About this time a fishing vessel, belonging to the island of Providence, brought in the master of a ship and a few sailors, whom she had picked up at sea in a canoe. The said master was called Captain King, who sailed in a ship called the Neptune, belonging to South-Carolina, laden with rice, pitch, tar, and other merchandise, bound for London.
The account he gave of himself was, that he was met with by Charles Vane, the pirate, who carried him into Green Turtle Bay, one of the Bahama islands, by whom he was plundered of a great part of his cargo, which, consisting chiefly of stores, was of great use to them; that afterwards they cut away part of one of the masts of the ship, and fired a gun down her hold, with intent to sink her; that they took some of his men into their service, and when they were sailing off, gave him and the rest a canoe to save themselves; that with this canoe they made shift to sail from one little island to another, till they had the good luck to meet the fishing boat which took them up; and that he believed Charles Vane might still be cruising thereabouts.
Upon this intelligence, the governor fitted out a ship which was named the Willing Mind, manned with 50 stout hands, well armed, and also a sloop with 30 hands, which he sent to cruise among those islands, in search of Vane, the pirate, giving them orders also to endeavour to recover the ship Neptune, which Capt. King told them had still goods of considerable value left in her.
They went out accordingly, but never saw Vane. However, they found the Neptune, which was not sunk as the pirates intended; for the ball they fired into her stuck in the ballast, without passing through. They returned with her about the 10th of November; but an unlucky accident happened to the Willing Mind, occasioned either by the ignorance or carelessness of the pilot, which bilged in going over the bar.
In the mean time Vane made towards the coast of Hispaniola, living riotously on board, having an abundance of liquor, and plenty of fresh provisions, such as hogs, goats, sheep, and fowl, which he got upon easy terms; for touching at a place called Isleathera, he plundered the inhabitants of as much of their provision as they could carry away. Here they cruised to about February, when, near the windward passage of Cape Mase, they met with a large rich ship of London, called the Kingston, laden with bale goods, and other rich merchandise, and having several passengers on board, some English, and some Jews, besides two women.
Towards the north end of Jamaica, they also met with a turtle sloop, bound in for that island, on board of which (after having first plundered her) they put the captain of the Kingston, some of his men, and all the passengers except the two women, whom they detained, contrary to their usual practice.
The Kingston they kept for their own use; for now their company being strengthened by a great many recruits, some volunteers and some forced men out of the Neptune and Kingston, they thought they had hands enough for two ships. Accordingly they shifted several of their hands on board the Kingston, and John Rackham, alias Calico Jack, (so called, because his jackets and drawers were always made of calico) quarter-master to Vane, was unanimously chosen captain of the Kingston.
The empire of these pirates had not been long thus divided before they had like to have fallen into a civil war among themselves, which must have ended in the destruction of one of them. The fatal occasion of the difference between these two brother adventurers, was this. It happened that Vane’s liquor was all out, who sending to his brother captain for a supply, Rackham accordingly spared him what he thought fit; but it falling short of Vane’s expectation, as to quantity, he went on board of Rackham’s ship to expostulate with him, so that words arising, Rackham threatened to shoot him through the head, if he did not immediately return to his own ship; and told him likewise, that if he did not sheer off, and part company, he would sink him. Vane thought it best to take his advice, for he thought the other was bold enough to be as good as his word, for he had it in his power to be so, his ship being the largest and strongest of the two. Accordingly they parted, and Rackham made for the island of Princes, and having great quantities of rich goods on board, taken in the late prizes, they were divided into lots, and he and his crew shared them by throwing dice, the highest cast being to choose first. When they had done, they packed up their goods in casks, and buried them on shore in the island of Princes, that they might have room for fresh booty. In the mean time it happening that a turtle sloop, belonging to Jamaica, came in there, Rackham sent his boat and brought the master on board of him, and asking him several questions, the master informed him that war with Spain had been proclaimed in Jamaica; and that the time appointed by the general pardon for pirates to surrender, in order to receive the benefit thereof, had not expired.
Upon this intelligence Rackham and his crew suddenly changed their minds, and were resolved to take the benefit of the pardon by a speedy surrender; wherefore, instead of using the master ill, as the poor man expected, they made him several presents, desiring him to sail back to Jamaica, and acquaint the governor they were willing to surrender, provided he would give his word and honour they should have the benefit of the pardon; which, extensive as it was, they apprehended they were not entitled to, because they had run away in defiance of it at Providence. They desired the master also to return with the governor’s answer, assuring him he should be no loser by the voyage.
The master very willingly undertook the commission, and arriving at Jamaica, delivered his message to the governor, according to his instructions; but it happened that the master of the Kingston, with his passengers, having arrived at Jamaica, had acquainted the governor with the piracies of Vane and Rackham, before the turtle got thither, who was actually fitting out two sloops, which were now just ready, in pursuit of them, so that the governor was very glad to discover, by the turtler’s message, where Rackham was to be found.