Whereupon a Bristol galley that lay in the harbour, was ordered to be fitted out with all imaginable expedition, of 20 guns, and 80 men, there being then no man-of-war upon that station, and also a sloop with 10 guns, and 40 men: the galley was commanded by one Captain Rogers, of Bristol, and the sloop by Captain Graves, of that island, and Captain Rogers by a commission from the Governor, was appointed commodore.
The second day after Rogers sailed out of the harbour, he was discovered by Roberts, who knowing nothing of their design, gave them chase: the Barbados ships kept an easy sail till the pirates came up with them, and then Roberts gave them a gun, expecting they would have immediately struck to his piratical flag, but instead thereof, he was forced to receive the fire of a broadside, with three huzzas at the same time; so that an engagement ensued, but Roberts being hardly put to it, was obliged to crowd all the sail the sloop would bear, to get off: the galley sailing pretty well, kept company for a long while, keeping a constant fire, which gail’d the pirate; however, at length by throwing over their guns, and other heavy goods, and thereby light’ning the vessel, they, with much ado, got clear; but Roberts could never endure a Barbados man afterwards, and when any ships belonging to that island fell in his way, he was more particularly severe to them than others.
Captain Roberts sailed in the sloop to the island of Dominica, where he watered, and got provisions of the inhabitants, to whom he gave goods in exchange. At this place he met with 13 Englishmen, who had been set ashore by a French guardacosta, belonging to Martinique, taken out of two New England ships, that had been seiz’d, as prize, by the said French sloop: the men willingly entered with the pirates, and it proved a reasonable recruit.
They stayed not long here, though they had immediate occasion for cleaning their sloop, but did not think this a proper place, and herein they judg’d right; for the touching at this island, had like to have been their destruction, because they having resolved to go away to the Grenada Islands, for the aforesaid purpose, by some accident it came to be known to the French colony, who sending word to the Governor of Martinique, he equipped and manned two sloops to go in quest of them. The pirates sailed directly for the Granadilloes, and haul’d into a lagoon, at Corcovado, where they cleaned with unusual dispatch, staying but a little above a week, by which expedition they missed of the Martinique sloops, only a few hours; Roberts sailing over night, that the French arrived the next morning. This was a fortunate escape, especially considering, that it was not from any fears of their being discovered, that they made so much haste from the Island; but, as they had the impudence themselves to own, for the want of wine and women.
Thus narrowly escaped, they sailed for Newfoundland, and arrived upon the banks the latter end of . They entered the Harbour of Trepassey, with their black colours flying, drums beating, and trumpets sounding. There were two and twenty vessels in the harbour, which the men all quitted upon the sight of the pirate, and fled ashore. It is impossible particularly to recount the destruction and havoc they made here, burning and sinking all the shipping, except a Bristol galley, and destroying the fisheries, and stages of the poor planters, without remorse or compunction; for nothing is so deplorable as power in mean and ignorant hands, it makes men wanton and giddy, unconcerned at the misfortunes they are imposing on their fellow creatures, and keeps them smiling at the mischiefs, that bring themselves no advantage. They are like mad men, that cast firebrands, arrows, and death, and say, are not we in sport?
Roberts mann’d the Bristol galley he took in the harbour, and mounted 16 guns on board her, and cruising out upon the banks, he met with nine or ten sail of French ships, all which he destroyed except one of 26 guns, which they seiz’d, and carried off for their own use. This ship they christ’ned the Fortune, and leaving the Bristol galley to the Frenchmen, they sailed away in company with the sloop, on another cruise, and took several prizes, viz. the Richard of Biddiford, Jonathan Whitfield Master; the Willing Mind of Poole; the Expectation of Topsham; and the Samuel, Captain Cary, of London; out of these ships they increased their company, by entering all the men they could well spare, in their own service. The Samuel was a rich ship, and had several passengers on board, who were used very roughly, in order to make them discover their money, threatening them every moment with death, if they did not resign everything up to them. They tore up the hatches and entered the hold like a parcel of furies, and with axes and cutlashes, cut and broke open all the bales, cases, and boxes, they could lay their hands on; and when any goods came upon deck, that they did not like to carry aboard, instead of tossing them into the hold again, threw them overboard into the sea; all this was done with incessant cursing and swearing, more like fiends than men. They carried with them, sails, guns, powder, cordage, and 8 or 9,000 £ worth of the choicest goods; and told Captain Cary, that they should accept of no act of grace; that the K⸺ and P⸺t might be damned with their acts of g⸺ for
