Near the island of St. Lucia, they took a sloop belonging to Barbados, which they plundered, and then burnt, forcing some of the men to sign their articles, the others they beat and cut in a barbarous manner, because they refused to take on with the crew, and then sent them away in the boat, who all got safe afterwards to Barbados.
The next was a Martinique man, which they served as bad as they had done the others, but did not burn their ship. Some days afterwards in running down to leeward, they took one Captain Hawkins, coming from Jamaica, laden chiefly with logwood; they took out of her, stores, arms, ammunition, and several other things, as they thought fit, and what they did not want they threw overboard or destroy’d; they cut the cables to pieces, knocked down the cabins, broke all the windows, and in short took all the pains in the world to be mischievous. They took by force, out of her, Mr. Burridge and Mr. Stephens, the two mates, and some other hands; and after detaining the ship from the , to the , they let her go. On the they took a Rhode Island sloop, Captain Pike, and all his men were obliged to go aboard the pirate; but the mate being a grave sober man, and not inclinable to stay, they told him, he should have his discharge, and that it should be immediately writ on his back; whereupon he was sentenced to receive ten lashes from every man in the ship, which was rigorously put in execution.
The next day Mr. Burridge, Captain Hawkins’ mate, sign’d their articles, which was so agreeable to them (he being a good artist and sailor) that they gave three huzzas, fir’d all the guns in the ship, and appointed him master: the day was spent in boisterous mirth, roaring and drinking of healths, among which was, by mistake, that of King George II for you must know, now and then the gentry are provok’d to sudden fits of loyalty, by the expectation of an act of grace: it seems Captain Pike had heard at Jamaica that the King was dead, so the pirates immediately hoisted their ensign half-mast (the death signal) and proclaim’d His Royal Highness, saying, they doubted not but there would be a general pardon in a twelve month, which they would embrace and come in upon, but damn ’em if they should be excepted out of it, they would murder every Englishman that should fall into their hands.
The , they spy’d a sail, and gave her chase till at night, the pirates believed her to be a Spaniard, when they came close up to her, they discharged a broadside, with small and great shot, which was follow’d by another, but the ship making a lamentable cry for quarters, they ceas’d firing, and ordered the captain to come aboard, which he did, but how disappointed the rogues were when they found ’twas their old friend Captain Hawkins, whom they had sent away three days before, worth not one penny? This was such a baulk to them, that they resolved he should suffer for falling in their way, though it was so contrary to his own inclinations: about 15 of them surrounded the poor man with sharp cutlashes, and fell upon him, whereby he was soon laid flat on the deck; at that instant Burridge flew amongst the thickest of the villains, and begg’d earnestly for his life, upon whose request ’twas granted. They were now most of ’em drunk, as is usual at this time of night, so they unanimously agreed to make a bonfire of Hawkins’ ship, which was immediately done, and in half an hour she was all of a blaze.
After this, they wanted a little more diversion, and so Captain Hawkins was sent for down to the cabin to supper; what should the provision be, but a dish of candles, which he was forced to eat, having a naked sword and a pistol held to his breast all the while; when this was over, they buffeted him about for some time, and sent him forward amongst the other prisoners, who had been treated with the same delicacies.
Two days afterwards, they anchor’d at a little uninhabited island, call’d Roatán, near the Bay of Honduras, and put ashore Captain Hawkins, and several other men, (one of them his passenger) who dy’d there of the hardships he underwent. They gave them powder and ball, and a musket, with which they were to shift as they could, sailing away the next day for other adventures.
Captain Hawkins, and his unfortunate companions, stayed 19 days upon this island, supplying themselves with both fish and fowl, such as they were, at which time came two men in a canoe, that had been left upon another marroon island near Benacca, who carry’d the company at several times thither, it being more convenient in having a good well of fresh water, and plenty of fish, etc. twelve days afterwards they spy’d a sloop off at sea, which, upon their making a great smoke, stood in, and took them off; she was the Merriam, Captain Jones, lately escaped out of the Bay of Honduras, from being taken by the Spaniards.
At an island to the westward, the pirates clean’d their ship, and sail’d towards the Island of St. Christopher’s, to wait for one Captain Moor, who commanded the Eagle sloop, when she took Lowther’s upon the careen, at Blanco; Spriggs resolved to put him to death, whenever he took him, for falling upon his friend and brother, but instead of Moor, he found a French man-of-war from Martinique upon the coast, which Spriggs not thinking fit to contend with, run away with all the sail he could make,
