He having now forgot his resentment, returned to Jamaica, and went on board and cruised in a Spanish barcalonga, of 10 guns, commanded by Capt. Lovering, born at Jamaica. They cruised three months in the West-Indies, and making but a small hand of it, they steered for Newfoundland, to try their fortune on the banks. Here they met a man of war, who renewed their commission for six months longer. The first prize they made was a French ketch, with a Spanish pass, and would have passed for a Spaniard, but by strict search, and threatening the men, they discovered her to be what she really was, though she had, as a Spaniard, slipped through the fingers of a man of war before.
They carried their prize into harbour, went again upon a cruise, met with a French letter-of-marque, a Bristol built ship, called the Pelican, of 18 guns, and 75 men, half laden with fish. This ship stood them a long argument; they clapped her on board, and two of their men entered, but missing lashing, the barcalonga fell astern, and the two men were made prisoners. However, they came up with her again, clapped her on board a second time, and carried her into the same port where they had left the ketch.
They after this put to sea again, and being discovered by the French settlement ashore, they went into St. Mary’s Bay, where they fell in with a large French fly-boat, of 800 tons, 80 men, and 18 guns, laden with fish. They chased and came up with her, under French colours. When they were pretty near, the Frenchman hailed, and asked whence they came? A Guernsey-man, at the bowsprit end, answered, from Petit Guave, that they had been cruising on the Banks, and were going into the bay for refreshment. The Frenchman bade them come no nearer, but send their boat on board. They keeping on the chase, he fired at them. They did not mind this, but run up along side and boarded him. The French ran to their close quarters, and disputed the ship three quarters of an hour, when they all called for quarters except one man, who would take none, but ran like a madman into the midst of the English, and wounded several, though he was soon despatched by their pistols. They carried this prize to join the others, and turning all the prisoners ashore, except what were necessary to condemn their prizes, they stood, with a fleet of four sail, for Rhode-Island.
Here they condemned the fly-boat and ketch, but found great difficulty in getting the Pelican condemned, the English owners putting in their claim; but, at length, a Scotch lawyer did their business, upon leaving £300 in his hands to bear the charge of any future suit. Capt. Lovering dying here, the ship’s company bought the Pelican, broke up the barcalonga, sent her owners their shares, and got a commission for the master to cruise southward as far as the line, and to be valid for 18 months certain, two years allowing for accidents.
They fitted this ship for a long voyage, out of the joint stock of the company; but iron hoops being scarce in New-England, they were obliged to take casks hooped with wood, which I mention, because it proved the ruin of their voyage to the East-Indies for a whole year.
Being fitted for sea, they set sail and steered for the Cape of Good Hope, which they doubled in the month of June, made the best of their way to Madagascar, and went into Augustin Bay, where they victualled and watered; but before this was done it was August, which was too late to go to the East-Indies; which they proposed to do with design to cruise on the Moors, not intending to pirate among the Europeans, but honestly and quietly to rob what Moors fell in their way, and return home with clean consciences, and clean, but full hands, within the limited time of their commission.
From Augustin they went to Johanna, and the provision they had salted at Madagascar not being well done, it began to spoil. This, and their clothes wanting repair, made them desperately resolve to take the king of Johanna and make him ransom himself; but the master would not take charge of the ship, being unacquainted with the coast. They cruised among the islands, landed at Comaro, and took the town, but found no booty, excepting some silver chains, and checked linen. From hence they went to Mayotta, where they took in a Frenchman who had been marooned there, and maintained by the king. They consulted with him about surprising and taking the town; but he was averse to it, as he owed him the obligation of being preserved. However, he was in their hands, and must do as they would have him. They surrounded the king’s house after they had been three days in his town, and took him and all the inhabitants; but the king’s son made his way through the thickest of them with his cutlass, though he was shot afterwards. The pretence they made use of for this unjustifiable violence, was, that the king had poisoned the crew of a ship, which was their consort. He denied it, as well he might, for they themselves never heard of a ship of the name they gave this fictitious one. The king they carried on board, the other prisoners they put into a sort of temple, with a guard over them of 36 men.
The alarm being given in the country, the natives came down in a body, of some thousands, and attacked the guard; but the ship hearing the fire, and seeing the hills covered with blacks, discharged several great guns, loaded with partridge, which made a very great slaughter, and obliged them to retire.
The king ransomed himself for some silver chains to the value of a thousand dollars, and for what provision they demanded; and at setting him ashore, swore allegiance to them as masters of the country, and took an oath besides, never to poison any more white men.
After this notable expedition, they stayed here a fortnight, though always on their guard, and then went back for Augustin with about twenty slaves, which they carried away with them for servants. Here a sickness coming among them, they built huts ashore. They lost, notwithstanding all their care and precaution, their captain and thirty men, by the distemper which they contracted; but it abating, they thought of going to sea again, but on examining their water casks, they found the hoops all worm eaten and rotten, so that there was no proceeding; but this defect was repaired by their cooper, who was an ingenious fellow. He went into the woods with the Mayotta slaves, and with withes and other stuff he gathered, fitted them up, and made them tight; in acknowledgment of which service they chose him captain, and North was made quarter-master.