After they had brought all the booty aboard, a consultation was held whether they should sink or burn the ship, but whilst they were debating the matter, they spied a sail, and so left the Samuel, to give her chase; at they came up with the same, which proved to be a snow from Bristol, bound for Boston, Captain Bowles Master: they us’d him barbarously, because of his country, Captain Rogers, who attack’d them off Barbados, being of the city of Bristol.
, which was two days afterwards, they took a Virginia man called the Little York, James Philips Master, and the Love, of Liverpool, which they plundered and let go; the next day a snow from Bristol, call’d the Phoenix, John Richards Master, met with the same fate from them; as also a brigantine, Captain Thomas, and a sloop called the Sadbury; they took all the men out of the brigantine, and sunk the vessel.
When they left the banks of Newfoundland, they sailed for the West Indies, and the provisions growing short, they went for the latitude of the island Deseada, to cruise, it being esteemed the likeliest place to meet with such ships as (they used in their mirth to say) were consigned to them, with supplies. And it has been very much suspected that ships have loaded with provisions at the English colonies, on pretence of trading on the coast of Africa, when they have in reality been consigned to them; and though a show of violence is offered to them when they meet, yet they are pretty sure of bringing their cargo to a good market.
However, at this time they missed with their usual luck, and provisions and necessaries becoming more scarce every day, they retired towards St. Christopher’s, where being deny’d all succour or assistance from the government, they fir’d in revenge on the town, and burnt two ships in the road, one of them commanded by Captain Cox, of Bristol; and then retreated farther to the island of St. Bartholomew, where they met with much handsomer treatment. The Governor not only supplying them with refreshments, but he and the chiefs carressing them in the most friendly manner: and the women, from so good an example, endeavoured to outvie each other in dress, and behaviour, to attract the good graces of such generous lovers, that paid well for their favours.
Sated at length with these pleasures, and having taken on board a good supply of fresh provisions, they voted unanimously for the coast of Guinea, and in the latitude of 22 N. in their voyage thither, met with a French ship from Martinique, richly laden, and, which was unlucky for the master, had a property of being fitter for their purpose, than the banker. Exchange was no robbery they said, and so after a little mock complaisance to Monsieur, for the favour he had done them, they shifted their men, and took leave: this was their first Royal Fortune.
In this ship Roberts proceeded on his designed voyage; but before they reached Guinea, he proposed to touch at Brava, the southernmost of Cape Verde Islands and clean. But here again by an intolerable stupidity and want of judgment, they got so far to leeward of their port, that despairing to regain it, or any of the windward parts of Africa, they were obliged to go back again with the trade-wind, for the West Indies; which had very near been the destruction of them all. Suriname was the place now designed for, which was at no less than 700 leagues distance, and they had but one hogshead of water left to supply 124 souls for that passage; a sad circumstance that eminently exposes the folly and madness among pirates, and he must be an inconsiderate wretch indeed, who, if he could separate the wickedness and punishment from the fact, would yet hazard his life amidst such dangers, as their want of skill and forecast made them liable to.
Their sins, we may presume were never so troublesome to their memories, as now, that inevitable destruction seem’d to threaten them, without the least glimpse of comfort or alleviation to their misery; for, with what face could wretches who had ravaged and made so many necessitous, look up for relief; they had to that moment lived in defiance of the power that now alone they must trust for their preservation, and indeed without the miraculous intervention of providence, there appeared only this miserable choice, viz. a present death by their own hands, or a ling’ring one by famine.
They continued their course, and came to an allowance of one single mouthful of water for 24 hours; many of them drank their urine, or sea water, which, instead of allaying, gave them an inextinguishable thirst, that killed them: others pined and wasted a little more time in fluxes and apyrexies, so that they dropped away daily. Those that sustain’d the misery best, were such as almost starved themselves, forbearing all sorts of food, unless a mouthful or two of bread the whole day, so that those who survived were as weak as it was possible for men to be and alive.
But if the dismal prospect they set out with, gave them anxiety, trouble, or pain, what must their fears and apprehensions be, when they had not one drop of water left, or any other liquor to moisten or animate. This was their case, when (by the working of divine providence, no doubt,) they were brought into soundings, and at night anchored in seven fathom water: this was an inexpressible joy to them, and, as it were, fed the expiring lamp of life with fresh spirits; but this could not hold long.
