Major Bonnet told all his company, that he would take a commission to go against the Spaniards, and to that end, was going to St. Thomas therefore if they would go with him, they should be welcome; whereupon they all consented, but as the sloop was preparing to sail, a bumboat, that brought apples and cider to sell to the sloop’s men, informed them, that Captain Teach lay at Ocracoke Inlet, with only 18 or 20 hands. Bonnet, who bore him a mortal hatred for some insults offered him, went immediately in pursuit of Blackbeard, but it happened too late, for he missed of him there, and after four days cruise, hearing no farther news of him, they steered their course towards Virginia.
In the month of July, these adventurers came off the capes, and meeting with a pink with a stock of provisions on board, which they happened to be in want of, they took out of her ten or twelve barrels of pork, and about 400 weight of bread; but because they would not have this set down to the account of piracy, they gave them eight or ten casks of rice, and an old cable, in lieu thereof.
Two days afterwards they chased a sloop of sixty ton, and took her two leagues off of Cape Henry; they were so happy here as to get a supply of liquor to their victuals, for they brought from her two hogsheads of rum, and as many of molasses, which, it seems, they had need of, though they had not ready money to purchase them: what security they intended to give, I can’t tell, but Bonnet sent eight men to take care of the prize sloop, who, perhaps, not caring to make use of those accustom’d freedoms, took the first opportunity to go off with her, and Bonnet (who was pleased to have himself called Captain Thomas,) saw them no more.
After this, the Major threw off all restraint, and though he had just before received His Majesty’s mercy, in the name of Stede Bonnet, he relaps’d in good earnest into his old vocation, by the name of Captain Thomas, and recommenced a downright pirate, by taking and plundering all the vessels he met with: he took off Cape Henry, two ships from Virginia, bound to Glasgow, out of which they had very little besides an hundred weight of tobacco. The next day they took a small sloop bound from Virginia to Bermuda, which supply’d them with twenty barrels of pork, some bacon, and they gave her in return, two barrels of rice, and a hogshead of molasses; out of this sloop two men enter’d voluntarily. The next they took was another Virginia man, bound to Glasgow, out of which they had nothing of value, save only a few combs, pins and needles, and gave her instead thereof, a barrel of pork, and two barrels of bread.
From Virginia they sailed to Philadelphia, and in the latitude of 38 north, they took a schooner, coming from North Carolina, bound to Boston, they had out of her only two dozen of calfskins, to make covers for guns, and two of their hands, and detained her some days. All this was but small game, and seem’d as if they design’d only to make provision for their sloop against they arrived at St. Thomas; for they hitherto had dealt favourably with all that were so unhappy as so fall into their hands; but those that came after, fared not so well, for in the latitude of 32, off of Delaware River, near Philadelphia, they took two snows bound to Bristol, out of whom they got some money, besides goods, perhaps to the value of 150 pounds; at the same time they took a sloop of sixty tons bound from Philadelphia to Barbados, which after taking some goods out, they dismissed along with the snows.
The , Captain Thomas took a sloop of 50 tons, six or seven leagues off Delaware Bay, bound from Philadelphia to Barbados, Thomas Read Master, laden with provisions, which they kept, and put four or five of their hands on board her. The , they took another sloop of 60 tons, commanded by Peter Manwaring, bound from Antigua to Philadelphia, which they likewise kept with all the cargo, consisting chiefly of rum, molasses, sugar, cotton, indigo, and about 25 pound in money, valued in all to 500 pound.
The , our rovers with the vessels last taken, left Delaware Bay, and sailed to Cape Fear River, where they stayed too long for their safety, for the pirate sloop which they now new named the Royal James, proved very leaky, so that they were obliged to remain here almost two months, to refit and repair their vessel: they took in this river a small shallop, which they ripped up to mend the sloop, and retarded the further prosecution of their voyage, as before mentioned, till the news came to Carolina, of a pirate sloop’s being there to carreen with her prizes.
Upon this information, the Council of South Carolina was alarmed, and apprehended they should receive another visit from them speedily; to prevent which, Colonel William Rhet, of the same province, waited on the Governor, and generously offered himself to go with two sloops to attack this pirate; which the Governor readily accepted, and accordingly gave the Colonel a commission and full power, to fit such vessels as he thought proper for the design.
In a few days two sloops were equipped and manned: the Henry with 8 guns and 70 men, commanded by Captain John Masters, and the Sea Nymph, with 8 guns and 60 men, commanded by Captain Fayrer Hall, both under the entire direction and command of the aforesaid Colonel Rhet, who, on the , went on board the Henry, and,
