A “GENTLEMAN” OF FORTUNE
“In an honest service there are commonly low wages and hard labour: in
piracy, satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not
balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it at
worst is only a sour look or two at choking? No, a merry life and a short
one shall be my motto.”
Such was the remark which a certain Captain Bartholomew Roberts, a
notorious seventeenth-century pirate, was said to have made, and no doubt
there was a certain amount of truth in this statement. The low wages and
hard labour in other spheres of life contrasted unfavourably with the
possibilities of ease, plenty, liberty and power. This fellow, like the
notorious Henry Morgan, was a Welshman and born in Pembrokeshire. He grew
up to be a tall, dark, ingenious and daring seaman. For a time he led the
hard but honest life of a sailor trading to the Guinea coast, but in the
year 1719 he had the bad luck to be captured by Davis, another pirate
captain. The latter constrained Roberts to lead this lawless form of
life, and it is only fair to state that Roberts at first was distinctly
averse from piracy and would certainly have deserted if an opportunity
had been forthcoming. However, “preferment claimed his conscience and
reconciled him to that which he formerly hated.”
And when Davis ended his days by death in action, the pirate crew decided
to choose Roberts as their skipper. “It is my advice,” said one of these
at the time of the election, “it is my advice, while we are sober, to
pitch upon a man of courage, and one skilled in navigation—one who, by
his prudence and bravery, seems best able to ward us from the dangers
and tempests of an unstable element, and the fatal consequences of
anarchy, and such a one I take Roberts to be: a fellow in all respects
worthy of your esteem and favour.” So the Welshman was prevailed upon
to accept this new honour, adding that since he had dipped his hands in
muddy water, and must be a pirate, it was better being a commander than a
private man.
So the pirate ship sailed south along the Guinea coast with her new
commander, captured a Dutch Guinea ship, emptied her of everything they
fancied, sent her on her way again, and two days later took an English
ship. From her, too, they extracted all that they desired, and since her
crew were persuaded to join Roberts’ ship the prize was burnt and the
pirate, with a now much bigger company, set sail for the island of St.
Thomas, which is in the South Atlantic some distance off the Congo coast.
But as they had no further luck in these parts, they eventually resolved
by vote to make for Brazil. After a twenty-eight-day voyage across the
Atlantic they arrived off the South American shore and for nine weeks
or so cruised about unsuccessfully, taking care to keep out of sight of
land. But on the way to the West Indies, whither they were now bound, a
little disappointed, they unexpectedly fell in with a fleet of forty-two
Portuguese ships of Bahia. These vessels were bound for Lisbon, and were
now waiting for two 70-gun men-of-war to convoy them home.
Such a rich sight was too much for the pirate. He was sure that his one
single ship would have but little chance against such a powerful fleet,
especially as some of them were really powerful vessels. But a faint
heart never made a prize, and he was minded to have a try. Among the many
vicissitudes of these pirate wayfarers the reader must have been struck
by the extremely able cunning which these lawless desperate fellows
displayed in many of their captures. Somehow one does not associate skill
with brutality. But it was very rare that these pirate skippers were at
a loss for a stratagem. Force was employed and used without mercy at the
proper time, but that was not allowed to take the place of ingenuity. So
long as these corsairs remained sober and did not set foot on land, they
very rarely met with defeat. They were terrified not by superior forces
but by the possibility of being found out when ashore. The sea and its
ways they understood: in that sphere they were at home. It was only when
they became so foolish as to abandon their natural element that they fell
on evil days.
So Roberts set about devising some means of getting what he wanted from
this mighty fleet. He got his ship in their midst and kept his own rugged
desperate crew concealed. He then took his ship close to one of the
biggest Portuguese and hailed her to send her master aboard _quietly_.
If the Portuguese should show the slightest resistance, or make any
signal of distress, he would show them no mercy. This cool impudence was
successful: for the master now coming on deck, and seeing the sudden
flash of pirate cutlasses of the men who had for a time been concealed,
there was nothing to do but submit quietly, and the captain repaired
on board the pirate as requested. Roberts saluted him in a friendly
manner and told him he and his crew were gentlemen of fortune. All they
desired from him was to be informed as to which was the richest ship of
the fleet. If the captain informed them correctly, then he should be
permitted to go back to his ship in safety: but if not, he must expect
instant death.
So the Portuguese pointed out a 40-gun vessel which had a crew of 150
men. Certainly she appeared far too big a job for Roberts to tackle, but
he made towards her, still keeping the Portuguese captain aboard. As they
came alongside, the pirate ordered the Portuguese prisoner to hail her
and inquire after the commander’s health and invite him on board, as a
matter of importance was waiting to be imparted to him. The reply came
that the commander would come presently. But Roberts was not to be put
off, for, observing signs of unusual activity on board her, he poured a
heavy broadside into her, then ran his ship right alongside in the most
approved Elizabethan manner, grappled and boarded her. In a short space
of time she had been captured, and there were taken out of her into the
pirate’s hold large and valuable quantities of sugar, skins, tobacco,
etc., and 4000 gold moidores.
After this, just as a dog which has stolen a piece of meat hurries off to
find a secluded spot where he can eat his spoil in peace, so the pirates
began to long for some safe retreat where they could spend their time in
debauchery with the prizes to pay for the cost. They resolved to go to
Devil’s Island, on the river Surinam, in Dutch Guiana, and having safely
arrived there were well received by the governor and inhabitants. But the
pirates were sadly in need of provisions until they fell in with a sloop
which was in the river. This craft, which was now seized, said that she
had been sailing in company with a brigantine loaded with provisions.
The news gladdened the corsairs, and Roberts, believing the matter to
be so important that he ought to attend to it himself, went in command
of the sloop, taking forty men and leaving the pirate ship behind. He
was sure the latter would be all safe, and he would not be away long.
The brigantine would soon be espied and then he would return with the
latter’s welcome cargo.
But on this occasion Roberts was unlucky. He did not sight the
brigantine, although he sailed for miles and miles during eight days, so
at last he came to anchor off the coast somewhere, and sent a boat ashore
to inform their shipmates left behind in the Surinam River. The boat was
also to bring back provisions to the sloop: but when she returned, after
an almost unbearable delay, she brought no provisions and the unwelcome
knowledge that the lieutenant of the pirate ship had run off with her.
Roberts had certainly been a fool not to have foreseen this probability,
and in order to prevent such mutiny recurring he proceeded to draw up
regulations for preserving order in his present craft. After that, he had
to act. Provisions and water they must have at all costs, and so they
must make for the West Indies.
They had not gone far, however, before they fell in with a couple of
sloops, which they captured. These afforded them the necessary supplies.
A few days later they also captured a brigantine and then proceeded to
Barbadoes. Off Barbadoes they met a 10-gun ship heavily laden with cargo
from Bristol. Her they plundered, but after three days allowed her to
proceed. But as soon as the latter touched land and informed the governor
of her misfortune, there was dispatched a 20-gun ship with eighty men,
under the command of Captain Rogers, to seek out the pirates. In two
days they came up with her. Roberts was, of course, quite unaware that
any vessel had been sent against him, and the two craft drew near.
Roberts as usual fired a blank shot for the stranger to heave to, and was
very surprised to observe that instead of striking his colours forthwith
she returned his gun with a broadside. A sharp engagement ensued, but
as Roberts was getting distinctly the worst of it, he threw some of his
cargo overboard and hurried off as fast as his ship could travel, being
very lucky to escape in this manner.
He next made for Dominica, in the Caribbean Sea, and bartered some of his
cargo with the inhabitants for provisions. He watered his ship, and as
he happened to meet fifteen Englishmen who had been left upon the island
by some Frenchmen who had captured the Englishmen’s vessel, Roberts
persuaded these destitutes to join him, and this additional strength was
by no means inappreciable. But his ship was very foul and badly needed
her bottom scrubbed, so Roberts took her for this purpose southwards to
the Grenada Islands. It was fortunate that he did not waste any time
about his cleaning and that he put to sea immediately after, for the
Governor of Martinique got to hear that the pirate was so near, and two
sloops were sent to catch him. But Roberts and his ship had departed only
the very night before the sloops arrived.
Setting a northerly course, the pirate now proceeded towards
Newfoundland. His ship was well cleaned, so she could sail at her best
pace. He arrived off the Banks in June of 1720, and entered the harbour
of Trepassi with the black pirate’s flag at her masthead, with drums
beating and trumpets sounding. Twenty-two ships were lying in that
harbour as Roberts came in, but as soon as they realised what sort of
a visitor was amongst them, the crews forsook the ships, and Roberts,
with his men, destroyed them by burning or sinking, and then pillaged the
houses ashore, behaving like madmen and fiends let loose.
He retained just one ship of the lot, which hailed from Bristol,
and after leaving the harbour, encountered ten French ships off the
Newfoundland Banks. All of these he also destroyed excepting one, which
he took for his own use and named the _Fortune_. The Bristol ship he
handed over to these Frenchmen, and then for some time, being in the very
track of the shipping, made some important prizes, after which he sailed
again for the West Indies, took in ample supplies of provisions and then
determined to hasten towards the coast of Guinea, where previously they
had been so successful. On the way they came up with a French ship,
and as she was more suitable for piracy than his own, Roberts made her
skipper exchange ships. They were some time getting towards Surinam, as
they made a mistake in their navigation and got out of the trade winds.
And then trouble overtook them. Water had been running short for some
time, so that they became reduced to one mouthful a day. Famine, too,
overtook them, so that with thirst also tormenting them many of the
crew died, whilst the rest were extremely weak and feeble. Things went
from bad to worse, and now there was not one drop of fluid for drinking
purposes.
But, fortunately for them, they found they were in seven fathoms of
water, so the anchor was lowered over, but as they were such a long
way off the shore they despaired of relieving their thirst. But the
ship’s boat was sent away, and after a while, to their immense relief,
the little craft returned with plenty of drinking water to end their
sufferings. One would have thought that as an act of gratitude these
men would then have given up their lawless life and ceased their
depredations. But they were a hardened lot of ruffians who feared neither
God nor man, so as soon as they were able they were off to sea at their
old game. They fell in with a ship which gave them all the provisions
they required, and soon afterwards came up with a brigantine which not
only afforded them still further supplies, but also a mate who joined
their company. Then, as they learnt that the governor had dispatched two
ships to capture them, they did a very impudent and a very cruel series
of acts by way of revenge. It should be mentioned that it was the custom
of the Dutch ships to trade with Martinique illegally. To prevent any
trouble they would keep some distance off the island and then hoist their
jacks. The inhabitants were on the look out for the signal and would row
off to do their trading, there being always a sharp contest as to who
should reach the ship first and so secure the pick of the goods.
The artful Roberts, always ready with some new device, was well aware of
this custom, so when he arrived off the island he hoisted the Dutch jack
and waited. The inhabitants of Martinique saw it and came off in their
craft as fast as they could. As each man came on board he had him killed
until there were only left those who had remained in the small ships
which had come for the cargo. All these ships, to the number of twenty,
he burned, excepting one: and into this one ship he put the survivors
and sent them back to Martinique with the doleful news. It was a cruel,
heartless trick and the basest of all methods of revenge. Roberts’ ships
then put to sea once more.
And so the life of pillage went on. When they found themselves, after
a successful period, well supplied with everything, they would indulge
their bestial bodies in hard drinking: in fact, it was deemed a crime
among them not to be in this condition of inebriety. And then finding
their wealth diminishing they set a course across the South Atlantic once
more to the Guinea coast in order to forage for gold. They fell in with
two French ships, of which one was a 10-gunner and the other a 75. The
former carried sixty-five men and the latter seventy-five. But so soon as
these cowards recognised the black flag they surrendered. So, taking the
two prizes with them, the pirates went on to Sierra Leone. One of the new
ships Roberts named the _Ranger_: the other he used as a store-ship.
After six more weeks spent at Sierra Leone in excesses, they put to
sea, and after more captures and more enjoyment of their wealth found
that their resources were still in need of replenishment. Festivity and
mirth had made a big hole in their capital, so that if they were to keep
alive they must needs get busy forthwith. Therefore they cruised about,
held up unprotected merchant ships, relieved them of their cargoes and
then burnt or sunk those strong hulls which had been the pride of many
a shipbuilder and many an owner. But the time of reckoning was at hand,
for H.M.S. _Swallow_ and another man-of-war had now been sent to capture
both Roberts and his craft. Definite news had been gained as to where
the pirates were likely to be found, and the matter was to be dealt with
firmly. Just a little to the south of the Equator, where the “line”
touches the west coast of Africa, is a bold promontory known as Cape
Lopez. Off this point lay Roberts.
Now the _Swallow_ was fortunate enough to know that the man he wanted
was here and came up as fast as she could to that locality. Those who
were serving under the pirate saw this strange sail in the offing, and so
Roberts sent one of his ships to chase her and bring her back. The pirate
had heard that two men-of-war were sent out to seek him, but he had so
successfully escaped their vigilance so far that he became over-confident
and careless. And in the present instance he judged her to be merely one
more unhappy merchantman that was to add to his list of victims. But when
the pilot of the _Swallow_ saw the detached pirate craft approaching, he
effected a smart stratagem. He altered his course and ran away from her,
but he gave her a good long run for her trouble, and managed to allow her
gradually to overtake the man-of-war. But this was not until the pirate
had got well away from her mother ship.
As the pirate came up, full of confidence that the prize would shortly be
hers, she hoisted out her black flag as usual and then fired. But when it
was now too late they discovered that this was a man-of-war and much more
than a match for the pirate. The latter was too far from Roberts’ ship to
be assisted, and so, seeing that resistance would be futile, she cried
for quarter. This was granted and her crew promptly made prisoners, but
not till she had lost already ten men killed and twenty wounded, whereas
the _Swallow_ had not received one single casualty.
The pirate admiral was still lying near the Cape, and one morning her
crew looked up and saw a sight which gave them no pleasure. Over the land
they could see the masts of the _Swallow_ as the ship bore away to round
the Cape. At the time Roberts was below having breakfast, and some of
the crew came down to inform him of the sight. But Roberts was far more
interested in his meal than in the ship and declined to get excited. She
might be a Portuguese craft, or a French slaver, or it might be their own
_Ranger_ coming back. But as the ship came on nearer and nearer the crew
began to get exceptionally interested. That was the man-of-war _Swallow_.
It was useless to dispute the point, for there was among the pirate
crew a man named Armstrong, who had previously served aboard the naval
ship and deserted. He knew her too well to take any heed of others who
disputed her identity. But Roberts was still not nervous, and stigmatised
those as cowards who were disheartening his men. Even if she were the
_Swallow_, what did it matter? Were they afraid to fight her?
But if there was a man aboard the pirate who still possessed any doubt,
that uncertainty was instantly set at rest when the _Swallow_ was seen
to be hoisting up her ports and getting her guns ready for action. Out
went the British colours, and even Roberts thought it was time to be
doing something. He had driven matters pretty fine, so he had to slip
his cable, got under way, and ordered his men to arms. All the time he
showed no timidity, but dropping an occasional oath he meant to be ready
for all that the _Swallow_ would be willing to attempt. The pirate’s
sails were unloosed and the ship had gathered way. Roberts never lost his
head, although he was not in a good humour at having had to interrupt his
morning meal. He called Armstrong to him and questioned him as to the
trim of the _Swallow_. Armstrong informed him that she sailed best upon a
wind, so that, if Roberts wanted to get away, he would be best advised to
run before the wind, as thus the _Swallow_ would not easily overtake him.
But the two ships were getting very near to each other and there was no
longer time for thinking out tactics. Quick but not hasty decision must
be made, so this is what Roberts resolved to attempt: He would pass quite
close to the _Swallow_ under full sail, and receive her broadside before
returning a shot. If the pirate should then have the misfortune to be
disabled, or if his masts and sails were shot away, then the ship would
be run ashore at the point, and every man could shift for himself among
the natives. But if this means of escape should turn out impracticable,
Roberts intended to get his ship alongside the _Swallow_ and blow the two
craft up together. The reason why he intended such desperate measures
was that old folly which has been the cause of so much disaster both to
nations, fleets and individual ships. In a word, he was unprepared, so
were his crew. He himself had not been expecting the _Swallow_, and his
own men were either drunk or only passively courageous; in any case not
the keen, alert crew who are likely to win an engagement.
But there was a curious old-time vanity about the man, which shows how
seriously these pirate-skippers took themselves. Dressed in a rich
crimson damask waistcoat and breeches, a red feather in his hat, a gold
chain round his neck with a diamond cross depending, he stood on his
deck, sword in hand, and two pairs of pistols hanging at the end of a
silk sling flung over his shoulders, as was the custom of the pirates
and such as one sees in the old prints of these men. He played the part
of commander grandly, giving his order with boldness and spirit. When
his ship closed with the _Swallow_, he received her fire and hoisted
his black flag, returning the man-of-war’s fire. He set all the sail
he could, and, as the ship tore through the water, blazed away at
the _Swallow_. It was a pity for his own sake that he did not follow
Armstrong’s advice and run his ship off before the wind. Had he done
so he might have escaped. But either through the wind shifting or else
through bad steerage in the excitement of the contest, his sails, with
the tacks down, were taken aback, and for a second time the _Swallow_
came quite close to him. From now onwards there would have been a very
desperate fight, but a grape shot struck him in the throat, and presently
he died. He laid himself on the tackles of one of the ship’s guns. The
man at the helm observing him there, and seeing that he was wounded, ran
towards him and swore at him, bidding him stand up and fight like a man.
But when the sailor found to his horror that his chief was already dead,
he burst into tears, and hoped that the next shot might settle himself.
Presently the lifeless body of the daring, plucky, ingenious Roberts was
thrown over the side into the water with his arms and ornaments still
on, just as he had repeatedly expressed the wish to be buried during his
lifetime.
The rest is quickly told. The pirate ship was now soon captured, and
the crew arrested. The latter were strictly guarded while on board the
man-of-war, and were taken to Cape Coast Castle, where they underwent
a long trial. Like many of the old smugglers, these pirates remained
defiant and impenitent for a long time, but after some experience of the
dull confinement in the castle and the imminence of death, they changed
their disposition, “and became serious, penitent, and fervent in their
devotions.” Their acts of robbery on sea had been so flagrant that there
was no difficulty in bringing in a verdict of guilty.