On the passage, believing that there was a considerable amount of money on board, I used all my endeavors to stir the crew up to mutiny, intending, if possible, to kill the officers and make myself master of the lion’s share of the plunder, but I could not succeed in bringing matters to a crisis, although the whole voyage was a series of rows and fights, in which I was generally the principal.
When we arrived at Rio all hands left the ship but myself and Tom Stone, who were forced to remain, as we were both sick, and as soon as we began to recover they put us both in irons.
But one day, the mate going on shore, we broke our irons and left. Reaching the city, we remained quiet until the vessel sailed, and then shipped on board of the ship Admiral Granford, of Liverpool, for New Orleans.
All went on smoothly enough to all appearances, but during the whole voyage I was working quietly among the men, sowing the seeds of discontent and mutiny, which came to a head when we were within about twenty-five miles of the Belize.
Here a regularly organized revolt took place, headed by me and Stone, in which about one half of the crew were actually engaged. We succeeded in overpowering the officers and such of the crew as sided with them, and after binding them we robbed the ship of all the money and portable valuables we could lay our hands on, and after scuttling the ship and setting fire to her we took to the boats and made for land.
On reaching the shore we divided the spoils of the robbery, and separated, myself and partner going to New Orleans together, where at the end of a few weeks we again shipped on board of the ship Mobile, of Bath, for Liverpool.
While we were taking in cargo at New Orleans, we robbed the ship of a quantity of Irish linen; but on trying to smuggle it ashore we were arrested, but escaped punishment by means of perjured witnesses. After our discharge we rejoined the ship and went to sea.
But off Blackwater Banks a terrible storm struck us. We had over eight hundred souls on board, and the scene was enough to appall the stoutest heart and make the bravest man shudder. The waves ran mountains high, and the wind blew great guns; sail after sail was carried away, and as we were fast driving in to the Banks, all hope of saving the ship was given up. The poor wretches gave themselves up for lost; some prayed—some cursed—some shrieked in an agony of fear, and some madly cast themselves into the water and died before their time.
But during this dreadful panic I felt no fear, for on this occasion, as all through my life, I felt as if I was protected by a superior power, and only thought how I could turn the loss of the ship to account.
When the ship struck, I watched my opportunity and lashed myself to a large spar, on which I floated for two days, when I was picked up by a pilot boat and taken into port, as the American Consul at that time will certify. Of the eight hundred passengers on board of that ship not one save me escaped that I ever heard of. The only one whose loss I regretted was my partner, Tom Stone, with whom I had been associated for so many years. He was a brave fellow, with a ready wit and strong arm, ever on hand for any enterprise, no matter how desperate; and wicked as he was, I believe he loved and would have died for me.