It is true, that had the Queen sent any Intimation to us of a Pardon, and that we should have been receiv’d to Grace at Home, we should all have very willingly embrac’d it; for we had Money enough to have encourag’d us all to live honest;
and if we had been ask’d for a Million of Pieces of Eight, or a Million of Pounds Sterling, to have purchas’d our Pardon, we should have been very ready to have comply’d with it; for we really knew not what to do with ourselves, or with our Wealth; and the only Thing we had now before us, was to consider what Method to take for getting Home, if possible, to our own Country with our Wealth, or at least with such Part of it as would secure us easy and comfortable Lives; and, for my own Part, I resolv’d, if I could, to make full Satisfaction to all the Persons who I had wrong’d in England, I mean by that, such People as I had injur’d by running away with the Ship; as well the Owners, and the Master or Captain, who I set a-shore in Spain, as the Merchant whose Goods I had taken with the Ship; and I was daily forming Schemes in my Thoughts how to bring this to pass: But we all concluded that it was impossible for us to accomplish our Desires as to that Part, seeing the Fact of our Piracy was now so publick all over the World, that there was not any Nation in the World that would receive us, or any of us; but would immediately seize on our Wealth, and execute us for Pirates and Robbers of all Nations.
This was confirm’d to us after some Time, with all the Particulars, as it is now understood in Europe; for as the Fame of our Wealth and Power was such, that it made all the World afraid of us, so it brought some of the like Sort with our selves to join with us from all Parts of the World; and particularly, we had a Bark, and 60 Men of all Nations, from Martinico, who had been cruising in the Gulph of Florida, came over to us, to try if they could mend their Fortunes; and these went afterwards to the Gulph of Persia, where
they took some Prizes, and return’d to us again. We had after this three Pirate Ships came to us, most English, who had done some Exploits on the Coast of Guinea, had made several good Prizes, and were all tolerably rich.
As these People came and shelter’d with us, so they came and went as they would, and sometimes some of our Men went with them, sometimes theirs staid with us: But by that Coming and Going our Men found Ways and Means to convey themselves away, some one Way, some another. For I should have told you at first, that after we had such Intelligence from England, viz. that they knew of all our successful Enterprizes, and that there was no Hopes of our returning, especially of mine and some other Men who were known: I say, after this we call’d a general Council to consider what to do; and there, one and all, we concluded that we liv’d very happy where we were; that if any of us had a Mind to venture to get away to any Part of the World, none should hinder them, but that else we would continue where we were; and that the first Opportunity we had we would cruise upon the English East India Ships, and do them what Spoil we could, fancying that some Time or other they would proclaim a Pardon to us, if we would come in; and if they did, then we would accept of it.
Under these Circumstances we remain’d here, off and on, first and last, above three Year more; during which Time our Number encreas’d so, especially at first, that we were once eight hundred Men, stout brave Fellows, and as good Sailors as any in the World. Our Number decreas’d afterwards upon several Occasions; such as the going Abroad to Cruise, wandering to the South Part of
the Island, (as above) getting on Board European Ships, and the like.
After I perceiv’d that a great many of our Men were gone off, and had carry’d their Wealth with them, I began to cast about in my own Thoughts how I should make my Way Home also: Innumerable Difficulties presented to my View; when at last, an Account of some of our Mens Escape into Persia encourag’d me. The Story was this: One of the small Barks we had taken, went to Guzaratte to get Rice, and having secur’d a Cargo, but not loaded it, ten of our Men resolv’d to attempt their Escape; and accordingly they drest themselves like Merchant-Strangers, and bought several Sorts of Goods there, such as an Englishman, who they found there, assisted them to buy; and with their Bales, (but in them pack’d up all the rest of their Money) they went up to Bassora in the Gulph of Persia, and so travell’d as Merchants with the Caravan to Aleppo, and we never heard any more of them, but that they went clean off with all their Cargo.
This fill’d my Head with Schemes for my own Deliverance; but however, it was a Year more before I attempted any Thing, and not till I found that many of our Men shifted off, some and some, nor did any of them miscarry; some went one Way, some another; some lost their Money, and some sav’d it; nay, some carry’d it away with them, and some left it behind them: As for me, I discover’d my Intentions to no Body, but made them all believe I would stay here till some of them should come and fetch me off, and pretended to make every Man that went off promise to come for me, if it ever was in his Power, and gave every one of them Signals to make for me, when they
came back, upon which I would certainly come off to them. At the same Time nothing was more certain, than that I intended from the Beginning to get away from the Island, as soon as I could any Way make my Way with Safety to any Part of the World.