FOOTNOTES
[109] The Four Voyages of Capt. George Roberts ... written by Himself, London, 1726.
CHAPTER XII
The Brutal Career and Miserable End of Ned Low
The day after parting with Captain Roberts the pirate fleet put to sea bound for the coast of Brazil hoping for some rich Portuguese prizes. They made land on the northern part of the coast, meanwhile sighting only one sail, a ship they could not come up with, and fell in with much dangerous shoal water. The trade-winds were very strong just at that time and the pirate vessels narrowly escaped foundering. Good fortune not seeming to lie in that direction, Captain Low bore away for the West Indies and soon reached the Triangles, three islands lying off the mainland about forty leagues eastward of Surinam, where they went in to careen the vessels in order to remove the foul growth that had accumulated during the passage up from the equator. They began with the pink and ill fortune continued, for Low ordered too many men into the shrouds and yards so that the vessel heeled over too far and the water came rapidly into the ports, which had been left open, so that she soon overset. Low was in the cabin at the time and barely escaped by climbing out at one of the stern ports. Where the pink turned turtle there was about six fathoms of water, just enough for the masts to strike into the mud and keep the hull above water, so that the men could hold on until picked up by the boats. Nevertheless two men were drowned.
Having found it impossible to right the pink, Low went to sea in the schooner and for lack of water, which could not be obtained at the Triangles, they soon were in bad shape. For sixteen days only half a pint of water a day was allowed each man. They tried to reach Tobago but the winds were light and the current strong and at last they stood away for the French island of Grand Grenada. When the port officers came on board they saw only men enough to man the ship. The rest were hidden below. Low told the Frenchmen that he was from Barbadoes and that his water casks had sprung aleak so he was obliged to put in for a supply. The story was swallowed and Low was permitted to send men ashore but after a time the Frenchmen became suspicious and the next day fitted out a large Rhode Island-built sloop and with thirty men aboard they sailed out into the harbor and had nearly come alongside the schooner before Low understood their intention. He at once called up his men on deck, some ninety in all, and with his eight guns to the Frenchman’s four, the sloop soon fell an easy prey.
Low now took over the sloop and gave the command of the schooner to Francis Farrington Spriggs, who had been his quartermaster, and they cruised together for some time, capturing seven or eight sloops and a rich Portuguese ship called “Nostra Signiora de Victoria.” Low tortured several of her men to compel them to disclose where the money was concealed on board and soon learned that during the chase of the ship the Portuguese captain had hung out of a cabin window, a canvas bag containing about eleven thousand gold moidores, the equivalent of nearly fifteen thousand English pounds, and when the ship was captured the captain cut the rope and let the bag drop into the sea. Low raved like a fury when he discovered what he had lost and ordered the unfortunate captain to be tied to the mast, when he slashed off the poor man’s lips with his cutlass and had them broiled before the galley fire and then compelled the Portuguese mate to eat them while hot from the fire. Captain and crew were then murdered, thirty-two persons in all.
Among the vessels captured about this time was the snow “Unity” from New York bound for Curacao, Robert Leonard, master, which was taken within sight of her destination. A man on board, who once belonged to a man-of-war, they whipped unmercifully and two of the crew were forced, viz.: Richard Owen and Frederick Van der Scure, both living in New York. The snow was taken on Jan. 25, 1723. Low also captured a snow bound from London for Jamaica, part of the cargo being wines shipped at Madeira, of which a generous stock was taken on board the sloop and the schooner.[110] Other captures were Captain Craig, in a sloop from the Bay of Honduras bound for New York, whom Low afterwards released so that he reached New York on April 27th. Captain Simpkins of New York on a sloop bound for Curacao, was taken in sight of the island and shortly released. The pink “Stanhope,” Andrew Delbridge, master, for Boston from Jamaica, was less fortunate and was burnt because of Low’s hatred for New England men.
After a time Low came to anchor off the island of Santa Cruz and while laying there took it into his head that he wanted a new doctor’s chest. Shortly before he had captured two French sloops which were then at anchor near him. So putting four Frenchmen in one of the sloops and handing them some money, he ordered them to make all haste to buy a doctor’s chest at St. Thomas, about twelve leagues distant, swearing that if they didn’t bring back the chest the other sloop should be burnt and the rest of the Frenchmen killed. To his great amusement within twenty-four hours they returned with the chest and according to promise the sloops and Frenchmen were then allowed to go.
From Santa Cruz, Low sailed for Curacao, meeting on the passage two sloops which outsailed him and got away. He then ranged the coast of New Spain and in the Gulf of Darien, about half-way between Carthagena and Porto Bello, sighted two ships which afterwards turned out to be the “Mermaid,” British man-of-war, and a large Guinea-man. Low was in the Rhode Island sloop that he had taken at Grand Grenada and Spriggs was in command of the Marblehead schooner “Fancy,” captured at Port Roseway the previous year. With them was the snow “Unity,” Captain Leonard, late commander, a recent capture. For some time Low made sail after the two ships until he came so near that he discovered his mistake and then there was nothing for him to do but to turn tail and run. The man-of-war of course gave chase and slowly overhauled Low’s fleet which was rapidly making towards the shoal water near the coast. Deciding to rid himself of the snow, the more unreliable of the forced men were put aboard and she was abandoned and Low and Spriggs took separate courses. As the sloop was the larger and carried more men, the “Mermaid” stood after her and was within gun-shot when she ran aground on a shoal. This happened because one of the men with Low knew of this uncharted shoal and telling him what course to steer the whole company thereby escaped hanging.[111] Spriggs, meanwhile, got safely into Pickaroon Bay, about eighteen leagues from Carthagena, and afterwards made sail for the Bay of Honduras and came to anchor near a small island called Utilla, about seven or eight leagues from the large island of Roatan and here the schooner was hove down and cleaned.
Five weeks had passed since Spriggs parted from Low and the day that he was ready to sail out of Utilla a large sloop was discovered bearing down on them. At first sight Spriggs thought her to be a Spanish privateer full of men and being much weaker in both guns and men he made sail and tried to get away. Low, who was in the sloop, had recognized the schooner at once and when she tried to escape imagined that she had been captured from Spriggs, so he fired a shot that struck the schooner in the bow. Spriggs, still failing to recognize the sloop, continued on his course and Low then hoisted his pirate colors and discovered who he was, to the uproarious joy of them all. The next day the two vessels went into Roatan harbor where Low careened and cleaned the bottom of the sloop, the crews meanwhile living on shore in booths which they built for shelter. There was much drinking and carousing. By Saturday, the 9th of March, all was in readiness for another foray and the long-boat brought off the last of the casks from the watering place. It was here that Philip Ashton, a Marblehead fisherman who had been forced at Port Roseway, the previous year, made his escape into the forest growth, where he lived a solitary existence for nine months, as will be told in another chapter.
By the Boston newspapers of May, 1723, it appears that Low and Spriggs were not the only pirates ranging the Bay of Honduras at that time. On the 10th of March, 1723, quite a fleet of New England vessels were there busily engaged in loading logwood. Three sloops hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, commanded by Captains Benjamin Norton, John Madbury and Jeremiah Clark, were nearly ready to sail. In addition there was a Boston sloop commanded by Capt. Edward Lyde, and a brigantine from the same port; a ship and a snow; and two or three other sloops that hailed from New York, one commanded by Captain Spafforth and another by Captain Craig. That morning a Spanish privateer of six guns and about sixty men came upon the small fleet that lay there at anchor. One of the Boston captains, Lyde, immediately cut his cables and made sail and although chased by the privateer succeeded in getting away safely. He lacked fresh water for the homeward passage, however, and so stood in for a small creek farther up the coast and while there learned from some Bay men that the Spaniard had taken all the other vessels. But this victory was short-lived for only four hours later Captains Low and Spriggs came sailing in to the anchorage flying Spanish colors which were hauled down as they came near the privateer and the black flag hoisted. Low fired a broadside and boarded at once. The Spaniards were greatly outnumbered and made no resistance, so Low’s men fell to plundering the vessel, soon finding the New England captains confined in the hold. When Low learned of the captures made by the Spaniards it was decided after a short discussion to kill the entire company, so they fell to with their cutlasses, pollaxes and pistols and soon wiped out nearly all of them. Some who jumped overboard were knocked in the head by men who manned the canoe belonging to the sloop. Seven of the younger and more active men did succeed in reaching the shore and escaped into the forest growth in more or less wounded condition. In one account of this affair it is related that while Low’s men were on shore carousing, one of the unfortunate Spaniards who reached shore, in his extremity came crawling out to them begging for God’s sake they would give him quarter. One of the crew took hold of him and said, “G— d— you, I will give you good quarters presently,” and forcing the unfortunate Spaniard to his knees, pushed the muzzle of his fusil into his mouth and fired down his throat.
ONE OF LOW’S CREW KILLING A WOUNDED SPANIARD
From an engraving in Johnson’s “Historie der Engelsche Zee-roovers,” Amsterdam, 1725, in the Harvard College Library
The captains who had been confined in the hold of the privateer Low ordered released and restored to their vessels, but made them solemnly promise not to steer for Jamaica for fear that a man-of-war should learn of his whereabouts. He threatened them with instant death in case they met again, should they violate their promise. The carpenter of the snow he forced and after burning the privateer sloop, the pirate sailed boisterously away steering for the Leeward Islands.
Three months later a sloop arrived at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the following account of Low’s adventures on this cruise:—
“Perth-Amboy, June 6, 1723. The Sloop William, William Fraser, Master, arrived here from Jamaica. They sailed the last day of April in company with a Snow bound for Liverpool, whose Commander’s name was Sandison; also 3 Ships, viz. Capt. Willing, Capt. Burlington, and Capt. Eastwick, and a Scooner, all belonging to New England, and a Sloop, Capt. Ellicot, for Hampton in Virginia. In sailing round the West end of Cuba, off of Cape San Antonia, the aforesaid Vessels were taken by Pyrates and only Fraser escaped by running close under the Land and coming to an Anchor within the breakers, then weighing and standing to the Southward past them in the Night and so got clear of them. But entering the Gulf the Pyrates waiting there for them, took them and Plundered them. They cut and whiped some and others they burnt with Matches between their Fingers to the bone to make them confess where their Money was. They took to the value of a Thousand Pistoles from Passengers and others. They them let them go. But coming on the Coast off of the Capes of Virginia, they were again chased by the same Pyrates who first took them. They did not trouble them again but wished them well Home. They saw at the same time his Consort, a Sloop of eight Guns, with a Ship and a Sloop which were supposed to be his Prizes. They are commanded by one Edward Low. The Pyrates gave us an account of his taking the Bay of Hondoras from the Spaniards, which had surprized the English, and taking them and putting all the Spaniards to the Sword Excepting two Boys; as also burning the King George and a Snow belonging to New York, and sunk one of the New England Ships, and cut off one of the Masters Ears and slit his Nose; all this they confessed themselves. They are now supposed to be cruising off of Sandy Hook or thereabouts.”—American Weekly Mercury, June 13, 1723.
On the 27th of May, 1723, Captain Low appeared off the coast of South Carolina in the sloop “Fortune.” Capt. Charles Harris was then in command of the sloop “Ranger” lately commanded by Spriggs. Nothing has been learned of the whereabouts of Harris during the preceding five months. No mention of him is made in any account of Low’s doings until he reached the Carolina coast in May. There these two commanders, after a long chase, took three ships, the “Crown,” Captain Lovering, the “King William,” and the “Carteret,” and a brigantine that came out of port only two days before. A few days before they had taken the ship “Amsterdam Merchant,” Capt. John Welland [Williard?] from Jamaica, but owned in New England. As Low seldom allowed a New Englander to go free without carrying away some mark of his hatred, Captain Welland in consequence, lost one of his ears, had his nose slit up and was cut in several places about his body. After the ship was plundered it was sunk and the next day Captain Estwick of Piscataqua was taken, plundered and set free and in his ship Captain Welland and his crew later reached Portsmouth, N. H.[112]
Early in June, Low overhauled the sloop “Hopefull Betty,” Captain Greenman, off the Capes of the Delaware and took away all his water and his sails and sheet anchor. The captain was badly cut about his body but was able to reach Philadelphia ten days later. He brought the news of the capture of Captain Pitman in a pink bound from Virginia to London and said that the pirates claimed they had recently taken sixteen sail of vessels but seemed to be in a great hurry to be gone, probably because of the intelligence that men-of-war from Virginia, New York and Boston were cruising in search of them. Low was reported to have on board about £80,000 in gold and silver. The man-of-war on the New York station was the ship “Greyhound,” Peter Solgard, commander, of twenty guns and one hundred and twenty men, and from one of the unfortunate vessels plundered by Low he learned of the whereabouts of the pirate vessels and steering as directed, at half-past four in the morning of June 10th came in sight of the rovers. He then tacked and stood to the southward and the pirates, always on the lookout for prey, gave chase which lasted for nearly two hours while Captain Solgard cleared his ship for action. At half-past seven he was ready for them. The sloop and the schooner were then about a gunshot off. Suddenly the ship tacked again and stood for them and both of the pirate vessels at once hoisted a black flag and fired on the “Greyhound.” A little later when about three-quarters of a mile distant the black flags came down and were replaced by red ones. The “Greyhound” passed to the windward and received their fire several times and when abreast made such good return with round- and grape-shot, that the sloop and the schooner began to edge away under the “Greyhound’s” stern and she after them. They made a running fight for nearly two hours when the pirates got out their oars and soon began to draw away from the ship. On discovering this, Captain Solgard ordered firing to cease and turned all hands to rowing and at about half-past two in the afternoon came up with them. The pirates hauled into the wind and the fight was warmly renewed. After a time, the “Greyhound” fell in between the pirate vessels and soon the main-yard of the schooner was shot down. Low now showed the real stuff that he was made of and bore away leaving Harris, in the “Ranger,” to his fate, and he, seeing the treachery of his commodore, lost courage and called for quarter. This happened at about four o’clock and an hour later the rogues were safely on board the “Greyhound.” There were then thirty-seven whites and six blacks in Harris’ crew, and ten or twelve of his men had been killed or wounded. Captain Low heretofore had borne so high a reputation for courage and boldness that in the minds of even his own men he had become a terror. But his behavior in the action with the “Greyhound” shows him to have been at heart a treacherous scoundrel. When the prisoners were safely in irons Captain Solgard followed the course of Captain Low toward the northwest, but he had too great a start and after a time drew out of sight in the growing darkness.[113]
After this narrow escape Low’s chagrin and rage knew no bounds and swearing many oaths, he vowed vengeance on the unfortunates that next fell into his hands. This happened only two days later, when he came upon a sloop out of Nantucket that was whale fishing about eighty miles off shore. She had two whale-boats and one of them fortunately was out and at some considerable distance from the sloop at the time she was taken. The men in this boat seeing what had happened got safely to another whaling sloop some distance away and all escaped. The captain of the captured sloop was Nathan Skiff, a young unmarried man living at Nantucket. Low first ordered him stripped and then cruelly whipped him about the deck. His ears were then slashed off. After a time they grew tired of beating the unfortunate man and telling him that because he had been a good captain he should have an easy death, at last they shot him through the head and sunk the sloop. Low forced a boy and two Indian men and allowed three others of the crew to go away in the whale-boat in which, fortunately, there was a little water and a few biscuits, and with good weather these men at last safely reached Nantucket—“beyond all Expectation,” ends the account in the Boston News-Letter.
Low’s insane rage was unabated two days later when a fishing boat was taken off Block Island. The master was dragged on board the pirate sloop and Low with furious oaths at once attacked him with a cutlass and hacked off his head. He gave the boat to two Indians who sailed with the murdered man and sent them away with the information that he intended to kill the master of every New England vessel he captured. On the afternoon of the same day two whaling sloops out of Plymouth were taken near the Rhode Island shore. The master of one vessel he ripped open alive and taking out the poor man’s heart ordered it roasted and then compelled the mate to eat it. The master of the other vessel he slashed and mauled about the deck and then cut off his ears and had them roasted and after sprinkling them with salt and pepper, made the unfortunate men eat them. The man’s wounds were so severe that he afterwards died.[114] Low proposed to murder some of the hands on these whaling sloops but the pirate crew had had enough blood about the deck for one day and swore the rest of the men should go free so Low was obliged to submit. These men brought home the information that the pirate master and crew claimed to have on board nearly £150,000 value in gold and silver coin and plate.[115]
On the 5th of June, 1723, the sloop “Farley,” Thomas Calder, master, a “Pock-fretten” Scotchman, sailed from Piscataqua, N. H., bound for Maryland. On the 14th, when off Nantucket, she sighted a sloop with sails fluttering and rigging badly cut to pieces. The boat’s crew who boarded the sloop found that an attempt had been made to sink her. Not a soul was found on board. A pipe of wine was on the deck with the head knocked in and standing about were several buckets half-full of wine. From ship’s papers it was learned that the sloop belonged to William Clark of Boston.[116] Undoubtedly this sloop had been captured by Low but no record has been found giving any information regarding the fate of her master or crew. Capt. Jacob Waldron brought the derelict into Boston and libelled her for salvage. In the order of the Vice-Admiralty Court published in the Boston Gazette of July 15, 1723, the sloop is described as “Flotsom, taken up on the high Seas,” and so ended another chapter in the lives of those who “go down to the sea in ships.”
From the waters off Cape Cod, Low sailed north for the banks off Newfoundland and near Cape Breton took twenty-three French fishing vessels. One of the larger of them, a ship of twenty-two guns, he refitted and manned from his own crew and the two vessels then scoured the harbors and banks off Newfoundland and took eighteen more ships and smaller vessels some of which were sunk. While near Canso, two French shallops were taken by a small company of the pirates in a periagua that was serving as a tender. The Frenchmen were abused, noses were slit and faces slashed with cutlasses before they were allowed to go. A letter received by a Boston merchant not long after, gives some interesting details of the depredations committed by Low and his crew. It was printed in the Boston News-Letter for Sept. 19, 1723.
“Canso, August 1, 1723.
“In my last Letter to you, I inform’d you of the mischief the Pirates had done on the French at Whitehead, 6 Leagues Westward of this Harbour; and now I proceed to say, that they went to the Eastward and took a Sloop belonging to this Harbour, but treated them very kindly, and dismiss’d them without harm. The next News we heard of them was that they had taken another Vessel, Capt. Job Prince, Commander; they order’d them on Board, but Capt. Prince had no Boat, wherefore they only detain’d him about an hour and dismiss’d him without doing him any Damage. The next Vessel they took was Capt. Robinson’s whom they divested of their Arms, Ammunition and Silver Buckles, and then dismiss’d them. They had then in their Custody four French Ships, which they Plundered, used the men very Barbarously, and sent them in a Vessel belonging to Canso, to Cape Briton. They took Mr. Hood belonging to Boston, in a large Fishing Scooner,[117] when they first came on the Banks from Boston; but that was another Pirate, who also forced away three of his Men. The latter Sloop, which is known to be Low, uses the English very Kindly; but the French find little Mercy, at his hand; they cutt off some of their Ears and Noses, and treated them with all the Barbarity imaginable. One of the French Commanders desired him only to give him a Line from under his hand, that he had taken away some Casks of his Wine and Brandy, that his Owners might not suspect he had Dishonestly Sold them; upon which Low told him he would fetch him one, and accordingly brought up two Pistols, presenting one at Bowels, he told him there was one for his Wine, and Discharg’d it; and there, says he (presenting the other at his Head in the same manner) is one for your Brandy; which said, he discharg’d that also. We hear they have since Taken near 40 French Fishing Vessels, and are gone towards Newfoundland. This is all that is Remarkable concerning these Enemies to Mankind in General.”
Two men-of-war were cruising at that time near the Cape Breton coast. Captain Solgard in the “Greyhound,” after landing his captured pirates at Newport, R. I., had sailed to the eastward and searched all the principal harbors for Low, but without success. On the 16th of June he met His Majesty’s ship “Sea Horse,” Captain Durell, from the Boston station, and they kept company for several days while cruising about the coast and fishing banks. All sorts of wild rumors were flying about the Province and the current newspapers reported several times that Low had been taken. One circumstantial story had it that the “Sea Horse” had surprised Low near Cape Sables, where he had gone to careen, and after a smart engagement had captured him killing eight of his pirate crew. From Salem it was reported that Low had been taken near Canso by a French man-of-war and another report had it that Low had died of his wounds three days after an engagement with H. M. ship “Greyhound.” A sloop arriving at New York on Sept. 19th, from Placentia in Newfoundland, after a month’s passage, brought news of the depredation of the pirates and reported that “it’s believed Low is dead for he was a little man and the new Capt. of those Pyrates is a lusty Man.” Undoubtedly Lowther had been confused with Low in this report. The sloop also brought news that the day before it sailed, Captain Harris, in a sloop from Boston, had reached Placentia and reported sighting “on the banks about eighteen or twenty Vessels together, which he imagined were all taken by the Pyrates and kept together by them.”[118] The Boston News-Letter also published earlier intelligence from Canso, that one of their bank sloops had met a pirate sloop with one hundred and fifty men aboard, who had “ask’d them some Questions, who was at Canso. Inquired after most of the Notedest Men and left them without abuse; they did not Know the Master’s Name, but say most of them are West Country-men.”[119]
Towards the end of July, 1723, Low captured a large ship from Virginia, called the “Merry Christmas,” and opening several new ports mounted her with thirty-four guns and refitting went on board and made her his principal ship. He assumed the title of Admiral and hoisted at the main-topmast head a new black flag—having on it a skeleton in red. As the fishing banks had been pretty thoroughly cleared of vessels and it was supposed that men-of-war were cruising on several of them,[120] it was thought best by Low and Lowther to make a course for the Western Islands where they arrived about the first of September. Soon after reaching Fayal, they took an English brigantine, formerly commanded by Elias Wild, but recently bought by a Portuguese nobleman. She was manned partly by English and partly by Portuguese and the latter Low caused to be hanged. The English sailors were put into their boat to shift for themselves and the brigantine was set on fire.
“Thus these inhumane Wretches went on, who could not be contented to satisfy their Avarice only, and travel in the common Road of Wickedness; but, like their Patron, the Devil, must make Mischief their Sport, Cruelty their Delight, and damning of Souls their constant Employment. Of all the pyratical Crews that were ever heard of, none of the English Name came up to this, in Barbarity; their Mirth and their Anger had much the same Effect, for both were usually gratified with the Cries and Groans of their Prisoners; so that they almost as often murthered a Man from the Excess of good Humour, as out of Passion and Resentment; and the Unfortunate could never be assured of Safety from them, for Danger lurked in their very Smiles. An Instance of this had liked to have happened to one Captain Graves, Master of a Virginia Ship last taken; for as soon as he came aboard of the Pyrate, Low takes a Bowl of Punch in his Hand, and drinks to him, saying, Captain Graves, here’s half this to you. But the poor Gentleman being too sensibly touched at the Misfortune of falling into his Hands, modestly desired to be excused, for that he could not drink; whereupon Low draws out a Pistol, cocks it, and with the Bowl in t’ther Hand, told him, he should either take one or the other; So Graves, without Hesitation, made Choice of the Vehicle that contained the Punch, and guttled down about a Quart, when he had the least Inclination that ever he had in his Life to be merry.”[121]
At St. Michael’s, Low and Lowther sent their boats into the road and cut out a London-built ship of fourteen guns commanded by Captain Thompson, the same captain who had been taken there by Low the year before. His ship was stronger than the boats and he could have defended himself with every prospect of success, but his men through cowardice or an inclination to join the pirates, obliged him to surrender. When he came aboard Low’s vessel his ears were cut off close to his head by way of compensation for having proposed to his men to resist the pirate boats. The ship was burned. A bark was taken not long after and the Portuguese crew fared better than was usually the case, for the pirates happened to be in good humor, and only slashed them here and there with cutlasses and then set them adrift in their boat and fired the bark. Johnson, in his account of Low’s career, preserves a curious anecdote in connection with this capture, as follows:
“When the Boat was going from the Side of the Ship, one of Low’s Men, who, we may suppose, was forced into his Gang, was drinking with a Silver Tankard at one of the Ports, and took his Opportunity to drop into the Boat among the Portugueze, and lye down in the Bottom, in order to escape along with them: After he had stowed himself in the Boat, so as not to be seen, it came into his Head, that the Tankard might prove of some Use to him, where he was going; so he got up again, laid hold of the Utensil, and went off, without being discover’d: In which Attempt had he failed, no doubt his Life, if not the Lives of all the People in the Boat, would have paid for it: The Name of this Man is Richard Hains.”[122]
The Portuguese authorities in the Islands were highly incensed at Low’s cruelties and became exceedingly suspicious of all English vessels coming into their harbors. A sloop from Boston, commanded by Capt. Peter Tillinghast, going into Fayal about that time, was received by cannon shot from the castle and when the captain went ashore with a few hands he was seized and after an examination sent to jail. His vessel was boarded and his chest and papers brought ashore for examination and finding nothing by which he might be accused at last he obtained his liberty.[123]
Low and Lowther, in company, sailed from the Canaries to the Cape Verde Islands and the London newspapers had news that they had gone down the African coast as far as Sierre Leone, and Captain Wyndham, in the “Diamond” man-of-war, was reported to have captured Low, sunk Lowther’s sloop and made twenty of the pirates prisoners. This account was soon contradicted[124] and not long after there came reports of his appearance near the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. The evidence is obscure and it is more probable that from the Cape Verdes, Low and Lowther made for the South American coast. At any rate. Low was off the Guinea coast during the fall of 1723 and captured a schooner and afterwards took the ship “Delight,” Captain Hunt, of twelve guns, formerly a man-of-war in the English service. She seemed well suited to their needs and so four more guns were mounted on her and Francis Farrington Spriggs, who had been serving as quartermaster, was given command with a crew of about sixty men. The fleet then consisted of the ship “Merry Christmas,” 34 guns, commanded by Captain Low; the sloop “Happy Delivery,” 16 guns, commanded by Captain Lowther; and the ship “Delight,” 16 guns, Captain Spriggs, and together they sailed along the Guinea coast bound for the West Indies. Spriggs seems to have been a slippery fellow for within two days he deserted the other vessels and went off pirating on his own account, as will be related in another chapter. Lowther may have separated from Low about the same time for he had no consort when he met with a disastrous adventure some time later at the island of Blanco near Tortuga.
In January, 1724, Low took a ship called the “Squirrel,” Captain Stephenson,[125] and in March the news reached Boston that Low had had a fight with other pirates who had taken him, burned his vessel and marooned the survivors on an uninhabited island,[126] and this report persisted and was repeated as late as the spring of 1726, when Capt. William Cross arrived at Piscataqua, N. H., in a sloop, from the Bay of Honduras and related that both Low and Spriggs had been marooned and were supposed to have escaped among the Mosquito Indians.[127] From that time nothing can be learned about him until May 17th when some sailors belonging to a sloop owned in the Barbadoes, arrived there after much suffering and reported that they had been taken near the island of St. Lucia by Low, who, at that time, had only thirty men with him. A French man-of-war from the Martinico station was reported to be in pursuit[128] and may have afterwards captured him for a French account of Low’s piracies relates that in the spring of 1724, Low got into a dispute with his men in which the quartermaster took sides against him, which so greatly enraged Low that he afterwards murdered the quartermaster while he lay asleep. The crew at once rose against Low and with two or three of his strongest partisans he was thrown into a boat without provisions and abandoned to his fate. This proved to be capture by a French vessel owned in Martinico, the day after he had been set adrift, and after a quick trial by the French, he and his companions received short shift on a gallows erected for their benefit.
This account of Low’s fate is confirmed, in part, by the narrative of Jonathan Barlow, a sailor who was taken off the Guinea coast, by Low in the “Merry Christmas.” Barlow relates that after capturing a French sloop near Martinico “some Differance arising among said Pirates they disbanded Low from his office & sent him away w’th only two more hands in s’d French sloop & put one Shipton Captain in his steed.” The pirate company then went to the Isle of Ruby and not long after Captain Spriggs put in appearance in the “Delight.” Spriggs “heft down” his ship and cleaned her and Shipton burned the “Merry Christmas” and went away in a sloop that had been taken not long before commanded by Capt. Jonathan Barney of Newport, R. I. The two pirate captains cruised to the westward and in the Bay of Honduras were chased by the “Diamond” man-of-war as is told in the chapter on Francis Farrington Spriggs.—Massachusetts Archives, vol. 38A, leaf 73.