The beginning of , they got to the West Indies, and near the island of Disseada, took a brigantine, one Payne Master, that afforded them what they stood in need of, which put them in better temper, and business seemed to go on well again. After they had pretty well plundered the brigantine, they sent her to the bottom. They went into the Island and watered, and then stood to the northward, intending to visit the main-coast of America.
In the latitude of 38, they took a brigantine called the Rebecca of Boston, Captain Smith, bound thither from St. Christopher’s. At the taking of this vessel, the crews divided; for Low, whom Lowther joined at the Grand Cayman, proving always a very unruly member of the commonwealth, always aspiring, and never satisfy’d with the proceedings of the commander; he thought it the safest way to get rid of him, upon any terms; and according to the vote of the company, they parted the bear skin between them: Low with 44 hands went aboard the brigantine, and Lowther with the same number stay’d in the sloop, and separated that very night, being the .
Lowther proceeding on his way to the main-coast, took three or four fishing vessels off New York, which was no great booty to the captors. The , they met with a small New England ship, bound home from Barbados, which stood an attack a small time, but finding it to no purpose, yielded herself a prey to the booters: the pirates took out of her fourteen hogsheads of rum, six barrels of sugar, a large box of English goods, several casks of loaf sugar, a considerable quantity of pepper, six Negroes, besides a sum of money and plate, and then let her go on her voyage.
The next adventure was not so fortunate for them, for coming pretty near the coast of South Carolina, they met with a ship just come out, on her voyage to England; Lowther gave her a gun, and hoisted his piratical colours; but this ship, which was called the Amy, happening to have a brave gallant man to command her, who was not any ways daunted with that terrible ensign, the black flag, he instead of striking immediately, as ’twas expected, let fly a broadside at the pirate. Lowther (not at all pleased with the compliment, though he put up with it for the present) was for taking leave; but the Amy getting the pirate between her and the shore, stood after him to clap him aboard; to prevent which, Lowther run the sloop aground, and landed all the men with their arms. Captain Gwatkins, the Captain of the Amy, was obliged to stand off, for fear of running his own ship ashore; but at the same time thought fit for the public good, to destroy the enemy; and thereupon went into the boat, and rowed towards the sloop, in order to set her on fire; but before he reached the vessel, a fatal shot from Lowther’s company ashore, put an end to their design and Captain Gwatkin’s life. After this unfortunate blow, the mate returned aboard with the boat, and not being inclined to pursue them any farther, took charge of the ship.
Lowther got off the sloop after the departure of the Amy, and brought all his men aboard again, but was in a poor shattered condition, having suffered much in the engagement, and had a great many men kill’d and wounded: he made shift to get into an inlet somewhere in North Carolina, where he stayed a long while before he was able to put to sea again.
He and his crew laid up all the winter, and shifted as well as they could among the woods, divided themselves into small parties, and hunted generally in the daytimes, killing of black cattle, hogs, etc. for their subsistence, and in the night retired to their tents and huts, which they made for lodging; and sometimes when the weather grew very cold, they would stay aboard of their sloop.
In the spring of the year , they made shift to get to sea, and steered their course for Newfoundland, and upon the banks took a schooner, call’d the Swift, John Hood Master; they found a good quantity of provisions aboard her, which they very much wanted at that time, and after taking three of their hands, and plundering her of what they thought fit, they let her depart. They took several other vessels upon the banks, and in the harbour, but none of any great account; and then steering for a warmer climate, in August arrived at the West Indies. In their passage thither, they met with a brigantine, called the John and Elizabeth, Richard Stanny Master, bound for Boston, which they plundered, took two of her men, and discharged her.
Lowther cruised a pretty while among the islands without any extraordinary success, and was reduced to a very small allowance of provisions, till they had the luck to fall in with a Martinique man, which proved a reasonable relief to them; and after that, a Guinea man had the ill fortune to become a prey to the rovers; she was called the Princess, Captain Wicksted Commander.
It was now thought necessary to look out for a place to clean their sloop in, and prepare for new adventures: accordingly the Island of Blanco was pitched upon for that purpose, which lies in the latitude of 11° 50′. N. about 30 leagues from the main of the Spanish America, between the islands of Margarita and Rocas, and not far from Tortuga. It is a low even island, but healthy and dry, uninhabited, and about two leagues in
