This was their last and fatal expedition, which we shall be more particular in, because, it cannot be imagined that they could have had assurance to have undertaken it, but upon a presumption, that the men-of-war, (whom they knew were upon the coast,) were unable to attack them, or else pursuant to the rumour that had indiscretionally obtained at Sierra Leone, were gone thither again.
It is impossible at this time, to think they could know of the weak and sickly condition they were in, and therefore founded the success of this second attempt upon the coast, on the latter presumption, and this seems to be confirmed by their falling in with the coast as low as Cape Lahou, (and even that was higher than they designed,) in the beginning of January, and took the ship called the King Solomon, with 20 men in their boat, and a trading vessel, both belonging to the Company. The pirate ship happened to fall about a league to leeward of the King Solomon, at Cape Apollonia, and the current and wind opposing their working up with the ship, they agreed to send the longboat, with a sufficient number of men to take her: the pirates are all volunteers on these occasions, the word being always given, who will go? And presently the stanch and firm men offer themselves; because, by such readiness, they recommend their courage, and have an allowance also of a shift of clothes, from head to foot, out of the prize.
They rowed towards the King Solomon with a great deal of alacrity, and being hailed by the commander of her, answered, Defiance; Captain Trahern, before this, observing a great number of men in the boat, began not to like his visitors, and prepared to receive them, firing a musket as they come under his stern, which they returned with a volley, and made greater speed to get on board: upon this, he applied to his men, and ask’d them, whether they would stand by him, to defend the ship, it being a shame they should be taken by half their number, without any repulse? But his boatswain, Philips, took upon him to be the mouth of the people, and put an end to the dispute; he said plainly, he would not, laid down his arms in the King’s name, as he was pleased to term it, and called out to the boat for quarters, so that the rest, by his example, were misled to the losing of the ship.
When they came on board, they brought her under sail, by an expeditious method, of cutting the cable; Walden, one of the pirates, telling the master, this yo-hope of heaving up the anchor was a needless trouble, when they designed to burn the ship. They brought her under Commodore Roberts’ stern, and not only rifled her of what sails, cordage, etc. they wanted for themselves, but wantonly throw’d the goods of the company overboard, like spendthrifts, that neither expected or designed any account.
On the same day also, they took the Flushing, a Dutch ship, robbed her of masts, yards and stores, and then cut down her foremast; but what sat as heavily as anything with the skipper, was, their taking some fine sausages he had on board, of his wife’s making, and stringing them in a ludicrous manner, round their necks, till they had sufficiently show’d their contempt of them, and then threw them into the sea. Others chopp’d the heads of his fowls off, to be dressed for their supper, and courteously invited the landlord, provided he would find liquor. It was a melancholy request to the man, but it must be comply’d with, and he was obliged, as they grew drunk, to sit quietly, and hear them sing French and Spanish songs out of his Dutch prayerbooks, with other profaneness, that he (though a Dutchman) stood amazed at.
In chasing too near in, they alarmed the coast, and expresses were sent to the English and Dutch factories, giving an account of it: they were sensible of this error immediately, and because they would make the best of a bad market, resolved to keep out of sight of land, and lose the prizes
