The King of Pirates Part 3

They beat about on the South of the Line all up the Coast of _Chili_, and Part of _Peru_, till they came to the Height of _Lima_ itself.

They met with several Ships, and took several, but they were loaden chiefly with Lumber or Provisions, except that in one Vessel they took between 40 and 50000 Pieces of Eight, and in another 75000. They soon inform'd themselves that the _Spanish_ Men of War were gone out of those Seas up to _Panama_, to boast of their good Fortune, and carry Home their Prize; and this made them the bolder. But tho' they spent near five Months in this second Cruise, they met with nothing considerable; the _Spaniards_ being every where alarm'd, and having Notice of them, so that nothing stirr'd Abroad.

Tir'd then with their long Cruise, and out of Hope of more Booty, they began to look Homeward, and to say to one another that they had enough; so, in a Word, they came back to _Juan Fernando_, and there furnishing themselves as well as they could with Provisions, and not forgeting to take their Treasure on Board with them, they set forward again to the South; and after a very bad Voyage in rounding the _Terra del Fuego_, being driven to the Lat.i.tude of 65 Degrees, where they felt Extremity of Cold, they at length obtain'd a more favourable Wind, _viz._ at S. and S. S. E; with which, steering to the North, they came into a milder Sea and a milder Coast, and at length arriv'd at _Port St. Julien_, where, to their great Joy, they found the Post or Cross erected by us; and understanding that we were gone to _Madagascar_, and that we would be sure to remain there to hear from them, and withal that we had been gone there near two Year, they resolv'd to follow us.

Here they staid, it seems, almost half a Year, partly fitting and altering their Ship, partly wearing out the Winter Season, and waiting for milder Weather; and having victuall'd their Ship in but a very ordinary Manner for so long a Run, _viz._ only with Seals Flesh and Penguins, and some Deer they kill'd in the Country, they at last launch'd out, and crossing the great _Atlantick Ocean_, they made the _Cape of Good Hope_ in about 76 Days, having been put to very great Distresses in that Time for Want of Food, all their Seals Flesh and Penguins growing nauseous and stinking in little less than half the Time of their Voyage; so that they had nothing to subsist on for seven and twenty Days, but a little Quant.i.ty of dry'd Venison which they kill'd on Sh.o.r.e, about the Quant.i.ty of 3 Barrels of _English_ Beef, and some Bread; and when they came to the _Cape of Good Hope_, they gat some small Supply, but it being soon perceiv'd on Sh.o.r.e what they were, they were glad to be gone as soon as they had fill'd their Casks with Water, and gat but a very little Provisions; so they made to the Coast of _Natal_ on the South East Point of _Africa_, and there they gat more fresh Provisions, such as Veal, Milk, Goats-Flesh, some tolerable b.u.t.ter, and very good Beef: And this held them out till they found us in the North Part of _Madagascar_, as above.

We staid about a Fortnight in our Port, and in a sailing Posture, just as if we had been Wind-bound, meerly to congratulate and make merry with our new-come Friends, when I resolv'd to leave them there, and set Sail; which I did with a Westerly Wind, keeping away North till I came into the Lat.i.tude of seven Degrees North; so coasting along the _Arabian_ Coast E.

N. E. towards the Gulph of Persia, in the Cruise I met with two _Persian_ Barks loaden with Rice; one of which I mann'd and sent away to _Madagascar_, and the other I took for our own Ship's Use. This Bark came safe to my new Colony, and was a very agreeable Prize to them; I think verily almost as agreeable as if it had been loaded with Pieces of Eight, for they had been without Bread a great while; and this was a double Benefit to them, for they fitted up this Bark, which carry'd about 55 Tun, and went away to the Gulph of _Persia_ in her to buy Rice, and brought two or three _Freights_ of that which was very good.

In this Time I pursu'd my Voyage, coasted the whole _Malabar_ Sh.o.r.e, and met with no Purchase but a great _Portugal East-India_ Ship, which I chac'd into _Goa_, where she got out of my Reach: I took several small Vessels and Barks, but little of Value in them, till I enter'd the great Bay of _Bengale_, when I began to look about me with more Expectation of Success, tho' without Prospect of what happen'd.

I cruis'd here about two Months, finding nothing worth while; so I stood away to a Port on the North Point of the Isle of _Sumatra_, where I made no Stay; for here I gat News that two large Ships, belonging to the Great Mogul, were expected to cross the Bay from _Hugely_ in the _Ganges_ to the Country of the King of _Pegu_, being to carry the Grandaughter of the Great Mogul to _Pegu_, who was to be marry'd to the King of that Country, with all her Retinue, Jewels, and Wealth.

This was a Booty worth watching for, tho' it had been some Months longer; so I refolv'd that we would go and Cruise off of Point _Negaris_, on the East Side of the Bay, near _Diamond Isle_; and here we ply'd off and on for three Weeks, and began to despair of Success; but the Knowledge of the Booty we expected spurr'd us on, and we waited with great Patience, for we knew the Prize would be immensely rich.

At length we spy'd three Ships coming right up to us with the Wind; we could easily see they were not _Europeans_ by their Sails, and began to prepare ourselves for a Prize, not for a Fight; but were a little disappointed, when we found the first Ship full of Guns, and full of Soldiers, and in Condition, had she been manag'd by _English_ Sailors, to have fought two such Ships as ours were; however, we resolv'd to attack her if she had been full of Devils as she was full of Men.

Accordingly, when we came near them, we fir'd a Gun with Shot as a Challenge; they fir'd again immediately three or four Guns; but fir'd them so confusedly that we could easily see they did not understand their Business; when we consider'd how to lay them on Board, and so to come thwart them, if we could; but falling, for want of Wind, open to them, we gave them a fair Broadside; we could easily see, by the Confusion that was on Board, that they were frighted out of their Wits; they fir'd here a Gun and there a Gun, and some on that Side that was from us, as well as those that were next to us. The next Thing we did was to lay them on Board, which we did presently, and then gave them a Volley of our Small-shot, which, as they stood so thick, kill'd a great many of them, and made all the rest run down under their Hatches, crying out like Creatures bewitch'd: In a Word, we presently took the Ship, and having secur'd her Men, we chac'd the other two: One was chiefly fill'd with Women, and the other with Lumber. Upon the Whole, as the Grandaughter of the Great Mogul was our Prize in the first Ship, so, in the second was her Women, or, in a Word, her Houshold, her Eunuchs, all the Necessaries of her Wardrobe, of her Stables, and of her Kitchin; and in the last, great Quant.i.ties of Houshold-stuff, and Things less costly, tho' not less useful.

But the first was the main Prize. When my Men had enter'd and master'd the Ship, one of our Lieutenants call'd for me, and accordingly I jump'd on Board; he told me, he thought no Body but I ought to go into the great Cabin, or, at least, no Body should go there before me; for that the Lady herself and all her Attendance was there, and he fear'd the Men were so heated they would murder them all, or do worse.

I immediately went to the great Cabin-door, taking the Lieutenant that call'd me, along with me, and caus'd the Cabin-door to be open'd: But such a Sight of Glory and Misery was never seen by Buccaneer before; the Queen (for such she was to have been) was all in Gold and Silver, but frighted; and crying, and at the Sight of me she appear'd trembling, and just as if she was going to die. She sate on the Side of a kind of a Bed like a Couch with no Canopy over it, or any Covering, only made to lie down upon; she was, in a Manner, cover'd with Diamonds, and I, like a true Pirate, soon let her see that I had more Mind to the Jewels than to the Lady.

However, before I touch'd her, I order'd the Lieutenant to place a Guard at the Cabin-door; and fastening the Door, shut us both in, which he did: The Lady was young, and, I suppose, in their Country Esteem, very handsome, but she was not very much so in my Thoughts: At first, her Fright, and the Danger she thought she was in of being kill'd, taught her to do every Thing that she thought might interpose between her and Danger; and that was to take off her Jewels as fast as she could, and give them to me; and I, without any great Compliment, took them as fast as she gave them me, and put them into my Pocket, taking no great Notice of them, or of her, which frighted her worse than all the rest, and she said something which I could not understand; however, two of the other Ladies came, all crying, and kneel'd down to me with their Hands lifted up: What they meant I knew not at first, but by their Gestures and Pointings I found at last it was to beg the young Queen's Life, and that I would not kill her.

I have heard that it has been reported in _England_ that I ravish'd this Lady, and then used her most barbarously; but they wrong me, for I never offer'd any Thing of that Kind to her, I a.s.sure you; nay, I was so far from being inclin'd to it, that I did not like her; and there was one of her Ladies who I found much more agreeable to me, and who I was afterwards something free with, but not even with her either by Force, or by Way of Ravishing.

We did, indeed, ravish them of all their Wealth, for that was what we wanted, not the Women; nor was there any other Ravishing among those in the great Cabin, that I can a.s.sure you: As for the Ship where the Women of inferior Rank were, and who were in Number almost two hundred, I cannot answer for what might happen in the first Heat; but even there, after the first Heat of our Men was over, what was done, was done quietly, for I have heard some of the Men say, that there was not a Woman among them but what was lain with four or five Times over, that is to say, by so many several Men; for as the Women made no Opposition, so the Men even took those that were next them, without Ceremony, when and where Opportunity offer'd.

When the three Ladies kneel'd down to me, and as soon as I understood what it was for, I let them know I would not hurt the Queen, nor let any one else hurt her, but that she must give me all her Jewels and Money: Upon this they acquainted her that I would save her Life; and no sooner had they a.s.sur'd her of that, but she got up, smiling, and went to a fine _Indian_ Cabinet, and open'd a private Drawer, from whence she took another little Thing full of little square Drawers and Holes; this she brings to me in her Hand, and offer'd to kneel down to give it me. This innocent Usage began to rouse some Good-Nature in me, (tho' I never had much) and I would not let her kneel; but sitting down myself on the Side of her Couch or Bed, made a Motion to her to sit down too: But here she was frighted again, it seems, at what I had no Thought of; for sitting on her Bed, she thought I would pull her down to lie with her, and so did all her Women too; for they began to hold their Hands before their Faces, which, as I understood afterwards, was that they might not see me turn up their Queen: But as I did not offer any Thing of that Kind, only made her sit down by me, they began all to be easier after some Time, and she gave me the little Box or Casket, I know not what to call it, but it was full of invaluable Jewels. I have them still in my Keeping, and wish they were safe in _England_; for I doubt not but some of them are fit to be plac'd on the King's Crown.

Being Master of this Treasure, I was very willing to be good-humour'd to the Persons; so I went out of the Cabin, and caus'd the Women to be left alone, causing the Guard to be kept still, that they might receive no more Injury than I would do them myself.

After I had been out of the Cabin some Time, a Slave of the Womens came to me, and made Sign to me that the Queen would speak with me again. I made Signs back, that I would come and dine with her Majesty: And accordingly I order'd that her Servants should prepare her Dinner, and carry it in, and then call me. They provided her Repast after the usual Manner, and when she saw it brought in, she appear'd pleas'd, and more, when she saw me come in after it; for she was exceedingly pleas'd that I had caus'd a Guard to keep the rest of my Men from her; and she had, it seems, been told how rude they had been to some of the Women that belong'd to her.

When I came in, she rose up, and paid me such Respect as I did not well know how to receive, and not in the least how to return. If she had understood _English_, I could have said plainly, and in good rough Words, Madam, be easy, we are rude rough-hewn Fellows, but none of our Men should hurt you, or touch you; I will be your Guard and Protection; we are for Money, indeed and we shall take what you have, but we will do you no other Harm. But as I could not talk thus to her, I scarce knew what to say; but I sate down, and made Signs to have her sit down and eat, which she did, but with so much Ceremony, that I did not know well what to do with it.

After we had eaten, she rose up again, and drinking some Water out of a _China_ Cup, sate her down on the Side of the Couch, as before: When she saw I had done eating, she went then to another Cabinet, and pulling out a Drawer, she brought it to me; it was full of small Pieces of Gold Coin of _Pegu_, about as big as an _English_ Half Guinea, and I think there were three thousand of them. She open'd several other Drawers, and shew'd me the Wealth that was in them and then gave me the Key of the Whole.

We had revell'd thus all Day, and Part of the next Day, in a bottomless Sea of Riches, when my Lieutenant began to tell me, we must consider what to do with our Prisoners, and the Ships, for that there was no subsisting in that Manner; besides, he hinted privately, that the Men would be ruin'd, by lying with the Women in the other Ship, where all Sorts of Liberty was both given and taken: Upon this we call'd a short Council, and concluded to carry the great Ship away with us, but to put all the Prisoners, Queen, Ladies, and all the rest, into the lesser Vessels, and let them go: And so far was I from ravishing this Lady, as I hear is reported of me, that tho'

I might rifle her of every Thing else, yet I a.s.sure you I let her go untouch'd for me, or, as I am satisfy'd, for any one, of my Men; nay, when we dismiss'd them, we gave her Leave to take a great many Things of Value with her, which she would have been plunder'd of, if I had not been so careful of her.

We had now Wealth enough, not only to make us rich, but almost to have made a Nation rich; and to tell you the Truth, considering the costly Things we took here, which we did not know the Value of, and besides Gold, and Silver, and Jewels, I say, we never knew how rich we were; besides which, we had a great Quant.i.ty of Bales of Goods, as well Calicoes as wrought Silks; which being for Sale, were, perhaps, as a Cargo of Goods to answer the Bills which might be drawn upon them for the Account of the Bride's Portion; all which fell into our Hands, with a great Sum in Silver Coin, too big to talk of among _Englishmen_, especially while I am living, for Reasons which I may give you hereafter.

I had nothing to do now but to think of coming back to _Madagascar_, so we made the best of our Way; only that, to make us quite distracted without other Joy, we took in our Way a small Bark loaden with Arack and Rice, which was good Sawce to our other Purchace; for if the Women made our Men drunk before, this _Arack_ made them quite mad; and they had so little Government of themselves with it, that I think it might be said, the whole Ship's Crew was drunk for above a Fortnight together, till six or seven of them kill'd themselves; two fell overboard and were drown'd, and several more fell into raging Fevers, and it was a Wonder, in the whole, they were not all kill'd with it.

But, to make short of the Story as we did of the Voyage, we had a very pleasant Voyage, except those Disasters, and we came safe back to our Comrades at _Madagascar_, having been absent in all about seven Months.

We found them in very good Health, and longing to hear from us; and we were, you may be a.s.sur'd, welcome to them; for now we had ama.s.s'd such a Treasure as no Society of Men ever possess'd in this World before us, neither could we ever bring it to an Estimation, for we could not bring particular Things to a just Valuation.

We liv'd now and enjoy'd ourselves in full Security; for tho' some of the _European_ Nations, and perhaps all of them had heard of us; yet they heard such formidable Things of us, such terrible Stories of our great Strength, as well as of our great Wealth, that they had no Thought of undertaking any Thing against us; for, as I have understood, they were told at _London_, that we were no less than 5000 Men; that we had built a regular Fortress for our Defence by Land, and that we had 20 Sail of Ships; and I have been told that in _France_ they have heard the same Thing: But nothing of all this was ever true, any more than it was true, that we offer'd ten Millions to the Government of _England_ for our Pardon.

It is true, that had the Queen sent any Intimation to us of a Pardon, and that we should have been receiv'd to Grace at Home, we should all have very willingly embrac'd it; for we had Money enough to have encourag'd us all to live honest; and if we had been ask'd for a Million of Pieces of Eight, or a Million of Pounds Sterling, to have purchas'd our Pardon, we should have been very ready to have comply'd with it; for we really knew not what to do with ourselves, or with our Wealth; and the only Thing we had now before us, was to consider what Method to take for getting Home, if possible, to our own Country with our Wealth, or at least with such Part of it as would secure us easy and comfortable Lives; and, for my own Part, I resolv'd, if I could, to make full Satisfaction to all the Persons who I had wrong'd in _England_, I mean by that, such People as I had injur'd by running away with the Ship; as well the Owners, and the Master or Captain, who I set a-sh.o.r.e in _Spain_, as the Merchant whose Goods I had taken with the Ship; and I was daily forming Schemes in my Thoughts how to bring this to pa.s.s: But we all concluded that it was impossible for us to accomplish our Desires as to that Part, seeing the Fact of our Piracy was now so publick all over the World, that there was not any Nation in the World that would receive us, or any of us; but would immediately seize on our Wealth, and execute us for Pirates and Robbers of all Nations.

This was confirm'd to us after some Time, with all the Particulars, as it is now understood in _Europe_; for as the Fame of our Wealth and Power was such, that it made all the World afraid of us, so it brought some of the like Sort with our selves to join with us from all Parts of the World; and particularly, we had a Bark, and 60 Men of all Nations, from _Martinico_, who had been cruising in the Gulph of _Florida_, came over to us, to try if they could mend their Fortunes; and these went afterwards to the Gulph of _Persia_, where they took some Prizes, and return'd to us again. We had after this three Pirate Ships came to us, most _English_, who had done some Exploits on the Coast of _Guinea_, had made several good Prizes, and were all tolerably rich.

As these People came and shelter'd with us, so they came and went as they would, and sometimes some of our Men went with them, sometimes theirs staid with us: But by that Coming and Going our Men found Ways and Means to convey themselves away, some one Way, some another. For I should have told you at first, that after we had such Intelligence from _England_, _viz._ that they knew of all our successful Enterprizes, and that there was no Hopes of our returning, especially of mine and some other Men who were known: I say, after this we call'd a general Council to consider what to do; and there, one and all, we concluded that we liv'd very happy where we were; that if any of us had a Mind to venture to get away to any Part of the World, none should hinder them, but that else we would continue where we were; and that the first Opportunity we had we would cruise upon the _English_ _East India_ Ships, and do them what Spoil we could, fancying that some Time or other they would proclaim a Pardon to us, if we would come in; and if they did, then we would accept of it.

Under these Circ.u.mstances we remain'd here, off and on, first and last, above three Year more; during which Time our Number encreas'd so, especially at first, that we were once eight hundred Men, stout brave Fellows, and as good Sailors as any in the World. Our Number decreas'd afterwards upon several Occasions; such as the going Abroad to Cruise, wandering to the South Part of the Island, (as above) getting on Board _European_ Ships, and the like.

After I perceiv'd that a great many of our Men were gone off, and had carry'd their Wealth with them, I began to cast about in my own Thoughts how I should make my Way Home also: Innumerable Difficulties presented to my View; when at last, an Account of some of our Mens Escape into _Persia_ encourag'd me. The Story was this: One of the small Barks we had taken, went to _Guzaratte_ to get Rice, and having secur'd a Cargo, but not loaded it, ten of our Men resolv'd to attempt their Escape; and accordingly they drest themselves like Merchant-Strangers, and bought several Sorts of Goods there, such as an _Englishman_, who they found there, a.s.sisted them to buy; and with their Bales, (but in them pack'd up all the rest of their Money) they went up to _Ba.s.sora_ in the Gulph of _Persia_, and so travell'd as Merchants with the Caravan to _Aleppo_, and we never heard any more of them, but that they went clean off with all their Cargo.

This fill'd my Head with Schemes for my own Deliverance; but however, it was a Year more before I attempted any Thing, and not till I found that many of our Men shifted off, some and some, nor did any of them miscarry; some went one Way, some another; some lost their Money, and some sav'd it; nay, some carry'd it away with them, and some left it behind them: As for me, I discover'd my Intentions to no Body, but made them all believe I would stay here till some of them should come and fetch me off, and pretended to make every Man that went off promise to come for me, if it ever was in his Power, and gave every one of them Signals to make for me, when they came back, upon which I would certainly come off to them. At the same Time nothing was more certain, than that I intended from the Beginning to get away from the Island, as soon as I could any Way make my Way with Safety to any Part of the World.

It was still above two Years after this that I remain'd in the Island; nor could I, in all that Time, find any probable Means for removing my self with Safety.

One of the Ways I thought to have made my Escape was this: I went to Sea in a Long-boat a fishing, (as we often did) and having a Sail to the Boat, we were out two or three Days together; at length it came into my Thoughts that we might Cruise about the Island in this Long-boat, a great Way, and perhaps some Adventure might happen to us which we might make something of; so I told them I had a Mind to make a Voyage with the Long-boat to see what would happen.

To this Purpose we built upon her, made a State-Room in the Middle, and clapt four Patareroes upon her Gunnel, and away we went, being sixteen stout Fellows in the Boat, not reckoning my self: Thus we ran away, as it were, from the rest of our Crew, tho' not a Man of us knew our own Minds as to whither we were going, or upon what Design. In this Frolick we ran South quite away to the Bay of St. _Angustine_'s, in the Lat.i.tude of 24 Degrees, where the Ships from _Europe_ often put in for Water and Provisions.

Here we put in, not knowing well what to do next; I thought myself disappointed very much that we saw no _European_ Ship here, tho' afterwards I saw my Mistake, and found that it was better for us that we were in that Port first: We went boldly on Sh.o.r.e; for as to the Natives, we understood how to manage them well enough, knew all their Customs, and the Manner of their treating with Strangers as to Peace or War; their Temper, and how to oblige them, or behave if they were disoblig'd; so we went, I say, boldly on Sh.o.r.e, and there we began to chaffer with them for some Provisions, such as we wanted.

We had not been here above two or three Days, but that, early in the Morning, the Weather thick and haizy, we heard several Guns fire at Sea; we were not at a Loss to know what they meant, and that it was certainly some _European_ Ships coming in, and who gave the Signal to one another that they had made the Land, which they could easily see from the Sea, tho' we, who were also within the Bay, could not see them from the Sh.o.r.e: However, in a few Hours, the Weather clearing up, wet saw plainly five large Ships, three with _English_ Colours, and two with _Dutch_, standing into the Bay, and in about four or five Hours more they came to an Anchor.

A little while after they were come to an Anchor, their Boats began to come on Sh.o.r.e to the usual Watering-place to fill their Casks; and while they were doing that, the rest of the Men look'd about them a little, as usual, tho' at first they did not stir very far from their Boats.

I had now a nice Game to play, as any Man in the World ever had: It was absolutely necessary for us to speak with these Men; and yet how to speak with them, and not have them speak with us in a Manner that we should not like, that was the main Point: It was with a great deal of Impatience that we lay still one whole Day, and saw their Boats come on Sh.o.r.e, and go on Board again, and we were so irresolute all the while, that we knew not what to do; at last I told my Men, it was absolutely necessary we should speak with them, and seeing we could not agree upon the Method how to do it friendly and fairly, I was resolv'd to do it by Force, and that if they would take my Advice, we would place ourselves in Ambuscade upon the Land somewhere, that we might see them when they were on Sh.o.r.e, and the first Man that straggled from the rest we would clap in upon and seize him, and three or four of them if we could. As for our Boat, we had secur'd it in a Creek three or four Miles up the Country, where it was secure enough out of their Reach or Knowledge.

With this Resolution we plac'd ourselves in two Gangs; eleven of us in one Place, and only three of us in another, and very close we lay: The Place we chose for our Ambuscade was on the Side of a rising Ground almost a Mile from the Watering-place, but where we could see them all come towards the Sh.o.r.e, and see them if they did but set their Foot on Sh.o.r.e.

As we understood afterwards, they had the Knowledge of our being upon the Island, but knew not in what Part of it, and were therefore very cautious and wary how they went on Sh.o.r.e, and came all very well arm'd. This gave us a new Difficulty, for in the very first Excursion that any of them made from the Watering-place, there was not less than twenty of them, all well arm'd, and they pa.s.s'd by in our Sight; but as we were out of their Sight we were all very well pleas'd with seeing them go by, and being not oblig'd to meddle with them, or show our selves.

But we had not long lain in this Circ.u.mstance, but, by what Occasion we knew not, five of the Gentlemen Tarrs were pleas'd to be willing to go no farther with their Companions; and thinking all safe behind them, because they had found no Disturbance in their going out, came back the same Way, straggling without any Guard or Regard.

I thought now was our Time to show our selves; so taking them as they came by the Place where we lay in Ambuscade, we plac'd ourselves just in their Way, and as they were entring a little Thicket of Trees, we appear'd; and calling to them in _English_, told them they were our Prisoners; that if they yielded, we would use them very well, but if they offer'd to resist, they should have no Quarter: One of them looking behind, as if he would show us a Pair of Heels, I call'd to him, and told him, if he attempted to run for it, he was a dead Man, unless he could out-run a Musquet-Bullet; and that we would soon let him see we had more Men in our Company; and so giving the Signal appointed, our three Men, who lay at a Distance, shew'd themselves in the Rear.

When they saw this, one of them, who appear'd as their Leader, but was only the Purser's Clerk, ask'd, Who we were they must yield to? And if we were Christians? I told them, jestingly, We were good honest Christian Pirates, and belong'd to Captain _Avery_, (not at all letting them know that I was _Avery_ himself) and if they yielded it was enough; that we a.s.sur'd them they should have fair Quarter and good Usage upon our Honour; but that they must resolve immediately, or else they would be surrounded with 500 Men, and we could not answer for what they might do to them.

They yielded presently upon this News, and deliver'd their Arms; and we carry'd them away to our Tent, which we had built near the Place where our Boat lay. Here I enter'd into a particular serious Discourse with them about Captain _Avery_, for 'twas this I wanted, upon several Accounts: First, I wanted to enquire what News they had had of us in _Europe_? and then to give them Ideas of our Numbers and Power as romantick as I could.

They told us, that they had heard of the great Booty Captain _Avery_ had taken in the Bay of _Bengale_; and among the rest, a b.l.o.o.d.y Story was related of _Avery_ himself, _viz._ That he ravish'd the Great Mogul's Daughter, who was going to be marry'd to the Prince of _Pegu_; that we ravish'd and forc'd all the Ladies attending her Train, and then threw them into the Sea, or cut their Throats; and that we had gotten a Booty of ten Millions in Gold and Silver, besides an inestimable Treasure of Jewels, Diamonds, Pearls, _&c._ but that we had committed most inhuman Barbarities on the innocent People that fell into our Hands. They then told us, but in a broken imperfect Account, how the Great Mogul had resented it; and that he had raised a great Army against the _English_ Factories, resolving to root them out of his Dominions; but that the Company had appeas'd him by Presents, and by a.s.suring him that the Men who did it, were Rebels to the _English_ Government, and that the Queen of _England_ would hang them all when ever they could be taken. I smil'd at that, and told them, Captain _Avery_ would give them Leave to hang him, and all his Men, when they could take them; but that I could a.s.sure him they were too strong to be taken; that if the Government of _England_ went about to provoke them, Captain _Avery_ would soon make those Seas too hot for the _English_, and they might even give over their _East-India_ Trade, for they little thought Circ.u.mstances Captain _Avery_ was in.

This I did, as well to know what Notions you had of us in _England_, as to give a formidable Account of us, and of our Circ.u.mstances to _England_, which I knew might be of Use to us several Ways hereafter. Then I made him tell his Part, which he did freely enough; he told us, that indeed they had receiv'd an Account in _England_ that we were exceeding strong; that we had several Gangs of Pirates from the _Spanish West-Indies_, that had taken great Booties there, and were gone all to _Madagascar_ to join Captain _Avery_; that he had taken three great _East-India_ Ships, one _Dutch_, and two _Portuguese_, which they had converted into Men of War; that he had 6000 Men under his Command; that he had twelve Ships, whereof three carry'd 60 Guns a-piece, and six more of them, from 40 to 50 Guns; that they had built a large Fort to secure their Habitations; and that they had two large Towns, one on one Side, one on the other of a River, cover'd by the said Fort, and two great Platforms or Batteries of Guns to defend the Entrance where their Ships rode; that they had an immense invaluable Treasure; and that it was said, Captain _Avery_ was resolv'd to People the whole Island of _Madagascar_ with _Europeans_, and to get Women from _Jamaica_ and the _Leeward Islands_; and that it was not doubted but he would subdue, and make himself King of that Country, if he was let alone a little longer.

I had enjoin'd my Men, in the first Place, not to let him know that I was _Avery_, but that I was one of his Captains; and in the next Place, not to say a Word but just _Ay_, and _No_, as Things occurr'd, and leave the rest to me. I heard him patiently out in all the Particulars above, and when he had done, I told him it was true, Captain _Avery_ was in the Island of _Madagascar_, and that several other Societies of Buccaneers and Freebooters were join'd him from the _Spanish West-Indies_; for, said I, the Plenty and Ease of our living here is such, and we are so safe from all the World, that we do not doubt but we shall be twenty thousand Men in a very little Time, when two Ships which we have sent to the _West-Indies_ shall come back, and shall have told the Buccaneers at the Bay of _Campeachy_, how we live here.

But, said I, you in _England_ greatly wrong Captain _Avery_, our General, (so I call'd myself, to advance our Credit) for I can a.s.sure you, that except plundering the Ship, and taking that immense Booty which he got in the great Ship where the Great Mogul's Daughter was, there was not the least Injury done to the Lady, no Ravishing or Violence to her, or any of her Attendance; and this, said I, you may take of my certain Knowledge; for, said I, I was on Board the Ship with our General all the while: And if any of the Princess's Women were lain with, said I, on Board the other Ship, as I believe most of them were, yet it was done with their own Consent and good Will, and no otherwise; and they were all dismiss'd afterwards, without so much as being put in Fear or Apprehensions of Life or Honour.