Captain such satisfaction that the Captain us'd him kindly and retain'd him in his Service By this Pilot he understood that a certain Negro had given the Spanish Admiral notice two days before the fight that the Enemy had prepar d a Fire-ship to burn his Fleet but that the Admiral would not believe his Intelligence He also further discover'd that in the Ship which was sunk there was above 40000 pieces of Eight upon which the Captain order'd one of his Ships to remain there and watch all opportunities of getting out of the Vessel what Plate they could In the mean time the Captain return'd to Maracaibo to re-fit the Spanish Vessel which they had taken which he then chose for himself giving his own to another of his Commanders From thence he sent to the Admiral much more tame now the same Message he had sent him in his Prosperity to redeem Maracaibo from fire for which he demanded 30000 pieces of Eight The Spaniards considering how unfortunate they had been and not knowing after this loss how to get rid of these Masters of the Sea at length concluded for 20000 pieces of Eight and 500 Beeves for the Corsairs were always great lovers of Fidlers fair However the Captain would not deliver the Prisoners till he was clear of the Castle Guns and so Sail'd away to the Ship which he had left behind to look after the Plate in the Ship that was burnt Where he left her there he found her together with fifteen thousand pieces of Eight which they had recovered out of the Wreck besides many other pieces of Plate as Hilts of Swords and such other Toys besides a great number of pieces of Eight that were melted and run together through the force of the fire As the Captain suspected so it was for the Admiral had a design to have paid his Scores as he passed by the Guns of the Castle which he could not avoid Thereupon he told the Prisoners how much it concern'd them to agree with the Governor to leave him a free passage for his Ships to which if he would not agree they must expect to be hang'd every Mothers Son The Prisoners were in a woful case however to try the Governors good Nature they deputed some of their own to represent the condition of themselves their Wives and Children at the Captains disposal and therefore besought him to let the Captain pass free as the only means to save their lives But the Admiral reproaching their Pusillanimity denied their request as being bound to maintain the King his Masters Honour When the poor Prisoners with bleeding hearts return'd the Admirals Answer to which all that the Captain reply'd was that if the Admiral would not let him go he would find a means to do it without him Thereupon he resolv'd to make a present dividend of the Booty which amounted to the value of 250000 pieces of Eight in Money and Jewels besides a a vast quantity of Merchandise and Slaves all which was divided to every Ship or Boat according to their share as justly as if Astrea her self had done And this was the rather done at that place for fear they might be divided by Storm and not have an opportunity to do it elsewhere as also to prevent any of the Commanders from running away with more then belonged to their parts But now the business was to pass the Castle and get out of the Lake To this purpose they bethought themselves of a Stratagem which was this The day preceeding the night that they intended to pass the streight they cast Anchor in view of the Castle and then filling their Canows full of men sent them to the shore where they lay conceal'd among the Boughs till the men had hid themselves by laying themselves down in the bottom of the Boat so that as they return'd there appear'd no more to be seen then only two or three that row'd This the Spaniards seeing several times repeated assured themselves that the Captain intended to storm the Castle in the night time which made the Spaniards remove all their great Guns to the Landward where they expected to be most briskly assail'd leaving that Part toward the Sea naked with little or no defence Which when the Captain saw had answer'd his ends in the night time with wind and tide and full swell'd Sails he gave the Castle the go by Which when the Castillians perceived they made all the hast they could to remove their Guns again but by that time the Captain was got almost out of reach so that all the shot they made did him very little or no prejudice As for the rest of the Fleet which missed the Captain at Savona they to the number of four hundred endur'd much misery unfortunate in all their Attempts However resolving to do something they chose among themselves one Captain Hansell for their Admiral who had behav'd himself very Couragiously at the taking of Puerto Velo He attempted the taking of Comona upon the Continent of Carucas threescore Leagues from the West-side of the Island de la Trinidad There they landed their Men and kill'd some few Indians stragling near the Coast but approaching to the Town the Spaniards joyning with the Indians disputed their entry so obstinately with the forcible arguments of Sword and Musket that they were forc'd to retreat to their Ships with great loss At last they arriv'd with empty Pockets at Jamaica where they were jeer'd by their more fortunate Companions who cryed to em Let us see the money you brought from Comona whether it be as good silver as that which Maracaibo affords THE Second Part. CHAP. I. SOon after Captain Morgan arriv'd at Jamaica where the old trade of Cupping and Canning and Drabbing and Dicing had gone so briskly forward that both Officers and Soldiers were reduc'd to their accustom'd state of Indigency that they were very importunate for new Invasions and Exploits to satisfy the craving hunger that began to gnaw their Pockets By this means the first care of procuring men was soon over Notice therefore being given of the Design and the Rendevouze appointed upon the South-side of the Island of Tortuga the Sons of Fortune flock'd from all parts to put themselves under the Captains Conduct and to be in readiness also against the time appointed which was the 24th of October 1670. The Captain failed not to be punctual to his appointment and came in his own Ship to the Port called Port Couillon over against Cow-Island There they concluded to send four Ships and one Boat over to the Continent to rifle some of the Towns and Villages and get all the Maiz they could gather To that purpose they set sail for the Continent toward the River de la-Hacha with a design to plunder a small Village called Roncheria Another party was sent to hunt in the Woods who killed a vast number of Beasts and salted them The rest of the Company remain'd in the Ships to clean and rigg them out to Sea
Guns a Force sufficient to grind their Fisher-Boats to Mustard which caus'd a great consternation among the men of valour for men are but men and can do no more than they can do Well but what shall they do To wish the Ships at the Devil was no more than to piss upon ' em Fight they must or lose all Which dismal choice that would have mollified some mens hearts like an Egg in Vinegar did but enliven the Captains courage Therefore he resolv'd to fight the Spaniard first with his own weapons that is with Rodomontado's To which purpose he boldly sent a Spaniard to the Admiral of the three Ships demanding of him to pay the Ransom of Maracaibo or threatning else to reduce it to Powder to whiten the Spaniards Teeth The Envoy having delivered his Message returned two days after with a Letter to the Captain giving him to understand that he was come to dispute his passage out of the Lake and to pursue him where-ever he fled in those parts till he had got him into his clutches However if he would meekly restore what he had taken and calmly dismiss his prisoners he would let him freely pass without molestation The Captain upon reading the Letter was plainly convinc'd in his conscience that the conditions were too hard However that he might not wholly depend upon his own Judgment he resolv'd to take advice and to that purpose he read the Letter to his Associates both in French and English which done he desired to know how they intended to expound this hard Chapter either to surrender what they had purchased or to fight for their Liberty To which the Souldiers all unanimously reply'd They would rather lose their Blood than their Booty without which their blood signified nothing At length up stept one as if he had been sent from Mahomets Paradise for their relief who beholding the Captain with a stern countenance Captain said he take you but care for the rest and I my self will undertake to destroy the biggest with only twelve men And the way I will do it added he shall be by making a Fireship of that Vessel which we took in the River of Gibraltar Never did Popish Saint speak such words of comfort from the Clouds to distressed Pilgrims in the Desert as this Hero spake to his Companions The Proposal was accepted and entertain'd with joy and the Ship was already burnt in conceit However to avoid that trouble if they could avoid it they concluded to see whether the haughty Spaniard would come to any Accommodation or no To which purpose to leave him inexcus'd if mischief did befall him the Captain sent him two Ambassadours with Propositions to quit Maracaibo without Ransom and to set at liberty one half of the Slaves and all the other Prisoners without paying for their Heads And 3dly To send home the Inhabitants of Gibraltar which he had as Hostages for the Contributions behind But the 40 Gun'd Admiral rejected their Propositions with disdain little dreaming what would be the Issue Threatning withal That if they did not surrender themselves voluntarily in two days upon the Conditions propos'd in his Letter that he would come and force 'em to do it The Captain finding the Admiral so peremptory prepared all things in a readiness to get out by main force In the first place he ordered all the Prisoners to be bound to their good behaviour and well guarded Then they got all the Tar and Brimstone they could find in the Town to fit up the Fire-ship Next they contriv'd several inventions and mixtures of Tar Powder and Brimstone with which they besmear'd several quantities of Palm leaves They stufft the Fire-ship with Hells Materials broke open new Port-holes where instead of Guns they plac'd several little Drums of which the Negro's make use And lastly They dress'd up the Deck with several pieces of Wood covered with Monteros with Muskets fixed as it were in their Arms and hung about with Bandileers The Fire-ship thus fitted they stowed the Men-prisoners in one Boat the Women the richest part of their plunder in others their more bulky bales of Merchandise All things being ready the Captain exacted an Oath of all his Company whereby they swore to defend themselves to the last drop of blood promising withal more then ordinary shares to such as should most remarkably signalize themselves in that days action Thus resolv'd upon the 30 of April 1669. They set Sail to seek the terrible Spaniards whom they found riding at an Anchor in the middle of the entry into the Lake When it grew night they came to an Anchor but the next morning by break of day they weigh'd again steering their course directly to the Spaniards who perceiving their motion prepar'd to entertain em But then the Fire-ship Sailing before the rest fell presently upon the great Ship who perceiving her to be one of the Devils Imps a Fire-ship did all they could to put her by but she had got such hold already of the unweildy Admiral with her Iron Nails that there was no getting loose besides the flame had so suddenly seiz'd the Timber and Tackling that all the Stern being in a moment consum'd the Ship voluntarily sunk into the Sea to cool her self The second Ship seeing the Admiral already burnt not by Accident but by the industry of the Enemy dreading the same fate escap'd under the shot of the Castle and there very civilly sunk her themselves to save their Enemies the Trouble The third having no opportunity to escape was boarded and taken by the Corsairs When the first Ship was burnt some of the Seamen swam to the shore whom the courteous Corsairs would have taken up but they would neither ask nor admit of Quarter which caus'd the Corsairs out of their generosity to knock 'em on the head to prevent their being drown'd The Corsairs though it was not their customs to sing Te Deums were not a little glad you may be sure to have tam'd their lofty Antagonist in so short a time which so exalted their minds that they presently run ashore with an intention to take the Castle That they found very well provided both with Men and great Guns against which they found their Muskets and Fire-balls not sufficient and therefore perceiving that the Spaniards were resolv'd obstinately to make use of their advantages and considering there was nothing to be got but blows they retir'd to their Ships The next day the Captain employed his men to try whether they could recover any part of the Wealth that was lost in the two Ships that perish'd They also took some Prisoners that still swam alive upon the water Among the rest there was a Pilot who was a Stranger and belong'd to the least of the two Ships with whom the Captain had much discourse about the number of men in the Ships from what Port they last set forth and whether any more Ships were design'd upon that Coast To which the Pilot gave the
so hunted bite them off which the Hunters finding desist their further pursuit For they finding their Bodies but missing that they came for enjoyn'd them a severe Penance making them keep Fast till the Pride of their flesh was much abated But not content with this they put them to as severe an Inquisition as ever his Unholiness or any of his Cabinet-Council invented to extort from them a confession of the unrighteous Mammon Yet further knowing it was hard to trust them who were so well instructed in the Art of Equivocating with Hereticks when they had got all they could this way they threatned to burn their Houses and sell them for Slaves unless they would ransom both When they had got all they expected and now made themselves men they thought it best to be gone in time and to return to their Ports whence they set forth that they might again a little indulge their former pleasures never resolving to make an Idol of what they had thus Purchased Where in a little time partly the Taverns and partly their Female Friends like Spunges quickly sucked up their superfluous Monies and then turned them out to seek their new adventures But that I may not detain you longer in the Entry I shall proceed to give you an account of those Cannibals adventures ROCK BRASILIANO FRANCIS LOLONOIS PETER FRANCIS BARTOLOMEW PORTUGUES E. H. Van Houe Sculp CHAP. II. The Original of the American Pirates THE American Pirates or Bucaneers are the Subject of this History a sort of People who cannot be said to deserve any other Title as not being maintain'd or upheld in their Actions by any Soveraign Prince For certain it is that when the Kings of Spain have complain'd by their Embassadors to the Kings of England and France of the Molestations and Robberies done upon the Spaniards both at Land and at Sea by those Pirates upon the Coasts of America even in the Calm of Peace it has been always answer'd that such persons did not commit those Acts of Hostility and Piracy as Subjects to their Majesties and therefore his Catholick Majesty might proceed against them as he should think fit The King of France also added That he had no Fortress or Castle upon the Island of Hispaniola nor receiv'd any Tribute thence It was likewise declar'd by the King of England that he had never given any Patents or Commissions to those of Jamaica for committing any Hostility against the Subjects of his Catholick Majesty The first Pirate that was known upon the Island of Tortuga was Peter the Great born at Dieppe in Normandy who took the Vice Admiral of the Spanish Fleet near the Cape of Tiburon upon the Western side of Hispaniola This Pirate having been Cruzing at Sea for some time without finding any thing to answer his Expectation at length espy'd a great Vessel belonging to the Spanish Fleet separated from the rest and tho' they judgâ—d her to be much above their strength yet such was their covetousness of the Prey that theywere resolv'd to have the Ship or die in the Attempt to that purpose they bor'd a hole in the sides of their own Boat that their own Vessel sinking under them they might be compell'd to attach the Enemy the more vigorously Thus resolv'd they approach'd the Ship in the dark and boarding it immediately with only a Pistol in one hand and a Sword in the other they ran into the great Cabin where they found the Captain and some of his Companions playing at Cards The Spaniards seeing the Pirates aboard before they had discover'd them at Sea cry'd out Jesus bless us are these Men or Devils In the mean time others of the Pirates made sure of the Gun-Room and Arms therein killing all that made any opposition Peter the Great having thus made himself Master of this famous Prize detain'd in his Service as many of the common Sea-men as he had need of and set the rest ashoar and then with all his wealth set sail for France where he continu'd without ever returning to America again The Planters and Hunters of Tortuga had no sooner understood this happy success of those Pirates but they resolv'd to follow their Example but wanting Boats and small Vessels they set forth in their Canows and began to Cruze about Cape de Alvarez where the Spaniards us'd to Trade from one City to another with Hides and Tobacco and other necessary Commodities Of these Boats laden they took a great number and carry'd their purchase to Tortuga where they sold it to the Ships that waited in Port for their return and thus with the gains of these Prizes they provided themselves with necessaries to undertake more considerable designs Some of their Voyages they made toward the Coast of Campeche and others toward that of New Spain where the Spaniards at that time drave a great Trade and where they met a great number of Trading Vessels and sometimes Ships of great Burthen So that in less than a months time two great Ships which the Spaniards had laden with Plate in the Port of Campeche and bound for Caraca's were by them taken and brought into Tortuga Which Successes so encourag'd the people of the Island that from those small Beginnings within a little space of time there were to be numbred in that small Island and Port above twenty Vessels of those sort of people CHAP. III. How the Pirates Arm their Vessels and Order their Voyages BEfore these Pirates go forth to Sea they give notice to every one that is engag'd in the design of the day that they are punctually to Embark with orders to every one in particular to provide as many pound of Powder as the Voyage may be thought to require Being all aboard the first thing considered is where to get provisions of Flesh especially Pork For which purpose they readily conclude to rob such and such Hog-yards where the Spaniards usually keep a thousand Head of Swine together Nor do they give any Quarter to the Swine-keepers if they offer to disturb or resist them in their Vocation Being thus furnisht with provisions they allow to every man twice a day as much as they can eat without weight or measure Nor has the Captain any proportion of Flesh or any thing else more than the meanest Sea-man Their next deliberation is where to go and seek their Fortunes and then for the Charges and Division of what is got by the common Stock that is concluded upon under Hand and Seal First how much the Captain is to have for his Ship then the Salary for the Carpenter or Shipwright that careen'd the Vessel which generally comes to a hundred or a hundred and fifty pieces of Eight For provisions and victualling they draw out of the common Stock two hundred pieces of Eight The Surgeons Salary and Medicaments are rated at two hundred and fifty pieces of Eight Lastly They agree in writing what recompence every one shall have for the loss of a Limb for the loss of
of view he took along with him fourscore of his Crew out of an honest design to Rob the Churches aud Rifle the Houses of the most wealthy Citizens of Nicaraegua So rowing up the River in the Night-time in the Day-time they lay conceal'd among the Trees that grow very thick in those Countries upon the Shoars and thus the third Night they drew near the unfortunate City where the Centry plac'd upon the Watch took them for Fisher-men fishing in the Lake but was damnably mistaken which he also took the rather for granted because he heard 'em speak Spanish a Language which though the Pirates do not learn Grammatically yet are they very well vers'd in it as improving the learning for their own ends The Sentry thus deceiv'd and as secure as a Thief in a Mill was presently seiz'd by an Indian of the Crew and dextrously murdered without any noise or hubbub Having thus laid the Sentry asleep that they might be in a better capacity to disturb the sleeping peoples Rest they enter'd the City and knocking at four or five of the chief Houses in the shape of Friends they were no sooner let in but they plaid the Devils falling with an incredible diligence to their Trade of Ransacking and plundering whatever they could lay their hands on having first made sure of the Proprietors and then Administring upon the Goods of the Intestate Nor were they forgetful in this heat of business to rifle the Churches and sacred places according to their first pious Intentions performing all their vows according to the form of the Indictment Not having the fear of God before their Eyes By this time they who had escap'd their clutches had by their Cries and Lamentations put the whole Town into uprore and Alarum so that the people began to rally and put themselves into a posture of defence Which the bold Enemy perceiving they made all the haste they could to retire with the Booty they had got carrying along with 'em some Prisoners to redeem their Brethren if any one should happen to be taken in the pursuit But they got all safe to their Ship as the Devil would have it and well it was they were so speedy for they were no sooner got out to Sea but they beheld above five-hundred well arm'd Spaniards upon the shore to whom however they put off their Caps very civilly crying out You come too late Gaffers And so in truth they did for they could not with their appearing force the obstinate Rovers to restore a doight of what they had got and besides before they would dismiss their Prisoners they constrain'd 'em to procure their Guests as much flesh as they thought requisite for their Voyage This Purchase of theirs amounted to above four thousand pieces of Eight in ready Cash besides a great quantity of uncoin'd Plate and Jewels computed to be worth about fifty thousand pieces of Eight more Which they carried all safe to Jamaica where they spent it according to the Proverb so that they were constrained in a short time to seek out new Adventures To which purpose C. Davies now more renown'd among his Gang then Bacchus that Conquered India was chosen Admiral of seven or eight Boats with which he directed his course first to the North of Cuba but failing there he steer'd toward the Coast of Florida where he sack't a small Town by the name of St. Austins of Florida To which place though there belong'd a Castle that had in it 200 men yet could they not prevent the pillaging the Town Such Sons of Thunder and Lightning are the true Buccaneers CHAP. IV. The Original of Francis Lolonnois and the Progress of his Exploits THis same Dragon of a Buccaneer was born in France at a place call'd Les Sables or the Sands of Olonne Though had he never been born it might have been better for some hundreds In his Youth he was sent to the Charibdy Islands as a slave where without being put to School he learnt Roguery sufficient to advance his Name among the wicked Being out of his Time he went to the Academy of Hispaniola where he studied for some time among the Hunters before he began his Exploits against the Spaniards At first he was no more then a Batchelor of Art or common Mariner but at length he was thought worthy of a higher degree and was made Governor of Tortuga where Fortune favour'd him at first with such a liberal success that he gained great Riches But after she had thus given him her Milk she at length kick'd down the Pail And first in a violent storm she cast away his Ship at what time he and all his men were sav'd yet being come ashore the Spaniards fell upon him killing the greatest part of his men and wounding him himself nor could he have possibly escap'd had not his misery helpt him at a dead lift For after many inventions he bethought himself of a project to smear his Face with sand and his own blood Which when he had done he lay down close among the dead till the Enemy had quitted the Field When they were gone up he got bound up his wounds as well as he could and so in a Spanish disguise trudg'd away to Campeche where he saw the rejoycings of the Spaniards for his suppos'd Death expressed by Bonfires and many other tokens of Publick Joy While he stay'd there he got in with several slaves to whom he promis'd Liberty if they would follow him who not much liking their present Condition followed his directions which was to steal him one of their Masters Canows Trim Tram quoth the Proverb These Fellows very honourably and justly stole him one of their Masters Boats in which at length by the assistance of his Benefactors he got aboard and so got safe to Tortuga the Seminary where he had first commenc'd Doctor in the Art of Villany There in a short time though his Fortunes were very shallow he got two Canows with Men and Arms as Taylors furnish young Gentlemen with new Cloaths upon Credit Thus set up again he directed his Course for the North-side of Cuba where lies a small Town by the name of de los Cayos the Inhabitants of which Place drove a great Trade in Tobacco Sugar and Hides but all in small Boats because of the shallows in those parts There Lolonnois resolved at first to drive a small Trade like a young beginner But being discovered by the Fishermen who gave notice of his coming he was disappointed of his present design For the Townsmen sent away immediately to the Governor of Havana giving him notice that Lolonnois was come to destroy them with two Canows who though he did not believe Lolonnois to be alive yet at their importunity sent them a Ship and ten Guns for their security Of this Lolonnois had intelligence but was so far from retiring out of fear that hearing the Ship lay at an Anchor in the River of Estera he resolv'd to Attack her not