University of Virginia Library

2. PART II
ON THE SEA

9. The Joke of the Pilot's Boy[48]
BY FRANCIS PRETTY (1578)

FROM thence we went to a certain port called Tarapaca, where we landed and found by the seaside a Spaniard lying asleep. Beside him there lay thirteen bars of silver, which we took, leaving the man.

Not far from thence we went on land for fresh water, and met a Spaniard and an Indian boy driving eight lames, or Peruvian sheep, which were as big as donkeys; each one of these sheep had on his back two bags of leather, each bag containing fifty pounds of fine silver. So we brought both the sheep and their burden to the ship and found we had obtained eight hundred weight of fine silver.

From here we sailed to a place called Arica. When we entered port we found three small brigs which we rifled, and found in one of them fifty-seven wedges of silver, each of them weighing about twenty pounds weight. In these brigs we did not find a single person, for all had gone ashore to the town, which consisted of about twenty houses. If our company had been larger we would have rifled the

town, but our general contented himself with the spoils of the ships, put off to sea again, and set sail for Lima.

To Lima we came on the thirteenth of February, and entering port, we found there about twelve ships lying fast moored to their anchors, their sails having been carried on shore. Their captains and the merchants felt most secure here, never having been assaulted by the negroes. Our general rifled these ships and found in one of them a chest full of plate and good store of silks and linen cloth. This chest he took to his own ship.[49] While he was on board this ship he got news of another ship, called the Spitfire, laden with treasure: hereupon we stayed there no longer, but cutting all the cables of the enemies' ships in the haven, we left them drift whither they would, either to sea or to shore, and with all speed we followed the Spitfire towards Paita. Before we arrived there, the Spaniards shot out again towards Panama. Our general speedily pursued. But we met a brig laden with ropes and tackling; we boarded and searched it until we found a quantity of gold and golden crucifixes set with large emeralds.

Thence we departed, still following the Spitfire. and our general promised the company that whosoever should first descry her should have his reward of gold for his good news. It happened that John Drake, going up to the top, descried her at about three o'clock. About six o'clock we came to her, shot at her with three pieces of ordnance, and struck down her mizzenmast.[50] Next we entered the boat and found in her great riches, such as jewels, precious stones, thirteen chests of fine plate, four-score pound weight of gold, and twenty-six tons of silver.

The place where we took this prize was called Cape de San Francisco, about one hundred and fifty leagues from Panama.[51]

The name of the pilot of this ship was Francisco. He owned two fair gilt bowls of silver which our General found, and said: "Signor Pilot,[52] you have here two silver cups, I must needs have one of them." The pilot, because he could not choose otherwise, yielded, giving one to the General and the other to the steward of our ship. When the pilot left us, his boy said to our General: "Captain, our ship shall be called no more the Spitfire, but the Spittreasure, and your ship shall be called the Spitfire." This bright speech of the pilot's boy made us all laugh, both then and long after.

10. Far, Far at Sea
BY THE REV. FRANCIS HIGGINSON (1629)[53]

THE names of the five ships were as follows: —

The first was called the Talbot, a good and strong ship of three hundred tons and nineteen pieces of ordnance, with a crew of thirty mariners. This ship carried more than a hundred planters,[54] six goats, five great pieces of ordnance, with all manner of ammunition and provisions for the Plantation for a twelfth-month.[55]

The second ship was called the George. This also was a strong ship of about three hundred tons, with a crew of thirty mariners. Her general cargo was of cattle, twelve mares, thirty cows, and some goats. She had fifty-two planters on board.

The third ship was called the Lion's Whelp, and was a nimble ship of one ' hundred and twenty-two tons, carrying many mariners and over forty planters with provisions.

The fourth ship was called the Four Sisters.

The fifth ship was called the Mayflower.[56] This did carry both passengers and provisions.

The George having some special urgent reasons for hastening her passage set sail before the rest, about the middle of April. We who took ship in the Talbot and the Lion's Whelp hoisted sail from Gravesend on Saturday, the 25th of April.[57] On Tuesday, a week later, we entered the channel early in the morning, and passed by Portsmouth very slowly for

the wind was weak and calm.[58] In the afternoon the wind slackened and we were forced to anchor, a little this side of Cowes Castle, where I and my wife and daughter Mary, the two mates, and some others with us obtained leave from the master of the ship to go ashore to wash our linen, but the wind turning when we were absent, they hoisted sail and left us there at Cowes.[59]

Wednesday, early in the morning a shallop was sent from the ship to fetch us to Yarmouth,[60] but the weather proved rough and our women desired to be set on shore at a point three miles short of Yarmouth, and the rest of the way we went on foot, and then regained the ship. The next Sabbath being the first Lord's Day on which we had been at sea we were disturbed in our morning services by the charge of a man-of-war.[61] The captain of this ship finding us too strong for him durst not venture to assail us, but made off.

This day, my two children, Samuel and Mary, began to be sick of the small pox, which was brought into the ship by one Mr. Brown who was sick with the small pox at Gravesend.[62] By Tuesday, towards night, my daughter grew sicker. She died by five o'clock that night, and was the first of our ship to be buried in the great Atlantic Sea. By the following Saturday we were comforted with the hope that my son Samuel would get well. One morning while we were at prayers, a strong sudden blast of wind came from the south, stirred up the waves and tossed us more than ever before. Towards night the wind abated by little and little until it was calm. Mr. Goffe's great dog, that fell overboard during the gale, could not be recovered.

On Wednesday, just two months[63] after we left our English port, we had a clear sight of America, and of Cape Sable which was seven or eight leagues to the south.[64] On the sea about us we saw yellow gilly-flowers.[65] About the afternoon of the next day we had a clear sight of many islands and hills by the seashore. We saw an abundance of mackerel, and a great store of whales puffing up water as they went by our ship. Their enormous size astonished those of us who had not seen them before; their backs appeared like small islands.

Friday, after the fog cleared, we saw many schools of mackerel on every side of our ship. . The sea was abundantly stored with rock-weed and yellow flowers. By noon we were within three leagues of Cape Ann; and as we sailed along the coast we saw every hill and dale and every island full of great woods and high trees. The nearer we came to the shore the more flowers we saw, sometimes scattered abroad, sometimes joined in sheets nine or ten yards long. Towards night, we came near the harbor of Salem, whither we were bound.

11. The Ship and the Indians
BY EDWARD JOHNSTON (1628)

THE whole Indian nation of Massachusetts was frightened at a ship that arrived in the bay, for they had never seen one before.[66] They themselves report that when some Indians saw a great thing moving toward them upon the waters, wondering what creature it could be, they ran with their light canoes from

place to place, and stirred up all their countrymen to come forth and behold this monstrous thing. At this sudden news the shores for many miles were filled with the people of this unclothed nation. They gazed at this wonder till some of the bravest among them manned their canoes.[67]

INDIANS CANOEING.

[Description: Black and white illustration of a long canoe: a man stands at each end paddling, while two men in the center sit near (apparently) a fire.]

Armed with bows and arrows, they approached within bow shot of the ship, and let fly their long arrows at her. These were headed with bone and some stuck fast in the wood. Others dropped into the water. The Indians wondered that the ship did not cry out, but kept moving quietly on toward them,

and that its passengers made no defence. All of a sudden the master caused a cannon to be fired. This struck such fear into the poor Indians that they hurried to shore, and their wonder was greatly increased.

Once again the great crowd of Indians waited with amazement to see the outcome. The seamen furled up their sails and came to anchor, then manned their long boat, and went ashore. At their approach most of the Indians fled, but some saw that the newcomers were men, who made signs to stop their flight, in order that they might trade with the natives. For that purpose the newcomers had brought some copper kettles, and the Indians by degrees made their approach nearer and nearer.

Then they saw clearly the kettles which had been set forth before them. The Indians knocked on them and were much delighted with the sound. They were much more astonished to see that they would not break, although they were so thin.

To obtain those kettles the Indians brought the white men many beaver skins. They loaded the strangers richly according to their wishes.

12. The Ship in the Air[68]

OVER the harbor of New Haven appeared, in the evening, the form of a ship with three masts. Suddenly all the tackling and sails were to be seen. Shortly after, upon the ship there appeared a man, standing with one arm akimbo under his left side; and holding in his right hand a sword stretched out towards the sea.

Then from the side of the ship which was toward the town arose a great smoke, which covered all the ship; and in that smoke she vanished away. But some saw her keel sink into the water. This was seen by many men, women, and children, and it lasted about a quarter of an hour.

The unhappy mourners of relatives lost in a ship nearly two years before, tried to find some connection between the ship in the air and their own sufferings. In the gloomy and sad state of their minds they tried to find some meaning in the strange appearance.

There are many accounts of this air-ship. One says: "After the failure of news of their ship from England, prayers, both public and private, were offered by the distressed people. They prayed that the Lord would, if it was His pleasure, let them hear what He had done with their dear friends, and that He would help them to bow humbly to His holy will.

"Then a great thunder storm arose out of the northwest, and a ship was seen sailing against the wind. The very children cried out, 'There's a brave ship.' The air-ship remained before their eyes and came up as far as there was water for such a vessel. It came so near to some persons, that they thought a man might throw a stone on board her."

The people were so sure and satisfied that they had seen the ship that they believed that God, for the quieting of their troubled hearts, had been willing to send this wonderful ship to tell of what He had done to those for whom so many prayers had been made.

13. Treasure at the Bottom of the Sea
BY COTTON MATHER (1692)[69]

CAPTAIN WILLIAM PHIPS frequently told his wife that he would yet be captain of a king's ship, and that he should be the owner of a fair brick house in the green land north of Boston.[70] One year Captain Phips arrived with a ship and a tender at Port de la Platta.[71] There he made a stout canoe of a stately cotton tree, large enough to carry eight or ten persons. In doing this he used his own hand and adze and endured no little hardship, living out of doors in the woods many nights together. With this canoe he had his men explore the reefs of shoals thereabouts for they rise to within two or three feet of the surface of the sea, and are so steep that a ship striking on them would immediately sink. Captain Phips had dragged from an old Spaniard in a previous voyage a few facts about this spot, which was supposed to be the very spot where a wreck lay. This wreck was supposed to hold a great treasure.

One day after the men in the canoe were returning to Captain Phips and his large boat with bad news about their day's search, one of the men, looking over the side of the canoe into the calm water, spied a sea feather growing, as he judged, out of a rock. He bade one of the Indians to dive down and fetch this feather that they might carry home something with them. The diver who brought up the feather brought also a surprising story. He said that he saw a number of great guns down in the watery land

where he found the feather. That report of these guns astonished the whole company exceedingly, and at once turned their discouragement for their ill-success into assurances that they had now come to the true spot of ground for which they had been looking.

Upon further diving the Indian fetched up a lump of silver worth perhaps two or three hundred pounds.[72] They prudently marked the spot with a buoy, that they might find it readily again. Then they went back to their captain, who for some time had despaired of anything but bad news. They gave a similar report now, meanwhile slipping the lump of silver under the table where the captain was sitting. After hearing him express his determination to wait patiently they pushed the lump to the spot where he was, then he cried out: "Why, what is this?" With changed countenances the men told him how and where they had got it. Then said Captain Phips: "Thanks be to God. We are made."

So away they went, all hands to work. Now most happily they first fell upon that ruined wreck where the bullion had been stored, and they prospered so in this "New Fishery" that in a little while they brought up thirty-two tons of silver; for now it had come to measuring silver by tons.[73]

Thus once again there came into the light of the sun a treasure which had been groaning under the waters for half a hundred years. In this time there had grown upon the plate a crust like limestone seven inches thick. Besides this incredible treasure of plate in various forms, they fetched up from seven or eight fathoms of water vast riches of gold, pearls and jewels.[74]

14. A Pirate's Pastimes[75]
BY ESQUEMELIN (1666)

BEFORE the pirates go to sea, they give notice to all concerned of the day on which they are to sail. They oblige each man to bring so many pounds of powder and gunballs. When all have come aboard they decide where to get food, especially meat; for they eat scarcely anything else.

Sometimes they rob such and such hog-yards, where the Spaniards often have a thousand hogs together. They come to these places in the night. They surround the keeper's house and force him to get up and give them as many hogs as they wish to have. They threaten to kill him if he will not obey or if he makes any noise. When they have meat enough for their trip they return to their ship. When well supplied with food, they begin to plan where they will go to seek their fortunes.

These pirates keep very good order among them. selves. They are very polite and kind to each other, so that if any one wants what another has, he very willingly gives it to him.[76]

There was one noted pirate who lived afterwards at Jamaica. He did many surprising things. His real name was not known. His companions called him Rache Brasiliano because he had long lived in Brazil. He joined the pirates and was liked so much that they made him captain. In a few days he took a great ship coming from New Spain.[77] It had a great quantity of gold and silver on board which he carried to Jamaica.

For this the pirates thought very highly of him.

But in his private affairs he governed himself very poorly. He would sometimes appear brutal and foolish when in drink, running up and down the streets and beating or injuring those he met. No person dared to oppose him.

Once while on a journey with his men, all were very hungry and thirsty; for it was a desert place.

They were chased by a troop of a hundred Spaniards. Brasiliano seeing their danger encouraged his companions by telling them that they were better soldiers than the Spaniards and ought, at least, to die with their arms in their hands fighting, like men of courage. That, he said, would be better than to surrender to the Spaniards who would take away lives with torments.

The pirates were but thirty in number, yet seeing their brave captain show such courage they resolved to do the same. So they faced the troop of Spaniards, and discharged their guns at them so well that they killed one horseman with almost every shot. The fight lasted an hour; then the Spaniards were put to flight. The pirates took from the dead what was most useful.

Captain Henry Morgan was another noted pirate He was born in England. His father was a rich farmer of good rank. When Morgan was young he had no wish to be a farmer. So he left his own country, and found two pirates ready to go to sea; and he went with them. He learned their manner of living so exactly that he became in time a pirate captain. Finally he had twelve ships with seven hundred fighting men. They decided to attack the town of Puerto de Principe. It was at a distance from the sea, and had never been plundered by any pirates and they knew that the people living there were rich.

Captain Morgan and his men set sail, steering towards Puerto de Principe.[78] When they came into its bay, a Spaniard who was a prisoner aboard the pirate ships swam ashore by night to the town and told its people of the plan of the pirates. This he had overheard in their talk while they thought he did not understand English. Upon hearing this the Spaniards began to hide their riches and carry away their movables.

The governor gathered together all the men of the town and took a stand where the pirates would be obliged to pass. He commanded many trees to be cut down and laid across their path to hinder their passing, when the pirates arrived. The Spaniards

charged them very bravely for a while, but the pirates were very skilful with their guns. The governor with many of his companions was killed, and the Spaniards fled into the woods to save themselves. But before they could reach it, most of them were killed by the pirates.

Many people upon seeing the pirates in the town, shut themselves up in their houses, and from them shot at the pirates. The pirates then threatened them saying, "If you do not give up willingly you shall soon see the town in flames.; Your wives and children also will be killed before your faces."

At these threats the Spaniards surrendered. As soon as the pirates got possession of the town, they shut up all the men, women and children and slaves in several churches. They stole everything they could find. They also searched the country round about, bringing in daily many goods and prisoners and much food.

Then they had a merry time as is their way. They did not remember the poor prisoners, but gave them nothing to eat so that nearly all died of their misery.[79]

15. The Privateers' Attack[80]
BY JOHN FONTAINE (1708)

WITH a constant apprehension of attack before us, we lived on the qui vive from the first day of June, 1704, until the eighth day of October, 1708, when, with all our precautions, we were actually taken by surprise.

A French privateer entered the harbor during the night, and anchored off Bear Haven, about five miles from my house, and entirely out of our sight. She hoisted English colors by way of deception. She succeeded in her wish, for the officer no sooner discovered her, than he concluded she was a vessel just arrived from America, and went down with two or three soldiers of his company.

He was in great haste to be the first to board her, in order to regale himself with rum punch, a beverage of which he was unhappily much too fond. He was made a prisoner the instant his foot touched the deck of the vessel, but the captain and the officers behaved towards him with the greatest civility.

He was a little shocked at first, but they made him so very welcome, treating him to the best of wine and brandy, that he soon lost the remembrance of his situation. He gave the captain all the information he wanted, and it was of a nature to encourage him to proceed. He told him that the soldiers were dispersed without any commander, for the captain and lieutenant were both absent, as well as himself. He was sure it would be very easy to surprise my house, for I had no one near enough to help me but my own family. Upon the strength of this information,

the captain prepared for going ashore, and sent eighty men in three boats, commanded by two lieutenants.

They quitted the ship at midnight, and landed before it was light. They commenced their march about daybreak, in perfect silence, and stooping very low, in order that they might be neither seen nor heard. An Irish servant who was fetching home the cows was the first person to discover them, marching in good order, and only the distance of a long musket shot from the house. He ran home as fast as he could, and cried out that we were lost, for a number of armed men were in sight.

We got up directly, and I ordered every door to be shut, but there was so much confusion that the gates of the large court in front, and even the house door below the tower were forgotten and left open for some time. This was perceived by the enemy as we afterwards learned; but it was supposed to have been done on purpose as a feint, and that we must have a loaded cannon within

ready to fire if any one approached. When the men were near enough to hear me, I hailed them through a speaking-trumpet. I told them if they were friends to stop, and let us know who they were, and if enemies, to come forward, and we would receive them with vigor.

In the meantime my children were busily engaged loading our arms and putting them in order. The men continued to advance. I ordered my son James to fire upon them from a garret window with our largest gun, which was six feet long. This made them lower their heads; they then separated into six detachments and took various posts. Some of them, under cover of hedges and ditches, contrived to get round to the back of the house. They had determined to root us out this time, for their first act was to set fire to the malt-house, which was towards the east, then to the stacks of hay, straw and grain which were at the north and east, and after that to the cow-house, stable, and long fish-press which were at the west of my house.

These were all very combustible. In less than half an hour we were encompassed with flames on every side but one. By reason of the fire and smoke between them and us, we were unable to see our enemies, and we suffered much from the smoke, which found its way to us through every crevice.

I ordered the servants to put water in every tub and bucket that could be found, and then immerse sheep-skins with wool upon them, and ox-skins, of both which we had many in the house. When these were thoroughly saturated I had them placed in the windows, as being the most exposed parts of the house. My dear wife superintended these arrangements.

The roof was slated, so there appeared but little danger of fire being communicated to us through that channel.

The whole garrison consisted of my wife and myself, our children and four servants. Two of the latter were mere cowboys, and the other two had never seen a battle. We fired hap-hazard, as fast as we could load. We did so, because we could actually see nothing but fire and smoke, and therefore could not aim at our enemies.

My chief apprehension arose from the fear that they might possess themselves of our cannon and turn them against ourselves. Therefore I thought that while unable to see what our assailants were doing, I could not employ myself better than in firing my large blunderbuss every few minutes in the direction of the cannon.

While I was firing at random, I had a glimpse of a man setting fire to the covering of the fish-press. I took deliberate aim at him with my blunderbuss, loaded as usual with swan-shot, and wounded him in several places, but not seriously.

While we were blinded and suffocated by the smoke from the burning stacks, our adversaries raised a small mound of turf and wood, behind which they intrenched themselves. They set to work with long poles to detach the slates from the roof of the north-east tower. As soon as they uncovered a portion, they applied fire to it, by means of burning straw at the end of their poles, and in this way the roof was on fire three times, and we as often extinguished it from within.

16. How the Boys fought the Privateersmen
BY JOHN FONTAINE (1708)

ABOUT two o'clock in the afternoon, they accomplished making a breach in the wall of this same northeast tower. We could see them at work with iron bars. While they were so engaged my children fired upon them. They formed a sort of rampart with a mattress on the top of a large basket, such as is used in the country for carrying peat. They knelt behind this rampart, and fired as fast as they could one after the other, without daring to show their noses.

The enemy still continued at work with their long poles and firebrands endeavoring to set the roof on fire. When the smoke had subsided a little, I hit upon a position from which I could see to take aim at their hands, as they raised them above their intrenchment to guide the poles.

I fired, and I thought I hit them, but as they still persevered in their work I began to think it probable that I had not put a sufficient charge in the piece, so when I loaded again I put in a double quantity of powder. I had no sooner loaded than I had the opportunity of aiming at a hand I saw raised. I fired, but my piece was overloaded, and it burst, by which unfortunate accident I was thrown down with much violence. Three of my ribs and my right collar-bone were broken, and the flesh of my right hand was much torn. I was so completely stunned that I had no power to move, or even to breathe for some seconds.

My wife saw me fall, and she naturally concluded

I had been struck by a ball from the enemy. She ran to my assistance, and raised me up without making any noise whatever. As soon as I was able to articulate, I told her how it had happened. After I was prostrated, my dearest wife assumed the command. She had an eye to every thing. She went round to furnish ammunition as it was required, and she gave courage as well by her exhortations as by her example.

My sons defended the breach by an incessant fire from behind their mattress rampart. At last, a grenade was thrown in at the breach, which ran under the basket. It overturned the whole affair, but without doing any harm, thanks be to God, except giving the boys a fright which made them abandon their post; but only for a very short time.

One of them ran to me, in great dismay, to tell me that the hole was as large as any door, and that the enemy were entering by it. The other boys were still firing from the dormer windows.

I immediately rose from my bed, and asked them to give me a pistol ready. cocked and loaded, which I took in my left hand, the right being useless. I called my family around me, and I said to them, "I see, my dear children, that we must be overpowered by the great number of those who are attacking us. It is inevitable; but we will not stand quietly to be killed like dogs. Let us rather sell our lives dearly, and die like lions." I was advancing towards the breach while I said these words.

As soon as I had done speaking, my poor boys re-entered the room, and took up their old position without a word or a gesture indicative of fear. They replaced their basket and mattress, exposed to the fire of more than ten muskets. It was, indeed, a melancholy

sight! At the same time, I was gratified with their display of unflinching courage. Blessed be thou, O my God! who preserved them from injury amid such a shower of balls.

When they resumed the fire, the enemy retreated from the breach, and did not dare to show their heads, or even their hands. This caused all their fire to be thrown away; for, by not raising the butt-end of their muskets, they carried too high, and the shot went far above us every time. Seeing that we did not give way in the least, they began to tire of our obstinate resistance. They might possibly have heard me speak to the children, and it is very certain they overrated our force extremely. From the constant fire in all directions, as well as upon the main point of attack, they concluded that we must have at least twenty men. They called out to us to surrender, and they would give us good quarter.

I held a conversation with my wife and children, and we determined, at any rate, to hear what terms they offered. The firing was stopped on both sides, and I advanced to the breach to hold parley with them. One of the lieutenants came forward and took aim at me. My second son, Peter, saw what he was about, before I observed him. He immediately caught hold of me and drew me to one side, barely in time to save me from being the victim of their treachery; for the ball passed within two or three inches of my stomach.

I was extremely indignant, and said, "Ah ! you traitors ! was it then merely with the view of surprising me, that you proposed a parley ? Fire upon these traitors, my sons. Fire, I say." The boys obeyed me without loss of time, and fired upon the deceitful miscreants. I had foolishly exposed myself to a very

great danger, by placing confidence in the good faith of an enemy whom I might have known was destitute of all honorable feeling. The ever watchful providence of God again interposed for my deliverance.

We kept up an incessant fire for another quarter of an hour, when the enemy called out to us again, and made a second offer of good quarter. I reproached them with their recent perfidy, and told them I could not trust persons who had already attempted to betray the confidence I had reposed in them.

They then threatened that, if we refused to surrender, they would throw a barrel of powder in the breach and blow us all up.

"I have three or four at your service here," said I, "and I intend to scatter their contents over this floor and the inner hall, and whenever you are pleased to enter, I will throw a lighted turf upon it, and make you dance. You may depend upon it, I will not perish without you."

The desperate tone of this reply made them repeat once more their offer of good quarter. So we had a cessation of hostilities on both sides. Their proposition was, that they should have the plunder, to which I assented. I demanded life and liberty for myself and all who were with me.

He was to guarantee life and liberty to all of us, and to promise on their part the most strictly honorable deportment while in possession, and they were to have the plunder. They swore to the observance of these terms. I then had the doors opened, and ranged myself, my wife, my sons and four servants in regular order, to surrender our arms to the Commander, as he entered.

Oh, God! our Preserver ! thou knowest, and none

else can know the state of my feelings at that moment, to see my beloved wife and dear children, at the mercy of enemies, fourteen of whom we had wounded. Oh! what everlasting praises do we owe to thee for our preservation. It was thou who restrained our bloodthirsty enemies from executing the vengeance which they had sworn against us. Oh, my God! I beseech thee to sanctify the lives which thou hast so miraculously preserved, and assist us to devote them to thy service!

The Commander, and a good many of the men came in, and seeing only five youths, and four cowherds, they looked anxiously around, and asked me where all my men were, evidently fearing an ambuscade.

"You need not fear anything dishonorable from me," said I, "you now see our whole garrison." "Impossible," said he, "these children could never have kept up all the firing."

My wife then spoke to him, and said, "I am in hopes, sir, that the fact of so few persons having made this gallant defence, will be an inducement to you whom I trust we shall find a man of honor to treat us with the more consideration." Struck with her courage the Commander ordered a guard to protect us, and contented himself with sweeping away what remained of our place.

17. A Pirate's Fate
By Benjamin Colman (1726)

THE story of these wretched men is short and tragical. They sailed from Jamaica on board a snow, John Green, Commander, bound to Guinea.

They had not been long at sea before they conspired to seize the captain and mate and then go a-pirating.[81] On the 27th of May, 1726, they put in execution their wicked design, in a most cruel and barbarous manner. About one o'clock in the morning, William Fly, then boatswain of the snow "Elizabeth,"[82] after he had been for some time forward with several of the sailors, came aft with Alexander Mitchel and others, and said to Morrice Cunden (gunner of the ship), then at the helm. "You, dog, if you stir hand or foot, or speak a word, I'll blow your brains out!"

And immediately thereupon he went into the cabin where Captain Green was in bed, and Alexander Mitchel followed him; and while they were there Morrice Cunden heard the captain cry out: "What's the matter?" But they soon hauled him upon deck, and were about to throw him overboard;

he was heard calling earnestly to the doctor to hand him a rope. But the doctor was by this time himself in irons. Thus bloodily these inhuman creatures began their piracy, but vengeance followed them and suffered them not to live.

William Fly, the chief and worst (we may suppose) of these barbarous rogues, took on him the command, and named the snow the "Fame's Revenge." They were well stored with powder, and rum and provisions, but wanted a better vessel; and in quest of this it is likely they bent their course, first to Carol line, and from thence to New England. On the third of June they took a sloop at anchor off North Carolina, on board of which was Mr. William Atkinson, a passenger; who was afterwards the happy instrument in the hand of God for their destruction. They very much needed one so well skilled, as Atkinson was both a mariner and pilot; and Fly treated him well on that account, but kept a strict eye upon him, forbidding him to have any conversation with the forced men; and, lest he should talk to them, he had a hammock hung for him in the cabin.

They commanded him to carry them to Martha's Vineyard in order to wood and water there, and in hopes to meet with some sloop fitting for their purpose. But he resolved to run the venture of carrying them past the Vineyard, and run them up into or near the bay before they were aware of it. When they perceived it they began to look upon him with an evil eye, and spake of throwing him overboard. But as Fly was uttering his rage at him the next morning on this account, and telling him what death he should die if anything ill befell them through his conduct. a schooner came in sight, which put an end to Fly's

rage, for the joy of a good prize. They found it a schooner of Marblehead, George Girdler, Master.

Mr. Atkinson had some time before this meditated the seizing on Fly and his company, and found means secretly to communicate his mind to some on board, whom he thought he might trust; particularly to Samuel Walker, and Thomas Streaton; and Walker had spoken of it to James Benbrook; who all consented if a fair opportunity should offer.

It was very necessary to his design to ingratiate himself, as far as he honestly and with a good conscience could, with Fly and his pirates. Yet in doing this he ran a risk both of his innocence and his life of his innocence, for "with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy soul;" and of his life, for as some of the pirates, the captain especially, began to think friendly of him and to hearken to his advice (they all depending on him to navigate the ship). If a ship of war had taken them, it is to be feared that he had in vain pleaded his innocence and good intentions. But the good God who preserved, has also pleaded his innocence. And we ought to praise his virtue, conduct and courage, and give God the glory of it.

Fly had no sooner taken the schooner of Marblehead, when they discovered another at a distance from them. Whereupon he put three men on board the schooner, and purposed to bear down on the new sail with both his vessels. But Mr. Atkinson with a ready thought advised him to put six men into the schooner, and send her down on the fishing vessels, for the schooner had been one of their company but a day before, and so there would be no likelihood of their flying from her: "but," said he, "if the snow

and the schooner now bear down together, they'll take you for what you are, and make away from you." Fly came into his advice and put three men more into the schooner, and parted with her, standing a course wide from her.

Now Atkinson's thoughts were hard at work how to draw Fly away from his arms on the quarter-deck. For there he kept alone, nor would suffer Atkinson to step up, so much as to set down the bowl of punch after he had drank to him. And probably a message which he received from a chief pirate on board the schooner, "To have a special care of his friend," did increase his jealousy; though he seem. d only to laugh at it.

Within a little while Atkinson spied a sail ahead to the leeward, and informed Fly of it. And presently after he pretended to discover two or tier, more sail, and told him he would have a fleet of prizes. But Fly with his glass could see but one. "Why," said Atkinson, "if you were but here, sir, with your glass, ahead, you would easily see them all." On a sudden Fly forgot his caution, and comes off the quarter-deck, where his arms lay, and sits him down ahead to spy the sails spoken of. Then Atkinson gave the sign to his friends, and Walker followed by Benbrook came up, pretending at first to direct the captain to look a point or two on such a side, while Atkinson (a spare and slender man) passed aft toward the arms, and in the instant that Walker laid hold of Fly he took the fire-arms, and returned pointing the gun to the pirate's breast, and telling him "He was a dead man if he did not immediately submit himself his prisoner." The wicked Fly earnestly begged for his life, and now found that

mercy which he had so barbarously denied to his innocent captain.

When Fly found himself chained down and effectually secured, he fell at times into the most desperate ragings; the same blasphemer now in his furious despair, or worse than he ever was before in his jollity and pride; when he would sometimes even dare to ridicule the noise of God's thunder, as it rattled over him, saying, "That they were playing bowls in the air," etc., and as the lightnings sometimes flashed upon them, he would say "Who fires now? Stand by," etc. So he dared the dreadful vengeance, which pursued him swift as the lightnings and suddenly struck him.

But Capt. Atkinson and his brave mates are much to be praised, that they dealt so mercifully with these bloody men; and neither "blew their brains out" (their own phrase) nor threw them overboard. Blessed be God that kept them that day from shedding blood, and from avenging themselves with their own hands. It was much better to reserve the murderers to the judgment of the law, in the proper course of it. Capt. Atkinson and his company now made the best of their way for the port of Boston.

18. Sharks and Water Spouts
BY Rev. George Whitefield (1737)[83]

My dear Friends,

Though I know no reason why you should be solicitous about anything that happens to such a dead dog as I am, yet as your love (O unmerited Kindness) abounds exceedingly towards me, I send you a full and particular account of my voyage.

Monday, Feb. 20, 1737. I spent the morning on board in writing letters to my dear friends in England. Went in the afternoon on shore to Gibralter, and was unspeakably delighted with the prospect of the place The seeing persons of all nations and languages gave me great pleasure.

Saturday, March 18. The weather being exceedingly fair, and the sea calm, I went with the Captain on board the Lightfoot. Dined with the gentlemen belonging to the ship; married a couple; dispersed Bibles, testaments and soldiers' monitors amongst the men. Exchanged some books for some cards which I threw overboard. Preached a sermon against drunkenness which God enabled me to finish yesterday; and returned in the evening highly delighted with seeing the porpoises roll about the great deep.

Monday, March 20. To-day the Colonel came to dine with us, and in the midst of our meal we were entertained with a most agreeable sight. It was a shark about the length of a mall. It followed our ship, and was attended with five little fishes, called the pilot fish, much like a mackerel, but larger.

These I am told always keep the shark company. And what is most surprising, though the shark is so

ravenous a creature, yet let it be never so hungry, it never touches one of them. Nor are they less faithful to him. For if at any time the shark is hooked, these little creatures will not forsake him. They cleave close to his fins and are often taken up with him. Go to the pilot-fish, thou that forsakes" a friend in adversity. Consider his ways and be abashed.

Tuesday, April 18. Was greatly delighted in seeing two water spouts, which ran along for several miles, and by the especial Providence of God escaped US. We saw one of them coming, and were surprised to observe a sudden calm for about six minutes.

The other parts of the sea boiled like a pot. But surely the everlasting I AM said to the sea at that instant, "Let there be a calm in that place." For by that means our ship was immediately stopped in her course. So the water spout passed by before we came up to it. Otherwise it would have torn our sail in pieces. God's hand was so visible in this, that several said they never beheld the like before.

Saturday, April 22. Fled as it were on the wings of the wind for three days past. I find that God generally sends us strongest winds when nearest our port.

Friday, May 5. This afternoon, after having lain about a week on this coast, we saw Savannah River, and sent off for a pilot. Oh what joy appeared in everyone's countenance!

Sunday, May 7. Last night, by the blessing of God, we cast anchor near Tyby Island about fourteen miles off Savannah. After this I took boat and arrived safe at Savannah, having a most pleasant passage, about seven in the evening.