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 some of her Gunnel. This Prize they named the Alexander.

      They went down the Coast in this Ship, and made several Prizes, some of which they discharged, and put on board such of their forced Men as begg'd their Discharge; others, they sunk, and burnt others; but forced on board all Carpenters, Cawlkers, Armorers, Surgeons, and Musicians. In their Way to Cape Lopez, where they designed, and afterwards did clean, they found a large Bristol Ship at an Anchor, which had lost a great many Men by Sickness, and had then but few healthy on board, who got into the Boat, and endeavoured to get to Shore, but were prevented by the pyrates: Here they changed some more of their forced Men, and did intend to change their Ship; but on a Survey, found the Bristol Man too old for their Purpose, and therefore left her at an Anchor, after they had taken what they thought of Use to them; this Ship belong'd to one Mr. Godly of Bristol.

      They met with nothing else in their Way to Cape Lopez, where they clean'd their Ship, took in Wood and Water, and then stood away to Sea again.

      At their leaving Cape Lopez, they spied an English Ship, which they came up with and engaged; the Merchant Man made an obstinate Defence, and finding the Design to board, made to close Quarters. Howard and seven or eight more entered, but the Pyrate’s Boatswain not having secured his lashing, they fell a-stern, and left these Men on board the Merchant-Ship, who seeing themselves in Danger, hawl'd up the Boat, which the Chace had a-stern, and, cutting the Rope, got on board the Alexander, which being considerably the larger Ship, and drawing a great deal more Water, stuck on an unknown Bank, which the Merchant Man went over, and by this lucky Accident escaped.

      This obliged the pyrates to start their Water, and throw over the Wood to get the Ship off, which put ’em under a Necessity of going back to Cape Lopez to take in those Necessaries. After having a second time wooded and water'd, they put again to Sea, fell in with and took two Portuguese Brigantines, which they burnt, and setting the Men on Shoar, they made for, and doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and shap'd their Course for Madagascar, where to the Northward of, and forty Mile from, the Bay of Augustine, and near a small Island, they run the Ship on a Reef, where she stuck fast. The Captain being then sick in his Bed, the Men went ashoar on the small adjacent Island, and carried off a great deal of Provision and Water to lighten the Ship, on board of which none but the Captain, the Quarter-Master, and about eleven more were left.

      The Quarter-Master, who was Howard, with the others, took all the Treasure, and put it on board the Boats, made off for the Main of Madagascar; the Captain, hearing no Body stir upon Deck, made shift to crawl out of his Cabbin, and seeing ’em put off, fir'd the two fore chace Guns at ’em, which alarm'd (to no Purpose) the Men ashoar; as the Sea ebb'd, the Ship lay dry, and they could walk to her from the Island. She might have been saved had they had the Boats to carry out an Anchor; but for want of them they brought every Thing ashoar, at Tide of Flood, upon Rafts.

      As the Ship lay in a quiet Place, they had Opportunity to rip her up, and build a Vessel out of her Wreck. The major Part of the Crew being English and Dutch, who sided together, they forced about 36 Portuguese and French (thinking the Crew too numerous for their Provisions in their present Circumstances) to get upon a Raft, and take their Chance with the Sea-Breeze to get to the Island of Madagascar, about 3 Leagues from them. They finish'd a Vessel of 60 Tuns, but the Day they design'd to have launch'd her, a Pyrate Brigantine hove in Sight, who took ’em on board.

      Howard and his Consorts stood along the West-Side of the Island, with Design to round the North End, and to go to St. Mary's, but finding the Current too strong to stem, they lay there about a Fortnight; in the Interim they spied three Sail of tall Ships, which were Men of War under Commadore Littleton, (viz. the Anglesea, Hastings and Lizard,) who had carried a Pardon to the Island of St. Mary, accepted of by many of the pyrates. Thinking these might be also pyrates, they made a Smoak, which brought the Boats ashoar; but finding they were Men of Wars Boats, the pyrates thought fit to abscond wherefore finding nothing, nor any Body, the said Men of War's Boats return'd, and the Ships kept their Cruise.

      They had here plenty of Fish and wild Hogs, which they found in the Wood. One Day, when Howard was Hunting, his Comrades took the Opportunity, went off, rounded the North End, and left Mr. Howard to provide for himself.

      About four or five and twenty Leagues from the Cape, they went into a fine Harbour on the East Side, not frequented nay, hardly known to the European Ships. They were here received handsomely, treated and provided with fresh Meat, and what Necessaries they wanted, by the King of this District, whose Name was Mushmango, who had formerly been driven from Augustine by War, and travelling thro’ the Heart of the Country, had here fixed his Settlement. When the Boats were victualled, and while >Johnson, who took on him the Command after they had deserted Howard, was ashoar with three more, the rest went off with the Boars and Booty, and stood away to the Southward, along the Coast, designing for St. Mary's, going every Night into some Harbour, or coming to an Anchor under some Point when the Winds proved contrary.

      Johnson addressed himself to the King, and told him the Boat and Goods were his Property; upon which he went along Shore with a Number of Men, and found the Boat at an Anchor, and all asleep, except one to look out, at whom the King fired his Blunderbuss, and kill'd him; the Report of the Piece awaken'd the others, who cut and stood off the Coast. The King return'd, gave Johnson an Account of his Expedition, and furnish'd him a Canoe, some Calabashes of fresh Water, Provisions and Launces, that he might pursue after his People.

      Johnson kept the Shoar on Board till he came to the Island of St. Mary's, where he heard his Comrade Fugitives were gone to, and settled at Ambonavoula, in a Village belonging to the Natives on the River of Manansallang; leaving his Canoe, he went into one belonging to an Inhabitant, who carried him to his Companions.

      After he had been here some few Months Fourgette, already mention'd in White's Life, came in with his Ship from Martinico: With this Vessel they fail'd to the West-Side, and came to an Anchor at an Island called Anquawla, 30 Leagues from the Place where they left Howard.

      Some of the Subjects of the King of Anquawla had before met with, and brought hither, Captain Howard, who seeing the Ship at an Anchor near Shore, haled her, and desired the Boat might be sent to fetch him off, which was accordingly done, and he joined the rest of the Crew.

      Here two Boys ran away from them, whom they demanded of the King; but he not delivering them, they went ashore by Day-Break, surpriz'd his Town, and brought off 12 of his Concubines, whom they detain'd on board, till their Boys, who were Blacks, were returned, and then delivered them back. From this Ship he went on board the Speaker, where he continued till she was lost on Mauritius, when he came back to Madagascar, and settled at Augustine, here he staid till the Prosperous, a Ship of 36 Guns, commanded by Captain Hilliard, came in; which Howard and some other pyrates, (with the Assistance of the Boatswain and some of the Crew belonging to the Ship) seized. In the taking this Ship, the Captain and his chief Mate were killed, and several others wounded. Howard was by the Company declared Captain.

      Several of the Ship's Crew took on with them, and they went round the South End to the East Side, till they came the Length of Maritan, where they found some of the Speaker's Company, whom they took on board, and made up their Complement about 70 Men.

      From hence they steer'd for the Island of St. Mary, where they heel'd their Ship, water'd, wooded, and shipp'd some more Hands: Here they had an Invitation from one Ort Van Tyle, who liv'd on the Main of Madagascar, to come to the Ceremony of christening two of his Children; they were kindly received and treated by him, but it having been reported, that this Ort Van Tyle had murdered some pyrates, they in Revenge, tho’ they had no СКАЧАТЬ