THE PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS – Know Your Infamous Buccaneers, Their Exploits & Their Real Histories (9 Books in One Edition). Даниэль Дефо

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      Chapter XXV.

       Of Captain Thomas White, And his Crew

       Table of Contents

      He was born at Plymouth, where his Mother kept a Public House; she took great Care of his Education and when he was grown up, as he had an Inclination to the Sea, procur'd him the King's Letter. After he had served some Years on board a Man of War, he went to Barbadoes, where he married, got into the Merchants Service, and designed to settle in the Island: He had the Command of the Marygold Brigantine given him, in which he made two successful Voyages to Guiney and back to Barbadoes; in his third, he had the Misfortune to be taken by a FrenchPyrate, as were several other English Ships, the Masters and inferior Officers of which they detained, being in Want of good Artists.

      The Brigantine belonging to White they kept for their own Use, and sunk the Vessel they before sailed in; but meeting with a Ship on the Guiney Coast more fit for their Purpose, they went on board her, and burnt the Brigantine.

      It is not my Business here to give an Acount of this FrenchPyrate, any farther than Captain White's Story obliges me, tho’ I beg Leave to take Notice of their Barbarity to the English Prisoners, for they would set them up as a Butt or Mark to shoot at; several of whom were thus murdered in cool Blood, by Way of Diversion.

      White was marked out for a Sacrifice by one of these Villains, who, for I know not what Reason, had sworn his Death, which he escaped thus. One of the Crew, who had a Friendship for White, knew this Fellow's Design, to kill him in the Night, and therefore advised him to lye between him and the Ship's Side, with Intention to save him; which indeed he did, but was himself shot dead by the murderous Villain, who mistook him for White; but this by the Bye.

      After some Time cruizing along the Coast, the pyrates doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and shaped their Course for Madagascar, where, being drunk and mad, they knock'd their Ship on the Head, at the South End of the Island, at a Place called by the Natives Elexa; the Country thereabouts was governed by a King, named Mafaly.

      When the Ship struck, Captain White, Captain Boreman, (born in the Isle of White, formerly a lieutenant of a Man of War, but in the Merchants Service when he fell into the Hands of the pyrates) Captain Bowen and some other Prisoners got to the Long-Boat, and with broken Oars and Barrel Staves, which they found in the Bottom of the Boat, paddled to Augustine Bay; that is about 14 or 15 Leagues from the Wreck where they landed, and were kindly received by the King of Bavaw (the Name of that Part of the Island) who spoke good English.

      They staid here a Year and a half at the King's Expence, who gave them a plentiful Allowance of Provision, as was his Custom to all White Men, who met with any Misfortune on his Coast; his Humanity not only provided for all such, but the first European Vessel that came in, he always obliged them to take in the unfortunate People, let the Vessel be what it would; for he had no Notion of any Difference between pyrates and Merchants.

      At the Expiration of the above Term, a Pyrate Brigantine came in, aboard which the King obliged them to enter, or travel by Land to some other Place, which they durst not do; and of two Evils chose the least, that of going on board the Pyrate Vessel, which was commanded by one William Read, who received them very civilly.

      This Commander went along the Coast, and pick'd up what Europeans he could meet with; his Crew however did not exceed forty Men, he would have been glad of taking on board some of the wreck'd Frenchmen, but for the Barbarity they had used towards the English Prisoners; however, it was impracticable, for the French pretending to lord it over the Natives, whom they began to treat inhumanly, were set upon by them, one half of their Number cut off, and the other half made Slaves.

      Read, with this Gang, and a Brigantine of 60 Tons, steer'd his Course for the Gulf of Persia, where they met a Grabb (a one masted Vessel) of about 200 Tons, which was made Prize.

      They found nothing on board but Bale Goods, most of which they threw over-board to search for Gold, and to make Room in the Vessel; but as they learned afterwards, they threw over in their Search, what they so greedily hunted after, for there was a considerable Quantity of Gold concealed in one of the Bales they toss'd into the Sea.

      In this Cruise Captain Read fell ill and died; he was succeeded by one James. The Brigantine being small, crazy, and worm eaten, they shaped their Course for the Island of Magotta, where they took out the Masts of the Brigantine, sitted up the Grabb, and made a Ship of her: Here they took in a Quantity of fresh Provision, which is in this Island very plentiful, and very cheap; and found a twelve oar'd Boat, which formerly belonged to the Ruby East India Man, which had been lost there.

      They staid here all the Mousson Time, which is about six Months; after which they resolved for Madagascar. As they came in with the Land, they spied a Sail coming round from the East Side of the Island; they gave Chase on both Sides, so that they soon met: They haled each other, and receiving the same Answer from each Vessel, viz. from the Seas, they joined Company.

      This Vessel was a small French Ship, laden with Liquors from Martinico, first commanded by one Fourgette, to trade with the pyrates for Slaves, at Ambonawoula, on the East Side the Island, in the Lat. of 17. 30. and was by them taken after the following Manner.

      The pyrates, who were headed by George Booth, Commander of the Ship, went on board (as they had often done) to the Number of ten, and carried Money with them under Pretence of purchasing what they wanted. (This Booth had formerly been Gunner of a Pyrate Ship, called the Dolphin) Captain Fourgette was pretty much upon his Guard, and searched every Man as he came over the Side, and a Pair of Pocket Pistols were found upon a Dutchman, who was the first enter'd; the Captain told him, he was a Rogue, and had a

      Design upon his Ship, and the Pprates pretended to be so angry with this Fellow's offering to come on board with Arms, that they threatned to knock on the Head, and tossing him roughly into the Boat, ordered him ashore, tho’ they had before taken an Oath on the Bible, either to carry the Ship or die in the Undertaking.

      They were all searched, but they however contrived to get on board 4 Pistols, which were all the Arms they had for the Enterprize, tho’ Fourgette had 20 Hands on board, and his small Arms on the Arning to be in Readiness.

      The Captain invited them into the Cabbin to Dinner, but Booth chose to dine with the petty Officers, tho’ СКАЧАТЬ