley, but the majority carried it for marooning, that he might be
starved, and die like a dog, as they called it. Their great spleen to
him was, because he was the person who had piloted the governor into
Providence.
Accordingly, Turnley, with John Carr, Thomas Rich, and some others, were
stripped naked, and tumbled over the vessel’s side into a boat which lay
along side. The oars were all taken out, and they left them nothing to
work themselves ashore with but an old paddle, which, at other times,
served to steer the boat, and so they commanded them to be gone.
However, they made shift to get safe ashore on the island, which, as we
observed before, was quite uninhabited.
The next morning Dennis Mackarthy, with several others, went on shore,
and told them they must come on board again, and they would give them
some clothes to put on. They fancied the pirates began to repent of the
hard usage they had given them, and were willing to return upon such an
errand; but when they got on board again, they found their opinion of
the pirates’ good nature was very ill grounded, for they began with
beating them, and did it as if it were in sport, one having a
boatswain’s pipe, the rest beating them till he piped _belay_.
The true design of bringing them on board again, was to make them
discover where some things lay, which they could not readily find,
particularly Mr. Carr’s watch and silver snuff-box; but he was soon
obliged to inform them in what corner of the cabin they were, and there
they were found, with some journals and other books, which they knew how
to make no other use of than turning them into cartridges. Then they
began to question Thomas Rich about a gold watch which had once been
seen in his possession on shore at Providence; but he protested that it
belonged to Capt. Gale, who was commander of the guard-ship called the
Delicia, to which he then belonged; but his protestations would have
availed him little, had it not been that some on board, who belonged
also to the Delicia, knew it to be true, which put an end to his
beating; and so they were all discharged from their punishment for the
present.
Some time after, fancying the pirates to be in better humour, they
begged for something to eat, for they had none of them had any
nourishment that day or the night before; but all the answer they
received was, that such dogs should not ask such questions. In the mean
time, some of the pirates were very busy endeavouring to persuade
Captain Greenway to engage with them, for they knew him to be an
excellent artist; but he was obstinate and would not. Then it was
proposed to maroon him, which was opposed by some, because he was a
Bermudian, meaning, that he might perhaps swim away, or swim on board
his vessel again, for the Bermudians are all excellent swimmers; but as
he represented, that he could not hurt them by his swimming, he obtained
the favour for himself and the other officers, to be set ashore with
Turnley, Carr, and Rich. Accordingly, they were put into the same boat
without oars, to the number of eight, and were ordered to make the best
of their way on shore.
The pirates, the next day, having examined all their vessels, and
finding that Greenway’s sloop was not fit for their purpose, shifted
every thing out of her. Those that were sent on shore could see from
thence what they were doing, and when they saw them row off, Greenway
swam on board the sloop, it is likely, to see whether they had left any
thing behind them. They perceived him, and fancied he repented refusing
to join with them, and had come to do it now; wherefore some of them
returned back to the sloop, to speak to him, but they found him of the
same opinion he was in before. However, he wheedled them into so much
good humour, that they told him he might have his sloop again, in which,
indeed, they had left nothing except an old mainsail, an old fore-sail,
four small pieces of Irish beef, in an old beef barrel, and about twenty
biscuits, with a broken bucket which was used to draw water in, telling
him that he and the rest must not go on board till they had sailed.
Greenway swam ashore again to give notice to his brothers in distress,
of what had passed. The same afternoon Bunch with several others went on
shore, carrying with them six bottles of wine and some biscuits. Whether
this was done to tempt Greenway again, or no, is hard to say; for though
they talked to him a great deal, they drank all the wine themselves to
the last bottle, and then gave each of the poor creatures a glass
a-piece, with a bit of biscuit, and immediately after fell to beating
them, and so went on board.
While they were on shore, there came in a turtler which belonged to one
Thomas Bennet, of Providence, whereof one Benjamin Hutchins was master.
They soon laid hold of her, for she sailed excellently well. Hutchins
was reputed an extraordinary good pilot among those islands; wherefore
they tempted him to engage with them; at first he refused, but rather
than be marooned, he afterwards consented.
It was now the 9th of October, and they were just preparing to sail,
when they sent on shore, ordering the _condemned malefactors_ to come on
board Greenway’s sloop, the Lancaster. They did so in the little boat
they went on shore in, by the help of the same paddle. They found
several of the pirates there, who told them that they gave them that
sloop to return to Providence, though they let them have no more stores,
than what were named before. They bade them take the fore-sail, and bend
it for a jib, and furl it close down to the bowsprit, and to furl the
mainsail close up to the boom. They did as they were ordered, for they
knew there was no disputing whether it was right or wrong.
Soon after, another detachment came on board, among whom were Bunch and
Dennis Mackarthy, who being either mad or drunk, fell upon them, beating
them, and cutting the rigging and sails to pieces with their cutlasses,
and commanding them not to sail, till they should hear from them again,
threatening if they did, they would put them all to death, if ever they
met them again; and so they went off, carrying with them the boat, which
they sent them first ashore in, and sailed away.
They left them in this miserable condition, without tackle to go their
voyage, and without a boat to get on shore, and having nothing in view
but to perish for want; but as self preservation put them upon exerting
themselves, in order to get out of this deplorable state, they began to
rummage and search the vessel through every hole and corner, to see if
nothing was left which might be of use to them; and it happened by
chance that they found an old hatchet, with which they cut some sticks
sharp to serve for marling-spikes. They also cut out several other
things, to serve instead of such tools as are absolutely necessary on
board a ship.
When they had proceeded thus far, every man began to work as hard as he
could; they cut a piece of cable, which they strung into rope yarns, and
fell to mending their sails with all possible expedition; they also made
a kind of fishing lines of rope yarns, and bent some nails crooked to
serve for hooks; but as they were destitute of a boat, as well for the
use of fishing as for going on shore, they resolved to make a bark log,
that is, to lay two or three logs together, and lash them close, upon
which two or three men may sit very safely in smooth water.
As soon as this was done, some hands went on shore, upon one of the logs
(for they made two of them) who employed themselves in cutting wild
cabbage, gathering berries, and a fruit which the seamen call prickly
pears, for food, while some others went a fishing upon another. Those
who went ashore also carried the old bucket with them, so that whilst
some were busy in gathering things to serve for provision, one hand was
constantly employed in bringing fresh water aboard in the bucket, which
was tedious work, considering how little could be brought at a time, and
that the sloop lay near a mile from the shore.
When they had employed themselves thus, for about four or five days,
they brought their sails and tackle into such order, having also a
little water, cabbage and other things on board, that they thought it
was time to venture to sail. Accordingly they weighed their anchor, and
setting all the sail they had, got out to the harbour’s mouth, when to
their great terror and surprise, they saw the pirates coming in again.
They were much frightened at this unexpected return, because of the
threatenings they had used to them at parting, not to sail without
further orders; wherefore, they tacked about, and ran as close in to the
shore as they could, then throwing out their bark logs, they all put
themselves upon them, and made to land, as fast as they could; but
before they quite reached it, the pirates got so near that they fired at
them, but were too far to do execution. However, they pursued them
ashore; the unhappy exiles immediately took to the woods, and for
greater security climbed up some trees, whose branches were very thick,
and by that means concealed themselves. The pirates not finding them,
soon returned to their boat, and rowed on board the deserted sloop,
whose mast and bowsprit they cut away, and towing into deep water, sunk
her; after which, they made again for shore, thinking that the fugitives
would have been out of their lurking holes, and that they should
surprise them; but they continued still on the tops of the trees and saw
all that passed, and therefore thought it safest to keep their posts.
The pirates not finding them, returned to their vessels, and weighing
their anchors, set sail, steering eastward. In the mean time, the poor
fellows were in despair, for seeing their vessel sunk, they had scarce
any hopes left of escaping the danger of perishing upon that uninhabited
island, where they lived eight days, feeding upon berries, and
shell-fish, such as cockles and periwinkles, sometimes catching a
stingray, a fish resembling mead or thornback, which coming into shoal
water, they could wade near them, and by the help of a stick sharpened
at the end, which they did by rubbing it against the rocks, (for they
had not a knife left among them) they stuck them as if it had been with
a spear.
It must be observed, that they had no means of striking a fire, and
therefore their way of dressing this fish was, by dipping it in salt
water, then laying it in the sun, till it became both hard and dry, and
then they ate it.
After passing eight days in this manner, the pirates returned, and saw
the poor fugitives ashore, who according to custom made to the woods;
but their hearts began to relent towards them, and sending ashore, they
ordered a man to go into the woods single, to call out to them, and
promise them upon their honour, if they would appear, that they would
give them victuals and drink, and not use them ill any more.
These promises, and the hunger which pinched them, tempted them to come
forth, and accordingly they went on board, and they were as good as
their word, for they gave them as much beef and biscuit as they could
eat, during two or three days they were on board, but would not give
them a bit to carry on shore.
There was on board one George Redding, an inhabitant of Providence, who
was taken out of the turtle sloop, and who was a forced man. Being an
acquaintance of Richard Turnley, and knowing that he was resolved to go
shore again, rather than engage with the pirates, and hearing him say,
that they could find food to keep them alive, if they had but fire to
dress it, privately gave him a tinder box, with materials in it for
striking fire, which, in his circumstances, was a greater present than
gold or jewels. Soon after, the pirates put the question to them,
whether they would engage, or be put ashore? And they all agreed upon
the latter: upon which a debate arose among the pirates, whether they
should comply with their request or not; and at length it was agreed,
that Greenway and the other two masters should be kept whether they
would or no; and the rest, being five in number, should, as the pirates
expressed it, have a second refreshment on the varieties of the island.
Accordingly Richard Turnley, James Carr, Thomas Rich, John Cox, and John
Taylor, were a second time marooned, and the pirates, as soon as they
landed them, sailed off, steering eastward, till they came to an island
called Pudden Point, near Long-Island, in lat. 24 degrees, where they
cleaned their vessels.
In the mean time, Turnley and his companions made a much better shift
than they had done before, his friend Redding’s present being of
infinite use to them, for they constantly kept a good fire, with which
they broiled their fish. There were plenty of land crabs and snakes on
the island, which they could eat when they were dressed. Thus they
passed fourteen days; at the end of which the pirates made them another
visit, and they according to custom made for the woods, thinking that
the reason of their return must be, in order to force them to serve
amongst them. But here they were mistaken, for the anger of these
fellows being over, they began to pity them; but going ashore, and not
finding them, they knew they were hid for fear. Nevertheless, they left
upon the shore, where they knew they would come, some stores which they
intended in this fit of good humour to present them with.
The poor islanders had got to their retreat, the tops of the trees, and
saw the pirates go off; upon which they ventured down, and going to the
water side, were agreeably surprised to find a small cask of flour, of
between twenty and thirty pounds, about a bushel of salt, two bottles of
gun powder, several bullets, besides a quantity of small shot, with a
couple of muskets, a very good axe, and also a pot and a pan, and three
dogs, which they took in the turtle sloop; which dogs are bred to
hunting, and generally the sloops which go turtling, carry some of them,
as they are very useful in tracing out the wild hogs. Besides all these,
there were a dozen horn handled knives, of that sort which are usually
carried to Guinea.
They carried all things into the woods, to that part where they had
their fresh water, and where they usually kept, and immediately went to
work with their axe; some cutting down bows, and making poles, so that
four of them were employed in building a hut, while Richard Turnley
taking the dogs and a gun, went a hunting, he understanding that sport
very well. He had not been gone long before he killed a large boar,
which he brought home to his companions, who fell to cutting it up, and
some they dressed for their dinner, and the rest they salted, for
another time.
Thus they lived, as they thought, very happy in respect to their former
condition; but after a few days, the pirates made them another visit,
for they wanted to fill some casks with water. It happened when they
came in, that Turnley was gone a hunting, and the rest all busy at work,
so that they did not see them, till they came into the wood upon them.
Seeing the hut, one of them in wantonness set it on fire, and it was
burnt to the ground; and they appeared inclined to do mischief, when
Richard Turnley, knowing nothing of the matter, happened to return from
hunting, with a fine hog upon his back, as much as he could carry. He
was immediately surrounded by the pirates, who seized upon the fresh
meat, which seemed to put them into better humour. They made Richard Cox
carry it down to their boat, and when he had done, they gave him a
bottle of rum to carry back to his companions to drink their healths,
telling him, that they might get home if they could, or if they stayed
there, they would never trouble them any more.
They were, indeed as good as their word, for sailing away immediately,
they made for Long-Island, and coming up toward the salt ponds there
they saw at a distance in the harbour, three vessels at an anchor, and
supposing them to be either Bermuda or New-York sloops, lying there to
take in salt, they bore down upon them with all the sail they could
make, expecting a good booty. The turtle sloop taken from Benjamin
Hutchins, was by much the best sailer; however, it was almost dark
before she came up with them, and then coming close along side of one of
them, she gave a broadside, with a design to board the next minute, but
received such a volley of small shot in return, as killed and wounded a
great many of the pirates, and the rest, in great surprise and fright,
jumped overboard, to save themselves by swimming ashore.
The truth is, these sloops proved to be Spanish privateers, who
observing the pirates to bear down upon them, prepared themselves for
action. The commander in chief of these three privateers was one who was
called by the name of Turn Joe, because he had once privateered on the
English side. He had also been a pirate, and now acted by virtue of a
commission from a Spanish governor. He was by birth an Irishman, a bold
enterprising fellow, and was afterwards killed in an engagement with one
John Bonnavee, captain of a privateer belonging to Jamaica.
But to return to our story. The sloop was taken, and on board her was
found, desperately wounded, Phineas Bunch, who was the captain. By and
by a second of the pirate sloops came up; she heard the volley, and
supposed it to be fired by Bunch, when he boarded one of the sloops; she
came also along side of one of the Spaniards, and received the welcome
that was given to Bunch, and submitted as soon. A little after, came up
the third, which was taken with the same ease, and in the same manner,
as many of the pirates as could swim, jumping overboard to save
themselves on shore, there not being a man lost on the side of the
Spaniards.
The next day Turn Joe asked them many questions, and finding out that
several amongst them had been forced men, he with the consent of the
other Spanish officers, ordered all the goods to be taken out of a
Spanish launch, and putting some of the wounded pirates into the said
launch, with some provision, water, and other liquors, gave it to the
forced men, to carry them to Providence.
Accordingly George Redding, Thomas Betty, Matthew Betty, and Benjamin
Hutchins, with some others, set sail, and in eight-and-forty hours
arrived in the harbour of Providence. They went on shore immediately,
and acquainted the governor with every thing that had passed, from the
time of their setting out; informing him, that Phineas Bunch, who was
one of the chief authors of all the mischief, was on board the launch.
The governor, with some others, went and examined him, and he confessed
all, wherefore there was no occasion for a trial; and as he had been
pardoned before, and it was necessary to make some speedy example, it
was resolved that he should be executed the next day, but it was
prevented by his dying that night of his wounds.
They also informed the governor of the condition of Turnley, Carr, and
the rest, who were marooned by the pirates upon Green Key Island; upon
which the governor sent for one John Sims, a mulatto man, who had a
two-mast boat in the harbour of Providence, very fit for sailing; and
putting some provisions into her, ordered him to get five or six hands,
and to sail for Green Key, in order to bring off the five men there
marooned.
Sims accordingly made the best of his way, and sailing out in the
morning, arrived at Green Key the next day towards evening. The poor
people on shore saw them, and supposing them to be some of the pirates
returned, thought it best to take to the woods and hide, not knowing
what humour they might be in now. Sims and his ship-mates carried some
provision on shore, not knowing but they might want, and searched about,
calling out to them by their names. After wandering about some time,
they came to the place where the fire was constantly kept; on perceiving
which, they fancied they must be thereabouts, and that it would be best
to wait for them there, and accordingly they sat down, laying the
provisions near them. Turnley, who had climbed to the top of a tree just
by, saw them, and observed their motions, and fancied they were no
enemies who were bringing them provisions, and looking more earnestly,
he knew Sims, the mulatto, whom he was very well acquainted with at
Providence; upon which he called him, who desired him to come down,
telling him the comfortable news, that he was come to the relief of him
and his companions. Turnley made what haste he could to the bottom, and
as soon as he was down, summoned his comrades, who had climbed to the
top of some neighbouring trees, being in haste to communicate the glad
tidings to them. Being all together, the mulatto related to them the
history of what had happened to the pirates.
That night they supped comfortably together upon the provision brought
ashore; but so strange an effect has joy, that scarce one of them slept
a wink that night, as they declared. The next day they agreed to go a
hunting, in order to get something fresh to carry off with them, and
were so successful, that they killed three fine hogs. When they
returned, they made the best of their way on board, carrying with them
all their utensils, and set sail for Providence, whither they arrived in
three days; it being now just seven weeks from the time of their being
first set on shore by the pirates.
The governor, in the mean time, was fitting out a sloop to send to
Long-Island, in order to take those pirates who had saved themselves
near the salt ponds there, which sloop was now ready to sail, and put
under the command of Benjamin Hornygold. Turnley and his companions
embarked on board of her, and care was taken to get as many men as they
could, who were entire strangers to the pirates.
When they arrived at the said island, they run in pretty near the shore,
keeping but few hands on deck, that it might look like a trading vessel,
and those men that were quite unknown to the pirates.
The pirates seeing them, came only two or three of them near the shore,
the rest lying in ambush, not without hopes of finding an opportunity to
seize the sloop, which sent her boat out towards the shore, with orders
to lay off at a little distance, as if she was afraid. Those in ambush
seeing the boat so near, had not patience to stay any longer, but
flocked to the water side, calling out to them to come on shore, and
help them, for they were poor shipwrecked men, perishing for want. Upon
which the boat rowed back again to the sloop.
Upon second thoughts they sent her off again with two bottles of wine, a
bottle of rum, and some biscuit, and sent another man, who was a
stranger to those ashore, with orders to pass for master of the vessel.
As soon as they approached them, the pirates called to them as before,
begging them, for God’s sake to come on shore; they did so, and gave
them the biscuit, wine, and rum, which he said he brought ashore on
purpose to comfort them, because his men told him they were cast away.
They were very inquisitive to know where he was bound. He told them, to
New-York, and that he came in there to take in salt. They earnestly
entreated him to take them on board, and carry them as passengers to
New-York; they being about sixteen in number, he answered, he was afraid
he had not provision sufficient for so great a number; but that he would
go on board and overhaul his provision, and if they pleased, some of
them might go with him, and see how his stock stood; that at least he
would carry some of them, and leave some refreshment for the rest, till
they could be succoured another way, but that he hoped they would make
him some recompense when they should arrive at New-York.
They seemed wonderfully pleased with his proposal, and promised to make
him ample satisfaction for all the charges he should be at, pretending
to have good friends and considerable effects in different parts of
America. Accordingly he took several of them with him in the boat, and
as soon as they got on board he invited them into the cabin, where, to
their surprise, they saw Benjamin Hornygold, formerly a brother pirate;
but what astonished them more, was to see Richard Turnley, whom they had
lately marooned upon Green Key. They were immediately surrounded by
several with pistols in their hands, and clapped in irons.
As soon as this was over, the boat went on shore again, and those in the
boat told the pirates, that the captain would venture to carry them with
what provision he had; at which they appeared much rejoiced, and so the
rest were brought on board, and without much trouble clapped in irons,
as well as their companions.
The sloop had nothing more to do, and therefore set sail, and reaching
Providence, delivered the pirates all prisoners into the fort. A Court
of Admiralty was immediately called, and they were all tried, and nine
received sentence of death, viz John Augur, William Cunningham, Dennis
Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George
Bendall, William Ling, and George Rounsivel, which last was finally
reprieved and pardoned. The other seven were acquitted, it appearing
that they were forced.