Rackam and Anne Bonny, both bore a great Spleen to one Richard Turnley, whom Anne had ask’d to be a Witness to the Writing, which James Bonny, her Husband, was to give to Rackam, by which she was to be resigned to him; Turnley refused his Hand upon that Occasion, and was the Person who acquainted the Governor with the Story, for which they vowed Revenge against him. He was gone from Providence a turtling before they made their Escape, and they knowing what Island he was upon, made to the Place. They saw the Sloop about a League from the Shore a fishing, and went aboard with six Hands; but Turnley, with his Boy, by good Luck, happened to be ashore salting some wild Hogs they killed the Day before; they inquired for him, and hearing where he was, rowed ashore in Search of him.
Turnley from the Land saw the Sloop boarded, and observed the Men afterwards making for the Shore, and being apprehensive of Pyrates, which are very common in those Parts, he, with his Boy, fled into a neighbouring Wood. The Surf was very great, so that they could not bring the Boat to Shore; they waded up to the Arm-Pits, and Turnley, peeping through the Trees, saw them bring Arms on Shore: Upon the whole, not liking their Appearance, he, with his Boy, lay snug in the Bushes.
When they had looked about and could not see him, they hollow’d, and call’d him by his Name; but he not appearing, they thought it Time lost to look for him in such a Wilderness, and therefore they returned to their Boat, but rowed again back to the Sloop, and took away the Sails, and several other Things. They also carried away with them three of the Hands, viz. Richard Connor the Mate, John Davis, and John Howel, but rejected David Soward the fourth Hand, tho’ he had been an old experienced Pyrate, because he was lame, and disabled by a Wound he had formerly received.
When they had done thus much, they cut down the Main-Mast, and towing the Vessel into deep Water, sunk her, having first put David Soward into a Boat to shift for himself; he made Shift to get ashore, and after some Time, having found out Turnley, he told him, that Rackam and Mary Stead were determined, if they could have found him, to have whipp’d him to Death, as he heard them vow with many bitter Oaths and Imprecations; for whipping was the Punishment the Governor had threatened her with by his Information.
From thence they stretch’d over to the Bury Islands, plundering all the Sloops they met, and strengthening their Company with several additional Hands, and so went on till they were taken and executed at Port Royal, as has been told in the first Volume.
About this Time, the Governor, in Conjunction with some Factors then residing at Providence, thought fit to freight some Vessels for a trading Voyage; accordingly the Batchelor’s Adventure, a Schooner, Captain Henry White, Commander; the Lancaster Sloop, Captain William Greenway, Commander; the May Sloop, Captain John Augur, Commander, of which last David Soward was Owner, (it having been given him by some Pyrates his former Associates) in which he also sail’d this Voyage, were fitted out with a Cargo of Goods and Merchandizes, bound for Port Prince on the Island of Cuba.
The Governor thought it adviseable, for the Benefit of the Inhabitants of Providence, to settle a Correspondence with some Merchants at Port Prince, first, in order to procure fresh Provisions, there being scarce any upon the Island at the Governor’s first Arrival; and there being at Port Prince great Plenty of Cows and Hogs, he proposed to get a sufficient Number of each, to stock the Island for Breed, that the People for the future might have fresh Provision of their own.
They set Sail on Sunday the fifth of October, 1718; the next Day they arrived at an Island known by the Name of Green Key, lying South, South-East from Providence, in the Degree of 23 and 40 North Latitude, being distance about twenty five Leagues; they cast Anchor, in order to wait for Morning to carry them thro’ some Rocks and Shoals which lay in their Way, and some went ashore to try to kill something for Supper, before it should be dark; they expected to meet some wild Hogs, for, some Time before, one Joseph Bay and one Sims, put two Sows and a Boar into the said Island; for they living at that Time at Providence, and being continually visited by Pyrates, were always plundered of all their fresh Provisions; wherefore, they thought of settling a Breed upon Green Key, that they might have Recourse to in Time of Necessity.
This Island is about nine Miles in Circumference, and about three Miles broad in the widest Place; it is overgrown with wild Cabbage and Palmuta Trees, and great Variety of other Herbs and Fruits, so that there is Plenty of Food for the Nourishment of such Animals; but the Trees lying so close together, makes it but bad Hunting, so that they kill’d but one Hog, which, however was of a monstrous Size.
The Hunters returned on Board their Ships again before Seven, having first divided the Hog, and sent part on Board each Vessel for Supper that Night. After Supper, Captain Greenway and Captain White came on Board of Captain Augur’s Sloop, in order to consult together, what Time to sail, and being all of Opinion, that if they weigh’d Anchor betwixt the Hours of ten and eleven, it would be Day before they would come up with the Shoals; they agreed upon that Hour for setting Sail, and so return’d to their own Vessels.