FOOTNOTES
[96] American Weekly Mercury, Feb. 6, 1722.
[97] New England Courant, Aug. 6, 1722.
[98] Boston Gazette, Sept. 9, 1723.
[99] Boston News-Letter, Aug. 8, 1723.
[100] Boston News-Letter, Aug. 22, 1723.
CHAPTER X
Ned Low of Boston and how he became a Pirate Captain
There was living in Boston in the year 1719, a young man who went by the name of Ned Low. He was a ship-rigger by trade and as shipbuilding in Boston was brisk about that time, Low’s services were in demand. He was born in Westminster, England, and such meagre biographical information as is now available shows that he could neither read nor write and that as a boy he ran wild in the streets of his native parish. He seems to have begun his career early as a petty thief and gamester among the boys of his neighborhood and later to have spent much time among the hangers-on about the House of Commons which was near his home. Strong and fearless, he was always ready to attack any one who might catch him cheating or attempt to relieve him of his ill-gotten gains. It is said that one of his brothers, at the age of seven, was carried about in a basket on the back of a porter, in crowded streets, where he would snatch off hats and wigs and conceal them in his basket,—a profitable occupation for his family, it seems; and as he grew too large for the basket trick, he became a pickpocket and petty thief and in time, a housebreaker. According to the “Newgate Calendar,” he ended his days on a scaffold at Tyburn in company with others of his stripe.
Ned Low was more fortunate for when old enough he went to sea with a brother and during the next three or four years visited many of the larger seaports, at last reaching Boston, in New England, where his fancy was caught by the pretty face of Eliza Marble, a girl of a good family, and after a time they were married,[101] Ned meanwhile having found regular work as a ship-rigger. His wife became a member of the Second Church in 1718 and a son and daughter were baptized there.
The couple had a daughter Elizabeth, born in the winter of 1719, and shortly after the young mother died, no doubt to the great sorrow of Low, for in after life probably the only redeeming traits in his character, were a love for his young daughter (the son having died in infancy) and his refusal to force married men to join his pirate crew. In lucid intervals between revelling and fighting Low is said to have frequently expressed great affection for the young child[102] he had left in Boston, and mere mention of her would often bring tears to his eyes. Philip Ashton, a Marblehead fisherman whom Low captured and forced and who afterwards escaped after many adventures, has preserved in his “Narrative,” much curious information concerning Low, including instances of this vein of sentiment so strangely associated in a brutal nature.
Low was of a rather cock-sure disposition and frequently engaged in disputes and quarrels. Not long after the death of his wife he was discharged by his employer for some cause and soon decided to leave Boston. He shipped on board a sloop bound for the Bay of Honduras for a cargo of logwood and proving himself to be no ordinary type of seaman, as soon as the sloop reached the Bay he was appointed to command the boat’s crew that was sent ashore to get the logwood and bring it out to the vessel. As Honduras was Spanish territory and the logwood was cut without permission, in fact, was being stolen from the Spaniards, the boat’s crew of twelve men always went on shore fully armed.
THE IDLE APPRENTICE SENT TO SEA
From an engraving by William Hogarth in the “Industry and Idleness” series, published in 1747. The young reprobate is being rowed past Cuckold’s Point on the Thames on which can be seen a pirate hanging from a gibbet
One day it happened that the loaded boat came out to the sloop just before dinner was ready and as the men were tired and hungry, Low proposed that they stay and eat before going ashore again; but the captain was in a hurry to complete the loading of his vessel and sending for a bottle of rum he ordered them to take another trip at once so that no time should be lost. This angered the men and particularly Low who seized a musket and fired at the captain and missed him but shot through the head a sailor who happened to be standing behind him. Low then leaped into the boat and with its crew of twelve men made off from the sloop.
It is more than likely that some such action had already been discussed by Low and his intimates among the crew. At any rate, they now decided to make a black flag and prey upon the vessels in the Bay. Luck was with them and the next day they came upon a small vessel which they captured.
Low was now embarked on his bloody and cruel career as a pirate and if ever a man sailing the seas deserved to be hanged and gibbeted in chains, it was Low. If one half of the tales that have been told of him are true he must at times have been little short of a maniac. Time and again part of his crew deserted him because of his cruelty. No evil or cruel action was beyond his doing so that it is quite remarkable that he did not die a violent death within the knowledge of his men. In point of fact, however, it is not known exactly how or when he died.
After the capture of the small vessel, Low, who had been elected captain, ordered a course made for the Grand Caimanes—islands lying about halfway between Yucatan and the island of Jamaica—intending to refit their vessel for piratical forays.
The Grand Caimanes or Caymans, as they are known today, were much resorted to by gentlemen of the kidney of Captain Low and soon after arriving at the islands he fell in with Capt. George Lowther, another pirate, who was short of men and who, after becoming somewhat acquainted with Low, proposed that they join forces. As Low’s company was small in number and ill-fitted, an agreement was soon arrived at whereby Lowther remained in command with Low as his lieutenant. The small vessel brought in by Low was sunk and the united company made off together in the “Happy Delivery,” the name of Lowther’s ship.
On the 10th of January, 1722, they came into the Bay of Honduras and sighted the ship “Greyhound,” Benjamin Edwards, commander, of about two hundred tons burden and owned in Boston. Lowther hoisted his piratical colors and fired a gun for the “Greyhound” to bring to, and she refusing, he gave her a broadside which was bravely returned. The engagement lasted for about an hour when Captain Edwards ordered his ensign struck fearing the consequences of too great a resistance. The pirate’s boat soon came aboard and the ship was thoroughly looted. The crew were cruelly whipped, beaten and cut, and five of them, Christopher Atwell, Charles Harris, Henry Smith, Joseph Willis and David Lindsay, were forced and the ship was burned.[103]
Lowther also captured and burned seven other vessels belonging to Boston, and all their logwood, “because they were New-England men,” it was reported. About the same time a sloop belonging to Connecticut, Captain Ayres, was taken and burned and also a sloop from Jamaica, Captain Hamilton, which was taken for their own use and the command given to Charles Harris, who had been second mate of the “Greyhound” and who joined the pirates, it would seem, willingly. A sloop from Virginia, they took and then unloaded and generously gave back to her master who owned her. A sloop of about one hundred tons, belonging to Newport, Rhode Island, also was captured and as it was a new hull and a good sailer she was made a part of the pirate fleet and fitted with eight carriage and ten swivel guns and the command given to Ned Low.
The pirate fleet was then composed of the “Happy Delivery,” commanded by Admiral Lowther; the Rhode Island sloop, commanded by Captain Low; Hamilton’s sloop, commanded by Captain Harris, formerly of the “Greyhound”; and with a small sloop for a tender, the fleet set sail from the Bay and made for Port Mayo in the gulf of Matique where they intended to careen and clean the foul bottoms of their vessels. There they carried ashore all their sails and made tents in which they placed their plunder and stores and then began heaving down their ship. This turned out to be a very unfortunate move for just as they were in the midst of scrubbing and tallowing the bottom of the ship and wholly unprepared for any attack, a considerable number of the natives appeared from among the trees nearby and attacking the pirates forced them to go aboard their sloops which had not yet been careened. The natives carried off or destroyed all the stores and plunder, which was of considerable value, and also set fire to the ship.
Lowther then took command of the largest sloop, which he called the “Ranger.” It was armed with ten guns and eight swivels and was the best sailer, so the entire company went aboard and abandoned at sea the other sloops. Provisions, however, were very short and empty stomachs and thinking of the loot that had been lost soon put them all in a vile temper and there was much fighting and blaming each other for their misfortune.
About the beginning of May, 1722, they came near the island of Discade, in the West Indies, and while there took a brigantine, one Payne, master, which supplied what they needed most and put them in better temper. The brigantine, after it was well plundered, was sent to the bottom. After watering at the island, the sloop stood for the Florida coast where Lowther proposed to ravage the shipping in the vicinity of the Bahamas. On May 28th, in the latitude of thirty-eight degrees north, they overtook the brigantine “Rebecca,” of Charlestown in the Massachusetts Bay, James Flucker, commander, bound for Boston from St. Christophers. She fell into their hands at once as her crew were too few in number to contend with Lowther and his hundred pirates. There were twenty-three persons on board including five women, all of whom were treated decently and in due time reached Boston. The master of the brigantine they held promising him his vessel again when they had taken a better one.
For some time Lowther had found Low an unruly officer, always aspiring and never satisfied with his proposals so that Lowther thought this a good opportunity to rid himself of a source of trouble and annoyance. Whereupon he proposed to Low that he take command of the brigantine and together with forty men, who elected to sail with him, Low made off by himself. Of the crew of the brigantine, three men were forced,—Joseph Sweetser of Charlestown and Robert Rich of London, Old England, who were compelled to go with Low, and Robert Willis, also of London, who, having broken his arm by a fall from the mast, begged that his condition be considered. But he was a vigorous and intelligent fellow and Lowther refused his plea and forced him away with him.[104] These two commanders accordingly parted company, Low with forty-four men going off in the brigantine and Lowther with the same number remaining in the sloop. This happened in the afternoon of the 28th of May, 1722. Low took with him in the brigantine, two guns, four swivels, six quarter-casks of powder, provisions and some stores.
A BARQUE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720
A BRIGANTINE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720
“Here follow the Articles of Capt. Edward Low the Pirate with his Company
“1. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Master is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter.
“2. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawfull Weapon on Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall see fit.
“3. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of Ingagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
“4. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
“5. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the Value of a Ryal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
“6. He that shall have the Misfortune to loose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.
“7. Good Quarters to be given when Craved.
“8. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.
“9. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
“10. No Snaping of Guns in the Hould.”[105]
—Boston News-Letter, Aug. 8, 1723.
Low’s first adventure in the brigantine took place on the following Sunday when a sloop belonging to Amboy, in New Jersey, fell into his hands. This vessel he rifled of provisions and then let go. This happened off Block Island near the Rhode Island coast. The same day he captured and plundered a sloop belonging to Newport, commanded by James Cahoon, and took away his mainsail and provisions and water. His bowsprit was cut away and all his rigging and thrown overboard intending thereby to prevent his getting in to give the alarm. Cahoon himself was badly cut in the arm during the scrimmage. Low then stood away to the south-eastward, with all the sail that could be made, there being then but little wind at the time.
He judged well in making haste to get away from the coast for notwithstanding the disabled condition of Cahoon’s sloop she reached Block Island about midnight and a whale boat was sent out at once with the news which reached Newport about seven the next morning. The Governor immediately ordered the drums to be beaten about the town for volunteers to go in search of the pirates and two of the best sloops in the harbor were armed and fitted out. One of these sloops, commanded by Capt. John Headland, mounted ten guns and carried eighty men. The other sloop, which was commanded by Capt. John Brown, jun., was armed with six guns and plenty of small arms and carried sixty men. These sloops were both under sail before sunset, each commander carrying a ten days’ commission from the Governor. At about the same time the pirate vessel could be seen from Block Island. But good fortune favored Low and the sloops returned to Newport several days afterwards without so much as catching sight of the brigantine.
Proclamation also was made in Boston, by beat of drum, for the encouragement of volunteers to engage against the pirates and over a hundred men enlisted under Capt. Peter Papillion who fitted out a ship and sailed shortly; but he, too, returned to harbor without finding Low, but bringing in the brigantine “Rebecca” which Low had turned over to Captain Flucker at Port Roseway, near the southern end of Acadia (Nova Scotia), to carry home the Marblehead fishermen taken by him, he having shipped his arms and stores on board a recently built schooner belonging to Marblehead.
By the Boston News-Letter of July 9, 1722, we learn that sundry goods left by the pirates on board the brigantine “Rebecca” were to be sold at publick vendue at the house of Captain Long in Charlestown. These consisted of “1 Turtle Net, 1 Scarlet Jacket, 1 small Still, 2 pair Steel yards, 1 Jack and Pendant, 2 doz. Plates, 2 papers of Pins, 5 Horn books, 2 pieces of cantaloons, 1 main-sail, Boom and small Cable belonging to a Scooner, a small Boat and 20 yards of old Canvas.” There was also found cast ashore on the back side of Martha’s Vineyard, a sloop supposed to have been taken and set adrift by Low, on board of which were a few shillings in silver money and some strips of paper on which were found written the names of Dan Hide, Nath. Hall and John Wall. This Dan Hide was one of Low’s crew and about a year later he was hanged at Newport, as will be told at length in another place.
After his escape from the attacking expeditions sent out from Newport and Boston, Captain Low went among the islands at the mouth of Buzzard’s Bay, in search of enough fresh water to make the run to the Bahamas. He remained here for some days while his boat crews stole sheep at No Man’s Land and rifled whale boats out of Nantucket. Changing his mind about the course towards the Bahamas, he then sailed northerly towards Marblehead and on the afternoon of Friday, June 15th, put into the harbor of Roseway which is located near the arm of the sea that makes up to what is now Shelburne, Nova Scotia.
At that time it was the habit of the banks fishermen to come into Port Roseway for a Sunday’s rest and when Low sailed into the harbor he found thirteen vessels at anchor. They supposed him to be inward bound from the West Indies and his arrival gave no concern. But soon a boat from the brigantine, with four men, came alongside the fishing vessels, one after another, the men coming aboard as though to make a friendly visit to inquire for news. When on deck the four men drew cutlasses and pistols from under their clothes and cursing and swearing demanded instant surrender. Taken by surprise the fishermen of course submitted and by this means all the vessels in the harbor were captured and afterwards plundered.
Among them was a newly-built schooner, the “Mary,” of eighty tons, owned by Joseph Dolliber of Marblehead, clean and a good sailer. Low liked her lines and decided to appropriate her for his own use, so he renamed her the “Fancy” and the guns, stores and men were transferred from the brigantine. The fishermen from the different vessels were then put on board the brigantine and Captain Flucker was ordered to make sail for Boston. Meanwhile, Low forced a number of likely men from among the fishermen including Philip Ashton, Nicholas Merritt, Joseph Libbie, Lawrence Fabens and two others from Marblehead and four men belonging to the Isle of Shoals.
On Tuesday afternoon, June 19th, 1722, Low and his company sailed from Port Roseway bound for the Newfoundland coast and arrived at the mouth of St. John’s harbor in a fog which lifted somewhat disclosing a ship riding at anchor within the harbor. She looked to Low like a fish-trader and he determined to attempt her capture by a stratagem. All of his men were ordered below, save six or seven, to make a show of being a fisherman, and so he sailed boldly into the harbor intending to run alongside the ship and bring her off. Before having gone far, however, a small fishing boat was met coming out which hailed them asking from what port they had come. Low answered, “from Barbadoes, loaded with rum and sugar”; and then asked the fisherman what large ship that was in the harbor. Imagine his chagrin when they replied that it was the “Solebay,” man-of-war. He immediately put about and escaped before the suspicious fishermen could alarm the town. This happened on July 2d.
At Carbonear, a small harbor about fifteen leagues farther to the north, Low was more successful, for going on shore and meeting little opposition, he plundered the place and burned all the houses. The next day he sailed for the Grand Banks where he took seven or eight vessels including a French banker, a ship of nearly four hundred tons armed with two guns. Considerable rigging and ammunition was secured and a number of fishermen were forced. Late in the month he had an encounter with two sloops from Canso bound for Annapolis-Royal loaded with provisions for the garrison and having soldiers on board. Low’s schooner was the better sailer and coming up began the attack. The red coats at once replied and gave him so warm a reception that Low sheered off and a fog coming on they escaped into Annapolis after having been chased by Low for two days and a night.[106] About the time the French banker was taken, the news came that the “Solebay” was cruising about in search of him so Low decided to steer for the Leeward Islands taking with him the French ship. While on the voyage down they ran into a hurricane that nearly ended matters. The sea ran mountains high and all hands were employed both day and night keeping the pump constantly going besides bailing with buckets and yet finding themselves unable to keep the vessel free. The schooner made somewhat the better weather of it but on board the ship they began to hoist out their heavy goods and provisions and throw them overboard together with six guns in order to lighten the vessel. They even debated cutting away the masts, but the ship making less water, so that they could at last keep it under with the pump, instead of cutting away the masts they were made more secure by means of preventer-shrouds and by laying-to on the larboard tack, the hurricane was safely ridden out. The schooner split her mainsail, sprung her bowsprit and both of her anchors had to be cut away.
After the storm, Low went to a small island, one of the westernmost of the Caribbees, and there refitted his vessels so far as possible with the supplies at hand and traded goods with the natives for provisions. As soon as the ship was ready he then decided to make a short cruise in her leaving the schooner at anchor until their return. They hadn’t been out many days before they came upon a ship that had lost all her masts in the storm. She was a rich find for they plundered her of money and goods amounting to over a thousand pounds in value. This ship was bound home from Barbadoes and was then slowly making her way under jury-rig to Antigua to refit, where she afterwards safely arrived but minus the best of her cargo.
This hurricane, it afterwards appeared, did great damage throughout the West Indies and was particularly violent at the island of Jamaica where there happened a tidal wave that overflowed the town of Port Royal and destroyed about half of it. Immense quantities of rocks and sand were thrown over the wall of the town and the next morning the streets were about five feet deep in water. The cannon of Fort Charles were dismounted and some washed into the sea and about four hundred lives were lost. Scores of houses were ruined and forty vessels at anchor in the harbor were cast away.
When Low returned to the island where the schooner had been left, future plans were discussed by the company and after having been put to vote it was decided to make for the Azores or Western Islands. This was largely due to the presence near the Leeward Islands of several men-of-war cruising about their stations in search of piratical gentry. So both vessels made sail to the eastward and on August 3d came into St. Michael’s road, off which they took seven sail including a French ship of 34 guns; the “Nostra Dame”; the “Mere de Dieu,” Captain Roach; the “Dove,” Captain Cox; the “Rose” pink, formerly a man-of-war, Captain Thompson; another English ship, Captain Chandler; and three other vessels. Low threatened with instant death all who resisted and at that time there was such a deadly fear of the excesses committed by pirates that these vessels struck without firing a gun or offering any resistance. The “Rose” pink, was a large Portuguese vessel, loaded with wheat. She struck to the schooner, fearing the ship which was coming down on her, although she was much the stronger and was more than a match for Low and his company had she made a good resistance. The pink proved to be a better sailer than the French banker, so most of the cargo of wheat was thrown overboard and guns from the French ship were mounted on board the pink and after stores were transferred the banker was burned. The French ship also was burned, the crew having been transferred to a large Portuguese launch except the cook who Low declared was a greasy fellow and would fry well in a fire, so he was bound to the mainmast and burnt alive with the ship. The command of the “Rose” pink, mounting fourteen guns, was taken over by Low and Harris was given command of the schooner.
CAPTAIN EDWARD LOW IN A HURRICANE
From a rare engraving in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library
As water and fresh provisions were needed, Low then sent word to the Governor at St. Michaels, that if furnished with supplies he would release the vessels that had been taken, otherwise they would be burned. The Governor was a prudent man and thought best not to debate the matter, so fresh provisions soon made their appearance and the six vessels were released, as Low had promised, that is, after he had plundered them. While the schooner was lying at anchor in the fairway between St. Michael’s and St. Mary’s, about August 20th, Captain Carter in the “Wright” galley came sailing by and fell into Harris’ hands after a short but ill-judged resistance. Those on board were cut and mangled in a barbarous manner and especially some Portuguese passengers, two of whom were Roman Catholic friars. These unfortunate men Harris had triced up at each arm of the foreyard, but before they were quite dead he let them down again and after having recovered somewhat they were sent up again, a sport much enjoyed by these Puritan pirates. Another Portuguese passenger who was much terrified by what was going on, was attacked by one of the pirate crew who gave him a slashing cut across the belly with his cutlass that opened his bowels and soon caused death. The fellow said that he did it because “he didn’t like the looks” of the Portuguese. Captain Low happened to be on board at the time this capture was made and while the cutting and slashing was going on among the unfortunate passengers he accidentally received a blow on his under jaw intended for a Portuguese, that laid open his teeth. The surgeon was called and the wound stitched up, but Low found fault with the way the work was done and the surgeon becoming incensed struck him on the jaw with his fist so that the stitches were pulled away, at the same time telling Low to go to Hell and sew up his own chops. After the drunken crew were tired of their slashing and had thoroughly plundered the ship, it was proposed that she be burned as they had done with the Frenchman, but at last it was decided to cut her sails and rigging in pieces and turn her adrift.
Low in the pink and Harris in the schooner now steered for the island of Madeira where, needing a supply of water, they came upon a fishing boat having in her two old men and a boy. They detained one of the old men on board and sent the other ashore with a demand to the governor for a boatload of water, under penalty of hanging the old man at the yard-arm in case their demand was not complied with. When the water was received the old man was released and he and his companions were given a supply of handsome clothing that had been plundered from some captured vessel as an evidence of the “generous treatment” sometimes shown by the pirates. From here they sailed for the Cape Verde islands and near Bonavista captured an English ship called the “Liverpool Merchant,” Captain Goulding, from which they stole a quantity of provisions and dry goods, three hundred gallons of fine brandy, a mast and hawsers and forced six of his men. They also captured among these islands a ship owned in London, the “King Sagamore,” Captain Andrew Scot, homeward bound from Barbadoes by way of Cape Verde islands. The captain was wounded and set ashore on the island of Bonavista absolutely naked and the ship burned. Several of the crew joined the pirates.[107] Two Portuguese sloops bound for Brazil also fell into their hands and three sloops from St. Thomas bound for Curacao, commanded by Captains Lilly, Staples and Simpkins, all of which were plundered and then set free. A small trading sloop, owned in England and commanded by Capt. James Pease, they detained to use as a tender; but a majority of the men placed on board of her chanced to be forced men, who for some time had been looking for an opportunity to escape, and the sloop having been sent in search of two small galleys, expected at the Western Islands about that time, the New England men in the crew rose against the others and took possession of the sloop and set a course for England. This happened on the fifth of September. Their provisions and water soon began to run low and the course was changed for St. Michael’s in the Azores where they sent two men ashore to give information who they were and to obtain the needed provisions. The Portuguese officials, however, were skeptical and seized and jailed the entire crew and kept them in close quarters for several months. Some of the men in time escaped as is shown in the narrative of Nicholas Merritt, a Marblehead fisherman,[108] but most of them are supposed to have rotted in the castle until they died.
Meanwhile Captain Low had gone to the island of Bonavista to careen his vessels. The schooner was hove down first and then the pink, which, it will be recalled, was ballasted with wheat. Low now gave this wheat to the Portuguese living nearby and took on other ballast. After cleaning and refitting he steered for the island of St. Nicholas to fill his water butts. At this time Francis Farrington Spriggs was in command of a ship that was escort to Low and with them was a schooner commanded by the quartermaster of the fleet, one John Russell, who in reality was a Portuguese instead of the North Country Englishman that he pretended to be. At Curisal Road, on the southeast end of St. Nicholas, they captured a sloop, the “Margaret,” from Barbadoes, Capt. George Roberts, commander, that had recently arrived and the events that immediately followed are related in the next chapter.