All the Money was carried on board the Mocha Frigate, and divided between her Crew and the Soldada, excluding without other Reason than sic volumus, the Pelican from any Share.
The Crew of the Pelican expostulated with them, and bid them remember they had spared both Wood and Water, or the Mocha could not have kept the Station; instead of any Answer, they receiv’d a Command to be gone, or they would sink them; they answering, they could not go by themselves, wanting the Water and Wood they had spared. The two Consorts gave them a thousand Dollars, and some Water out of the Moor, bidding them buy Wood, where they could purchase it, and so left the Pelican to her self, going away for the Coast of Malabar, where they put the Prisoners and Horses they had taken ashore, sunk the Soldada, and thence went to the Isle of St. Mary’s on Madagascar, where the Moor’s Ship now lies sunk. They shared out of this Prize a thousand Pounds a Man in Silver and Gold besides other Goods; and the two Pyrates amounted to the Number of 350 Men.
The Pelican kept the same Station for some Days, when a large Moor Ship hove in Sight, they gave Chase, and the Moor, not suspecting her for an Enemy, did not endeavour to get away; when the Pelican came up, she fired for the Moor to bring to, which made him set his small Sails, tho’ with the Loss of several Men; for the Pelican being close up, brought them down with the small Arms. When the Moor had, at length, hove out his small Sails, the Pelican could not gain upon him enough to board, tho’ she was not a Pistol Shot a-stern; whenever she came upon his Lee Quarter, the Moor being a tall Ship, took away the Wind from the Pelican, and she could never get to Windward of him. She ply’d her fore Chase all this while, and drove the Moors from their stern Chase, but could not, as they endeavour’d to do, strike the Moors Rudder, or any other Way disable him. At length, by the Fear and bad Steerage of the Moor, the Pelican ran up along Side of them, but as she miss’d lashing, she was obliged to shoot a head; in the mean while the Moor Wore round, the Pelican put to Stays after him but not Staying, and they being all in Confusion, they Wore also; but in this Time the Moor had got the Start, and setting all the Canvas he could pack on his Ship’s Back, wrong’d the Pelican, and got off.
The Loss of this Ship made the Crew almost distracted, and made, for some Time, a great Division among them, some cursing the Ship for a heavy Sailor, and proposing to return home, others cursing themselves, and the ill Management by which they miss’d lashing, and propos’d going to Madagascar, and the breaking her up, since as she was a single Bottom, she must be worm-eaten; but Time, which mollifies the greatest Rage, abated these Contentions, and put an End to the Animosities which sprung from their Disappointment.
They being cool, resolved for the Malabar Coast, on which they took three Moor Ships in a little Time; the first they discharged, after taking out 6000 Dollars; the second they took for their own Use, mounted her with 26 Guns, and called her the Dolphin; the third they sold on the same Coast for 18000 Dollars. Their own Ship they set adrift. From this Coast they made for Madagascar, and near the Island Mascarenas lost all their Masts in a Hurricane. They put up Jury-Masts, came to St. Mary’s and new masted. Here they found Captain Culliford, Captain Shivers, and their Prize, with three Merchant Men from America, which were come to trade with them, one of which was the Pembrook, commanded by Samuel Burges, belonging to Frederick Phillips, Merchant at New-York. The Captain of the Dolphin, and some of the Men being weary of this Life, went home in these Merchant Ships, and the Crew chose one Samuel Inless, who lived on the Island, for their Captain; they fitted out for the Streights of Malacca, where they made several Prizes of Moor Ships, but of little value to them.
North on board one of the Prizes, was separated from the rest by bad Weather, and drove to great Straights for Water. The Moor Merchant, who was on board with him, and whom he had treated very humanely, shewed him a Draught, by which he came to a small Island not far from the Dutch Settlement, and watered. The Moor told him, that he ran the Risque of his Life should it be known that he had given him a Sight of this Draught. In return for this Service, when he met with his Companions, he got the Moor’s Ship discharged.
They, after this, made for Nicobar, near Achen, and, in the Way, met a large Dane Ship, which they plunder’d, and hove down by, clean’d, and return’d to Madagascar, where they shar’d their Booty, which was, besides Goods, between 3 and 400 l. a Man. A Month after their Arrival three English Men of War appear’d in Sight, the Anglesea, Captain Littleton, the Hastings, Captain White, and the Lizard, Captain Rumsey. These Ships occasioned their hawling up the Dolphin, which, as they could not get her as high as they design’d, they set Fire to.
Commadore Littleton brought a Pardon for such of the Pyrates as would accept it, and many of them, among whom were Culliford and Shivers did, and went home with Merchant Men. North accepted it also, but would not trust to it, finding the Time fixed for their Surrender was elapsed before the Men of War arrived.
Most of the Pyrates having left the Isle of St. Mary’s, where the King’s Ships lay, North thought it not safe for him to stay, and therefore putting all he had into the Dolphin’s Boat, he design’d to join his Comrades on the Main of Madagascar; but being overset by a Squawl, all the People were lost except himself, who swam four Leagues, and a Negroe Woman, whom he put on the Bottom of the Boat.
Being now on the Main, and quite naked, he frighted the Negroes he met with, as he got out of the Water, for they took him for a Sea-Devil; but one Woman, who had been used to sell Fowls at the white Mens Houses, had the Courage not to run away, and, when he came near, knew him; she gave him half her Petticoat to cover his Nakedness, and calling a Negroe Man who carried her Things, and was run into the Woods; they help’d him to perform his Journey to the Dwelling of some white Men, which was sixteen Miles from the Place where he come on Shore; a great Journey for a Man so feeble with swimming. He was kindly received and cloathed by his Comrades, whom he staid with, till he had recovered his Strength, and then he went to a black Prince of his Acquaintance, with whom he staid till the Arrival of Captain Fourgette, which was a full Year.