Rackam lived in all Manner of Luxury, spending his Money liberally upon Anne Bonny, who was so taken with his Generosity, that she had the Assurance to propose to her Husband to quit him, in order to cohabit with John Rackam; and that Rackam should give him a Sum of Money, in Consideration he should resign her to the said Rackam by a Writing in Form, and she even spoke to some Persons to witness the said Writing.
The Story made some Noise, so that the Governor hearing of it, sent for her and one Anne Fulworth, who came with her from Carolina, and pass’d for her Mother, and was privy to all her loose Behaviour, and examining them both upon it, and finding they could not deny it, he threaten’d if they proceeded further in it, to commit them both to Prison, and order them to be whipp’d, and that Rackam, himself, should be their Executioner.
These Menaces made her promise to be very good, to live with her Husband, and to keep loose Company no more; but all this was Dissimulation, for Rackam and she consulting together, and finding they could not by fair Means enjoy each other’s Company with Freedom, resolved to run away together, and enjoy it in Spight of all the World.
To this Purpose they plotted together to seize a Sloop which then lay in the Harbour, and Rackam drew some brisk young Fellows into the Conspiracy; they were of the Number of the Pyrates lately pardoned, and who, he knew, were weary of working on Shore, and long’d to be again at their old Trade.
The Sloop they made choice of was betwixt thirty and forty Tun, and one of the swiftest Sailors that ever was built of that Kind; she belong’d to one John Haman, who lived upon a little Island not far from Providence, which was inhabited by no humane Creature except himself and his Family, (for he had a Wife and Children) his Livelihood and constant Employment was to plunder and pillage the Spaniards, whose Sloops and Launces he had often surprized about Cuba and Hispaniola, and sometimes brought off a considerable Booty, always escaping by a good Pair of Heels, insomuch that it become a Bye-Word to say, There goes John Haman, catch him if you can. His Business to Providence now was to bring his Family there, in order to live and settle, being weary, perhaps, of living in that Solitude, or else apprehensive if any of the Spaniards should discover his Habitation, they might land, and be revenged of him for all his Pranks.
Anne Bonny was observed to go several times on Board this Sloop; she pretended to have some Business with John Haman, therefore she always went when he was on Shore, for her true Errand was to discover how many Hands were aboard, and what kind of Watch they kept, and to know the Passages and Ways of the Vessel.
She discovered as much as was necessary; she found there were but two Hands on Board; that John Haman lay on Shore every Night: She inquired of them, Whether they watch’d? Where they lay? And ask’d many other Questions; to all which they readily answered her, as thinking she had no Design but common Curiosity.
She acquainted Rackam with every Particular, who resolved to lose no Time, and therefore, acquainting his Associates, who were eight in Number, they appointed an Hour for meeting at Night, which was at twelve o’Clock. They were all true to the Roguery, and Anne Bonny was as punctual as the most resolute, and being all well armed, they took a Boat and rowed to the Sloop, which was very near the Shore.
The Night seemed to favour the Attempt, for it was both dark and rainy. As soon as they got on Board, Anne Bonny, having a drawn Sword in one Hand and a Pistol in the other, attended by one of the Men, went strait to the Cabin where the two Fellows lay who belonged to the Sloop; the Noise waked them, which she observing, swore, that if they pretended to resist, or make a Noise, she would blow out their Brains, (that was the Term she used.)
In the mean Time Rackam and the rest were busy heaving in the Cables, one of which they soon got up, and, for Expedition sake, they slipped the other, and so drove down the Harbour: They passed pretty near the Fort, which hailed them, as did also the Guardship, asking them where they were going; they answered, their Cable had parted, and that they had nothing but a Grappling on Board, which would not hold them. Immediately after which they put out a small Sail, just to give them steerage Way. When they came to the Harbour’s Mouth, and thought they could not be seen by any of the Ships, because of the Darkness of the Night, they hoisted all the Sail they had, and stood to Sea; then calling up the two Men, they asked them if they would be of their Party; but finding them not inclined, they gave them a Boat to row themselves ashore, ordering them to give their Service to Haman, and to tell him, they would send him his Sloop again when they had done with it.