CHAP. VIII.
OF
Captain Howel Davis,
And his CREW.
CAptain Howel Davis was born at Milford, in Monmouthshire, and was from a Boy brought up to the Sea. The last Voyage he made from England, was in the Cadogan Snow of Bristol, Captain Skinner Commander, bound for the Coast of Guiney, of which Snow Davis was chief Mate: They were no sooner arrived at Sierraleon on the aforesaid Coast, but they were taken by the Pyrate England, who plunder’d them, and Skinner was barbarously murdered, as has been related before in the Story of Captain England.
After the Death of Captain Skinner, Davis pretended that he was mightily sollicited by England to engage with him; but that he resolutely answered, he would sooner be shot to Death than sign the Pyrates Articles. Upon which, England, pleased with his Bravery, sent him and the rest of the Men again on Board the Snow, appointing him Captain of her, in the Room of Skinner, commanding him to pursue his Voyage. He also gave him a written Paper sealed up, with Orders to open it when he should come into a certain Latitude, and at the Peril of his Life follow the Orders therein set down. This was an Air of Grandeur like what Princes practice to their Admirals and Generals.—It was punctually complied with by Davis, who read it to the Ship’s Company; it contained no less than a generous Deed of Gift of the Ship and Cargoe, to Davis and the Crew, ordering him to go to Brasil and dispose of the Lading to the best Advantage, and to make a fair and equal Dividend with the rest.
Davis proposed to the Crew, whether they were willing to follow their Directions, but to his great Surprize, found the Majority of them altogether averse to it, wherefore in a Rage, he bad them be damn’d, and go where they would. They knew that Part of their Cargoe was consigned to certain Merchants at Barbadoes, wherefore they steered for that Island. When they arrived, they related to these Merchants the unfortunate Death of Skinner, and the Proposal which had been made to them by Davis; upon which Davis was seized and committed to Prison, where he was kept three Months; however, as he had been in no Act of Pyracy, he was discharged without being brought to any Tryal, yet he could not expect any Employment there; wherefore knowing that the Island of Providence was a kind of Rendevouz of Pyrates, he was resolved to make one amongst them, if possible, and to that Purpose, found Means of shipping himself for that Island; but he was again disappointed, for when he arrived there, the Pyrates had newly surrendered to Captain Woods Rogers, and accepted of the Act of Grace, which he had just brought from England.
However, Davis was not long out of Business, for Captain Rogers having fitted out two Sloops for Trade, one called the Buck, the other the Mumvil Trader; Davis found an Employment on Board of one of them; the Lading of these Sloops was of considerable Value, consisting of European Goods, in order to be exchanged with the French and Spaniards; and many of the Hands on Board of them, were the Pyrates lately come in upon the late Act of Grace. The first Place they touched at, was the Island of Martinico, belonging to the French, where Davis having conspired with some others, rise in the Night, secured the Master and seized the Sloop; as soon as this was done, they called to the other Sloop, which lay a little Way from them, among whom they knew there were a great many Hands ripe for Rebellion, and ordered them to come on Board of them; they did so, and the greatest Part of them agreed to join with Davis; those who were otherwise inclined, were sent back on Board the Mumvil Sloop, to go where they pleased, Davis having first taken out of her, every Thing which he thought might be of Use.
After this, a Counsel of War was called over a large Bowl of Punch, at which it was proposed to chuse a Commander; the Election was soon over, for it fell upon Davis by a great Majority of legal Pollers, there was no Scrutiny demanded, for all acquiesced in the Choice: As soon as he was possess’d of his Command, he drew up Articles, which were signed and sworn to by himself and the rest, then he made a short Speech, the sum of which, was, a Declaration of War against the whole World.
After this they consulted about a proper Place where they might clean their Sloop, a light Pair of Heels being of great Use either to take, or escape being taken; for this purpose they made Choice of Coxon’s Hole, at the East End of the Island of Cuba, a Place where they might secure themselves from Surprize, the Entrance being so narrow, that one Ship might keep out a hundred.
Here they cleaned with much Difficulty, for they had no Carpenter in their Company, a Person of great Use upon such Exigencies; from hence they put to Sea, making to the North-Side of the Island of Hispaniola. The first Sail which fell in their Way, was a French Ship of twelve Guns; it must be observed, that Davis had but thirty five Hands, yet Provisions began to grow short with him; wherefore he attacked this Ship, she soon struck, and he sent twelve of his Hands on Board of her, in order to plunder: This was no sooner done, but a Sail was spied a great Way to Windward of them; they enquired of the French Man what she might be, he answered, that he had spoke with a Ship, the Day before, of 24 Guns and 60 Men, and he took this to be the same.