They were not mistaken in this Supposition, for the Governor, according to the Power vested in him, did grant Commissions for privateering, and made Choice of some of the principal Pyrates who had continued upon the Island, in Obedience to the Pardon, for Commanders, as being Persons well qualified for such Employments, who made up their Crews chiefly of their scattered Companions, who were newly returned upon the Hopes of Preferment.
About this Time a Fishing Vessel belonging to the Island of Providence brought in the Master of a Ship and a few Sailors, whom she had picked up at Sea in a Canoe; the said Master was called Captain King, who sailed in a Ship called the Neptune, belonging to South-Carolina, loaden with Rice, Pitch, Tar, and other Merchandizes, bound for London.
The Account he gave of himself was, that he was met with by Charles Vane the Pyrate, who carried him into Green Turtle Bay, one of the Bahama Islands, by whom he was plundered of a great Part of his Cargoe, which consisting chiefly of Stores, was of great Use to them; that afterwards they cut away Part of one of the Masts of the Ship, and fired a Gun down her Hold, with Design of sinking her; that they took some of his Men into their Service, and when they were sailing off gave him and the rest a Canoe to save themselves; that with this Canoe they made shift to sail from one little Island to another, till they had the good Luck to meet the Fishing Boat which took them up; and that he believed Charles Vane might still be cruising thereabouts.
Upon this Intelligence the Governor fitted out a Ship which was named the Willing Mind, mann’d with fifty stout Hands, well armed, and also a Sloop with thirty Hands, which he sent to cruise amongst those Islands, in search of Vane the Pyrate, giving them Orders also to endeavour to recover the Ship Neptune, which Captain King told them had still Goods of a considerable Value left in her.
They went out accordingly, but never saw Vane; however, they found the Neptune, which was not sunk as the Pyrates intended; for the Ball they fired into her stuck in the Ballast, without passing through, by Reason the Gun had not been sufficiently charged, and so they returned with her about the 10th of November; but an unlucky Accident happened to the Ship Willing Mind, occasioned either by the ignorance or Carelessness of the Pilot, which was bulged in going over the Bar.
In the mean Time Vane made towards the Coast of Hispaniola, living riotously on Board, having store of Liquor, and plenty of fresh Provisions, such as Hogs, Goats, Sheep, Fowl, which he got upon easy Terms, for touching at a Place called Isleatherer, he plundered the Inhabitants of as much of their Provision as they could carry away: Here they cruised to about February, when, near the Windward Passage of Cape Mase, they met with a large rich Ship of London, called the Kingston, loaden with Bale Goods, and other rich Merchandize, and having several Passengers on Board, some English, and some Jews, besides two Women.
Towards the North-End of Jamaica they also met with a Turtle Sloop, bound in for that Island, on Board of which (after having first plundered her) they put the Captain of the Kingston, and some of his Men, and all the Passengers, except the two Women, whom they kept for their own Entertainment, contrary to the usual Practice of Pyrates, who generally sent them away, least they should occasion Contention.
The Ship Kingston they kept for their own Use; for now their Company being strengthened by a great many Recruits, some Voluntiers, and some forced Men out of the Neptune and Kingston, they thought they had Hands enough for two Ships; accordingly they shifted several of their Hands on Board the Kingston, and John Rackham, alias Callico Jack, (so called, because his Jackets and Drawers were always made of Callico) Quarter-Master to Vane, was unanimously chosen Captain of the Kingston.
The Empire of these Pyrates had not been long thus divided before they had like to have fallen into a civil War amongst themselves, which must have ended in the Destruction of one of them. The fatal Occasion of the Difference betwixt these two Brother Adventurers, was this;—It happened that Vane’s Liquor was all out, who sending to his Brother Captain for a Supply, Rackham accordingly spared him what he thought fit; but it falling short of Vane’s Expectation, as to Quantity, he went on Board of Rackham’s Ship to expostulate the Matter with him, so that Words arising, Rackham threaten’d to shoot him thro’ the Head, if he did not immediately return to his own Ship; and told him likewise, that if he did not sheer off, and part Company, he would sink him.
Vane thought it best to take his Advice, for he thought the other was bold enough to be as good as his Word, for he had it in his Power to be so, his Ship being the largest and strongest of the two.