I shall now relate how this Fire happened, from which our Deliverance was almost miraculous. About half an hour after eight a clock in the evening, a Negroe Man went into the Hold, to pump some Rum out of a Cask; and imprudently holding his Candle too near the Bung-hole, a Spark fell into the Hogs-head, and set the Rum on fire. This immediately fired another Cask of the same Liquor, whose Bung had been, through carelessness, left open: And both the Heads of the Hogsheads immediately flying out, with a report equal to that of a small Cannon, the fire run about the Hold. There were twenty Casks of Rum, with as many Barrels of Pitch and Tar, very near the place where the Rum lay that was fired; yet it pleased God none of these took fire, otherwise it would have been impossible for us to escape.
After this was over, I was obliged to stay on board till Morning, all the Boats being run away with. In that time Golding, the Gunner’s Mate, told the Pirate’s Crew several things to my Advantage: “How I had handed the Blankets to him, and ordered Water to be thrown on them; which saved the Bulk-head, where the Powder lay, from being fired, and consequently the Ship from being blown up.” So now I was more than ever in their favour: For several of them desired me to come on board the Windham Galley, the day Things were sold there at the Mart, and then they would be kind to me. Likewise Captain Davis press’d me to come, asking me, “Whether the Gold Watch that was taken from me was a good one?” To which I answering, “It was very good, at that time.” He then said, “He would buy it for his own use at any rate.”
While he and I were talking thus, one of the Mates came half drunk, on the Quarter-deck, saying to him; “I propose in behalf of the Ship’s Company, that this Man shall be obliged to go down the Coast of Guinea with us; for I am told we cannot have a better Pilot.” This was a great surprize to me; but my generous Friend Davis soon put me out of pain. For he told him, “They wanted no Pilot:” and the fellow still insisting on my going, Captain Davis caned him off the Quarter-deck, and I heard no more of it: For soon after I went on Shore to my Friend Captain Glynn’s House.
Two days after this, a small Vessel came into the River, and was taken by them: It was called the Dispatch Captain Wilson, belonging to the Royal African Company. Mr. Simon Jones, formerly my first Mate, who had entered with the Pirates, (as I have before related) told them, on this occasion, “That he had once commanded a Ship, which was hired and freighted by the African Company; and that he had been very unjustly used by them; so he desired the Dispatch might be burned, that he might be revenged of them.” This being immediately consented to, and forthwith ordered to be executed, one John Stubbs, a witty brisk fellow, stood up, and desired to be heard first; saying, “Pray, Gentlemen, hold a little, and I will prove to you, if this Ship is burnt, you will thereby greatly serve the Company’s Interest.” This drawing every one’s attention, they bid him go on: Then he said, “The Vessel has been out these two years on her Voyage, being old and crazy, and almost eaten to pieces by the Worms; besides, her Stores are worth little, and as to her Cargoe, it consists only of a little Redwood and Melegette-pepper; so if she should be burned, the Company will lose little; but the poor People that now belong to her, and have been so long a Voyage, will lose all their Wages, which, I am sure, is three times the Value of the Vessel, and of her trifling Cargoe; so that the Company will be highly obliged to you for destroying her.” The rest of the Crew being convinced by these Reasons, the Vessel was spared, and delivered again to Captain Wilson and his People, who afterwards came safe to England in it.
The 29th of April, such of the Pirates as were my Friends, sent me word on Shore, “That the Sale of Necessaries was to begin that day in the afternoon, in the Windham-Galley, Captain Cocklyn.” So I went on board in a large Cannoe, belonging to two Men that lived ashore, who went at the same time with me. At the Sale, several of the Pirates bought many Necessaries that had been mine, and gave them to me. Likewise, Mr. James Griffin, my Schoolfellow, was so civil as to beg from those that were not so kind to me, as he hoped they would have been. The two white Men that went with me in the Cannoe, minded their own business so well, that they got several great Bundles of Clothes and Goods, which they put into the Cannoe with mine.
By this time several Pirates being half drunk with Brandy, looked over the side, and seeing so many Bundles in the Cannoe, which they supposed to be all mine, they swore, “I was insatiable, and that it would be a good deed to throw them overboard.” This my kind Schoolfellow hearing, he came and told me of it; advising me, to go immediately on Shore; which I accordingly did; and it proved very happy for me. For soon after my Watch was put up to sale, and many bidding for it, some of them out of Spite to Captain Davis, it was run up to one hundred Pounds, which he paid down. One of the Pirates being greatly vexed at it, said, “He believed the Cases of the Watch were not good Gold;” and calling for a Touch-stone, he tried them on it. The Touch looking of a copperish Colour, (as indeed all Gold-cases of Watches do on the touch, by reason of the quantity of Alloy put in to harden them) this pretence served the turn of this Villain; who thereupon exclaimed against me, saying, “I was a greater Rogue than any of them, who openly professed Piracy; since I was so sly, as to bring a base Metal Watch, and endeavour to put it off for a gold one.”
This Speech procured me the Anger of many, who knew no better; they believing every word of what he said to be true. And tho’ Captain Davis laugh’d at it, yet several swore, “If I had not been gone on Shore, they would have whipped me:” And as their Drunkenness increased, they talked of sending for me to be punished for so great a Villany, as they called it. But my Schoolfellow, apprehending they would really offer me some Violence, was so kind as to send me word of what had pass’d, by a white Man living on Shore, who was then on board; advising me to go into the Woods, for they should sail quickly out of the River.
The next morning early, which was the last day of April, as I was just going to follow his advice, I was agreeably surprized with the arrival of one Mr. James Bleau, my Surgeon, whom they designed to take by force with them. This honest Man had been very much cast down at it, and had often desired me to intercede for his liberty. Accordingly I had done it, representing, “That he grieved himself so much, that if he did not die quickly, yet he would be of no use to them:” But this had no effect. However, at last, a fortunate accident cleared him, when he least expected it; for that very evening, after I was come on Shore, the Surgeon of the French Ship entered with them; whereupon they gave Mr. Bleau his Liberty the next morning.
Mr. Bleau brought us the agreeable News, that the three Pirate Ships, with their Tender, were under sail, going out of the River. This gave us all on Shore the highest Satisfaction; for I had been then in their hands a Month, and many others much longer. Mr. Bleau, whom I have here mentioned, lives now at Woodford-Row on Epping-Forest, where he follows his Business.