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
Welshman, 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 two 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
harbor, 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 great 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 barbacued 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
his ship, his was a good one, and they were resolved to have her, to
make amends for the damage he had done them."
[Illustration: _Hugh Man wetting the Priming of the Guns._]
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, _Zounds, we don't trouble
our heads what we are, let's have t'other bowl of punch_.
A watchword 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 alongside 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_l_ 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, and 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 were 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 Captain 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,
for he was but a young pirate, though an old commander of a merchantman.
Those who pushed for boarding, then desired Captain Boreman, already
mentioned, to take the command; but he said he would not be a 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 Captain
White was all this time before the mast, being a forced man from the
beginning.
Bowen's crew dispersing, Captain 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 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 Captain 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 Captain White was known
to the king, they were kindly received, and staid 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 harbor, 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, whose 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. Captain 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.
Captain White, and those who staid with him, conveyed 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.
[Illustration: _The Murder of the Captain and Chief Mate._]
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 harbor and staid 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
harbor, 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 anchor in convenient harbors 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 shipmates. 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 Ambonavoula, 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. Captain
White, hankering after home, proposed going out again in the boat; for
he was adverse 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 Captain 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 existing 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.
Captain 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 Babel-Mandeb, and running into a harbor, 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 espied 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 them 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 her all night, and
took in the morning, with the loss of only their boatswain, and two or
three men wounded. In 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 away with prisoners, gave them
provision and sent them away.
Some days after this, they espied a Portuguese man-of war of 44 guns,
which they chased, but gave it over by carrying away their maintopmast,
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 colors
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, Captain
Penruddock, commander, coming from Mocha. They exchanged several shots
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
Captain 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 Captain 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 asked the reason of their tears, was answered by Stacy,
and the above sum and plate was all the children had to bring them up.
Captain 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 to 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 provisions.
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 ship, and was fitting her up for the next season. When
she was near ready for sea, Captain 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 Captain
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 in 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
that 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 honor.
THE LIFE, ATROCITIES, AND BLOODY DEATH OF BLACK BEARD.
Edward Teach was a native of Bristol, and having gone to Jamaica,
frequently sailed from that port as one of the crew of a privateer
during the French war. In that station he gave frequent proofs of his
boldness and personal courage; but he was not entrusted with any command
until Captain Benjamin Hornigold gave him the command of a prize which
he had taken.
In the spring of 1717, Hornigold and Teach sailed from Providence for
the continent of America, and on their way captured a small vessel with
120 barrels of flour, which they put on board their own vessel. They
also seized two other vessels; from one they took some gallons of wine,
and from the other, plunder to a considerable value. After cleaning upon
the coast of Virginia, they made a prize of a large French Guineaman
bound to Martinique, and Teach obtaining the command of her, went to the
island of Providence, and surrendered to the king's clemency.
Teach now began to act an independent part. He mounted his vessel with
forty guns, and named her "The Queen Anne's Revenge." Cruising near the
island of St. Vincent, he took a large ship, called the Great Allan, and
after having plundered her of what he deemed proper, set her on fire. A
few days after, Teach encountered the Scarborough man-of-war, and
engaged her for some hours; but perceiving his strength and resolution,
she retired, and left Teach to pursue his depredations. His next
adventure was with a sloop of ten guns, commanded by Major Bonnet, and
these two men co-operated for some time: but Teach finding him
unacquainted with naval affairs, gave the command of Bonnet's ship to
Richards, one of his own crew, and entertained Bonnet on board his own
vessel. Watering at Turniff, they discovered a sail, and Richards with
the Revenge slipped her cable, and ran out to meet her. Upon seeing the
black flag hoisted, the vessel struck, and came-to under the stern of
Teach the commodore. This was the Adventure from Jamaica. They took the
captain and his men on board the great ship, and manned his sloop for
their own service.
Weighing from Turniff, where they remained during a week, and sailing to
the bay, they found there a ship and four sloops. Teach hoisted his
flag, and began to fire at them, upon which the captain and his men left
their ship and fled to the shore. Teach burned two of these sloops, and
let the other three depart.