After this barbarous murder, the governor thought of seizing the sloop, on board of which were no more than two white men, six negro boys, and some women slaves of the same colour. However, he thought it best to proceed by stratagem, and therefore putting a goat and some calabashes of toke on board Williams’ canoe, with twelve negroes armed, and the sloop negroes to paddle, he sent to surprise her. When the canoe came pretty near the vessel, they hailed, and asked if they would let them come on board? One of the men asked Williams’ negroes where the captain was? He answered, drinking toke with the governor, and sent them provision and toke. A negro wench advised the white man, whose name was William Noakes, not to let them come on board, for as four white men went ashore, and none of them appeared, she suspected some treachery. However, on the answer made him from the canoe, he resolved to admit them, and called them on board. No sooner were they come on deck, than one of them, snatching Noakes’ pistol, shot him through the head, and seizing the other white man, threw him overboard and drowned him; after which, being masters of the vessel, they carried her in and rifled her.
The king was at this time hunting, as is his custom to hunt boars three months in the year; but an account of these murders soon reached him. However, he continued the accustomed time of his diversion; but when he returned home, and the whites who were about him demanded justice, he bade them be quiet, they might depend upon his doing it. He sent to the governor of Boyn, and told him, he was glad that he had cut off Williams and his crew, an example he was resolved to follow, and clear the country of them all; that he had some affairs to communicate to him, and desired he would come to court as soon as possible, but take care he was not seen by any of the whites, for fear they should revenge the death of their companions.
The governor, on these orders, came away immediately, and stopped at a little town, two miles distant from the king’s, and sent word he there waited his commands.
The king ordered him to be with him early next morning, before the white men were out of their beds. He set forward accordingly the next day betimes, but was seized on the road by negroes placed for that purpose, and brought bound to the king, who, after having reproached him with the barbarity of the action he had been guilty of, sent him to the white men, bidding them put him to what death they pleased; but they sent word back, he might dispose of the lives of his subjects as he thought fit, but for their part, they would never draw a drop of blood of any who belonged to him. Upon which answer the king’s uncle ordered him to be speared, and he was accordingly thrust through the body with lances. The king, after this execution, sent to Boyn, and had every thing brought which had belonged to Williams and his men, and divided it among the whites, saying, he was sorry the villain had but one life, to make atonement for the barbarity he had been guilty of.
CAPTAIN SAMUEL BURGESS.
Captain Samuel Burgess was born in New-York, and had a good education. He sailed some time in a privateer in the West-Indies, and very often, the gang he was with, when the time of their cruising was expired, would make no ceremony of prolonging the commission by their own authority.
By his privateering he got together some little money, and returned home, where the government having no notice, or at least taking none, of his piratical practice, in staying beyond the date of his commission, he went out mate of a ship, in the service of Frederick Phillips, bound to the island of Madagascar, to trade with the pirates, where they had the misfortune to lose their ship, and lived 18 months at Augustin, when an English pirate coming in, the king of the country obliged him to go on board her, though much against his inclination, for he was tired of a roving life: but their choice was to go or starve, for the king would keep them no longer.
He went with this freebooter to the East-Indies, where they made several rich prizes, and returned to St. Mary’s, where they took in provisions, wood, and water. Several of their gang knocked off here; but the captain, Burgess, and the remainder, went away for the West-Indies, disposed of their plunder on the Spanish coast, and then returning to New-York, purposely knocked the ship on the head at Sandy Hook, after they had secured their money ashore.
The government not being informed of their piracy, they lived here without molestation, and, in a short time, Burgess married a relation of Mr. Phillips, who built a ship, called the Pembroke, and sent him a second time to Madagascar. In his way to this island, he went into the river of Dilagou on the African coast, where he took in a quantity of elephant’s teeth; and thence to Augustin, where he met with several of his old ship-mates, with whom he traded for money and slaves. Leaving this place, he went to Methelage, where he also took some money and negroes; and from thence he shaped his course for St. Mary’s, on the east side, where he also drove a considerable trade with his old comrades, took several of them passengers, who paid very generously for their passage; and taking with him an account of what was proper to bring in another trip, he returned to New-York, without any sinister accident. This voyage cleared £5000, ship and charges paid.
His owner, encouraged by this success, bade him choose what cargo he pleased, and set out again. Accordingly he laded with wine, beer, &c. and returning to Madagascar, arrived at Maratan, on the east side, where he disposed of a great part of his cargo at his own rates. At Methelage he disposed of the rest, and returned, clearing for himself and owner, £10,000, besides 300 slaves he brought to New-York.