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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СКАЧАТЬ made him less severely us'd, and protected him from the Insults of Fly, who imagined he would betray them the first Opportunity, and therefore more than once proposed his being thrown over Board, which was never approved by the Snow's Company.

      From Nantuket they stood to the Eastward, and off Brown's Bank made a Fishing Schooner. Fly coming up with her fired a Gun, and hoisting his black Ensign, swore, d — n his Blood, if they did not instantly bring to, and send their Boat on Board, he would sink her: The Schooner obeyed, and sent away her Boat on Board the Snow; he examined the Captain what Vessels were to be met with, and promised, if he could put him in the Way of meeting with a good Sailor, to let him go, and give him his Vessel, or he should otherwise keep her: The poor Man told him, he had a Companion which would soon be in Sight, and was a much better Vessel; accordingly about 12 at Noon the same Day, which was the 23d of June, the other Schooner hove in Sight; upon which, Fly mann'd this Prize with six pyrates, and a Prisoner nam'd George Tasker, and sent her in Chase, having himself on Board the Snow, no more than three pyrates, Captain Atkinson, (who had work'd himself into some Favour with him) and fifteen forced Men; but he took Care to have his Arms upon Deck by him.

      The Men who had not taken on with Fly, were, Atkinson, Capt. Fulker's Mate, and two Youths belonging to him; the Carpenter and Gunner belonging formerly to Captain Green; six of Captain Gate's Men, and the aforesaid Benbrooke, who belonged to Captain Harris, with three of the Men out of the Schooner. Atkinson seeing the Prisoners and forced Men were five to one of the pyrates, thought of delivering himself from the Bondage he was in; and, as by good Luck, several other Fishing Vessels hove in Sight, right a-head of the Snow, he call'd to Captain Fly, and told him, he spied several other Vessels a-head, desiring, he would come forward and bring his Glass; Fly did so, and leaving his Arms on the Quarter-Deck, sat him on the Windlass to see if he could make what they were. Atkinson, who had concerted his Measures, with one Walker and the above-mention'd Benbrook, secured the Arms on the Quarter-Deck, and gave them a Signal to seize Fly, which they did, with very little Trouble, and after made themselves Masters of the other three pyrates and the Snow; the rest of the Prisoners, not knowing any Thing of, or what the Design might be, remaining altogether inactive, and brought the Snow and pyrates to Great Brewster, where a Guard was puton Board June 28, 1726.

      Soon after, the said pyrates were brought to their Trial, that is, on the fourth of July following, before the Honourable William Dummer, Esq; Lieutenant Governor and Commander in chief, of the Province of Massachuset's Bay, President of the special Court of Admiralty, held at the Court-house of Boston, assisted by 18 Gentlemen of the Council, before whom they were found guilty of Murder and Pyracy, condemn'd to be executed, and accordingly were executed the 12th of July; Fly was order'd to be hang'd in Chains at the Entrance of the Harbour of Boston. Thus ended the short Reign of an obdurate Wretch, who only wanted Skill and Power to be as infamous as any who had scoured the Seas; the Names of the three pyrates, executed with him, were Samuel Cole, George Condick and Henry Greenvill.

      Chapter XXX.

       Of Capt. Thomas Howard, And his Crew

       Table of Contents

      We have said in another Life, viz. White's, that he was a Lighterman on the River Thames, his Father was of the Business, and had the Character of a very honest Man. After his Father's Decease, he grew very extravagant, and squander'd away not only what he had left his Son, but what he had allotted for his Widow Mother to our Adventurer, whose Indulgence putting every Thing into her Son's Hands, was follow'd by being her self turn'd out of Doors, for he sold the House over her Head. After having ruin'd himself and Mother, his Friends fearing the Wickedness of his Inclinations would bring a Scandal upon them, persuaded him to go to Sea, and procur'd him a Voyage to Jamaica, on board a Merchant Ship. At this Island he ran away from his Ship, and associating himself with some desperate Fellows, they stole a Canoe, and went away to the grand Camanas to join some others of their own Stamp, who lurked thereabouts, with Design to go on the Account, the Term for Pirating: They met those they look'd for, made up a Company of 20 Men, surprized and made themselves Masters of a Turtling Sloop, and set out in Search of Booty.

      The first Prizes they made were only Turtlers, which, however, encreas'd the Number of their Crew, some being willing to join them, others being forced, with Threats of being set ashore on some desolate Key.

      They after some Time cruizing met with an Irish Brigantine, who had Provisions and Servants on board. They made an Exchange with the Master, gave him Provision to carry him to Jamaica, and allow'd five Hands to go with him; the rest (except the Servants, who readily took on with the pyrates) were all forced.

      Not long after, they surprized a Sloop which had been trading on the Spanish Coast; as she had 6 Guns, and was a fit Vessel for their Turn, they chang'd her against the Brigantine; several Hands belonging to this Sloop enter'd Volunteers, and several more were obliged to join them by Compulsion.

      After this Capture, they steer'd for the Coast of Virginia, and, in their Way, met with a large New England Brigantine, laden with Provisions, bound for Barbadoes. This they made Prize of; and shifting their own Guns on board her, sent the Master away in the Sloop; after forcing some of his Men with them. They had now a Vessel of 10 Guns, and a Crew of 80 Men, of whom one James was Captain, and Howard Quarter-Master.

      While they lay on the Coast of Virginia, they made Prize of several Ships from England, out of which they took Men, Liquors, Provisions, Cloaths, and whatever else they either liked or thought necessary. As these Ships had several Felons on board, who were Transports, they had out of them a Number of Volunteers, beside forced Men; so that they had a large Complement. Among other Virginia Ships which fell into their Hands, they made Prize, with little Trouble, of a fine Galley, mounted with 24 Guns, which afforded them a great many Volunteers, as she had a Number of transported Malefactors and Servants on board. They changed their Brigantine for this Ship, and soon after, the Man of War, which waited on this Coast, heaving in Sight, they thought proper to take their Departure.

      From the Coast of Virginia, they shap'd their Course for that of Guiney, where they took a great many Ships of different Nations, all which they rifled of what they thought fit: Out of these Ships they forced on board a Number of Men, equal to the Number of those formerly compell'd, who desired, and whom they permitted, to be discharged, after much Entreaty.

      After they had been some Months on the Coast, they spied a large three deck'd Portuguese Ship from Brazil, mounted with 36 Guns; they gave Chase and came up with her: The Captain would make no Resistance, but his Mate, who was an Englishman, named Rutland, thinking it Shame to give up such a Ship, resolved to defend her; which the Portuguese Captain consented to, but went himself out of Harm's Way. Rutland, who had been Master of an English Brigantine, taken from him on the same Coast by another Gang of pyrates, fought them the better Part of a Forenoon; but the Portuguese flying the Decks, and only thirty Men, who were English, Dutch, and French, standing by him, he was obliged to ask Quarters, which were given. When the pyrates came on board, they asked Rutland, if he was Commander? he answer'd, No. They enquired after him, and being told, he was somewhere in the Hold, they search'd, and found him hid in the Powder-Room; whence they hawled him up, and whipp'd him round the Deck for his

      Cowardice. Rutland, and those who fought the Ship, they forced on board, and their Complement being now 180 Men, they exchanged their Galley for the Portuguese Ship, carried her in Shore, and ripping off her upper Deck, made her deep wasted, and much snugger, СКАЧАТЬ