In this condition they arrived at the island of Mauritius, about the middle of February, sheathed and refitted the Victory, and on the sailed again, leaving this terrible inscription on one of the walls. Left this place the , to go to Madagascar for limes, and this, lest (like lawyers and men of business) any visits should be paid in their absence: however, they did not sail directly for Madagascar, but the island Mascarine, and luckily as rogues could wish, they found at their arrival on the , a Portuguese ship at anchor, of 70 guns, but most of them thrown overboard, her masts lost, and so much disabled by a violent storm they had met with in the latitude of 13° south, that she became a prize to the pirates, with very little or no resistance, and a glorious one indeed, having the Conde de Ericeira, Viceroy of Goa, who made that fruitless expedition against Angria, the Indian, and several other passengers on board; who, as they could not be ignorant of the treasure she had in, did assert, that in the single article of diamonds, there was to the value of between three and four millions of dollars.
The Viceroy, who came on board that morning, in expectation of the ships being English, was made a prisoner, and obliged to ransom; but in consideration of his great loss, (the prize being part his own,) they agreed after some demurrings, to accept of 2,000 dollars, and set him and the other prisoners ashore, with promises to leave a ship that they might transport themselves, because the island was not thought in a condition to maintain so great a number; and though they had learned from them, the account of an Ostender being to leeward of the island, which they took on that information, (being formerly the Greyhound galley of London,) and could conveniently have comply’d with so reasonable a request; yet they sent the Ostender with some of their people to Madagascar, with news of their success, and to prepare masts for the prize; and followed themselves soon after, without regard to the sufferers, carrying 200 Mozambique Negroes with them in the Portuguese ship.
Madagascar is an island larger than Great Britain, most of it within the Tropic of Capricorn, and lays east from the eastern side of Africa: it abounds with provisions of all sorts, oxen, goats, sheep, poultry, fish, citrons, oranges, tamarinds, dates, coconuts, bananas, wax, honey, rice; or in short, cotton, indigo, or any other thing they will take pains to plant, and have understanding to manage: they have likewise ebony, a hardwood like Brazil, of which they make their lances; and gum of several sorts, benzin, dragon’s blood, aloes, etc. What is most incommodious, are the numerous swarms of locusts on the land, and crocodiles or alligators in their rivers. Hither, in St. Augustin’s Bay, the ships sometimes touch for water, when they take the inner passage for India, and do not design to stop at Johanna; and we may observe from the sixth general voyage set forth by the East India company, in confirmation of what is hereafter said in relation to currents in general; that this inner passage or channel, has its northern and southern currents strongest where the channel is narrowest, and is less, and varies on different points of the compass, as the sea comes to spread again, in the passage cross the line.
Since the discovery of this island by the Portuguese, AD , the Europeans, and particularly pirates, have increased a dark mulatto race there, though still few in comparison with the natives, who are Negroes, with curled short hair, active, and formerly represented malicious and revengeful, now tractable and communicable, perhaps owing to the favours and generosity in clothing and liquors, they from time to time have received from these fellows, who live in all possible friendship, and can, any single man of them, command a guard of 2 or 300 at a minute’s warning: this is farther the native’s interest, to cultivate with them, because the island being divided into petty governments and commands, the pirates, settled here, who are now a considerable number, and have little castles of their own, can preponderate wherever they think fit to side.
When Taylor came with the Portuguese prize here, they found the Ostender had played their men a trick, for they took advantage of their drink, rise upon them, and (as they heard afterwards) carried the ship to Mozambique, whence the Governor ordered her for Goa.
Here the pirates came, cleaned the Cassandra, and divided their plunder, sharing 42 small diamonds a man, or in less proportion according to their magnitude. An ignorant, or a merry fellow, who had only, one in this division, as being judged equal, in value to 42 small, muttered very much at the lot, and went and broke it in a mortar, swearing afterwards, he had a better share than any of them, for he had beat it, he said, into 43 sparks.
Those who were not for running the hazard of their necks, with 42 diamonds, besides other treasure, in their pockets, knocked off, and stay’d with their old acquaintance at Madagascar, on mutual agreements, the longer livers to take all. The residue having therefore no occasion for two ships, the Victory being leaky, she was burnt, the men (as many as would) coming into the Cassandra, under the command of Taylor, who we must leave a time, projecting either for Cochin, to dispose of their diamonds among their old friends the Dutch, or else for the Red or China Seas, to avoid the men-of-war, that continually clamoured in their ears, a noise of danger, and give the little account we are able, of that squadron, who arrived
