After some Days the Captain of the Speaker came on Shore, and was received with a great Deal of Civility by the Heads of the Pyrates, having agreed before to make Satisfaction; in a Day or two after, he was invited by them to eat a Barbacute Shoot, which Invitation he accepted.
After Dinner, Captain Bowen, who was, I have already said, a Prisoner on board the French Pyrate, but now become one of the Fraternity, and Master of the Grab, went out, and returned with a Case of Pistols in his Hand, and told the Captain of the Speaker, whose Name I won’t mention, that he was his Prisoner; he asked, upon what Account? Bowen answered, they wanted a Ship, his was a good One, and they were resolved to have her, to make amends for the Damage he had done them.
In the mean while his Boats Crew, and the rest of his Men ashore, were told by other of the Pyrates, who were drinking with them, that they were also Prisoners; some of them answer’d, Z—ds, we don’t trouble our Heads what we are, let’s have t’other Bowl of Punch.
A Watch Word was given, and no Boat to be admitted on board the Ship; this Word, which was for that Night, Coventry, was known to them: At Eight a-Clock they mann’d the twelve-oar’d Boat, and that they found at Mayotta, with 24 Men, and set out for the Ship.
When they were put off, the Captain of the Speaker desired them to come back, he wanted to speak with them; Captain Booth asked, what he wanted? He said, they could never take his Ship, then said Booth, we’ll die in or along Side of her; but replied the Captain, if you will go with Safety, don’t board on the Lar-board Side, for there is a Gun out of the Steerage loaden with Patridge, will clear the Decks; they thank’d him, and proceeded.
When they were near the Ship they were haled, and the Answer was, the Coventry; all well, said the Mate, get the Lights over the Side, but spying the second Boat, he asked what Boat that was? one answered, it was a Raft of Water, another, that it was a Boat of Beef; this Disagreement in the Answers made the Mate suspicious, who cried out Pyrates, take to your Arms my Lads, and immediately clapp’d a Match to a Gun, which, as the Priming was before wet by the Treachery of Hugh Man, only fizz’d; they boarded in the Instant, and made themselves Masters of her, without the Loss of a Man on either Side.
The next Day they put necessary Provisions on board the French built Ship, and gave her to the Captain of the Speaker, and those Men who would go off with him, among whom was Man, who had betray’d his Ship; for the Pyrates had both paid him the 100 l. agreed, and kept his Secret. The Captain having thus lost his Ship, sail’d in that the Pyrates gave him, for Johanna, where he fell ill and died with Grief.
The Pyrates having here victualled, they sail’d for the Bay of St. Augustine, where they took in between 70 and 80 Men, who had belonged to the Ship Alexander, commanded by Captain James, a Pyrate; they also took up her Guns, and mounted the Speaker with 54, which made up their Number 240 Men besides Slaves, of which they had about 20.
From hence they sailed for the East Indies, but stopp’d at Zanguebar for fresh Provisions, where the Portuguese had once a Settlement, but now inhabited by Arabians; some of them went ashore with the Captain to buy Provisions, the Captain was sent for by the Governor, who went with about 14 in Company: They past thro’ the Guard, and when they were entered the Governor’s House, they were all cut off; and, at the same Time, others who were in different Houses of the Town were set upon, which made them fly to the Shore; the Long-Boat, which lay off at a Grapling, was immediately put in by those who look’d after her: There were not above half a dozen of the Pyrates who brought their Arms ashore, but they plyed them so well, for they were in the Boat, that most of the Men got into her, the Quarter-Master ran down Sword in Hand, and tho’ he was attack’d by many, he behaved himself so well, that he got into a little Canoe, put her off and reached the Long-Boat.
In the Interim, the little Fort the Arabians had, play’d upon the Ship, which returned the Salute very warmly. Thus they got on board, with the Loss of Captain Booth and twenty Men, and set Sail for the East-Indies.