At Cape Good Hope, in June, the commodore met with a letter, which was left for him by the Governor of Madras, to whom it was wrote by the Governor of Pondicherry, a French factory, on the Coromandel coast, signifying, the pirates at the writing of it, were then strong in the Indian seas, having 11 sail and 1,500 men, but that many of them went away about that time, for the coast of Brazil and Guinea; others settled and fortified themselves at Madagascar, Mauritius, Johanna and Mohéli: and that others under Conden, in a ship called the Dragon, took a large Moor’s vessel, coming from Iudda and Mocha, with thirteen lackies of rupees on board, (i.e. 1,300,000 half crowns,) who having divided the plunder, burnt their ship and prize, and sat down quietly with their other friends at Madagascar.
The account contain’d several other things which we have before related.—Commodore Matthews, upon receiving this intelligence, and being fond of the service he came out for, hastened to those islands, as the most hopeful places of success; at St. Mary’s would have engaged England with promises of favour, if he would communicate what he knew, concerning the Cassandra, and the rest of the pirates, and assist in the pilotage; but England was wary, and thought this was to surrender at discretion, so they took up the Judda ship’s guns that was burnt, and the men-of-war dispersed themselves on several voyages and cruises afterwards, as was thought likeliest to succeed, though to no purpose: then the squadron went down to Bombay, were saluted by the fort, and came home.
The pirates, I mean those of the Cassandra, now Captain Taylor, fitted the Portuguese man-of-war, and resolved upon another voyage to the Indies, notwithstanding the riches they had heaped up; but as they were preparing to sail, they heard of the four men-of-war coming after them to those seas, therefore they altered their minds, sail’d for the main of Africa, and put in at a little place called Delagoa, near the River de Spiritu Sancto, on the coast of Monomotapa, in 26° south latitude. They believed this to be a place of security, in regard that the squadron could not possibly get intelligence of them, there being no correspondence over land, nor any trade carried on by sea, between that and the cape, where the men-of-war were then supposed to be. The pirates came to in the evening, and were surprised with a few shot from the shore, not knowing of any fortification or European settlement in that part of the world; so they anchored at a distance that night, and perceiving, in the morning, a small fort of six guns, they run up to it, and battered it down.
This fort was built and settled by the Dutch East India Company, a few months before, for what purpose, I know not, and having left 150 men upon the place, they were then dwindled to a third part by sickness and casualties, and never after received any relief or necessaries; so that sixteen of those that were left, upon their humble petition, were admitted on board the pirates, and all the rest would have had the same favour (they said) had they been any other than Dutch. I mention this, as an instance of their ingratitude, who had been so much obliged to their countrymen for support.
Here they stayed above four months, carreened both their ships, and took their diversions with security, till they had expended all their provisions, and then put to sea, leaving considerable quantities of muslins, chintzes, and such goods behind, to the half-starved Dutchmen, which enabled them to make good pennyworths to the next that came, to whom they bartered for provisions, at the rate of three farthings an English yard.
They left Delagoa the latter end of , but not agreeing where, or how to proceed, they concluded to part, so those who were for continuing that sort of life, went on board the Portuguese prize, and steered for Madagascar to their friends, with whom I hear they are now settled; and the rest took the Cassandra and sailed for the Spanish West Indies. The Mermaid man-of-war happening then to be down on the main with a convoy, about 30 leagues from these pirates, would have gone and attacked them; but on a consultation of the masters, whose safety he was particularly to regard, they agreed their own protection was of more service than destroying the pirate, and so the commander was unwillingly withheld. He dispatched a sloop to Jamaica, with the news, which brought down the Lanceston, only a day, or two, too late, they having just before he came, surrendered with all their riches, to the Governor of Porto Bello.
Here they sat down to spend the fruits of their dishonest industry, dividing the spoil and plunder of nations among themselves, without the least remorse or compunction, satisfying their conscience with this salvo, that other people would have done as much, had they the like opportunities. I can’t say, but that if they had known what was doing in England, at the same time by the South-Sea Directors, and their directors, they would certainly have had this reflection for their consolation, viz. that whatever robberies they had committed, they might be pretty sure they were not the greatest villains then living in the world.
It is a difficult matter to make a computation of the mischief that was done by this crew, in about five years time, which is much more than the plunder they gained, for they often sunk or burnt the vessel they took, as it suited their humour or circumstances, sometimes to prevent giving intelligence, sometimes because they did not leave men to navigate them, and at other times out of wantonness, or because they were displeased at the master’s behaviour; for any of these, it was but to give the word, and
