This day was spent in a kind of rejoicing, the castle firing her guns to salute the ship, and the ship the castle; but the next day they minded their business, that is, they fell to plundering, but they found things fall vastly short of their expectation; for they discovered, that a great deal of money had been lately sent away; however, they met with the value of about two thousand pounds sterling in bar gold, and a great many other rich effects: everything they liked, which was portable, they brought aboard their ship; some things which they had no use for, they were so generous to make a present of, to the master and crew of the little sloop, to whom they also returned his vessel again, and then they fell to work in dismounting the guns, and demolishing the fortifications.
After they had done as much mischief as they could, and were weighing anchor to be gone, they spy’d a ship bearing down upon them in full sail; they soon got their anchors up, and were in a readiness to receive her. This ship prov’d to be a French pirate of fourteen guns and sixty-four hands, half French, half Negroes; the captain’s name was La Bouse; he expected no less than a rich prize, which made him so eager in the chase; but when he came near enough to see their guns, and the number of their hands upon deck, he began to think he should catch a Tartar, and supposed her to be a small English man-of-war; however, since there was no escaping, he resolved to do a bold and desperate action, which was to board Davis. As he was making towards her, for this purpose, he fired a gun, and hoisted his black colours; Davis returned the salute, and hoisted his black colours also. The Frenchman was not a little pleased at this happy mistake; they both hoisted out their boats, and the captains went to meet and congratulate one another with a flag of truce in their sterns; a great many civilities passed between them, and La Bouse desired Davis, that they might sail down the coast together, that he (La Bouse) might get a better ship: Davis agreed to it, and very courteously promised him the first ship he took, fit for his use, he would give him, as being willing to encourage a willing brother.
The first place they touch’d at, was Sierra Leone, where at first going in, they spied a tall ship at anchor; Davis being the best sailor first came up with her, and wondering that she did not try to make off, suspected her to be a ship of force. As soon as he came alongside of her, she brought a spring upon her cable, and fired a whole broadside upon Davis, at the same time hoisted a black flag; Davis hoisted his black flag in like manner, and fired one gun to leeward.
In fine, she proved to be a pirate ship of twenty-four guns, commanded by one Cocklyn, who expecting these two would prove prizes, let them come in, lest his getting under sail might frighten them away.
This satisfaction was great on all sides, at this junction of confederates and brethren in iniquity; two days they spent in improving their acquaintance and friendship, the third day Davis and Cocklyn, agreed to go in La Bouse’s brigantine and attack the fort; they contrived it so, as to get up thither by high water; those in the fort suspected them to be what they really were, and therefore stood upon their defence; when the brigantine came within musket shot, the fort fired all their guns upon her, the brigantine did the like upon the fort, and so held each other in play for several hours, when the two confederate ships were come up to the assistance of the brigantine; those who defended the fort, seeing such a number of hands on board these ships, had not the courage to stand it any longer, but abandoning the fort, left it to the mercy of the pirates.
They took possession of it, and continued there near seven weeks, in which time they all cleaned their ships. We should have observed, that a galley came into the road while they were there, which Davis insisted should be yielded to La Bouse, according to his word of honour before given; Cocklyn did not oppose it, so La Bouse went into her, with his crew, and cutting away her half deck, mounted her with twenty-four guns.
Having called a counsel of war, they agreed to sail down the coast together, and for the greater grandeur, appointed a commodore, which was Davis; but they had not kept company long, when drinking together on board of Davis, they had like to have fallen together by the ears, the strong liquor stirring up a spirit of discord among them, and they quarrelled, but Davis put an end to it, by this short speech:
Hark ye, you Cocklin and La Bouse, I find by strengthening you, I have put a rod into your hands to whip myself, but I’m still able to deal with you both; but since we met in love, let us part in love, for I find, that three of a trade can never agree.
Upon which the other two went on board their respective ships, and immediately parted, each steering a different course.
Davis held on his way down the coast, and making Cape Apollonia, he met with two Scotch and one English vessel, which he plundered, and then let go. About five days after he fell in with a Dutch interloper of thirty guns and ninety men, (half being English,) off Cape Three Points Bay; Davis coming up alongside of her, the Dutchman
