Though I can contribute nothing to your Second Volume of Pyrates you
have (as I hear) in Hand, yet, by your Character of Veracity, I perswade
my self I shall oblige you, in rectifying a Mistake you made in your
first. In the Life of Captain _Martel_ you say, the _Greyhound_ Galley
of _London_, which I then commanded, fell into the Hands of that Pyrate,
who plunder'd her of some Gold Dust, Elephants Teeth, and 40 Slaves. The
latter Part of this is just, except the Elephants Teeth, of which I
lost, I think, none; but you are misled in the former, for _Martel_'s
Company had deposed him, on Account, as they themselves told me, of his
Cruelty; had given him, and those who were willing to follow his
Fortunes, a Sloop, and, sending him away, chose a more righteous in his
Place, whose Name was _Kennedy_, by Descent an _Irishman_, by Birth a
_Spaniard_ of _Cuba_, and a Hunter. On my coming on Board the Pyrate,
Captain _Saunders_ of the _Weymouth_, who was taken the Day before, was
the first Man who spoke to me, telling me, he was sorry for my
Misfortune. I took him for the Commander of the Pyrate; but I soon found
my Mistake, by his carrying me aft to the Captain, who bid me welcome,
and drank to me in a Can of Wine; and some of the Crew told me, that it
was happy for me I did not fall into the Hands of their late Captain;
for a Ship with _Madera_ Wine thought fit to give them the Trouble to
lose some Time, and fire a couple of Chase-Guns before she shorten'd
Sail, which Captain _Martel_ took for so great an Affront, that all the
Company was cut off. But I shall now give you the Particulars of my
being taken. As I have said, I commanded the _Greyhound_ Galley, on
board of which I had 250 Slaves, bound from the Coast of _Guiney_ to
_Jamaica_, and consign'd to Messieurs _Feak_ and _Aldcroft_, on Account
of Mr. _Bignell_ and others. On the 16th of _October_ 1716, about 10
Leagues S. S. W. from the Island of _Monna_, in the grey of the Morning,
my second Mate came down and acquainted me, that a Ship was almost on
board us. We then steer'd about W. half South, and the Pyrate stood to
the S. E. His coming very near us made us edge away from him, and call
out to desire he would keep his Luff, or he would be on board us. No
Answer was given, and not a Soul appear'd on his Decks, but the Man at
the Helm, and about two more; however the _Greyhound_ got clear, and
crowded, as usual, for a Market. As soon as the Pyrate got into our
Wake, she wore, and made all the Sail she could, by which Means she soon
came up with us (for she was clean, and we foul) and clewing up her
Sprit-Sail, fir'd a Gun with Shot, and at the same Time let fly her
Jack, Ensign and Pendant, in which was the Figure of a Man, with a Sword
in his Hand, and an Hour-Glass before him, with a Death's Head and
Bones. In the Jack and Pendant were only the Head and Cross Bones. I did
not think fit to shorten Sail, which occasioned a second Shot from the
Pyrate, which went through our Main Top-Sail. Upon this I consulted my
Officers, and they advised the shortning Sail, as we were no Way in a
Capacity to make any Defence. I followed their Advice, and was order'd
on board the Pyrate, who ask'd me, pretty civily, the usual Questions,
Whence I came? Whether bound? _&c._ My second Mate, and some of my Men,
were soon shifted into the Pyrate, with 40 of the best Men Slaves; the
Women Slaves they diverted themselves with, and took off the Irons from
all the Negroes I had on board. The Captain asked me if I had no Gold? I
assured him I had not; and, indeed, I had no more than 100 Ounces,
which, before I went on board the Pyrate, my Carpenter had let into the
Ceiling of the great Cabbin. He answer'd only, it was very strange that
I should take no Gold on the Coast. I answer'd, I had taken a
considerable Quantity, but as I took it in one Place, I parted with it
in another; which, if he would inspect my Books, he would find exactly
as I said. We had no more Discourse then on the Subject, but a while
after, I and my Mate were sent for into the great Cabbin, where the
Council sat. Immediately cock'd Pistols were clapp'd to our Breasts, and
we were threaten'd with Death, in Case we did not confess what Gold we
had on board, and where it was hid. I deny'd that we had any, and
desir'd he would satisfy himself of the Truth, by examining my Books.
The Mate answer'd, he knew nothing of my Dealings on the Coasts, and
therefore could give no Answer. He knew, indeed, I had received Gold on
the Coast, as he had seen it brought on board; but he had seen a
considerable Quantity carry'd out of the Ship. Upon this, we were
order'd to withdraw, and nothing more was said; but I hearing their
Design was to torture me with lighted Matches between my Fingers, I
thought the Loss of the Use of my Hands would be but poorly compensated
with the saving 100 Ounces of Gold, and therefore desired to speak to
the Captain himself; to him I discover'd what I had, and where it was
concealed. He immediately sent his Boat on board the _Greyhound_, with
my Carpenter and half a dozen of his own Crew, who were so impatient to
be at the Gold, they made a meer Pincushion of the Fellow's Breech,
continually pricking his Backside with their Swords, to hasten him. My
Lodging was in the Hold, where one _Taffier_, the Gunner, came down to
me, and snapp'd a Pistol at my Breast, which he fired afterwards upon
Deck; and the same Man one Day, as I was on the Quarter-Deck, struck me,
in the Presence of his Captain, with his Cutlass, after having
reproach'd me with my private Confession, and asking, if every Man there
had not as good and just Pretension to the Gold as the Captain. Whether
it was by Accident or Design that he struck with the Flat of his
Cutlass, I know not, but the Blow knock'd me down, and depriv'd me of my
Senses for some Time.
Captain _Kennedy_, who seem'd to have more Humanity than is commonly
found in Men of his Profession, resented this Treatment of me so far,
that he got into his Yawl, and put off from the Ship, swearing he would
not sail with Men who so barbarously abused their Prisoners. He,
however, returned on board at their Perswasions, and on their Promise,
that nothing like it should happen for the future. The Night of the Day
in which we were taken, the Pyrate came to an Anchor under the Island of
_Savona_, where he kept us till the 20th, and then let us go in Company
with Captain _Saunders_, of the Ship _Weymouth_, from _Boston_, laden
with Fish and Lumber for _Jamaica_, at which Island we arrived and
anchor'd at _Port Royal_ the 25th in the Morning.
The Pyrate, a little before I was taken, had met with two interloping
_Dutch_ Men, supposed to be bound for the Main, who gave him a rough
Entertainment, and made him glad to sheer off.
The _Weymouth_ had two Women Passengers on board; how they pass'd their
Time I need not say; though, I fancy, as they had formerly made a Trip
or two to the Bay, there was no Rape committed.
Notwithstanding the melancholy Situation I was in, I could not refrain
laughing when I saw the Fellows who went on board the _Greyhound_,
return to their own Ship; for they had, in rummaging my Cabbin, met with
a Leather Powder Bag and Puff, with which they had powder'd themselves
from Head to Foot, walk'd the Decks with their Hats under their Arms,
minced their Oaths, and affected all the Airs of a Beau, with an
Aukwardness would have forced a Smile from a Cynick.
When I was permitted to return on board the _Greyhound_, and prosecute
my Voyage, I found all my Papers torn, and every Thing turn'd
topsy-turvy; but this was nothing to their leaving all my Negroes out of
Irons, of whom I was more in fear than I had been of the Pyrates; for,
among them, the Captain's Humanity protected us; but we could expect no
Quarter from the Negroes should they rebel; and, in such Case, we had no
Prospect of quelling them, for the Pyrates had taken away all our Arms,
and by opening a Cask of Knives, which they had scatter'd about the
Ship, they had armed the Negroes, one of whom had the Insolence to
collar and shake one of my Men. I therefore called my People aft, and
told them, our Security depended altogether on our Resolution; wherefore
arming selves with Handspikes, we drove the Negroes into the Hold, and
afterwards calling them up one by one, we put on their Irons, which the
Pyrates had not taken with them, took away their Knives, and, by these
Means, arrived safely at our Port. If this Detail is of any Service to
you, I have my Ends. I hope, if you intend a third Volume, it may induce
others who have had the same Misfortune of falling into the Hands of
Pyrates, to assist you with their Minutes.
I am,
SIR,
Your very humble Servant,
_J. EVANS_.
_Feb._ 2.
1727-8.
_P.S._ Four of my Men took on with the Pyrates, though I remember the
Names of two only, _Bryant Ryley_, _John Hammond_.
_The TRIAL of the_ PYRATES
_at_ Providence.
_To Captain_ Johnson.