The Sixth, Thomas Morris, aged about 22, had been a very incorrigible Youth and Pyrate, and seem’d to have very little Anxiety of Mind by his frequent Smiles when at the Bar, being dress’d with red Ribbons as Mackarthy was with blue, he said, going over the Ramparts, We have a new Governor, but a harsh One; and a little before he was turn’d off, said aloud, that he might have been a greater Plague to these Islands, and now wish’d he had been so.
The Sixth, George Bendall, aged about 18, tho’ he said, he had never been a Pyrate before, yet he had all the villainous Inclinations that the most profligate Youth could be infected with; his Behaviour was sullen.
The Eighth, William Ling, aged about 30, not taken Notice of before the last Attempt, behaved himself as becoming a true Penitent, and was not heard to say any other than by Reply to Lewis, when he demanded Wine to drink, that Water was more suitable to them at that Time.
It was observed that there were but few (beside the Governor’s Adherents) among the Spectators, who had not deserved the same Fate, but pardon’d by his Majesty’s Act of Grace.
Of Captain VANE.
We have given what Account came to our Hands of Charles Vane in the first Volume, beginning at the Time he left Providence on the Governor’s Arrival; but we have since had some Particulars sent us, which relate to Pyracies, both before and after that Date.
In the latter End of March 1718, he, with about 12 more lewd Fellows, who had squander’d all their Money got by former Villanies, took a Canoe, and went out on the old Account. Soon after their setting out they made Prize of a Sloop belonging to Jamaica, brought her into Potters Key, where they came to an Anchor, and put all the Hands on Shore, except the Master, to whom they promis’d to return his Sloop as soon as they met with another more fit for their Purpose; which soon after happen’d, for cruizing off Harbour Island in the beginning of April, they took the Lark Sloop, which had been taken from the Pyrates by Captain Pierce, in the Phœnix Man of War, who fitted her out with a Cargo to trade at St. Augustin’s. He brought his Prize into Providence Harbour, with his black Ensign hoisted, in Defiance of the above named Man of War, which he loudly threaten’d to burn. Vane, at Providence, augmented his Number of Men to 75, sailed in search of Booty, and on the 4th of July return’d with a French Ship of 20 Guns, a French Brigantine laden with Sugar, Indigo, Brandy, Claret, White Wine, and other Merchandize; the Drake Sloop, John Draper, Master, which he took in his Passage from Providence to Harbour Island, and plunder’d of a considerable Sum of Money, shifting into her some Sugars out of the French Brigantine; the Ulster Sloop, John Fredd, Master, laden with Timber from Andros Island, into this Vessel he put 70 Casks of Sugar; and the Eagle Sloop, Robert Brown, Master, bound to South-Carolina, which he took with a two-masted Boat, commanded by Edward England, his Quarter Master; he put on board this last 20 Terses of Sugar, 6 of Bread, and some other Things. In the Harbour he seized on the Lancaster Sloop, Neal Walker, Master, and the Dove Sloop, William Harris, Master, designed for Jamaica, which he plunder’d of what he thought proper, and shifted 22 Hogsheads of Sugar, some Spanish Hides and old Rigging.