White was marked out for a Sacrifice by one of these Villains, who, for I know not what Reason, had sworn his Death, which he escaped thus. One of the Crew, who had a Friendship for White, knew this Fellow’s Design, to kill him in the Night, and therefore advised him to lye between him and the Ship’s Side, with Intention to save him; which indeed he did, but was himself shot dead by the murderous Villain, who mistook him for White; but this by the Bye.
After some Time cruizing along the Coast, the Pyrates doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and shaped their Course for Madagascar, where, being drunk and mad, they knock’d their Ship on the Head, at the South End of the Island, at a Place called by the Natives Elexa; the Country thereabouts was governed by a King, named Mafaly.
When the Ship struck, Captain White, Captain Boreman, (born in the Isle of White, formerly a Lieutenant of a Man of War, but in the Merchants Service when he fell into the Hands of the Pyrates) Captain Bowen and some other Prisoners got to the Long-Boat, and with broken Oars and Barrel Staves, which they found in the Bottom of the Boat, paddled to Augustine Bay; that is about 14 or 15 Leagues from the Wreck where they landed, and were kindly received by the King of Bavaw (the Name of that Part of the Island) who spoke good English.
They staid here a Year and a half at the King’s Expence, who gave them a plentiful Allowance of Provision, as was his Custom to all White Men, who met with any Misfortune on his Coast; his Humanity not only provided for all such, but the first European Vessel that came in, he always obliged them to take in the unfortunate People, let the Vessel be what it would; for he had no Notion of any Difference between Pyrates and Merchants.
At the Expiration of the above Term, a Pyrate Brigantine came in, aboard which the King obliged them to enter, or travel by Land to some other Place, which they durst not do; and of two Evils chose the least, that of going on board the Pyrate Vessel, which was commanded by one William Read, who received them very civilly.
This Commander went along the Coast, and pick’d up what Europeans he could meet with; his Crew however did not exceed forty Men, he would have been glad of taking on board some of the wreck’d Frenchmen, but for the Barbarity they had used towards the English Prisoners; however, it was impracticable, for the French pretending to lord it over the Natives, whom they began to treat inhumanly, were set upon by them, one half of their Number cut off, and the other half made Slaves.
Read, with this Gang, and a Brigantine of 60 Tons, steer’d his Course for the Gulf of Persia, where they met a Grabb (a one masted Vessel) of about 200 Tons, which was made Prize.
They found nothing on board but Bale Goods, most of which they threw over-board to search for Gold, and to make Room in the Vessel; but as they learned afterwards, they threw over in their Search, what they so greedily hunted after, for there was a considerable Quantity of Gold concealed in one of the Bales they toss’d into the Sea.
In this Cruise Captain Read fell ill and died; he was succeeded by one James. The Brigantine being small, crazy, and worm eaten, they shaped their Course for the Island of Mayotta, where they took out the Masts of the Brigantine, fitted up the Grabb, and made a Ship of her: Here they took in a Quantity of fresh Provision, which is in this Island very plentiful, and very cheap; and found a twelve oar’d Boat, which formerly belonged to the Ruby East India Man, which had been lost there.
They staid here all the Monsoon Time, which is about six Months; after which they resolved for Madagascar. As they came in with the Land, they spied a Sail coming round from the East Side of the Island; they gave Chase on both Sides, so that they soon met: They haled each other, and receiving the same Answer from each Vessel, viz. from the Seas, they joined Company.