Soon after we were on board, we all went into the great Cabin, where we found nothing but Destruction. Two Scrutores I had there were broke to Pieces, and all the fine Goods and Necessaries in them were all gone. Moreover two large Chests that had Books in them were empty; and I was afterwards informed, they had been all thrown overboard; for one of the Pirates, upon opening them, swore, “There was Jaw-work enough (as he called it) to serve a Nation, and proposed they might be cast into the Sea; for he feared, there might be some Books amongst them, that might breed Mischief enough; and prevent some of their Comrades from going on in their Voyage to Hell, whither they were all bound.” Upon which the Books were all flung out of the Cabin-windows into the River.
After the Company were all sat down in the Cabin, they were treated with all sorts of Liquors, and other things, that had once been mine: By this means the chief Pirates being put into a good humour, my Friend captain Glynn took the opportunity of begging of the Quarter-master several Necessaries for me: Which being readily granted, they were tied up in Bundles, and Captain Glynn designed to take them on Shore with him to his House for me. But an unlucky accident happened, which made me lose them all again.
For some of Captain Davis’s People coming on board at that time; one of them, a pert young fellow of eighteen, broke a Chest open to plunder it. The Quarter-master hearing of it, goes out of the Cabin, and asks the reason of his so doing; the young Man replied, “As they were all Pirates, he thought he did what was right.” On that the Quarter-master strikes at him with his broad Sword, but the young Man running away, escaped the Blow, and fled for protection into the great Cabin to his Master Captain Davis. The Quarter-master pursues him in a great Passion; and there not being room amongst so many of us, to make a stroke at him, he made a thrust with his Sword, and slit the Ball of one of the young Man’s Thumbs, and slightly wounded at the same time Captain Davis on the back of one of his Hands. Davis upon that was all on Fire, and vowed Revenge, saying, “That tho’ his Man had offended, he ought to have been first acquainted with it; for no other Person had a right to punish him in his Presence;” and immediately goes on board his own Ship. Where telling the Story to his Ship’s Company, they all resolved forthwith to revenge this great injury done to one of their Comrades, and the Indignity shown their Captain. Upon that they slip one of their Cables, and begun to heave on the other, in order to come and board Cocklyn’s Ship, and destroy such a set of vile Fellows, as they called him and his Crew. When Captain Davis went from the Prize, Cocklyn soon followed, and went on board his own Ship, to get all things in a readiness to defend himself. Captain Glynn and my self only remained behind, and hoped quickly to have seen hot work between them; but Cocklyn having consulted his People, and judging they should be no ways able to cope with Captain Davis, hastily came on board the Prize again, and desired Captain Glynn to go on board Davis with him, in order to make up matters. My Friend would have refused this unpleasant Office, if he durst; but on his not readily complying, Cocklyn grew enraged. I fearing the consequences, persuaded, him to go: Which Cocklyn was so well pleased with, that he often spoke of it afterwards to my advantage.
By the time they came on board Davis, his Ship was just heaving up their Anchor, and tho’ Captain Glynn was a well-spoken ingenious Man, he found it very difficult to compromise the Matter: Which at last was done on these Terms; “That Captain Davis and his Ship’s Company, should have their share of Liquors and Necessaries on board the Prize; and, That the Quarter-master, who had wounded the young Man belonging to Davis, should before all his Crew acknowledge his fault, and ask Pardon for the same.”
Night now approaching, Captain Glynn was obliged to go on Shore, without calling upon me for the Things he had begged, intending to come next day for them. Being thus left on board the Prize, with only three or four of the Pirates, amongst whom the bloody-minded Boatswain (formerly mentioned) was one; and there being no Boat along the side at that time, I resolved to stay where I was all night, and not hail their Pirate-Ship to send their Boat for me.
The Pirate-Carpenter was then lying on my Bed in the State-room; so I sat some time by my self in the Cabin, having a Candle by me on a Table. When he awoke, he civilly desired me to go and take some rest; saying, “He feared I had not had any since I was taken.” I returned him thanks, saying, “I would sit up till eight a clock:” Whereupon he came and fat down by me on the Lockers, abaft in the Cabin.
The Boatswain came down soon after this, and being a little in Liquor, began to abuse me. On that the Carpenter told him, “He was a base Villain,” and turned him out of the Cabin. Soon after, a puff of Wind coming in at one of the Cabin Windows, put our Candle out; and the Carpenter and I rising up together, to blow the Candle in again, (but not being able to do it) we accidentally shifted places in the dark, he seating himself just over against the Cabin Door, where I sat before: And having no Tinder-box, we were at a great loss how to light the Candle again.
While we were considering how to do it, the Boatswain came into the Steerage, and finding the Candle out, began to swear and rant, saying, “I had put it out purposely, with design to go into the Powder-room undiscovered, and blow the Ship up.” But the Carpenter called to him, and told him, “It was done by accident, and that I still sat by him on the Locker.” So he came to the Cabin Door, and by the Star-light that came in at the Windows, perceived us sitting; but could not distinguish our Faces. Thinking I sat still in the Place where he had seen me before, he presented a Pistol, and drew the Trigger, swearing, “At that instant, he would blow my Brains out.” By good fortune the Pistol did not go off, but only flash’d in the Pan: By the Light of which the Carpenter observing that he should have been shot instead of me, it so provoked him, that he run in the dark to the Boatswain; and having wrenched the Pistol out of his hand, he beat him, with that and his Fist, to such a Degree, that he almost killed him.
The noise that was made in this Fray being heard on board the Pirate-ship that lay close to us, a Boat was sent from her; and they being informed of the Truth of the matter, the Officer that was in her, thought fit to carry away this wicked Villain, who had three times attempted to murder me.