[76] Ibid., 1697-1698, p. 473.
[77] John Graves, in a letter printed in the Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1696-1697, p. 744.
[78] Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1696-1697, pp. 259-260.
[79] Captain Wake was an old pirate who had received a pardon in King James’ time.
[80] Jeremiah Basse, writing to the Secretary of the Council of Trade in a letter that reached London on July 26, 1697, reported as follows:—“In all I am told that there are gone from Boston, New York, Pennsylvania and Carolina, from each one ship and from Rhode Island two.... The Nassau met one of these rovers at the Cape Bonne Esperance homeward bound from India. I was told by the mate of her that being fearful lest the Dutch should make prize of her they got leave to put some chests of money on board her, which chests were so heavy that six men at the tackles could hardly hoist them in. The chests were given back to the rovers at sea, who announced that they were bound to Madagascar. The persons expected to return are Tew’s company, and all those that sailed from New York and Rhode Island. It is expected that they will try to conceal themselves in the Jerseys or Pennsylvania being little inhabited about the harbour, they reckon themselves safe there. I am told that some persons have already been preparing for their reception there.”—Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1696-1697, p. 1203.
[81] Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1696-1697, pp. 260-262.
CHAPTER VII
John Quelch and his Crew who were Hanged in Boston and their Gold Distributed
About the middle of May, 1704, there came to anchor in the harbor of Marblehead, the “Charles,” a brigantine of some eighty tons burden, commanded by one Capt. John Quelch. This newly-built vessel had been fitted out the previous summer by Charles Hobby, Col. Nicholas Paige, William Clarke, Benjamin Gallop and John Colman, leading citizens and merchants of Boston, as a privateer to prey upon French shipping off the coast of Acadia and Newfoundland. She was commissioned on July 13, 1703 by Governor Dudley in the usual manner and her commander, Capt. Daniel Plowman, was then given his instructions governing his conduct while in the pursuit of pirates and the Queen’s enemies.
After receiving her equipment and while riding at anchor off Marblehead, Captain Plowman was taken sick and on Aug. 1, 1703 sent a letter to his owners informing them that he was unable to take her to sea on account of his severe illness. He may have realized at the time the character of the crew that he had shipped, for he wrote proposing that the owners of the “Charles” come to Marblehead at once and “take some speedy care in saving what we can. The Lieutenant the Bearer can give you a full Account.” One of the owners went to Marblehead the next day but found the captain too sick to see him. A survey of the situation resulted in a recommendation to his associates that the vessel be sent out as planned but under another captain. This intelligence reached Captain Plowman and he aroused sufficiently to send another letter urging that the vessel be sent to Boston and declaring that “it will not do with these people” (meaning his crew), to send the vessel out under a new commander and the sooner the guns and stores were landed on shore the better it would be for all concerned. However, before the owners could take effectual measures in relation to the vessel, she went to sea. It afterwards appeared that before sailing, the crew, under the lead of one of their number, had locked Captain Plowman in his cabin and John Quelch, the lieutenant-commander, had come on board and after a conference with the crew had taken command and steered a course to the southward. Sometime after Quelch assumed command the captain was thrown overboard, but whether alive or dead is not known.
In November, 1703, the “Charles” was off the coast of Brazil and during the next three months Quelch made nine captures,—five brigantines (the largest being about forty tons), a small shallop, two fishing boats, and a ship of about two hundred tons loaded with hides and tallow and carrying twelve guns and about thirty-five men. These vessels were the property of subjects of the King of Portugal, an ally of the Queen of England, and from them Quelch secured rich booty including a hundred weight of gold dust, gold and silver coins to the value of over one thousand pounds, ammunition, small arms and a great quantity of fine fabrics, provisions and rum.