Part 5 (1/2)
_Joseph Brooks_, (1)
_Nath. Jackson_.
All the rest, except the two last, were wounded and afterwards hanged in _Virginia_.
_John Carnes, Joseph Philips,_
_Joseph Brooks, _(2)_ James Robbins,_
_James Blake, John Martin,_
_John Gills, Edward Salter,_
_Thomas Gates, Stephen Daniel,_
_James White, Richard Greensail._
_Richard Stiles, Israel Hands, _pardoned.
_Caesar, Samuel Odel_, acquited.
There were in the Pyrate Sloops, and ash.o.r.e in a Tent, near where the Sloops lay, 25 Hogsheads of Sugar, 11 Teirces, and 145 Bags of Cocoa, a Barrel of Indigo, and a Bale of Cotton; which, with what was taken from the Governor and Secretary, and the Sale of the Sloop, came to 2500 _l._ besides the Rewards paid by the Governor of _Virginia_, pursuant to his Proclamation; all which was divided among the Companies of the two s.h.i.+ps, _Lime_ and _Pearl_, that lay in _James_ River; the brave Fellows that took them coming in for no more than their Dividend amongst the rest, and was paid it within these three Months.
CHAP. IV. OF Major _Stede Bonnet_, And his CREW.
THE Major was a Gentleman of good Reputation in the Island of _Barbadoes_, was Master of a plentiful Fortune, and had the Advantage of a liberal Education. He had the least Temptation of any Man to follow such a Course of Life, from the Condition of his Circ.u.mstances. It was very surprizing to every one, to hear of the Major's Enterprize, in the Island were he liv'd; and as he was generally esteem'd and honoured, before he broke out into open Acts of Pyracy, so he was afterwards rather pitty'd than condemned, by those that were acquainted with him, believing that this Humour of going a pyrating, proceeded from a Disorder in his Mind, which had been but too visible in him, some Time before this wicked Undertaking; and which is said to have been occasioned by some Discomforts he found in a married State; be that as it will, the Major was but ill qualify'd for the Business, as not understanding maritime Affairs.
However, he fitted out a Sloop with ten Guns and 70 Men, entirely at his own Expence, and in the Night-Time sailed from _Barbadoes_. He called his Sloop the _Revenge_; his first Cruize was off the Capes of _Virginia_, where he took several s.h.i.+ps, and plundered them of their Provisions, Cloaths, Money, Ammunition, _&c._ in particular the _Anne_, Captain _Montgomery_, from _Glascow_; the _Turbet_ from _Barbadoes_, which for Country sake, after they had taken out the princ.i.p.al Part of the Lading, the Pyrate Crew set her on Fire; the _Endeavour_, Captain _Scot_, from _Bristol_, and the _Young_ from _Leith_. From hence they went to _New-York_, and off the East End of _Long-Island_, took a Sloop bound for the _West-Indies_, after which they stood in and landed some Men at _Gardner_'s _Island_, but in a peaceable Manner, and bought Provisions for the Company's Use, which they paid for, and so went off again without Molestation.
Some Time after, which was in _August_ 1717, _Bonnet_ came off the Bar of _South-Carolina_, and took a Sloop and a Brigantine bound in; the Sloop belonged to _Barbadoes, Joseph Palmer_ Master, laden with Rum, Sugar and Negroes; and the Brigantine came from _New-England, Thomas Porter_ Master, whom they plundered, and then dismiss'd; but they sailed away with the Sloop, and at an Inlet in _North-Carolina_ careened by her, and then set her on Fire.
After the Sloop had cleaned, they put to Sea, but came to no Resolution what Course to take; the Crew were divided in their Opinions, some being for one Thing, and some another, so that nothing but Confusion seem'd to attend all their Schemes.
The Major was no Sailor as was said before, and therefore had been obliged to yield to many Things that were imposed on him, during their Undertaking, for want of a competent Knowledge in maritime Affairs; at length happening to fall in Company with another Pyrate, one _Edward Teach_, (who for his remarkable black ugly Beard, was more commonly called _Black-Beard_:) This Fellow was a good Sailor, but a most cruel hardened Villain, bold and daring to the last Degree, and would not stick at the perpetrating the most abominable Wickedness imaginable; for which he was made Chief of that execrable Gang, that it might be said that his Post was not unduly filled, _Black-beard_ being truly the Superior in Roguery, of all the Company, as has been already related.
To him _Bonnet_'s Crew joined in Consorts.h.i.+p, and _Bonnet_ himself was laid aside, notwithstanding the Sloop was his own; he went aboard _Black-beard_'s s.h.i.+p, not concerning himself with any of their Affairs, where he continued till she was lost in _Topsail_ Inlet, and one _Richards_ was appointed Captain in his Room. The Major now saw his Folly, but could not help himself, which made him Melancholy; he reflected upon his past Course of Life, and was confounded with Shame, when he thought upon what he had done: His Behaviour was taken Notice of by the other Pyrates, who liked him never the better for it; and he often declared to some of them, that he would gladly leave off that Way of Living, being fully tired of it; but he should be ashamed to see the Face of any _English_ Man again; therefore if he could get to _Spain_ or _Portugal_, where he might be undiscovered, he would spend the Remainder of his Days in either of those Countries, otherwise he must continue with them as long as he lived.
When _Black-beard_ lost his s.h.i.+p at _Topsail_ Inlet, and surrendered to the King's Proclamation, _Bonnet_ rea.s.sumed the Command of his own Sloop, _Revenge_, goes directly away to _Bath-Town_ in _North-Carolina_, surrenders likewise to the King's Pardon, and receives a Certificate. The War was now broke out between the _Tripple_ Allies and _Spain_; so Major _Bonnet_ gets a Clearence for his Sloop at _North-Carlina_, to go to the Island of St. _Thomas_, with a Design (at least it was pretended so) to get the Emperor's Commission, to go a Privateering upon the _Spaniards_. When _Bonnet_ came back to _Topsail_ Inlet, he found that _Teach_ and his Gang were gone, and that they had taken all the Money, small Arms and Effects of Value out of the great s.h.i.+p, and set ash.o.r.e on a small sandy Island above a League from the Main, seventeen Men, no doubt with a Design they should perish, there being no Inhabitant, or Provisions to subsist withal, nor any Boat or Materials to build or make any kind of Launch or Vessel, to escape from that desolate Place: They remained there two Nights and one Day, without Subsistance, or the least Prospect of any, expecting nothing else but a lingering Death; when to their inexpressable Comfort, they saw Redemption at Hand; for Major _Bonnet_ happening to get Intelligence of their being there, by two of the Pyrates who had escaped _Teach_'s Cruelty, and had got to a poor little Village at the upper End of the Harbour, sent his Boat to make Discovery of the Truth of the Matter, which the poor Wretches seeing, made a signal to them, and they were all brought on Board _Bonnet_'s Sloop.
Major _Bonnet_ told all his Company, that he would take a Commission to go against the _Spaniards_, and to that End, was going to St. _Thomas_'s therefore if they would go with him, they should be welcome; whereupon they all consented, but as the Sloop was preparing to sail, a Bom-Boat, that brought Apples and Sider to sell to the Sloop's Men, informed them, that Captain _Teach_ lay at _Ocric.o.c.k_ Inlet, with only 18 or 20 Hands.
_Bonnet_, who bore him a mortal Hatred for some Insults offered him, went immediately in pursuit of _Black-beard_, but it happened too late, for he missed of him there, and after four Days Cruize, hearing no farther News of him, they steered their Course towards _Virginia_.
In the Month of _July_, these Adventurers came off the Capes, and meeting with a Pink with a Stock of Provisions on Board, which they happened to be in Want of, they took out of her ten or twelve Barrels of Pork, and about 400 Weight of Bread; but because they would not have this set down to the Account of Pyracy, they gave them eight or ten Casks of Rice, and an old Cable, in lieu thereof.
Two Days afterwards they chased a Sloop of sixty Ton, and took her two Leagues off of Cape _Henry_; they were so happy here as to get a Supply of Liquor to their Victuals, for they brought from her two Hogsheads of Rum, and as many of Molosses, which, it seems, they had need of, tho' they had not ready Money to purchase them: What Security they intended to give, I can't tell, but _Bonnet_ sent eight Men to take Care of the Prize Sloop, who, perhaps, not caring to make Use of those accustom'd Freedoms, took the first Opportunity to go off with her, and _Bonnet_ (who was pleased to have himself called Captain _Thomas_,) saw them no more.
After this, the Major threw off all Restraint, and though he had just before received his Majesty's Mercy, in the Name of _Stede Bonnet_, he relaps'd in good Earnest into his old Vocation, by the Name of Captain _Thomas_, and recommenced a down-right Pyrate, by taking and plundering all the Vessels he met with: He took off Cape _Henry_, two s.h.i.+ps from _Virginia_, bound to _Glascow_, out of which they had very little besides an hundred Weight of Tobacco. The next Day they took a small Sloop bound from _Virginia_ to _Bermudas_, which supply'd them with twenty Barrels of Pork, some Bacon, and they gave her in return, two Barrels of Rice, and a Hogshead of Molossus; out of this Sloop two Men enter'd voluntarily. The next they took was another _Virginia_ Man, bound to _Glascow_, out of which they had nothing of Value, save only a few Combs, Pins and Needles, and gave her instead thereof, a Barrel of Pork, and two Barrels of Bread.
From _Virginia_ they sailed to _Philadelphia_, and in the Lat.i.tude of 38 North, they took a Sc.o.o.ner, coming from _North-Carolina_, bound to _Boston_, they had out of her only two Dozen of Calf-Skins, to make Covers for Guns, and two of their Hands, and detained her some Days. All this was but small Game, and seem'd as if they design'd only to make Provision for their Sloop against they arrived at St. _Thomas_'s; for they hitherto had dealt favourably with all that were so unhappy as so fall into their Hands; but those that came after, fared not so well, for in the Lat.i.tude of 32, off of _Delaware_ River, near _Philadelphia_, they took two Snows bound to _Bristol_, out of whom they got some Money, besides Goods, perhaps to the Value of 150 Pounds; at the same Time they took a Sloop of sixty Tons bound from _Philadelphia_ to _Barbadoes_, which after taking some Goods out, they dismissed along with the Snows.